Merry Christmas everyone! This chapter will be a Xmas special. Also I an really sorry, morbid bookworm, I kind of took your idea of Will's birthday being in Winter Solstice. shoutout to that awesome writer, and if you're reading this, again sorry. I didn't have time to ask you. with these, Enjoy!
There were times when Nico really, really appreciated his family.
Once, about seventy years ago, his real family and he were sitting on a small, grey carpet that was next to a fireplace. Bianca was smiling as he talked about how good was he that year and Santa would maybe finally buy him that lovely pirate hat he'd seen a while ago. His mother would smile at him sadly, knowing that she didn't have enough money to buy that hat. They'd sit and talk for hours and hours, sharing their love. Bianca was happy, he was happy, and their mother was alive. One time, Nico even could have sworn that he saw a tall, similar man near the fireplace. That was their special place, nothing but family mattered. So when Nico asked if liking a boy was bad, the place was no longer their place. They had to leave the country just a few months after. And Nico never really saw that fireplace ever again.
The next Christmas he celebrated was empty. It was seventy or so years later, with his sister dead and a very heroic Percy Jackson trying to save him, ironically enough after he had caused his sister's death. And worse, a part of him wanted to believe in Percy. But he was also mad, so he ran away. He spent the Christmas crying in an empty graveyard. That was also when he saw the similar man again, only to find out that he was his father, Hades, Lord of the Dead.
After years of Christmases spent alone, angry and sad, Nico was not really expecting anything from that year either. It had been four years since he got out of Lotus, since his sister died, since he ever felt like he had a friend. He'd kind of lost his hope to Christmas. This would be his first Christmas in Camp Half-Blood. But he didn't like the month December, it was the month where Percy told him his sister's death, the month which contained the darkest day, longest month, which appeared to be Will Solace's birthday ironically. Nico found that quite amusing, but Will just scowled the entire day, like they'd switched roles. Nico really tried hard not to give himself hopes that this Christmas would be any different from others. But he now had a family and a very touchy Will Solace who were determined to make him feel home.
So when Nico came to breakfast scowling, thinking about his past Christmases, Jason raised an eyebrow. "Dude, are you okay?" he asked. "You don't look so happy. Cheer up! It's Christmas!" Nico just rolled his eyes and they started to eat.
After that, there were decoration with Will. Nico continued frowning as they put out the decorations and started putting them in Cabin Thirteen. "Can you please tell me why are we celebrating a Christian holiday, which is celebrated because of Jesus' birth?" Will stared at him like he was an idiot.
"It is Christmas! Everyone has the right to celebrate Christmas!" He put the star on the top of the tree. "Besides, last time I checked, both of us used to be Christians before we came here. Weren't you?" Nico shrugged.
"Christianity weren't the most comfortable religion back in my time. I lived in Italy, Will. We were Catholics. In Holocaust age. I was not people's most favorite human being." Will smiled.
"Come on!" he insisted. "Who couldn't love you? And why would anyone not like you!" He closed his mouth immediately, like he regretted something. He blushed.
"Well, I was out of wedlock, too hyperactive for a small kid, had an odd creature that didn't worship Nazis, an abomination. I understand their hate." Will raised an eyebrow.
"Abomination? Why would anyone say such word?!" He shook his head, more like he was trying to make himself a point. "You are not an abomination Nico. None of us are." Nico growled.
"You don't know why I use such word, Solace. Shut your mouth." To his surprise, Will growled back. "Then let me ask," he said. "Why did you use such word, di Angelo?" Nico fought the urge to choke him. This was Will, Gods' sake. There was no way he could hurt someone he loved. He sighed. This Christmas lightning were tiring.
"I was all against their rules," he stated. Will raised his brow again. "How?" Nico rolled his eyes.
"I was just about to tell, idiot!" He protested. Then he calmed down. "I was against their way of belief, both in Nazi and Christian way. ( I swear I have nothing against Christians. Nazis? Well… Anyway, believe in what you want. I am sorry if this offends you.) I wasn't the best in my birth anyway, but my qualities made it far too worse."
Will ran his hand through his hair. "And what do you mean by that?" He asked.
"Why do you need to know?" He asked back. Now it was Will's turn to roll his eyes.
"I am curious, you dummy!" He said. "I am curious why are you pressuring yourself too hard! Since when being different was a bad thing? I get it, okay, you were odd, abnormal, but I will not accept you calling yourself a freak, no mister, not in front of me." Suddenly, he looked sad. "You don't know how it actually feels like to be a freak, Nico. My own mother…" his voice trailed off. He looked away. He cleared his throat, and continued.
"Don't call yourself a freak. You may be different, but just because you're different doesn't mean you're a freak. You are a legend, a good one."
"I know how it feels like to be a freak, Solace. My mom didn't do anything but I know more than I should know! I know that Bianca left me because of it. I know we left Italy, my home because of it! I know that I nearly got myself killed because of it!" Will's looks softened, his eyebrows relaxed. "I am sorry that I spat," he said. "It's just that… I haven't talked to my mom since I was twelve, and the thing that bothers me is that she is not dead. She refuses to talk to me." They stayed quiet for a while.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Nico said quietly. "But I want you to know that you are never alone in some things." Again, his very own advice, applying to himself. Will sighed and stood up.
"Where?" Nico asked him. Will shrugged. "I was just going to finish the tree. Wanna join?" Nico shrugged and stood up as well.
After some quiet time they spent making the tree, Will finally asked. "You were Jewish, then."
"What?" Nico asked.
"Jewish. You said that Nazis didn't like you." Nico smirked.
"No, Will, I was not a Jew. To be honest, I think that I am something that all of the strict side of religions were against. Ironic, though, by the fact that they try to teach you that God or whatever loves you no matter what, he created you." He laughed with no humor. "The people though, they are mean. They discriminate everything that is different and they keep telling that difference was not a thing God or whatever wanted. When I was a kid, the last Christmas we spent in Italy ended with a neighbor hearing something I said- a confession. That was why all this craziness started." He looked at his hands. "I… I feel old, Will. I spent seventy years of my life stuck in a hotel and I don't even remember what happened. Vulnerable. But that was not all. You guys try to tell me that I should be judging things by this time period, but I just can't. It's not how I was raised. Hazel… She's worse. She actually remembers her past vividly, and somehow, we are expected to fit in. Hazel can, I know that she did, but me… I carry both the past and present trouble. I feel tired. I don't really know how much I can bear it anymore." He was shaking. Will put his warm hand on Nico's shoulder, oh Gods he's touching me oh gods oh gods was all Nico could think. His ice blue eyes were directed at Nico's onyx ones.
"Then don't," he said. "We can share the pain. After all, no one deserves to be alone." Nico blushed.
"What was it though, I am really curious!" Will said. He was back to his relaxed self. Nico sighed.
"I don't really know the today word, Solace. I just know that I am really not interested in girls."
The words cut the sound like a blade. Minutes passed as Nico mentally cursed himself and regretted what he'd just said. He glanced at Will, who looked like he was digesting ye information. He gulped. Oh Gods. What have I done?!
Realizing that it had been to silent, Will quickly started talking. "That's okay. You think you are the only one? No, no Nico, there are other queer people in this camp." Nico smiled.
"Queer? That's what they call it now? I can't even say the word!" Will started laughing.
"That's because you're an old Italian man, idiot." Nico joined his laughter. After they stopped laughing, Will's face became serious.
"But seriously, don't ever call yourself a freak, di Angelo. In fact, none of us demigods are freaks. Our parents… Not so sure. But we're not freaks. Yeah." Nico smiled.
The moment was gone with Hazel, Frank, Reyna, Piper and Jason rushing in. "Hey!" Hazel said. "It took you guys too long! We came from New Rome! Is it how you treat family?" Nico gave them a warm smile, which surprised them. "We were talking," he said. "Come on, let's go outside."
The rest of the day was spent with laughter, happiness and everything that Nico did not expect. After all, everything has a second chance, he thought happily, as he finally felt home.
Merry Christmas! Again and again, I don't mean to insult anyone. If you're offended, I am truly sorry!