"Nico!"
Hazel's scream echoed in Nico's ears as he fell.
Down.
To Tartarus.
A single word made its way out of his mouth - Percy. Perseus Jackson.
I love you, Seaweed Brain.
It wasn't fair. He'd just been trapped in a bronze jar by sadistic giants while living on pomegranate seeds. And now, this whole falling-into-Tartarus thing. While Percy and Annabeth were up there, together and laughing and kissing and generally being the unit "we". Yup, not fair at all.
A sob made its way out Nico's throat. Gods, he just hated himself.
For being a son of Hades.
For loving another boy.
For being alive.
"Gods, if you can hear me, please protect Hazel and Percy." Nico hesitated. "And also the rest of the Seven, I suppose. Let me die instead of them. Let me take their place. Because…" His eyes were stinging furiously now. "Because no one will miss me even if I die. Because I'm less important than them."
Great. Would that be his epitaph? No one will miss me even if I die? I am less important than others?
Nico gave a start at the sight of a rocky floor hurtling towards him. At the rate he was falling, he'd make a pretty nice grease patch on the floor in a couple of minutes. Except, Nico realised with genuine shock, he wanted to live.
That made no sense at all.
And yet, even as he thought that, a defiant cry made its way through his mouth and the cavern floor below exploded.