Happy Birthday, Nico! - A Solangelo Story

Chapter 1: Nico's P.O.V.

Chapter 1-

Nico's P.O.V.

-Friday-

I walk into the Hades cabin, immediately dropping my stuff aside. I rub my eyes, stumbling forward a bit. I'm exhausted, as usual. People have been sending me all over the place today, I haven't even gotten a chance to be at camp even once...

I drop my hands and adjust my jacket. It's cold out there, and—

I stop. "Percy?" I say, looking at him. Percy Jackson is walking around my cabin. Damn it. I must have fallen asleep at some point and now I'm dreaming. It better not be one of those this is really happening right now dreams.

He stops where he's pacing and smiles at me. "Hey Nico! How's it going?"

"Are you looking for something?" I ask, "...Did you lose your memories again? Please tell me I'm not going on a quest."

I've already been OUT all day.

He laughs. "No, no. I just stopped in and figured we could hang out or something. I had to come talk to Chiron anyway."

"...Shouldn't you be in school?"

"I had the day off, it's fine." He waves a hand at me. "You clearly didn't, though. What have you been up to?"

He had the day off...from school? Is that how it works?

"Today, or in the past four months since we've talked?"

"In general! Catch me up, it's been a while." He leans on the pillar beside my bed.

"Uhh..." I don't know how to answer that question. It would be easy to tell him about today, but thinking about talking to him about Will...? About everything I've been doing?

I put my hands in my pockets, standing stiffly and watching him. "Just recuperating." I manage.

"That's good, a lot's happened." He nods. "I'm at a new high school, so that's weird. Also my moms gonna have another kid, so that's weird."

"She is?"

"Yeah! She's having a girl and we've been decorating the baby room and everything. I wish I had pictures to show you, but we almost had an argument about what the theme should be."

"You're going to have a sister?"

"I am. They're torn between a few baby names right now."

I stare at him. I don't know why he thinks I want to hear this.

"This is a weird dream." I rub my eyes again, "Even by demigod standards."

"...?" He tilts his head at me, visibly confused. "This isn't a dream."

"Are you sure? You're in my cabin for no reason."

I've had dreams like this, but they don't usually take the turn of Percy excitedly telling me about his family. They're also way more uncomfortable than this, and usually he has less clothes on.

"I'm here to say hi, didn't I tell you that already, or did I forget?"

"That's not reason enough. Am I in a prophecy? Again, say no."

"God's, No. Well... not that I know of, at least. I really did just come to talk to Chiron and decided to pop in."

"Hi. Bye."

I try to move, but I can't. I'm worried about this dream becoming...what they usually are.

"Wait! Just hang out for a bit." He frowns.