The Nightshadow Alliance

Chapter 2 || Hades had a Sentimental Day

The 15-year-old boy looked up.

'Nico?' Percy said.

Nico took Percy's hand as he got up. 'Percy? You're ... back.'

The air between them was so thick he wasn't sure he could cut through it with Riptide. If had been so for the past year, when Nico had dropped the cr-bomb on him.

'Yeah, I am. How are you?' Percy said.

'I'm good. Dad banned me from the underworld for the summer.'

Percy let out a small laugh as Nico continued: 'He said I should go out more, make more friends, cherish everyone I have, so here I am.'

'Hades was sentimental.'

Nico nodded. 'That would describe his mood that day well.'

'I better go, don't want an angry Annabeth now, do I?'

The remark caused Nico's lips to curve upwards, just a tiny bit. It made Percy happy to see his dark, moody cousin start to break out of his shell that the world of the demigods had forced him into. Percy suspected it had something to do with a certain son of Apollo.

'Yeah. Have fun.' Nico said.

Percy smiled at the boy, before going to meet Annabeth at the beach. He found his girlfriend standing on the walkway. He ran the last few feet to her.

He kissed her on the forehead. 'How's my lovely Wise Girl?'

'She's just lovely, her boyfriend has that effect on her.'

'I ran into Nico you know.' He told her.

'Yeah, he came here yesterday. Gave some of the younger campers a fright, he did, emerging out of the shadows like he always does. Now, tell me, did you do anything idiotic lately? Like jumping from windows, for instance?'

'Hey!' Percy said. 'That was a dare! And you know I don't say no to dares. And who told you?'

'Hay is for horses, and I would rather not date a horse. A little birdie told me. But seriously, no more jumping out of windows.' Annabeth said.

Percy smirked at her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground.

'Percy! Put me down this instant!'

He threw her into the lake before jumping in himself, laughing as he said, 'Nope, not gonna happen today.'

They broke to the surface and Percy was smiling so widely his face hurt.

The two returned for dinner just in time to hear the announcements. Chiron declared that the hunters were coming the next day which got everyone's hears pumping.

It was no secret that the hunters' won every capture the flag game, and the demigods wanted to do nothing more to do than to beat the silver-clad followers of Artemis.

-oOo-

To say the least, Percy did not like being electrocuted awake, much less by Thalia. He could tolerate Jason because of the bro-hood, but Thalia... she took it too far.

'Great. You're finally up, Kelp Head! You know how long we've been trying to wake you?'

Percy looked around the room. Annabeth, Nico, and Piper were there too. 'Were you all trying to wake me up?'

Annabeth was holding a thick book, and Nico held an empty bucket.

'Yes, you idiot. I charmspeaked you, Annabeth hit you with her copy of The Fault in our Stars, Nico summoned a mariachi band, and Thalia electrocuted you after death breath here poured his bucket on you. Hell, I think you might just about go to sleep again.'

Piper was right. Percy felt sleepy again, his head drooping. Thalia stepped forward and slapped him across the cheek, and a resounding snap could be heard even outside the room.

'Ok, ok! I'm up, I'm up! Now leave me alone!' Percy said, getting out of bed.

'You better come out in five minutes, or you'll be late for breakfast, Perce!' Nico said as he left the room, the others at his heels.

Percy quickly got ready for breakfast and came to breakfast, but even then, he was the last one there. But he didn't care, he was hungry. He had sword-fighting classes to teach after this, so he needed his energy. He looked forward to what was looking to be a normal summer.