This story was taken from my old account and a bunch of things have been changed! If your new to the story don't worry about it. This is Solangelo if you couldn't tell, but it was written before it was canon. I'm not sure how i'll incorporate that into later chapters, but I hope you like it.
Getting attacked by a hellhound was not Nico's favorite way to start a day. Well, it's not like he was attacked, more enthusiastically tackled. He walked into camp after a particularly long research trip when Mrs. O'Leary had leaped from the nearby shadows squishing Nico underneath her huge weight. Her tail waved wildly and she covered Nico's face with slobbery kisses, her less then pleasant breath puffing in his face.
"Mrs. O'Leary!" Nico strained, pushing her off of him a scowl played on his face. The large hellhound sat back on her haunches still panting, a dog-like smile across her muzzle. Nico sighed and scratched behind her ear, he couldn't stay mad at her for long. Anyone who could stay mad at a dog was crueler then he was, and that was a difficult to reach.
A small smile stayed on his lips and he turned as he continued walking along the trail that would get him back to camp, the large hound walking along beside him. She startled birds and other creatures when she jumped into the bushes to follow a trail or scent that only she could pick up, leaving plenty of broken branches and paw prints in the dirt. Nothing here could threaten her so there was little need for her to cover her trail, something she would do out of the camp.
His attention turned from the hell hound to the camp as he got closer. Ever since the war with Gaea he had been living at camp in the Hades cabin and he still wasn't quite used to it. But the war had also released a lot of underworld creatures and Nico had been tasked with the job of getting rid of them. Actually that was the research he had just concluded. After asking Chiron something that had gotten him stumped he would head back and continue his work, hopefully with an answer.
The camp came into view as Nico quickened his pace. His stomach growled as the scent of food wafted from the dining pavilion. Before he ran over to get his meal he turned back to Mrs. O'Leary, ignoring the growling of his stomach "I'll come and play with you later." He promised scratching her ears again "Promise." She barked loudly and licked his face once again, turning and disappearing back into the forest. Sighing he rubbed the dog spit off his face and walked into the dining pavilion. His bangs sticking up at odd angles.
The pavilion was filled with demigods eating and chatting. Nico quietly snatched some food from the table, throwing some into the fire with a quick prayer. He glanced around, panicked, he didn't want to be seen by-
"Nico!" a voice stopped him mid-step, he turned stiffly to see Will Solace making his way through the crowd to where Nico was trying to make his escape. Nico swore under his breath and scowled at the other teen walking up to him "What do you want Solace?" he snapped irritably "I have work to do." He already knew this wasn't going to end well, but he always made it a point to try and get away. Solace already thought he was high and mighty, and Nico didn't want to let the healer think he could get Nico to do what he wanted. Even if his eyes were pretty or his hair looked nice.
Shaking his head he turned his attention back to the healer in front of him just in time to catch the end of his rant.
"Not until you eat." Will said, grabbing Nico by the arm "Doctors orders." He pulled Nico to the Hades table and shoved him onto the bench and sitting down across from him. His blue eyes narrowed and glaring at Nico. Like Nico had thought, Will wouldn't take no for an answer. The healer was almost as determined as Nico at times like this.
Will was another thing he had gained after the war, a friend. Perhaps something more, though neither had acted on feelings and Nico had become accustomed to their comfortable bicker. He was fine with them being friends for now, only time would tell if they would become anything else.
"I was going to eat in my cabin." Nico growled stabbing into the meat with his fork "And you're not even supposed to be sitting here." eating in his cabin hadn't been on his 'to-do list', finding Chiron his first priority.
Will rolled his eyes "Where have you been?" he asked, completely ignoring the looks they were getting. Of course the other campers had gotten used to him, but as often as Will did this they always continued to be slightly stunned. It was like Percy and Annabeth all over again, except Nico was much more prickly than the son of Poseidon.
"You should be glad Chiron isn't here." Nico continued, ignoring Wills question as he did Nico's, enjoying the irritated narrowing of Wills' eyes.
The sat there for a minute, both glaring at each other neither willing to look away. Finally after another minute of silence Will wavered and looked away running his fingers through his golden hair and turning back to face the son of Hades "Chiron isn't here, but that's not the problem. Answer my question, where have you been?"
Still scowling Nico stabbed another slice of meat "I've been doing research in a bunch of different places." He finally said, picking at the food in front of him. While this was true, it wasn't the whole truth. He looked the side trying to appear as uninterested as possible.
Will tilted his head curiously "What have you been researching?" his eyes hardened for a second "You haven't been shadow traveling have you?"
"No," Nico said, adding sarcastically "Doctors orders." mimicking Wills voice, he turned back to face him "I actually haven't had to so you don't need to worry." Before Will could say anything else Nico stood and turned to walk out of the pavilion "If you'll excuse me I have to go and fulfill a promise."
Will jumped up and followed him "Wait, what have you been looking at?" he huffed when Nico ignored him "Nico!"
'Just ignore him and he'll go away.' Nico kept telling himself 'Just focus on finding Mrs. O'Leary' He didn't have to search far. As soon as he stepped into the forest a large black mastiff jumped out at him, and instead of getting flattened like earlier Nico side stepped just in time for Will to run to his side, and get flattened by the hellhound. A sharp Yelp escaping the son of Apollos son before he crashed to the ground in a cloud of dust.
"Gods!" Will swore, struggling to move "Nico, help!" Mrs. O'leary looked at Will, confused. She looked as if she had caught a particularly interesting treat, though wasn't sure if it was ok to eat.
Smirking Nico clapped his hands and Mrs. O'Leary walked up to him. As fun as it would be to see Will get chewed on a bit he didn't want one of the best healers needing healing.
"You knew that was going to happen!" Will growled, aggravated "That's cold Di Angelo, you didn't even give me a warning!" getting to his feet.
Nico gave him a look of false hurt "She must just dislike you." He stroked the hellhounds fur, a smile flashing across his lips "I don't control what she does."
Will scowled at him and brushed off the dirt and fur covering his clothes "You made a promise with a dog?"
"Of course." Nico pulled out the metal shield from some bushes and threw it across the open area "She likes to play catch." Will shook his head and watched Nico and Mrs. O'Leary play dropping the argument, he didn't want to argue with Nico with a little too friendly hellhound running around.
Just as their game of Frisbee was winding down the sound of hooves against the dirt caught Nico's attention, he turned and spotted Chiron. As it turned out turning away from the ecstatic hellhound was a bad idea. She bounded up to him and gave him a friendly nudge from behind with her powerful nose, dropping the Frisbee where his feet once were. This sent him flying through the air "Oh my go-" his voice was cut off as he clashed with Will, both of them tumbling into the dirt.
Will stumbled as Nico rammed into him, both of them skidding a few feet across the forest ground. As the cloud of dust cleared around them they both sat up, banging heads. They both reeled back, swearing loudly.
Nico opened one eye, his hand massaging his bruised forehead. He looked at Will and laughed out loud. Will looked at him surprised, never once had he heard the son of Hades laugh. "You look like you fell through a pine tree." Nico said, pointing to Wills hair.
Will scowled and started taking out the pine needles in his hair, trying to cover the blush that was creeping along his face "At least I don't look like I fell off a Pegasus."
Nico looked down at himself and stopped laughing. His clothes where crumpled together and coated with dirt and glared back at Will, he had a point.
After they had sorted themselves out Nico palmed his forehead, making the bruise spark with pain again "I forgot!" he sighed "I need to tell Chiron about the-" he stopped mid-sentence when Will looked over at him. Silently cursing his own tongue.
Will looked at him skeptically, waiting for him to continue. His blue eyes never leaving Nico.
Nico just shut his mouth and walked the way Chiron had gone, ignoring Will as he fell into step beside him.
When they had finally found Chiron Nico had explained what he had been researching. Only glaring at Will once.
"A small village has been attacked for the past several days, their livestock and children have gone missing, even some adults have been found dead. They live without technology, something about it corrupting modern society, so they haven't called anyone. They only dismissed it as wolf attacks." He placed his hand on his sword handle and continued "Normally I would also just dismiss this as a wolf but there is something that worries me, as soon as I entered the village is could feel and immense underwordly power coming from the woods." he looked at Mrs. O'Leary "I think it's a hell hound."
Nico considered what he had already accomplished and added as an afterthought "And I talked to a few people, some are starting to think its not something as simple as a wolf. The older people there are starting to think it's some sort of angry spirit. I don't want them trying to get rid of it themselves."
Chiron nodded after a moment of thought, his eyes closed and one hand on his chin "I think you should check this out." He looked at Nico "Normally a hell hound wouldn't attack a mortal village, I want you to find out why. And stop anyone who is curious about the beast."
Will, who had just been listening until know piped up "He can't go alone!" he looked back and forth between them "What if something happens."
Nico rolled his eyes "I'll be fine, I'm good with this kind of thing." He looked to Chiron, silently begging him to let him go alone. Travelling faster and not having to worry about someone else were two things Nico would lose if he had another companion.
"I think Will is right." Chiron started, much to Nico's dismay "You can go with Nico." He turned to Will "Your knowledge about medicine may come in handy. I would like to send another camper... but you two should be fine by yourselves." at least he had kept it to one. Adding another would have made things more difficult then it was already turning out to be.
Nothing could convince Chiron otherwise, and just like that, Nico had a new traveling companion.