Boys Like Boys [Nico di Angelo]

chapter eighteen

  "Nico, wait," I instantly said as he grabbed my hand and prepared to shadow travel. "What if I mess it up? What if I make a fool out of myself in front of my dad? What if I-"

  "Cal, it's going to be fine," Nico assured, giving me a small smile. "You didn't make a fool out of yourself in front of Hades and Persephone, did you?"

  "Well, no, but..."

  "So what makes this any different?" he asked, watching my expression. He laced our fingers together and squeezed my hand. "It's going to be fine, okay? We're just going in and out. Extraction and dashin'."

  "Don't ever say something like that again," I said, hearing him laugh, before we were enveloped in darkness.

-

I landed not-so gracefully on my bottom, hearing Nico plop next to me. I could hear him mumbling something about cheeseburgers, before he slumped against me, successfully passing out. I felt panic rise in my chest, but it diminished when I felt his pulse thrumming against my fingertips from where our hands were clasped together.

I couldn't see anything in the dark room. My eyes hadn't adjusted, and it seemed like they weren't going to, until a light flickered on.

"Calum, it's so wonderful of you to join us," Atë's sickening voice called and I felt hatred and spite bubble up in my chest. She swore not to contact me until the two weeks were up. I examined the room, realizing she was standing next to a man that was chained up, her hand gripping onto the restraints that were holding his hands behind his back.

I realized who he was. He had skin as dark as the night and even darker hair that flowed down his back. Wings sprouted from his shoulder blades, flickering in shades of blue, purple, and black in the dim light. He looked calm, even in the situation, and I realized it was because Death was peaceful. He opened his eyes and they flickered up to me. They were a bright gold, and they held almost no emotion as they looked at me. A pain struck my chest.

"Let him go," I said, mustering up every inch of bravery I had left in me. Atë chuckled, before throwing my father to the ground, his body slumping against the floor. Anger surged through me. "You said-" I quickly cut myself off, looking to Nico, who was still slumped against me, his heavy breathing letting me know he was unconscious.

"I have news to share with you, son of Thanatos," Atë told me, her eyes gleaming. "News I think you'd like to hear."

"Not if it's coming from you," I snapped, letting go of Nico and setting him gently on the floor. I turned to Atë, watching her eyes grow angry.

"You brought the son of Hades," she mustered out bitterly, spitting it through her teeth. "The only thing that's standing in the way of you joining me wholeheartedly."

"Let Thanatos go," I demanded, before raising a hand so that my palm was facing towards her. Black smoke curled at my feet, before it surged towards her, slithering up her arms and feet. She just chuckled evilly.

"I'm a goddess, son of-"

I wrapped it around her throat, before squeezing my hand into a fist, watching as her eyes widened and she struggled for a breath. I felt a smirk raise the corners of my lips up as she clawed at her neck, a golden liquid dripping down her cloak from where her nails dug into her skin. I couldn't help but raise another hand, summon more smoke, and tighten it around her neck. She squirmed, reaching out a hand to me, her eyes desperate. They begged me to let her go.

"C-Cal," a soft voice called to me, but I ignored it as I raised Atë off of her feet, letting her dangle in the air. "Cal, stop," the voice called weakly. How could I stop? This felt too good, I felt powerful and in control. Why would I ever stop? "Calum," Nico begged, suddenly standing in front of me, albeit a bit wobbly. "Stop."

"Why?" I challenged, feeling a smirk crawl back up onto my face. "She's getting what she deserves."

"You said you wouldn't give into the darkness," Nico cried out, hurt and desperation painting his expression. "You promised me!"

"How am I giving into the darkness, Nico? Right now, it seems like I'm doing something good."

"You know she can't die. You know you can torture her like this forever," he choked out, before grabbing my wrists and finally forcing my eyes to meet his. Fear suddenly struck his eyes, the eyes that were as black as the night, and wore hurt and pain that I couldn't begin to express. "You promised me, Calum!"

Suddenly, I was on the floor, and Nico was on top of me, his hands pinning mine.

"What are you doing?!" I seethed, watching as Atë fell to the floor, coughing up the golden liquid and sucking in air. Nico got up and instantly ran over the Thanatos, freeing his bonds, before helping the god up. I sat up and glared at him, before our eyes met again and I saw the same look in them - it was the one he wore when I mentioned Atë. Like I was a monster, like I was something to be feared.

"S-son of Hades, I never knew you'd be the type to help an evil goddess," Atë trailed off, a smirk on her lips.

  "I wasn't helping you," he spat, throwing a look to me, before ignoring her and helping Thanatos away from the evil goddess.

"Fine, don't listen to me. Son of Thanatos," she trailed off, before glaring at me harshly. "The only reason I brought you here was to tell you about your newfound powers."

"My what?" I quickly asked, standing up on my feet.

"Calum!" Nico practically scolded, but I ignored him.

"Thanatos, here, has told me all about what abilities his only demigod child harbors," she informed, before standing and running her fingers over the wounds on her throat, the skin instantly seaming itself back together. "I'll let him tell you, though."

Suddenly, she disappeared into a shroud of purple dust and I felt a pain sear through my head. Once she was gone, my overwhelming desire to strangle her, to overpower her, to hurt her, to hurt anyone subsided and I fell to my hands and knees.

"This is exactly why I didn't want to bring you here," Nico trailed off sadly as Thanatos' wings stretched and shuddered. "I knew you'd go dark."

"I didn't mean to," I choked out, feeling my eyes burn with tears. "I didn't want to."