painandvengeance:
Folding his arms across his chest firmly, Nico nods to the hacker as he processes the fact that this conversation is actually taking place. Brown eyes take a glance at the headphones that wrapped around his neck, a proud feeling growing within him as the he recalls the conversation they had about the practicality of gifts. It was nice to know that he’d made a good decision – that not everything had been left behind in Rome.
“Don’t sound so amused by the statement, I may be a bartender but I’ve still got a degree too ya know.” The man laughs, knowing fully well that that wasn’t Ethan’s reason for being amused at the statement. But Nico wouldn’t be Nico if he didn’t take an opportunity to say something snarky.
Observing the hacker quietly, he took a moment to appreciate how life had changed since the ragtag team of revolutionaries had served their purpose and split ways – how nice it was to see Ethan in this state. It was a hell of a change from the silent, nervous, kid who refused to make eye contact that showed up on his doorstep with penny what seemed like forever ago. Nico was proud. As proud as any man would be to see his family doing well.
“Well that’s not much of a shocker for Aussie Barbie.” Domenico retorts with a slight shrug before continuing. “Don’t tell me you’ve been venturing to the outside world in the sunlight as well! You look far less pale than I remember.” Granted, a lot of factors had changed and time had passed since the two last spent a decent amount of time near each other, so, Ethan not appearing in the same appearance he remembered was definitely a good thing.
At the next statement, Nico found himself frozen for a moment just staring at the hacker blankly as he pulled himself back together. Not only someone besides himself or Calli acknowledged their relationship for the first time – but Ethan volunteered himself for physical contact. And of all things, a hug. The physical expression of familiarity and emotion. After a laugh, he finally speaks while closing the distance between them. “You really think I’d miss this opportunity? Hug first.” Nico proclaims in excitement while pulling his friend into an embrace. A feeling he had yet to experience in their almost two and a half years of friendship. “Now I can officially get settled in.”
“I know, Domenico. All politicians have a certain level of intelligence about them,” Ethan agreed, his mind moving faster than his lips though Ethan had yet to notice he had let slip that he knew a little about Nico’s past. “And there are several different types of knowledge, anyway.” Ethan did not have emotional, but he was working on interpersonal. He’d gotten significantly better in the last months.
Static.
Ethan blinked lucidity back with a shake of his head. “You shouldn’t call Penelope an Aussie Barbie. She won’t be too happy,” he countered, though he was stopped mid thought by the assertion that he looked less pale than usual. Ethan had never thought of himself as pale, especially when his life was spent beside his sister, but he supposed there were several reasons for his lifeless appearance for the entirety of the time Nico had known him. Ethan ran through fifteen reasons in his head.
“I sleep now,” Ethan asserted, having come to the conclusion that was the most likely reason he had color in his skin again. No more energy-drink induced week-long stints awake. No more monitoring every movement on the streets or hacking into gang and government systems all hours of the day. Ethan was no long on consistent high-alert. Now he merely maintained watch over Calliope daily. He had alerts for everything else.
Having been lost in thought for several seconds, Ethan did not quite hear Nico’s response to his offer and was momentarily startled by physical contact. Ethan relaxed immediately, falling gently into the embrace. Practice. He wrapped his arms around Nico’s back, statements slightly muffled by the fabric.
“Penelope misses you.”
Stepping out of the first and only hug he’d shared with Nico, Ethan adjusted the headphones to sit comfortably atop his shoulders again.
“I missed you.”
A beat.
Ethan bent down to pick up a bag and turned to walk down the hallway. “Calliope’s bedroom is up this way.”












