Sacrifices

The Way You Make Me Feel

Nico stood behind Persephone, dread bubbling up his chest and compressing his lungs, leaving little air for him to breathe in the warm summer air. The two waited in anticipation as they stood in front of the manor, waiting for someone to open the door as a response to Persephone’s earlier knocking. 

    Heavy footsteps soon sounded, and when the door opened, Nico could see fifteen year old Percy Jackson standing proudly in the doorway, wearing bright blue flip flops to match his simple blue T-shirt and jean shorts. His black hair was as wild as Nico remembered it being, suiting well with the crazy look in his sea green eyes. 

    “Hi! Good to see you, Mrs. di Angelo.” Percy greeted, offering a hand to Persephone, who shook it firmly. 

    “Mr. Jackson. I’m here to drop Nico off.” She claimed, suddenly stepping backwards so she could get her entire hand on Nico’s shoulder to push him forward. Nico stumbled, not expecting the tiny shove. 

    “Nico!” Percy cheered, suddenly making his way to wrap Nico up in a hug. Nico wasn’t exactly used to hugs. He rarely got them, and didn’t exactly know how to respond in the situation where he would be given one. Thankfully, Percy released it almost immediately after he gave the younger boy contact, so Nico wouldn’t have to ponder on the subject for long. 

    When Nico was released, he gave the older teen a small wave of his hand to match the tiny smile on his face. He was still trying to break his habit of not talking to people, but it had gotten better ever since he met Percy. 

    Because he finally had a friend. And he was a little concerned that he would scare off Percy if he admitted he didn’t like talking willingly, so after several weeks of speech therapy, his voice had returned, he just didn’t need to use it much. Percy was the only person who really talked to him when they hung out, and Nico hadn’t really had a friend before him, so of course he was going to be scared that Percy would abandon him. 

    If Nico pondered on that subject, which had happened only twice, he found himself comparing losing Percy like losing his dad. The first time it was unexpected, and he wasn’t prepared to think that. When his brain unhelpfully supplied the idea, all Nico could remember was screaming and not having enough air to breathe. 

    Persephone had explained that he had a panic attack, and Nico immediately decided that he didn’t like panic attacks. The second time it happened, he was halfway through a rather long and teasingly slow panic attack at Jason’s house. His heart beat against his chest like a repetitive gong. Nico’s breathing had become ragged, and his vision faded in and out multiple times. Jason found him tucked under a staircase, and Nico had tried to blend in with the shadows to avoid worrying him. 

    Jason, however, didn’t let that happen. He quickly calmed him down, and for the rest of the day, Nico talked with Jason about his bottled up feelings and emotions. While Nico still refers to Percy as his first friend, it was always Jason. But he always cancelled him out because the two were related through their fathers, and Nico didn’t really count his family as friendly. 

    Thalia was older and just didn’t talk to him much. His uncle, Zeus, was just as scary as his own father, so he only held a conversation with the man when he was talked to first. Persephone treated him like garbage the first few years, but over time he got used to her bitterness. 

    He had found that if anything, Persephone had at least one thing in common with him. They both were sick and tired of waiting for Hades di Angelo to collect himself and become a good husband and father. Was Persephone still sometimes distant and cold? Of course. But Nico understood why she was, and he would be a hypocrite if he called her out on it.