Both demigod Camps are against an unknown enemy. Nico and a certain daughter of Hephaestus are not on the best terms with each other, but soon, their friendship starts blooming and growing due to the unfolding events.
Who is this new enemy? What's...
Nico woke up with a jolt, his thoughts abruptly reminding him of what had been happening as he slept. He jerked his head around rapidly and his mind spun, drowsy. He noticed Y/N's body draped over the tall green grass and ran to her body.
Fuck. Once he got a good look at her, he realized that the more time he spent wasting right now, the more he'd regret it later. He pulled the arrow out of her shoulder slowly and took off his jacket, ripping the sleeves with his sword and tying the strands around the wound, carefully. He then noticed the gash in her stomach and took off his shirt; the only remaining, suitable piece of cloth to help him clean the blood. He pressed it gently into her stomach, but received no reaction from her.
He softly touched her cheek. She was asleep. But her pulse was so faint, he thought she was dead. His arm reached under her neck while the other under her knees and he carried her, her pale, cold skin rubbing against his bare body sent shivers down his spine. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? Where the hell are we?
He looked around and caught the fading soft light of fog. Wait, was that really fog? It was warm mist.
As he listened attentively to his surroundings. He could hear the odd sound of moving water. He held her tighter, determined to find the source and not end up running around in circles like they had been for the past few days.
As he started strolling across the dry weeds, he noticed a purple bruise on her palm. No, wait. That's not right. It sizzled, and was slowly growing, no, spreading over her skin. It slowly dawned on Nico that she had somehow been poisoned. She had been injured badly, and it was all for the sake of himself, his stupid, idiotic self who had been knocked out to leave her helpless under the mercy of those men.
But he was astonished by this. She had managed to escape from the grasp of one of them and eliminate both of them even though she was in an atrocious state. He was awed by her capabilities, given that she wasn't a gifted demigod. She didn't have powers like his, and she was female, but she had held her ground and protected them both. Something he couldn't do. She was amazing.
As he breathed in, he realized the increase in the air thickness, unlike before, that must mean he was getting closer to the water source. He rounded a corner, and almost burst to tears, sighing with relief.
There, right before his eyes, was a miniature waterfall that was hidden beneath the trees.
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He hurried to it, and gently laid Y/N on the cool and smooth rocks submerged under the clear, freezing liquid. He dropped into it himself, exhausted and breathing hard. The sun was setting, and the sky was getting dark and the air cooler than before. He left Y/N in the feeble current and worked his way to the riverbank on all fours, feeling like he was about to collapse. Then he remembered. He remembered the desperate state Y/N was in when they had been ambushed. He slapped himself. He wasn't going to be a weak crybaby.
He got up on his feet and grabbed the bag he had left earlier on the dry land, taking out a lantern he had packed and matches. He'd later light up a fire and warm himself and his partner but this was good for now.
He left the lantern as close as it could get to the water and went back in to wash Y/N. She hadn't floated away except for a few inches thankfully, so he grabbed her and pulled her close, washing her bloody, short hair. Wait a minute.. Why was it short now? Nico wondered about all the things he had missed in his sleep. He thought that a nice detail of him would be to cut it evenly for her later.
He started untying the wet cloth around her shoulder, then her stomach. He softly rubbed the scars' rough surfaces, cleansing the wounds, but her ripped shirt was getting in the way. With a red and hot face, he slowly took her shirt off and tossed it aside. Her- bra? Top? What did the girls at camp call it again? He thought he heard Piper and Annabeth mention it a few times.
Well, the thing was damp with blood, and... He would wash it, of course while she was still wearing it! But... Then he'd have to..... Rub it? What?
Nico's face went hotter by the second and he slammed his face in the water, trying to cool down, but he was flustered to the point he new it was pointless. He rose up above and laughed nervously. Haha, what was he saying? Wash a cloth? Pshhh easy! No. What would he say to Y/N? She'd probably never forgive him.
He decided that once she woke up, he'd see what he'd do. He slowly rubbed her cold face, washing away the dirt. The blood from her stomach kept flowing though, so he carried her back to the surface, the water swishing by his movement, and laid her on a set of shirts he'd put together before going into the the water.
He went to his bag and took out his medical kit, grabbing a pair of scissors and a new pack of bandages to wrap Y/N's stomach scar properly. He then sat by Y/N's head and put it on his lap, and got started on cutting the stray bangs of her hair with the scissors. Once he was done he put them back and unpacked one of her zip up jackets that were probably warm enough for her and helped her into it, laying her back down after.
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