WAIT FOR ME [ nico di angelo ]

Have Hope

TO SAY IT was stupid of Nico to thurst his hands into the river would be an understatement, but Louis trusted him. And if he didn't and had waited longer, they would pass out and die. Better to try something foolish and hope it worked.

On first contact, the fire wasn't painful. It felt cold, which probably meant it was so hot it was overloading Nico's nerves. Before he could change his mind, he cupped the fiery liquid in hid palms and raised it to his mouth.

He expected a taste like gasoline. It was so much worse. Drinking from the Phlegethon was like gulping down a ghost chili smoothie. His sinuses filled with liquid flame. His mouth felt like it was being deep-fried. His eyes shed boiling tears, and every pore on his face popped. Nico collapsed, gagging and retching, his whole body shaking violently.

"Nico!" Louis grabbed his arms and just managed to stop him from rolling into the river, panic surging through Louis's body.

The convulsions passed. Nico took a ragged breath and managed to sit up. He felt horribly weak and nauseous, but his next breath came more easily. The blisters on his arms were starting to fade.

Nico took a second before speaking again. "It worked," he croaked. "Louis, you've got to drink."

"I..." Louis didn't finish his sentence, his eyes started glazing over as his head began to spin. Maybe it was the toxic air that was getting to him, but eaither way it wasn't good. Louis' eyes rolled up in his head, and he slumped against Nicom

Alarm belles started rining in Nico's ears. Desperately, he cupped more fire in his palm. Ignoring the pain, he dripped the liquid into Loius' mouth. He didn't respond.

He tried again, pouring a whole handful down his throat. This time he spluttered and coughed. Nico held him as he trembled, the magical fire coursing through his system. His fever disappeared. His boils faded. He managed to sit up and smack his lips.

The underworld was dangerous. Nico being the son of Pluto, he was bound to survive this. But Louis wasn't. He hoped Fortuna would be in his favour, watching over the two boys and keeping them safe. Otherwise, Louis had no way of surviving.

"You saved us.” said Louis, placing his had onto of Nico's, squeezing it gently.

Nico didnt move his hand, and Louis was glad. He didn't want to admit it, but Louis was scared. This place was nothing like what he had expected, and right now, Nico's touch and company was the only thing calming his nerves.

“For now,” nico said. “The problem is, we’re still in Tartarus.”

"It's not so bad."

Nico sent Louis as if to say are you stupid?

Louis then wished he could take back his words.

“We haven’t seen all of it,” Nico warned. “This could be just the first tiny part of the abyss, like the front steps.”

“The welcome mat,” Louis muttered.

"Exactly."

They both gazed up at the blood-colored clouds swirling in the gray haze. No way would they have the strength to climb back up that cliff, even if they wanted to. Now there were only two choices: downriver or upriver, skirting the banks of the Phlegethon.

“We’ll find a way out,” Louis said. “The Doors of Death.”

"We can only hope." muttered Nico grimly, obviously assuming the worst to come. Louis couldn't blame him though, they were litrelly in hell.

That idea of suvuving seemed even crazier than drinking fire. How could the two of them wander through Tartarus and find the Doors of Death? They’d barely been able to stumble a hundred yards in this poisonous place without dying.