Fate Withstands

Chapter 2

AN: not going to be percico. parings will be canon but Nico has a crush on percy right now like he did at first

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"Nice day for a stroll," Thalia muttered. "The Hunters are probably feasting in some forest glade right about now."

"The Hunters?" Nico asked, perking his head up. "Is that what you are?"

She nodded. "Follows of Artemis. You know who that is, right?"

"Yeah, moon and hunt goddess," Nico remembered. "She can make you immortal?"

"Not immortal, you heard me explain that earlier."

"So who is this Melinoe?" Percy spoke up.

"Long story," Nico said. Maybe he would have told it, but that's when the daimones attacked. Keres. Demons.

He remembered the fight, remembered what they had said. Their new master...Iapetus... Then Percy got clawed, and Nico felt that his feelings were a crush for the first time.

But it was wrong...that's what he had always been taught. He was from the 1900s, had lived from 1930 to 1944. Everything he had ever known had been hate in a war that nearly destroyed the world.

He finished the monsters off in seconds before following Thalia to Percy's side. After having Percy pass out a few times, they bandaged his shoulder and got him propped up before he decided to pass out again.

It was silent as Nico watched his breathing, watched his chest rise and fall. He didn't know much about medicine and health besides that. "He's still breathing, that's good."

Thalia looked over at him as she got a small bag out of her pocket. "This is ambrosia. It should help somewhat."

"You're going to try to do something?" Nico asked. "He needs healing from one of the gods and I doubt there's anything we can do."

"Well, we've got to try," Thalia replied. "If he dies, his mom will kill me."

Nico looked back over at Percy's pale face. "When do you think he'll wake up?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think it'll be in time to catch the guy?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know anything?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, that you're annoying as hell." Thalia sighed. "Look, Nico. You're not helping by asking all these questions. I know you haven't had someone to talk to in a while. I get it. But now's not the time to talk."

Nico sat down and looked at his pale arms. He was looking more as he did when alive than dead, and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad. But he wasn't going to ask Thalia in the mood she was now in.

"The Keres?" Percy woke up with the question on his lips.

"Gone for now," Thalia answered. "You had me worried for a second, Percy, but I think you'll make it."

"The Keres will be back," Nico warned.

Percy tried to sit up, causing Thalia to help him. "Slow," she said. "You need to rest before you can move."

"There's no time." Percy looked at the flower Nico had taken after his fall. "One of the daimones mentioned Iapetus. Am I remembering right? That's a Titan?"

Thalia nodded. "The brother of Kronos, father of Atlas. He was known as the titan of the west. His name means 'the Piercer' because that's what he likes to do to his enemies. He was cast into Tartarus along with his brothers. He's supposed to still be down there."