part X

Percy was ignoring Nico and Nico doesn't understand why. Obviously, it's because of that thing that happened over the picture of him and Bianca, but he doesn't know what to think about it.

He doesn't know if he wants to think about it. It's too strange for him, and those texts he's been getting have only been confusing him more.

It's as nobody wants him to forget about Bianca. He doesn't want to forget, but sometimes when he's buried under the pain of the world, he does. He wants to forget that he ever even had a sister. He wants to forget that she's dead and left him alone in this world with their deadbeat father and non-existent mother.

Even he if he did really want to forget, he wouldn't be able to.

It's ingrained in his very being.

Nico texts Percy a few times, but after the third text goes through with no response, he stops trying.

Why does everyone always walk out on him?

In the meantime, he focuses on his studies. He focuses on cleaning his house five times over. He focuses on learning random things to cook. He focuses on everything that isn't Bianca.

Before he even realizes, it's Friday afternoon, and he hasn't heard from Percy in two days. He doesn't even think he's talked to anybody in the last two days. He just goes to school, listens to the lectures, takes his notes, and then goes home only to study more.

Fuck. What is he even going to major in?

Why is Percy ignoring him?

Nico's walking through a park close to his apartment when his phone buzzes. It's a text from Jason, asking if he's coming to the party tomorrow. Nico almost doesn't want to go to this one either, but he figures that since he skipped out on the last one that he should probably go. Plus, he doesn't know if he can take another day of studying in silence.

He's driving himself crazy.

to: Your Grace

from: nico

sent 5:37 pm

yeah, I'm coming. it's at seven, right?

Nico sits on a swing, phone in hand, and he studies the only other two people in the park, which is a mother and her daughter. He thinks they're playing hide-and-go-seek. He doesn't really know, but he knows it's pretty cute.

Jason texts him back instantly.

to: nico

from: Your Grace

received 5:38 pm

yup! see you there!

Nico smiles and puts his phone away. He swings himself lightly and drags his feet on the ground, watching the dirt trail he leaves. He sighs. The last time he's been at a park was the day he finally decided to leave his father behind.

It was a good decision, he knows it was, but sometimes, he wonders how he'd be now if he handled it differently.

Maybe, it's better not to think about the "what if"s.

The house is large and the music is so loud, he heard from at least ten houses down. Nico wonders how in the hell the neighbors aren't complaining. The front steps to the house are far too many for just a simple house, and then he's at the door, but before he can even work up the courage to go in, two people push by him and in, laughing wildly. The door is swinging open and Nico is too struck by how much the party looks like it came straight out of a bad teen comedy to even comprehend that he's walking inside.

It's so, so loud. There's the stench of beer, sweat, sex, and strawberries in the air, and Nico doesn't know if he wants to be here anymore. Hell, did he ever really want to be here?

Nico sighs. He is almost twenty years old. He can handle this.

When he sees a girl throw up on someone's stomach, he immediately takes back his previous thought.

He stuffs his hands in his jacket and walks around, hoping to see at least one person that he knows.

He sees Leo first, but he looks to be chatting up some girl, so Nico doesn't want to bother them.

He walks around a bit, wondering how many people are making out and how many aren't. He can't tell which has a larger percentage. What is he doing here? He doesn't belong here. Sighing, he turns the corner and pauses.

Fuck. Damnit.

It's Percy. His hair is sticking up everywhere and his arms are wrapped up passionately around the girl he's kissing. It's Annabeth. Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be Annabeth? It's always Annabeth. It's always going to be some girl for him.

When will Nico realize that?

Nico wants to be sick.

Quickly, he rushes out of sight of the couple and goes to Leo. He needs someone to distract him. Someone needs to distract him. He finally gets close enough to Leo, but then Leo turns a bit and Nico is caught at the sight of Hazel Levesque, his half-sister he hasn't talked to since Bianca's funeral.

"Nico!" she exclaims, catching sight of him before Nico can turn around and escape. Too many memories. Where are they coming from? It's as if the world is stuffing into his face and no matter how hard he tries to turn and run away, he gets pulled back again only to be given seconds.

Leo turns at his name and smiles drunkenly when he sees him. "Nico!"

Even though they both said the exact same thing, both of them couldn't have made it sound more different.

"Leo…Hazel," he greets, sliding up next to them. Hazel is only staring at him, gold eyes wide and mouth open. Leo doesn't even notice.

"So, you came to this one, huh? Awesome! Spectacular! Live life to the fullest, Nico di Angelo!" he shouts, throwing his hands up in the air. Leo is very, very drunk.

"Well, I missed the last one, so I figured I owed Jason," Nico says, managing to let out an easy smile. Hazel's still staring at him. Nico hopes she doesn't say anything stupid.

"Nico," she finally says again. Nico pulls his gaze to hers once more.

"Hi, Hazel," he greets again. Leo finally notices that they seem to know each other.

"You know each other?"

"He's my—"

"Yeah. I met her in high school," Nico says before she can go on. He doesn't exactly know why he lied about who she was, but after everything that's been going on with his dead sister, he doesn't want anything bad to happen to the sister he barely knows.

Hazel looks mildly offended, but thankfully, she goes along with the ruse.

Leo doesn't suspect anything and just smiles at the both of them. "Well, that's pretty cool. Nico, do you mind if I steal your high school friend for a dance?"

"No," he replies. Hazel frowns at him, but then directs a smile at Leo when he puts a hand around his waist to pull her along. They disappear into the crowd of dancing college students and sweat.

Nico sighs and walks toward the kitchen. He's underage, but honestly, how many other people here are underage as well? He just wants to forget.

When he walks into the kitchen, he finds himself staring at Percy leading Annabeth up the stairs, dazed looks in both of their eyes. Nico blinks, and as they disappear up the stairs, he grabs the first beer he finds and downs it.

It tastes awful. He has to stop himself from coughing too much, and he squeezes the can, laughter and sex drowning in his ears. He wants to get out of here. Why hasn't he just left yet?

He rolls his eyes and grabs another drink, downing that as well. His mind feels numb and hazy and everything he wants to feel right now because Percy just took Annabeth up to most likely have sex with her because they are dating and that's what couples do. Percy's straight.

He needs to get over him. When will he get over him?

Nico sighs. He's miserable.

"Dude, just go over and talk to her," a loud voice says, interrupting Nico from his thoughts. Two guys have just walked into the room, and they seem to be having some heated discssion. It's a good-looking blonde guy and largely built Asian.

"I can't. When I even try to talk to her, I start to stutter and I end up saying stupid stuff," the Asian one says. Nico raises an eyebrow. The blonde one laughs and reaches for a beer.

"Well, I'm sure having one beer won't kill you, Frankie boy," the cute blonde one says. Frank glares at him.

"It most definitely will. I'll probably end up telling Hazel that I love her or something," he says. The blonde guy laughs, opens his beer, and takes a large gulp. Nico briefly wonders why he hasn't left the party yet. The blonde guy doesn't respond, but instead, glances around and catches sight of Nico. Nico blushes, not wanting him to think he was eavesdropping. Although, he sort of was, he supposes.

"You! Do you think he should man up and tell Hazel that he wants to go out with her?"

Two things settle in Nico's mind.

One: the boy is indeed talking to him.

Two: both boys seem to be talking abot Hazel, which just so happens to be the same name of his half-sister.

"Hazel Levesque?" Nico blurts out instead, completely disregarding the blonde boy's question. Both of them look surprised.

"You know her?"

"Uhm...yeah. Anyway, I think you should ask her out. She won't be mean about it even if she does say 'no', so just go for it," Nico says, ignoring the fact that he's sort of hypocrite for saying such a thing. It's different. Percy has a girlfriend. Hazel has...oh wait, there's Leo. Oops. Nico doesn't divulge that bit of information, sure that it would only make the guy even more nervous. Besides, Hazel and Leo aren't official or anything.

Nico focuses back on his reality and finds the blonde boy smiling at him while the Asian (Frank, was it?) glaring at him.

"See, Frank! Even the kid drinking alone thinks you should go for it!" the blonde exclaims.

"Yeah, okay, whatever, Solace. I'm going to go mope alone. Don't look for me," Frank replies, before walking off, leaving Nico and the blonde alone. Although it's not like Nico can't say he doesn't relate with Frank on more than one level.

The blonde laughs and Nico's gaze snaps to him. He puts out a hand for Nico to shake. Nico does.

"I'm Will Solace," the boy introduces.

"Nico di Angelo," Nico says, struck by how blue his eyes were. They were enough to rival Jason's.

"Cool," he says. "So, what are you doing over here all by your lonesome self drinking?"

Nico's eyes flicker to the staircase where Percy and Annabeth disappered off to.

"Moping," he says, echoing Frank's earlier statement. Will makes a displeased sound.

"It seems everyone at this party is either with someone or unhappy because they aren't. So, who are you moping over? Is she single?"

"He is not," Nico says before he can stop himself. Okay, so he just obviously outed himself to Will. It's not like he isn't out, but still. Will doesn't even blink at the pronoun change.

"Ah, so the worst sort of unrequited love? He straight?" Will asks, eyes wide with genuine curiosity.

Nico nods. "Yeah."

"Sorry to hear that," Will replies.

"It's a fighting process," is what Nico says. "But, I'll live." Will just nods and takes another drink from his beer. Nico doesn't know what to say. He panics. "Well, I'm off to mope some more. I'll probably leave soon."

Will immediately protests. "No! Come on, di Angelo. Let's go hang on the couch. You seem cool and I'm tired of seeing my friends go off and mope somewhere!" He grabs Nico's shoulder and ushers him to the living room.

Nico blinks at his statement. "We're friends?"

Will looks down at him. "'Course! I just declared it," he says. Nico simply nods. So, Nico's nonexistant love life brought him yet another friend?

Of course that would be how he befriends someone like this. He still allows Will to place him on a couch, next to someone who looks completely high and Will himself.

"So..." Will starts, "tell me about yourself."

Nico doesn't know what to say, so instead, he takes another large gulp of the disgusting beer, and Will realizes that's his cue to talk instead.

And he does. He talks for a while, and sometimes Nico's listening, but sometimes his mind feels too hazy and sometimes he just wants to sleep or run away and is that Annabeth rushing down the stairs?

Nico blinks and watches as Annabeth gets to the bottom of the stairs and sees how upset she looks. Will is laughing over something that happened sometime ago with him and his friends, but Nico doesn't really find himself to care all that much because Percy isn't with her.

Why isn't Percy with her?

He watches her rush out the door and into the night, and the person sitting next to Nico is now laughing wildly while Will is still telling his story.

Nico hiccups and decides that's his cue to take another drink. He takes at least five more, and hey, what happened to his beer? Nico stands up and excusing himself from Will to get another drink, he stumbles over to the kitchen, mind still wondering over what happened with Annabeth and Percy.

When he gets to the kitchen, he finally sees the man who invited him. Jason's talking to some very pretty girl and his arms are around her shoulder while she rolls her eyes at something he said. Nico can't help but notice how pretty she is, and how her perfectly-applied makeup only complements her.

"Nico di Angelo!" Jason exclaims, and he almost trips in response.

"Hey Jason Grace. Hahaha. Your Grace. Very funny," he replies, and Nico honestly doesn't even know how he's still awake. Jason stares at him, and the girl next to him laughs. Both of them are quite pretty and pretty together. Nico voices his opinion out loud and the girl laughs even harder. Jason's just assessing him with narrowed eyes.

When Nico reaches for another beer, Jason is pulling him back. "Uhm no. You are most definitely not going to get even more drunk, Nico. Here, I'll take you to my room. Just sleep, okay?"

Nico's walking, and really, how had he not noticed how drunk he is before?

Suddenly, Nico's in a very cold, yet comfortable bed, and before he even can acknowledge what's going on, he passes out.

Nico wakes up very confused. There's a loud sound going off right by his ear, and why is it pop music? When did Nicki Minaj become a part of his daily wake up routine?

Nico sits up and glances around, and when the realization of where he is and why he is here, he shuts off the annoying alarm that's blinking an astounding 9:00. What the hell?

He blinks a few times and tries to remember what day it is and if he has school today. He sighs in relief when he remembers that it's just Sunday.

Suddenly, Nico is very much awake. Doesn't he have...like an appointment today at ten or ten-thirty or something like that?

He gets out of the bed and walks toward the door. Jason's not in sight despite this being his room, and really, what college guy has his alarm set for nine o'clock on a Sunday?

Although, he supposes he should be grateful or he would've missed an appointement set up by his father.

When he walks out in the hallway, he immediately wishes he hadn't. Percy is shutting the door next to his, a tired and confused look on his face. When Percy spots him, he freezes. Nico doesn't understand why.

They stare at each other for a few seconds, and when Nico realizes that he's really not going to say anything, he rolls his eyes and passes by Percy without a word.

Whatever. Percy's an idiot, he's hungover, and he'll be late if he doesn't leave for the hospital now.

Nico sees Jason passed out the couch when he gets downstairs and he makes a mental note to thank him from stopping himself from getting even more drunk.

Nico arrives at the hospital just on time. He quickly checks himself in and yawning, he waits for Dr. Jasons to come get him. He doesn't wait long. He wonders if he can tell that Nico's a bit hungover.

If he does, he doesn't say anything.

Once he's settled in the chair, Dr. Jasons clears his throat and studies him for a few seconds.

"How are you, Nico?"

"Why did my father set this appointment up?" Nico retaliates. Dr. Jasons sighs.

"Your father is simply concerned for your health, Nico, which I hope, is well?"

"Yes," Nico says, a sour look gracing his face.

"Any thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, Nico?"

Nico pauses for a few seconds and that seems to be enough for Dr. Jasons' assessment. Dr. Jasons sighs and reaches for a piece of paper.

"Nico, are you sad? That simple, Nico," he says.

Nico wants to lie, but he knows that even if he did, Dr. Jasons would know the truth.

"Yes," he finally answers.

"How many times a day, would you say?" he asks. Nico thinks about it for a few seconds just to make it seem like he actually has to think about it.

"Constantly," he says. Fuck. It's too true. Too there. It's not supposed to be real. He just misses his sister. He just misses the good family he's never had.

Dr. Jasons nods as if he was expecting that answer, and honestly, Nico has never felt so pathetic.

"Nico, I want you to come in for another appointment in a week to have an official evaluation. Meanwhile, I want you to look up Escitalopram and Fluoxetine, which is most commonly reffered to as Lexapro and Prozac. Do you know what those are?"

Nico's stomach drops. Of course he does.

"Yeah. Uhm. Antidepressants," he answers. Dr. Jasons nods, and Nico feels sick. Everything is too real. He wants Bianca back.

"Yes, Nico. I'm letting you go now, but promise me you'll look it up. I'll tell Clara to set up your evaluation for this Friday at three in the afternoon. Is that okay?"

"Are you going to tell my father?" Nico asks.

Dr. Jasons shakes his head. "I am not to divulge any patient information to anybody else unless given consent by the patient."

"Please don't," is what Nico says. The doctor simply nods again.

"Have a good day, Nico," is what he finally says, and Nico almost wants to laugh. When was the last time he had a good day? Really?

Nico just leaves without a word.

Nico remembers that saying that "coffee cures hangovers" on the way back home, and before he knew it, he's headed over to the cafe. Nico doesn't want to go home. It's too cold and too sad and too everything at once, and it's not actually home. Home is supposed to be warm and loving and that's not what his apartment is.

He's there before he knows it and he walks in, immediately noticing Percy at the register. He looks tired. Nico imagines he looks the same. He jst doesn't have time for it today.

Percy sees him and Nico's already ordering his usual. It's awkward. It's tense. And this time, it's not actually Nico's fault.

While Percy is making his coffee, he clears his throat. Nico blinks. Is Percy actually going to say something?

He wants him to say something. And he does.

"Nico, I'm sorry," is what he does say.

"Did you know her?" Nico blurts out again, grabbing his coffee. Percy stills.

"Yeah. Sort of," he responds, and it just isn't enough.

"What do you mean 'sort of'?"

"Well, I know she died. We used to go to school together, and I don't know Nico...it's just I saw her and you on that picture and you both looked so happy, and it's just...I have a picture like that with my mom too, but when I realized that your sister was dead all I could think about was that my mom could be as well. That I could have a picture just like yours and she'd be dead. So, I ran. I'm sorry, Nico. Then, it just got awkward, of course, because I'm an idiot."

Nico stares at him. It sounds real. It sounds like it'd make sense, but some things just don't add up. Nico doesn't care though. He just wants it to back to normal. So, he just nods.

"So, we good?"

"Yeah."

"So, can I tell you a joke now to make it less awkward or?"

"A joke?"

"Okay, so Hermes, the Greek god by the way he's like a messenger of sorts and more stuff too bu-"

"I know who Hermes is, Percy. Continue," Nico says before he could go one forever.

"Okay, good. Anyway, so he signs up to be a part of a UPS commercial, right?"

"Okay?" Nico doesn't understand why Percy is telling him a joke all of the sudden.

"Okay, so, he gets to the site for shooting it, right? And the guy asks him who he is, so he replies with his name of course. Anyway, so the guy leads him inside and Hermes finds himself in a place with all of these people, and he's a little confused becase he was sure it was only him in the commercial. So he waits a bit, and then the producer comes in and says it's time to start. But, guess what?"

Nico sighs. "What?"

"Hermes soon realizes that he's not in the UPS commercial like he's supoosed to be! He's in a commercial advertising the dangers of herpes! The man thought he just said herpes and led him to that commerical instead!" Percy's laughing hard now, and Nico can only stare at him.

"That was the dumbest joke I've ever heard, Percy," he finally says, when Percy's finally managed to calm down a bit.

"Oh. You think so? Wait until you hear the one about Hades," he deadpans. Nico snorts.

"My father's name is Hades," he says. Percy's eyes widen.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Weird, right?"

"But kinda cool though," he says. Nico just shrugs. He doesn't think anything about his father is considered cool. "Thanks, Nico," Percy suddenly says.

"What?"

"Thanks for forgiving me," Percy says, and his eyes are wide and beautiful and Nico just wants to kiss him. He takes a sip of his coffee instead. What happened with Annabeth?

"You're my friend. That's what friends do." Nico's heart hurts.

Meanwhile, Percy just smiles.

"Yeah."

*Whew. I managed to get ahold of my dad's computer for a bit while down here. I'm in Mexico rn. :) Any of y'all live down here?

Also, I want you to know that I do not condone underage drinking.

Okay, anyway, reviews are always welcomed and highly loved as well. :)

Thanks for reading!

*EDIT: this is nOT solangelo. There might be some solangelo themes but this is still pernico. Also, I am also looking for a beta for this story. If you're interested, PM me. :)

Bai guys! :)

-DiAnna44

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