Chapter Text
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something strange was about to happen. It was a feeling that nagged me as I went through the motions of my daily morning routine, which of course included all the healthy hygiene things my doctor swore I should try as well as a few personal matters of my own. But today, I seemed unable to concentrate on even the easiest of tasks. I wondered if it was due to the troubling dream I had had last night. I rarely ever had nightmares, and I’m still not sure if what I had dreamt last night could be described as one, but it certainly wasn’t pleasant.
Whatever it was, however, I decided to push it out of my train of thought. After all, I had much more pressing matters to deal with. If I didn’t get to the restaurant on time, I was certain that Fernando wouldn’t be pleased. My boss might have won the award for nicest man to ever exist, but he still didn’t appreciate tardiness. I couldn’t blame him… after all, I was the same way. Somehow, every time someone was late, it worried me, as if they were in trouble or as if I was no longer worth their time.
God, I really needed to get more sleep. I’m never this ridiculous
I was normally a very positive person, and the fact that I was feeling off concerned me. Maybe it was due time I talk to the therapist that my boss had insisted that I go and see. Why that was important, I swore I would never understand, but I was pretty certain that Fernando referred every kid he met to his therapist friend. Although, in my case, it did help… that probably had something to do with my memory loss.
You see, my name’s Nico di Angelo, and two years ago, my life started over. Not literally of course, because I’m certain no one gets a chance at resurrection, but in every other sense of the word. Due to a freak accident, I had lost all memory of who I was and what my life had once been like. I couldn’t remember my old friends or if I had ever had a lover; I couldn’t remember the memories we had shared or the adventures we may have embarked on.
It was probably silly of me to think that I had ever experienced what some would call as an adventure, but it seemed to be my way of coping with the loss of my past life. If I could pretend I was this tragic hero who gallivanted around just like all the heroes in my stories, then losing my memory felt more like an act of service than a tragic mistake. I hated being pitied, and I hated even more pitying myself. I had to believe I had been something more in my previous life, no matter how silly I was being.
These were the thoughts skyrocketing through my brain as I made my way to the restaurant, and before I knew it, I had arrived. Sole e Luna was quite possibly the most unique restaurant this side of the city. We served the most high end italian cousine that was available, mostly due to the fact that the owner and some of the staff had moved from Italy, but upon walking in, you never would have thought you were entering a high end establishment, you see, Fernando Stefano, our boss and the kindest man I’ve ever met had opened this restaurant for one particular reason… not just to serve the food he had grown up eating, but to give kids and families a place to come where they could eat and relax at the same time.
The place looked more like a cafe than a fancy restaurant, and that’s what I loved about it. Fernando had a soft spot for troubled kids, and apparently, I was one of the ones that had fallen under his umbrella. He was constantly making sure I had eaten enough or gotten enough sleep, and thought it made me feel good that someone cared so deeply, there were times when it could become a bit overbearing.
But I love him and I love this place. It’s more of a home than anything else I’ve ever had.
“Nicolo!!!” Fernando exclaimed the second I walked through the door, instantly walking over to me and pulling me into a tight hug. I rolled my eyes good naturedly, returning the fond gesture. He really was like a father to me, and if I was being honest, I much preferred him over my guardian. The man was pretty much non-existent in my life, and it drove me nuts. How could he claim to care about me when he was never around. Sure, he paid for my expenses and gave me money, but it all felt like some huge pity project… a project I wanted no part of. I had told him as much once I got my own place. It was part of the reason I had this job after all… to pay the rent that he kept insisting on paying. It felt demeaning to me… as if he didn’t trust me to take care of myself
Why can’t he just leave me alone… I’m perfectly fine.
“How many times do I have to tell you that my name is Nico?” I asked, laughing at his boisterous nature. “Not Nicolas, not Nicollo… just plain old Nico. trust me, I’m not as exciting as you think I am.”
“Oh, my boy, you are much more exciting than you think!” Fernando teased back, ruffling nico’s mop of shaggy black hair. “And I think you can prove that by having a little conversation with your first table of the day.”
Nico looked to where Fernando was pointing to see a group of kids around his age. He couldn’t help but be a bit excited. You see, even though Nico was happy, he didn’t have all that many friends besides his co-workers. He knew how important friendship was, but it seemed as if there weren’t really that many people looking for new friends, no matter how hard Nico tried. But this particular group of people seemed friendly. They were chatting animatedly, and it looked as if they had already roped two more people into their conversation… an elderly couple who Nico thought seemed a bit perturbed that their date night was being ruined by a bunch of college kids.
“So you want me to save that cute old couple?” I commented, winking at Fernando in a teasing manner. He sighed, rolling his eyes before all but shoving a tray and my notebook into my hands.
“Get going, tesoro,” he shoved me towards the table of kids, and I made sure to flip him off on the way there. I sincerely hoped that no one else in the restaurant had seen that, because if they did, I would have a lot of explaining to do. The truth was simply that me and Fernando had been close since I had begun working, and teasing him came as second nature to me.
Turning my attention back to my job, I approached the table, that same cheery smile displayed on my face. It was strange, for the second I appeared at their table, the small group of kids instantly stopped chattering. Their previously animated faces were pale white, and I couldn’t help but feel concerned. But unfortunately, whatever was troubling them was none of my business, even though I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was.
“Hello, my name’s nico. I’ll be your server for tonight. Are you ready with your order?”
“Nico?” a blonde girl asked, amazement written on her features. It was like she had seen me before, even though I hadn’t the slightest idea who she was.
“That’s my name,” I shrugged trying to keep my voice light despite the confusion slowly suffocating me.
“Nico I can’t believe you-”
“Look, I don’t know if you think this is some stupid joke, but I have no idea who any of you are, so why don’t we move this along and continue with your orders.”
The response was silence, and with the way they were staring me down, I couldn’t help for some of my insecurities to riot inside of my head.
Do I have something on my face?
Are my clothes not fitting me right?
Do I still look too skinny?
Oh gods, do I look gay?
Like too gay?
Are they homophobic?
I hated myself for thinking these things, and it bothered me even more that I couldn’t seem to control those thoughts. Wasn’t that what my “oh so important” therapy was for? I wanted to cry, but I tried my very best to push down my tears. Not here… not here… not here.
There’s no reason to cry! What is wrong with me today?
It was something about these kids, I was sure of it. Or maybe it had something to do with the strange dream I had had last night… the dream with the beautiful angel who looked like the sun itself and the screams of the dying. It certainly seemed like another one of those fantasy novels I loved so much, and I made a mental note to try not to read such vivid things before going to sleep. After all, like my therapist had always said… sleep was very important.
That has to be why I feel this way… I didn’t sleep and now I’m taking it out on myself.
Shaking those traitorous thoughts from my mind, I gave the kids at a table a warm smile, deeming it best to ignore their pale faces for now. Perhaps they were just going through a rough day. “Well, I’ll give you some more time to figure it out. I’ll be back-”
“Nico, how long have you worked here?” the blonde girl at the table asked, her pretty face scrunched up with concern.
I furrowed my brow, even more confused than I had been earlier. These people were a bunch of weirdo’s, if I was being honest. “Well, it’s been about-”
“Annabeth,” the black haired boy chastised her, shoving at the blonde girl playfully. “You can’t just ask those kinds of questions… it’s rude.”
“I can do whatever I’d like Percy. Come on, tell me you aren’t curious too…”
I let their voices drown out as I walked back to tell Fernando that his grand scheme was a horrible failure, but since it was apparently my lucky day, I slipped and fell, the glasses I had been carrying on my tray shattering onto pieces on the floor.
Fuck
“Nico!” Fernando practically screamed as he ran towards me, offering me a hand in helping me back to my feet. “Are you ok? Are you hurt? Do you need me to get the first aid-”
“I’m fine, Fernando,” I shook my head, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “I just slipped, and I’m completely unscathed. Your glasses, however… not so much.” I smiled sheepishly, a bit embarrassed about the spectacle I had just made. The elderly couple whom the kids were chatting with earlier were glaring at me. It was slowly becoming clear that they weren’t having the best time.
“That’s alright, my boy,” Fernando shrugged, calling for Mitchell, another co-worker and one of my best friends, to come clean up the mess as I went into the kitchen. I definitely needed some time to breathe. It was strange how shaken the encounter had made me, even though there was no reason for my emotions to get so out of control. I wanted to forget about the looks on those kids' faces; I wanted to forget about the strange question Annabeth had asked me, but I couldn’t. Just like when I woke up from my dream, I couldn’t shake the feeling that today was the start of my new life story.