[A/N] Hey there it's been a while! Sorry this took so long to get out, I'm working on rewriting the chapters I already have published so the story flows better, basically I'm trimming the fat on this story. Why? Because I feel as though I'm trying to set up a much too complex plot for what's basically my first attempt at a multiple chaptered fanfiction. The way the story's going now it's easily novel length and that scares me, hence the rewriting. So don't expect any new chapters after this for a while, just better versions of previous chapters.
[DISCLAIMER] I don't own PJO.
"But I thought you could only shadow travel with two people at a time?" Annabeth asked ignoring Percy's grimace.
"So?" Nico asked unsure of the point she was trying to make and smirking at Percy's grimace.
"So, there's three of us." she said as if she was talking to a child, Nico scowled at her. Thalia smirked at them both while Percy still looked distinctly displeased with shadow traveling.
"So, I'll take you and Percy first then come back for Thalia." Nico said imitating her tone and smirking as she frowned.
"The grand canyon's a bit far for you to make four trips isn't it?" Percy interjected hoping this would give him the excuse to find an alternate way there. Annabeth nodded her head along with Percy train of thought sliding slightly closer to him on Nico's bed, she loved it when Percy made an intelligent observation.
"I'd be lucky to make it half that far by myself and live." Nico said, grudgingly admitting that even he had limitations. They all sat in silence, the three contemplating what he said while Nico waited for one of them to speak.
"Are we going or what?" Thalia finally asked shattering the silence a cocky grin playing across her face. Nico smirked nodding his head and looking at Percy and Annabeth for signs of mutiny.
"Let's go then." he said moving to stand next to the open bathroom door and the shadows within it. He held out his hands for the two to take, Annabeth did so without pause, Percy on the other hand looked slightly quesy and hesitated before taking his hand. The three stepped into the shadows dissappearing from Thalia's sight.
"Thank the gods thats over!" Percy said yanking his hand out of Nico's the moment they left the shadows, Annabeth giggled letting go of Nico's hands and moving to comfort her boyfriend. They were in a forest, the trees were evenly spaced showing that it was man made. Nico stepped back fading into the shadows yet again before emerging from his bathroom. Thalia stood up from where she was sitting on his bed and moved to meet him by the bathroom door.
"Are you ready?" he asked, just a tinge of concern evident in his voice, his hand extended towards her. She smiled genuinely at him before nodding her head and taking his hand, the contact sent goosebumps running down her spine and put an odd fluttering feeling in her stomach, little did she know it was having much the same effect on him.
"Yeah, lets go." she said a light blush spreading across both their faces as they stepped into the shadows. Just like last time it was harder to shadow travel with her, he could feel the darkness clinging to her and trying to pull her from his grip. Then they were out of the shadows and standing a few feet away from Percy and Annabeth. Thalia felt Nico's previously tight grip go slack in her hand as he tumbled face first into the ground.
"What happened?" Annabeth asked rushing forward to help Thalia flip him over onto his back Percy a step behind her.
"I don't know, he just passed out." Thalia said the worry clear in her voice, she shook his shoulder slightly and then more roughly. His eyes slid open drowsily one more so then the other, he yawned.
"Are you okay?" Thalia asked her electric blue eyes focused intensely on his black eyes, he nodded slightly stifling another yawn.
"Yeah, just a lil' tired." he managed to slur out before his eyes drooped closed again. Thalia sighed in relief, Percy and Annabeth shared a knowing smirk unseen by Thalia.
"So any idea where we are?" Percy asked breaking the silence, Thalia was seated on the ground next to Nico while Annabeth was sitting next to her.
"No Idea," Annabeth said looking at him and shrugging, Thalia scowled down at Nico's unconscience form.
Nico woke up with a stiff back and the intense need to empty his bladder. He stood from where he was sprawled on the ground stretching his stiff muscles as he did so. He took in his surroundings noticing Percy and Annabeth snuggled together in a pair of sleeping bags conjoined together and Thalia a short distance away from the two curled tightly into a ball. She looks cold he thought absently before walking away to find some bushes acceptable to his needs.
Thalia was half asleep when she was awoken by the sounds of something walking away from her, her time with the Hunters had taught her how to sleep with one eye (or ear in this situation) open. She lifted her head from its resting place on her arms to see Nico strolling casually away. She yawned streching her arms as she did so, she shivered slightly, it was colder today.
Nico finished his business turning to go back to the others he pulled his cigarettes out opening the pack and pulling one out before replacing the pack. He pulled a lighter from a different pocket using it to light the cigarette before putting it back into his pocket. Inhale, exhale, repeat. The other's came back into sight, Percy and Annabeth still snuggled together while Thalia was digging through her backpack, she pulled a pack of Newport 100's and a black lighter out. She was facing away from him but could hear his quiet footsteps growing closer, she lit her cigarette. Inhale, exhale, repeat.
"Mornin'." she said turning to face him smiling slightly, he nodded his head in response before sitting down with his back against a tree a few feet away. Thalia put her cigarette in her mouth before putting her arms behind her her back and pushing her chest forwards in an attempt to crack her back, the tight long sleeved shirt she had worn to sleep in emphazising her somewhat ample cleavage, several satisfying pops later she stopped.
"What?" she asked obliviously taking the cigarette out of her mouth, he was staring at her his eyes glazed and his mouth hanging open. He looked away quickly shifting where he was seated doing his best to adjust the sudden tightness in his pants without it being obvious. Inhale, exhale, repeat.
"Nothin'." Nico said not looking at her, a blush creeping across his face thankfully unseen by Thalia due to the scant morning light. Thalia watched him intently looking for signs, seeing none she shrugged her shoulders deciding to forget it. Inhale, exhale, repeat.
"So, where are we?" she asked after a minute or so of Nico doing his best to look at everything but her. He took one last drag off his cigarette before crushing it into the dirt next to him.
"Somewhere in Ohio." he said still not looking at her, his blush had subsided unlike the bulge in his pants. The image had burned itself into his retina, he wasn't sure why it had been so appealing or why it continued to pop into his mind despite his best efforts to focus on other things. Thalia put her cigarette out in the dirt next to her, her eyes on the sleeping forms of Percy and Annabeth.
"They look comfortable." Thalia remarked attempting to make small talk, she was awake now and wouldn't be able to go back to sleep no matter how hard she tried.
"Warm too." Nico added rubbing his hands together and blowing on them for warmth, she smirked. They sat in silence both watching the sleeping couple, Percy's light snores were the only sound in the clearing for a long time. Nico occasionally stole glances in Thalia's direction, as she did in his, finally their eyes met. Nico's head whipped around to face away from her a fierce blush crossing his face, Thalia stared at him intensely. A small grin grew from the slight upturn at the corners of her mouth almost as quickly as a plan formed in her mind.
She stood abruptly picking her sleeping bag up and draping it over her shoulders before strutting confidently towards him. He stared resolutely at a tree in the complete opposite direction of Thalia. Her light footsteps were only audible as she got within a few feet of him, he gritted his teeth, doing his best to mentally prepare himself for anything before turning his head to face her.
"Move over." Thalia ordered, Nico looked up at her confused but did so nonetheless. She sat down next to him, throwing part of her sleeping bag over his shoulder and leaning against aforementioned shoulder. Nico blushed profusely his spine rigid and his palms suddenly sweating, Thalia's cheeks were flushed. They sat in silence, watching the sleeping couple and doing their best not to look at each other.
"They'd never let us live this down if they saw it." Nico remarked as casually as he could manage, his mouth felt oddly dry and his throat was tight, Thalia laughed softly. They sat in silence a while longer, some of the awkwardness dissipating from the atmosphere around them.
"I wonder what they talk about when their alone." Thalia remarked more to herself than anything, she hadn't even meant to say it out loud in all honesty. Nico turned his head to look at her out of the corner of his eye, she was watching the sleeping couple apparently deep in thought.
"Oh Annabeth, your so smart and hot." Nico said Immitating Percy's voice almost too good, his adopted speech mannerisms were in no way complimentary.
"Shut up I'm trying to watch the discovery channel, Seaweed brain." Thalia replied doing her best to immitate Annabeth but failing miserably, Nico snorted turning to look at her one eyebrow raised and a smirk plastered on his face, his blush was only a light coloring across his cheeks.
"That was a horrible impression." he said bluntly, "This is how you do it, seaweed brain." he added in a strangely Annabeth like voice, Thalia couldn't help but laugh at his use of a phrase commonly used by her.
"Should of done it yourself, wisegirl." Thalia remarked mimicing Percy's usual response and doing a much better job with his voice then Annabeths, it was Nico's turn to laugh, he hadn't expected her to continue the shtick.
"You're pretty good at Percy but you suck at Annabeth," Nico said through his laughter "what are you a dude?" he asked jokingly.
"Shut-up." Thalia said grinning as she rolled her eyes and elbowed him in his ribs, he winced. The sun was starting to peek through the tree branches lighting up the forest with the new light of a fresh day. Percy muttered something in his sleep as he threw an arm over his face to block out the sun, Annabeth was facing in the opposite direction and was unbothered.
"We should probably wake them up soon. . ." Nico said trailing off, hoping that Thalia would disagree and they could sit there for even a minute more, the girl next to him sighed softly.
"Yeah." she replied somberly before standing up and taking her sleeping bag with her. She walked confidently over to the sleeping couple, her sleeping bag clutched tightly around her shoulders.
"Wake up sleepyheads!" she called in a sing-song voice while leaning down over them, Nico had an amazing, as he would refer to it, view of her as she bent over the slumbering couple. Annabeth stirred slightly mumbling something incoherently as she did so, Percy was too deeply asleep to be awoken by anything as civil as this.
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