Another Solangelo fic . . . can't help myself (; This one's a little darker than the last. The lyrics are from Icarus by Bastille, props to them.
"Look who's digging their own grave
That is what they all say
You'll drink yourself to death."
Nico plowed through the undergrowth, chopping away stray branches with his Stygian iron sword. He had been put on guard duty for the red team, but he'd entrusted his duties to Pollux and crept away. He had more experience than the rest of them put together, Nico thought angrily. Even after the war with Gaia, most campers still didn't trust him, bar a few. And all his friends were on the other team so . . .
Nico's train of thought was interrupted by shrieks and yells coming from a thicket of trees. Eyes narrowing, he crept behind a large beech, pressing his body flat against it. His tread was so quiet, and his clothes so dark that he blended perfectly into the night.
Henley, a new girl that had quickly been claimed by Demeter, was battling a bunch of opposing campers, in a bid for the blue team's flag. Since the Athena cabin currently held the laurels, the flag was colored a pale gray, with a picture of an owl and an olive tree on it.
Since it was three to one, the guards quickly overpowered Henley. Nico bit back a smile. He and Henley had a sort of rivalry going on, for two reasons. One, her mom was Demeter and his dad was Hades, so naturally they weren't ever going to be best buddies. Two, because Henley had a crush on Will Solace, and when he turned her down, she blamed Nico. And Nico wasn't going to take that sitting down, so that put the two at each other's throats, always trying to one-up the other.
The Hebe kid called over to the Ares kid, "Keep her occupied, and we'll guard the flag, okay?"
The Ares kid grunted in affirmation, his sword point never wavering from Henley's throat.
Nico's body tensed with anticipation. The blue team had chosen the perfect place (for him) to keep their flag. The trees were packed so densely together that the area around the flag was shrouded by shadows. Therefore, with a bit of luck, he could shadow travel and snatch the flag without anyone noticing.
Nico gathered himself and stepped confidently into the beech tree's shadow. His body dissolved into thin air and he reappeared behind the guarding Hebe and Athena kids. Over the months, he'd gotten so proficient at shadow travel, that he could teleport from place to place without making a sound.
Henley's grass green eyes widened as she spotted Nico. Nico out his finger to his lips, silently warning her not to give him away.
Clearly, Henley wasn't the best at sign language.
"NICO DI ANGELO!" she bellowed, so loudly that a couple of dryads materialized from shock.
Nico muttered a curse in Ancient Greek under his breath, drawing his sword. It seemed to glow with a dark light, the shadows empowering it.
Before the Athena kid could skewer him with her spear, Nico snatched the flag and sped away. Henley scowled at him from the ground as he passed by her. Nico frowned fleetingly; he still couldn't work out why the daughter of Demeter had called him out. They were on the same team, for Zeus's sake!
Nico ran as fast as his legs could carry him, branches tearing at his shirt and whipping against his arms. The indignant screams of the blue team faded behind him, but Nico knew he didn't have much time. All the other guards on duty would be alerted and be after him in a matter of minutes.
The creek was in sight, and Nico nearly collapsed with relief. He could just make out a figure with a scarlet plume on their helmet on the the other side.
Nico made a leap for the water, but someone caught his jacket, making him land face-first in the dirt. He turned around in surprise, expecting to find a kid from the blue team, but the wrathful face inches from his belonged to the none other than Henley's.
"What - are - you - doing!" panted Nico, wriggling desperately. "We're on the same fucking team!"
Henley glared venomously at him. "I wanted to get the flag, di Angelo. Win honor for my cabin! Make my mother proud!"
"And you had your chance!" Nico argued. "But you messed up, and I got the flag, so I should get the credit! Now let me go, before they catch us, and no one gets it!"
Henley smiled, her face lit eerily in the moonlight. "No."
She shoved Nico into the icy cold water with a splash, her hands holding him under. Nico writhed, but he was no Percy - the water wasn't his friend. His vision was already darkening, and his lungs felt fit to burst. Panic consumed him, he needed to breath, he needed to breath, he needed to breath . . .
Nico broke the surface, spluttering for breath. All the while he'd been dunked in the creek, he'd somehow managed to maintain his grip of the enemy flag.
He'd glanced around and saw that a furiously struggling Henley was being held back by Piper, who's helmet had fallen off.
"Let me go!" screeched Henley. She kneed Piper in the stomach and Piper's grip loosened. Pulling free, Henley got to her feet and faced Nico.
Nico felt the darkness surrounding him, his to command. Nico felt like he was standing on the ledge of a windowsill, about to jump off into the sky below.
Luckily, he had brought a pair of wings to fly with. Henley? Not so much.
Nico growled with disgust, "You've been bullying me for weeks." And he knew it was true. He'd shrugged it off until now, but there was no denying it. "It's time to face your punishment."
That's what the Underworld was about, after all, justice. Good souls went to Elysium, cruel souls were sentenced to the Fields of Punishment. And it was up to Nico to deliver justice to Henley, now.
He thrust out his hand and the shadows surrounded Henley from all sides, like black ink staining a cup of water. Henley fell to her knees and the grass around Nico withered. The air was so frigid that Nico could see his breath in puffs of steam.
He was holding the flag so tightly that his knuckles were white. Shadows rose up in a swirling mass, their dark fingers wrapping around Henley's throat.
Anger roared in Nico's ears. There was something heady about seeing your enemy on their knees, defenseless and weak. He chuckled quietly to himself, a mad laugh that didn't seem to belong to him.
He was flying higher and higher, drunk on his own power. The rest of the world faded into the background - right now, it was only Nico and Henley.
Before Nico could tighten the shadows around Henley's throat, a warm hand encircled his wrist, jolting him back to reality.
Will Solace stood behind him, his face pale, but determined. With a snap of his fingers, a ball of light chased the darkness away. Henley scrambled to her feet and limped off. Most of the campers had scattered from fear.
"Go away, Will . . ." mumbled Nico. Fatigue caught up with him, and his knees buckled. He would've collapsed if Will hadn't put a strong arm around his waist, supporting him.
"I'm not going anywhere, Death Boy," Will grumbled. "You've stretched yourself to the limit, yet again."
Nico found himself reluctantly relaxing into Will's hold. "What's that s'posed to mean?" he mumbled, lips thick from exhaustion.
"It means," Will said, voice softer than Nico had ever heard it. "I'm not afraid of you."
"You should be. I could kill you, before you even knew what I was doing. I'm so strong, Solace." Nico's voice broke on the last word, and he turned to face Will.
"Right now," corrected Will. "You couldn't battle one of Lou Ellen's pigs, di Angelo. So you're going to come with me to the infirmary, now." Although his tone was light and teasing, his eyes were as dark and sharp as Nico's blade.
"What'll happen to Henley?"
Will looked grim. "Infirmary for a few days. Chiron will speak with her after. But I'm more worried 'bout you."
Nico couldn't help grimacing. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"
"I know you," Will's voice was a gravelly whisper. "You wouldn't hurt me." Nico could feel his hot breath on his eyelashes.
Nico let out something like a sob, and collapsed into Will's arms. He could feel Will's heartbeat thumping against his bowed head, warm and vital. Now, he knew, that Will had saved him before the wax had melted off his wings.
"I know," said Will. "I know everything."