𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐄 ➳ 𝙥𝙟𝙤 // 𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨

xxvii

TW: heavy swearing 

To say Percy Jackson was 'pissed'  was an understatement.

The more appropriate phrase would be 'mother-fucking-enraged.'

It all started when Percy answered the camp phone. This itself was strange, because no one ever called. No one except someone in the Greek world.

Percy already dreaded what he was about to hear.

"Hello?" he asked slowly.

Clint's panicked voice was audible on the other end. "Percy? Is that you? Thank God, we have a situation."

Percy scowled. "What kind of situation? I've been back for a few hours and there's already a crisis?"

Clint seemed to be breathing hard. "Thanos... he followed- he followed us from the past... this time he's killing everyone... we need backup—"

The color drained from Percy's face. "Thanos?" he said in a low voice. "The one who separated Annabeth and I? The one who caused Nico's death?"

Clint exhaled. "Yes. That Thanos."

Percy growled under his breath. All of the death, all of the pain, for nothing? Nico sacrificed himself to bring everyone back, and now everyone was dying again?

Not happening.

"Who do you need?" Percy asked after a few seconds had passed.

An explosion could be heard from the speaker of the phone, causing Percy's brows to furrow in concern.

Clint sighed. "Everyone."

———

Nico had been gathering energy for the past hour. Small Bob was nuzzling his shoulder, which was giving him strength, but he felt like he was going to go crazy due to the silence.

He hadn't used his voice in almost half a day, and he felt that if he tried to speak his air supply would be cut off. Tartarus did not have a great atmosphere, nor did it accommodate for the lack of oxygen.

But then, he got up from the riverbank and stared at the spot across the river where he was planning on heading to. It was a long jump, that was certain, but he had shadow-traveled the Athena Parthenos before. He'd gone to the UK to try their McDonalds. This jump was nothing.

At least, it would be if Nico was at full capacity. With no food, water, or ambrosia, Nico was quite literally helpless. But if this was the only way, so be it.

With a deep breath, Nico imagined himself and Small Bob materializing on the other side of the river.

His body felt like it was shredding into a million particles, Small Bob being his only grip to reality.

He appeared on the other side of the Acheron, collapsing to the ground with a thud.

His eyes fluttered to a close, his breathing slowing.

Small Bob meowed in concern as one of the cat's paws swiped through Nico's seemingly translucent shoulder.

There was no doubt about it, Nico was fading.

And if they didn't get to the doors soon, he would be gone forever.

———

Clint found Natasha accompanied Nebula and Gamora heading up through the compound just as he entered.

He tensed, unsure of where their loyalties lied. 

Natasha nodded at him. "They're with us."

Clint was still skeptical, but then his eyes strayed to the gauntlet that Natasha was holding.