Hi there! So it's been quite a while since I posted anything on this site and lemme tell you, this one is an oldie. There may be a slight change in my writing style to previous chapters, so I hope it doesn't come off as too much of a disconnect! I'll try to match the styles as much as I can but I may be a bit rusty, so please bear with me :D

So I just have a few things to state, first of all, I started writing this back in 2012 before the heroes of Olympus series released, so I'mma just pretend that series didn't happen in this universe! This story is also set pretty soon after the original PJO series! However, despite that I do wanna try to get in some Will Solace, so I suppose this story is a bit of an AU!

Anyway I'm pretty sure that's all I need to say. I'm really sorry I haven't uploaded in about five years, but if people are still interested, I do want to try and continue this story to the end :)

Thank you all of you who are kind enough to come back to this story after such a long time and for those who may be new here, welcome!

Chapter Seven

I always found myself wondering what it was mortals saw anytime we engaged monsters in combat. I knew the mist would protect us for the most part, but still it was something I constantly thought about.

Before me were two Cynocephali, a Dracaena and a Drakon. Each equally as enraged as the others, all talons, teeth and flailing limbs. They came at us instantly, gnashing fangs and growling predatorily as immediately Thalia, Nico and I drew our weapons, our fathers seeming to be doing their utmost to disperse the humans from the street that had now become a battlefield.

Thalia and I stood back to back, watching as they came towards us, and immediately, Nico had sunk into the shadows, reappearing only in bursts and slashing his sword downward striking hard enough to incapacitate, but not enough to kill, offering us an opening to finish the monsters off quickly. He resurfaced only for a moment before he disappeared once more, reappearing in an instant and stabbing the stragglers with his stygian iron sword.

I was momentarily in awe of his deftness as I watched. His disappearing act had the monsters stumped as they all seemed to glance around wildly, not knowing when Nico would show his face next.

"Hey, Zombie dude, where'd you learn those moves?"

He reappeared momentarily, tapping his nose with a blank expression, yet seemingly taunting me at the same time, "Freaking Showoff!" I muttered

"Percy, focus!" I grumbled an apology as I cut off the Dracaenae's head, watching as it crumbled to dust at my feet.

Only one of the Cynocephali were left now, they were strange creatures, as most monsters were, human bodies with dog-like heads, they were faster than you'd expect too and at times I struggled to match their stride. Just as I was about to deliver the killing blow Nico reappeared, slashing off the creatures head with a smirk.

I simply stared at him slack jawed- "Death boy- that was my kill!"

He scoffed, with a roll of his eyes, "What can I say seaweed brain, you snooze you... " A yawn "lose" I darted forward, barely managed to stop Nico from hitting the concrete pavement "Uh, Will's… gonna...kill me." were the only words I heard him murmur before a series of soft snores cut through the silence.

"Will…? Thals it's killing me here, who the hell is Will?"

The daughter of Zeus simply shrugged "Hades if I know, could be a new ghost friend for all we know."

"No way Thals, he's been at camp longer than usual, maybe he's finally made a friend?"

We were currently back in our hotel room, waiting for Nico to wake from his badly timed nap. The long crimson curtains were pulled and the large room was lit up by some fancy ass chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings. Hades ducked in and out, checking on his sleeping son, but mostly staying in the hotel bar with his brothers.

"I'm gonna Iris Message Annabeth, I bet she'd know this mysterious Will!"

"Perce why are you so hung up on this?"

"Hey if the kid's finally making friends other than us, I gotta know! What if they aren't good enough for him Thals? You ever think of that huh?"

Thalia didn't respond, she just rolled her eyes at me.

"Hey come on, you can't tell me you aren't curious either!"

"Uh Fine Jackson, just call your damn girlfriend already!"

I rooted through my backpack that lay abandoned next to the bed on which Nico currently slept and rooted through it for a small rounded mirror, Thalia simply watched me with amused eyes as I plucked it from the bag, making my way towards the bathroom sink.

It took me a while to get the mirror at the right angle so it produced a rainbow from the running water. With my free hand I tossed a drachma into the sink saying my girlfriend's name.

"Annabeth Chase" She appeared in an instant, golden curls cascading in waves down her back, her stormy grey eyes gazing at me curiously.

"Percy? Everything okay?"

"Well we had a bit of a monster attack, but besides that, everything's great! How's camp?"

"Quiet-" She responded instantly, before her eyes widened, "Monster attack?"

"Ah don't worry wise girl, Death breath kinda overdid it with the shadow travel, but he'll be fine. Besides We've more important things to discuss!"

"More important than monster attacks?" She seemed bewildered as she tilted her head slightly,

"Yup even more important than that!"

"Okay…" She trailed off waiting for me to continue,

"Has Nico been making friends at camp?"

Annabeth literally spluttered at my question "That's your 'important thing?!' Seriously seaweed brain?!"

"Hey its valid!" I retorted,

"Where in the name of the gods did that come from?!"

"Nico, before he fell asleep, he mentioned someone named Will, c'mon Annabeth wouldn't you wanna know?!"

She sighed, rubbing her temples in what I could only perceive as defeat, "No Percy, not even remotely."

"Okay, okay, but do you know?"

She exhaled once more, "He was probably talking about Will Solace, he looked after Nico's injuries after the war and I think Nico took a liking to him, or tolerated him I'm not quite sure, though I did notice him going to the infirmary even after his wounds were healed."

I'd only spoken to Will Solace a handful of times, but he'd always seemed pleasant enough, not quite someone I pictured to be friends with the son of a death god though.

"Hey Percy, about those monster attacks-"

I eyed her curiously, her tone seemed solemn, her eyes taking on a more serious expression, "Be careful, I'm not quite sure why, but it seems like monsters are popping up far more frequently lately, so just keep your eyes peeled. Hopefully it's just the stragglers left from the war and nothing more but it's too early to tell."

I nodded, catching her eye and offering a soft smile, "I'll be careful wise girl, I promise. You take care of yourself too, I'll see you soon!"

She smiled back, nodding resolutely.

"I'll tell Will about Nico, I'm sure he'll want to know. I love you!" At her words the connection started to flicker and I barely managed to rush out an "I love you too" before her image faded away.

Nico woke soon after I'd finished speaking with Annabeth. He sat up and glanced around groggily, hands rubbing at his dark eyes. "Ugh, godsdamn it, I should've lasted longer than that."

"Take it easy Death Breath, we're all still recovering after the war, it wasn't that long ago y'know." It was Thalia who spoke first as she clapped him hard on the back. "Those moves were pretty showy though, that's gonna be pretty damn useful once you've fully recovered!"

I saw his lip quirk slightly at her words and she handed him a half-full glass of water. He nodded his head in thanks, taking a small cautious sip and I couldn't help myself

"So, Will Solace huh"

It took all my self control not to bust my ass laughing as he spluttered, coughing as the water caught in his throat.

"W-What about him-"

"When were you gonna tell me you made a new friend huh?"

Nico looked like a deer caught in headlights, just for a moment before he replaced his gaping mouth with his signature scowl. "Who said anything about friends?"

"Well Annabeth did say she saw the two of you spending an awful lot of time together after the war! It's okay Nico, no need to be shy-"

"Percy, I swear to the gods if you don't shut up within the next five seconds, I'll shadow travel you to the underworld and ask my father to keep you there!"

"Yeah right, like you could even shadow travel yourself to the toilet to take a leak in the state you're in!"

Nico simply huffed rolling over with his arms crossed and squeezing his eyes shut.

"Dude, what are you doing?"

"Going back to the land of the dead, I freaking hate it here!"

"Don't be such a-"

"All I received in response was Nico waving his middle finger in my direction, still facing the opposite wall.

"Fine then be like that!"

I heard Nico breath in sharply as though prepping for a retort before, emanating from the bathroom came the words "Iris Message for Nico Di Angelo."

The younger boy rolled over with a groan, shooting me an accusatory look as he stumbled in the direction of the sound.

All I heard then was a soft "Oh fuck"

When I turned around all I could see was the blonde haired, blue-eyed Will Solace stood with his hands on his hips, eyes practically narrowed to slits as he stared pointedly at a flustered Nico.

Now this was gonna be good...

Hey, so I hope you liked it, it's not that great since it's the first thing I've written since writers block started kicking my ass these last couple of days, but I wanted to write, so I hope you enjoy!