The Quest to save Apollo

Chapter 17 - Crack.

Nico's POV
Nico sat in the middle of his room facing away from the door. Six months. Six whole months and not a single trace of Will. Apollo had visited a few months ago after recovering he still had that broken look in his eyes but Zeus had laid off him. Nico had spent the last few months searching for Will but it was like he'd disappeared from existence. Of cause he hadn't disappeared entirely everyone still remembered Will he was honoured at camp for returning Apollo among the Olympians and he was given a burial service but Nico just didn't believe he was dead, death was too easy for Will. Someone knocked on Nico's door probably Jason come to bring him food. Nico was grieving now he hadn't even grieved the idea of him being dead he just started searching for him as soon as he could. He didn't want to eat or sleep he didn't even want to move. Nico remembered when he'd awoken from his sleep six months ago.
**Flashback**
"Nico wake up we're home." Piper called. Nico sprang up almost head butting Piper in the head. "Whoa, whoa." She soothed.
"Will?" Nico scanned the room he recognised it as the Hades cabin the terrible decor gave it away.
"Nico stay still you've been asleep for three days."
"Three days?" It had only felt like three minutes.
"Tell me what you dreamed of." Piper sat on the edge of the bed careful not to touch the boy.
"How did you know I had a dream?"
"I'm the one who put you to sleep remember? As I did I said dream about the things you love." Nico held his head he remembered that he had dreamed of a certain son of Apollo.
"Piper I'm about to tell you something that you cannot tell anyone else swear it on the river Styx." Piper hesitated but nodded her head before saying.
"I swear on the river Styx not to say anything."
"I dreamed of Will." Piper inhaled deeply her eyes softening.
"First of all I'm a daughter of Aphrodite I could sense the love you shared for one another and second what happened?" Shared? Did that mean Will loved Nico?
"I was in a meadow and Will was there I finally got to say my goodbye." Piper's eyes sparkled slightly with the little light coming through the Hades cabin window.
"He was a good guy Nico, his funeral will be held tomorrow."
"What funeral, why?" Piper seemed surprised.
"That's usually what happens-"
"Will isn't dead." Nico protested. "I just have to find him I'll leave tomorrow you'll see I'll find him." Nico stood up throwing things into his backpack getting ready to go. Piper placed a hand on Nico's shoulder but he felt nothing absolutely nothing but Piper smiled.
"You don't wince at my touch anymore." Nico didn't want to say it was because he felt nothing so he just nodded and continued packing. "Nico." Piper persisted but there was nothing stopping him he needed to find Will.
**Flashback End**
Nico stayed true to his plan he left the following day and searched for Will all over the country. Leo had returned to camp saying that Calypso had gone to visit her island that was now accessible by all demigods not just dying ones. Nico hugged his knees to his chest when he heard someone step in and place a dish down. "Nico how you doing?" Nico was right it was Jason. Nico didn't reply and Jason stepped in front of him looking down at him. "You need to eat." He said Nico hadn't been eating only enough to sustain himself he didn't eat more or less so he could continue to feel nothing. "Nico Gods he was just one guy how many other people have you lost?" Jason said a disapproving look on his face. For a long time Nico had felt nothing, he had been numb but something ignited inside of Nico at Jason's words.
"Don't you dare." Nico growled quietly. Jason raised an eyebrow.
"What?" He sounded slightly surprised.
"I said," Nico stood up to face Jason even though he was shorter. "don't you dare!" Jason stepped back but regained his confidence again.
"Nico," Jason said controlling his voice "Will is dead you have to accept that." Nico started to shake violently.
"You don't understand!" Nico yelled in rage.
"What Nico? What don't I understand? I get that you liked him but Nico he's gone." Nico imagined other campers hearing Nico and Jason argue and hearing Jason say liked him and Nico didn't even care he just had a fire of rage burning inside him.
"It was more than that." Nico retorted.
"Nico just don't make yourself suffer." Jason took on a gentler tone which just made Nico angrier.
"You know what Jason I don't need this, I don't need you, I don't need anybody I can leave camp go to the Underworld with my father I don't need be here but I am. I don't need your stupid food," Nico picked up the plate and threw it across the room it shattered against the cabin wall the contents on it mixing with the glass. "and I certainly don't need to hear you give me a lecture." Nico shadow traveled out of there no destination in mind he just needed to get away.
Nico guessed his mind must of been on the Underworld because that's where he ended up. Hades sat on his throne it was spring which meant that Persephone was with her mother on the upper world. Hades looked up from what looked like Thanatos' iPad. "Nico my son?"
"Can I ask you something?" Nico took a step forward to see his father better.
"Anything." He stated.
"Did Will get to Elysium?" Nico asked and Hades frowned.
"I'm not allowed to disclose that information."
"Father please." Hades stood from his throne and stood in front of Nico shrinking to a regular adult height.
"I think he is happy but misses you." Hades said placing a hand on Nico's shoulder, Nico couldn't help but feel strange his father was actually being a father?
"Do you think I am strange?" Nico asked curiously and Hades eyes softened.
"Why because you are gay?"
"Well yeah..."
"Nico are you or are you not my son?"
"I am."
"Are you or are you not Nico Di Angelo?"
"I am." Nico repeated.
"I see no difference in who you are, you are the same Nico no matter your sexuality it is apart of you and you've accepted that but it is not all of you therefore it does not define you," Hades smirked slightly before continuing his sentence. "besides I'm from Ancient Greek times we all know how they used to be." Hades winked and Nico wanted to throw up but managed a weak smile. "Go rest my child I'll send some food up to you, you look so skinny have you been eating?" Nico shook his head then headed up to his Underworld room.
Nico wanted to scream or to smash somethings but he had no energy he just lay on his uncomfortable bed staring at the ceiling. A skeleton servant let itself into Nico's bedroom and placed a plate of food on his bedside table and left but Nico didn't move he didn't feel like eating or doing anything in fact he didn't feel anything more importantly he didn't feel like living. Nico rolled over and lay awake he'd stay the night and return to camp the next day.
(The Next Day)
Nico quickly fed Hades' hellhounds his breakfast before Hades could see. "Are you feeling better?" Hades asked and Nico found it kind of weird how fatherly Hades was being. Nico gave him a weak fake smile.
"Yeah I'm ready to go back and apologise to Jason."
"Nico?" Hades paused waiting for Nico's attention then he continued. "Did you love Will?" His father asked cautiously keeping his tone quiet and light.
"I think I did." Nico admitted. Hades shifted before saying something you would expect Aphrodite to say not the God of the Underworld.
"True love always finds a way." Hades wondered off down a hallway and Nico dismissed what he'd said and shadow travelled back to camp in his cabin. Nico splashed his face grabbed some fresh clothes and put on his jacket. He looked at himself in the mirror. "Okay Nico keep it together, just for a day try and be whole." He switched off the light and stepped out of his cabin. Campers around immediately went quiet and then people started nudging one another and nodding their heads towards the boy. Nico made his way towards the Zeus cabin the campers whispers following. Nico knocked on the door and Jason answered he looked not like himself his hair was messy and he had a slight tint of dark under his eyes. Jason pulled the shorter boy into a hug and he froze. "I'm so sorry Nico about what I said I didn't mean it." Nico pulled away and gave him a fake smile.
"I came to say sorry." Jason frowned.
"Why would you apologise I was the idiot?"
"It's okay Jason I guess we both made a mistake." Jason nodded obviously happy then he frowned a second time.
"You look good? Where did you shadow travel to?"
"I talked to my dad he surprisingly made me feel better about myself."
"Surprisingly." Jason muttered then slung his arm around his shoulder. "C'mon lets go to the beach."
"Let's go get away?" A familiar voice asked. Nico looked up and saw Leo grinning and Jason slung his other arm around Leo's shoulders. The three walked to the beach and stood and talked.
Nico didn't really talk he just let Jason and Leo talk and he nodded along or said a few things here and there when Leo said something that caught Nico's attention. "I'll be leaving to go collect Calypso off of Ogygia we might stay there for a couple of days too it's really beautiful and now we can navigate there without dying."
"That's great man." Jason said.
"Ummm Leo do you mind if I join you?" Nico asked and Leo and Jason looked at one another.
"Why?" Leo asked not trying to sound rude.
"It's just I think I need to get away from camp for a couple of days and the Underworld isn't very inviting, I'll stay out of your and Calypso's way I promise." Leo smiled.
"Sure Neaks it'll be good for you." Leo and Jason left to go get drinks and Nico was doing good he'd kept it together for most of the day and naturally that's when things went wrong.
"Hey faggot!" Crack. Nico felt the dam he had built up to keep his emotions back crack inside him. Nico turned to see a buff Ares kid barreling towards him. Nico frowned.
"Are you talking to me?" Nico asked innocently.
"Do you see any other faggots?" He pushed Nico down into the sand.
"What is your problem?" Nico yelled his anger growing he heard what his father had said that his sexuality didn't define him.
"My problem is your just standing there." The Ares kid growled.
"My name is Nico." Nico stood up and dusted himself off looking around the new crowd that had assembled. "And I suggest you back off before I hurt you." Nico clenched his fists and the Ares kid laughed.
"Look at you," The Ares kid circled Nico "you're nothing just a skinny worthless runt who no one wants at camp. You're a queer." Crack. The dam cracked further making Nico dangerously close to breaking down.
"I-I... That's not true!" Nico protested.
"What's the matter you can't see that no one wants you here?" Nico threw the first punch and hit the Ares kid right on the nose and he relished at the sound and feel of the bone breaking. Blood dripped from the Ares kid nose and he held it and that's where Nico saw the mistake he'd made, that's exactly what he was waiting for, for Nico to attack so he could 'defend' himself. The Ares kid pounced on Nico and started beating him mercilessly. "Will would be ashamed of what you are! You killed him Nico! Why didn't you stop him?" Crack. Nico felt the crack of the dam all the way up to his heart, he was broken. The Ares kid snarled still beating Nico until Nico heard a couple of people shout 'hey'. Nico had lost the power to feel pain blood was splattered on the sand he was pretty sure he had a broken jaw and nose, a bust lip and he'd be covered in bruises. Someone pulled the Ares kid off Nico while another stood between them. Nico couldn't see well but in the sun he saw a blonde haired tall boy and Nico thought it was Will. "Will?" Nico asked before he passed out from the pain he couldn't feel.