The Curse of Oenone (Daughter of Olympus II) - [Leo Valdez xF!Oc]

The Loneliness is Coming From Inside the House

Nico manages to take them directly to Ara's cabin, he closes the door so no one knows they're here yet, then closes the little curtain Leo installed on her porthole so the light doesn't worsen the pounding in her head.

The boys work as a team, tucking her in and checking her wounds. Nico convinces her to take off her shirt so he can examine where the arrows hit her, and Jason turns around to give her privacy. She doesn't know if he caught up to Nico's secret, but that isn't her business, so she will keep her mouth shut.

Ara stays still while Nico heals her, there aren't many injuries, just bruises where the arrows struck, but she's perfectly healthy, only heartbroken and drowning in grief, and the only way to heal from that is by letting it happen.

Nico places the first-aid kit under her bed and sighs. "She's fine."

Jason scans her frame, nodding approvingly. "I'll tell the others we're back."

Ara points vaguely at the scepter leaning on her bedroom wall. That thing better work as they think it should, otherwise she sacrificed a big part of herself for nothing. She glares at it, but for the first time, she's got no cynic or sarcastic comments to send Jason off.

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll rest—but take that thing with you."

Jason's blue eyes look relieved as if Ara deciding to take a break is a sign of better times coming. "Yeah, I'll do that. C'mon, Nico..."

"I'll stay."

Ara groans. "I'm not going anywhere, seriously..."

"You can scold her later, man," Jason insists politely. "Leave her alone."

"Take the scepter," she mumbles, rubbing her eyes. "I don't want it near me."

"Later."

Ara turns her head towards him scowling. "You're not doing anything right now."

"I want to make sure you're okay," Nico admits with frustration.

Ara's face gets very hot, the boy had never offered to look after her before this moment. "Oh."

Jason's smile grows. "Cool, then. Take care of our General."

When Jason leaves, Ara and Nico stay silent for about five seconds, then Nico pulls her vanity bench closer and sits, eyes fixed on the door while he fidgets with the skull ring on his finger.

"I don't think Eros is coming to finish the job," she jokes. "He and Nemesis will leave me alone after this."

Nico watches her intently. "You saw yourself in Nemesis, didn't you?"

Ara doesn't deny it, her puffy eyes are staring at the ceiling. "I've been cruel to myself, and no doubt I'll be cruel again. My fatal flaw is ambition so I'll be tempted..."

"Tempted to what?"

"To mistreat those who care for me," she sighs. "I hope I can control it before it gets this bad a second time. Eros said the only way is to let love take over."

"You'll be okay," Nico pauses a moment, but in the end, he forces himself to finish his thought. "You're not a weaker version of me, you're built differently. No matter how angry and frustrated you get, you always choose to be good."

Ara's eyes lighten up a bit, but they also get teary once more. "That's just like you too, Ghost King."

Nico makes a face. "Don't start."

The door opens abruptly and Leo storms into the room. Nico stands in alarm and reaches for the scepter, but then he recognizes the boy and relaxes. "About time," he grins. "What took you so long? I thought you and Ara could sense each other from a mile radius."