Death Boy and Sunshine (Solangelo)

13- Dreams

Nico POV

The dreams started about two months after Will and I's first anniversary; at first they were once a week, not too bad. Then things progressed and now I'm waking up, sweaty and with a feeling of dread in my stomach every night, with the same word racing through my head; "captured."

Tonight, when I wake up it's already 4am so i decide to just go for a walk. The harpies never bother me anymore, I think I scare them. I'm watching the sunrise when I feel someone hug me from behind. 

"If you're not Will, I'm going to punch you into next week." I say as viciously as I can.

I hear a light chuckle and he says "Another nightmare?" I relax into Wills arms and nod before asking "Early infirmary shift?"  

"Yeah, gotta go prep soon. You wanna keep me company?" He asks, and I smile; he knows I'd never refuse spending time with him. I respond with "Of course. Lets go." 

I'm sitting on the counter, swinging my legs back and forth as Will stocks the rooms with gauze and ambrosia, when I say "I think I'm gonna tell Chiron." I hear the rustling noises stop and Will walks out from a room a few moments later. 

"About your dreams?" He asks, and I nod. 

"What if it's important? You know dreams for demigods usually relate to the prophecies, and I feel like it wouldn't be this persistent if it wasn't important." I explain, already anxious at the idea of having to explain the dream to Chiron.

Will senses my anxiety and comes over and rubs my back, saying "I think you're right. I'll come with you if you want." I nod, already lost in thought. 

A few hours later, I'm eating breakfast with Will after his shift. "Chiron is at the Big House if you wanna go there after we eat," Will says with a mouth full of scrambled eggs. I nod and watch as he eats; I'm too anxious to eat anything and I think Will understands that because he's not pushing it.

I hold Will's hand as I knock on the door to Chiron's office, but before I even touch the door, it opens. "Nico, Will, I've been expecting you. Come, sit." Chiron says, leaning back in his wheelchair.  

"So, Nico. Tell me about these... dreams, you've been having." He says as soon and we sit down. I'm shocked that he already knows why I'm here, but Will squeezes my hand encouragingly and I explain in detail what I see  every time I go to sleep. He nods along, and when I finish he stays silent for a moment.

"Well, seems like you need a prophecy. Let's go visit Rachel Dare, shall we?" He asks, and I nod, standing up. "Is she back? I thought she was still in New York." 

"She is not. In fact, no one has heard from her in 4 months. Her father has not had contact with her either. I believe she could be the one in yours and Percy's dreams." I'm stunned. Rachel was missing, and Chiron is just telling me this now?

 (*Record Scratch noise*) wait, what did he just say about Percy?

"You mean... Percy has been having the dreams too?" I ask, confused. 

"Indeed, Mr. Di Angelo. He came to me just last week, and I had a feeling if we waited there would be more revealed; I was correct." 

Will and I sit silently, in shock. Chiron continues speaking. "As I was saying, I believe you must find miss Dare because she is in serious danger. Many people want her for her prophecies, especially now when the oracles are down." 

"Excuse me Chiron, are you suggesting that Nico goes on a quest?" asks Will, who had been silent this whole time.

"Yes, Mr. Solace, I am suggesting exactly that. Now, I understand you have also been having similar dreams lately, have you not?" Chiron responds, leaving me confused, because Will hadn't told me that. I'm slightly hurt, but Will soon explains. 

"I- I have, yes. Although certainly not as horrible or frequent as Nico's, so I've really thought nothing of it." Will says, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hmm yes, well, dream strength can often correlate to demigod strength. That is, how powerful your godly parent is, not to say that you are not a strong demigod. Now, I will call in Percy who is waiting in the hallway, and we shall further discuss this strange circumstance." Chiron explains before rolling to the door and welcoming in Percy.