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There was a time, long ago, when Nico was excited about the whole soulmate business. His first words written on the back of his neck, often traced by his mother fondly, and read to him constantly by his sister. They’d taken a picture of it with one of those old cameras that flashed and clicked audibly and he always kept with him the black and white copy of the thin, wiry, cursive words: Hey, excuse me?
The words were English and sounded so foreign. His mama had met Americans before, but no one had a clue what ‘hey’ meant.
Maybe his soulmate was from a different part of America. The thought made young Nico incredibly happy.
But of course, it wasn’t long before Nico found out why the words written on the back of his neck seemed out of time.
“Hey! Excuse-” Were the first two words Percy ever said to Nico, when he accidentally bumped into him at their boarding school. The word ‘hey’ made something in Nico’s chest constrict, though the words ‘hey, excuse me’ were common already by that time, there was just somethingdifferent about Percy Jackson from his mundane classmates.
And in the end, Percy saved him and Bianca and turned out to be some type of hero- Nico was right about something being different about him. His heart couldn’t settle and his eyes always strayed to the other boy, though he knew it was wrong. He’d seen what soulmates of the same gender happened in his home- they either hide away or were taken away and never came back.
(Deep inside, Nico knew Percy wasn’t his. For one, Percy never really did say the whole sentence. For two, the words written on Percy’s collar bone was different from the stuttering mess Nico’s first words to him, was. And Percy’s penmanship was wide and he often wrote in single stroke. Still, it didn’t stop the warmth of a first crush and the wish to be soulmates with a hero.)
His feelings warred with hatred and frustration when Percy came back without Bianca. He’d shouted at him and raged and cracked the ground on their feet. He was swallowed by shadows and teleported near the camp’s borderline.
He was curled up on the base of some tree, crying his heart out, because he was out of his time, away from his family, all alone now, his sister gone permanently.
There was rustling from the bushes and Nico didn’t even bother to turn. He heard someone step out and a confused and concerned voice asked, “Hey, excuse me?”
And those words just made him angrier. Those words sounded mocking because what was this? Was this another person sent by the world to speak the same first words of his soulmate only for it to turn out that the words written on their body was not what he first said to them? Didn’t the Fates think he had enough? That he’d lost enough.
“LEAVE ME ALONE!” Nico yelled and the shadows swirled around him in reaction to his emotion, “What in Hades do you want with me? JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!”
“Wait-!”
But the shadows already took him away again. Away from another heartbreak, away from the place he could have called home.
Years after… After Kronos, after Gaea, after finding a half-sister from a Roman Camp, after saving Percy Jackson again, after another second chance for a child of Hades…
Nico grew his hair out, to cover the back of his neck where his soulmate’s words were still etched like a tattoo. In his pocket, aside from the Hades figure from Bianca, the worn and torn photograph of his soulmate’s words was carefully folded.
For the first time in a long time, things seemed to be shaping up for the long haul and Nico thought back to a long lost memory.
“Hey, excuse me?” Said a confused and concerned voice.
His fingers reached back behind his neck.
“Nico,” A voice called out to the son of Hades. Nico automatically looked up and saw Annabeth headed his way. “Hey, long time no see, how’s Hazel?”
“She’s okay.” Nico said. His sister was lucky to find a soulmate a second time, her first words to Sammy and Frank being the same words etched on their skins and the first words they said to her was etched in her. Fate can be strange thing sometimes. “She’s happy and with Frank. Frank’s really gone a long way.”
Annabeth sat next to him, a word peeking out from her shirt. It was rumored her words were written on her heart. Percy’s first words to her. (Luke’s first words to her was the same as Percy’s, which explained her whole ‘crush’ on him… but the words written below the left of Luke’s armpit, where his Achilles’ spot was, were Thalia’s first words to Luke)
“Not everybody gets a second chance at having a soulmate.” Annabeth said thoughtfully, as though reading his mind. Her stormy gray eyes flashed curiously, “And you? Have any clue who it is?”
“I… don’t know.”
“Think it’s a guy?”
Nico had to mentally remind himself that things were different in this generation now. Same sex couples weren’t taken away and some people even had more than one set of first words written on them. “Yeah, I mean…” He ducked his head, “I just- I can’t see myself with someone else.”
The blond beside him hummed thoughtfully, “Do you think he’s somewhere in camp?”
Nico flashed back to his earlier memory, “There was once… there’s this person who said them to me, when- just after Bianca died. I was so angry that I-” He pursed his lips, “I didn’t get to see who it was.”
“I see.”
Nico inhaled deeply, “I don’t even know if that person was the one and if he was, if he survived the last two wars…” He’d been looking of course. But most of the demigods from the first war had passed to Elysium before Nico finally became interested enough to search for his soulmate.
“Some people are happy even without their soulmates, you know?” Annabeth said, absently tracing her collarbone. “These words, they just help you find the person you’d get along easiest with, it’s not a marriage contract or a binding, permanent agreement. In the end, the two of you get to choose if you want to be with each other. This is just the Fates way of helping with that.”
Nico couldn’t help the twitch of his lips, “But we call them soulmates.”
Annabeth waved it off, “Romanticized word by our generation.”
Nico looked down, “I understand what you’re saying, if my soulmate was a stranger, I would at least take the effort to get to know them. But if I can’t find them, I know I can be happy with someone else.” He said easily, “I mean, I had a crush on Percy, you know? Even though I knew that he wasn’t the one in the end.” He said apologetically.
Annabeth gave him a searching look and then smiled, “Why don’t you come with me for a bit?”
Nico looked on at the happy couples with curiosity. “I’ve never noticed before, but almost everyone here has found their soulmates, right?”
“We have the Aphrodite cabin to thank for that.” Annabeth said waving at a few of the Aphrodite children. “Their gifts help them find out who’s compatible with who.”
Nico gave her a sideways glance, “So, Will Solace?”
A smirk made its way to Annabeth’s face, “Interested?”
Nico tried his best not to flush and looked away, “I mean, just wondering what type of person would be soulmates with him. “
Annabeth hid her smile, “Who knows, no one’s ever seen his soulmate’s words.” She said in a nonchalant tone, catching Nico’s interest.
“No one?”
“He keeps his words bandaged around his wrist. He said it circles his wrist three times but that’s it.” Annabeth said then she stopped, “Here we are.”
Nico looked at the infirmary, “What are we doing here?”
“Well, I figured since you had a lot of questions about soulmate stuff you could ask the Apollo cabin. The Aphrodite cabin might be the expert in compatibility but soulmate words are all in the genes, the Apollo cabin’s division.” She said and winked, “Maybe you can ask Will about them.”
Nico shot her a glare but Annabeth just pushed him and said, “Trust me.”
Nico grumbled all the way to the infirmary door, leaving Annabeth smirking before she turned and left, high-fiving a few Aphrodite’s kids on the way.
Nico was sitting on the visitor’s lounge bored. One of the Apollo kids he asked about Will said that the blond went outside for a few minutes. Five minutes and Will still hasn’t come back.
He stood up and thought about leaving when Kayla came out of nowhere and bumped into him.
“Oh, jeez, Nico! I’m sorry! I didn’t see you there!” Kayla said as she tried to gather the paper that scattered around.
“It’s fine.” Nico said as he collected the papers but then paused. He read the paper in his hand. Realizing he had gone quiet, Kayla looked up.
“Oh yeah, those are Will’s notes. He has horrible hand writing, right? Haha, but you know most doctors have horrible hand writing.” Kayla said but Nico continued to be quiet. She tilted her head, “Nico?”
“Where is he?”
“Huh?”
“Do you know where he is right now?” Nico asked seriously.
Kayla nodded, “Uh, yeah, he’s taking a break at the east border’s largest tree, you know the one with-”
“I think I know where you mean.” And without any warning, Nico shadow-traveled out of the infirmary.
Justin peeked out the hallway, seeing Kayla still on the floor. “What was that about?”
The blond hid her smile behind her hands, “Beats me.” She shrugged, trying to act innocent.
Justin rolled his eyes and muttered, “Girls…”
Will was exactly at the spot where Nico shadow traveled to after his confrontation with Percy. Despite the fact that it has been nearly a year since the war with Gaea, the son of Hades panted as he walked towards Will who was looking at the largest tree with interest.
“Hey, di Angelo.” Will said without turning as he played with something in his hand, “What’re you doing out here? Got lost?”
NIco shook his head. He realized Will couldn’t see him, so he said, “Uh, no. I just- uhm I wanted to ask you something about- about your erm, the words on your wrist.”
Will froze and looked behind him. His blue eyes were slightly narrowed and his tone curious, “Oh, really?”
“Yeah, uhm- if it’s okay?”
“You wondering what’s written on my wrist?” Will asked, turning fully.
Nico nodded, throat dry and the blond smiled brightly.
“Took you long enough.”
“Wait, what?”
Will sighed and stepped aside. Nico didn’t understand what he was supposed to be looking at, but then his gaze zeroed in near the base of the tree, familiar words etched on them.
Hey, excuse me.
“Wha-” Nico’s breath caught in his throat. Will shrugged self-consciously.
“I figured you’d be back eventually,” Will said quietly, “I mean, I wanted you to know I was waiting. Just in case you figured out your soulmate- erm that I was here in camp.
Nico swallowed, “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Will flushed and looked away pointedly, “We didn’t exactly have the best reunion?” He scratched his cheek and sighed.
Nico stood silent and then walked up to the tree, tracing the words. He turned to Will. “Can I see?”
“Huh?”
“The words on your wrist, can I see?”
“Oh, yeah, sure.” Will carefully unrolled the bandage around his wrist.
Like Annabeth said, the words circled Wills’ wrist on a spiral downwards, thrice. Nico’s small, cursive handwriting taking up the skin.
Leave me alone. It said, What in Hades do you want with me? Just leave me alone!
“I’m sorry.” Nico said as he traced the words. Will shivered at the touch but then held Nico’s wrist.
“Don’t.” The blond said firmly. “You’ve been through a lot.” He smiled, “I was willing to wait.”
Nico felt his cheeks warm and all he could do was nod. “I’m- I’m glad it was you.”
“Really?” Will drawled teasingly but then added hesitantly, “You sure you don’t want to return me for someone like Percy Jackson?”
Sensing the uncertain tone, Nico gripped Wills’ wrist possessively. “He’s not my type.”
Will gave him a small smile, “But I am?”
“You’re my only type.” Nico said honestly but then flushed at his own words, “Erm, I mean-”
Will laughed, “It’s okay. I get it.” He tugged his hands away to be able to hold both of Nico’s. “I guess broody, sons of Hades are my type then.”
Nico glared at his feet, “For your sake, I hope dad doesn’t have other demigod children out there.”
Laughing in pleasant surprise at Nico’s jealousy, Will leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Nah, I have a thing for guys whose first words to me are written on my wrist.”
Nico’s cheeks reddened but he huffed in satisfaction, “Good.”
Will held him close and smiled against Nico’s cheek.