Okay, so this part is kinda gonna suck a whole bunch.

It's needed, though. Like, backstory and character development happens a lot in here.

Anyhoodles,

Hope you like it!!

- Nico_Solace

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When it's time for lunch, I walk through the cafeteria and straight out to my table.

The table is in the corner of the patio, shaded by one of the many hundred-year-old oak trees on campus.

I walk up the bench and sit on the tabletop. I pull out my pack of Marlboros and grab two cigarettes. Placing one behind my ear, I slip the other between my lips after rolling it between my fingers for a moment. Pulling out my lighter, I cup the flame and light the end, inhaling until the cherry burns red.

"That really isn't good for you." Hazel says - always the responsible one - before dropping her tray on the table next to me.

Exhaling the smoke out of the side of my mouth to avoid blowing it in her face, I chuckled.

"Never stopped me before." I smirk.

Looking up at me with a defeated glare, Hazel goes back to her food.

"Awe, is wittle Nico scared of a sunburn?" Percy mocks as he walks by with his girlfriend under his arm. A chorus of loud laughter follows the remark, Annabeth looking at me with a genuine apology in her eyes.

"Shut up, Percy." I hear Solace mumble from right next to the boy.

"What was that, Will?" Percy leers at the blond.

"Nothing." He says, looking me straight in the eye. I lock him with a strong glare.

With another chorus of laughter and several more jokes at my expense, they walk off to their table across the patio.

"Think someone has a crush on you." Hazel sing-songs.

"God, I hope not. He's atrocious." I pretend to gag.

"Awe, c'mon! Will isn't that bad!"

"Wait, Will? I thought you meant Percy!"

She snorts, shaking her head. "No, I was definitely talking about Will you idiot."

"Still." My jaw clenches as I think of the hell seventh and eighth grade were for me because of him. "Its not possible for him to have a crush on me. You don't know him like I do."

As I speak, a timid, shy sophomore that I barely recognize comes over to our table.

"What do you want, softie?" I ask, stuffing out my current cig and pulling out the one behind my ear.

"Frank!" Hazel beams.

"Wait, you know this guy?"

"Yes. He's in my Algebra 2 class." She hugs him around the neck, standing on her tip-toes.

I survey him without another word as he and my sister sit next to each other chatting. He's heavy set and broad-shouldered. He hasn't quite grown into his body, but it's not as bad as it was last year.

He's Asian... Chinese, maybe? I think to myself.

He seems sweet enough with timid smiles and quiet laughs. His blush adds a certain innocence to him. He seems awfully childish, though, which makes me wonder why Hazel would choose this boy over everyone else to befriend. He's certainly not like anyone else Hazel has been friends with.

Before long, the bell sounds, signaling the end of lunch.

---

"You know, that's illegal on school property." Solace points out, walking up to me.

I set him with yet another glare and puff the smoke out of my mouth right in his face. "I'm aware."

"You're going to get in trouble."

"If they catch me." Another puff of smoke. "Which they won't."

"Fine, suit yourself."

"Why the fuck are you even talking to me, Solace? We don't know each other; you made it pretty clear you wanted it to stay that way."

"I don't know. I figured we could be friends before we graduate next year."

"Not interested."

"C'mon, Nico. It's been three years; I've grown up a lot. Give me a chance, man." Will's voice sounds nonchalant, but I can hear the air of genuine sadness under his words

Thankfully, Hazel chooses that exact moment to walk out of the school building. I sling my leg over my bike, starting it. It roars to life loudly and Hazel smiles as she comes over.

"Don't count on it, Solace, ever." I mutter as I put my helmet on.

Hazel smiles and says something to Solace that I don't hear and he shakes his head quickly, putting his hands up in a surrendering manner.

With a confused look, Hazel turns and gets on the bike behind me, sliding the helmet over her extensive mess of curls.

I push up the kickstand and peel away from the school quickly, not wanting to spend another second on that property.

---

I pull into the driveway at my house and cut the engine to my bike.

There's another car parked on the curb and, sadly, I know exactly who it belongs to.

"Why is he here?" Hazel asks, sounding panicked, as she takes off her helmet.

"I don't know." I reply slowly, fury creeping into my being. "C'mon. Stay behind me, Haz."

She does as I say and walks behind me.

When we're on the porch, I put my key in the lock and turn the handle, opening the door to my house.

"Nico, Hazel!" He shouts, his voice dripping with false excitement. "I'm glad you're home."

"How did you get in here?" Hazel asks carefully.

"Um..." The man hums, not answering.

"Why are you here, Hades?" I ask skeptically. Hazel grabs my clenched hand and squeezes it for reassurance.

"I came to ask if you would come with me." He says proudly, looking at the wall above our heads.

"In case you forgot, we have a restraining order against you. Get out before I call the police." I bite out, ignoring his false excitement.

"Now, now, Niccolo." The greasy man before me tisks in disappointment. "I'm not here to fight; I'm here to invite you to come home with me. And Persephone."

"We are home."

"No, this is not your home. Home is with me and Persephone. She misses you two."

"She knows where we live. She is free to visit whenever she would like." Looking over at the small woman sitting in the kitchen, I  put my finger up. "In fact! If she ever realizes how much of a hateful, abusive bastard you are, she could even move in; we have a free room."

"Yes, but sh- we want you two home. With us. As a family."

"I got emancipated for a reason, Father." I say, clenching my fists further as I spit the disgusting word out. "We aren't going back to a place full of abuse and fear, no matter how much money you have."

"Calm down, Nico. You're being overdramatic."

"Get out." I say again, stoney-faced and determined.

"Nico!" Hazel screeches, fear evident in her voice.

"What, Hazel? He doesn't belong here. I don't want him in our home. I left as soon as I could for a reason. He has done nothing for me since I was able to walk; he doesn't get to decide when he's going to play nice or not."

"Nico, stop being stubborn. Come home."

"Like I said, I am home. Now get out before I call the police."

Anger flashes across his face and his hand moves as if to hit me. Before he follows through, Persephone is next to him, grabbing his wrist gently.

"Hades." His name is short, but powerful coming from her.

My father wrenches his wrist from her grasp and grabs the front of my shirt, pulling me close so we're nose to nose. I watch his other hand curl into a fist and mentally prepare myself for the punch he is about to throw.

Before I expect it, however, his whole demeanor changes and his fist uncurls. Hades releases my shirt and smooths it carefully with a tight smile.

"Of course, Persephone." He says, walking past us to the door. His face is still pulled tight as he walks out. "But don't think I won't be back, Niccolo."

After he leaves and Persephone gives us both tight hugs, I slump against Hazel in exhaustion.

"This is bad." She whispers.

"I know."

---

The next few months passed without anything too exciting.

Hazel went to school every day and did her homework every evening. Hazel loved her classes and all of her teachers. She became effortlessly popular and everyone immediately adored her. Her and Frank became closer over the months, skyping almost every evening to do homework together and talk.

I didn't change and nor did my status. No one liked me and I didn't like them. I stayed out of everyone's way and everyone acted as though I didn't exist. Other than the occasional run in with a member of the soccer team, nothing eventful happened. I did my best to be good for Hazel.

---

"Hey, Nico!" Percy calls across the locker room to me.

"What?" I bite back.

"Do you ever get, like, turned on while we change in here? Since, you know, you're into dicks." He Snickers mockingly.

"No." I reply maliciously. "That would require me finding someone in here attractive."

"Here that, Will? No one here's worth his time." Percy says to Solace, nudging him with his elbow.

Why the fuck would he point that out to Solace?

I roll my eyes and go back to changing, deciding I don't really give a fuck about the answer to that question.

---

During gym, I sit on the bleachers, alone, and read my book. This isn't unusual for me. I usually split my time between sitting in here and find a place to hide outside and smoke a joint. I've found myself inside more often than not lately and I blame Hazel for that.

Today, though, something super unusual happens.

"Hey," Solace says, straddling the bench next to me.

"It's been two months and I have clearly expressed my compete lack of interest in anything you have to offer. When are you going to give it up?"

"Calm down, faggot." He glares. "I'm not looking to make a new friend. I just wanted to know if you did the English homework."

"Why the fuck do you want to know, asshole?" I seethe.

"Let me have it."

"What?" I demand.

"Let me see the homework. I never finished it and I can't afford another bad grade."

"Too bad. Now get the hell out of my face before I break that ugly nose of yours."

He lets out a groan of frustration and stands up. "Like I would want anything your queer hands touched anyway!"

Without another thought, I shoot up from my seat against the wall at the top of the bleachers and punch him straight in the nose.

He stumbles back and loses his footing, falling down two or three rows.

He shakes off his daze quickly and stands, rubbing the blood under his nose.

"You little shit!" He growls.

"You deserved it."

He skips up the steps he fell down and is standing next to me again in an instant.

"What was that?"

"You deserved it. Now get the hell out of my damn face before I make the damage more permanent."

"Well, come on, then! I'd like to see you try!"

I throw another punch that he dodges. The next thing I know, my side is flaring with pain. Angrily, I swipe his legs from beneath him and punch his solar plexus​, speeding his journey to the ground and successfully knocking the wind out of him.

Suddenly, the coaches are there. Coach Hedge is pulling Solace off the floor of the bleachers and Coach La Rue is holding me back from jumping on him again.

"What's going on here, di Angelo?" Coach La Rue asks me, a glare set on her face.

Still pumping with adrenaline and rage, I snap, "he made a homophobic comment and I'm putting him in his motherfucking place."

"Is this true, Will?"

"Maybe." He replies, staring at the ground.

"Both of you, Principle D's office. Now." La Rue snaps.

"Yes, ma'am." I mutter, climbing down the bleachers.

---

Instead of suspending us for fighting, Principle D decided it would be good to make us have a joint counselling session with Mr. Chiron.

Chiron is his first name and he's pretty awesome. He's never told a student his last name and prefers to get on first name basis with his kids. He helped me out a lot the last couple years when I decide to get emancipated.

So, instead of being in science class right now, I'm sitting in Chiron's office with a miserable looking Solace sitting next to me with paper towels hanging from his nose.

"So, boys, why is it Principle D wanted you to see me?" Chiron asks kindly, sifting through a few papers.

"Apparently, we need to 'work through our differences', or something." Solace mutters.

"I see. You're William, correct?"

"Will, sir."

"Please, call me Chiron. Now, Nico-" he turned to me "-what happened?"

I take a deep, steadying breath and say in an even tone, "I was sitting in my spot at the top of the bleachers and he comes up to me, trying to talk. Now, I don't talk to Solace, Solace doesn't talk to me. We aren't friends. But anyway, he asks me for the English homework -- after calling me a faggot -- and I told him no, he should've done it on his own. Then, he gets pissed and says, and I quote, 'like I would want anything your queer hands touched, anyway,' so I punched him in the nose." I shrug and lean back in my seat, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Mm... I see. Do you have anything to say on the matter, Will?"

Instead of responding, he simply shakes his head.

"Well, I think the only logical response to this is that you boys simply stay away from each other. Don't try to communicate in any way unless absolutely necessary. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." We say in unison.

"Good. Here, take these passes and go to class." Chiron dismisses, looking pointedly at me.

I roll my eyes with a slight smirk and take the pass, pushing past Solace out to the hallway.