High Hopes (A Solangelo AU)

Chapter 3

Nico///

"Hello Reyna."

Nico brushed into the staff room, making his way to the coffee machine. He usually didn't like to rely on caffeine to keep his system running, but he oddly enjoyed the bitter taste of the bean water.

"Hey Nico." Replied Reyna. She looked up from lacing her boots on one of the many staff couches around the room. She stared at Nico making his coffee silently. "What's up with the button-up?" She asked.

Nico continued to focus on his task, keeping his head down. He tried to fight the rose rising on his cheeks. His smile. "Uh...Only thing left...forgot to do laundry." He stated quietly.

"Nico 'have-every-day-of-my-life-planned-even-my-funeral' di Angelo messed up his schedule?" She snorted. "Who are you and what have you done with my friend?"

Nico felt surprised at the word 'friend'. He guessed he and Reyna were the definition of friends. Just, neither of them had ever said it before. They weren't very feely people -odd for the jobs they had. But that's why Nico liked her.

"What were you doing, studying too hard and forgot what time it was?"

"Maybe." Nico left the coffee maker to do it's thing, walking over to the half-locker he occupied at the back of the room. Opening the locker door, he took out his black staff t-shirt. After he slipped into it over his button-up, he turned to the mirror hung on the wall.

"Nope this is all wrong." He muttered to himself. He looked ridiculous. Nico started to unbutton the shirt under the staff one. He struggled getting out of the long sleeves without stretching any fabric or revealing his entire chest to the world. He wondered what Will would think if he saw Nico without a shirt. Finally, with a huff, he whipped it out of the collar. Maybe he should add jogging to his schedule.

After hanging up the now-wrinkled shirt on the locker hook he went to get his coffee. Nico Solace or Will di Angelo? The two stayed in comfortable silence as Nico waited for his coffee. They weren't very chatty people -also odd for the jobs they had.

After it was done, he poured the liquid gold into one of the community centers cheap styrofoam cups, and reached for a lid.
"We should probably go set up now." He said to Reyna.

"Alright." She agreed, standing to her feet. "Let's go."
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Fifteen minutes later, the session had begun. Nico, Reyna, and all of the teens sat in a therapy circle, and Nico continued go drink his coffee.

"Ok everyone," he began, "let's get started. How was this week?" One by one the kids talked about their struggles of the week, their two councillors listening carefully. Is Will short for William, or some other weird name?

Most of the information they handed over was mundane, until they reached Thalia Grace's turn. When all eyes fixed on her, she bursted into tears.

Shock showed on every face. Thalia was the strongest kid Nico knew. Every session she would come in with a smart smirk on her face, wearing a leather jacket and some gay-related humor on her t-shirt. It was brave of her. Especially with the parents she had.

"I.....I....came out...to..them." she finally said through her sobs. "My parents....they....kicked me out...." Nico looked down at the styrofoam cup in his hands, devoid of any coffee. It was going to be a long night.
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Nico walked into the apartment hours later, just finishing walking home in the dark.

Percy lounged on the couch, his feet up on one of the empty packing boxes, watching television. "Hey." Nico greeted.

"Hi there!" Said Percy. "Why are you so late?"

Nico locked the door behind him. "Reyna was going out with her sister, asked me to cover the desk. There was more paperwork than expected."

"Oh." Responded Percy, turning back his attention back to the show.

Nico walked deeper into the apartment. "Do you remember Thalia from that time you volunteered at the community center?"

Percy looked around at him. " Spiky hair? Leather jacket? Hilarious shirt?" Nico nodded. "Yeah why?"

"She came out, got kicked out of the house."
Percy leaned forward. "Really?"

"Yep," responded Nico, "told us in group. Gay and asexual, with her strict parents, imagine?" He shook his head. "Well, she's staying with her friend Luke now."

"That's horrible." Said Percy.

Nico walked towards his bedroom. "Yes, yes it is." He closed the door behind him.

He looked down at himself. He still bore the staff shirt and sweatpants. Well, there would be no point in changing until he had something better to change into. He went to go fetch the laundry basket.

Nico had decided to do the laundry on his way home. He didn't know why, but washing clothes late at night always made him feel at ease.

Placing the basket on his hip, he went back into the living room. He grabbed his book from the table and his keys from the dish at the door. "I'll be in bed by the time you get back." Stated Percy, just noticing Nico's presence.

Nico opened the door. "I'll be sure to come in quietly." He closed the door behind him and made his way to the basement.

Nico's mind calmed as he went through the motions of sorting clothes. When the washers and dryers were going he sat in the sole armchair next to the vending machine and read his book amongst all the spinning.

By the time he started taking his things out of the dryer and folding, he was completely meditated.

His pleasant thoughts were interrupted by a voice in the doorway. "Didn't expect to find anyone in here this late."

Nico spun around to find a certain jolly blond.

"Will."