Nico collapsed onto the old bed as he felt his powers threaten to break hold again. He could feel them itching at his skin, bursting through his veins. It was only with Anubis's help that he could keep them contained. But each day, each time he used them, they grew stronger. Someday they'd be overpowering.
He didn't tell Will this but he could tell his husband already knew. It was the look in his eyes, the way he held himself when they were in the same room. Fear had started to show through the mask Will always wore.
And Nico didn't blame him one bit.
Some of the year-round campers joked about it, called Nico their "own little god". He had started off as a demigod, had started off half human. But was he still?
He couldn't be sure. Neither could Anubis.
"Nico!" Will stopped in the doorway in surprise. "You're back... Are you okay?"
Nico nodded into the dark pillowcase. "Exhausted. I've been running all over." Using more of my powers, fueling them up. The anger at his death didn't help.
No, it really didn't. Anubis agreed.
"Oh... Well, I'm glad you're back." Will laid next to Nico, his shirt stinking of the medicines he used. "Did everything go okay?"
"I let Percy see him," Nico admitted, his face so buried into the pillow that Will wasn't sure how he was breathing. "I took him down there and let him talk to him."
"...oh..." Will started to try to untangle Nico's hair. "Did your dad find out?"
Nico nodded.
"What'd he say?" Will asked. "I mean...you're still here... So he didn't make you do a task or anything, right?"
"He didn't say anything," Nico replied, his voice thick with emotion instead of just that pillow. "He didn't say anything, Will. I'm not in trouble."
"That's good." Will sat for a minute before frowning. "Right?"
Nico shook his head frantically. "There's a reason he didn't, Will. There's a reason."
"Alright... What's that reason?"
"I think he's scared of me." Nico clenched at the pillow, his nails digging into its soft folds. "He was scared of me, Will. A god was scared of me. My dad was scared of me."
"You could be overreacting..."
"Anubis agrees."
Will kissed Nico's head before continuing with his hair. "We'll work on it. I promise you. It's good that you're powerful. You can protect the people that you love."
Nico laid in silence at the familiar piece of advice, knowing even Will couldn't come up with anything else. His powers scared both of them, scared the gods themselves. If he didn't know any better, they also scared Anubis.
Anubis...
You there?
Yeah, I'm here. Anubis replied instantly. Are you okay?
I will be. I need to spend time with people before getting back on these quests. They take a lot out of me.
I know.
"We need to talk about something else..." Will admitted. "That girl, Dove...she needs some serious help. I can't heal her."
Nico picked his head up to stare at his husband. "What?"
Will blushed in embarrassment. "I tried...I really did. Bay explained to me the reason why I can't."
"And what's that reason?"
Will shrugged as he let out a groan of defeat. "It's complicated...so complicated. I'm gonna try to ask my dad about it. I don't understand it much."
"Just tell me what he said." Nico prodded. "Maybe Anubis knows."
"Anubis won't know."
"And why not?"
"Cause..." Will bit his lip. "I think it has to do with Almaji's father."