Loved by No One

11

A Nico chapter

11:45 pm
Nico POV
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I couldn't sleep, why did No One want to talk? And so late, the harpies might get us. Me and Will were snuggling in my cabin. We had a quiet wedding with a few close friends. Chiron had made it acceptable that we could sleep in my cabin. The child, Skye was my step sister. Though she wasn't here, Will was also awake.

No One had told us to meet him by the beach at midnight. He had the same soul llas Percy, but this one looked chunked and broken. Like something happened to him. I decide to get out of Wills embrace and grab my jacket. Will rubs his eyes and does the same. He gives me a kiss on my forehead, I've grown maybe 2 inches in five years.

We head out the door, and dash for the beach. We make it without any interactions. When I get there, I see Clarisse and No One. The former is yelling at an unmoving latter. He suddenly turns and looks towards us.

I remember the exact words he told me.

Hello, meet me at the beach at midnight, no one else. Tell Will to tell Clarisse the same thing. Do that and you'll find what you've been looking for these last five years.

There was such vindication, coldness and calculation behind the voice. Yet he always spoke with such warmth and kindness. Why us three? We don't have anything in common besides being demigods.

"Hello, now you want to know why you're on the beach in the middle of the night." He says, he changes his tone with every person he meets. This time it's bubbly and fun.

"Well yeah, why'd you call us here?" Will says, sleepily. He has to get up at the crack of dawn, Will's the only one suffering here. I can't tell but I think he smiles, it's impossible with the mask

"Because doofus, you three were the only people to defend Percy Jackson. Even when his own girlfriend and gods didn't believe in him. You were there, by his side, the whole time." He says happily, but something's not adding up. "You talk about Percy like he's someone else, but you guys are the same person. I can detect souls, you have the same one as Percy." I say, slightly mad. He hasn't bothered to come by camp in 5 years.

"Percy Jackson died the moment he was thrown into Tartarus, a mortal can't survive that place twice. You should know that Nico, or has camp made you soft?" He says the last part like I'm a child. "Anyhow, you deserve a reward. But it must stay a secret alright, you can't tell anyone." He makes a shh sign. Clarisse, being well Clarisse, asks "And if we tell anyone? What are you gonna do about it?" It's slight, but you can feel him shift.

"If you tell a soul on earth or in the underworld," He says coldly. "I hang your corpse from the roof of the big house for all to see." No One says, back to that child like talk. "Now for your reward, you get, to see my face." We're shocked what kind of prize is that? And why is his face so important?

He takes off his hood and I see sparkling gray hair, he then takes off his mask. And I see a ghostly pale boy with hollow cheeks, and red-orange eyes. I feel a light pull, but it goes away instantly as water starts forming, taking away the gray of his hair. Returning to the original black color. His eyes change back to a sea green. It's Percy, he's alive.

I go to hug him but he pulls out a knife. "Don't fucking touch me." I turn to Will and see he's nearly crying. Clarisse is stone-faced, but she's about to breakdown. "Well, take a photo if you need to. But remember you tell a soul; and I'll make hades be unable to send your happy asses back to the realm of the living. I hope you understand. I need to keep this a secret. The gods are always listening" He then bursts into flames and disappears.

Leaving us with two things.

1. Percy is alive and staying with the hunters of Artemis, after escaping Tartarus.
2. We need to get back to our cabins.
3. At least one god heard our conversation.

I grab will hand and start dashing for our cabins, I hear clarisse running to her cabin as well. I open the door and close it behind us. Will grabs my waist, and with a squeal from me, tumbles onto the bed.

"What," he says out of breath. "The fuck just happened? Percy is No One, staying with the hunters of Artemis, and has an unexpected hatred towards everyone. Except for the three at the beach. What is happening?" Will says. I snuggle deeper into his arms.

"Yeah, that's about all." I say, I'm trying to wrap my head about Percy's appearance. He's back, after 5 years he's back. He's gotten a lot taller, you wouldn't see a difference usually. But he's about 6'5. I saw the signs of starvation. "I'm worried for Percy. But, we honor what he asked of us. We don't tell a soul. Understand?" I feel Will nod, he's tired. "Okay darlin', I'm too sleepy tell me tomorrow." He kisses my forehead.

And we fall asleep, worrying, in each other's embrace.

I want to write a solangelo fic sometime. But we'll see. :)