Jiper's Child: Children of Olympus #2

Chapter Five: I Contemplate Life

*HI GUYS!!!!

I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT.

I THINK I SAY THIS EVERY TIME, BUT SERIOUSLY. With all the nice comments I was getting from everyone, I was starting to feel terrible about not updating (but that's not your fault!! Your comments are all amazing!! Seriously, my day (or probably my week) is made each time I see a fan take the time to comment ;). Anyways, I was having some difficulty thinking of what to do with this chapter, but I finally planned it out and figured out what to do. I will get back to Gruniper/Frazel/Percabeth/Jiper, etc in the next chapters but I really wanted to get this one out :) I imagine it's not the longest chapter but I really wanted to get it out, so now I will stop babbling and just let you read the stupid story.

Anyways.

Enjoy!*

Chapter Five: I Contemplate Life

NICO

Rachel really hadn't wanted to start on the quest or do a prophecy that night. Nico understood. So he left the warm lights of the Big House and stepped out into the night, past the dozen dead roses.

He didn't want to go back. The others were better than he would've liked to admit at guessing his emotions, and they'd know something was up. Especially Hazel or Piper.

He didn't feel like telling anyone.

So he continued on into the cool night air, figuring he'd find something to do until most of the others were in bed.

He walked aimlessly through the nearly deserted streets of the old Camp Halfblood. There was a light on in the Hermes cabin, and sound of laughter echoing through the air; he supposed there was a party going on. It amazed him, sometimes, how something that seemed so big and important and life-changing to one person could have no impact on the world itself. How always, at any given time, there were people dying and people being born, people losing hope and gaining it, people breaking up and those having their first kisses, people celebrating and mourning, laughing and crying, loving and dreaming.

He always got this way, all philosophical and melancholy, when he was by himself on a night like this.

He made his way over to the lake of Camp Halfblood and sat down on the cool ground, not even bothering with the bench. A child of Hades felt at home on the dirt.

"Nico?"

Nico jumped up, startled. His old demigod instincts kicked in and his hand flew to his side, ready to draw his sword; then he saw a figure step out of the darkness.

"Oh, it's just you," Nico said as the pale moonlight revealed Will Solace's face. "I mean..." he trailed off. He hadn't meant to sound rude, or like he didn't want to see Will. "I mean, you scared me."

"I scared the son of Hades?" he faked surprise.

"It's not as hard as you'd think," Nico muttered under his breath. Just the thought of being close to Will was making him sweat in nervousness. He had gotten used to being with Rachel, and it somehow it was different with her; after those first few hormone-filled kisses, something began to fade between the two of them. Maybe Rachel hadn't felt it, but Nico had; it wasn't that he didn't like her, but something about the two of them didn't feel romantic. Being with her felt like being with a good friend, but nothing more; he hoped that they could continue to be friends.

Nonetheless, prophecy or no, he'd needed to break things off romantically with her.

"What was that?" Will asked.

"Nothing," Nico replied. He didn't want Will to see how nervous he was.

"Hey," Will said. "What's wrong?"