Third wheeling...again.

Why are YOU here?!

Akio pov

It had been three months. Three months since I slep properly, or ate properly. It had been three months since I was considered "alive". I was hungry and weak. 

All I had was my bow and a few arrows, last night had been just BRUTAL monsters acted like if I were the only Demi god.. I stood up all night fighting. I had decided to walk to camp borders.. just to see, I told myself; remembering I couldn't go back... not now, not ever.

I was in the forest, behind a tree from this area I could see most of the dining pavilion... I saw a few familiar faces.... Kayla, Austin, Percy... Worst of all? Will. 

Part of me wanted to run up and hug him... the other knew I couldn't. 

I went along my day double checking all of them in my head.. there were no new campers, there haven't been for the past few months, odd.

 I continued staring at them... I normally watched them at this time.. WOAH that sounded wrong. Well to clarify; I watched them as a way to remind me... there ok without me, there fine, what I could've had... what I could've done... the thought made me sick to my stomach.

I looked at them... they were all laughing... eating.. it was nostalgic. The night of no sleep began to catch up to me... maybe if I just slept for a bit I thought to myself.... before I knew it I had fallen asleep.

Dreams OBVIOUSLY just HAD to be bad... I dreamt that I was in an open field...

 Will came up to me, holding something...... my bow? How— why? The dream shifted. I was on a stage in front of camp; my sexuality was brought up a giant screen above me steamed in colors with a picture and the words "aroace." The whole camp starts laughing...the sene shifts, me Will and a girl and a boy are talking... then a girl I could only assume was Reyna came... something's happened. Disappearances?

I bolt awake.. wondering to myself why I let myself sleep.... 

It always meant to dream... and that meant nightmares. 

I suddenly feel like someone else is here... I feel a cold hand Hoover over my shoulder....

I look back, the person is a boy... dark shaggy hair and dark eyes... nico... I thought to my self

Nico looked a lot better than before... less pale.. more happy, his face was brighter and more welcoming..... I take all my strength.. "Nico..?" I say weakly.

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Nicos pov

I looked at the girl I assumed was Akio.. the girl I hoped was Akio..

 if it  was  her she'd have to least send a week in a he infermarary.

She was NOT how I remembered her, her long brown hair was messy and choppy. Her green eyes were restless... and she was once the one that told me to sleep; I thought to myself... her clothes looked stained by blood... just looking at her you can see a few scars..

"Akio." I finally bring myself to say. She gives me a small nod, that's all I need. Just to know it's her.. "why didn't you come back?" I ask.

She doesn't respond. She hugs me.. now, normally I HATE physical touch. But after all this time? I didn't mind. I could make an exception. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging back... after a bit I pull away.

She starts explaining, the guilt that ran over me was cold. She had suffered so much... (not that I hadn't to that case) 

I interrupt her, saying "-Akio. Its ok. Right now, we need to get you back to camp." 

"But they'll hate me— I can't!" She counters.

"It's not about them it's about YOU! You're not in good condition!" 

"I'll be fine. I left, Nico..... theyll hate me if I come back" 

"Akio. Willow. Solace. Even before you left no one hated you! Now? They still don't hate you!! You're being IRRATIONAL! Every one at camp loves and misses you!" I say, probably a little louder than I should have; because Akio flinches.

I knew Akio had never liked loud noises in gerneral... but, after all this time alone with no one to talk to but yourself? Noises sounded a lot stronger than they needed to. I knew that from experience.

"Akio.. I'm- I'm sorry..but we need you back at camp.... I need you... Will, needs you."

She looks at me, conserned "what? What happened to Will? Is he ok?"

"Well, he hasent left the infermarary since.... A while"—

She grabs my wrist "we're going." She drags me to the general direction of the infermarary... we arrive. She stares through the window. "Are they fighting?" She asks

I look through the window, Kayla seems to be arguing with Will. " I think so"

"So? What are you waiting for? go!" 

I walk towards them.. opening the door, Akio sneaks it un-noticed

"Will. Take a break"

"No, no.. lives to save things to do..."

I stare at him. He hadnt been this bad since the battle of manhattan.

"How are you supposed to take care of others if you can't take care of yourself?"

We go back and forth... Akio leaves the little area where you couldn't see her, hugging Will.

"You dumbass. Take a break... please." She says, in the verge of tears.

"What..? Your- your... your alive..?" He says, hugging back.

Conner and Travis walk in.

 "Hey, will? We need— Akio?" Conner says. "HAH wait until Chiron finds out!" Shouted Travis.

I wanted to punch both of them. But before I could Travis took a picture.

"Watch it." I warn.

"Will we?" Travis backs up. 

Akio looks terrified 

Will pitches in "Travis, please. You can't do this."

"To late. Passed the camera to Travis." Conner says

I could've sworn he was still there, but he wasn't. Conner was gone.