𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝗌𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗅𝗈

chapter 1

[ author's note: if some things do not coincide with reality it is because this story is not the reality of the books! ]

the aviator jacket was still resting on the back of the black chair, nico had been looking at the ceiling of his cabin for a few minutes while he was still under the infinite blankets, waiting for the desire to get up and get dressed to take possession of his body. but it was not so. it was percy who pushed him to get out of bed and who arrogantly entered his cabin – regardless of what the other boy was doing – and who threw the italian out of bed, chanting: "new boys are arriving today. you have to be at your best". nico rolled his eyes: he didn't care about the new kids who were coming, he wouldn't have made friends regardless. he hated people, except for percy who, since nico had arrived at the camp, had tried to be friends with him, until he succeeded, even if the raven found it hard to trust so much.

chiron was calling all the demigods of the camp to the arena for the reception of the new boys and percy arrived with his breath short after dragging nico with force from his cabin to the arena. poseidon's son sat down next to annabeth – his great friend and daughter of athena – while the italian sat down next to percy, while a myriad of kids was running happily for the new boys. nico rolled again his eyes and then placed his face in the palm of his hand, which was resting on his leg thanks to his elbow. "come on nico, don't do this, there will be someone you will make friends with" said the blonde quickly, after she placed her book on her legs. the raven said nothing, simply glared at her and she moved her eyes to that group of newly arrived boys. they had cheerful expressions on their faces and their eyes shone with the amazement that the new place emanated for them, but so monotonous for nico that, once again, was dragged by percy who held him tight by his left arm, pulling on his jacket sleeve, knowing that nico hated physical contact. "we are children of two of the big three, di angelo, we must introduce ourselves immediately! and then we have to make them take the introductory tour of the camp!" percy exclaimed happily, while nico – with his eyes – asked annabeth for help so that the boy would abandon him: but athena's daughter turned away from him, laughing loudly.

"okay, but don't touch me. you know the rules, jackson" the italian spat coldly and walked slowly towards the group of newbies who were intent on talking to chiron and mr. d. the latter two, when they noticed the presence of the two newly arrived boys, immediately left and returned to their speeches as camp leaders. there were a few minutes of silence, then broken by one of the newly arrived boys: he had tremendously blond curls, that were able to blind anyone who looked at him, and his blue eyes glittered like stars, all ruined by a blue shirt with pink flowers scattered here and there and flip-flops on his feet. who would ever wear flip-flops in a demigod camp? just a strange boy, obviously strange to nico's eyes.

"hi, i'm will solace, son of apollo" he said happily, smiling slyly and holding out his hand to the two boys in greeting. percy took it, squeezed it vigorously and introduced himself in turn – also naming his godly parent, as usual –, while nico shifted his gaze from the horrible outfit of the blond to his tanned hand stretched towards him and then to his blue eyes that scrutinized him closely and were burning on him. "i'm nico" said hades' son simply, avoiding contact with that boy who, according to nico, seemed to have been hurt by his usual behaviour. but it didn't give him much weight, in the end, he was just a new one who still didn't know the rules for not antagonizing nico.

percy pretended to be a tour guide and showed the camp to the new boys, accompanied by annabeth – since nico had abandoned him –, while they were filling him with questions and presentations still left behind. nico, for his part, had returned to his magnificent black cabin, neither too large nor too small to contain his only person who, after all, did not occupy such a large space: in fact, most of the cabin was empty, since nico had concentrated all his things in one place, next to his bed. he didn't care if that blond boy would hate him, he was so used to that behaviour since most demigods feared him.

"percy?" will asked, getting percy's attention, while the other guys in the group had sorted themselves out in their morning activities, assigned by chiron. percy already had in mind what the blond was going to ask him since he had seen nico's magnificent presentation. "tell me will, is something wrong?" percy replied offering a question to the god of the sun's son, as they both sat on a bench. "maybe i shouldn't ask you and i should do my own business but... is that boy, nico, okay?" will asked shyly and almost softly, as if the hades' son could manage to hear him from a distance: he was afraid to speak indirectly about other people. percy chuckled, narrowing his eyes, and then looked up into the sky. "yes, he is like this. don't worry, he doesn't hate you" said the dark-haired boy openly, reassuring, in part, himself and, in part, will that he would have wanted to go to the raven and try the presentation again, but avoiding to offer him his hand and avoid being fin too cheerful, even though this was impossible for him. but the black, dark and cold eyes of the italian came back to his mind and he decided that he would wait a few more days, just enough time to make some friends and then he would throw himself into the most difficult task of his life: make friends with nico di angelo.

and while will was thinking about that boy, nico materialized in front of him while a black cloud was dissolving behind his shoulders. nico looked at him sideways for a few seconds before he put his black eyes on the figure of the boy next to him, as well as percy, who got up and, mimicking something he didn't understand, got up and left him sitting on the bench alone. will found himself thinking again about that dark boy: he thought about how nico had looked at him sideways, as if he was afraid of being seen by someone, as if he was ashamed. he quickly pushed those thoughts out of his head and decided that he would participate in any of the morning activities before lunch and before looking for the infirmary where he would spend the rest of the day: he was doing well as a doctor and he was also there to improve. even if he couldn't get the image of nico out of his head. and nico tried not to think about that horrible shirt, trying to concentrate as much as he was training with the sword, but he still had engraved in his head the image of that boy so different from him, so cheerful, almost his opposite. he woke up from those strange thoughts only when percy wounded him on the cheek with the sword, saying a simple "oops". but nico knew it wasn't percy's fault, but only his because he found himself thinking about will.