Protect her. Nico had been trying to protect her.

"Protect me from what, exactly?!" She yells, slamming the door in the Hades cabin (as if that makes this any more private). "From a war I’ve been training for my entire life?"

"Lou, I just—"

"You can’t stop me from dying, Nico!" The blonde blurts before she can stop herself. Nico stays silent for a little while.

I don’t usually take requests but, assuming you’re probably desperate since this ship has something neaw zero fics, I can try. 

- - - - 

“So, hum, skulls and black, who would have guessed?” the tall girl stood behind him and watched as he pulled together the final bits of his cabin. He was still getting used to people talking to him and he had no idea what to make of the long legged, pointy nose person smirking at him so he just raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mean it in an offensive way.” She added, probably misunderstanding his confusion. “I think skulls and black are pretty awesome. I’d add some flames too, really badass.” As if to prove her point, smoke came out from the tip of her fingers. She was smiling and making faces but he didn’t really know what she wanted so he just turned his back to her and focused on his work again.

“Pff.” She sighed. “You’re a tough little one, aren’t you?” Nico rolled his eyes.

“I’m not little.” I’m the freaking ghost king, he completed in his head. For some reason, that short sentence had the power to send the tall girl into an endless fit of laughter. Nico started to walk away.

“No, wait, Nico, sorry, sorry.” She ran after him. It didn’t take long for her to catch up, considering her long legs and the fact that Nico was on a slow, grouchy pace. She held him by the wrist. “Nico’s your name, right? I saw what you did in Manhattan with your dad and everything, I thought it was pretty cool.”

If Nico didn’t know how to react to her mockery, he was even more clueless about her flattery. Once again, he didn’t say anything, she didn’t seem to need encouragement.

“I’m Lou Ellen, daughter of Hecate.” Nico did the math. Hecate, 800 attack points plus three extra rounds of magical damage. It was a good card. “Did you think I was mocking you? I really wasn’t. I like your decoration, I really do.”

She didn’t seem like a bad person, she had skinny long legs and  auburn hair that passed her bony shoulder as well as big brown eyes and a pointy nose, she looked like a good witch from a children’s book. Her smile made her look very happy and optimistic, Nico wasn’t so sure about how he felt about that.

“You know, I suggested we decorated our cabin with a enchanted roof like at Hogwarts but everyone shot me down, said they don’t have time for my nerdy stuff.” She shrugged. “Must be good to be able to make all the decisions, having siblings is very tough sometimes, isn’t it?”

Now Nico wish the conversation would just end, he didn’t want to talk about siblings. Lou Ellen looked as if she had just seen a ghost. Nico assumed he might have looked like one.

“Oh Gods, I’m so sorry, I…” He shrugged and said it was ok but turned around to leave anyway. He was starting to feel thankful for the silence inside his cabin when Lou Ellen’s figure appeared, all smiles, sitting on his bed.

“I really am very sorry.” Nico thought if he could actually die from a heart attack at such a young age, and then was promptly reminded that he was in his 70’s, sort of.

“Did you just…shadow travel?”

Lou Ellen looked confused for a second.

“Oh, no, I can’t teleport at all. That’s an Hermes thing.” Not exactly,Nico thought. ” I just used the mist to look invisible as I ran here. I can’t do it for a long time though.” 

Nico let himself fall on his bed next to place she was sitting. He stared at the tall roof of his cabin. 

“If I say I forgive you, will you leave me alone?” To his surprise she chuckled and petted him on the head. He tried to glare at her but the sunny smile on her face almost blinded him.

“Only if you mean it.” She almost sang the words. Nico grunted.”Wow, you’re a grumpy teenager.”

He frowned:

“And you look like you should try being grumpy every once in a while.”

She laughed again, loudly - the sound echoed in the room and Nico felt his ears ring. Lou Ellen stood up.

“I’m actually a pretty moody person.” She stretched. “But I saw you working so hard here, it made me motivated all over again. You’re so tiny and yet you’re working so hard. Besides, it’s sort of thanks to you that my mom is even getting a cabin of her own.”

Nico repeated to himself “I’m the Ghost King. I’m not tiny.” she didn’t hear him mutter under his breath and just stood there with her good witch of the South smile and said:

“Ok, I can tell when I’m not wanted. I will leave you,” She made a big flourish turn for effect. “for now.” she added. “But I’ll come back to see if you want to play a game or something, I can get pretty bored sometimes.” She reminded him a little of Bianca at that point, maybe because of her voice, maybe because she was clearly trying to irritate him and make him happy at the same time, whatever it was, it made him feel weird.

Nico watched as she left in silence. His cabin seemed to grow darker with every step she took outside. When all he could see was her sillouette against the sunny day outside he heard her final yell:

“Hey, Nico, rock on!” and suddenly, all the skulls in his bedroom lit up on green and purple flames.

What the Hades was wrong with that girl?

 — - -

"No sweetheart. You won't pouty lips on me like your mom. Get in the back. No driving until you're sixteen.

-Nico di Angelo and Lou Ellen's daughter