Nico di Angelo really didn't feel like talking to Lym.

Ever since he got… infatuated with Percy, the daughter of Aphrodite could tell that something was up.

"Listen, Nico," she had said a few weeks back, her voice calm yet sweet. "Heartsickness isn't healthy. Find some tea, get a few nice cookies, and talk it out. If he dumps you, you'll be hurt, but you'll be cured." It was her usual tea-cookies advice. Then she smiled and cocked her head to the side, her blue eyes crinkling in amusement and her black hair draped over her right shoulder. Lym couldn't charmspeak, but she was damn convincing. But still...

Yeah. No thanks, bye.

Giving a deep, sad sigh, Nico slumped into his makeshift bed of leaves and branches. He thought after Percy disappeared that he could finally move on, find someone new, and live a normal demigod life.

Apparently the Fates really hated him.

Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, had randomly shown up at Camp Jupiter a few days ago.

He looked tired, but still radiated an aura of power. He smelled like salt and water, like the ocean. His green eyes were less focused - probably due to his amnesia. Even with the majority of his memories gone, his shoulders were broad and up, displaying a proud demigod that would take on any challenge he was given. Either way, Nico missed him.

And for some reason, Lym called him.

Nico sighed as his cell phone ran again in his pocket. Looking at the number, he shook his head and picked it up, eyes weary from lack of sleep. "What is it, Lym?"

"Nico... darling, what happened?"

The son of Hades groaned at the girl's tone of voice. "Nothing, Lym. Go back to sleep."

"Tell me what fucking happened or else I'll send my hounds out to rip your stupid-ass face into pieces."

Lym Archer. Certainly one of the more foul-mouthed daughters of Aphrodite. She was beautiful, gentle and caring, but when she got angry or frustrated, her tongue could fire vile vocabulary like a gatling gun.

"Listen, Lym," Nico snapped, running a hand through his messy black hair, kicking his legs back and readjusting his position on the leaves. "Can you stop bothering me about Percy?"

"I knew it!"

The son of Hades frowned. That had slipped out accidentally, though it didn't really matter. The first time they met at Camp Half-Blood, Nico was surprised. Being a daughter of Aphrodite, nobody expected much from her, but when Lym saw one of the Ares boys teasing him, she whistled, and her deadly hot-pink Love Hounds leapt out of the bushes, chasing the screaming camper across the strawberry fields. Afterwards, Lym frowned and patted the black-haired boy on the head, giving a charming smile. "Tea usually works for heartbreak," she had said. "And if that doesn't work, try hot cocoa." Then she invited (though leaning toward dragged) Nico to have tea. And her sugar cookies were amazing.

Sitting up against the tree, Nico sighed again. Lym knew about how he traveled between camps and most of his personal issues. Nico didn't reveal his secrets easily, but after the son of Hades had stormed out of camp boundaries after being cornered and mocked by the rest of the Aphrodite Cabin (cough cough, Drew), Lym had made a trip out to find him. And when Nico had raised several undead soldiers, she simply walked past them, cutting them down, and pulled the boy into a hug. And that was when Nico discovered that Lym was a great listener and always kept secrets, though she said it was because of something she swore on Styx when she was younger.

And when the son of Hades pushed her away after a few seconds of stunned silence, he received the most painful headbutt he had had ever experienced.

"Di Angelo," Lym had snarled, cracking her knuckles. "You had your moment of pity. Now, you have two choices: stay out here and die or come with me and die." Nico didn't really have a choice. The black-haired girl simply lifted him up above one shoulder and carried him back like a sack of potatoes. Then, when Lym sat him down after dinner and looked him in the eye with curiosity (not hatred, for once), it all came pouring out. The Lotus Casino, Bianca's death, travelling between two camps, how painful it was to be near Percy, how he was afraid he would never fit in... everything. But Lym was different. One of the only people who decided to be different.

"I found Percy, Lym," he explained quietly. "He's at Camp Jupiter."

Silence on the other end.

"...Did somebody trade him for Jason?" Lym asked, voice curious. "Because this situation seems very similar on both sides."

"Obviously one the Olympians decided it was a good idea," Nico replied sarcastically, shifting his sword around his waist. When Jason showed up at Camp Half-Blood, Lym instantly realized something was wrong and contacted him. Sure, cell phones were dangerous, but apparently the daughter of Aphrodite really didn't care. "Anyway, Lym, what else do you want? Or are you here just to annoy me?"

Lym snarled on the other side of the phone. "Nico, you know I have to keep tabs on your emotions. You're super unstable. One little disturbance could break you."

"I'm the son of Hades," Nico replied angrily, getting frustrated with Lym's insistence on helping. "I'm fine!"

"You aren't 'fine', Nico di Angelo. You're talking to the best Empathy Link copycat of the century. You might as well be spewing all your secrets out to me. Percy's back and you're scared and alone. You've told me enough; I can figure out the rest by myself."

"I'm not scared. I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Is that what you said to Bianca?"

Nico sucked in a deep breath, the shadows collecting beneath is feet. Lym didn't usually cross the line, but she had just made an exception. "Don't bring up Bianca," the demigod hissed, his voice deadly and quiet. The ground beneath him rumbled slowly, the temperature in the air dropping down at least fifteen degrees.

Lym stayed quiet for a few moments before sighing. "I crossed the line. I'm sorry. But it doesn't change the fact that Percy's toppling your negative emotions into a giant mess."

"Percy's... not doing anything!"

"That's not what my hounds are telling me. They smell heartache, Nico. Did you forget? In fact, I think Minnie's onto your trail. Minnie! Come out!"

A howl ripped through the air as a hot-pink hunting dog bursted through the bushes, landing on the surprised demigod. Giving a yelp, Nico tried to push the dog off of him. Love Hound drool was not enjoyable to clean up. "Get her off, Lym!" Nico yelled into the phone. Lym laughed on the other end and whistled.

"Down, Minnie!"

The hound's pointy ears instantly jerked up. Giving a loud bark, the dog hopped off the demigod, using his face as a springboard, and began circling around him, sniffing the air around him. Wrinkling her nose, Minnie whined and covered her snout with her paws. Nico felt greatly offended. "Lym, your dog thinks I smell bad."

"Darling, they can smell your jumbled up emotions. You reek."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"You kind of also smell like death, too. Not the best combo."

Nico groaned as he tried to wipe some of the disgusting dog drool off his jacket. The first time he had met Minnie, she had been no bigger than a poodle. Now, she was a full-grown greyhound - or rather, pinkhoud. And she drooled. A lot. There was a giant puddle of her collective pool under her massive paws.

"So your hounds have been stalking me?" Nico asked, disdain in his voice. He knew that Lym would never hurt him, but it still was unnerving, having her hounds on him 24/7.

"No. They've been tracking you. Nico, darling, you move around way too much."

"Then here's an idea - leave me alone."

"Hmm... I can't say I like that idea. In fact, I'll send Lucy with you too."

"What."

"Stay still... I'm trying to focus."

Instantly, Nico hung up and shadow travelled far, far away. He could handle torture, heartache, betrayal - but unexpected encounters from people who actually cared about him?

He couldn't handle it.