I'm sorry this chapter is shit. I had an idea for what I wanted and it tanked halfway through. On the bright side, I'm MUCH happier with the storylines I've concocted this time around than when I first started. So there's that.
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Percy
Once Percy reached Camp Half-Blood's barrier, it suddenly occurred to him that the child in his arms was not a demigod. The evidence: a bruised nose and a screaming infant caused by slamming face-first into the barrier. Of course, the ought occurred to Percy she might not be a demigod on the way over, but his kelp-brain glossed it over, and he continued on his merry way. Now Peleus is looking at him with judgment clear in his yellow eyes and Percy is trying to remember how to give permission to mortals. He recalled back when he was thirteen and Annabeth had to give permission to Tyson. Annabeth... Percy momentarily had a mental relapse, remembering her harsh words.
"...I can't be with you right now, Percy. You know better than anyone that this is my dream, and I can't have any distractions. Look, I'll call you around sometime, and we can go get coffee and discuss how we're doing a couple of months from now. Until then, I have a carer to get off the ground."
Percy knew a breakup was happening, he just didn't think she'd be this harsh. Or this cold. Regardless, what happened happened, and he had no control over her. All he could do was look to his future and plan it out the best he could. Percy looked down to the crying baby in his arms, and his heart broke. He couldn't bring himself to leave her alone once she was healthy. He just couldn't. Percy had grown attached to the malnourished babe over the week-long treck it took to get to Camp. He glanced around, looking for monsters before uttering the words of permission.
"I, Percy Jackson, allow..." Percy paused. What was the infants' name? What would he call her? He thought a few minutes before saying a name he liked. "Y/N... into Camp Half-Blood."
Nico
Nico stayed with the child the whole time. He was drawn to her innocence and fragility, and he had no idea why. Whatever the reason, he couldn't help but feel protective over the tiny person he rescued a few hours ago. Especially when Dr. Banner wanted to insert IVs into her. Nico nearly decapitated him for that. It wasn't until Banner explained that the IVs were absolutely necessary for getting her at a healthy weight that Nico relented. However, Nico had to be escorted from the room by Steve to calm down.
It was when they reached the living room did Nico realize he fucked up, royally. He had forgotten to submit his report to Hades, and surely now his father was fuming. Without thinking, twice he shadow traveled to his father's throne room. As predicted, his father was mad.
"Where have you been?! I expected your report hours ago!" Nico flinched at his loud tone.
"I apologize, Father, I encountered a slight... distraction." Hades' eyes flamed with an unseen inferno.
"A DISTRACTION?! WHAT TYPE OF DISTRACTION?!" Hades had stormed close to Nico and was looming very threateningly above him.
"W-well there was a..." Nico paused and averted his gaze from his father. Hades hardened his gaze at Nico.
"A what? Speak plainly, boy."
"A child," Nico blurted out, "an infant. No more than a few days old. A week at the most. She needed medical attention, and I brought her to the Tower to be treated."
"A child? A child was your distraction?" Hades scoffed and retreated back to his thone. "Why are you so invested in the life of someone so insignificant?"
"I don't know," Nico answered honestly. He finally looked his father back in his cold, black eyes. "But I now that Y/N won't feel insignificant as long as I'm around."
