A/N This is one of the longest chapters yet, because so much happens...
Enjoy!
It's a good thing Jules-Albert doesn't need to sleep or anything, Nico thought, or this would take even longer.
They'd been driving straight through the afternoon, into the night, and then out into the morning again, stopping only once at services to buy food and use the toilets. About two hours ago, Will had finally dozed off after sitting awake for the last thousand miles. Which was great. What was not great, however, was the fact that the blond had neglected to pack a pillow, and opted to use Nico's shoulder instead.
Which wasn't so bad, actually, Nico reflected, glancing at his sleeping boyfriend.
No, the bad part was that they'd been like that for two hours. Will's head was heavy.
Drumming his fingers lightly on the red velvet arm rest, he turned his attention to the window. The countryside was still rushing past, the same way it had been for the last... nineteen hours. It was getting a little dull, honestly. Having slept through the night - "Sleep!"
"It's dark. I can't!"
"I'll turn the lights on!"
"I can't sleep with the lights on!"
"I'll turn them on anyway."
"Thanks Nico."
"Zzzzzz..."
"..." - he was now rather bored. Great driver though he may have been, Jules-Albert was not much of a talker, and endless solo games of 'I'm thinking of something...' gradually lost their thrill.
Especially when they all went along the lines of: "I'm thinking of something blond. It's sleeping - it's Will. I'm thinking of something blond - it's Will. I'm thinking of - it's Will. Also, the next one is Will. And the one after. - How did I guess that?"
Great fun.
The car went over a pothole in the road and Will's head slipped off his shoulder.
"Whasssat!?"
"Morning, sleepy head. Zeus, my shoulder hurts now..."
"Sorry about that - oh, no!"
Will looked away, pink in the face, from the sleeve of Nico's shirt. "Please tell me you didn't drool on my shirt, Soleggiato."
Will didn't answer and Nico groaned. "You have really bad bed hair."
Will patted his head. His golden hair was matted just above one ear, where he'd been leaning, and really spiky on the other side. Nico couldn't help himself, and started ruffling it up again.
"Stoppit, Death Boy!"
"Or what, Soleggiato?"
"The city, master," announced their driver.
XxX
They had arrived in the middle of a carnival. There were people everywhere, in all manner of brightly coloured costumes and masks; vendors waving scraps of ribbon into people's faces; fluorescent floats with scantily clad dancers on; shops boasting charms and amulets, shoes and hats, face paints, and -
"Food." They spoke together, then headed for the nearest bakery.
Sitting at a small table under a stripy awning, Nico found himself having to forcibly restrain himself from stuffing whole croissants into his mouth. Will but into one and moaned as chocolate dripped from the hole he'd made in it.
"These are sooo good..."
Nico had more pressing matters on his mind. "How are we going to find the demigod in all of this?" He gestured to the procession.
Will shrugged. "Wait for a monster attack..."
"So responsible, huh?"
"This is my first time out of camp, excluding war and a trip to New Rome. Let me enjoy myself..."
At that moment, they became aware of raised voices from inside the bakery.
"It's my business what I'm doing with it!"
"As the owner, I must ask that you provide a reasonable explanation for this -"
"You have such bad taste in these things! Blue taffeta? Honestly!"
"Well you can go jump off a bridge!"
"Maybe I will sell that house after all!"
They glanced at each other in confusion, then back at the occupants of the cafe. Friend had turned on friend, patron on owner; and in the midst of it all, a small boy snuck out of the door and down an alley, several boxes of pastries clutched in his arms.
"What the -?"
As the arguing died down, a tall, bulky figure split from the rainbow flow of costumes and moved purposefully towards the same alley.
Nico exchanged a glance with Will, then they stood up in unison.
A scream echoed out of the alley way, followed by a thud and a snap. Drawing his sword with a jerky movement, Nico gave chase, will on his heels.
In the narrow gap between buildings, the boy was curled up on the floor by one wall. The monster had shed his blue cape and mask and was towering above the child, fangs bared, saliva dripping in thick ropes from its foaming jaws. Three straight, jet black horns ran from the top of his head down to the centre of its back, like a bizarre, three stranded mohican, and short fur covered its sinewy torso. It had a bull's head.
It kinda looked like the minotaur; if the minotaur decided to go punk, worked out more, pierced its ears, and wore nail varnish.
Will appeared to be thinking the same thing. "Hey... that looks like the -"
The creature swung a meaty fist towards them - Nico ducked - Will did not. He hit one wall with a sickening crunch, then slumped, motionless, to the ground.
The beast swung its fist again, and Nico rolled between its legs, came up behind it, and swung his sword. The trio of horns came clattering to the ground.
The young boy whimpered.
The monster turned just in time to watch as Nico's sword plunged into its chest. It exploded in a shower of gold.
XxX
It took a while to bring Will round. When he did finally wake up, he was able to say, with no small amount of certainty, that nothing was broken. He did, however, admit to having an awful headache.
The boy had not moved in all this time. When the two advanced on him, he let out a small squeak and tried to back further against the wall, clutching his wrist. Nico stood back and let Will talk to him.
"Hello. I'm Will." Will smiled. "Are you alright?"
The boy nodded jerkily.
Will picked up a box of pastries and held them out. "Do you know what happened?"
Grabbing the box with his other hand, the child nodded. He was very dirty, and dressed in rags. His hair was matted with filth, and though it appeared black, could have originally been almost any colour. Some of his ribs stuck out, and his face was too thin.
"We can protect you from that kind of thing. What's your name?"
The boy seemed to think for a moment. "Badger."
Nico breathed out slowly through his nose, and Will, still smiling gently, shook his head.
"No, your real name."
"What Uncle called me?"
"Yes, that's the one."
The boy shrank a little. "Waste-of-space."
Will looked at Nico. Poor kid, Nico thought.
"Okay, I think we'll call you Badger. Can you stand up, Badger?"
The boy - the demigod - Badger - stood up slowly, still keeping his wrist in close to him.
"Can I see your wrist please, Badger?"
Badger held out his wrist. It was quite clearly broken.
"Nico, come here."
Nico took a step forward, and Badger recoiled. "He's got a sword! Don't let him -"
Here we go.
"Badger, this is Nico. He's my... friend." Owch. "He saved you from that monster. Please let us help you."
This time the boy allowed Nico to approach and place a hand over the break. Will placed a hand over Nico's, and Nico felt the warm feeling that appeared every time Will healed with his help wash through him. Badger's snapped back into shape.
"Will you come with us, Badger?" Will still spoke softly, as though to a frightened animal. "Where's the nearest hotel, do you know?"
XxX
The hotel was ridiculously expensive. Nico had looked at the price list and then turned to walk away again before Will called him back.
"Isn't your dad the god of riches?"
"Oh, yeah."
XxX
As soon as they entered their newly rented suite, Will handed some clothes (Nico's clothes, out of Nico's bag) to Badger and told him to go wash.
He came back a full forty five minutes later, with brown hair and grey eyes, and hunched in a chair as Will explained everything.
"That must be so scary!"
"It isn't, not really. When I fight, I just -"
"Please." Nico felt suddenly angry. "When you fight? When do you ever fight?"
Will stood up and glared at him. "I fight loads!"
"No you don't. You let me fight. And you are scared. You're always worrying and -"
"At least I can explore caves! You end up crying in a corner every time you go underground!"
Nico drew in a sharp breath. "At least I can still walk around at night! I don't spend half my life being scared of shadows!"
"Guys, please..." they both ignored Badger.
"I don't need you to protect me all the time, Nico! You're not -"
"Not what? What am I, Will? Your friend? I heard that, you know! You don't accept me really!"
"I don't accept you? You're the one that refuses to tell people!"
"Guys, please!" They pretended they didn't hear.
"I never! I'm the one that has to protect you from your own stupid mistakes!" Where was all this resentment coming from?
"You don't have to protect me! I can defend myself! I don't need you!"
"Then go!" Nico pointed at the door. "You won't last ten minutes without me!"
"MAYBE I WILL!" The blond boy stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Nico's anger melted away on the spot as he stared at the door, wondering what had just happened.
On the sofa behind him, Badger started to cry.
XxX
"My Lady, I found Hypnos!"
"Took you long enough, Beauty. Charity here found the mortal in less than half the time."
"I do my best, my Lady."
"I apologise, my Lady."
"Why did you wish to see me, Lady?"
"Hypnos. Can you remove certain memories with Lethe?"
"No. Lethe is an all or nothing deal: it only leaves muscle memory and sometimes their own name."
"That's useless. You may leave."
"Lady."
"Charity, take the cup of Lethe and dispose of it."
"Of course, my Lady... Argh! I'm so sorry, my Lady, I apologise -"
"Just clear up the spillage, girl. And take the mortal from my , you may attend my hair."
"My Lady."
"My Lady."
A/N So... I know pretty much nothing about New Orleans, broken bones, alley ways, fighting, or bakeries, so if 've got something wrong, please do tell.
Your reviews light up my day!
Thanks to Silver Huntress of Artemis and JoJoDragons for being amazing!
~Fi