The Underworld's Sun - A Solangelo Fanfiction

Chapter Twelve

Nico twisted the ring on his finger and leaned against the wall of the Apollo cabin. Only Austin was inside—Will and Kayla were both in the infirmary. Annabeth was giving birth to her son, and they were helping her. Austin was the least skilled with medicine, so he had chosen not to help, and Nico generally wasn't good with newborns.

Austin was playing his ukulele, apparently perfectly calm about the fact that his siblings were helping a child to be born.

Nico kept twisting his ring and listening.

Austin stopped a minute or so later. "What should I play?"

Nico shrugged.

Austin rolled his eyes. "You're unhelpful. Will you sing?"

"Why?" Nico crossed his arms.

"Because you can." Austin frowned at Nico. "Why do you need a reason to make music?"

Nico shrugged.

"Music is a good stress reliever, too," Austin added.

"I'm not stressed."

"Yeah, you are. I can tell."

"Why would I be stressed?"

"Annabeth is giving birth to a freaking child. Your husband is helping with said birth. You. Are. Freaking. Out."

"No, I'm not."

"You need to learn that you can't hide things from me."

"Shut up."

"So? What should I play?"

"Meant to be by Bebe Rexha."

"'Kay." Austin started on the first few chords.

Nico smiled and started to sing, watching Austin's fingers on the strings. "Baby, lay on back and relax. Kick your pretty feet up on my dash. No need to go nowhere fast. Let's enjoy right here where we at."

The two young men kept going until the end of the song. Just as Austin struck the final note, a knock sounded on the door, and it was pushed open.

"Kayla!" Austin jumped up from the bed. "How's Annabeth?"

"Fine." Kayla smiled. "She has a beautiful new son."

"Have they named him?" Nico asked.

"They're discussing that now," Kayla confirmed. "Annabeth wants to call him Magnus—she had a cousin with that name. Percy's joking about calling him Gabe, but he'll probably agree to Magnus. You want to come meet him?"

"Absolutely!" Both of them said at once.

Kayla laughed, "awesome, come on." And she led her brother and brother-in-law outside.

Kayla pushed open the door to the infirmary and held it open for Austin, then let Nico take it.

Percy and Annabeth were sitting next to each other on a bed. Annabeth was cradling a tiny newborn baby. Will was crouched down next to them, running a hand over the baby's tiny forehead.

Percy glances up. "Nico!"

"Hey, guys." Nico walked forward and leaned down over Will's shoulders. "Oh, he's beautiful!"

Annabeth smiled, coddling her son a little closer. "His name is Magnus."

Austin leaned over Will's other shoulder. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, Magnus Jackson."

Magnus blinked up at Austin. His large eyes were the same sea-green as Percy's. Then he closed his eyelids and curled up tighter.

Annabeth gently kissed Magnus's forehead.