Son of Fire

Fourteen

"I can't believe you fucking crashed the car, Jason! Into a fucking tree! A big tree too!" I growled then he winced.

"Sorry, man!" He said, but I rolled my eyes.

"At least we're near the city." I said and rubbed my head.

"I guess." Hazel said then I sighed, walking past city limits and looking at the Roman campers.

"So, Romans, where to?" I asked and Hazel smirked, hailing a cab. As we rode as close to the camp as we could, I noticed Jason rubbing his wrist and eyed it.

"Let me see." He slid his hand into mine then I touched his wrist, smiling at him.

"Just a sprain, you'll be good." I said then Frank smirked.

"Foster family?" I nodded and they laughed. When we got to the Caldecott Tunnel, Hazel paid the guy then we went through and I stared at the Roman Camp.

"Jason, Frank, Hazel!" A girl cheered then smiled as she saw me.

"I'm Reyna."

"Andy." I said and she nodded.

"As we suspected. The staff?" I handed it to her then realized what she said.

"Wait, we?" I asked and she nodded, looking over her shoulder.

"He left then?" She whispered and turned back to me.

"Nico was here, but-"

"Where is he staying?" I asked and Reyna smiled.

"Hazel, he's in the apartments looking on the forum." Hazel nodded then grabbed my hand, leading me to the forum.

"Are you ready, Andy?" She asked and I nodded, gripping my bag tightly.

"I think so." I whispered then we got there and I saw a bunch of shops, but only one apartment building.

"He's in there. There's names on the mailboxes at the bottom." She said and I nodded, suddenly nervous.

"Hazel, what if he doesn't want to see me?" I asked then looked at her.

"He does, Andy, I promise." She said then pat my shoulder and left. I forced a smile at the people staring, mostly girls, then went towards the apartment building and scanned the boxes, looking for his name. Di'Angelo. I smiled and went up to the third floor, finding apartment 3728. As I got there, I hesitated, not sure about this anymore.

"Excuse me." I turned then saw some guy there, though he oozed son of Ares vibes. Well, son of Mars vibes.

"Uh-" I turned as the door opened then stared as I saw Will Solace there, Nico standing behind him with his arms crossed.

"Andy?" Nico called, but I cleared my throat as I realized what was between them.

"Ni-Nico." I breathed, but when he stepped closer, I turned and left.

Nico's POV
I ran to the door then shoved past Will, running after Andy.

"Andy!" I called and he stopped in the stairwell, slowly turning to me.

"I-I came across the country, Nico, all for a quest. I thought that, at least. Really, I came across the country to see you!" He said and I stared as he started to cry.

"I came to see you, and you're with-" He stopped then opened his bag, grabbing something and throwing it at me. I covered my head as it hit the steps behind me, breaking apart, then I looked at him and saw full, heavy droplets of water going down his cheeks.

"I thought you actually cared about me, Nico! Gods, I was an idiot, yet again!"

"There's nothing between us, Andy! Will-Will just came here to help Reyna and needed a place to crash! He was leaving right when we saw you!" I tried to explain, but he shook his head.

"No, I'm done having my heart crushed by you, Nico. I am done trying to fight for you and love you, obviously you don't want me. Have fun with sun dick up there." He said and turned, going downstairs and leaving. I turned then stared as I saw the broken pieces of my horse on the steps, gears laying around it and the metal bent. I went over then picked up the pieces and went back to my apartment.

"Nico, did I fuck things up?" Will whispered as I walked in, but I shook my head and set the pieces down on my counter.

"No, Will, I did. You should head back, they'll need you at camp." I whispered and he nodded, leaving as I eyed the horse.

Andy's POV
I stormed through the streets back the way Hazel led me, but stopped as I bumped Frank and saw Hazel next to him.

"Andy-" Hazel stopped as she saw my face then she came over and hugged me.

"Will was here." I breathed then felt Frank grab my shoulder, making more tears fall into his girlfriend's hair, which was level with my chest.

"He was with Nico!" I cried then felt Frank's hand tighten on my shoulder.

"Go home, Andy. We'll deal with this." I nodded then Hazel led me to some kind of portal thing that Camp Jupiter had that connected to our camp, though I wasn't sure why we didn't just use this instead of a bus, car, taxi, and our feet. As I went through, I came out by Thalia's Tree then I went into camp and was immediately greeted by smiling faces, though they fell as they noticed my face.

"Andy?" Percy questioned, but I saw Will behind him and noticed how scared he was. I went towards him, a mask of anger on, then stopped in front of him and scoffed.

"Andy, please-"

"He's yours, Solace." I spit then shoved past him, going to the cabin and tossing my bag onto the ground. I fell on my bed then held my head, crying into my hands as my heart broke.

Percy's POV
I watched Andy walk off then looked at Will, who looked really sad.

"Will, what did you do?!" I asked and he looked at me.

"Percy-"

"What did you do?!" I growled and grabbed his shirt.

"I-I was at the Roman camp! Reyna called me, I crashed with-" He stopped as Piper punched him, knocking him from my grasp, then we glared down at him as Leo ran after his brother.

"Stay away from Nico!" Annabeth spit then we went to the Hephaestus cabin to try and talk to Andy.