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xi. beer (or: camp 1)
Unlike the barricade of mortal parents clustered by Thalia's Tree (and Peleus the dragon, though that part they may not know), Nico and Will got to follow their brood through the camp borders. They saw Percy and Annabeth and Jason and Piper and Clarisse and Chris and the Stoll brothers navigating camp as well- dropping children off, trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves... But mostly Nico and Will walked around camp and tried to pretend they weren't related to anybody because it had been made expressly clear to them not to be embarrassing. When six children said the exact same thing, it was hard to pretend to have 'misunderstood'. Six was basically an army- that's where Nico and Will had gone wrong.
Getting to camp was always a whir of excitement and they lost their kids one by one to its wonder. Within two seconds, Marie Culkin -head counsellor of cabin 8- had pounced on the twins and told them that the Athena Cabin was on a ten-week Capture-the-Flag winning streak but that three of their players were out for the week and the Ares Cabin had sworn blood on the River Styx. Lucia had cracked her knuckles, Teresa had said something in the style of 'let them try', and after two more campers disappeared in the cabin, it had shut its doors.
A musical, delighted laugh had preceded the materialisation of Calixa Courmier, who wrapped her arms around an equally thrilled Daniel- they'd walked over to the Muse's shared cabin after a quick goodbye. Cata was so happy to be back at Camp and so energised by the grounds' rush of magic that some of her dreadlocks turned gold or green. She kissed each dad on the cheek quickly before rushing back to the Hecate cabin where other hyperactive magic kids were waiting. The chimney spurted blue smoke, and its windows glowed. Two small children of Demeter, Daisy and Duke, came to grab Francesca's bags and fire off about anything and everything that had happened since her last visit. Daveed Cohen, Cabin 13's current counsellor, came to say hello to Francesca, and pay his respects to Nico- who promised to stop by later.
Emilia was shy. She held onto Nico's hand, hiding behind him. He knelt in front of her.
"Your sisters and Daniel disappeared for a reason, and they're right," Nico said. "Camp's a whole new place, and a big, big place- but you have to make it on your own, tesorino."
"He's right," Will said. "You're twelve-years old now. You can do it, baby girl."
Emilia chewed the skin between her thumb and forefinger and looked around hesitantly.
"I'm scared I'll have a seizure."
"You haven't had seizures in years, baby," Will said. "But if it happens someone will catch you and they'll take care of you and watch your head. Chiron is one of the best healers I've ever met and my brother, the counsellor of the Apollo Cabin? He's amazing."
Emilia nodded. "What if the kids laugh at me because I can't read?"
"Most of the kids here have trouble reading," Nico said.
"But they're dyslexic, not stupid."
"You have FAS, you're not stupid," Will said. "You're not the only one here with ADHD either, or sensory processing disorder, or who wears glasses and contact lenses."
Emilia chewed her thumb again. Nico tapped her hand and she pulled her hand from her mouth.
"Look, I know it's hard to believe Emi, but nobody's alone at Camp Half-Blood," Nico said. He wished he could convey the weight of the First Prophecy, the stigma around children of Hades' and his years of loneliness to Emilia- just to prove to her that if he could fit in after all of that… She would too. She would be happy and safe here. She would make friendships that would last a lifetime. She would be happy.
"Will I be okay?" Emilia asked.
"Of course, baby," Will said. "Papa helped you pack last night, you have everything you need. Cata and Daniel and everybody else are right here for you. You'll meet your other brothers and sisters, other kids who dance, and tons of other people you'd never have thought you could be friends with. You'll have a great summer."
"Hi," someone said walking up to them. His copy-pasted, magazine-ready good looks and the walkie-talkie clipped to his waist gave him away before he introduced himself. "My name's Ben Oskar, son of Zeus, counsellor of Cabin 1 and head of the welcoming committee."
"Emilia Solace," Emilia said at once, holding out her hand. Ben shook it, kissed the top of her hand which made Emilia smile and made Nico want to punch something.
"Could I help you find a cabin, or would you like to see Cabin 11?" Jesse asked.
"I'm a daughter of Eros," she said.
"Wonderful," Ben said. To his credit, Ben's enthusiasm only flickered a little when he heard Eros. It could have been worst. Now that was something that only Emilia could deal with. It wouldn't be fun. Nico anticipated plenty of Iris Messages.
He spoke into his walkie-talkie. "Ben to All. Could I get Stella Sponza by the hearth please, Sponza by the hearth- I have a Green for you."
Emilia looked over her shoulder, heavy curls falling over her eyes. Nico smiled, trying to look encouraging. Emilia turned back around. In her jean cutoffs and her pink top and her half ponytail she looked grown up, Nico thought, even if she was only twelve. That was a scary thought. She was holding her suitcase tightly, knuckles turning white. It comforted Nico a bit that he could still remember in which corner Pippa, the stuffed rabbit, was packed.
Ben turned back around and smiled.
"Your counsellor's busy, but your sister-cabin will be by," Ben said. "That's, like, a bigger Olympian cabin that partners up with a minor god's cabin- you know, to have fairer numbers during Capture-the-Flag, fill up the bathrooms during shower times..."
A tall, lean boy with curly black hair and pieces of broken hearts stuck to the underside of his shoes (probably) surfaced.
"There we go," Ben said. "Emilia, meet Eric, son of Aphrodite. He'll show you around and find someone to help you get settled in."
"Hey," Eric smiled holding his hand out. He lacked Ben's grace and his eyes lingered on Nico and Will for a bit. "Nice to meet you Emilia. Want to say bye now or later?"
Emilia turned around again and then opened her arms. Will hugged her first, kissing her hair.
"Love you."
"Will you write?" Emilia asked.
"Of course."
She lowered her voice. "And draw lots of pictures instead of words, sometimes? So I don't have to read?"
"When don't we?" Nico asked as she shifted over to his arms. "Have fun."
Eric helped her drag her trunk away, and Will's arm snaked around Nico's waist.
"Shall we make ourselves sparse?" Nico asked.
"After we drink, of course," Will said.
"Gods, if there was ever a year where we needed it," Nico said.
Nico always found it difficult to just leave his kids for a summer. Of course, the fact that they were at Camp Half-Blood helped. But it was a hard pill to swallow that they couldn't help their kids through 'being a demigod'. All the drama within their cabins and with their godly parents? It meant nothing that Nico and Hades had come close to family therapy fifteen times; his kids had to work it out for themselves. Swordplay, monster recognition, emergency first aid, mythology lessons? Yes; they did have to come to camp to learn these things, Nico and Will could only do so much. And of course, knowing how brutal Capture-the-flag, chariot races and swordfighting lessons could be was a bit hard on Nico's nerves (though he hadn't particularly questioned it when he had been a camper).
They walked back to camp and saw its summer skin form. A bunch of musically talented kids (Daniel included) were sitting around the hearth and playing music for the other campers. None of their beds were made, probably. Nico saw Hestia, sitting on the ground and nodding her head to the music. Nico wondered if Daniel knew he had a goddess in his audience. Chiron was trotting about, shaking hands and catching up with campers who had been away for a year. Francesca was probably in the strawberry fields already- with her brothers and sisters and the children of Demeter. The children of Zeus were flying kites which zoomed and twirled and twisted around- the children of Poseidon were making friends with the river nymphs and pulling out canoes and kayaks for the other campers. The nymphs were so hyped about all the new arrivals that a warm breeze blew through camp, carrying the smells of strawberries and pine. Someone on the climbing wall was already yelling. Campers were daring each other to poke Peleus the dragon. Armour and jeans, sneakers and weaponry started to mix together. Girls braided each other's hair and then compared knives three feet away- or at the same time. This was camp at its finest, on its sunniest, best day.
They let themselves into the Big House as Percy crossed from the kitchen to the rec room, carrying a beer in each hand. In the main room they heard Piper telling a story, the Stoll brothers' unmistakeable laugh…
"Hey," Percy smiled. Grey hair was settling nicely atop his head, and he waved a hand. He tossed the beers to someone in the rec room. "Chiron put some beers in the fridge for us this year, so there are a couple of cold ones left... Want a shot of nectar in yours?"
"Drinking alcohol in its grubbiest form in the Big House, totally inconsiderate of others," Mr D mumbled as he glided down the stairs of the Big House grumpily. "As if this day isn't hard enough for me, all these brats coming back. Should have turned you to shrubbery, all of you. And you two especially. How many are you two overgrown brats dropping off this year, twelve?"
"Six," Will corrected him. "Pleasure to see you again, Mr D."
"Six!" Mr D said. "Six is plainly an exaggeration."
"Holy Styx," Percy said. "Emmie's twelve… You're dropping off all of them this year, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Nico said. "She's big enough, now."
"Wow," Percy said. "Yeah, shot of nectar in that. Leo was supposed to bring vodka too, so just hold on a second..."
