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[timeshares]

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[timeshares]

[He would, if he thought about it, had a couple million feelings about the news about Thalia. Much like the news about Annabeth.

Fortunately, there was something nostalgic and frankly fun RIGHT THERE to focus on. He hasn't had any good gossip and the time to enjoy it IN YEARS.

Luke pushes himself up to sit on the edge of his desk (careful of the stacks of paperwork waiting) and sets his elbows on his knees, the PICTURE of attentive.]

Just nice? Come on. Surely there's more than that.

[abandon_hope]

[ Nico turns away to hide the deepening flush on his cheeks. His influence facades a bit too; it's all starting to feel more like an ordinary conversation, not a quasi-interrogation between the son of Hades and a dead spirit. ]

He's - pushy. I was drained badly after the last few fights and he made sure I got better. Yelled at me if I wasn't taking it easy enough.

[timeshares]

[Fades -even a little- is... good. Luke noticeably relaxes a bit at that, but if the spirit saw any advantage in it, he didn't take it.

The grin only widened, instead. He nods sagely, as if it was expected.]

So, someone who cares about you specifically, not just being nice.

[abandon_hope]

... Yeah. He cares about me a lot.

[ Said quietly, reverently. Like he doesn't quite believe it, even now. ]

[timeshares]

[It's a bittersweet note. More campers than not were just like that, desperate for anyone who could offer honest emotion... not even something bigger than affection.

He lets that note stay there, unspoiled. Just takes the opportunity... and the ability, now that the compulsion has slackened, to look away, study the milling spirits, the faint edges of what he can see of the world outside of this room...]

Well. Here's a tip for you, then. If your cabin gives you any trouble while you're trying to get away, just set them up on guard duty, rather than try to distract em. Never works with any of my siblings.

But can't say it wasn't fun to watch kids try.

[abandon_hope]

Guard duty, huh,

[ He considers that; fortunately (or not) for him, his only living sibling is Hazel, who is both a) Roman and b) a lot less inclined to make mischief than Luke's brothers in arms. He decides not to belay that particular point, though. ]

I'll keep that in mind if I get any more baby siblings.

[ He relaxes further; he doesn't particularly care if Luke wanders a bit at this point. The paperwork will be waiting, after all. It always is. ]

[timeshares]

[It's Luke's turn to snort.]

"If"... that's real hopeful.

It's guaranteed. Who else is going to fight their battles? Entertain them?

[abandon_hope]

[ The look Luke gets for that is a bit flat. Easy for Luke to say ... ]

Hades actually kept his promise, you know.

[timeshares]

...

[Just. Pointedly looks at Nico.]

[abandon_hope]

[ An equally pointed look back. ]

Both Hazel and I are from the forties. No way he'd bother with us if he had alternatives.

1/2

[timeshares]

[There is ... less surprise there than it could be.

When you're a year rounder at Camp Half-Blood there was almost nothing to do but read myths and train, train, train, train for almost all of the year.

Trapped? Transformed? Bewitched... could have been anything. Thalia hadn't looked that different when she'd emerged from her arboreal prison.]

[timeshares]

[Though there's something in the way Nico say it. Bother with.

The flash of anger on his face is ferocious... and quickly extinguished, replaced by exhaustion.]

You know, I'm sure if I ask I'm just going to get mad again. Fine. His ability to keep promises is great. [The tone is dry, dull.]

[abandon_hope]

[ That right there is a difference between the two of them. Whatever issues Nico may have with family, at least his father never left him unclaimed, or didn't try to protect his family; hell, he's in the Underworld right now because he's actively by his divine parent's side. Can any other half-blood claim that? Not really. Even Hazel doesn't get as much one-on-one time with Pluto the same way Nico does with Hades, and he's pretty sure that their divine parent prefers her to him.

But there are other scars. Different ones, no less deep. He at least winces a little when he recognizes the anger in Luke's face. ]

... He preferred Bianca. Still does.

[ He shrugs. Lets it hang; doesn't seem to be waiting on a response. He's willing to leave it at that. ]

[timeshares]

[The response doesn't come, and the silence is only broken by the strange unintelligible chattering of mortal spirits. What can he say to that? It's no world he knows...

But the idea that one of the things he'd ever wanted... might not have been that amazing to get either...

It's almost enough to make someone want to request a mortal life next time. Sane, normal, where when he thought life was unfair was like... something like having to do homework. Or having a curfew.




Almost.]

...

What do you say we go mess with something? [A beat.] Harmless. Prank type mess.

[abandon_hope]

[ Sure does make it tempting, huh. He pauses for a moment at that offer ... Sometimes he forgets he's talking with a son of Hermes. Mischief, huh.

But. Well. This place can alway use some livening up. ]

... Why not?

[timeshares]

[That... was NOT the answer he expected.

A grin flashes across his face and he sets the pen down on the table with a snap, jumping to his feet. Before the ghost king could change his mind. The paperwork could wait. He had eternity, after all.]

Great!

Lets see what's out there.

[abandon_hope]

[ Even Nico gets bored sometimes, okay. And he knows Hades is out for a little while, plus there's surely some dead spirits that could use a ball pit ... If Daedalus can improve the infrastructure of the Underworld, then who's to say that a son of Hermes can't make it a little more fun? ]

I'll give you a tour.

[timeshares]

[It's just a LITTLE redecorating. He SAW the Asphodel Fields. Or you know, the fields that used to have asphodel in them. Lets be real here. A useless life might deserve a useless death, but even a useless death could benefit from a water slide.]

Let's give Archeron a miss, if possible.

[The comment is almost light. The spirit paces easily behind Nico. Walking is a hard memory to give up, and the dead do little if not imitate the living when they can]

[abandon_hope]

Deal.

[ The Underworld shifts quickly around them as they get moving; Nico is a fast traveler in his own domain, and it's not as though Luke has a physical body needing to obey the laws of physics. They pass the fields, the throne rooms ... over to some of the infrastructure he'd mentioned earlier. Definitely Daedalus' work, a little fanciful but efficient at helping souls move around. It's much trickier for the average one to move around when not in the shadow of the ghost king. ]

[timeshares]

[There was a moment, a flash of temptation at the throne room.

But messing with a seat of power is far beyond harmless, even if it was just a bit of color...

Daedalus' creations were... as astounding in death as they were in life. He'd little eye or appreciation for the details, but there was someone he knew...]

So... can you do anything down here?

[abandon_hope]

[ Nico considers for a moment, resting the heel of his hand on his sword. To be honest? He hasn't tried a whole lot. Mostly he's tried to move people, or make his own room a little more comfortable... ]

In theory, most things. In practice ... It's about finding spots where my will is stronger than Father's or Persephone's.

Mostly it means my room. But I'm also the one who did a lot to help Daedalus get set up, since I have influence over the fabric of existence down here and he doesn't.

[timeshares]

[Luke's hands lift and drop, in response to the small gesture.

Still, most of his attention is on the roadway. It IS amazing but...]

... Any favorite colors?

[abandon_hope]

[ It was a casual gesture, but perhaps an all too real reminder of the power Nico has down here. He considers for a moment... ]

Blue's pretty nice.

[timeshares]

So...

... okay, hang on, I've seen ghosts do this.

[Unspoken was that said ghost was... PROBABLY Minos. But that aside... Luke concentrates, and waves a hand through the air, bringing a simple memory to life...

a very blue pinball machine.]

You can't tell me that that collector over there does not one! [Holds up a finger.] Does not look like the main theater of a pinball machine. And TWO! [Holds up another.] would not be sped along by a couple of paddles.

And lights.

Maybe some sound effects.

[abandon_hope]

[ Oh gods. That actually surprises a laugh out of Nico - so surprised that he chokes on it just about immediately - but a laugh nonetheless. He can picture it now. Hell, he can just about reshape those points Luke is talking about from here. ]

It'd sure move everything along faster.