The Shadow Command (A Nico di Angelo Fancfiction)

Chapter 3: The Last Straw (Part 2)

I quickly cut off Frank's connection and sat down on the hard floor of the forest.

*Nico's POV*

I couldn't think. I couldn't see, my vision was blurry. I could vaguely hear shouts from the campfire. Had it really been that long? I closed my eyes and a picture of Will came to the front of my mind. I didn't know when I had started sobbing silently. I realised I was sitting at the exact spot I used to hide in when I was feeling sad. Will had discovered my hiding spot and used to search for me here whenever I was missing.

*Flashback (Italics)*

I was crouching behind the rock amid a group of about twenty tall trees. I had passed Zeus' Fist to get here. Another day where it was clear I didn't belong. We had been asked to pair up for the campfire, and as usual, no one wanted to pair up with me. Usually, Will would, but this time there was a new Apollo camper (seriously Apollo, you and Hermes need to slow down) and Chiron asked Will to help her. I heard Will's shouts "NICO! Where are you? Come on, just come out!" But I didn't want to. And I wasn't going to. But I guess Will didn't want to give up either. I heard his footsteps coming nearer, till it was just about two feet away from me. It was too dark for him to see me hiding, so I stayed absolutely quiet, hoping he would realise there was no one there and go back. But, Will, I've got to admit is a good searcher. He looked behind all the trees and finally came to the rock. I knew he would find me, so I just let myself be caught. I laid down on the ground and peeked behind the rock saying "Hey". Will looked down at me, hands at his hips and a stern look on his face. "What are you doing," he asked?

"Clearing my head"

"Clearing your head or hiding?"

"Who said it couldn't be both?"

Will sighed and sat down beside me.

"You know you can talk to me right?"

"I know, I just wanted some peace!"

"Well, talk to me now. What happened?"

"Nobody likes me. Tutti mi evitano e pensano che io sia spaventoso. Nessuno vuole accoppiarsi con me e io sono scuro e sono cupo e dovresti andartene finché puoi."

I sat up feeling agitated. Will scooted over to sit beside me and took my hand in his.  

"Nico....ci piaci. Non sei solo. Hai Hazel, Percy, Ja- I mean umm Reyna e infine......hai me."

At this, I looked up in shock. I could not believe Will learned Italian for me. Will smirked at my shocked expression and put his arm around my shoulder. I leaned into him and whispered "Gracias". (A/N - Is that Spanish or Italian. I honestly do not know. Whatever it is, it means 'thank you) He looked down and kissed my forehead, before making me get to my feet and dragging me back to camp.

*Flashback ends*

I shakily stood up and started walking to camp. As I neared Zeus' fist, I heard two campers whispering "......ollo cabin sings so terribly."

"I know, especially Austin. And when he plays an instrument? Even worse."

"Yeah. Thankfully Solace isn't here though. He was Terrible with a capital T."

"IKR."

I realised they must be Aphrodite kids because nobody else would say 'IKR' in a verbal conversation. Also, Will sings well. How dare they?

"And he spends so much time with that creepy guy from the Hades cabin"

"Creepy for sure. It's like the shadows are drawn to him. And he radiates darkness. He's a monster in disguise"

Hearing that, felt like a rusty dagger to my stomach. I guess I always knew those words were true. I was a monster. There was no denying that.

I quickly ran out of the forest and up to Thalia's pine tree. The campers were still at the campfire. I looked hungrily at the food but shook that thought away. Hiding in the shadows I ran to my cabin and packed my bags. I was leaving. I was never accepted here and would never be. There was no point. As I threw random stuff into my bag, I realised I grabbed a picture......a picture of me and Will. Thinking about him made me sick to my stomach. I then realised that feeling may have been coming from the fact that Will was being judged. RIGHT NOW.

I missed most of the stuff, but I did manage to grab that he was sent to Elysium. I was relieved. At least he could be happy, even if I wasn't. I grabbed my bag, slung it over my shoulder and walked back to Thalia's pine tree, hidden in the shadows again. I couldn't risk shadow-travelling because I had to save my energy and I didn't have a lot of ambrosia and nectar. As I got there, I looked down to see Peleus half-asleep, half-awake. He made a soft noise seeing me. I laughed, something I rarely do. Only Will could make me laugh nowadays. But I guess Peleus could do. Good to know he didn't betray me. I walked past the barrier and into the forest. I was going for good and I was not coming back.

(A/N - 904 words.

Hope you have a good day, thanks for reading and bye...

Yours truly, daughter of Apollo/Aphrodite,

Eliza)