Chapter Text
Chapter 1–
Nico’s P.O.V.
-Friday, July 1st-
"Nico~ time to wake up for breakfast. Nico di Angelo~" Will coos at me.
I try to smack him, but he isn't lying next to me like he's supposed to. I look up, and he's standing by the bed. "Ugh, what?"
"Time to get up and get ready for breakfast. C'mon." He smiles at me. "I've learned to get out of the bed before waking you up now."
"Man, you get punched in the face once, and all the sudden you won't cuddle with me in the mornings?" I mutter, sitting upright, rubbing my eyes.
"No~ that's not it. I just actually want to get up and get going, so I got up this time."
"Uh-huh."
He's already dressed and stuff. Ridiculous.
"So...? Get up and have breakfast with me? You don't even have to get dressed, you can just come with me." He says.
"I can't go in pajamas." I roll my eyes, pushing my blanket back a bit. It's cold. He must have been out of bed for a while.
"Who's going to stop you? Not me, probably not anyone else... well, maybe someone else. I wouldn't, I guess."
"Oh, Chiron would kill me on the spot." I hold a hand out to him.
He takes it. "You think so? He'd just whip out his bow and arrow?"
"He would trample me. Death by centaur hoof." I say, pulling him down so he tumbles onto me. I hold onto him. Warm.
He yelps, before giggling against my shoulder. "Nico. We do need to go, I let you sleep in as much as I could."
"It's...so cold."
He glows faintly, warming me. "We can do this for a second, but then I can get you a hoodie and some jeans if you're really that cold."
"I had a bad dream." I start, adjusting to trace circles on his back with my hand.
"Oh, again?" He asks, relaxing against me.
"Mhm, the first time I left Camp Half-Blood. It was winter, I ran into the woods by myself. I was fully alone for the first time in my life, ten years old, in the cold, dark wilderness...without a boyfriend who glows and warms me up." I say, trying to coax him to stay in bed with me. "I was so lonely. So cold."
"Ooh. You poor thing." He hugs me gently.
“I was ten.” I add to get some pity points.
Sometimes, I’ll tell him things like this for attention. Sue me. It works. It also actually happened and I also actually dreamt of it.
"How long did the dream go on for?"
“All night? What do you mean? It was like a day's worth of…what happened.”
"The second one was what I meant. I wish I knew you more then. You were clearly hurting a lot."
“I wouldn’t have let you near me anyway. I’m just now learning to do that. That’s why I’m forced to tell you about all of my dreams.”
"I hope you don't feel forced ."
“I am, I have to tell someone.”
I’m not allowed not to. Will is my person. I promised Jason that I would try…
"Well, I'm glad it's me. I'm sorry about your dream, that must have been so scary when it happened?"
“I didn’t even care when it happened.”
"You didn't?" He prompts me, not moving. My plan is working.
“Of course not. Why would I have been?”
"You left, completely alone at ten years old. You said it yourself."
“I was a little preoccupied trying to figure out who I was and stuff.” I shrug.
I relax now that it seems like he has to stay.
"I guess so. I'd have been scared out of my mind. I was scared enough having to leave my mom and come here, I can't imagine leaving camp after that...?"
“Not like I had anything left for me anymore.”
"Where did you go...? After that?" He asks worriedly.
“All over. I was just outside for a while though. I don’t want to talk about it.” I say despite bringing it up. He’s already here.
"Okay. We don't have to go into it more." He says. "Thank you for telling me."
“You’re welcome…? I guess?” I chuckle. He doesn’t even know when he’s been manipulated.
He rests his head on my shoulder. "...We should probably get up, though."
“But I’m warm for once.”
"I know~ but you'll be warm again tonight and tomorrow morning, and every other night and morning." He says, starting to wriggle away.
“But alone during the day, just like I was back then and just like I always will be.” I say grimly, releasing him.
"Come with me today. I don't have a ton going on. Until the Hephaestus kids burn themselves with fireworks later this week."
“They should just have Leo do all of it, he can’t get burnt.”
"Maybe they will this year, and I'll have a quiet Fourth of July."
“It won’t be quiet either way.”
"Well, quiet as far as visits to the infirmary." He says, standing up and dusting himself off.
“That’s fair then,” I say, “…I wish clothes could teleport onto my body. It’s a shame I can’t shadow-travel things without touching them and going with them.”
"That would be cool. I can get your clothes out for you if you want. That's about the best I can do for you." Will tells me.
“Haha, no. Get out. I’ll be there in a bit.”
He nods, walking away. "I'll wait on the porch."
“Just go get yourself breakfast.” I sigh.
"You don't want to walk together?" He asks, pausing at the door.
"It's, like, twenty feet away, please." I scoff, dragging myself out of bed, "I can walk with you if you want."
"I do want that. I'll wait outside." He tells me, smiling back. "See you in a minute."
“Okay, see you in ten minutes.”
"Looking forward to it." Will says before he leaves, shutting the door behind him.
...
I lift my head and force a little bit of a smile at Will. He sets a couple of plates of food down in front of me for us to share (or for him to eat and me to pick at), so I make myself sit more upright. How and why am I still tired?
“Thanks.” I say.
"No problem. Did you see that the Hunters are here? And Jason and Percy?"
“…What?”
He sits down across from me. "Jason is here? The Hunters are too."
“Jason’s here.” I repeat. I’m probably supposed to go sit with him, then.
Ugh.
"Yep. He's sitting at his table, and Percy and Thalia are there." Will explains, picking up some ham and starting to eat it.
“They’re probably expecting me.”
"They might be. That doesn't mean you have to sit with them if you don't want to." Will shrugs.
“Are you just saying that because you are sitting with me right now?” I question.
He raises his eyebrows. "I'd prefer if you sat with me, but no. I can go sit with Austin and Kayla if you want to go over there, or I can join you, it doesn't matter. I just know that being at a group table for meals isn't ideal for you either."
“Hm, do you think you’d be allowed to come with me?”
He blinks, before smiling mischievously. " Doctors Orders ?"
“What for this time?” I chuckle. If I’m with the others (my cousins), then it should have the same effect as being with him.
He shrugs. "I'm your emotional support boyfriend . Duh."
“Ew, don’t say that.” I roll my eyes, “I was literally about to say I want to kiss you, and you ruined it.”
He pouts. "Dammit. I got in my own way again."
“I wouldn’t do it out here anyway. Do you want to go sit with them? Grab the plates again.”
Will nods, relaxing as he stands. He picks up the plates. "We'll go see if they'll let us join them."
I grab onto his forearm and melt us into the shadows because it’s funnier. I shadow-travel us and the food over to Percy’s table, where he’s sitting with Jason and Thalia.
I don’t like Thalia. I don’t not like her, though. Personally, she’s fine. I think we would have a lot of issues even if she wasn’t a Hunter of Artemis, though.
They all jump and look over at me and Will, surprised. Scared? Maybe.
I grin. “Forget to invite me?” I ask even though I was in hiding in my cabin until like five minutes ago.
"Hi, Nico! I didn't see you when I was looking for you." Jason tells me. Percy is sitting directly against him, an arm around his back as he eats his breakfast.
“I was in bed.” I admit.
"That's fair. Why don't you two come sit?" Jason offers.
"Nice to see you guys." Percy agrees with him.
“It’s nice to see Jason at least.” I say.
I want to ask Thalia why she and the Hunters are here. I don’t, though. I won’t talk to her if she doesn’t talk to me.
"Wow, thank you." Percy chuckles humorlessly.
"I'm here this weekend for my birthday." Jason explains. "I thought it would be nice since Thalia was going to come see me either way."
“It’s your birthday?” I ask.
"It's today, yes." Jason says.
"They do fireworks just for him a few days later." Percy claims.
Will laughs, sitting down beside Thalia, leaving me a space beside him.
“Hey, I’m Thalia.” She introduces herself to him.
Will holds a hand out for her to shake. "I'm Will Solace, Cabin 7. It's nice to meet you officially."
She does shake his hand. “I’ve seen you around, but couldn’t remember your name. So you’re the son of Apollo?”
"One of many. And you're with the Hunters." He acknowledges. "It's nice that y'all could stop in to visit today."
He says one of many like he didn’t lose almost all of them a couple of years ago.
“Mhm, we just happened to have something we were working on nearby.” She says, but I don’t believe her.
“ Really ? What were you working on?” Jason asks her.
“It isn’t your business. You’re a man, you can’t be bothered with anything we’re doing.”
Jason shrugs at that, jostling Percy who’s up against him. “Okay, okay . I was just wondering.”
“You keep things that secret?” Will asks her.
“From men? Absolutely.”
I stand there, staring at her. She hasn’t aged at all since I met her, which, I know is how it works. It was right before her sixteenth birthday that she started doing this stupid Hunter stuff. Since Jason is now, what, seventeen…? That must make things really weird between them.
“I guess that makes sense.” Will shrug, before looking back at me. He pats the seat beside him.
“I don’t bite.” Percy says.
“Don’t believe that for a second.” Jason tells me vaguely.
“Why did you have to make it sound so suspicious, bro?” Percy chuckles.
“I didn’t mean to.”
“ I bite .” I say.
“Well, I don’t, don’t listen to him , so we shouldn’t have any conflicting issues.” Percy tells me.
I tilt my head, going to say something else. I don’t know what though. Ew , perhaps?
“If anyone bites, it’s the one who was raised by wolves.” Thalia looks at Jason.
“Hey, that’s uncalled for.” Jason shakes his head.
“ Howl ,” Percy demands. “Do it, it’s always so funny.”
“No!”
“...? Raised by wolves?” Will asks.
“My mom gave me to Lupa, the goddess. I wasn’t actually raised by wild animals … it was only for my training when I was two .”
“You started training when you were two ?” Will asks, eyes wide.
“Yeah, after Mom…” Thalia starts muttering angrily to herself.
“It’s fine, it ended up… working out.” Jason says, but doesn’t seem convinced.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Will tells him. I have no idea why he’s apologizing, it isn’t like it matters. He makes me talk about bad stuff in my life like that all the time.
“It’s fine, bro. It’s no big deal.” He assures him.
“Not anymore, now that you’re here. And you’re so handsome, look at how you’ve grown~” Thalia softens up and starts cooing over him. This, of course, makes me want to leave immediately.
“ It’s true~ you’re so handsome ~” Percy coos at him instead.
Why does that make me blush? Is it him saying it, or is it just because I’m thinking of how handsome Jason is?
I look at Will instead, focusing on him. Who is handsome? Will is handsome.
“You’re flattering me because it’s my birthday. I knew it .” Jason says.
“He might be. He just says stuff, he doesn’t even know what is coming out of his mouth 90% of the time.” Thalia says.
Percy rolls his eyes at her. “I mean, anyone with eyes can see how gorgeous he is .”
“He is.” I repeat after him. He really is. As he gets older, he looks more and more like his father, who is less gorgeous .
Will looks back at me, frowning, before looking at Jason again. "Definitely. Just accept that you're handsome." Will tells him.
Jason chuckles at that. "Alright, I will."
I move closer to Will and mess with his hair. “This isn’t the point. I’ll get something for you for your birthday sometime today.” I tell Jason.
Will leans back slightly, against me a bit. I lean on Will’s chair, kinda wobbly. My body is just now starting to process the shadow-travel, now that my brain is focused on something else.
"You don't have to go to the trouble of all that. It's just nice to see you." Jason says.
“Bullshit.” I tell him.
"It is! I was going to track you down after breakfast." He insists.
“Would you have woken me up?!”
"I'm not stupid. You'd have to have a death wish to wake you up." Jason laughs.
I pat Will’s head. “This one does.”
"This one is a fool." Will agrees.
"Braver than I am." Percy says, despite... who he is .
I laugh at that.
“That’s impressive,” Thalia says, “Is it difficult?”
"Waking him up? A million percent. Even when he's hypothetically fully rested , he hates getting up." Will tells her. "I get a pillow to the face every morning."
“Ah!? Don’t say that.” I scold him. Everyone already thinks I’m mean.
Will chuckles. "That's not every morning. He's good to me."
"That's good." Jason nods, looking at me. "I'm glad you're giving it a try."
“Yeah. You should stay for a week or two.” I tell Jason.
"I wish I could stay for two, but I can only stay for a week, unfortunately. I'm needed back at Camp Jupiter after that." He tells me.
“That’s fine with me. I actually might have to pop in there soon anyway. I’ll talk to my dad about it.” I say.
"Let me know when you're in town, we'll hang out together." He says, continuing to eat his breakfast.
“I’ll just take you there and then stay with you for a week. Then I’ll come back, and go back to business as usual.”
Everyone is silent as we plan stuff. It’s awkward.
Percy continues stuffing his face .
"Just let me know before you head out?" Will asks, looking up and staring at me.
“I will. I do now.” I take my hand out of his hair and sit by him, sitting sideways so I’m straddling the bench and facing him.
“Sounds like you’re going to be surrounded by friends for a while.” Thalia says to Jason.
"Sounds like the best birthday present. It's a shame half of my friends are here and half are at Camp Jupiter." Jason says.
" Boo-Hoo both camps love me ~" Percy mocks him.
“You’re the same way, idiot.” Thalia points out.
Percy gasps. "You weren't supposed to remind him ."
"They adopted you and replaced me immediately." Jason reminds him.
“They didn’t want Octavian.” I say with distaste.
"No one wanted Octavian." Will grimaces.
"Definitely not. Good riddance." Percy agrees with him.
“That’s cruel…?” Thalia says cluelessly.
"Octavian was a loser. He was horrible to everyone." Percy tells her. "He did so many horrible things."
“He did?”
"He's tried to kill us multiple times and ripped the head off my panda pillow pet." He says sadly.
" Narcissistic ." Will adds.
"That too."
“Oh. That makes sense then.” She decides.
“Luckily, he killed himself.” I say.
"It's a shame he couldn't have gotten some sort of help before it came to that, but yes." Will sighs.
"Either way... no one liked him, that's why they scooped me up and made me praetor." Percy says.
“Yes, some people need to die for the proper things to happen.” I murmur. It worked out.
It hurts to say though. Not because of Octavian, fuck that guy.
"Definitely, but...that's a complicated breakfast topic. Maybe we should... circle back to birthday ? What are your plans, Jason?" Will tries changing the topic.
"My birthday plans? We're probably going to go canoeing next, then Percy has some surprise planned that he's not telling me about." Jason says excitedly.
“What is it?” I ask Percy, like he’d say it if I asked.
"I can't say it in front of Jason~ you'll hear about it later this afternoon." Percy tells me.
“It’s one-on-one?”
"One-on-one, yeah. We're having cupcakes at the Poseidon Cabin at 4 for anyone who wants to stop in, though." Percy says.
“…have fun.” I say. My mind and my soul are both empty. I don’t feel anything.
"We will. Feel free to stop in." Percy says.
“Mm, no. Absolutely not. I’m busy.”
"Will you be here this week, though?" Jason asks me.
“Do something with me tomorrow. Okay, birthday boy?”
"I was a step away from asking that." He smiles at me.
“I’ll let you pick. Not because I can’t come up with anything, but because it’s your birthday.”
"I'll take today to come up with something. Does after lunch sound good?"
“That sounds fine to me if it’s what you want.”
"It is. It'll be a lot of fun." Jason says.
"It'll give me time to bother Annabeth." Percy muses.
“You can’t just skip all of the camp activities.” I point out to him.
Percy raises an eyebrow at me. "I know~ but if you're going after lunch, that's free time."
“Just don’t take a long time.”
Percy waves a hand like it doesn't matter. "We'll see about that. Annabeth is pretty good at making me go where I'm supposed to."
"You'd be so lost without her, bro." Jason tells him.
"I know!"
“Yeah, she seems happy with you…? For some reason?” Thalia says, eating the rest of her food.
"Hey, I don't get it either. She's so awesome." Percy actually agrees with Thalia. "I think she likes my undying affection or something."
“Yeah, I can’t believe she chose you.” She says that like there aren’t at least a hundred people who would chose him over anything else given the chance.
"Percy is great. She couldn't have found someone better." Jason defends him, smiling a bit.
"Hey, yeah! Listen to your brother." Percy agrees with him.
“I have no reason to believe him.” She laughs.
I start messing with Will’s t-shirt sleeve. Remind me why I came over here. It’s not to be around Thalia, or really Percy even.
Must just be Jason. I hate the other two. Rightfully so or not, a good chunk of the bad things that happened to me are because of them.
"I can make you a list if you want. But that sounds like a waste of everyone's time." Jason shakes his head.
Will glances over at me, before offering me an apple slice.
I take it and start eating it, glancing at Jason warily. He better not give a list about anything right now.
“Maybe you should.” Thalia says to him.
“Ahem. Number one .” Jason says formally like there’s an actual list in his head. “Percy is very loyal. He’ll be there if you need him, even though he is the busiest person in the world. Number two . He’s really funny, and fun to be around.”
I am definitely not over here to hear this, this is disgusting. Isn’t funny and fun to be around two different things? Jason is bad at making lists.
Thalia rolls her eyes, but stays silent and watches him. Probably wondering the same thing I am; how long is he going to do this for? Are we allowed to tell him to shut up?
“ Number three ! He’s pretty . He’s got pretty eyes, and a cute smile…”
Gag. I think somehow, he’s been convinced Percy has more good qualities than bad. This list is very convincing…
End