Light in the Darkness - Nico X Reader

Chapter 14, Memories

A/N Happy Halloween y'all! I forgot... Anyway, let's go!

P.S, this chapter should seem really weird, with the words and full stops and whatnot. But remember, it's because it's a memory. Everything is weird. Don't question it. <3

Drowning. What is drowning? Dying through submersion in and inhalation of water. Is that what's happening now? Drowning, drowning, drowning. Drowning in the waters of memories.

Eyes. Open. Leaves. Trees. Buildings. People.

I looked around. Where am I? Good question. I have no idea. I remember clearly. Slipping into unconsciousness.

Skeletons. Nico. Falling. Falling. Falling.

This is definitely not a dream. Dreams, not so clear. This? Crystal clear. Nico? Where? Here. He was standing next to me. Wispy. Like a ghost. A shadow.

I look down.

I am a shadow too. A ghost. Imaginary.

In front of me. A small boy, age of 7. A girl, age of 10. Siblings. How do I know this? Instinct.

A mother. Children. The boy? Familiar. How? I don't know.

Realisation. Struck.

Nico. Bianca. Maria.

I look over at Nico the shadow. Face? Shocked. Worried. Fear. Our hands intertwined.

Italy. Time. Past.

The children were playing. The mother worried. A cloud overhead.

"Nico, mio caro..." (Nico, my dear) A careless whisper by Maria, the mother. "Non ti scordar di me..." (Don't forget me)

Lightning. Flashed.

The scene shifted.

Tear. Nico. Cheek.

Camp. Percy. Nico.

Nico was smiling, but he looked around anxiously. "Hey! Where's... Where's my sister?" He asked.

He took in the news in silence. Which somehow made it worse. "She wanted you to have this," Percy brought out the little figurine Bianca had stolen from the junkyard. Nico held it in his palm, and studied it.

"You promised you would protect her," He whispered. Percy winced.

"Nico, I tried. But Bianca gave herself up to save the rest of us, I told her not to, but she - "

"You promised!" I felt Nico's grip tighten around my hand.

4 skeleton warriors. Ground split. Disappeared.

You loved him...

Voice. Whisper.

Nico winced, he clamped his eyes closed.

The scene shifted.

Ruins. Eros. Nico. Jason. Fear.

"I've been to Tartarus and back," Nico snarled. "You don't scare me."

I scare you very, very much. Face me. Be honest.

All around Nico, the ground shifted. The grass withered, and the stones cracked as if somethingwas moving in the earth beneath, trying to push its way through."Give us Diocletian's scepter," Nico said. "We don't have time for games."

Games?

Cupid struck, slapping Nico sideways into a granite pedestal.

Love is no game! It is noflowery softness! It is hard work—a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you—especially the truth. Only then does it yield rewards.

"Nico," Jason called, "what does this guy want from you?"

Tell him, Nico di Angelo, Cupid said. Tell him you are a coward, afraid of yourself and yourfeelings. Tell him the real reason you ran from Camp Half-Blood, and why you are always alone.

Nico let loose a guttural scream. The ground at his feet split open and skeletons crawled forth—dead Romans with missing hands and caved-in skulls, cracked ribs, and jaws unhinged. Some weredressed in the remnants of togas. Others had glinting pieces of armor hanging off their chests.

Waves of darkness rolled off the son of Hades. When they hit me, I almost lostconsciousness—overwhelmed by hatred and fear and shame...Images flashed through my mind.

I saw Nico and his sister on a snowy cliff in Maine, PercyJackson protecting them from a manticore. Percy's sword gleamed in the dark. He'd been the firstdemigod Nico had ever seen in action.Later, at Camp Half-Blood, Percy took Nico by the arm, promising to keep his sister Biancasafe.

Nico believed him. Nico looked into his sea-green eyes and thought, How can he possibly fail?This is a real hero. He was Nico's favorite game, Mythomagic, brought to life. I saw the first time Nico had called on his powers. He was terrified of his own powers, and his own emotions.

I saw a dozen more scenes like this from Nico's point of view.... And they left me stunned,unable to move or speak.

"I left Camp Half-Blood because of love," Nico said. "Annabeth...she—"

Still hiding, Cupid said. You do not have the strength. I looked over at shadow Nico. His eyes closed, trying to not take in the scene. Again.

And so you run away again, Cupid chided. From your friends, from yourself.

"I don't have friends!" Nico yelled. "I left Camp Half-Blood because I don't belong! I'll neverbelong!"

Nico's voice was like broken glass. "I—I wasn't in love with Annabeth."

All the fight and denial seemed to go out of Nico at once. The darkness subsided.

"I hated myself," Nico said. "I hated Percy Jackson."

I had a crush on Percy," Nico spat. "That's the truth. That's the big secret."

Shadow Nico couldn't take it anymore. Tears flowed down his cheeks. "Nico... Hey Nico? I'm here," I whispered, cupping his face, and wiping the tear off his face with my thumb. The environment disappeared. Leaving us in the darkness.

I woke up to whirring. The beeps of heart monitors, and dripping of the IV.

A/N Well that was a chapter. Most of the stuff here was taken from either The Titan's Curse or The House of Hades. Thanks again to you readers, we're at 91 reads and 11 votes! Thanks y'all! <3 I'll update again soon.

Edit: WE'VE REACHED 109 READS AND 12 VOTES! THANKS SO MUCH! IM GONNA UPDATE TODAY SO GET READY! <3

~BlueFandoms~