[So, Palamedes has decided something: the ocean is truly irredeemable. It's nothing personal; it's just a lot of water that has killed-or-nearly-killed him too many times to be trusted, no matter how many cool ships with fascinating artifacts are down there at the bottom.
Not, of course, irredeemable enough to not go see the ships again; nah. But he still doesn't like it, which is why he's come to this particular sea walk meeting with Nico more prepared than before. Notably, he's found some additional cord to use to tighten the existing cord on his glasses such that they won't float off his face underwater - a real concern. He's also deigned to wear only one layer of funny skull t-shirt today, because the excess of cardigans really did him no favors the last time.
Also, he's brought a much larger bag with him to put stuff in. He meets Nico on the beach, close to the start of the glowing path, and he looks vaguely like a man heading off for his 50th battle in the trenches.
So the ocean experiences are going great. He nods at Nico in greeting, fiddling with the strap on his bag, and he says,] Ships are haunted.
[ There's a lot about the ocean that throws Nico back in time. Once, when he liked a boy with sea-green eyes, who smelled the sea breeze, who controlled the waves, whose emotions could reflect the storms and calmness of the water. Back to when he'd suffered through hell, then failed to save that boy from the very same hell. Riding on a boat that flew high in the sky because their sea expert was gone. The time spent on that ride with Jason.
Yeah, the ocean holds a lot of emotions for him, too.
Nico is prepared to go under the water, to let himself sink down into the sea's embrace in order to explore the wreckage of ships. He's without his shoes, though still wearing socks to give him some protection, wearing a pair of thin black pants and a gray tank top (there's no sense of self-consciousness about the scars on his upper arms). Just to be easily spotted if they get separated. Then nothing but his sword at his side. It won't do to weigh them both down if there's trouble. ]
Yep. They usually are. [ He looks over at Palamedes fiddling with the bag. ] Want me to carry that?
[Palamedes can't help but eye the sword with some wariness, even if he doesn't expect it to be necessary; he's not unaccustomed to running around with someone heavily armed, and for a moment he misses Camilla so very strongly he nearly forgets what they're doing—
Ah. Hm. The bag. He looks down at it, then shakes his head.]
No, that's alright. I'm using it to distract from the urge to scream myself hoarse in the water.
[ Like he said, Palamedes can use any thanergy Nico creates by killing stuff. Even if he knows they don't plan on leaving the glowing trail, Nico would rather be prepared if something does happen.
He can also kind of figure why the man is staring at the weapon, and it probably has nothing to do with its appearance or ability. ]
Okay, I'll help carry it back up, so we can get out of there faster, then.
[ Water might make things lighter, but heavy items can still drag people down. ]
Yeah. [ Nico will head into the water first, walking into the waves that try to push him out and drag him back. The demigod doesn't go too far so as to leave Palamedes behind. He'd like to stay within arm's reach. ]
My complete lack of muscle mass thanks you in advance.
[This, delivered with a half-bow, for emphasis. He's serious about that, but if he doesn't layer all of this in a fine coating of sarcasm and jokes, he will lose it, so. Thanks.
But alright, here they go, and it isn't any more pleasant to walk into the water the second time. Viktor held his hands and made fun of his garish yellow boots, but like, he's not going to ask Nico to do that, jesus. So it's tottering out into the shallows with his big bag held up like a shield, which works well enough until an insistent tug of the water yanks it out of his hands.
Oop. There she goes. Palamedes, always conscientious and delicate, says,] Fuck—!
[ Nico will help provide sarcasm and jokes to distract from what they're doing.
While he wouldn't hold Palamedes' hand, he would let the man hold his shoulder or arm if that would help. Though it isn't an offer that would come immediately. Touch is still a foreign thing to him, even if Palamedes is in the very short list of who is allowed. Offering is harder.
He watches the waves batter the man and drags the bag out. It only takes a couple of steps before Nico reaches it and snags the satchel. ] It's fine.
[ There's a brief pause as he looks out to the ocean. ] Want to hang on to my shoulder?
[Nooo, his bag, she's gone forever— oh, never mind. He wants very much to climb into his own bag and sink to the ocean floor without having to experience it, but he'll settle for glumly taking hold of his bag again and staring at the surface of the water like it owes him something.
It does. It owes him several things. He will get none of them, so he'll have to force himself to be satisfied with trinkets and rusty baubles and ghosts.]
What? [oh, right,] Oh. Sure. Thank you.
[For not ditching him before even getting underwater, mostly.]
[ Maybe Nico will ask about why Palamedes has this thing with the ocean, though it won't be until after they no longer want to dive into it. For now, it's clear enough that there is an issue so Nico will just stick close by.
His gaze is on the man's face while he gets swept up. Figuratively, in this case. ]
No, I've been swimming for over ninety years.
[ It's said lightly, clearly a joke but with an undertone of seriousness to it. ]
Honestly, when we're ready to go, I could always just shadow travel us back to your office even when we're down there. Fair warning, it's a wild ride and letting go of each other would be dangerous to you.
[ So whether that would just give Palamedes even more to hate or not will probably up in the air. ]
Will that also shadow travel a mess of water with us? I don't think my office would ever forgive me.
[Real concerns he has. And he's not that keen on encouraging shadow travel, regardless of how intense and horrible it might be for himself; but they'll have to deal with that when they get to it.
He sighs, and moves to hold onto Nico's shoulder. Alright, he's squaring up to fight the sea. Mentally.]
I'd prefer a swimming buddy with a full century of experience, [old teen] but ninety years will have to do.
Probably not? It would have to stay connected to me somehow. Like when I took a statue through it. So it'd just be whatever water is on us.
[ This is why he's informing, because not everyone is a fan of shadow travel. He's also more careful about using it these days, instead of pushing himself too hard.
A small laugh at that. ]
Damn, a few years short of your preference. That's a shame.
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nico → sea walks
Not, of course, irredeemable enough to not go see the ships again; nah. But he still doesn't like it, which is why he's come to this particular sea walk meeting with Nico more prepared than before. Notably, he's found some additional cord to use to tighten the existing cord on his glasses such that they won't float off his face underwater - a real concern. He's also deigned to wear only one layer of funny skull t-shirt today, because the excess of cardigans really did him no favors the last time.
Also, he's brought a much larger bag with him to put stuff in. He meets Nico on the beach, close to the start of the glowing path, and he looks vaguely like a man heading off for his 50th battle in the trenches.
So the ocean experiences are going great. He nods at Nico in greeting, fiddling with the strap on his bag, and he says,] Ships are haunted.
no subject
Yeah, the ocean holds a lot of emotions for him, too.
Nico is prepared to go under the water, to let himself sink down into the sea's embrace in order to explore the wreckage of ships. He's without his shoes, though still wearing socks to give him some protection, wearing a pair of thin black pants and a gray tank top (there's no sense of self-consciousness about the scars on his upper arms). Just to be easily spotted if they get separated. Then nothing but his sword at his side. It won't do to weigh them both down if there's trouble. ]
Yep. They usually are. [ He looks over at Palamedes fiddling with the bag. ] Want me to carry that?
no subject
Ah. Hm. The bag. He looks down at it, then shakes his head.]
No, that's alright. I'm using it to distract from the urge to scream myself hoarse in the water.
[Is this a bit. Only kind of.]
Well, let's get this over with.
no subject
He can also kind of figure why the man is staring at the weapon, and it probably has nothing to do with its appearance or ability. ]
Okay, I'll help carry it back up, so we can get out of there faster, then.
[ Water might make things lighter, but heavy items can still drag people down. ]
Yeah. [ Nico will head into the water first, walking into the waves that try to push him out and drag him back. The demigod doesn't go too far so as to leave Palamedes behind. He'd like to stay within arm's reach. ]
no subject
[This, delivered with a half-bow, for emphasis. He's serious about that, but if he doesn't layer all of this in a fine coating of sarcasm and jokes, he will lose it, so. Thanks.
But alright, here they go, and it isn't any more pleasant to walk into the water the second time. Viktor held his hands and made fun of his garish yellow boots, but like, he's not going to ask Nico to do that, jesus. So it's tottering out into the shallows with his big bag held up like a shield, which works well enough until an insistent tug of the water yanks it out of his hands.
Oop. There she goes. Palamedes, always conscientious and delicate, says,] Fuck—!
no subject
[ Nico will help provide sarcasm and jokes to distract from what they're doing.
While he wouldn't hold Palamedes' hand, he would let the man hold his shoulder or arm if that would help. Though it isn't an offer that would come immediately. Touch is still a foreign thing to him, even if Palamedes is in the very short list of who is allowed. Offering is harder.
He watches the waves batter the man and drags the bag out. It only takes a couple of steps before Nico reaches it and snags the satchel. ] It's fine.
[ There's a brief pause as he looks out to the ocean. ] Want to hang on to my shoulder?
no subject
It does. It owes him several things. He will get none of them, so he'll have to force himself to be satisfied with trinkets and rusty baubles and ghosts.]
What? [oh, right,] Oh. Sure. Thank you.
[For not ditching him before even getting underwater, mostly.]
That won't impede your swimming?
no subject
His gaze is on the man's face while he gets swept up. Figuratively, in this case. ]
No, I've been swimming for over ninety years.
[ It's said lightly, clearly a joke but with an undertone of seriousness to it. ]
Honestly, when we're ready to go, I could always just shadow travel us back to your office even when we're down there. Fair warning, it's a wild ride and letting go of each other would be dangerous to you.
[ So whether that would just give Palamedes even more to hate or not will probably up in the air. ]
no subject
[Real concerns he has. And he's not that keen on encouraging shadow travel, regardless of how intense and horrible it might be for himself; but they'll have to deal with that when they get to it.
He sighs, and moves to hold onto Nico's shoulder. Alright, he's squaring up to fight the sea. Mentally.]
I'd prefer a swimming buddy with a full century of experience, [old teen] but ninety years will have to do.
no subject
[ This is why he's informing, because not everyone is a fan of shadow travel. He's also more careful about using it these days, instead of pushing himself too hard.
A small laugh at that. ]
Damn, a few years short of your preference. That's a shame.