Death and Madness|| Nico di Angelo

Nico and I go on a date

I found Nico after lunch. Or rather he was waiting for me by my cabin. 

"Hey" He said. 

"Hey"

There were a few moments of silence. 

"I'm sorry" Nico said. "Castor seemed like a great brother"

"He was" I replied, I didn't feel much like having another panic attack, like the one I had last night. I hadn't told Nico about it but I had a feeling he knew. 

I don't know what he was going to say, but I cut him off. "I can't stay here"

He looked at me in confusion. So I continued. "I can't, I just can't. Pollux is moving back to his home, he's only going to come to camp during summer, plus he's got to tell his mom..." I trailed off. 

I sucked in a deep breath. "And I'm not going back home"

"Why are you telling me this?" 

"Because I assume you have a plan to disappear into the shadows" I smiled at him. 

He suppressed his own smile. "I can't stay here either"

"Wanna run away together?" 

"As long as you don't kill a super important butterfly" he joked. 

---

That night was super awkward. By the Dionysus table, Pollux had arranged a sort of date for Nico and me. I could hardly go without punching Pollux every minute, but I felt good honouring Castor's last wish. At least Nico and I went on a date once. 

Pollux had gone all out. The other campers had put on their best clothes and pretended that the dining pavilion was a restaurant. Pollux was our waiter and no matter what drink we asked for, he gave us grape juice. 

Nico and I tried not to look at each other much, but everytime I looked at him, he seemed to be getting redder. 

At the end of dinner though, everyone raised their glasses for the fallen. It was a bitter sweet goodbye to our family. 

---

After dinner, the campers headed toward the amphitheater, where Apollo's cabin promised an awesome sing-along to pick up our spirits, but Nico turned and disappeared into the woods. I decided I'd better follow him, apparently Percy had the same idea because we both caught each other creeping after Nico.

As I passed under the shadows of the trees, I realized how dark it was getting. I'd never been scared in the forest before, though I knew there were plenty of monsters. Still, I thought about yesterday's battle, and I wondered if I'd ever be able to walk in those woods again without remembering the horror of so much fighting.

We couldn't see Nico, but after a few minutes of walking I saw a glow up ahead. At first I thought Nico had lit a torch. As I got closer, I realized the glow was a ghost. The shimmering form of Bianca di Angelo stood in the clearing, smiling at her brother. She said something to him and touched his face—or tried to. Then her image faded.

Nico turned and saw us, but he didn't look mad.

"Saying good-bye," he said hoarsely.

"Your date was nice." Percy said, which made me flick his ear. Nico sniffed and chuckled a bit. 

"No." I said. "It was fucking epic"

"Language" Nico and Percy said in unison. 

Then there was an awkward silence for a few moments before Percy spoke up again.

"Nico, you can't miss every meal, I saw that you didn't eat anything. If you don't want to stay with Hermes, maybe they can make an exception and put you in the Big House. They've got plenty of rooms."

"I'm not staying, Percy."

"But...you can't just leave. It's too dangerous out there for a lone half-blood. You need to train."

"I train with the dead," he said flatly. "This camp isn't for me. There's a reason they didn't put a cabin to Hades here, Percy. He's not welcome, any more than he is on Olympus. I don't belong. I have to go."

"When will you go?" I asked.

"Right away, if Vi wants" He looked at me and I nodded. I pulled out my already packed bag and smirked at him "I've got tons of questions. Like who was my mother? Who paid for Bianca and me to go to school? Who was that lawyer guy who got us out of the Lotus Hotel? I know nothing about my past. I need to find out."

"You're leaving too?" Percy asked me. 

"Aw Kelp head, I'll miss you too." I pinched his cheek. "Try not to miss me too much"

Percy fought a smile. 

"And try not to mess things up with Annabeth, or I will kill you" I warned him, my expression dead serious until I burst out laughing. "Take care Jackson"

"You too Keen" Percy said. "And Nico, I hope we don't have to be enemies."

He lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry I was a brat. I should've listened to you about Bianca."

"By the way..." Percy fished something out of my pocket. "Tyson found this while we were cleaning the cabin. Thought you might want it." I held out a lead figurine of Hades—a little Mythomagic statue.

Nico hesitated. "I don't play that game anymore. It's for kids."

"It's got four thousand attack power," Percy coaxed.

"Five thousand," Nico corrected. "But only if your opponent attacks first."

Percy smiled. "Maybe it's okay to still be a kid once in a while." he tossed Nico the statue.

Nico studied it in his palm for a few seconds, then slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks."

"I've got a lot of things to investigate," he said. "Some of them...Well, if I learn anything useful, I'll let you know."

Percy nodded. "Keep in touch, Nico."

He turned and trudged off into the woods. The shadows seemed to bend toward him as he walked, like they were reaching out for his attention.

A voice right behind me said, "There goes a very troubled young man."

I turned and found Dionysus standing there, still in his black suit.

"I assume you're leaving too?" He asked me. 

I nodded. I didn't have to explain though, dad understood. 

"Good luck Violet." He said, "And remember Camp is always here... and so am I until my punishment doesn't end" He grumbled the last part. 

"I'll think it over" I promised. "But for now I need a fresh start, like Pollux"

"Tell him to do good in exams will you Percy?" I said. "He's looking into a college"

Percy nodded and gave me hug before I turned and walked towards Nico. 

Nico offered me his hand which I took without thinking. He smiled softly, "Just so you know, I'm only letting you tag along because you're a walking grape grower"

"And I'm only going with you because of your skeleton powers" I stuck my tongue out. 

"So where to?"

"Underworld?" I suggested. He nodded. 

And together we ran into the shadows.