WHISPERS • A PERCICO AU

• Chapter 14 •

Nico woke up on Monday morning breaking a cold sweat.

Each night since the incident with his beloved Percy, the same nightmare came crawling back to him, dampening his feelings with every breath he took.

He was walking down a corridor that looked strangely similar to the one outside his bedroom. The black walls were misty and looked soft, as if he tried to touch them, he would fall into the endless abyss of hell. As he continued his goalless stroll, he started hearing whispers. Attracted by the eerie sound, Nico approached with gentle steps, trying to be as careful as possible.

As soon as he opened the door, the green-eyed boy he had loved for so long had pounced on him, entangling their bodies together. He felt Percy's expert arms slither around his waist as he wrapped his own hands behind his neck. But when their lips finally came in contact, Nico could feel his soul being sucked out. An unbearable pain seared through him, the white-hot flames carrying his body away as Percy stood, his expression unreadable.

Sitting up in his own bed, Nico rubbed the tiredness out of his eyes. He felt immensely sleepless, but he knew he deserved it. 

The dreams started as a guilty pleasure, but it always ended by the same horrible feeling sitting like a pit in his stomach. It was the horrible sensation of feeling betrayed, but feeling blameworthy as well.

Sliding out of his clammy clothes that he hadn't even bothered to change last night, Nico put on his leather aviator jacket, his black t-shirt and jeans, and that wicked silver skull ring on his finger. Grabbing his phone off his nightside table, he examined his reflection, praying that he looked healthy enough not to be questioned by his family. He especially didn't want to talk to Bianca, despite promising himself to. His tufts of black hair struck up in curls like baby bat wings, and his eyes were sad and kind of empty, as if he'd stared into the depths of hell.

He let out a shrill exhale. He was going to worry about it later.

Slinging his backpack on his shoulder, Nico walked down the empty corridor, the events of his recurring nightmare flooding back into him. Pushing the depressing thought away, he walked down the stairs to sit in the dining room. 

Like usual, nothing eventful happened. His father Hades was reading the newspaper in a hurry, but his regal face remained calm and imposing, as always. With a furtive glance at the clock, Nico noticed his father would be leaving soon. 

"Nico." said Persephone, his soulless stepmother. Not 'good morning', thought Nico bitterly, Not even 'hey'.

The black-haired boy nodded to acknowledge her as she pushed a china plate towards him, the smell of bread filling the room with it's delicate fumes.

Despite having left his hunger in his room upstairs, Nico picked at his breakfast self-consciously, trying to ignore his father's reproachful looks boring into him. He noticed Bianca trying to catch his eye, but he was keeping his gaze glued to the table.

Not even bothering to finish, Nico pushed his plate away and signed that he wasn't hungry anymore. He formed the letter 'c' with his right hand and moved it to the middle of his chest, signing 'hungry'.

His dark-haired sister cast him an anxious look, unlike Persephone whom was glowering at his unfinished meal.

Ignoring her thunderous looks, Nico spun on his heel, heading for the front door. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulders.

*   *   *

The sinking sensation in his stomach hadn't left him when he stepped inside the school gates. As he ambled in the corridors, he tried to shrug off the rare students whom were eyeing the dark circles under his eyes and his unruly hair, with suspicion rising in the looks they were casting him.