Solace Through Darkness (Solangelo One-shots)

Darkness and Skin Cancer

Nico wished his friends were here. A dark forest isn't the type of place you want to be alone. Being scared of darkness is only natural, but it still annoyed Nico whenever he heard a swig snap or owl hoot. Fears. Fatal flaws. He didn't want to think about it since he didn't exactly know his own.

Only a few more minutes, he thought. See, Nico was hiding in wait for a certain "pest" in the woods of Camp Half-Blood. His task was to waylay the monster as soon as it came out. Not the most glamorous, but it was better than shoveling out the stables. Nico was broken from his thoughts when he heard a twig snap. He felt like the stick, like he snapped. Nico closed his eyes and leaned against a tree. The only problem was, when he closed his eyes, he saw darkness, and he was afraid of darkness. It just reminded him that one day, he would be that darkness. Ugh.

Life, why torture me? He thought. Nico di Angelo, angel of Darkness , was scared of darkness  itself. It seemed like a cosmic joke.

"Nico?" said something. He swung around and nearly took Will's hand off.

"Dude!" Will complained. "Second time in as many weeks!"

Nico looked down in shame. "Umm.. you didn't--"

"See you jump? Yep."

"So you figured--"

"Out that you're scared of the dark?"

"Umm..."

"Sunburn."

"What?" Nico looked at him oddly.

"I'm afraid of being sunburnt."

"...What?"

"Jezz, you act like you don't have a weird phobia."

"Sunburn?"

"Skin cancer. It's a real problem."

"What the heck is skin cancer?"

"Never mind. Why are out here anyway?" Will tilted his head.

"Fight a monster."

"Brilliant. I'm coming."

"What?"

"Just in case."

"Fine. It's somewhere in the east woods."

"Then let's go fight a monster." Will turned around and started walking. With out looking back at Nico, he called, "You're cute when you're flustered."