Waves and Bones (A Nico di Angelo love story)

Understanding

Soph's POV

waking up after gods know how many days isnt necessarily a nice feeling. For one, my entire body is covered in pins and needles. Everything is simultaneously numb and overwhelmingly sensitive to touch. Secondly, my eyelids felt as though theyd been glued shut, opening them felt like tearing two sheets of card apart. When they final caved and opened for me, the darkness was taken over with a blinding white light. I'd never get used to waking from these comatose states.  My new sensitivity to light was beyond uncomfortable. I felt as though it took an eternity to get my eyes to focus on the details of the room around me. Truth was it probably only took a few seconds  minutes at most.

The first thing I notice when I finally take in my surroundings, I notice a blurry dark figure. I know who it is almost instinctively by their messy tossed hair.

"Neeks?" I asked faintly, my voice coming out like a croak, scratching against my troat.

His features slowly became clearer. His eyes hallowed with exhaustion. Before I could process anything else, he launched forward and engulfed me into a firm and warm embrace. I could vaguely feel the shoulder if my tee shirt dampen.

"Long time no see, bone head"  I laughed, pulling away from him and look at him just at arms lenght. Taking in his disheveled appearance. He looked weak, as though he hadnt slept in over a year. His eyes were not only framed by deep purple bags from sleep deprivation, they were bloodshot and watery. "You're not crying over me are you? Look I'm still here, still breathing."

He just looks from me to my stomach and back to me as a tear slips down his cheek.

That's when I notice.

I'm bloody huge!

How long was I out this time?

I dont have time to process that I was clearly sprinting toward my unknown due date before a long crash came from the doorway. Turning to look at the open door, we noticed that almost  the whole gang was standing there. Smiling at us like bumbling idiots. 

"Gods! Sis your bloody huge!" Percy laughed from the doorway as he barged in on our little reunion.

"How you feeling Kiddo?" Thalia asked pushing her way into the room taking a seat at the end of the bed behind Nico.

"Tired, despite sleeping for...how long have I been asleep this time?" I questioned as the room filled with an uneasy tension.

Not a single person seemed to want to answer that question. Leo and Hazel rocked know their heels anxiously. As frank looked at the ceiling as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. Annabeth and thalia shared an uneasy look. Nico reached forward holding my hand reassuringly, while Percy made his way towards me.

"We...ummm we've lost two weeks, me and nico just got back but dont worry too much stress isnt good for you or the little one. Thalia and Jason have been working no stop to keep us on track to reaching Greece on time with minimum incidents. Jason and pipes are currently on watch duty, everything's gonna be okay sis. Were gonna get to Greece were gonna find Hera and were gonna get you home in one piece" percy stated from his crouched position front of me.

I'd be lying if I said i wasnt scared. Everything was getting too overwhelming. This quest made no sense even the prophecy seemed beyond misleading and confusing.

As though awknowledingbmy nervousness, nico looked to the others and back at me.

"Can you all give her a bit if space and let her breathe. Why don't we meet up in deck in fifteen to figure out where were at and catch up one at we've all gotten up fo these past two weeks" nico all but commanded as he gave my hand a small squeeze and a small smile graced his lips.

"Think that a great idea. We really need to see if any of the events that have happened can be explain the prophecy.  So regroup in fifteen, let's see how close we are to getting back to camp" Annabeth smiled as she herded the others out of the room closing the door behind her.

Their retreatingsbteps echoed through the hallway on the other side of the door.

Once theyd faded, I couldn't help but notice how nervous Nico seemed to be.

"You gave me a real scare you know that?" I mumbled looking down at my hands that was still in his comforting grasp.

"What do you mean?" He asked almost flabbergasted.

"When...when yous got knocked off the ship and disappeared...I was terrified. I thought I lost you both. You're my best friend nico...more than that...I, i dont think i could have survived if i lost you for good. I was scared I'd never see you again that I'd have to do all.this alone" I'd tears steadily falling down my face as i spilled my inner thoughts with the one person who meant the most to me.

So lost in thought, I hadnt noticed Neeks lean forward to wipe away the tears.

"Me too princess but I'm.here now..thanks to you" he smiled.

I couldn't help but notice how my stomach filled with butterflies under his kind stare.

Ever since he got back to camp a few months ago, I've notice him.begin to soften up with everyone and his usual walls have started to fall. Yet  I still struggle to tell what he thinking.

So you can imagine how shocked I was when after a momentary haze I feel his lips gentle press against mine in a gentle kiss, as his arms snaked around my waist. Causing me to melt into his embrace.

I'd known for a while now, but the natural ease of these intimate moment confirmed it for me. I'm in love with Nico Di angelo. I'm in love with my best friend.

My lips tingle as his pulls away, gentle reach up and guiding a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"Soph, i... need to be honest with you. I had time to think stuck on the island with your pain in the arse brother, I'm still confused about it if I'm honest, only cause I thought I'd figured myself out a long time ago but I like you. In more than friends  way and given our... unique situation I wanna be upfront with you. You mean a lot to me"

My heart skipped a beat at his word. How quick my life had changed, from a sad girl who felt the world was against her as she struggled to break out from behind her brothers shadow. To now, i have my best friend back, I know more about my birth mom, I'm pregnant for the same best friend, all be it by immaculate conception thanks to the gods and I'm in love with my best friend and he might feel the same. Sure I'm still a little sad and lonely those feelings dont go away over night but despite everything we've been thrown into, I'm doing ten time better than I was a handful if months ago.

"I feel the same way" I smiled bashfully looking at him.

Being a demigod is about finding the good in the bad, and dealing with the bad in the good.

Having Nico and our baby was the good in the bad. While the fact I was a teen mom cause of hera was the bad in the good but I can deal with that.

Let's just get through this quest.