"Jason saw a dozen more scenes like this in Nico's point of view... And they left him stunned, unable to move or speak."
-The House of Hades, page 290
Someone help me; I live and breathe this ship now. Also, I now call it DeadSea!Shipping. Or am I not the first one to do so? Because dang it DeadSea!Shipping. It is perfect.
I'm writing (most of this) from pure memory. I have all the books; I'm just too lazy to flip through them and I'm also pretty curious as to how right I get this without looking.
*skims books after finishing the one-shot* OH MY GODS I GOT SO MANY BotL SCENES MIXED UP DAMMIT.
Some of the dialogue is incorrect but I don't want it exactly like the books, so please forgive me. :3
Yeah, this fic was inspired by Jason's "dozen scenes" that we never get to actually read. I would have loved to read the dozen scenes, RR, why did you only include the ones from The Titan's Curse? D;
I was unsure as whether or not to submit it as several chapters, as drabbles, or all at once, but I decided on all at once because I think it'll probably read better that way, I don't know.
Disclaimer: I don't own PJO/HoO, because I'm not awesome.
A Dozen More Scenes
By: Coqui's Song
Nico doesn't fall in love with Percy right away. It takes several interactions with the son of Poseidon. At first, it's pure hero-worship. Oh, gods, Percy just saved them from a manticore, how awesome is that? And his sword? Just plain cool!
Nico doesn't really think about how physically attractive Percy is when they first meet at Westover Hall, but he can honestly say that he loves the color of Percy's eyes. He follows the thirteen-year-old around camp, entranced by those bright green eyes, like a moth to a flame.
Those sea-green eyes, the ones that promise to bring Bianca back safely. The ones that fill with so much pain and regret when he tells the young half-blood about her death. The panicked gaze he sends Nico when the skeleton warriors attack.
Nico hates the older boy, hates him for breaking his promise, hates him for letting Bianca die. But as he runs away, heart pounding, face flushed with fury at Percy's betrayal and his own embarrassment at his own realization that no, in fact, he doesn't hate Percy, not really, and he actually kind of likes the other demigod; and how scared and ashamed he is of his powers and his conflicted feelings about Percy, those sea-green eyes burn in his memory.
Ω Ω Ω
Sometimes he thinks about going back to Camp Half-Blood. Like now, sitting by the slow-flowing River Styx, with King Minos insisting that he go into the Labyrinth to find the inventor. So he could hold the soul for ransom, to bring Bianca back.
Nico had agreed to do so rather reluctantly. He may be a son of Hades, but he doesn't want to be a killer. Desperate times call for desperate measures, he supposes. He needs Bianca back, needs her here with him.
Or maybe it's not just about Bianca. He loves his sister, and her not appearing to him whenever he tries to contact her, well, it hurts, to say the least. But if he's really honest with himself, he's just lonely. Nico wants a friend, someone who cares about him.
Camp Half-Blood isn't much, but it has Percy, and Percy... He let Bianca die, he let Bianca die, but he is just about the only demigod who welcomed Nico with open arms, the only one who cared about his well-being while his sister paid him no attention, off with her new Hunter friends, forgetting completely about her little brother who worshipped the very ground she walked on.
Percy would ruffle Nico's hair, glance down at him, and give him a gentle smile, like, Don't worry about it. Bianca may have left you, but I'm still here.
He hates himself for missing Percy.
Ω Ω Ω
To be honest, he never thought he'd actually come across the son of Poseidon again. But there they are, at Geryon's ranch; Perseus Jackson and Nico di Angelo, sons of the sea god and the death god respectively (and also Annabeth Chase, Tyson, and Grover Underwood are there, but what does Nico care about them?), two of the most powerful demigods alive, and the air crackles with tension.
Percy wants to help him. He's looking at Nico with those stupid sea-green eyes again, so genuinely concerned and caring, but the eleven-year-old wants nothing to do with those eyes anymore. They still captivate him, certainly, but he's done, he's done, he's done playing this stupid little game, thinking about Percy and teasing himself with the idea that maybe he doesn't need Bianca to have a family.
Of course, he thinks twice about all that. Percy saves the day again, saves Nico, and he tells the younger boy to stay at the ranch, it's safer, he'll come back for him, he promises. And Nico, his knees feeling a little weak, agrees despite Minos' attempts to get him to kill the son of Poseidon. (He doesn't really care what King Minos thinks, anyway; he believes Percy. Bianca's death was an accident, wasn't Percy's fault, and deep down, Nico has known that all along, so when the older demigod promises, he knows Percy will keep it.)
Percy will come back for him this time, and then... Nico can have a family again.
Ω Ω Ω
As usual, it gets a little more complicated than just having a family. Minos appears to him one night at the ranch, warning him that Percy's in trouble. So Nico goes. He has to, he just has to. Percy's in danger; Percy, the only one who really cares about him now. He can't be left alone, not again. So he blindly heads down the Labyrinth, following the King of Ghosts.
Of course it's all a ruse.
"You were trying to help us?" Percy asks, as if the notion is impossible to consider. He looks shocked to see the younger demigod, but his beautiful eyes glow with concern. Does Nico really look like he's in that bad shape?
Chains weigh him down, but he manages to nod. Percy has helped him so many times, he was only trying to return the favor.
The back of his mind whispers to him, teases him, That's not the only reason... But Nico pushes it away.
Ω Ω Ω
"Where is he?" Rachel paces back and forth in the Labyrinth, tapping her blue plastic hair brush on her hand nervously.
"He's taking too long," Annabeth agrees tensely, her gray eyes flitting about. "Percy's in trouble, I know he is. He's so stupid; he'll give himself away."
Nico is sitting down criss-cross-apple-sauce, leaning against the wall of the maze, his dark eyes half-closed as he watches the two girls. He mentally scorns them. Didn't they have any faith at all in Percy? Percy, the strongest demigod he has ever known. "He'll be fine."
Both Rachel and Annabeth turn to glare at him.
"Listen, Death Boy, I've known Percy longer than you" –Nico's not entirely sure why this fact makes him flinch– "and I know when that Seaweed Brain is in danger. Now come on!" Annabeth hauls Nico up to his feet and the three of them get to Mt. Tam just in time to see Percy fleeing from telkhines and a tall sandy-haired young man with eyes like liquid gold.
It all happens so fast; Rachel throws her blue plastic hairbrush at the gold-eyed man's face, Percy rushes to them, and Nico, fearing that they would be pursued, calls to the earth again, just like he did back when the skeleton warriors attacked, shielding them all as they go back into the relative safety of the maze.
Ω Ω Ω
"You can be accepted."
"Do you really believe that, Percy?" he asks sadly. Nico wants very much to believe the son of Poseidon's words, that he could have a home, a family, a place he can be loved, but Camp Half-Blood is not the place for him. He will always be the outcast.
Percy frowns, as if he doesn't like the thought of Nico being alone, which somehow makes the Ghost King's heart beat faster. Less ba-boooooom, ba-boooooom, ba-boooooom, and more, ba-boom ba-boom ba-boom.
"Where will you go, then?" the green-eyed boy wonders.
"So many things about my past I have to find out," Nico murmurs in reply. "But I'll try to help you guys out, too. If I find something that will help us in the upcoming war... I'll notify you."
The tall half-blood nods. "I hope we don't have to be enemies," says Percy, holding out his hand.
I was never your enemy, Percy, Nico thinks, a small lump forming in his throat. He shakes the older demigod's hand, feeling the warmth seep into his own hand. I will never be your enemy.
Ω Ω Ω
While finding about his past takes priority over learning of the Great Prophecy, it's easier to find out about the latter than the former. No ghost Nico summons can tell him about his past, and Hades, his own father, refuses.
"The past doesn't matter," says his father one day, stepping off of his throne and shrinking to human size. He walks up to Nico, his dark eyes softening for a moment. He tells his son quietly, almost gently, "You're here now."
"But I need to know!" Nico insists.
Hades shakes his head, then takes the young half-blood's right hand and presses something against Nico's palm. "It's too painful, Nico. Here. Today was supposed to be Bianca's birthday, and I was going to give her this, but since she died last winter, it's yours now. I didn't get the chance to give it to you on your eleventh birthday, I apologize."
It's a silver skull ring. Nico stares at the object in his open palm for a while, his eyes beginning to water. He closes his eyes, squeezing out the tears. "Don't change the subject," Nico says, a little harshly. He should be afraid of speaking so disrespectfully to his father, but he knows that Hades will never do anything to harm him. "A gift won't make me stop asking."
"Ask however many times you like," says Hades coldly in reply. "The answer will always be the same."
So he instead focuses on the Great Prophecy. He summons dead children of Apollo, because they are said to have the gift of prophecy. As it turns out, not all of them do, and it's rare that they have Sight. But he finally comes across one, and he asks about the Great Prophecy.
The son of Apollo recites the prophecy, and Nico cries out in shock as the full meaning of it crashes into his mind like a tidal wave on the shore. Percy... Percy will die? Percy's soul will get reaped by a cursed blade, Percy's choice will save or destroy Olympus; but it doesn't matter, Percy will die.
The thought hurts more than Nico thinks he can handle. Percy is his only friend, really. He can't-he can't just die.
"Can you fight a prophecy?" Nico asks the son of Apollo, forcing himself to breathe properly.
The ghost seems slightly uncomfortable with this question. "You cannot change fate, son of Hades. It has already been woven."
Nico can't believe that. They have a choice, and Nico chooses to help Percy fight, because a world without Percy is not a world in which Nico wants to live.
He dismisses the son of Apollo and sets to work on finding out how he can save Percy, because the thought of his only friend joining the dead in the Underworld, whether he gets Elysium or no, pains him.
He reads as many books on Greek Mythology as he can. Hades, while not the god of wisdom or learning, has quite a library in his palace, and Nico takes advantage of that. He spends nearly all his time in the library, learning, reading. All of the books are in Ancient Greek, which gives him less of a headache.
Nico learns about the Curse of Achilles. It'll make Percy even stronger than he already is, but Nico hardly cares about that. Sure, Percy will need to be strong in order to fight Kronos, but it's the other thing he's more concerned with: Invulnerability.
If Percy can't be harmed in battle, then he can't die.
This is it, he thinks, relief flooding through him. This is how I can save Percy.
Ω Ω Ω
"Nice plant," Nico remarks after he shadow-travels up to Percy's apartment fire escape. The son of Poseidon just about has a heart attack, and the younger boy struggles not to laugh. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." He didn't, but Hades, Percy's expression had been hilarious.
"What are you doing here, Nico?"
"I found some things out, Percy. I have a plan to defeat Luke. If I'm right, it's the only way you'll be able to," he says, anxiously twisting the skull ring he wears on his right hand. Percy has this weird effect on him where he makes Nico feel nervous and excited, uncomfortable yet internally bubbling with happiness.
He hears laughing coming from inside the apartment and glances into Percy's room. He doesn't mean to impose, really, but he hasn't really been eating much the past couple months, having mostly ghosts for company, and he's hungry. "Is that... is that blue birthday cake?"
The older demigod frowns as he notices that Nico is, well, scrawny; skin and bones. He has such sympathy in his green gaze, and the son of Hades isn't sure whether he dislikes it or appreciates the fact that someone cares about him. That Percy cares about him.
"Come inside," says Percy, trying for a smile. "I guess we have a lot to talk about."
So Percy leads him inside and introduces him to his mother and her boyfriend, Paul Blofis, who seems slightly flustered that he'd entered through the fire escape, and so late at night.
"He's my, uh..." Percy looks like he's about to say 'cousin' (which would have made Nico's heart drop to the floor in dismay), but he remembers that his mother doesn't know Nico, and she'd know about him being his cousin. "He's my friend. From camp." He gives Ms. Jackson a look that says, I'll tell you later.
Sally Jackson takes one look at Nico and she makes him a sandwich.
"You can have cake later," she says sternly, "but you need to eat real food. Look at you!"
He's so surprised that Percy's mother is so caring for a kid she just met. He can't really talk for a moment. "Th-thanks."
"And you're staying for the night," she continues. "It's late."
"I don't really-"
"Nico," whispers Percy, shaking his head. "Stay or my mom will get upset."
He supposes Percy doesn't like it when his mom is upset, so he relents.
Once he's finished eating his dinner, Percy serves him a slice of cake and they go into his room. They sit on his messy, unmade bed, and Nico tells him about the Curse of Achilles, taking bites of delicious blue chocolate cake in between sentences.
The fifteen-year-old's eyes darken, looking like the sea during a storm; dark grayish green, and Nico really doesn't like that. He likes Percy's eyes to be bright and happy, like the sunlight reflecting off of the calm waters at sunset. "It sounds really dangerous, Nico."
"But it's the only way," he urges. "You can defeat Luke this way. I'm sure that he went in for a dip, and that's why he could host Kronos. Please, Percy."
"I-I don't know, Nico. It's just... Really risky." The son of Poseidon shakes his head.
He wants to keep pushing, but he decides not to. There's still time. Nico sighs. "All right. You don't have to decide right away, but I just wanted to let you know that it's an option. You still have time to decide, but just think about it? Please?"
"Okay," Percy agrees. "All right. But you've got to make a choice now: Couch or sleeping bag?"
Ω Ω Ω
He pours nectar on Percy's shoulder. Nico bites his lip; it looks bad, very very bad, but he can't show his worry. He has to be strong.
Percy groans in pain.
Why wasn't Nico fast enough to help him?
Don't die, Percy, please don't die, we'll get you back to the palace, Persephone can heal you, just make it until we get my father's sword, please.
The son of Poseidon seems somewhat okay now, if in pain, and Thalia lets out a choked sound of relief. Nico helps Percy stand, and they continue on with their quest.
Until they come across the Lethe. Nico suppresses a shudder; one drop of water from the River of Forgetfulness and their memories will be wiped clean. One drop is all it takes.
As weak as he is, Percy manages to control the water, allowing Nico and Thalia across. Even from across the river, the son of Hades can see beads of sweat on Percy's forehead, and he wants the older demigod to stay there, stay safe, but no, he needs to come with them. He and Thalia convince the son of Poseidon to go across.
And then he slips, loses concentration, and the water, the entire river, crashes into him. Nico doesn't even have time to scream, but thoughts whirl inside his head like a cyclone: Percy's memory, it's gone, it's gone, he won't know Nico, won't know anyone.
Oh gods, he feels sick.
Suddenly Percy's there, and he's dry.
"Hey, Nico."
He knows who he is, and Nico thanks Poseidon a thousand times over for giving his son all those amazing powers over water.
Ω Ω Ω
"You promise you won't hurt him?" Nico asks his father, uncertain if he should take what is being offered to him. If there is a possibility of Hades harming Percy, he won't do it. He won't. Finding out about his past is important to him, but Percy is much, much more important.
Hades rolls his eyes. "I promise that no harm will come to Perseus Jackson."
"Okay, then. I'll bring him here, you get to talk with him, briefly, and then he and I will go to the Styx," says Nico, looking up at his father as if asking permission, or searching for approval, but the god's face is unreadable as always. The young demigod sighs, lowers his head in respect, and leaves the palace.
On his way to Charon's boat, he passes Elysium and he stares in shock at a familiar, tall, African-American son of Hephaestus, who is just entering the gates. "Beckendorf?"
The older half-blood pauses and turns his head. "Oh, hey... Nico di Angelo, right? Son of Hades."
The Ghost King nods glumly. "You're going to Elysium? Why not try for the Isles?"
"Well, see, I will, but just... Not yet," says Beckendorf, looking thoughtful. "I'm kind of... Waiting for someone."
He messes up Nico's hair, like he's a little kid, and the younger boy pushes away his annoyance. The twelve-year-old doesn't really know what Beckendorf means by waiting for someone. His mom, maybe?
Anyway, he nods and says a polite goodbye, then ascends into the mortal world. He ends up near Mt. Tam, and he decides to hide in shadows and eavesdrop on the Titans, see what they're saying, learn what the enemy plans to do.
While hiding behind a column, he feels a presence, but it's benign, definitely, and it feels... Familiar. It brings the smell of sand and sea, and he knows instantly it's Percy. The half-blood must be asleep, dreaming. He looks directly at where Percy would be. "Do you see, Percy? How can you hope to win without my plan?"
He shadow-travels to Camp Half-Blood, hoping to meet the son of Poseidon there, and he does, in the woods.
And he's being pushy, maybe too pushy, but there's almost no time left, and Percy needs to go to the Styx now or else he'll die and Nico can't imagine his life without the older teen. Without those glimmering sea-green eyes, that messy jet-black hair, that bright smile.
"Okay," says Percy reluctantly, and Nico flashes him a knowing smile. His relief cannot be put into words.
The two of them find some things out first, meet Hestia, and Percy is given a blessing from his mother. They take a short-cut to the Underworld, and Nico and Percy take the... detour to the Palace of Hades (or, as Nico calls it, home. Except not really because even in the Underworld he doesn't feel like he belongs).
It hurts him to see the betrayal in Percy's eyes, it really hurts. He just wants to learn of his past is all, really, he lo-likes Percy, wants to help Percy, but he needs to find himself. And in order to find himself, he needs to know of his past. Anyway, it's just an audience with Hades; it's not like his father will kill Percy or anything. They'll talk, and then he and Percy will go to the Styx, easy as that.
But then it all goes wrong. Hades is not going to let Percy go; he wants Nico to be the Prophecy kid.
"Would have been better if Bianca were still alive," says Hades, looking down at his son scornfully. This isn't the first time Hades has expressed grief for Bianca's death, or compared his son to his deceased daughter, but it's the first time he's actually lain out his plans for Nico to be the one to turn sixteen and make the choice to save Olympus. It surprises him. "But you wait four years, and he'll be a force to be reckoned with."
But he doesn't want to be a force to be reckoned with. He doesn't want to be recognized as a hero. He wants to be accepted. He wants to be loved. Not admired, loved.
Hades doesn't understand that. He thinks that recognition is acceptance, and that's not true.
Nico's sent to his room, and Percy's sent to the dungeons. He tries to open the door; it's locked, he starts pounding and kicking it, wanting for it to open.
"Father!" he screams in fury. "You promised! You promised! You... Promised..." His voice cracks and Nico falls to his knees, eyes watering as he remembers the look of hatred and betrayal written all over Percy's face. He never wants to see that look directed at him again.
About half an hour after he settles down, he hears a click from his door and knows that it was unlocked. Hesitantly, he opens it to find Persephone standing in front of him, arms crossed. Quickly he wipes the tears from his eyes and glares at the goddess.
"Lady Persephone," he greets coldly. Persephone doesn't like him and the feeling is mutual. "Come to turn me into a flower again?"
She glowers down at him. A strand of her beautiful dark hair falls in front of her face and she quickly puts it back into place. "Keep that tone with me and I will. But no, Nico" –she says his name as if it is an insult– "I've actually come to help you. I unlocked your door. I hope you know what to do now. Hades may call you incompetent, but he would not use you as an adviser if you were."
"Did you just compliment me?" he asks in shock.
The goddess of the spring narrows her eyes. "Or perhaps you are incompetent, and he uses you as an adviser merely because you are his son." She turns and sashays away, as if they had never even spoken to one another.
He waits for a moment, stunned, and then he shadow-travels down to the dungeon. The spirits leave him alone, for the most part, and he passes by several chambers until he feels that presence and smells the sea. He closes his eyes and tumbles through the wall. Percy's asleep, having a nightmare about the war it seems. Nico doesn't like the distressed look on his face as he dreams, so he shakes him awake. "Percy!"
The older teen's green eyes fly open and quick as lightening, he has Nico pinned to the floor, celestial bronze sword over his throat, choking him. Percy wears a scowl on his face. That hatred is still in his gaze.
Nico's own dark eyes begin to water as he struggles for air. "Want... to… rescue."
"Oh, yeah? And why should I trust you?" Percy's tone is harsh; he's never seen him so angry, not at him.
Trust me, Percy, please trust me. I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to know.
"No... choice?" he manages, and Percy lets Nico go. He doesn't seem too happy about it, but that hardly matters while Nico's gasping and retching for breath. Part of him wonders if Percy would actually do it; strangle him to death. He thinks not. The son of Poseidon would probably freak out and let go once the younger demigod started turning blue, and then apologize profusely. Probably. Most likely.
By the time they're out of the palace, Nico's dead tired (pardon the pun) from having put so many spirits to sleep, and that's when the alarms sound, so Percy just hauls him along, making their way to Mrs. O'Leary, who takes them to the Styx.
Percy hands him some ambrosia, which Nico gratefully eats (it tastes like Bianca's spaghetti), and he wakes right up. Achilles arrives, warns them not to proceed, and the son of Hades is almost convinced by the hero's argument. If Percy's soul is ripped from his body by the Styx, if he dies, it'll be Nico's fault. It was his plan from the beginning, and now, at the prospect of Percy's death, he's not quite sure if he wants to take the risk. After all, he'd just betrayed Percy. (He flinches at the thought.) How could he trust Nico again, and with something like this, with his life?
But Percy goes in anyway, and Nico yelps as he hears him scream and thrash in the water. Nico wishes he could dive in after him, but he doesn't know how to swim, and he doesn't have a mother to give him her blessing. He would surely die. So he's stuck there, watching the water, hoping to see the familiar face resurface. He hears a faint buzzing in his ears, and his mind is yelling, No, no, no, please, Percy, no! You're so strong, fight this, fight this, fight this.
Then the son of Poseidon resurfaces, takes a deep breath, and the ringing in Nico's ears goes away.
"Percy!" he exclaims in relief, before noticing the teen's reddened flesh. "Your skin... Oh, gods, you're hurt!"
"I'm fine. I think," the older half-blood murmurs.
"Do you feel stronger?" he asks, but suddenly Nico's father is there with an army of dead soldiers and Percy has no time to reply because he's fighting an entire army by himself.
Nico would help, but he can't. He's frozen in place, because all of a sudden he is ten years old all over again, watching his hero fight for him, defend him, protect him, save him, like one of the characters in Mythomagic. Those green eyes blaze like Greek fire; his bronze sword flashes like lightning, and Nico –he's stuck, paralyzed, admiring him; his strength, his passion, his loyalty, his forgiveness. In that moment, while Percy is fighting –no, defeating– an entire army of ghosts and skeletons –in that moment, while he is pinning down Hades and snarling in the god's face with a fierceness that Nico rarely sees in him– in that moment, he is the most beautiful person in the entire world.
In that moment, the son of Hades realizes just exactly how much in love with Percy he is.
(He is very in love. Extremely in love. So in love he cannot even begin to describe it in words, but it goes a little something like this: The universe is infinite, and Nico's love for Percy could fill it all, the entire infinite universe. Hey, he never had a talent with words, and it certainly won't start now. He's not a child of Apollo. This is just his pathetic attempt at being poetic.)
Percy turns to Nico, not even breathing hard. Nico unfreezes and gazes at him with awe.
"You just... With a sword… you just–" the younger boy splutters in amazement.
"I think the river thing worked," Percy comments, tipping his head to side. His satisfied smirk makes Nico's heart flutter in his chest.
Nico rolls his eyes, attempting to hide his emotions with sarcasm. "Oh gee. You think?"
Percy is silent for a moment. He walks over to the Styx and throws Hades' robes in. Spirits hiss as they touch the black water. He glances back at Nico. "Go back to your father. Work on him. Tell him he owes me."
"I-I can't," he replies, lowering his head. "He'll hate me now. I mean... Even more."
"You have to. You owe me, too."
"Percy, I said I was sorry," Nico pleads, talking with his hands now. It's one of the things he does when he's upset; a leftover from a past life he doesn't remember. "Please let me help. I want to fight."
He wants to fight beside his hero. He doesn't want to leave Percy; he has a mortal point, a specific spot in which he is vulnerable. Nico doesn't know where it is and he's not sure if he wants to know, but he wants to be up above, fighting with the older boy, protecting him as he's been doing all along.
"You'll be more help down here."
He's struggling not to cry. Percy doesn't trust him, Percy doesn't want him around. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts. "You mean you don't trust me anymore," he murmurs miserably. I said sorry, he thinks. I'm sorry. I thought my father would be honest to me, to me, at least.
"Just go back to your father," Percy orders, less harshly.
Nico wonders if Percy is only trying to protect him, keep him out of harm's way, out of the war for as long as possible. He doesn't like it; he still wants to fight to make sure Percy will be okay. But the thought warms him so much anyway, that Percy still cares about him after all of this. He agrees to Percy's demands and sees the hero off with a soft, sad, "Good luck, Percy."
I'll see you soon.
Ω Ω Ω
He's looked for the Savior of Olympus for eight months, and he'd just about given hope that Percy would show up at Camp Jupiter.
Until now.
He never thought his feelings for the son of Poseidon would come back at him full-force once they met face-to-face again, but they do, and Nico has to compose himself. Act natural. Act like his heart isn't bursting in his chest, act like he doesn't know the tall, raven-haired boy in front of him. Act like he isn't in love with him (which he's actually pretty used to doing. He thinks maybe he does it a little too well).
The fourteen-year-old shakes Percy's hand. It's one of the few times he has ever held the older teen's hand, and he is so warm in comparison to Nico. The scent of the sea is all around him, so strong it almost chokes him. He is drowning in the mere presence of Percy Jackson.
They let their hands drop. Nico risks meeting that familiar sea-green gaze. He sees a flicker of recognition in their depths, and his heart flutters with hope. "I know you," says Percy, as if desperate for Nico to understand.
He forces the words he wants to say back down his throat. The younger demigod's heart sears in pain as he raises his eyebrow casually and asks mildly, "Do you?"
He glances at Hazel, who he just remembers is there. Percy has this effect on him, too. He focuses solely on Percy and everything else, everyone else, just melts away. Hazel is awkward in this situation and Nico doesn't blame her. "Um… Percy's lost his memory."
That recognition is still in his eyes, but it's the vague kind. The kind where you know you've seen someone before but can't place them, and even after they introduce themselves to you, you can't remember them. They will tell you where and when you met, but you still won't be able to place them, you just have an inkling that you know this person. That's the kind of recognition Percy has in his eyes, looking at Nico.
The difference is, Nico isn't allowed to tell Percy where and when they met; isn't allowed to tell Percy who they are to each other. Not that they're anything more than friends. No, Percy loves Annabeth. To the older teen, Nico is a younger brother, but his feelings for Percy are anything but brotherly.
Forgive me, Percy, the son of Hades pleads, hating himself.
"I know you," the son of the sea god says again, his dark eyebrows scrunched together, but Nico shakes his head. He feels part of his soul die with this action.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Why did Hades tell him to go to Camp Jupiter now? Does he want his son to suffer, looking at his best friend, his crush, and refuse to tell him of his past? Nico is becoming Hades, to not inform the most important person in his life about his past. It hurts so much, oh gods, it hurts. It hurts that Percy knows him but does not remember him. It hurts that he's not allowed to tell Percy who he is. It hurts that even now, when his memory has been stolen by Hera (Juno, whatever), he still remembers everything about Annabeth Chase, and nothing about Nico di Angelo.
Ω Ω Ω
Nico should really stop trying to help Percy, because all it does is get him in trouble. A large part of him doesn't care, as he's usually all right by himself (he is a son of one of the Big Three. After all). That large part of him is utterly and completely devoted to Percy Jackson, and he wishes it wasn't.
But on one of these constant little side-quests, he falls into an endless pit of pure evil, and while he survives by himself for a few days (albeit he loses part of his sanity), he's soon captured by the enemy, by Gaea's forces.
Looking for the Doors of Death in the Underworld? Not one of his better ideas.
And then he's stuck in a jar. He's bait, and while he hopes that the seven won't take it, he prays that Percy will save him again. He doesn't want to die, he really doesn't, especially not an undignified death such as this, trapped in a jar, slowly suffocating, eating pomegranate seeds from his stepmother's garden that extend his life for just twenty-four hours.
Days pass this way. He's scared, really scared. Nico wants Bianca, but he'll never see her again. So he wishes, with all of his heart, for Percy to come, for Percy to be his savior once more.
If one wishes hard enough for something, it comes true, and the day he is supposed to die, his jar topples over and he gets a breath of fresh air. He gets unlimited breaths of fresh air.
Nico doesn't really take in his surroundings; he's too weak and tired, too concentrated on taking as many deep breaths of clean, fresh, wonderful air. But he sees Percy's green eyes flash with worry as he looks down at the younger half-blood, his Celestial bronze sword in hand. The son of Poseidon looks about ready to slash anyone who harms Nico into shreds, and he can't help but feel incredibly grateful that he's been saved.
At least, he thinks he's been saved. This isn't a dream, is it? Those pomegranate seeds can give him some crazy dreams, mostly having to do with Percy.
"Nico," he hears the glorious sound of his voice, and that's how he knows this is reality, and everything will be all right now. Percy's here, Percy's rescued him. Exhausted and feeling a little frail despite how his heart is suddenly pounding strongly in his chest, Nico closes his eyes.
He doesn't know what happens; it's all a blur until he's on the Argo II, with Hazel right beside him, coaxing him to eat some ambrosia. Her golden eyes are filled with pain and sympathy as she looks at him in his weakened state. Here he is, her slightly older brother, broken and weak, barely even nibbling the godly food. Instead, she hands him a canteen of nectar, and he takes small sips from it. Slowly, he feels strength return to his bones, but they do nothing to help heal his mind.
"Nico," his sister whispers, "what happened to you?"
"I-I..." He can't speak, can't tell her what happened; it's too terrifying, he doesn't want to relive it, no, no, no. "Looked for the Doors. Was a trap."
"Nico," Hazel touches his shoulder gently. Her eyes are watering, and for the first time in a long while, he feels the unconditional love that only a sister would have, and it's for him, for him, for him.
"And..." he tries to continue. He's shaking in terror now. "The Doors are in... in... T-Tartarus..."
"Oh," breathes out Hazel, sounding like she was just stabbed in the heart. "Nico, oh, Nico." She hugs him tightly, stroking his hair and whispering comfort. She kisses his temple, like Bianca used to do.
"You know we have to tell the others," she says regretfully, but Nico nods painfully and allows her to help him to his feet.
She gets the attention of the other five demigods, who all turn to Nico. He tries not to look at Percy, instead opting to gaze at his dirty black Converse shoes. He thanks them, Piper, Jason, and Percy, for rescuing him. This is when he glances up, meeting sea-green eyes, because he wants him to know how genuine his gratitude is.
"You knew about both camps all along," says Percy, sounding as if he wants to be angry. He isn't angry, though, just confused, and also incredibly compassionate to Nico's current broken condition. "You could have told me who I was."
There's a lump in his throat now, at the reminder. "I'm sorry, Percy. Hades told me about Camp Jupiter last year, but that I couldn't tell anybody. The time wasn't right."
He starts to cough, and Hazel pats his back gently.
"I'm sorry," he rasps to Percy again, then steels himself. He tells the group of his search for the Doors of Death. But when he gets to the part about Tartarus, he can't go on. Fortunately, Percy isn't as seaweed-brained as some people think, because he guesses correctly. Hazel grips Nico's wrist tightly, protectively. He appreciates his sister, loves her, but he wishes that it were Percy who is trying to save him from himself right now.
Something changes in Percy's eyes. There's a glimmer of respect for Nico now; after all, he'd survived Tartarus by himself. But there's also an intense sadness in their green depths, as if he realizes now that Nico is broken into a million pieces, and he's something very near and dear to Percy's heart, and he cannot possibly fixed, not completely.
It dawns on him that Percy might not love him, but he cares about the son of Hades. With that realization, a few of those pieces inside him reattach themselves.
Ω Ω Ω
If Nico were to spend more time with Percy, maybe then, he can be pieced together. The healing will be slow and he knows that he is permanently changed by his time in the pit, but he'll heal well enough. But there really isn't any time for that, because they're off to rescue Annabeth, so Nico just has to deal with those pieces on his own for now.
When they get back to the ship, maybe Percy will be able to help him, but he doubts it. The son of Poseidon will be all but consumed in his thoughts and worry for Annabeth; they will spend all their time together, and little broken Nico di Angelo will once again be forgotten. He'll have to find his own way to fix himself.
It's all going so well, Nico thinks as he helps lead Percy and Annabeth back onto the ship while Jason, Frank, and Leo secure the Athena Parthenos. Too well, almost.
And of course, because they're demigods, that's when everything has to take a turn for the worse.
Annabeth yelps all of a sudden, and she's dragged back to the edge of the cliff. Hazel's crying out in alarm, Percy's rushing to help pull Annabeth away, but the cliff is no ordinary cliff, Nico knows with a sense of dread as Percy and Annabeth slip downward, then grab onto a ledge. The chasm underneath the blond-haired girl and her boyfriend (ouch, it hurts to think of them that way) is no ordinary chasm. It's the chasm, the pit. It will not let them go now.
It doesn't mean he won't try to stop Percy from falling. No, no, them from falling. Them.
He races over to the edge and lowers himself as far as he can. Nico curses his height; if he were taller, he could reach Percy, maybe. But no, he has to be puny among other things.
"Percy," he pleads, trying to keep from crying. Don't fall, please. Don't fall. Don't... fall...
Sea-green eyes meet dark brown, filled with despair. "The other side, Nico! We'll meet you there. Understand?"
No. This can't be happening, this is all just some nightmare, no, it can't be, it can't be. He tries to fight, tries to lower himself just a little further, but he can't without falling down with them.
Part of him wants to. He is terrified of Tartarus, so afraid that it cannot be put into words. Not in English, not in Italian. No word for a fear as strong as he felt while in the pit.
For Percy, he would jump in headfirst so that the older half-blood would never have to go through the horrors of the pit.
"But..."
"Lead them there," Percy orders, his eyes hard. He's being strong, trying not to show his fear. "Promise me, Nico!"
There is nothing else he can do. Choked and very near sobbing, he makes the promise, and watches as they fall down, down, down until sunlight no longer reaches them, and they are engulfed in darkness and evil.
Whatever pieces inside Nico that had been fixed are broken again.
He thinks of love. How so many say that it is the most powerful force in the world. If so, why couldn't his love for Percy prevent this? Is it not truly love? Because he knows that it is love. It has to be love. It isn't infatuation. It isn't admiration. It isn't a crush. It's love, pure and simple, so why couldn't he have done something?
Maybe he is. Maybe leading the rest of the demigods to the House of Hades is doing something. In that case, Nico will die to keep his promise to Percy, because he loves him and will always love him, whether Percy knows or not.
Ew, that ending. I hate that ending. Just. Ew. Also there are thirteen scenes instead of a dozen so lol fail on my part. Unless you don't count the first scene. Yeah, don't count the first scene, that would be good. XD Now it's twelve.
I hope you enjoyed it anyway.
Reviews are much appreciated. :D
~Coqui's Song