TRIGGER WARNING: some cutting and intense thoughts of suicide

The unforgivingly cold wind blew across his tattered bloody wrists leaving him with a sharp stinging pain. His bare feet were battered as a sign of walking shoeless for miles. Outside of Camp Half-Blood to the lonely isolated cliff where he stood Nico thought about his pain. Shivers went down Nico's spine because he was dressed in no more than plaid boxers, revealing the messages he had written on his pale white skin in bold black sharpie. Devil child, gay, misfit, depressed, loser, freak, demon boy, possessed weirdo, moron, idiot, and other names he had been called lined his skin from head to toe as if they were loudly shouting all the bad things that had ever happened screeching the misery of his life, but no more. Life had been nothing but utter agony for him. As if it weren't enough for the gods and their cruelty making him a misfit son of Hades, he grew up out of the culture he was born in left to rot in a casino, his sister died, the way he felt about people, what he loved, was socially unacceptable. He could not run from it; anywhere he went he was considered a filthy out cast, deemed unworthy of rights.

But it would all end with one jump.

He would be over it, it would all disappear. He had always felt more at home among the dead, anyway. So why not join them? he thought.

The beautiful mysterious black of Nico's eyes swallowed the pure gold light of the moon as he raised his head up for one last look at the beautiful scenery around him, one last glimpse at life before he fell. It will all be over soon, he imagined.

I'll finally be free.

Arms open as if he was going to embrace all that was left, he swayed his body forward toward the edge of the cliff. He leaned over the edge and let go.

He started to fall forward when all of sudden, strong and swift, he was pulled and wrapped in arms from behind as a voice soothing like an angel sent warm air down his neck saying,

"I'm not going to let you do that Nico."

Startled, Nico spun around, breaking free from the embrace to see a mop of shaggy blonde hair that brought out the sky blue eyes of the boy with an athletic build. He was tall, much taller than Nico. It was Will Solace, an orange hoodie and purple pajama pants outlining his figure. Anger swelled and mixed with sorrow becoming emptiness in poor Nico.

"Why do you care? Just let me die, okay? I'll be free from this wretched life."

Staring into the beautiful bright blue of Will's eyes, he saw sympathy and compassion.

"Because you," Will said, "are unlike any one else Nico. You are a special human being, and I'm not talking about your powers or shadow-travelling or crap. I'm talking about you as a person. You are special and I can't let you waste you life like this. I don't care if you hate me. I value your life more than I care about the way that you feel about me. "

Pain, sorrow, and emptiness took their place in Nico. Shimmering like diamonds in the moon's glorious light, tears streamed down his face.

"I...I-I don't care. JUST LET ME DIE!"

At that moment Nico ran back towards the cliff, but Will was faster, wrapping his strong arms around Nico as he screamed and yelled, tears running down his face. Strong and study, Will held Nico until he stopped struggling. Nico fell to the ground with his head looking down.

"You must be cold?" Will's gentle voice said as he pulled off his sweatshirt, showing his tan and toned body. Will stooped down and slowly put the sweatshirt on Nico, adjusting the sleeves to fit. The tears still found their way down his face as Will's hand reached out to Nico. Reluctantly, Nico took it and and stood up as Will grabbed him into a bear hug, whispering, "Its okay, Nico. It's okay."

Feeling the warmth of his beating heart, Nico buried his face in Will's chest. He felt safe, and for once he felt loved. They stood there like that until Nico's vision went dark as he found himself drifting asleep.