Promise is such a strong word. A deal struck between people being sealed forever.
But sometimes it doesn't last forever. Promises get broken. People lie. It's nothing new. Everyone lies, whether they know it or not. That's just how it is.
Nico had excepted that fact a long, long time ago. He had been hurt too many times by the people he had held close. But then why? Why did he hope you were different? Why was he praying you would keep your promise even when he knew you'd end up breaking it? Bianca hadn't kept hers and Percy didn't keep his. What makes you different?
"Hey Hot Topic, wish me luck today." Was the first thing he heard a week ago.
"Your quest starts?" Nico asked but he already knew the answer.
You were to head off on your quest today, go retrieve some item for the camp and slay a beast. He knew your prophecy front and back, but the line he couldn't bring himself to say was, "One shall die and one shall thrive" It made him sick just thinking about the chance that you would die.
You were his light. His life. You didn't know it but he loved you more than he had loved anyone. If anything happened to you he'd storm down to the underworld and demand you come back with him. When he first came to camp you were the only one who offered to play his silly card games. When Percy and Annabeth were busy you were there to keep him company. You were always there for him and he didn't want to go back to what it had felt like to be alone.
He grabbed your shoulders tightly, "Promise me you'll be safe?" He said and you gave him a warm smile. "I promise."
You interlocked your pinky with his and gave him one last smile before walking off towards your quest mates. With one final wave back to Nico you left down the hill and towards your quest.
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The next weeks were a living hell for Nico, he would know from experience.
The camp seemed so broken without you in it. There's was no one to stare at during meals, no one to make funny faces at. He couldn't even spar without thinking about how every time you were there cheering him on or there rushing him to Will because he had hurt himself.
He had trouble sleeping before but the nightmares of you never returning plagued his dreams. Everyday he'd wake up and ask if there was news about the quest. Each time he asked drove him closer and closer to the edge. It had been 3 weeks without you. Almost a month. Quest shouldn't take this long.
Maybe he was over reacting, maybe quests just seemed short to him because Percy was always in them, he was the one who made sure they ended quickly. That or the gods just liked to challenge him with a close deadline.
Either way Nico couldn't stand not knowing what was happening to you. He wished he could just shadow travel to you but he didn't know where you were at. He tried to iris message you but each attempt failed except for one but you had been in the middle of a battle with some monsters so he hadn't interrupted.
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A month had passed. A whole month without you. Campers had started to realize something was wrong with Nico. He had already looked tired but now he looked like he could drop dead any second.
Will tried to keep him company and make sure he ate enough and drank water. But he just missed you and he didn't want to replace you with Will. Sure he was kind and caring but he was no you.
"I'm sure he's okay." Will tried to comfort him as they sat under Thalia's tree.
"But what if he isn't?" Nico countered. He had opened up to Will about his crush on you and even his sexuality. Will had shared his in return and the two bonded.
