Hello everybody! I know it's been months since I've been on here, but apparently Le Underworld got much attention online and some people sent me messages asking for more chapters. Fun fact: in January I had posted a new story called Skeleton Flower, a continuation of Nico and Mina's story, but apparently nobody read it (hahaha) and I ended up deleting it. Honestly I haven't written anything new these last few months, but I'm going to post here the two chapters of Skeleton Flower, originally written in December 2022. I don't know if I'll finish the story because my life has changed a lot since then, but that's it, I hope you guys please read and like and leave comments because I really miss writing and I miss your feedback.
See ya!
Skeleton Flower
Chapter 1
We Don't Talk About Mina
- Can you water the flowers for me? - That's what Mina said before collapsing into her bed in a deep sleep.
Nico had no intention of heading back to Camp Half-Blood anytime soon, but he sensed that Mina was tiring faster and faster with each trip since leaving the Underworld and he began to worry about her safety, more specifically getting a safe place to sleep at night without having to be on the lookout as her nightmares had become more frequent.
So after watching her fall into her bed and automatically fall asleep peacefully, with no sign of fear, he knew he'd done the right thing.
Nico left Mina's backpack next to her bed. They had left with nothing, but ended up getting a few things on their visit to Camp Jupiter, where Hazel lent some clothes to Mina, who still preferred to sew her own shirts from dead roots and colorful flowers.
It must have been only the second time that Nico had entered that cabin, but the first time that he was so calm about it because now he and Mina were no longer strangers. Winter had begun and Persephone's cabin had acquired the same characteristics that represented her mother's feelings. Dead flowers, brown and gray colors took over the walls that last time looked cheerful and cozy. Even the flames in the fireplace didn't seem to heat the place as they should.
Nico approached the plants Mina had asked him to take care of, but they looked so dry and lifeless that he didn't bother to water them, as he felt that even a small touch could break them forever.
The son of Hades remained in the cabin despite having nothing to do there, perhaps the months he spent with Mina, traveling and having adventures around the world, made him even more attached to her.
"Maybe a little too much" he heard Hades' voice echo in his mind like an alien virus. Nico shook his head until that sense of invasion was completely gone. He didn't listen to Hades when he was out in the world, as his mind was always occupied with Hazel and Mina's laughter as she discovered things she had never seen before. But for some reason staying at Camp Half-Blood made him feel trapped in a cage where Hades had full access to him.
- I'll be back in the morning - Nico whispered to a sleeping Mina, who didn't answer, just seemed to mutter something in her dream world, which made him smile. He really hoped she could get some rest.
Dusk was falling rapidly and as the two wanted to avoid many questions they traveled through the shadows directly into Persephone's cabin, so Nico left there discreetly, since Hades' cabin wasn't that far away, locking himself inside quickly.
- No one needs to know I'm here - he took a deep breath as soon as he closed the door. The last thing he wanted after being away for so long was Chiron knocking on his door, questioning him for not responding Hades' complaints about running off with his stepdaughter or for supposedly being a "bad demigod", for preferring to do what he wanted than following orders all the time - I just need a shower and some rest...
- Hello son - Nico faced his father as soon as he turned around.
Hades looked like a pale, cadaverous statue standing in front of his bed. His black cloak looked too grand for that environment and when Hades tried to take a step, he ended up tripping over it.
- I knew I should have stayed in the other cabin - Nico grumbled.
- Oh, in the other cabin? - Hades said while trying to free his foot still wrapped in his cloak - You mean with Mina? Do you know how worried Persephone was ever since you ran off with her?!
- I didn't make her come with me - Nico replied, throwing his things in any clean place he could find - she wanted to. Free will, get it?
- Good - Hades finally composed himself as Nico threw himself on the bed, imitating Mina, but putting a pillow over his face so he didn't have to see Hades - but you haven't had to deal with Persephone all this time, her only consolation is that Demeter has watched over the girl up here.
- Was Demeter watching us? - Nico looked up, suddenly feeling weird and without any privacy - This is so creepy.
- That's a mother's concern - Hades said, pulling away the dirty clothes Nico had left on the bed the last time he was at camp with the stygian iron sword his son had left next to the bed - but I have nothing to do with it, well, we don't talk about Mina, Persephone and I. I only know that Persephone met her father in a place far away from here
- Maybe because you had hundreds of children before me, but you can't put up with a small transgression of your beloved wife.
Hades grimaced and Nico was sure he saw flames ignite in his intense black eyes, but he wouldn't apologize for saying that. According to Mina, Hades treated her condescendingly, like a walking mistake, the exactly same way that Persephone treated him.
- Then why did you come here? - Nico sighed, finally sitting up and taking the dirty boots off his feet - I need to shower and forget you exist for a few hours.
- I thought all campers shared a bathroom - Hades said, and started looking around the cabin, looking for a door.
- I've saved the world a few times, I think I have the right to have my own bathroom, you know, the world is evolving, and out-of-wedlock children are no longer treated like bastards...
Hades cleared his throat, his hair looked longer than usual.
- I came here officially to ask you to stay away from Mina.
Nico didn't react, maybe because he was finally feeling the fatigue of months of travel, or maybe because he knew that idea and words didn't belong to Hades, but to Persephone, it was obvious. His father was only there at her behest.
- I mean - Hades continued, but this time he seemed to awkwardly search for his own words – you two aren't dating, are you? That would be weird and... After all, it's not like you feel anything deep for her...
Nico wished that a hole would open in the ground and swallow him whole to escape that conversation, but he refrained from making that reality.
- I might be being stubborn - Nico said - but I don't know if you're the right person to give me advice on weird relationships.
- You're right! - Hades pointed to Nico, looking relieved - Glad we had this talk anyway.
The god of death got to his feet, still looking in disgust at the state of his own cabin.
- Just... Don't do anything you'll regret later, there's plenty of fish in the sea.
- What sea? Fish are dying because of pollution.
- That's Poseidon's problem.
Hades smiled, proud of himself for going there as his wife commanded
- Good, it was good to catch up son, and remember my words.
Nico nodded, feeling his eyes grow heavy as the vision of Hades melted in front of him, and he was thrown into a long, grotesque dream.
Nico woke up sweaty and panting, for in his dream he held a bloody ball, or at least he thought it was a ball. As he was the son of Hades everyone assumed he must have scary dreams, but he didn't, in fact unless something bad was about to happen Nico was a sound and peaceful sleeper.
After he took Mina out of the Underworld until she was truly safe and healthy, he dreamed of flowers wilting, but that dream had finally stopped happening since her life was saved at the last second. Hazel was also safe and there was no new problem with the gods, so he didn't know what that could mean.
He showered and changed into one of the vampire-print shirts Mina had picked out for him in Romania. Going through dark places full of tombs, this became their favorite pastime on the trips, when they went to the cemeteries holding baskets full of food for offerings while Nico summoned anyone who was willing to talk a little about his life when alive.
Mina loved the past, she wanted to know everything about those who came before her and she seemed delighted when Nico said that he spent years living in a hotel and that he practically must be ninety now, but he didn't know much about Mina, he really didn't. Nico knew nothing about her, for every time he asked her a question she refused to speak or changed the subject.
Persephone didn't talk about Mina, and apparently neither did she. The only thing Nico could do was pick up little traits of her personality and tastes from the time they spent together, for example, Nico found that English was not her first language as she sometimes spoke with an accent or seemed to forget some easy words, but when he asked where Mina was born she wouldn't say, and he didn't insist.
The visit from Hades, the bloody dream, and now these questions, Nico wanted to run away from that camp.
He left his cabin and ran to Mina's, hoping that she would be awake by now, since apparently, by the campers who seemed to be heading to their errands for the day, they had already missed breakfast, until he heard laughter and chatter coming from inside.
Nico had completely forgotten about Petros, the extremely pale and unfriendly boy he saw with her the last time he was at the camp.
Petros was the first to realize that Nico had arrived, and as soon as his violet eyes hovered over him Nico felt like grabbing a shield, an umbrella, anything to avoid them.
- You didn't water the plants - Mina said as soon as she saw Nico - they would have died if Petros hadn't come.
- I thought they were already dead - Nico said, still avoiding looking directly at the two. It was as if he had invaded an intimate and private moment between them, as the talk stopped, as well as the laughter.
- Why are you standing there? - Mina got up and walked over to Nico, leading him by the hand to his bed. That way she was in the middle while Nico occupied her right and Petros her left side.
Mina looked so much better after a good night's sleep in a safe place. Her face looked more smiling although her right eye was now completely black from the winter, and the colors in her left eye were barely perceptible. Winter seemed to get to her, as while Petros and Nico wore shirts with a jacket, Mina wore cold weather slippers and a thick coat over green pants. There were no signs of roots on her clothes this time and her hair looked shorter.
- I don't think you officially know each other - Mina said, trying to break that uncomfortable silence that hovered over them - this is Petros, he became my friend after you left, he is Hecate's son.
She then turned to Nico with a soft smile.
- But I think everyone knows Nico.
The son of Hades noticed that Petros seemed to turn red with anger for a moment, but he tried not to brag about the way Mina presented him. On the contrary, he wanted to remain a source of pride for her, someone she could count on and share part of her life with, like he did with her, and stop being the "boy who left her because was scared of feelings".
- Look what Petros made to me! - Mina held out to Nico what looked like an ordinary flower vase that would fit in the palm of her hand, decorated with blue paint and violet stars.
- A flower vase - Nico tried but couldn't pretend to be excited by the gift - cool.
- But it's not an ordinary flower vase - Mina continued, looking at the present as if it were the best thing in the world - it's an enchanted vase. Petros is a magician.
- That's not the right word - Petros replied. If the answer had been for Nico, it probably would have sounded rude, but since it was for Mina it seemed like an inside joke between them, making Nico feel even more like a third wheel there.
- Okay, Petros... - Nico tried to find something to say - Mina and I have seen many places, you've been to...
- I know where you went - his voice was exactly as he looked, taut and piercing - Mina told me everything.
Mina nodded several times and Nico started to do some math. She couldn't have told everything in such a short time, as she looked like she had just woken up, as her hair was wet and Nico noticed that there were freshly cut strands on the bed.
- I sent some Iris Messages to Petros while we were traveling - Mina said - I didn't think it was fair to leave him in the dark.
- No, I mean, you were right, you... - Nico stammered - he is your friend after all.
He tried not to look at Petros, but watched as the elf boy showed a grin from ear to ear to him.
- I could have gone to meet you - Petros said, staring at Mina, not caring about Nico - but you didn't want me there.
- It wasn't like that - Mina sighed, she seemed to really feel bad for the way he expressed himself.
Nico blinked, he didn't know what the sour, uncomfortable feeling was building inside him, but he didn't like it.
Knocks on the door served to distract Nico from the limbo of worries that was slowly drowning him. As Mina was the one living in Persephone's cabin she was responsible for opening the door, revealing an agitated Chiron before them.
- Glad you're all there - the centaur sighed in relief, but his expression didn't change - we need to go to the Big House now, especially you.
Chiron pointed at Nico, and then addressed Mina.
- And you.
Nico got up right away, afraid that it was one of his father's traps, but it wasn't.
- We have a new prophecy, come and listen.
