𝙵𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 (Under Heavy Editing)

𝙱𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝙵𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚜

Nico's POV

As I walked, my footsteps made no noise. It was as if I was gliding across the ground toward Bunker 9. I had three more hours to kill before I would be forced out of my home...

I didn't see Leo among the crowd of angered demigods so I assumed that he had no idea about what was happening. 

Leo and I had become very close after the wars something that I am very grateful for. Especially now.  He trusted me enough to tell me some of his childhood. It revealed that we have more in common than once thought. 

I arrived at my destination and knocked forcibly twice before the door opened to reveal the Laitno elf in all of his glory. He smiled wildly as he ushered me in. I couldn't help but let a smile grace my lips as I followed him in and place my duffle bag next to the door.

"So DeathBreath, what brings you to my humble abode?" Asked Leo as he spun around on his backless stool before he spotted my bag on the ground, "And what is with the bag?"

I felt a pang of guilt as I realised I would have to tell him what was happening. I felt scared, what if he hated me too? What if he threw me out before I could explain?

I let out a shaky sigh and decided to get it over and done with quickly forming my words and waiting for his response.

"Leo I did something bad. I killed s-someone and now I am banished from camp... Both of them."

I felt my breath become caught in my throat as I refused to meet his gaze. 

The other did immediately start yelling at me. He didn't have the reaction I expected either. He was completely silent and just stared at me. It was quiet for just a moment before he stood from his seat and walked towards me.

He enveloped me in a hug and it took everything in my being to not break down crying in his hold.

I stopped trying after I realised that it was futile as I hugged him back. I sobbed into his chest and I felt his hold on me tighten in either protectiveness or as a way to ground me.

Either way, it was working, the tears from my eyes stopped falling but I did continue to sniffle slightly. 

"It's okay I have you now... I believe you." He said as he let go of the hug when he saw that I had begun to calm down. He suddenly jumped up and down as if he had just remembered something.

"Hey, I think now would be a good time to give you your birthday present."

Leo walked over to his workstation and opened the bottom drawer. he knelt down and started shuffling through it, looking for something.

I quirked my eyebrow at him - my breakdown now becoming a distant memory.

"Leo my birthday is in October and it's January."

The other tsked at me before he replied, "You can never be too prepared and with me being... Well me I could have forgotten. So I had to be extra sure I could get it to you on your birthday."

He scratched the nape of his neck as he turned back towards me and stood before handing me a black box with a white ribbon wrapped around it.

Heh, the ribbon had small silver skulls on it... Cute. 

I looked at it once over before gently taking it and carefully taking the ribbon off. Leo grabbed the ribbon from me as I took the lid off of the box to reveal a shiny brick.

I quirked my head at it before I pulled it fully out of the box.

"I remember someone mentioning how it would be cool to have phones that we could use without being tracked down by monsters," Explained Leo as he took the box from me and placed it on his table before walking back over to me.

Ahh a phone, I thought and nodded along with him and smiled slightly. Flipping the 'phone' over I examined the case. It was mainly black besides a decently sized skull with a purple flame raising from the top of its head. I traced my fingers around it and smiled.

"I call it the Leo-Phone! Or... maybe the V-phone, I haven't thought about a good name yet., Leo coughed before continuing, "The credit doesn't need to be recharged so that's one of the pluses. Any user can read English because of the screen protector I made. It took a while but I finally finished it." 

He quickly continued as I smiled brightly at him, "Right now there are only two in the world. You have one and I..." Leo pulled out his own phone with its own black and red case, "Have the other one! But probably not for long knowing the others, they're going to tear me in shreds for one of their own."

I tapped the screen of the phone and looked down at the time the purple numbers glared back at me as I squinted down at them.

'4:50PM'

I hugged Leo one last time and mumbled into his chest, "Thank you, man... This is fucking amazing."

The other laughed and wrapped his arms around me, "No problem dude... I'm going to miss you."

I was the first to pull away, afraid that if I stayed any longer I would never be able to leave.

Stepping away and clearing his throat Leo smiled sadly at me.

"Until we speak again, Nico Di Angelo." He gave a mock bow before standing back up. I put the phone in my pocket with a small smile.

I slipped my phone into the back pocket of my jeans and gave the other a small salute before I grabbed my bag and opened the door of Bunker 9 before walking out.

My next mission was to say goodbye to Chiron.

I walked towards The Big House while receiving glares from other campers. I walked around to the front porch to see said centaur sitting in his wheelchair with his head in his hands.

I sat down on the bench adjacent to him and rested my duffle bag on the ground next to me. The silence was getting awkward and I don't think he noticed me so I decided to just rip the band-aid off and say something.

"I'm sorry," I said. 

Chiron looked up in surprise slightly frazzled at his thoughts being interrupted by me. His expression then morphed into a small sad smile.

"Ahh you frighted me, Mr Di Angelo," He said as one of his eyebrows raised ever so slightly, "In all honesty, I thought you would have left as soon as you finished packing."

I chuckled slightly and replied, "That might have been true but I had to at least say goodbye to you." 

Chiron smiled at this but then his expression turned grave, "Nico I am sorry I didn't do anything I-"

"It's okay Chiron, I don't blame you... I could never." I cut him off with a small smile. He just smiled back and reached over to pat me on my shoulder.

Chiron had always been like some sort of father figure to me... or at least something akin to that, I thought with a smile. We sat in silence not an awkward one but a nice relaxing one. I stood up and stretched out my arms above my head before I turned back towards him and smiled.

"I hope we can see each other again soon Chiron..." I said as I grabbed my bag and rested it on my shoulder and headed to the border of camp.

"Nico... Good luck." Chiron called after me as I continued on my way.

I continued walking until I reached the border. I felt as if the surrounding forest was calling out for me to take a step out.

There were a few people hanging out around here but I suspect they are here to throw some more insults at me before I leave.

To my surprise, as I passed through the barrier no one said anything they remained silent and unmoving while I retreated further into the woods. 

Oh well doesn't matter now, I thought as I turned around and adjusted my bag on my shoulder, then I faced the campers and put up both of my middle fingers. 

Spinning back around I spotted a shadow of a nearby tree and stepped in.

I allowed the shadows to engulf me. A slight chill invaded my bones as I thought of somewhere to go.

I sighed before admitting defeat.

Take me anywhere.

[Edited: 20/06/2023]