Mr Fire hazard (Leo Valdez x reader)

11. Nico is too cool

The air around Nico dropped to freezing. The ground blackened. In one horrible cry, he unleashed a flood of pain and anger on everyone in the clearing. Me, Reyna and coach experienced his journey through Tartarus, his capture by the giants, his days wasting away inside that bronze jar. They felt Nico's anguish from his days on the Argo II and his encounter with Cupid in the ruins of Salona.  I knew this was bad but didn't know how bad. Dam my little bro. 

This surged my anger. I concentrated. First, I exploded a few nerves and blood vessels in Bryce's nose it was bleeding without stopping.  NO one hurts people I love. Then he started vomiting blood it's all me don't worry. That happened because of the several of blood vessels bursting in his stomach. I'm not going to let him die this easy he'll experience anguish. 

Due to all this he was clutching his head like it'll fall apart if he left it. You think this is bad. Then you won't like what Nico did. I loved it because Bryce felt anguish. 

Nico marched towards him. He grabbed Bryce's probatio tablet and ripped it off his neck.

'You aren't worthy of this,' Nico growled.

The earth split under Bryce's feet. He sank up to his waist. 'Stop!' Bryce clawed at the ground and the plastic bouquets, but his body kept sinking.

'You took an oath to the legion.' Nico's breath steamed in the cold. 'You broke its rules. You inflicted pain. You killed your own centurion.'

'I – I didn't! I –'

'You should've died for your crimes,' Nico continued. 'That was the punishment. Instead you got exile. You should have stayed away. Your father Orcus may not approve of broken oaths. But my father Hades really doesn't approve of those who escape punishment.'

'Please!'

That word didn't make sense to Nico. The Underworld had no mercy. It only had justice. 'You're already dead,' Nico said. 'You're a ghost with no tongue, no memory. You won't be sharing any secrets.'

'No!' Bryce's body turned dark and smoky. He slipped into the earth, up to his chest. 'No, I am Bryce Lawrence! I'm alive!'

'Who are you?' Nico asked.

The next sound from Bryce's mouth was a chattering whisper. His face became indistinct. He could have been anyone – just another nameless spirit among millions.

'Begone,' Nico said.

The spirit dissipated. The earth closed.

Nico's POV 

Nico looked back and saw that his friends were safe. Reyna and the coach stared at him in horror. Y/n looked proud and had a bloodthirsty smile. 

Reyna's face was bleeding. Aurum and Argentum turned in circles, as if their mechanical brains had short-circuited. Nico collapsed.

Nico gasped.

His eyes flew open.

He was flat on his back, staring at the sunlight in the tree branches.

'Thank the gods.' Reyna leaned over him, her hand cool on his forehead. The bleeding cut on her face was completely gone.

'Good,' said coach  'Just a few more applications.'

He held up a large square bandage coated with sticky brown gunk and plastered it over Nico's nose.

'What is ... ? Ugh.'

Y/n POV 

"Hey kiddo. Loved your show back there." I said.

"Y/n shut up." Said Reyna. She always ruins the fun. 

'Are – are you trying to plant me?' he murmured to coach not me. 

'It's sports medicine with a little nature magic,' said the coach. 'Kind of a hobby of mine.'

Nico tried to focus on Reyna's face. 'You approved this? I get y/n she lives for the memes sometimes but you too?" 

She looked like she was about to pass out from exhaustion, but she managed a smile. 'Coach Hedge brought you back from the brink. The unicorn draught, ambrosia, nectar ... we couldn't use any of it. You were fading so badly.'

'Fading ... ?'

'Don't worry about that now, kid.' Hedge put a drinking straw next to Nico's mouth. 'Have some Gatorade.'

'I – I don't want –'

'You'll have some Gatorade,' the coach insisted.

Nico had some Gatorade. All jokes aside. I'm very relieved seeing him. Also, apparently someone killing someone isn't that cool. Reyna taugt me. A hard Lesson she didn't approve of Nico's ways. I convinced her but then she didn't like that I was so chill about him ghostifying a person. 

Flashback

"You understand that right seeing people fight and die that death makes you feel good." I said smiling.

"Why do you think I would like that?" Reyna asked

"You're a daughter of Bellona. I'm a daughter of Mars you should understand what I'm saying." I said.

"Y/n, dear you have changed. Since San Juan. You... you weren't like this before. What happened." Reyna asked.

"I'm fine and I was always like this. It's fine if you're surprised because I'm too. I remember killing the Minotaur. I realised what power I held. Killing is not difficult for me. I knew the responsibility but that Orion doesn't! Neither did Bryce! NEITHER DOES OCTAVIAN! I KNOW THAT I CAN PROTECT YOU GUYS. The ONLY way is if we stop hesitating. Kill on spot. I thought  Hazel was irresponsible when she just got into a fight with that Witch and that Giant but that's what you have to do. Leo hesitated and if Hazel wouldn't have been there. He would've been killed." I said.

"I understand that but remember we have to let Nico know that we support him but that was terrifying. I'm not telling him to kill anyone who poses a threat quickly. Because if that were true I would've killed Annabeth when she was finding this statue. Be patient." Reyna competed. 

I didn't agree but for the sake of Nico I will. I spent most of my days patrolling as we are in a vulnerable situation.

'What happened to me?' he asked. 'To Bryce ... to those skeletons ... ?'

Reyna and the coach exchanged an uneasy look.

'There's good news and bad news,' Reyna said. 'But first eat something. You'll need your strength back before you hear the bad news.'