"I'm guessing you two failed at kidnapping Nico?"
"No actually, he just left."
"Any idea where he is? I have something I think he'll like."
"Oooh what?"
"None of your business Sparky." lol
"Come on Piper just tell us."
"Nope."
"Please."
"Don't think I will Ariel."
"Ariel?"
"You're the little mermaid, don't even try to deny it. By the way, meet Annabeth and I at cabin ten tonight. I'm going to find Nico, bye." Piper said walking off to cabin thirteen."
"Help bro, what do I do?"
"No clue bro, good luck."
"I'll need it bro."
"You aren't getting out of it bro, might as well own it."
"I guess bro, what do you think Piper needed Nico for?"
"Solangelo updates?"
"Hope so, they're my otp."
"Oh my gods same they're so cute."
"I know right." So then two of the most powerful demigods of all time, children of the big three, fangirling.
"Nico are you okay?" Piper asked walking into the Hades cabin, the door was open and she could hear coughing. She walked into the bathroom and saw him curled on the floor. "Are you alright, what happened?"
"Mmmhm," Piper sat down next to him and helped him get up. "Thanks." Nico mumbled, she took out his hair that had been messily tied back and brushed it out with her fingers.
"Is this what happened last time?"
"Swear on the river of Styx you won't tell a soul."
"I swear on the river of Styx I won't tell anyone about your eating disorder." Nico winced at the word, a tear fell down his face.
"It's happened every time after the jar, no one knows."
"If no one knows how are you getting help?"
"It'll go away on its own eventually."
"Nico it isn't easy with help, I don't know how you'll last alone."
"I've been fine for now, I'll survive."
"Surviving and living are different things."
"McLean I'm fine, just leave. Why did you come here in the first place?" Nico said holding back any other tears.
"I've been meaning to give you this for a few days but I couldn't find you." She said handing him a small black box, it had silver detailing around the edges and on the lid. Nico flicked the latch open, a light blush covered his face when he saw what was inside.
"Thank you so much Piper." Nico said pulling her into an awkward hug,
"It's just some eyeliner, eyeshadow, nail polish and stuff I thought you would like it."
"How much was it? I'll pay you back."
"It's fine; just remember our last conversation isn't over. Please Nico at least consider getting help, you don't have to struggle."
"I'm used to struggling, it's easier than getting help."
"It's hard to ask but it'll be so much easier for you in the long run."
"What long run? It's just deadly quest after deadly quest, half of us will be dead before twenty."
"Take a deep breath." Piper said spinning some charmspeak into her voice, Nico obliged. She placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm not going to force you into doing anything, but please tell someone. Someone who can help you properly, my suggestion is one of the Apollo kids but just find someone who can help."
"No, people worry to much. I'm fine, I've survived this long I can survive longer."
"Nic-"
"-thank you for the make up Piper, but please leave me alone."
"Just consider it." Piper said while getting up,
"Fine." After she had left the room, Nico broke down. He couldn't have anyone know how weak he really was, he just hoped it would go away on it's own soon. Piper words rang in his ears but one person knowing is already too many, he didn't know what to do anymore. The ghost king walked out of the bathroom and opened the locked box that was hidden under the floorboard and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, another thing on the list people didn't know about. He lit one and breathed the smoke in and out until it burnt out, he felt so useless. Nico reached into the box and grabbed a bottle of vodka he'd been saving, it was almost full. He took a sip, just enough to feel it burn down his throat. He needed to get himself together but it was so much easier to lose himself, he heard a knock and froze. "Coming." He said throwing everything in the box and shoving it under the floorboard and unlocking the door.
Annaneth was standing behind the door, "Oh, hey. What are you doing here?"
"I was bored and also Kayla's looking for you."
"Why?"
"She forced Will to take the day off but he said you still have half a day in the infirmary so she's plotting to kidnap you."
"Course she is, um...Annabeth."
"Yeah?"
"Do you...know how to do eyeliner?" Nico asked fiddling with his fingers.
"Yup."
"Can you teach me?"
"Sure, let me guess Piper gave it to you?"
"How did you...?"
"I have my ways." Annabeth grinned before walking inside, "Why does it smell like smoke in here?" Nico ignored the question and handed her the eyeliner, "The first one easy enough, just getting the second one to match is annoying."
"Alright." Nico half whispered before being half pushed on the bed. Annabeth knelt down in front of him and started drawing a line.
"Nico stop moving so much, I'm on the verge of messing up."
"Shit sorry."
"I mean you'll be the victim."
"I guess so." The son of Hades laughed,
"I'll show you how to do it yourself in the mirror, anything else you want me to show you?"
"Honestly half the things in the box I have no clue how to use."
"Lucky for you I have nothing to do today."
"Thanks Annabeth." The two got up, walking towards the mirror but Annabeth tripped over something. "Are you alright?!" he asked kneeling down beside her,
"Yeah I'm fine, just what's this?" She asked not waiting for a response before lifting up the floorboard, the box had been left open and unlocked. "Nico what's this about?" The daughter of Athena sifted though the box seeing everything Nico had desperately tried to hide, oh shit, he thought to himself. "Nico why do you have alcohol and cigarettes hidden under your floorboards?" Tears fell from his eyes, his breathing was short.
"Please don't tell anyone." He curled up. Annabeth grabbed his shaking hand,
"I won't." She pulled him forward into a hug, stroking his hair.
"It... helps- me cope." Annabeth tightened the hug letting the small boy cry into her shoulder.
"It's not healthy but I won't judge, it's better than what I did. But how much?"
"Not that often, I'm... better than I was a couple years ago."
"When did this...?"
"I was maybe twelve, it was the only thing that made me feel okay. Then... something happened and... well I-I wasn't so keen on not being drunk or high while I was alone." She ran her fingers through his hair.
"Do you want to tell me or not?"
"What did you do to cope?" Nico asked desperately trying to change the topic, she rolled up her sleeve.
"After Percy went missing and when we all thought he died, I... almost jumped once."
"Do you want to tell me?"
"He'd been missing for so long, practically no hope in finding him. I was depressed and half dead, thought I would finish it off."
"What made you stop?"
"Someone else was there, for the same reason I was. We talked each other out of it, I'm so happy we could save each other."
"Who?"
"I'll let them tell you that story if they want to."
"It was around a year ago, after the battle of Manhattan. Got drunk and high, I was walking around trying to not feel anything. I could barely walk, got stabbed with a needle, woke up an hour later. Well I think you can put two and two together. Anyways can you please teach me to do makeup now? It scares me."
"Ghost king scared of makeup, sure let's go. But I'll be making sure you're okay and not getting addicted."