[ well now nico has to tell her what she thought this was about, because there's a chance there might be more. ]
I'm pretty certain that his girlfriend thinks I'm trying to steal him away from her? And I need to be told that people of the different sexes can just be friends and that it's not weird. [ also that her worries are centered more around the fact she can never keep up with the polyamorous relationships that happen in the meadows so she's never sure when she may or may not be crossing a line.
immediately, annabeth looks a little disappointed in herself that this has her bothered. it all feels a little ridiculous and she kind of hates it, so she sighs, shaking her head. ] I have to be going crazy is this is what I'm worried about.
[Nico raises her eyebrows as she sips her drink, before placing it down and tapping a black-painted nail against the side.]
I'm guessing you haven't just tried talking to her? [she shrugs.] But no, it's not weird. I mean, you and Gansey both aren't interested in more, right?
[though admittedly, from what she knows about gansey she can see that he and annabeth have a lot in common. it wouldn't be a totally unfounded concern.
and, y'know. annabeth is kind of dating two people already. maybe? nico's not entirely clear on it.]
God, though, I thought this was gonna be about Magnus. Or whatever's going on with you and Clarisse?
I'm planning on it, but from the way she looked at me, I'm trying to give some space. And- [ annabeth actually snorts a little at that, shaking her head. ] No, I'm not- no. The last conversation we had pretty much was about how in love with his girlfriend he is?
[ you know, soulmate convos and all that.
but there's that mention of magnus, and annabeth pauses - tense. she's worried about him, so it's not a totally unfounded concern from nico, but it suddenly makes her curious. what was she thinking? was she thinking the same thing? ]
Magnus- [ and then there's...that.
annabeth freezes, looking over to nico, suddenly very, very confused. ]
What do you mean what's going on with me and Clarisse?
[nico tenses, slowly just. taking a very long sip of her coffee. filling that silence with her skim six-shot latte nightmare drink.
this is awkward.]
I mean, you two remind me of... [herself and karolina, before she knew she liked her. she sighs, frustrated with herself-- she spoke carelessly.] Look, it's none of my business, I probably don't know what I'm talking about.
[ nevermind the way she suddenly feels very defensive, nevermind where five years ago would have been disgust and immediate denial of anything, annabeth just wants to know. ]
Oh no, it's too late for that. [ annabeth's overwhelming confusion is now gone, settled into something more...what? curious? worry? anticipation? so rather than letting nico backpeddle, like she currently is doing, annabeth leans her elbows on the table, holding her eyes. ]
[okay. so they're having this conversation. she gave annabeth an out, she very firmly didn't take it, so nico feels kind of okay getting into this. so, bluntly:]
I think you like her, or she likes you. [or both.] I don't know, but when I'm at Fauxhalla, it just feels like... look, if I'm off-base, just forget I mentioned it.
[ bless nico because annabeth was going to get very tired of dancing around this if she tried to be any more vague.
but there is also that and annabeth just sort of stares at nico. there's a mess of reactions boiling up in her chest, so she ends up leaning back on her habits, on her traits, which means they are all kept directly in her chest with little reaction beyond a slight widening of eyes. ]
It feels like there's something between us? [ her eyes flash at the information, like she's thinking about approximately a million things at once. ] What made you think that? Feeling or whatever- was it something Clarisse said or did?
[nico gestures at her, eyes widened a bit in her best "do you fucking hear yourself" look.]
No, it's mostly how you two act around each other? A lot of little shit. And I've been the closeted girl who didn't understand how she felt, so...
[she really isn't sure if she's crossing a line here. but she continues.]
You're going to know your shit better than me, and I can't tell you what's going through your head. But from where I'm at, it looks really fucking familiar.
[ she opens her mouth to respond to that gesture, okay but no just listen- before catching herself and realizing that- by doing that- all she was doing was proving nico's point. which the more stubborn part of her refused to do. instead, she suffered that moment of opening her mouth to speak, and then closing it again, turning her attention...
where? to what nico is saying? because that's sending her off on another string of thoughts that she can't quite wrap her head around just yet. ]
Closeted? You said- [ annabeth presses her mouth into a thin line. clarisse wasn't closeted. the entire camp knew about her and silena. she was pretty obvious, and out, with that. the logic of that would put that title on her, and while that just makes her feel defensive, it also feels a bit...like she's being called out?
so for another moment, annabeth thinks, her eyes falling down to the table as she rolls through almost every interaction she's had with clarisse, here and back home. how it could be perceived, but also what was actually happening. it feels a bit like her whole world is suddenly being colored in a different light, and she lets the silence just kind of continue.
sorry, nico. you're just going to have to. sit and watch as she reevaluates her entire life? ]
[ah, yep. there it is. she knows that look. hopefully she didn't break her.
nico takes a long sip of her coffee, just. letting annabeth run through this. she's said enough, she's going to let her ask before she tries to say more about this.]
[ it takes a few minutes before annabeth remembers to look back up at nico, blinking a time or two before she seems to come back out of her head and into the present. ]
Sorry... [ she doesn't know how long she zoned out there for a second. or a few? probably minutes at this point. and a few seconds after she apologized, annabeth reaches up to rub at the bridge of her nose. ]
This isn't...why I wanted to hang out today, I promise.
I honestly don't know the extent of what he remembers and doesn't? Their relationship for certain he doesn't remember, but he remembers me, and Hearth being here.
[ there's a brief, quiet second that follows that. annabeth misses him more than she's really able to say. but then she takes a breath and pushes past it. ]
He is good at it, but it's not that. Not unless he's on an entirely different level of repression. [ she pauses, before taking a breath. ] Do you think I should tell him about it?
[she twists her mouth up, thinking as she drums her fingers again.]
I don't feel good keeping it from him. But I don't know what the point would be, like--what's he supposed to do with that? Are we telling him just so we'll feel better?
I don't think it'll help. If anything, it'll make things worse.
[ no, nico is completely right. telling magnus about him and alex is more to make her feel better than it is to make magnus feel better. she knows him better than that to think any good will come of her telling him he doesn't remember getting into a relationship and that the other person of said relationship is gone.
No, we're definitely out of good options. But I'll deal with it if it comes up.
[ she presses her fingers into her forehead for a moment, before rubbing at the spot. she doesn't like this at all. doesn't like the idea of keeping anything from magnus. but she doesn't want to hurt him, either.
The, uh, news from home. That I didn't want to talk about before.
[okay. not really a delicate way to phrase this, and it won't make the enormity of it go away. so. after a beat:]
Half the life in my home universe is going to be gone in, like, six months? Tops. Just like that. [aaaand just taking a very long sip of her coffee now]
[ annabeth's eyes widen at the recognition of the topic. ]
Oh, yes.
[ she sits up, then, whatever stress or leftover emotions from the earlier thread of conversation gone. she's here to listen, and when nico continues, annabeth just. pauses.
and let's the pause hang in the air, her brows raised. when she realizes the pause is going to continue on until she says something, annabeth tilts her head forward a bit. ]
I don't know, I--there are these six things. Infinity Stones. They can each control an aspect of the universe. This crazy alien guy, Thanos, he got all of them. The superheroes we've got couldn't stop him, so--
[nico is getting more and more agitated as she goes on, but she's keeping her voice down. she doesn't want to make a scene. she punctuates it with a snap of her fingers.]
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I'm pretty certain that his girlfriend thinks I'm trying to steal him away from her? And I need to be told that people of the different sexes can just be friends and that it's not weird. [ also that her worries are centered more around the fact she can never keep up with the polyamorous relationships that happen in the meadows so she's never sure when she may or may not be crossing a line.
immediately, annabeth looks a little disappointed in herself that this has her bothered. it all feels a little ridiculous and she kind of hates it, so she sighs, shaking her head. ] I have to be going crazy is this is what I'm worried about.
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I'm guessing you haven't just tried talking to her? [she shrugs.] But no, it's not weird. I mean, you and Gansey both aren't interested in more, right?
[though admittedly, from what she knows about gansey she can see that he and annabeth have a lot in common. it wouldn't be a totally unfounded concern.
and, y'know. annabeth is kind of dating two people already. maybe? nico's not entirely clear on it.]
God, though, I thought this was gonna be about Magnus. Or whatever's going on with you and Clarisse?
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[ you know, soulmate convos and all that.
but there's that mention of magnus, and annabeth pauses - tense. she's worried about him, so it's not a totally unfounded concern from nico, but it suddenly makes her curious. what was she thinking? was she thinking the same thing? ]
Magnus- [ and then there's...that.
annabeth freezes, looking over to nico, suddenly very, very confused. ]
What do you mean what's going on with me and Clarisse?
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this is awkward.]
I mean, you two remind me of... [herself and karolina, before she knew she liked her. she sighs, frustrated with herself-- she spoke carelessly.] Look, it's none of my business, I probably don't know what I'm talking about.
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[ nevermind the way she suddenly feels very defensive, nevermind where five years ago would have been disgust and immediate denial of anything, annabeth just wants to know. ]
Oh no, it's too late for that. [ annabeth's overwhelming confusion is now gone, settled into something more...what? curious? worry? anticipation? so rather than letting nico backpeddle, like she currently is doing, annabeth leans her elbows on the table, holding her eyes. ]
What did you mean?
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[okay. so they're having this conversation. she gave annabeth an out, she very firmly didn't take it, so nico feels kind of okay getting into this. so, bluntly:]
I think you like her, or she likes you. [or both.] I don't know, but when I'm at Fauxhalla, it just feels like... look, if I'm off-base, just forget I mentioned it.
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but there is also that and annabeth just sort of stares at nico. there's a mess of reactions boiling up in her chest, so she ends up leaning back on her habits, on her traits, which means they are all kept directly in her chest with little reaction beyond a slight widening of eyes. ]
It feels like there's something between us? [ her eyes flash at the information, like she's thinking about approximately a million things at once. ] What made you think that? Feeling or whatever- was it something Clarisse said or did?
[ just. ignoring herself for right now. ]
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No, it's mostly how you two act around each other? A lot of little shit. And I've been the closeted girl who didn't understand how she felt, so...
[she really isn't sure if she's crossing a line here. but she continues.]
You're going to know your shit better than me, and I can't tell you what's going through your head. But from where I'm at, it looks really fucking familiar.
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where? to what nico is saying? because that's sending her off on another string of thoughts that she can't quite wrap her head around just yet. ]
Closeted? You said- [ annabeth presses her mouth into a thin line. clarisse wasn't closeted. the entire camp knew about her and silena. she was pretty obvious, and out, with that. the logic of that would put that title on her, and while that just makes her feel defensive, it also feels a bit...like she's being called out?
so for another moment, annabeth thinks, her eyes falling down to the table as she rolls through almost every interaction she's had with clarisse, here and back home. how it could be perceived, but also what was actually happening. it feels a bit like her whole world is suddenly being colored in a different light, and she lets the silence just kind of continue.
sorry, nico. you're just going to have to. sit and watch as she reevaluates her entire life? ]
short but take it
nico takes a long sip of her coffee, just. letting annabeth run through this. she's said enough, she's going to let her ask before she tries to say more about this.]
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Sorry... [ she doesn't know how long she zoned out there for a second. or a few? probably minutes at this point. and a few seconds after she apologized, annabeth reaches up to rub at the bridge of her nose. ]
This isn't...why I wanted to hang out today, I promise.
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Magnus doesn't remember Alex, does he? [she's. just. going to change gears now. not least because she feels like she's going crazy over this.]
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magnus, on the other hand, is much easier. ]
Sort of [ a sigh, and annabeth drops her hand. ] He remembers Alex being here, but not them...dating.
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Shit. Yeah, I was afraid of that. [a sigh.]
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[ there's a brief, quiet second that follows that. annabeth misses him more than she's really able to say. but then she takes a breath and pushes past it. ]
Have you heard of that happening before?
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No, but I'm newer than you are, so... yeah. [she drums her fingers, taking another sip.]
It seems like he remembers pretty much everything else. Honestly, at first I thought he was just repressing? He's creepy good at that.
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He is good at it, but it's not that. Not unless he's on an entirely different level of repression. [ she pauses, before taking a breath. ] Do you think I should tell him about it?
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I don't feel good keeping it from him. But I don't know what the point would be, like--what's he supposed to do with that? Are we telling him just so we'll feel better?
[nico might be overthinking this.]
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[ no, nico is completely right. telling magnus about him and alex is more to make her feel better than it is to make magnus feel better. she knows him better than that to think any good will come of her telling him he doesn't remember getting into a relationship and that the other person of said relationship is gone.
she sighs again. ]
I'm not going to tell him.
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[she takes another sip.]
So. Guess we should probably circle back to that other thing, right?
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[ she presses her fingers into her forehead for a moment, before rubbing at the spot. she doesn't like this at all. doesn't like the idea of keeping anything from magnus. but she doesn't want to hurt him, either.
that's when she pauses. ]
Other thing?
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[okay. not really a delicate way to phrase this, and it won't make the enormity of it go away. so. after a beat:]
Half the life in my home universe is going to be gone in, like, six months? Tops. Just like that. [aaaand just taking a very long sip of her coffee now]
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Oh, yes.
[ she sits up, then, whatever stress or leftover emotions from the earlier thread of conversation gone. she's here to listen, and when nico continues, annabeth just. pauses.
and let's the pause hang in the air, her brows raised. when she realizes the pause is going to continue on until she says something, annabeth tilts her head forward a bit. ]
I'm sorry- what?
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[nico is getting more and more agitated as she goes on, but she's keeping her voice down. she doesn't want to make a scene. she punctuates it with a snap of her fingers.]
Half of everything. Everywhere. Apparently.