walls fall down
part one; nico di angelo

author's note: i finished house of hades last night, and holy crap it's such a life ruiner but it made me love the characters like seventeen times more than i use to. i wanted to write something Nico di Angelo because this kid just broke my heart and i just want to hug him but i know i can't. such a life ruiner.

warning: spoilers. don't hate on me if you read this and haven't read the book yet and plan to.

disclaimer: not mine.


He vows to Jason that he'll never ever return to Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter. He isn't sure where that burning resentment came from, but it's painful and boiling in the pit of his stomach because no one understands. He never belonged because of the Hades blood flowing through the veins underneath his skin but if people really knew about him—the dim wants and desires that even he can't control sometimes—then he'll never be accepted.

Maybe it's that 1930s lifestyle getting into his brain, but it doesn't matter. He wouldn't have been accepted then, and he most certainly won't be accepted now. Especially since the other seven demigods are just so fucking normal. Why did he have to be the boy who had a crush on Percy Jackson even when Percy was clearly out of his league? He should have known better. But he didn't.

That didn't stop him from admiring Percy the way he did, and being overly concerned about Percy's safety during their time in the Labyrinth.

That didn't stop him from leading Percy to the River Styx, and feeling the immediate need to free Percy when Hades betrayed him.

And that most certainly didn't stop Nico di Angelo from forcing himself to pretend not knowing about Percy at Roman Camp.

(Pleased to meet you. I'm Nico di Angelo)

Sometimes, the Fates are so cruel.


He volunteers to help Reyna with the Athena Parthenos, because his reasons are so selfish he needs to pretend he's trying to be heroic.

Truthfully, just seeing Percy every single day aboard a ship with no escape would probably cut a wound deep in his heart. Nico saw everyone's faces when he volunteered. They all were concerned and maybe just a little bit of glint of admiration. But Jason knows. Jason should know, even though he doesn't say anything. He promised, and Jason Grace should be good with promises because he'll be the hero of this story. Heroes keep their promises.


At sunset that night, Nico heads downstairs to prepare the statue for shadow-traveling. The various ropes are laying around the ground as Nico absently strings together rope over the Athena Parthenos.

He hears footsteps, and hopes more than anything that it's Hazel. Or maybe Jason.

It's Percy, with his sea-green eyes and tired expression. Nico knows that look. He saw it pretty much everyday in the mirror for weeks after his return from Tartarus. He's glad Percy's alive and all, but he doesn't want Percy here. With him. Alone. It feels like salt rubbing in a wound that takes years to heal. Maybe not even years. Perhaps even longer than that, if that was possible.

"Thank you," Percy says.

Nico can't look at him. "For what?"

"You kept your promise."

Nico hesitates with the ropes for only a millisecond, but then he goes right back to adjusting straps. If Percy notices, he doesn't comment. After a second, Nico awkwardly clears his throat. "You saved my life. It was the least I could do."

His voice feels tight as it's being released into the world. His shoulders feel tense and his back feels rigid like his spine was a metal pole. Glad for a distraction, Nico keeps his eyes on the statue and the ropes while wondering if Percy would eventually get the picture that Nico just wants to be alone.

"You visited Bob too…" Percy observed, his voice coming from a distance much shorter than it was before. The tone vibrates off Nico, and he tries not to shiver and shove from the close contact. It was almost just as bad as when Jason grabbed him and shot the pair of them into the sky. Nico listens intently as Percy talks on about the story of Bob and how Bob the Titan pretty much saved their lives.

Nico grumbles something that sounds faraway, but Percy scoffs as if he had just been offended. "Dude, I'm trying to say thank you."

Stop it. Nico tries for a laugh, but it sounds humorless and just a little bit pained. "I'm trying to say you don't need to do that." He feels Percy plant his hand on Nico's shoulder, and it takes a lot not to shrug away. "Can you give me some space? I'm trying to finish this."

He doesn't see the burning look in Percy's eyes.

Annabeth soon joins the pair of them. Nico's relieved that Annabeth can provide as a distraction for Percy, but he also feels resentment because Nico remembers that she's the reason for his jealousy and confusion.

"Good luck," she tells him, but he can't meet her gaze.

"You too."

Reyna and Coach Hedge joins them, and Nico's time with Percy is over. Probably ever—but Nico can't think like that. He was assisting a Roman return a Greek statue over in an attempt for peace. He needed to think positively.

"Grab the ropes," He instructs the pair of them as he adjusts his hold on the ropes. "Here we go."

He needs to force himself not to look back.


review?

{any character you want me to write about next?}