Hi. I'm Ten, and this is my first story. Well not really... I tend to write in a non-linear way, so this is the first one that actually starts at the beginning... It's called 'Lose Yourself.' I might change the title later if I can think of anything better.
This is actually the second time I'm posting Lose Yourself, because of the House of Hades. Nico's sexuality was made public, and I felt the need to change to gender of my OC. It helped that I had only published one chapter… and then forgot about the story… whoops.
Lose Yourself is kind of a trial run for whatever else I'm going to put up on here, so tell me what you think. ^^
Yes, it's Nico x OC. I feel like Nico should end up with someone, so yeah. Rest assured, I'm not messing with any canon pairings. Erm. That's it. Enjoy :)
I apologize for OOC-ness! :O
Some of them are hard to get right.
Disclaimer: The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series and the Heroes of Olympus series both belong to Rick Riordan.
ALSO… THIS WAS BETA-ED BY THE LOVELY UK-824 and (just for this chapter) THE AWESOME GRAMMAR NAZI reegreeg.
This is slash. If you don't like it, don't read it.
Rated T for Theo. Oh and also mentions of abuse and coarse language.
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PROLOGUE
"This," remarked a tall boy with jet-black hair and sea-green eyes, as he and his companions trudged down the winding road, "has got to be one of the sorriest streets in America." Even though the other teenagers ignored him, it was easy to see that he was correct. The 'street' was more of a long, worn-down path, covered with cracks and potholes, as if no one had attempted to maintain it since it was first laid.
The homes that sat around the pavement were in similar disarray. Haphazardly designed, every single one had some need for repairs. Peeling paint had been shoddily slapped onto their exteriors, and very few had windows that weren't cracked or shattered.
As they advanced, the kids could feel their courage dissipating. They felt less like heroes who had slain hundreds of monsters and more like children with every step. And the worst part was the silence.
It had already been quiet when they had entered the town on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri, but they had paid it no heed, attributing it to the unnatural cold of the evening in early September. However, as they left behind the rows of neat, prim, and, frankly, boring houses, the lack of noise took on a creepier tone in their minds.
They all seemed slightly on edge, and the boy from before, seemingly leading the group, muttered to one of his companions, "Do you smell anything, Grover?"
Not unlike an animal, his limping friend in a Rasta cap paused to sniff the air, replying, "No, but I'll keep checking." The others in the odd bunch looked relieved at his statement, but they still walked a little faster as a chilly breeze blew past.
You could tell that they, though little more than children in the eyes of the public, were battle-hardened, on edge, hands reaching to grasp what were presumably hidden weapons every time the wind whistled through the trees or they accidently kicked a discarded can.
"Guys, stop. We're here." The leader, Grover, and a younger, pale boy clothed completely in black had all continued walking, not noticing their final comrade, a blonde girl with startling grey eyes, stop in front of one of the homes. Backpedaling to her, they too stopped in front of the neglected dwelling, turning to face it.
The head of their quest gulped. "Are you sure this is the right place?" he asked, hoping vehemently she would say, 'Oh whoops, never mind. We're in the wrong place. Let's go over to those nicer looking houses way back there.'
But, alas, she snapped at him, "No, Seaweed brain. This is the wrong place. That's definitely why I said we're here." About to reply something equally curt, he stopped himself, as he realized she was hiding behind her words - she also was as squeamish as him, knowing that the person they had come to get lived in a place such as this. He inwardly grinned to himself, despite the situation.
'Heh. Annabeth can't call me obtuse anymore.' He thought proudly, before returning to the situation at hand.
Annabeth, the girl in question, was on the doorstep, ready to knock. He reached out and pulled her back, knocking on the door himself. Grover followed him semi-reluctantly, clutching a tin can as a weapon. Annabeth huffed at them, but she let him do as he pleased, knowing it would be a long argument if she berated him for wanting to protect her. Honestly, she didn't understand boys and their chivalry.
'Stupid Percy.' she thought, but even in her mind, it was said in the fond tone she reserved for her boyfriend. She returned her attention to ahead of her as the creaky old door swung open. Opening it was a burly, lumbering figure, dressed in a stained undershirt and old boxers, glaring down at them with beady, squinting eyes.
"Whaddaya want?" he growled, and as the smell sweat and alcohol assailed her nostrils, Annabeth had the sudden, impulsive urge to pull her dagger on him. It was the ADHD part of her brain talking, and while she knew it was not necessarily the best idea, she still had the slightly disturbing image of his beer belly popping like a balloon as she stabbed it. However, she had learned from experience that this wasn't always the best solution when convincing parents to allow their charges to accompany them back to camp.
Evidently, Percy had realized this also, and though his hand curled around the pen in his pocket, he turned on his best let's-not-piss-off-this-guy voice, and said, "Hello sir." Or at least that's what he would had he not been interrupted in the first syllable by the door slamming in his face and a bark of, "I don't want any of your damn cookies!"
Momentarily stunned by the sudden, angry dismissal, the three teens were snapped out of their dumbfounded trance by the chuckle of their teammate, the boy in black. He had melted into the darkness behind them, watching the absurd situation.
"Your faces!" he chortled.
"And what were you doing back there, Nico?" Percy mock-glared at the youth. "Hiding in the shadows?" Nico flushed for a brief moment before recovering himself.
He ignored the older boy's fake glower and, in a tone annoyingly similar to Percy's pet pegasus, he quipped, "Just watching it all, boss. And waiting here for backup in case you need it, though I can see that you have the situation under control." He topped it off with a lazy salute, and Percy sighed resignedly.
"Well then, maybe you should take on Walrus Man, Death Breath." He grinned as the smirk on Nico's face slipped off.
"Seriously? Walrus Man?" he said, pushing himself off the wall.
"I just made it up. It really fits, doesn't it?" Percy rebutted.
"That sounds like a lame superhero." Nico leaned back again, rolling his eyes.
"Well-" Percy was cut off by an irritated bleat.
"Perrrrcy, Nico, I hate to interrupt you, but Annabeth is knocking on the door again."
Both boys turned back to the doorway, where sure enough, the blonde girl had her hand raised in a fist.
"Um, Wise Girl, maybe I should…" he trailed off as his girlfriend sent him a look that read stop-me-and-I-swear-I'll-cut-you. He backed off slowly, as his friends behind him laughed at his expense.
As Annabeth banged her fist against the wood and waited, he settled for muttering under his breath about Walrus Man.
"Seriously, what kind of person asks someone what they want, and then cuts them off before they speak?" he grumbled.
The creaky door opened once more, and the man scowled at them.
"Hi-"
Just as he had done with Percy, Walrus Man attempted to slam the door in her face. Except, with her superior reflexes, Annabeth stuck her foot in the doorway, stopping it in its tracks. She looked up at his astonished face through the gap.
"If you'll excuse us sir, we just want to have a little chat."
OoOoO
Eventually, the four found themselves sitting on a dark green stuffed couch, directly across from Walrus Man. Both the couch and the old coffee table that separated them looked worse for wear, much like the rest of the house.
The peeling paint continued inside, and they could see broken furniture and floorboards under the flickering lighting. Somewhere above, they could vaguely hear noises that they didn't want to place.
"So what do you want?" Walrus Man ground out. He glared at them, and while the three boys nervously shifted in their seats, Annabeth held his gaze coolly.
Her stormy eyes sparkled with intelligence, and she sighed to herself as she looked at her companions. She too was slightly intimidated by this man, but she kept her emotions in check. Something about him was off, but she wasn't going to let it distract her from her task. In fact, it made her want to complete it all the sooner.
Still, her boyfriend was adorable like this. She discretely placed a hand on Percy's knee, squeezing it gently, before deciding to take control again.
"We're looking for a boy," she said, and Walrus Man's eyes narrowed. Undaunted, she continued, "Should be around 14 now?"
"You'll have to be more specific than that, sweetheart."
Annabeth grimaced at the name, and she could feel Percy stiffen at her side.
"I think you know who we're talking about, sir." The way Nico said it automatically made it darker, mocking, and he could see Walrus Man visibly stiffen.
"I don't, kid." Walrus Man shot back. "Several boys come and go through here." His grin, and the way he licked his cracked lips after sent shivers down everyone's spines.
"Am I correct in saying that you are Mr. Blake?" Annabeth asked slowly.
Walrus Man, now Mr. Blake, slightly inclined his head. Annabeth took this as an affirmation.
"Then we're looking for your stepson." At this, Mr. Blake suddenly jumped up, letting out a sinister, barking laugh. Annabeth, Grover, Percy, and Nico leapt from the sofa in surprise, their weapons out in a flash, and they backed away from the cackling man.
"Do you really think golf clubs and a tin can will hurt me?" Mr. Blake grinned sickeningly, and abruptly lurched forward, sending the kids back in alarm. Their backs hit the wooden door and Grover fumbled for the knob as the other three stared wide-eyed at the gigantic man advancing towards them.
Just as he was about to reach them, the door gave way slamming on it's hinges from the force. They tumbled to the ground, just as the laughter stopped. Mr. Blake glared at them from the doorway.
"His mother always said that people would come for him. I guess you finally did, but you've missed him by about six years. That little bastard ran away from my hospitality, and good riddance, too!" And with that thought and a loud bang, Mr. Blake shut the door in their faces for a third time.
After a blank moment, suddenly diplomatic, Percy said, "Annabeth, can you call camp and tell Chiron what just happened? Nico, come with me. Let's go find out what else that man can tell us. Grover, um..." He faltered at the end, unsure of what to tell his goat friend.
"I can stay out here." The satyr volunteered brightly.
"Yeah" Percy nodded at him. He uncapped Riptide. At the withering look Annabeth shot him, he replied nonchalantly, "What? It's just for intimidation. He thinks it's a golf club. Plus, he's a mortal - I can't hurt him."
As the two boys proceeded to break down the door and troop into the house, Annabeth got out the spray gun she had on her at all times. She tossed a golden drachma at the rainbow it created with the light.
"Oh, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering. Chiron at Camp Half-Blood." The puddle shimmered, showing the kindly old centaur speaking to some younger campers.
After shooing away the children, who were apparently asking for pony rides, Chiron smiled at her.
"Oh hello, Annabeth. Is something wrong?"
"I think I finally understand why you sent Nico, Percy, and me here." she said darkly, and Chiron sighed.
"I guess you do. Please tell me what happened." And Annabeth did. As she finished explaining, Percy and Nico emerged from the house, the former grinning triumphantly.
"Long story short, we have returned victoriously." he added to the end of Annabeth's account.
Nico rolled his eyes. "By that, he means we scared him into apologizing for his behavior, but he refused to give us any more information."
"Well, that's troubling." said Chiron gravely. "For right now, you should return to camp. We'll discuss this then." The heroes nodded, and the message glimmered, disappearing.
"Nico," asked Annabeth. "Do you think you could shadow travel us back?"
As he opened his mouth to answer, he stopped, staring behind her. They turned to see another Iris-Message shimmer into existence, this time someone else calling them. The message cleared to show a familiar, strong-looking daughter of Ares.
"Jackson." grunted Clarisse, flicking her light brown hair out of her eyes. Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "And Princess and the rest." she sneered dismissively.
"I know you're going to have a field day on this one, so shut up until I'm done talking." Me and Chris are in some forest-"
A male shout, probably Chris, interrupted her. "Shoshone National Forest!"
"Yeah… that," she said. "Anyway, we've got a wimpy goat here who says he's sensing way too many monsters around here, so we're going to need some backup. Yes, Prissy, I'm asking for help, so come on!"
The message flickered away as she struck her hand through it. Annabeth grinned, turning to Nico.
"Change of destination. Do you think you can do it?"
Nico mirrored her expression. "Why not."
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