The pass two months could mostly and acceptably be successfully described as not only a hellish treatment but also as a well needed relaxation that he didn't even know existed. Percy could just safely say that Camp wasn't as bad as he thought: it was better, yet worse.
It was better because the camp felt like home again. Percy wasn't sure how it happened, but when he finally came back to the place, only viewing it by the sight that was provided on deck of the boat, he couldn't help but feel nothing but utter joy fill inside, which was the first time he recalled being very happy since he left his King behind in heaven. It was truly odd, considering the fact that the last time he was there he thought of it as a replica of hell.
It's seemed to never change in the first place, like the Giant War never happen and it was still a free, joyful salivation for every lost demigod out there in the world. Sure, a good amount of his friends were gone, leaving only Piper and Jason, but that was somewhat okay with him. He felt as if he wasn't being judge as much as he would be if all the people who actually knew him like before. Now, he was consider a sight to see, which was another thing that hasn't change.
All the younger kids around him knew about his heroic tales, about his rare parenthood, and they were in awed about it. It was like their favorite hero from the greatest myth just came back to life and was living within the same area as them. It caused to the boys to follow him and ask him all the questions about his adventures. It caused the little girls to gawk at him from afar and giggle and blush when he looked there way. He has heard them mumble some creative nicknames that made for him as he walked by or when he happen to have his back turned.
It was so funny how much it reminded him of Oltre Malavita that it wasn't funny anymore. What was funny was how that used to be his life here at Camp as well.
Now, with the pretty sight becoming what it once was to him, he couldn't remember why he thought of it that way before. Yes, it was just a nasty and constant reminder of the war and the deaths that took place for it, but now that he didn't see the tragedy as his fault, he found it beautiful again. He no never saw it as a mocking symbol of what he fail to do and how it affected so many lives around them, even causing some to end. He understood now that it wasn't him fault; it was apart of life that he couldn't avoid. Death is apart of life in many more ways then he ever thought about. Especially for him.
He used to only get so a angry and guilty feeling whenever he thought deeply into the land he was in, resulting in only him getting in a fowler mood then he already naturally was. He used to have sudden flashbacks of the war at random points of his life. It was bizarre how it came and terrible when received. He would just be living his life outside, which was very rare for him back then, and out of nowhere he would see a demigod being sucked violently into the shaking and rumbling ground. He would found himself reaching down to help the struggling victim that was desperately crawling the earth for life worthy release.
It was when he would blink when the vision finally disappear. He would find himself on the ground with dirt covering his hand and tears forming in his eyes. The adrenaline still throbbing inside was the thing that helped him off the ground and dash off to his cabin. He stopped going out then, another milestone to his grievous collapse.
Percy had not had any of those episodes in years, even after moving to New Rome, but the fact that he was still scared of losing himself again in that place was enough to motivate himself to prevent it. He did so by keeping himself incredibly busy with anything and everything he could find. He couldn't lose his mind if it was never on the subject that he was so dreadfully fearful of.
That's how it was worse: the never-leaving fear of what he might become. He felt as if his relaxation in the Camp would be the slowly tipping point of his next down fall. He was in constant fear of it, never letting his rough and strict guard after his own self down. He had became his own concussion monitor over his mental and emotion and physical doings. He watched out for everything around both in and outside. He kept himself aware of his actions and thoughts that could possibly seem suspicious. He was trying himself, almost touring himself, over the action of never becoming what he had become again. Overall, he was becoming paranoid again. He hated himself for it.
Once he realized this happening to him, he tried his best to stop, or at least find a way to make it stop without his consist. He did, and that was by the action of not thinking about it by distracting himself from his cursed habit. Basically, keeping his mind busy with another matter that did not involved it in no way possible.
It was effective and it worked very well, but it often led his wondrous mind to another topic at hand that caused him to be in a worse state. When it first happen, he knew it was bad, more toxic to the mind and his health then what he was trying to get away from, but it was the most tempting allurement that he has ever encounter. It was strong and basically irresistible to ever deny for the sake of his own happiness. It was possibly, almost most definitely the ticking think to cause him to go crazy again. It was his newfound madness.
It was basically his angel in a theoretical system.
That was the reasonings behind his present state of being on the dock nearby his cabin, with a hammer in his hand and the sound of nails being hit, forming into a constant, background beat. The ticking sound of both his deliverance and his perdition.
Percy Jackson had began the boat project a week ago, when he found himself bored in the afternoon where he had no classes and dinner wasn't ready yet. He found out soon enough that he, who had never built a boat in his whole life, already knew the process that he had to take to successful built a very proper sailing boat. He doesn't recall how the action of doing the task came to his mind; he simply just wanted to built a small boat one day, having the grand view of the final finish in his head already. Before he could recognize his actions for the project, he found himself already at the workshop to get the supplies he needs.
It was an enjoyment to him; he found it very relaxing. He was never really a person who enjoyed manual labor before, but he mainly like it because it allowed him to escape the environment he was in and let him travel off into his blissful escape. It was easier to pretend that he was back in Oltre Malavita, acting as if he department never happened and he was still there. He could act as if there was no Tyrants' fighting or violence. He could act as if there was no world away from the blissful one he was in. He could act as if he was still with his angel...
Percy finished putting on the first slap of the sidings for the hall. He first assumed it to be a difficult task, considering the fact that he had to slight bend the wood in a curved loop without it breaking and then nailing it down firmly enough to keep down in that shape and not spring back up and smack him in the face. It was his greatest fear at the moment.
He held up the board of about seven and a half feet of wood and prayed for the best. He carefully moved, taking small steps as the wood bent to his gentle command.
It was then when the narrow and harsh focus pressed into his back, as if they were studying his shoulder blades and spine muscles move. He felt it's settle glances first but the intensity increased dramatically, to unavoidable measures. He could recognize the eyes without even looking. He knew from undoubtable faith and genuine knowledge who owned those eyes; those dark and beautiful eyes with an owner all the same...
Percy felt himself stop his walking and bite down on his lip before bouncing like a child and turning around to the suppose owner behind him. When he found nothing, he figured he caught himself again. His great delight soon vanished and he harden himself swiftly, in an attempt to save himself, before settling down into a nonmoving, neutral state again.
Percy, instead of losing his mind to his memories of what happen to him in hell like he did before, was now blissfully falling into a new light that was full of nothing of what he desired more then anything else in all the worlds.
The hero still found himself lingering for Oltre Malavita. He would just simply slip into the state of mind, without any kind of sign relating to anything of concern, and would act in a natural way if he really was in that environment. It was like he was drifting off into a sleepy dreamland wide awake. It stunned him in the end, when he comes back to the mortal world, but it felt so prodigious and amazing when he was their. He could feel the wonderful present of Oltre Malavita like he was really in it, smelling the fresh, flowery, and salty air and chilling from the small, chilly breeze that always blew through. He could sense the aura of the other spirits around him, as if they were simply walking beside him in a mass activity in a large space. He could hear the distant sounding of the background noise of the old fashion dialect and the thick variety of accents that were both expressed in the native language and in English.
All the specific detailing of the dazzling home could easily trick him and his eyes, making him ignore his strong sense of his surroundings and fall for the desperate need of believing that he was there again. Like a fool falling for a scan; like a clueless girl falling for a careless boy. He fall for it. He fell for it every time.
It happened more then he ever wanted to admit, even to himself. He hated the idea of him being so idiotic and weak to do such a stupid thing. He knew he was better then this. That he could grow over this. But his strength and his fear and his need was the feeding of the terribly hurtful moments, along with being the error that held him back from fixing it.
He knew he should stop it, make it halt before it destroyed him completely, but he felt as if he might as well forget everything he held-emotionally and mentally and physically-for his true home, for his time there, and for his angel.
The son of the sea god turned back to his work, pushing the board back as much as he could and nailing it down quickly. He stood in front of it for a while, making sure it will stay there without restriction, before continuing on with the same process for the next two boards out of the series of sixteen. He was just about done with the boat, only leaving the hull left in need to be done before the project was completely finished. He thought over the matter of painting it, maybe a nice dark blue color with white trip on the inside of the sail. He sat and ponder over it for a long moment before he felt the ghost like feeling of a slick, strong arm being glided over his shoulders.
He pounced away from the sensation, after feeling himself falling into the suppose body that was attached to the ghost arm. He could have sworn someone was there, but he caught himself in enough time to see that it happened again. He fell for it shamefully again.
The dark haired boy just harden himself to his neutral state again before going on with his project. He noticed the sun starting to set and decided that he wanted to finish it before it fell completely into the night.
Within the time, he was able to do so. His hands were rough and aching, but he finished it. He stood there for a moment and admire his work, feeling proud of himself before he notice how dark the sky become. Another July day had passed, some of the last he would have in a while. He recalled that that meant his birthday was coming up soon. He pushed the idea aside before taking all his tools and walking inside his cabin.
Percy still liked his cabin, out of all the mess, mainly because it reminded him of the trips he had with his mother to their favorite beach. It looked and smelled the same as a cabin their they would stay in there, and it made him comfortable. What he didn't like is being alone in it, with the empty beds and cold, lifeless space within it. Normally, Percy was okay with being alone, it came with the parentage, but it was what happen when he was alone that he despised.
Percy thought about his life when he was alone in the cabin. It frighten him so much.
The dark haired boy wondered through the door and sat the tools down by the door. He took a look around and finds everything in place. The beds that he didn't sleep in were made and clean, along with the areas around them. His corner of the room was a different story, but that's because it was simply his corner. He, along with all the people in the world, deserved at least one place in his life to be messy in. It was a God-Given right.
Percy found that to be the least scary thing about his room. The most fearful part was all the discoveries he had came to terms with in that room. He thought that if he lost his mind again, it would occur in this room.
The boy was wondering about one night when he was recalling everything that occurred in the Titan War, narrowing down specially on his encounters with Nico. It was then, he decided, that that was the beginning to all the madness.
Percy had always felt something for Nico, but not in the romantic sense. When he first met the happy and lively child of 10 years, he thought he was just a cute kid who was also slightly annoying. That's all he thought of him, since his mind was wrapped around on the disappearance of his love interest, Annabeth.
He was only 13 then, and like most 13 years olds, he was even considering other sexualities other than heterosexual. He found himself too busy preparing for the world centered prophecy he was supposedly suppose to forefill.
It wasn't till later on, after the death of Nico's sister Bianca, when he promised him that he would protect her and ended up failing him, that he realize then how much the boy meant to him. Yes, it wasn't like what Annabeth meant to him at the time, but Percy had more empathy for the boy then anyone else in the world. He knew how it was to be alone, after losing the last person you had left, after entering into a new world with so many things after you...
He knew that that was why he lied to Chiron about Nico, and then continue into his hunt for him alone, trying to find the kid that could have died without him knowing about it. The idea scared him so much at the time. It still does, in all honesty.
When Percy and his friends had to go through the Labyrinth, and happen to find him there with the ghost of Minos with him... Percy felt so guilt, along with his total shock.
Nico used to be so joyful. He was a child who couldn't stop smiling over the simplest insight of Mythomagic. He was so happy and to find him pale and mean and bitter...
Percy felt like he failed the boy, but not only his sister's death, but also by not dying when he release the skeleton solider on him.
That and it turned out that Nico knew very well who his father was, which was another secret that Percy kept to himself for his sake. He didn't want anyone to know that there was a son of Hades out there that he was trying to find. He knew what it would seem like to all of them if he told, and he knew that they would just never understand.
That when he supposed that it escalated into more then just a feeling of responsibility. Just a simple emotion of brotherhood. He just didn't realize it due to the fact that he was in love with Annabeth. His love for her at the time was more passionate and powerful then the small crush he had for Nico at the time. A crush so small it could have been so easily ignored, to the point he never realized he had it in the first place.
It was later on eliminated when he found himself tricked and sitting alone in Hades's dungeon. He hated the son of Hades then, foolishly blaming him for it. He didn't know back then...
Well... Percy first figured that it was gone, till it formed later on in time, but now recalling and rethinking about it...
Maybe it was still there. Maybe it was always there, just waiting for its revolution. Maybe it was the reason for not only his constant concern and his secretive ways, but his always knowledge of everything the boy did, even with his happy and broken relationship with Annabeth, if he was even there or not.
Maybe that was why he called for Nico at the fountain... Maybe the crush finally took over then and it turned to be something more when it all come into Oltre Malavita...
Now it settled itself here: Percy starting down at his bed with wet hair and wrinkled pjs. He was hesitant to the action of falling asleep every night. It was like he fatally ill, and suddenly now had the medicine to save his life. He didn't know if he should take it or not due to the different reactions that may happen.
Every night, when Percy was asleep, he had a dream that linked back to Oltre Malavita. Yes, people normally dreamed of a beautiful place called either heaven or home, but Percy was seeing what was happening there. It was normal among demigods to have these kind of dreams, but it always freaked Percy out. Just seeing and hearing everything as if he was really there yet not... It gave him the creeps.
But he still took it as a good thing since he knew what was going on. He has seen phases of Nico healing back to his normal self. He was walking and talking and breathing just fine now, and was even out and helping with everything that needed help in the village.
Percy knew it because he was there. He was there every night when the nurses and doctors made him take his ambrosia, which caused him to heal quicker then anything else.
Percy saw him help build up the ruin homes of his citizens that were staying inside the castle for shelter, which was almost half of community.
Percy saw him standing happily on his balcony as he glazed down to his fully rebuilt kingdom. It was about a month ago when Percy saw that, so who knew how long it took, or how long it's been that way.
Each dream was a pleasant sight, making his heart full and heavy, in a good way. Yet, he was so scared of what he would see one day, if all of that was to change dramatically.
He knew it was stupid to consider rather he wanted to see his lover's doings or not, but it always have him fear to know what was really happening. It was so scared of seeing something that he really didn't want to see, like Nico with other, or another attack on his city. He didn't think he would stand knowing the knowledge and not being able to do something about it. He was scared of losing it like he did when the last battle took over. He never wanted to see Nico like that again.
Then there was his excitement and need for it. He wanted to know if everything was alright and developing from the ruins like it should. He felt bad for what he did, but he knew Nico didn't blame him for it, and the citizens didn't because it won the war once and for all. Yes, there was still some guilt at the bottom of his soul, but he was starting to forgive himself for it, like how Nico taught him to. Their was no life to live for him if he couldn't forget and forgive himself for all his sins.
With that, Percy climbed into his bed, tucking the covers over and underneath his body, and breathed slowly for a good sleep.
He soon found himself walking down a dark hall. He would normally find this odd, and somewhat of a warning of what was to come, but it was the hall of a very familiar place that, for a second, he thought he was truly in again. He knew he wasn't once he saw a ground of people in the throne room. He was put off guard by the sight and was about to ask for its reasoning for taking place till he realize the truth. He had tried many times before to come to no result of satisfactory. He has very screamed cusses in both English and Malavitian, yet none of them ever heard him.
He walked farther into the room to find that all of the soul present were the savants of the castle. They stood in a rectangle shape that took up most of the room. Percy walked down to stand between two of the men. They didn't seem to sense him, so he walked onto the narrow space in the middle. He turned about to look at that them all. They all held bored and blank expressions, which Percy found completely strange. He knew these people; they were his friends. He knew them to be some of the most loving and living souls, and yet, here they were, blunt and even worried.
"What's going on here?" Percy asked aloud. "What's happening here?"
He got what he always received wherever he asked something to them. The silence was so loud it buzzed inside his ear.
"Christ." He whispered out, taking advance of his invisible presence among them. He found it somewhat annoying, yet helpful, when needed.
He suddenly heard the sound of thumping feet coming. The demigod turn his head to the entree way behind the golden throne of bones, along with the rest of the souls that surrounded him. It was two strong and deep voices that he assumed were male. One was more high pitch then the other, like a squeaky wheel that was in need of oil. The other was mainly generated off his obvious annoyance that was aimed towards the other who was nagging at him. The two figures soon came into the light, circling around the throne, and Percy should have guessed it was them.
Bradshaw was ahead of Dion, like he was trying to escape the other within a walking paste. Dion, which was still an annoying twit as he always was, was flapping his arms behind Bradshaw like a chicken trying to fly. Percy pondered over the idea of kicking him while he had the perfect opportunity to do so. He still greatly dislike the douche bag after the meeting where he label Percy was a "unacceptable queen candidate." The son of Poseidon stuck his tongue out behind the Royal Court.
"I don't see why we must do this every time." Dion stated in a harsh tone. "We must prepare him to take the whole village, yet you insist on taking this small group first-"
"It's call a warm up, Dion." Bradshaw snarled at the man behind him. Percy thought it sounded as if Bradshaw would beat him to that kick. "We can't just throw the people to him without slowly working him up to it. He needs to strength before the workout."
"We are behind schedule! Bradshaw, the beloved God of the Underworld is probably seriously displeased with us for taking so long to finish the plan! If he wants it soon like the king has stated then-"
"Are you doubting the King's word?" Bradshaw growled at him. He hand haunted over his sword handle and Percy was preparing himself to grab Riptide if needed.
"No." Dion growled back. "I just saying that it's been years since the end of Construction and we must end out time here before another enemy finds us and we repeat history!"
Bradshaw didn't reply right away. He deadly glared at the Court before moving his hand away from his handle. "We can not go blindly into this. We need to prepare him or we are all doomed. It will leave us to be nothing but history."
Percy glanced around the room to find all the servants slightly worried by the argument that the two men held bluntly in front of them. They have never heard this before, but Percy has. He heard all about how it was referring back to the plan that Nico received from his father after the war. The one he got in person through another dream, like the same one he got before when he was ordered to get Percy out of Oltre Malavita. Percy still felt his muscles tense up in total hatred at the memory of his department, over his blame that he held for the father of his lover. God, he hated it all.
Anyway, Percy first predicted the plan within the first week of receiving the visions in his dreams. There were constant large drops of hints that linked together strongly but vaguely showed a picture. He had to think of it by himself, and then he got it.
From what he has gathered, Hades told Nico that he had to perform some kind of magical trick with the darkness and shadows of the land. In this trick, Nico would set everything right again, to where the the possibility of another set of the doors appearing would be officially impossible. He had to somehow transport the land of the undead back to its original location.
Percy was shocked to find this out, beginning with the sight of Nico coming back from his dream visit. Bradshaw and Dion were in the room at the time, and took action as the King woke up screaming from pain. Percy was useless in the effect, standing to the side in total fear till the problem was fixed. Nico finally woke up, and before Percy could hear the tale, he woke up.
Then, through the next series of events that he has seen, he put the pieces together and found it out. His actual option and emotion towards the matter was still a mystery though.
"We will finish this later." Bradshaw cut Dion off before he could snap back at him. They walked over to the end where they took there place in the formation. "No need to make a seen in front of the staff."
"Why not? Just makes the daily gossip juicier." A new yet unmistakable voice called back to them.
Percy felt his insides flutter as he turned to what was behind him. Oh yes, he knew that voice very well, in all kinds of tones and volumes.
He first found the backside of the heavenly creator, as he used his long legs to step upon the steps of the throne. The figure then turned around to face not only unseen Percy but the rest of the present party. Percy held himself together as he saw that tall, lean figure covered in black silk. He lost his breath when he closely studied the dark olive colored skin and the high cheek bones. He mainly focused on the eyes those. That's how he confirmed if it was really a vision from Oltre Malavita or not: If Nico's eyes were still truly blue instead of illustrating black.
He was still so powerful and royal like. It made him feel at home the most, the near fact of his close existence to him. The fact that he was actually real, that his dream like life was actually not that: a dream.
Nico raised his head high and scanned his eyes over every soul in the room. Percy felt him take steps towards him, like a desperate attempt for his lover to see him that he already knew was worthless. He felt himself internally whimper at the fail when Nico never looked at him.
"Are we ready?" He asked the group in whole. No one answered.
"Alright then." Nico then raised his hands then. "Join hands."
Percy walked out of the center of the rectangle as the souls around him followed the king's command. He wasn't sure what was happening, and wanted to know without being involved in it. He laid his back to the wall and watched the action carefully.
Nico raised his arms highs, like he was a preacher in church. It was a couple still seconds before Percy felt the slow buzzing of the ground and walls. He jumped away from the wall in a sprint due to the wild movement that pushed him off. He turned back to find the darkness of the room form into waves of shadows. They twisted violently and wildly before zooming above him to the group. There, the shadows span around and swallowed the group whole, forming a large dome shaped figure that took up most of the room, even causing Percy to stumble back in surprise. Then, when Percy thought it was about to take over, it rapidly shrunk back down to a smaller and smaller size, before it disappeared into nothing.
Percy, only then, with his back against the wall, alone in a bare room, realize what he saw.
"Shadow traveling..." He gasped at his discovery.
Percy had never seen the stunt done from an outsider's point of view. He had always seen it done by Nico, who just simply walked into a shadow, or was involved in it, which he always closed his eyes in due to fear.
Percy was amazed by it, seeing how it can truly be the trick Nico had to pull off. Could it be done? Percy wasn't sure, but he had faith in Nico and his ability to pull it off.
Percy wondered though... What exactly was Nico transporting? The answer somewhat worried him. He recalled how they escaped the Doors of Death (the first one) by having both Nico and Hazel transport the other six demigods back to the mortal world. He knew that Nico didn't show it and won't for his life, but it left the boy drained of his energy.
The hero also recalled how he was standing next to him at the time, holding his hand through the dark travel. Once Nico realize it, he pulled his hand away quickly, like Percy had burned him or something. He never thought of the motion again till that moment in the faded, stony, and grey room.
"So far..." He felt his lips move along with the whisper.
He was beginning to feel slightly worry about the group when the ground shook to life again. He stood himself steady as the black solid dome came back up from the darkness that clouded the floor. The dome grew larger and larger before finally exploding back into waves of darkness that rushed back to the walls it once came.
Percy watched the astonishing event before turning back to find the group standing where they once stood, like nothing in the pass moment never happen.
He noticed how Nico was sitting on the steps, holding his head with both of his hands.
Bradshaw was the first to move out, Dion following behind. Bradshaw dismiss the servants to work as they made there way to the king. Percy beat them to it as he jogged over to Nico's side. He reached out to grab his hand by soon caught himself in the act.
"What happen back there, my lord?" Bradshaw questioned him. The two men stood in front of them like adults to children.
"I don't know." Nico signed. "I got distracted by another shadow or something."
"That's the third time, sir." Dion added in. Percy glared at the asshole darkly, even if it went unnoticed. He scooted closer to Nico.
"I'm trying." Nico stated with a defeated tone.
Dion was about to say something back before Bradshaw glare at him from the side of his cold eyes. Percy had never been more thankful.
"You have done triple the amount of people we just did." Bradshaw confirmed. Percy calculated that to be about fifty people. "You just need more practice."
"He has to carry this whole kingdom back to the underworld in one phase." Dion snarled. "He has to do better then this."
"Stop." Percy growled at him. He knew they didn't hear him, but it ended there.
Dion wasn't happy with this so he stroked off, his shoes causing a clicking noise down the hall. Percy was happy for him to leave. He didn't help his angel in any way for the matter.
Bradshaw stood in front of him for a moment. Percy still snuggled up to his lover, laying his head on his shoulder as if they were alone.
"You're be alright." Bradshaw said as he follow his own way out. "You're be alright, sir."
Once the general was gone, Percy stayed were he was. He could slightly hear Nico's heartbeat with the soft humming of his deep breathing. Percy just sat on the steps with him, desperately clinging to his body, without even a single acknowledgement of him being there. He felt like he was so close, yet so far from his life saving grace that it both saved, yet ended him in one movement.
After a long moment, Nico stood, sliding away from his hold from his arms. He didn't move from his stance for a longer time.
"Whenever I shadow travel, I usually focus on where I'm heading to." Nico started as if he knew Percy was there and listening. For a moment, Percy believed he was. "Those times... I didn't think of my father's realm, or of the Underworld..."
Percy waited for his softly spoken statement to finish with what he wanted. He wanted for Nico to turn towards him and look at him as if he was really there. To look him in the eye and say his name...But, instead, his angel simply started walking away from him.
"Nico..." Percy called out without restraint. "Nico!" He called again. No result.
"Nico, please!" Percy cried. "Nico!" Ni-!"
Percy felt his body jerk wildly as he finally opened his eyes to a new secrecy. He was no longer in the grande throne room of the castle of Oltre Malavita. He was in the simple, blue cabin at Camp Half Blood.
Percy felt his emotions spark up like wild flames at everything he had just witness and experience. He realized his breathing was hollow and his back and feet hurt. He swallow back his rising wave of emotions that he was barely managed to control. He couldn't loose control, not here, not again.
He laid in bed for a long time. He didn't know what time it was nor did he care. He took deep breaths as he held his hair in tiffs inside his balled up hands.
Once he was okay and steady, Percy moved out of the bed and dressed himself. He looked out the window to find it very early into the morning with the sun slowly rising up for a new day. He walked out of his cabin to first see his boat on the dock, waiting for its opportunity to sail off into that bright sun that laid gracefully across the water.
Percy decided then to paint it then, figuring that if he was going to sail that boat someday, it was going to look good. When Nico comes back to him, he was going to take him on that boat and sail away from the world and crest a new one. He didn't want this world or Oltre Malavita. He wanted a new one where it was only them two. And that boat was his escape path.
Before he even knew it, Percy was on his way to the shed, where he found pure white and dark navy blue paint. He graded a handful of brushes and dashed off to his dock before he was spotted. He had till about noon before his first sword fighting class, so he needed to work fast of he wanted it finish in time for tonight where he would ask Chiron for a test sail.
Percy went straight for it, making the strive for linear and thick strokes of blue on the hull, and smaller one of white on the trim. Just like his vision.
He finished it in no time. It was surprisingly neat, considering that he was a demigod with the focus track of a goldfish. He would let the boat dry for the day and longer if needed, before he would try to get it in the water for its first sail. He was excited at the thought, visioning Nico on the dock. He was sitting with his back to the breeze, but his head turned towards it, making his messy black locks fly about his pointed face. His smile was beautiful and natural. His eyes bright and blue and perfect, like him...
Percy took the smallest of the brushes, the only one unused, and dipped it lightly into the navy blue. He climbed up on his wooden box, that was his usage of a ladder, and wrote the one word that was needed to complete his masterpiece. If this boat was to be perfect, it had to be named after him...
Angel
{...}
Thanks for reading! Please review! Only two more chapters after this one!
Also! I have been thinking about a separate spin off one shot after the story is finish. It will most likely be about... Oh wait... That will give away the ending, and we can't do that now...
Thanks again! Please tell me about what you think about the spin off in the reviews!