TALENT SHOW.

[halfbloodhillmods]

Who: Everyone!
What: The first Camp Half-Blood talent show.
Where: The Arena
When: February 21



After some delays, the camp wide talent show is finally set to go. Or, as Annabeth would call it, CHB Factor, complete with three guests judges to give critique a la the standard reality competition. In the arena is a big stage with the judges’ table off to the side, with seats for Juniper, Mr. D, and Tai. And technically only one of them is actually equipped to do any real judging, but the other two are around to keep the mood light. The performers have a backstage area to prepare themselves for an afternoon of entertainment, leave their instruments or other various props they might need during the show.

The Emcee of the evening is Gabriel Novak. (Much to Annabeth’s chagrin, though she did agree that he would be a more entertaining choice than, well, herself.) She also would like to thank Jason for the idea and Merlin for his rounding up efforts, particularly for a few “secret” performances on the way. This seems to be a good cross-pantheon effort and the excitement in the air is tangible. One can’t help but be proud of their community for coming together for both the good and the bad.

There will be a nice after party after the show, which includes the standard dinner set up buffet style in the middle of camp as well as a large chocolate fountain surrounded by fruits, cakes, and other things to dip into the melted sweet stuff.

Enjoy today, everyone. You deserve a break.

Comments

[wordtechgodhood]

Just because people are going to do it.. doesn't mean he's gonna want it to happen, either. It goes both ways, right?

[And he does touch Nico's arm this time, just above his wrist, lightly and with half an eye on those shadows because it's not like they're freaking him out or anything.. but they're kind of freaking him out.

Dave Strider - bold enough to touch a furious son of Hades. Will he live to tell the tale? Turn to page 86 to continue.]

You really think he's selfish, bro? Even if it's no one's fault.. Feeling guilty, that's.. that's just natural, ain't it? Even if you can't change what happened. Even if you know there's.. no way you ever could.

[And they've talked about this before.. haven't they?]

[deathdiduspart]

[Dave Strider is a brave man to do it.

For a moment, it looks like the shadows are threatening to overtake the room, but they abruptly die down, going back to normal. Nico rests his elbows on the table, holding the sides of his head, and gripping his hair like he wants to pull it right off his skull. He wants to tell Dave the other reasons, so badly that it takes him off-guard and fills him with terror.

It's enough to drive anyone to tears, but Nico almost violently refuses to let them out. He's not a child anymore. He stopped being one at eleven, for Hades' sake.

He wants to run. To shadow travel somewhere else because Camp Half-Blood is forcing him to look at the people he knows and acknowledge the fact that he has people he's close to. People he doesn't want to give up or lose. People he's afraid will reject him after finding a surprising amount of acceptance considering who his godly parent is. This camp isn't home, and neither had Camp Jupiter, but these people have become his new home.

He can't. Nico doesn't want to try anything that will endanger what he perceives as a fragile foundation. A foundation that he hasn't had underneath his feet since Bianca's death. It started being rebuilt when he brought Hazel back to life, and now it's being added on to with more...friends and family members. Yet it doesn't feel very solid. Instead of something like rock, Nico feels like he's standing on thin ice. One wrong step will send him plunging into dangerously freezing waters, and he's not sure he'll be able to get back to the surface if it gives out.

The son of Hades doesn't flee, though. His self-preservation instincts scream at him to escape, that he's too close and that's extremely dangerous. Yet...yet....

Yet he trusts Dave. Nico honestly cannot find it in himself to distrust him. He trusts the son of Janus as much as he trusts a family member, as much as he trusts Derek. He has no idea when he started feeling that way or how in the Five Rivers of Hades Dave managed to do this, but he does.

So...Nico decides to take a chance and see what happens.]

No...no, I don't believe that at all. And it infuriates me that I have such a hard time....

[He stops and lets out a sigh. Nico lets go of his hair, placing his forehead in his hands and refusing to look at Dave.]

I.... [He swallows thickly.] I'm not being fair at all, and I know that, but....

[Nico takes a breath. He doesn't want to fully say it, and he's hoping against hope that Dave doesn't take this badly.]

I'm just...angry. And disgusted at myself. And ashamed. I mean, I'm from 1942 Italy, we just don't talk about...about....

[Run, run, run! Get out now while you still have a chance, di Angelo! He stomps those instincts and thoughts down. He's committed to telling Dave the truth, for the love of the Styx!]

About a guy liking...another...guy.

[And now he waits, shaking slightly as he braces himself for the worst.]

[wordtechgodhood]

[He'd been tensed and ready to clock Nico over the head with something hard and heavy if things got too bad in here but the moment those shadows die down he exhales a breath he didn't realise he was holding and some of the tension eases out of his shoulders.

Dave doesn't know Percy well enough to defend his words and actions. He and the son of Poseidon have spoken in passing, now and then, but they're barely acquaintances let alone friends. Nico, though.. Nico has become someone Dave would throw himself in front of a sword for and the only reason he hasn't mentioned it is because how the fuck do you put something like that into words anyway.

He holds his tongue while the other boy speaks, knowing this is important, that this is a Big Deal and he'd better shut up and pay attention. What he gets, though, isn't exactly what he expects.

His eyebrows knit together, one hand coming up to slide his shades down enough that he can regard Nico with those vividly blood-red eyes of his.]

Are you--.. [Wow. Uh. Just forget about everything else they were talking about for a minute.] Did you just come out to me?

[Dave's tone isn't disgusted or angry, just casually curious. He's pretty sure that's what just happened. He's pretty fucking sure Nico just told him he's gay.]

[deathdiduspart]

[Nico desperately wants to curl into a ball. Dave's tone probably should've helped, but it's not. He's thinking it's the calm before the storm. The son of Hades closes his eyes, not willing to see anything as he takes a deep breath.]

I'm telling you that I...have a crush on Percy.

[There, he said it to someone not Derek. His whole body is tense, like he's preparing for the admission to come to blows.

And he'll kill Dave if he tells anybody about this.]

[wordtechgodhood]

.. Huh.

[Dave scratches the back of his neck, tilts his head to one side and considers briefly how this affects how he thinks of Nico. It's only a moment for him to come to the conclusion that it doesn't change a damn thing, really.

The son of Janus reaches out and lightly ruffles Nico's hair.]

Don't know what you see in him, dude, but okay.

[deathdiduspart]

[Nico...has no idea how to take this. He looks over at Dave, suspicious and wondering if this is a joke. He hesitates, and thinks that he might be in shock that he's potentially got another person actually okay with him liking other guys.]

I...also kind of...yelled it at him during our...argument.

[wordtechgodhood]

[Dave, luckily for Nico, is not from 1942 Italy and doesn't see why he should have a problem with dudes liking other dudes.

His eyebrows shoot up, his shoulders hitting the chair as he sits back and just.. shakes his head.]

That ain't exactly the best idea you've ever had.

[deathdiduspart]

[He glares at Dave, but there's no real anger in it.]

It wasn't planned at all. If I had my way, he wouldn't have known at all.

[wordtechgodhood]

[Dave sighs, tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling.]

So.. what are you gonna do? I mean, you let the cat outta the bag then fuckin' shredded the bag up.

[deathdiduspart]

[He uses his arms add pillows for his head on the table. Nico has been wrestling with that same question.]

Right now, I know I'm not emotionally stable enough to do much as look at him. Or his girlfriend, Annabeth.

[wordtechgodhood]

[He drops his head back down then shuffles up by him, folding his arms on the table in a mirroring gesture and propping his chin on them. One elbow nudges against Nico's.]

I've got your back if you need it, y'no. Emotional support or.. whatever. I can kick his ass for you if you want.