scared? | a nico di angelo fanfic

chapter 27: trap

Hoa woke up, finding a seemingly sleepy Nico standing over their setup.

"Neeks," she said gently, "You should go to sleep."

He grumbled under his breath. "No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Nico, I finished sleeping already, and you're the one who needs it more. Stop taling care of me. I'm older than you."

He frowned, but relented. "Fine."

She gently ruffles his hair, helping him lay down on top of the folded hoodie her head was on earlier. Stretching her neck, shw winced. Dang, that thing sucks. My neck is dying right now.

Checking her pockets, she found the hairpin and ring that Deimos gave to her. She smiled slightly, grateful that he put in enough effort to get her gifts that she'd like.

She frowned at the reason, though.

Hoa slipped the ring on and made her hair the same as how her mother would do it, sticking the hairpin in.

Hoa tested it, shaking her head a bit to see how sturdy the hairpin really was, but it stayed. She shook it more violently this time, but the hairpin didn't budge.

"Whoa," she muttered. "Thanks for actually doing something useful, Deimos."

The ring pulsed, as if Deimos was telling her you're welcome.

~•~•~

The familiar feel of the Underworld clung to Nico as he turned around, trying to figure out his exact location. He found himself back at the area where they found his sword, right by the River Styx.

A dead landscape for a son of the dead. Nice.

"Son," a voice boomed.

The son of Hades turned around again, facing his dad. "Hello, father. What do you wish for?"

"Suck complicated words already coming out of a boy at such a young age. I wanted to check up on you and brace you for what is to come. I assume you know of your past?"

Nico tensed. "Yes, father."

"Good. Onto the next point: that girl you 'maybe even love' is fated to die."

Nico took in a sharp breath. "You can't be serious."

"I'm serious."

"What did she do to deserve such a fate?"

"All demigods die eventually, and she has lived far too long."

"Then why haven't I died?" he retorted. "Am I not older than her?"

Hades sighed. "That daughter of Athena has a quest that was delivered to her, meaning she had a prophecy. Among the lines of the prophecy, one states that 'Flower' must have her final stand."

Nico lowered his head. He didn't know what to say anymore.

"Son," Hades said more calmly, "You can't love someone who is going to die soon."

He snapped his eyes up to her fathersy. "Then explain how I was born."

He saw Hades gritting his teeth. "Fine. There may be a way, but it's risky."

Nico's eyes lit up with hope. "What is it?"

"Ever heard of soul for a soul?"

~•~•~

Hoa handed him her water bottle after spotting Nico rubbing his eyes, trying to wake himself up. "Here," she muttered.

He took the water, greedily sipping it before his eyes widened. "Hoa, did you purposely give me the last of your water or was that an accident?"