Confidence & Pride// [Percy Jackson OC]// Book 5

{Chapter Seven}

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"Oh I've seen trouble more than any man should bare
but I've seen enough joy I've had more than my share"
- Trouble (Avicii)
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ARYA GETS TO SHADOW TRAVEL

ARYA ATE DINNER LATE THAT NIGHT, wanting to be by herself. She was pretty sure Percy had gone to see Mrs. O'Leary and everyone else had gone back to their cabins for an early rest, something that was common nowadays.

She was enjoying her meal best she could before she was interrupted by an Iris Message incoming for her. She sucked in her breath and let it ring for a second, it had to have been Nico, he was the only person she talked to that wasn't in camp. Last time he had reached out she shut him down, she couldn't do that to him again.

She accepted the call and saw the weary face of Nico shimmer together through the mist.

"Arya, thank the Gods, I was worried." Nico said when he saw her face.

"Nico? Worried about me? There really is a first for everything." She was joking, but her tone came across as more stand-offish. Nico still laughed slightly to make her feel better.

"We need to talk. I actually just called to tell you I'm almost at camp with Percy towards the capture of the flag woods."

Then the call ended almost as fast as it started, leaving Arya very confused. Nico hated camp, he wouldn't step foot in here unless it really was important.

She put her head in her hands and let out a long winded sigh. "Looks like there really won't be any time to rest." She grumbled before pushing to her feet and stalking off to find the emo boy.

It took her a good half-hour to actually get to Nico, and when she did, her eyebrows raised in confusion as to why he was walking Mrs. O'Leary.

"I couldn't find Percy."

"That's okay. He found me first. He's deep into the tree line over that way arguing with the fat Satyr." Nico said as he tossed a stick to the hellhound, who ran off with a wagging tail after it

"So you decided to walk a dog." Arya said.

"Volunteered." He corrected as Mrs. O'Leary brought the stick back and came over to Arya for some pets.

Nico wasted no time diving into the deep stuff. "You shut me out yesterday. You've never shut me out." His voice was heavy, clearly it was something that really hurt him. Nico had spent two years as an outcast trying to find his place, he had finally accepted Arya's help and now it looked like she might not want him around either.

She jumped quick on the defense, feeling very sorry she had hurt him. "I know, I was just going through a lot, and just... couldn't"

Nico nodded in understanding, knowing fully well what it was like to wake up some days feeling like you were too heavy to even sit up.