A/N: Three days and I decided to post again. And im planning on chapter 8 being ready to post by thursday. As long as mi religion professor takes it easy on us this week.

Enjoy chapter 7 mi dears! I decided to practice mi super angsty writing ;)

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Nico stared at the spot Damen had been laying moments ago. Was he really going to try to help him?

It didn't make sense to the son of Hades. It was very rare for a demigod to try to help those wronged by their immortal parent. So if Eris was purposely doing this to Nico, why would Damen want to help him?

Nico sat up straight. Maybe he didn't want to help Nico. Maybe it was a trick, and Damen planned to make Nico's life even worse.

But there was little point in that as well.

Nico decided not to dwell on the strange man. He had bigger problems at the moment. And whether Damen wanted to help or not, his parting advice was not exactly terrible. Nico knew he shouldn't push his friends away like he did, but he was so used to his solitary lifestyle it was hard to accept their help and understanding.

He sighed and layed down on the bed that Damen had vacated. Ever since Bianca died, he had withdrawn himself from the company of others, convinced he could find his way on his own. Then when Percy proceeded to save his life countless times, he realized that he needed others. It had been a difficult change to make, forcing himself to visit the camp more, starting conversations with others instead of waiting for someone to speak to him first, even participating in silly camp activities like capture the flag.

It was funny to think back to when he first learned of his father and the existence of this entire world that he had previously only dreamed about. The excitement that coursed through his body, the readiness to make new friends that were just like him. That crashed and burned in under a month.

His thoughts turned to Percy, as they often did. He could remember with startling clarity the amount of awe and admiration he felt when he first met him. Meeting Percy was, at the time, as amazing as seeing real gods and monsters for the first time. A true hero that saved the world by slaying monsters and helping others standing right in front of him.

When Percy told him that Bianca had died on their journey, had sacrificed herself for them, he took his anger out on his hero. He thought if Percy couldn't save his sister then he was no hero. Everything he had learned and believed about his new world shattered to pieces and no one could help him pick them up. But when he summoned the skeletons, he was terrified that they would hurt Percy. He yelled at them to go away, and after they were swallowed into the earth, he looked at Percy. He was forced to run away because he didn't understand what he had been feeling. Thats when Nico started feeling confused about his feelings for Percy. And he ran away so that he wouldn't have to face those feelings.

It was Bianca who made him realize that he was being childish. She told him to stop blaming Percy when he did nothing wrong. Nico ignored his shattered life and tried to build himself a new one by helping Percy fight Kronos. But he betrayed Percy to his father when information about his mother was dangled in front of him like teasing a dog with a bone, only to be betrayed by his father. The look Percy gave him when he helped him escape from Hades cut through him sharper than his own sword could have.

Watching Percy bathe in the Styx was harder than he thought imaginable, but he ignored it in order to get Percy to the fight and help convince his father that he was an idiot and to help his family. But when the fight was over and all the celebrations commenced, there was nothing for him. His father was proud of him, yes, but he watched Percy give up immortality for Annabeth and it damn near killed him. Of course he didn't want to lose Percy to immortality, but watching as he gave such a rare gift away for her was painful. The pain he felt at that moment was what made him realize how much he really liked Percy. It wasn't just hero worship like he had thought before. He was jealous of Annabeth. How Nico had wished that he was the one kissing Percy instead of the blond. Of course when thoughts like that surfaced he withdrew again, only to resurface at hearing of Percy's disappearance.

Needless to say when he found Percy at the Roman camp he was shocked. The man he liked (loved?) had appeared before him in the place none of the others could go. It was a relief when his father forbade him from telling Percy or any of the others the truth. Yes, he felt a little guilty for not telling the others, but finding Percy lost without his memories seemed like a gift from the gods. But of course that was shattered as well.

And because the last time he offered his help went so well, he offered to help again, and landed himself in Tartarus.

He shuddered at the memories that surfaced at that thought. His thoughts began to jumble until the pain and sadness seemed to replace his blood and air. The tears ran down his cheeks as he faced the onslaught of memories.

The monsters tearing into his flesh, torturing him and leaving him helpless.

Percy giving him nectar after almost killing himself summoning too many of the dead at the battle for camp half blood.

Bianca's ghost telling him goodbye for the last time.

Blue birthday cake.

The terrifying new world that changed so much in seventy years. Lost in time.

Seeing the hotel his mother was in exploding into pieces.

Unable to find Bianca in the underworld.

Hearing that Percy was gone. Finding the Doors of Death. Being overwhelmed by Gaea's forces. BrightseagreeneyesstuckinajarlivingoffpomegranateseedsjetblackhairPercycametorescuemePercyfallingintoTartarus.

Nico jumped onto his feet and shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out of his head. He was alive. Percy was alive. Everything was okay for a little bit longer. He just had to keep reminding himself.

Nico moved his bed in front of the window to block the sun still streaming through creating a dark mess of shadows in the corner of the room. He needed to leave, clear his head, try to remember how the hell to breathe normally.

Nico stepped into the shadows and focused. A moment later, the room was empty.