A/N: So then, I hoped you all enjoyed the last chapter, and that it made sense to all of yah. Anyway, hope yah all keep on reading, I've already gotten most of the plot lined up at this point, including the ending (I'll try not to make it too depressing). Also, I kept forgetting Percy's mom's name, so I just call her 'Percy's mom' for now. Anyway... So then... Read on!
Warnings: Cursing, violence, drug references. All the normal stuff.
"Don't think of a minute I believe this 'sickness' crap" -Percy
Sender: Nico di Angelo (darkangel_13)
Received: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)
Date: 4-25-10; 5:21 AM
Subject: School...
Hey Percy, I probably won't be at school for the next week or so, do you mind telling all the teachers for me? That, and I kinda don't want to fall that far behind on homework, so if you could come by some time this week to drop off any homework that'll be great.
Anyway, did Amiee totally kill you for telling her I couldn't go to the whatever-it-was?
Anyway, if you could just drop by and drop of my homework, that would help me.
-Nico
P.S
I'm sick with some flu thing with a really long name; I forgot it about two seconds after learning what it was.
Percy looked over the e-mail quickly, reading it a few times just to make sure he understood it. He also kept looking at the clock. It was nearly midday now, but what the heck was Nico doing up at five AM? Since when was he a morning person, Percy thought.
Percy sighed and stood up, stretching his arms. Thursdays off never came often, and so he felt like he should be enjoying it, but for some reason he wasn't. He shook his head and walked out of his room, trying to figure out why he was so... Upset.
"Are you ok?" His mother asked as he walked out of his room. Nodding soundlessly, Percy sat down in front of the TV and turned it on, barely even paying attention as he flipped to some channel he didn't bother to notice.
Taking his silence as a 'no, and I don't want to talk about it', Percy's mom kept silent, finally giving Percy a small kiss on the cheek as she left for work.
Percy sighed, looking at the TV, his mind not even paying attention.
Something was wrong with Nico. Firstly, since when did the boy get up anytime willingly before noon, and since when was he even able to do anything besides groan before eight AM; let alone send an e-mail explaining why he wasn't coming to school.
And then why he wasn't coming to school. As much as he might convince Amiee, Percy knew Nico well enough to know the boy could probably last through bio-chemical warfare, simply because he was immortal to most sicknesses. And he had a hard time believing that Nico randomly gets sick the same week Percy notices that he is practically bruises and cuts pulled together by small skin fragments.
Nico had also seemed a lot quieter, and this was even for Nico... Sure, Percy had come to terms with the 'new' Nico (I.E, a Goth, slightly depressed and dark Nico) after he turned ten and his sister died on her exchange trip, but this was an all time new depressed Nico.
And Percy didn't like it one bit.
Sender: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)
Received: Nico di Angelo (darkangel_13)
Date: 4-25-10; 1:40 PM
Subject: RE:School...
Ok then Nico, but I have to wonder, what's up with you?
You've been acting really sullen (as in, more then usual) and I can't remember the last time you spent more then thirty minutes with Amiee (including the five classes you share with her). You've been silent and haven't been doing much more then looking around at everything (but other people), and you haven't been paying much attention to anything either.
Seriously man, what's up?
I'm trying to look out for you here, so tell me what's going on!
-Percy
P.S
Don't think for a minute I believe this 'sickness' crap.
Nico groaned to himself as he read the e-mail, feeling sick (for real this time) at the thought of getting Percy involved with his problems. And no, it wasn't him being some 'stuck-up idiotic male' or anything to do with his 'manly pride'. No, he just didn't want to get Percy involved in anything dangerous, and getting him in this would probably count as harmful for his health.
Sighing, Nico looked around his room, wondering if he could ask his father to let him out and take a short walk around the block. Being locked in your room sucks; when its a day-off from school its even worse.
Switching back to groaning, Nico got out of his seat and fell onto his bed, face first and just laid there for a few minutes. Then he heard a knock on his door.
"Nico? I've got a few things I need you to grab for me." Hades' voice drifted into Nico's room, and the teen barely suppressed another groan. Doing things for his father always backfired, like the time he was supposed to drop off the mail. Of course he hadn't meant to drop the bills down the sewer pipe, but he did anyway. And the time after that, when he was trying to drop off a few flowers to his current girlfriend... Well he hadn't meant to drop them into a pile of mud, but of course he did (on accident this time, unlike the time he dropped the box of chocolates down a rain-drain on purpose).
Forcing himself into a sitting position, Nico looked at the door, an absentminded look on his face, as his father opened the door.
"Yes father?" He asked. Hades seemed to give Nico a look of utmost disliking before his face went blank again.
"Here," Hades threw a piece of neat notebook paper at Nico, which the teen was barely able to catch. He quickly scanned the list, finding nothing out of the ordinary (milk, cereal, toliet paper) until he looked at the bottom.
"Dad... I can't get this," Nico told him, pointing at the bottom of the list; ciggaretts. Hades glared at his son for a few seconds before his face went blank, again.
"You're a smart boy, you'll manage. Now have it before dinner and you can invite your friend, whathisname, over." Nico sighed as his father left the room again, and stared at the list.
"Damn it," he finally swore under his breath.
Sender: Nico di Angelo (darkangel_13)
Recieved: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)
Date:4-25-10; 2:30 PM
Subject: RE:RE:School
No, seriously Percy I'm pretty sick. I guess I'm just a little out of it (something like that) and need a few days worth of rest to get over it. I'll be fine Perc, I swear.
Anyway, I guess things with Amiee and I aren't the best, but I'm pretty sure we'll get through it. Sooner or later.
Please Percy, trust me, I'm really sick (for real).
-Nico
Percy looked at his e-mail and muttered a few things under his breath. Most of them curses.
"God Nico, why won't you tell me?" The teen muttered under his breath, standing up from the computer and yawning. Checking his e-mail at ten PM probably wasn't the smartest idea ever, but he needed to know Nico's reply. And he hadn't had time to check before, seeing as his mom insisted he go with Annabeth to 'shop for some new clothes'. He didn't buy anything though, although Annabeth wouldn't need to wash her clothing for a while, with the amount she bought.
Not to say that she was a mall-rat, Percy thought to himself. She could just use some time away from a creditcard, that's all.
Percy sighed and looked around his room. His bed was a mess (he had been unable to sleep), heck, his room was a mess (he didn't enjoy cleaning anything, let alone his room). He finally decided he should work on the World War Two project; he might as well get something done after all.
Sitting back down on his seat, he pulled up the internet and suddenly decided to reply to Nico's e-mail before he did anything.
He had a few words for the teen.
Sender: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)
Recieved: Nico di Angelo (darkangel_13)
Date: 4-25-10; 2:34 PM
Subject: RE:RE:RESchool...
Nico. Seriously? How long have we known each other? Don't answer that. Do you think I'm an idiot? Don't answer that either. Do answer this; are you going to tell me what the fuck is up? I KNOW something is up, and I seriously am only looking out for you. You're acting depressed, you aren't answering my questions, and God knows what else is going on at your house.
Do you trust me? You can answer that question.
If you do, why can't you tell me? I'm seriously only trying to look out for you. If you won't tell me, tell your dad. Or a teacher. Or someone you trust.
I'm looking out for your own good Nico, if this continues I'll have to tell someone about it.
-Percy
P.S
I'm serious Nico, dead serious.
Nico wouldn't be able to check his e-mail for some time, he was currently trying to find a place that might sell ciggaretts to a teen. Sure, he could try his luck and get an older person to buy them for him, but Nico knew something would go wrong. And hey, at least this was a good excuse to be out of the house, even if it was trying to get things for his father.
Sighing, Nico looked at the tenth 7/11 he had visited that day. He looked into the windows and was pretty surprised to see nobody in the store; or at least the storefront. Deciding to try his luck there, Nico headed across the street to the store.
Entering the 7/11 with only a soft bell ring alerting anyone inside of him entering, he looked around and headed to the counter. Ducking around a few racks of general merchandise, he dashed behind the counter and grabbed a few packs from different brands, figuring his dad had to like one of them at least.
Making his way out quickly, Nico only glanced around the dark, dimly lit street before dashing across the road to the other side.
Sender: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)
Recieved: Nico di Angelo (darkangel_13)
Date: 4-26-10; 10:45 AM
Subject: What's going on?
Hey Nico, I just wanted to e-mail you, seeing as you haven't answered any of my calls or any of my other e-mails. What's up? I mean, what's wrong? You haven't been grounded (again), have you? And why haven't you come back to school? I dropped off your homework (obviously, unless your dad has been hidding that from you), but Hades wouldn't tell me anything except that you're sick. Which, obviously, I've heard and I'm not buying.
Nico, its really unlike you to be sick this long, and you've always answered my e-mails when I send one to you.
Come on, aren't you going to answer?
-Percy
Checking his e-mail for what could be the fifth time that day, Percy sighed and got off his e-mail after seeing another empty inbox. He sat in his chair for a few seconds, tapping his fingers lightly on his desk. His life seemed to be taking a firey nose-dive towards terrible.
Annabeth was mad (and upset) that he seemed to be paying more attention to Nico then her (which was strange, because she normally wouldn't care). Amiee was acting more and more insane and depressed, and sometimes went as far as to randomly cry and hug Percy (to Annabeth's obvious annoyence). And, on top of all that, his World War Two project was due in two weeks and he still had no idea what he was going to do.
And this is before he even started thinking about Nico.
The teen had a curious father, sure, but his dad was always busy with work, so that could explain a lot. The first time Percy met Nico, he had been a happy, energy-filled kid eager to try living in a new town. Then his sister went to who-knows-where and died, so it could be understood why Nico seemed to get depressed. It had been startling (to say the least) to watch him change. It had caused Percy pain just by watching, and thet knowledge that he couldn't do anything to help the kid.
And the other fact that he, Percy Jackson, had told Bianca di Angelo about the trip made him feel even guiltier.
Nico condeming him for it didn't help much either.
Still, Percy looked out of the younger teen anyway, and soon they worked out of the mess (admittedly Nico had to see a few people to help him through his problems, but that was to be expected). Then Nico and Percy grew close, real close.
Percy sighed and looked up at his computer as a soft 'ding' noise alerted him.
New Message!
His computer cheerfully told him. Percy raised an eyebrow as he opened the message.
Sender: Annabeth Chase (wisegirl_6)
Recieved: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)
Date: 4-27-10; 10:13 AM
Subject: Is Something Wrong?
Hey Percy, I was wondering if you could call me sometime soon. You've been awfully quiet and you're not nearly yourself anymore. I'm your girlfriend, can't you tell me what's going on with you?
Does it have something to do with Nico and him missing the past few days?
-Annabeth