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After Bacchus finally deemed them “worthy partners for combat” (the bastard) and poked Otis and Ephialtes with his Pinecone staff (he honestly couldn’t be bothered to remember the name), Percy didn’t waste any more time.
Sure he was livid beyond belief at him, using their suffering as entertainment, but the stupid god didn’t matter right now. Maybe if things were a little different, if he cared slightly less, was slightly more bitter, or maybe if it was someone else in the jar, he would’ve blown up. Told Bacchus exactly where he could shove it- but he didn’t.
Percy’s eyes zeroed in on the figure swaying on their feet, holding onto Piper like she was the only thing keeping them standing (she probably was).
Later, Percy wouldn’t recall how he ran for Nico, avoiding parts of the colosseum turning to mist as Bacchus and the twin Giants’ influence left it, ignoring the shallow wound on his face that nicked his eyebrow and went down his cheek; The only thing that mattered was his little brother, pale and thin as bones, who was currently being held up by Piper.
Percy’s arms wrapped around Nico’s even thinner than normal frame and crushed him in a hug, pulling him to his chest. Nico stiffened in his arms for a second, before he melted, his hands coming to cling onto Percy with all the strength he could muster- which wasn’t a lot. Nico rarely ate on the best of days, but after being trapped in a jar with nothing to eat but pomegranate seeds for a week? It was a miracle he was still alive.
All the terror that Nico had been suppressing ever since he was pulled into Tartarus and abducted by the Giants, not sure if he would even be rescued or if he would run out of seeds and suffocate to death all crashed down on him in the next moment.
Sobs bubbled out of him, and he didn’t try to stop them. He just wept onto Percy’s shoulder, clutching his big brother with all the fragments of strength he still had left.
“If you EVER,” Percy said to the shuddering and shaking boy crying in his arms, “do anything that stupid ever again, I’ll kill you myself! You hear me? You’ll be so dead that your father won’t be able to find your soul!”
Nico choked out something that could've been a laugh but was probably another sob.
Percy squeezed him one last time, before pulling away to check for any injuries.
His gaze was directed to Nico’s legs; he was standing in such a way that took the weight off his left leg.
“Shit, your leg.” He hissed as he tried to crouch down to take a better look at it. Nico stopped him, however. He opened his mouth, paused, and shook his head. Then in the tiniest voice ever he said, "I'm fine.”
“Like hell you are Nico!” Percy exclaimed, this kid’s too much like him, picking up his habit of saying he’s not injured. Fuck he’s a bad influence isn’t he? “Come on, let’s get you to the Argo, Hazel’s been worried about you.”
“Hazel.” Nico murmured as Percy picked him up and carried him to the Argo II.
Percy was right. Hazel was incredibly worried about Nico, she immediately swarmed them when they stepped foot onto the ship; Hazel immediately asked Percy if Nico was okay, clearly not trusting him about his own health. If the situation was any different, Percy would’ve laughed at the indignant look on Nico’s face when he realized this.
Percy filled her in, Nico’s alive, he’s fine, but there’s something about his left leg that he’s not telling them about.
Nico scowled at him weakly for revealing that tidbit of information, and Percy grinned back, happy the moody little-shit he knew was still in there.
They got him set up at the stern, Hazel fetching some Nectar and Ambrosia while Percy looked at his leg.
“It’s not that bad.” Nico mumbled, and his voice was so quiet and hoarse Percy could barely hear him. “Just hurt it when they put me in-” He cut himself off with a coughing fit. Percy quickly got up and sat beside him, rubbing soothing circles onto his back. He didn’t catch all of Nico’s words, but what he understood was when the twin giants captured Nico, he got hurt when they stuffed him in the jar. It made Percy’s blood boil with more anger at the giants, but he pushed it down because that’s not what Nico needs right now.
Just then, Hazel came rushing back to them, a flask of Nectar and a bag of Ambrosia in her arms.
“Hey,” she whispered soothingly. “You okay? C’mon have some Ambrosia, you’ll feel better.”
Nico looked slightly sick at the prospect of food.
Percy noticed this and rushed to reassure him. “Hey, it’s okay, just eat what you can. Just a little bite. If you can’t keep it down, have some Nectar, okay? But you need something.”
Nico looked up at him, before slumping into his side, head resting on his shoulder.
“Okay.”
Slowly, carefully, they coaxed Nico into drinking some Nectar, and let Hazel feed him small pieces of Ambrosia. It was working, the Godly food healing his leg, and bringing some color back into his cheeks. (Though it did nothing for that broken look in his eyes-)
Percy looked up to see where Jason and Piper were talking to Leo and Frank, probably about what they’re doing next. Then, Leo and Frank set off, Frank typing on the Helm’s computer and Leo tapping furiously at his controls.
Nico tapped his wrist, bringing his attention back down to him.
“What’s up?” Percy asked, concerned.
“I found them.” Nico whispered, still quiet, forcing Percy and Hazel to lean in to hear him.
“You found wha-” Hazel gasped. “You- you found the doors?” She asked in a hushed voice.
“You did what?” Percy asked sharply.
Nico nodded grimly, ignoring him. “There’s two sides; one is in Epirus, a temple to our dad. It’s called ‘The House of Hades,’ and the other side…” He trailed off. That haunted look in his eyes was back.
“Why don’t we tell the rest of the crew right now?” Percy asked, hating to see that look on Nico’s face. “That way you’ll only have to say it once.”
Nico squinted at the floorboards, seemingly considering it, before he nodded weakly.
Hazel got up, seeing as Nico was still occupying Percy’s shoulder.
“Hey guys? You’re gonna want to hear this.” Hazel called.
The rest of the seven turned to look at them. Percy and Hazel helped Nico to his feet. He swayed and Percy held his arms up to help him but he stabilized himself and shook his head.
“Thank you.” He muttered, his eyes darting to every single one of them. “I’d given up hope.”
“You knew about both camps.” Jason accused.
“Jason,” Percy started but was cut off by Nico.
“I’m sorry.” He apologized, his eyes downcast. “I discovered Camp Jupiter last year. My dad led me there, though I wasn’t sure why. He told me the gods had kept the camps separate for centuries and that I couldn’t tell anyone. The time wasn’t right, but he said it would be important for me to know.”
With that, Nico doubled over in a fit of coughing. Percy and Hazel rushed to his side, Percy holding his shoulders and Hazel rubbing his back until he could stand again.
“I- I thought Dad meant because of Hazel,” He continued, as if he wasn’t just coughing his lungs out a moment. This kid’s gonna be the death of him, he swears. “I needed a safe place to take her, but now, I think he wanted me to know about both camps so I could understand how important your quest was, and so I’d search for the Doors of Death.”
The air turned electric. Literally; Jason let out a few sparks in surprise.
“You found them.” Percy confirmed, subtly prompting Nico to continue. Something told him Nico wouldn’t be able to tell them anything without prompting, after all, he almost clammed up when it was just Percy and Hazel. (As much as Percy wished he didn’t have to pry, let Nico keep his secrets and tell them when he’s ready, they have to. The world is on the line. Annabeth is on the line.)
Nico looked at him gratefully, seeming to appreciate the sentiment.
“I was a fool,” He began, and it seems he can’t begin anything without good ‘ol self-deprecation. Percy really had to stop being such a bad influence. “I thought I could go anywhere in the Underworld, but I walked right into Gaea’s trap.” He scowled, tears beading in his eyes before he shook his head and blinked them back. “I might as well have tried running from a black hole.”
Frank chewed his lip. “Um… What kind of black hole are we talking about?”
Nico started to speak, but it must’ve been too terrifying. He shut his mouth and looked at Percy and Hazel, his eyes filled with panic and more unshed tears.
Slowly, Percy put his hand on Nico’s shoulder and squeezed gently as Hazel took his hand and rubbed soothing circles on his knuckles with her thumb.
Nico took a deep breath, and started to speak again. “The doors of death have two sides,” He started, his voice quieter and much shakier than before. “One is in the mortal world, and one in the Underworld.” His voice broke at the last part, and Hazel carefully gave him a sip of Nectar. He definitely wouldn't be able to have any more godly food after this anytime soon or he ran the risk of burning up.
“The mortal side is in Greece.” He continued, “It’s heavily guarded by Gaea’s forces. That’s where they brought me-” his voice broke again, and he took a deep breath before beginning again. “-Back into the surface world when I was transported to Rome.”
Piper looked nervous. “Where exactly in Greece are the doors anyway?” She asked.
Nico took a shuddering breath. “The House of Hades. It’s an underground temple in Epirus. I could mark it on a map- but the mortal side isn’t the problem. In the Underworld, the Doors of Death are in- in-” Nico put a hand to his mouth, unable to say it. His eyes looked like shattered glass.
Percy’s mind was racing; A black hole, an escapable part of the Underworld even Nico couldn’t go.
“No.” His voice shook, his grip on Nico’s shoulder tightening, because Nico couldn’t have gone down there. Not Nico, because that would mean that his little brother had faced all the horrors the gods weren’t willing to face, and the mortals couldn’t comprehend- and lived.
Nico nodded, confirming his worst fears. “They pulled me into the pit, Percy. I couldn't stop them- the things I saw down there-“ His voice broke, bubbling with more sobs. Percy looked into Nico’s broken eyes, where the tears finally broke through for a moment.
And then the moment was gone, and Nico was wiping at his eyes, tilting his head up to try to not let more tears fall. Percy pulled Nico into another hug as he heard Hazel speaking.
“No mortal has ever been to Tartarus.” She explained. “At least, no one has ever gone in and returned alive.”
Percy tightened his hold around Nico.
Hazel cleared her throat. “It’s the maximum security prison of Hades where the old Titans and enemies of the gods are bound. It’s where all monsters go when they die on earth. It’s- well, no one knows exactly what it’s like.”
No one except Nico, remained unsaid. Hazel’s gaze drifted to her brother, who was currently pulling away from Percy, muttering an even quieter than usual; “Thanks.”
Hazel moved across the ship, and picked up Nico’s Stygian Iron sword, and handed it to him.
He leaned on it like it was a cane, and Percy noticed that he was, again, taking weight off his left leg.
Maybe there was some permanent damage there. His heart clenched at the thought.
“Now I understand why Hades wasn’t able to close the doors.” He said “Even the gods don’t go into Tartarus. Even the god of death, Thanatos, himself wouldn’t go near that place.”
Leo glanced over from the wheel. “So, let me guess, we’re gonna have to go down there.”
Nico shook his head. “It’s impossible. I’m a son of Hades and even I barely survived.” He shuddered before continuing. “Gaea’s forces overwhelmed me instantly, they’re so powerful down there. No demigod would stand a chance. I almost went insane.”
Nico’s eyes looked fractured, broken. Like down there, something inside him snapped, and could never be fixed.
Percy’s eyes watered again at the thought- and damn it, why couldn’t he stop crying today.
“Then we’ll sail for Epirus.” Jason said. “Close the doors on this side.”
“I wish it could be that easy.” Nico sighed. “The doors have to be controlled on both sides to be closed. Like a double seal. Maybe- just maybe, all seven of you working together could defeat Gaea’s forces on the mortal side, but unless you had a team fighting simultaneously in Tartarus, a team powerful enough to fight an army of monsters in their home territory-”
“There has to be a way.” Jason cut in. For once, Percy agreed with him; but still, no one volunteered any brilliant ideas to save the day.
Percy thought his stomach was sinking, before he realized the ship was actually descending. Percy had been so worried about Nico that he temporarily forgot about Annabeth. He felt so guilty for that, but he knew Annabeth would slap him for it; “Nico needed your help Seaweed Brain.” she’d admonish.
Percy turned toward the rest of the crew; “Rescue Annabeth first.” He said. “We’ll figure out the Tartarus problem later.
Little did he know, ‘later’ would come sooner than he thought.
Nico sobbed in despair as he desperately thrust his hand out to pull up Percy and Annabeth from where they hung over Tartarus.
Arachne had tied a strand of spider silk to Annabeth’s ankle, and the ever so loyal Percy followed and caught her, but it wasn’t enough. Hazel was calling for help, for Jason or Frank to fly down there and get them back onto solid ground, but no one heard. They hung precariously over the void with Percy holding them up with a small ledge in one hand and Annabeth’s in the other.
Nico knew, deep in his heart, he’d never be able to pull them up.
Not just because, logistically; he was too weak from his own time in Tartarus and the jar- and Percy and Annabeth were much heavier than he was. They were also too far down, and Percy wouldn’t be able to grab his hand without letting go of the little ledge that was literally the only thing keeping them from falling into the Pit. Into him.
No, it wasn’t just because of that. It was because, well, it was Percy.
Because there was no world, no version of Percy Jackson who wouldn’t fall into Tartarus for his beloved. No version of Percy that was still him would abandon someone for the sake of himself.
“Lead them to Epirus, Nico! Promise me!” Percy screams up at him.
“I- I will.” Slipped out of his mouth, even as his mind desperately screamed and prayed for their safety- to not lose another sibling, for them to not go through, to not see what he has.
Percy smiled, but his eyes were filled with regret and melancholy and I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ask this of you, shouldn’t make you promise. Not after Bianca- not after I broke mine-
He turned to look at Annabeth. “You’re never getting away from me. Never again.”
“As long as we’re together.”
Nico screamed for his big brother as Percy’s grip loosened on that little ledge.
Together they fell (and Nico’s heart fell with them).