Percy Jackson: Guardian of the Hunt

Chapter 8

Percy

When Percy woke up, he didn't know where he was. The sky overhead was dark and starry and a full moon shone brightly. Percy rolled over and struggled to his feet; he then realised that he'd transported himself to a place he'd never been to before. Usually when he vapour traveled, he always ended up in a familiar place. Vapour travelling was quite similar to shadow travelling and it required utmost concentration and a lot of energy. He had been so focused on getting away from his cousin that he'd ended up somewhere unknown. Percy stood up and peered through the trees to see a faint light in the distance.

He didn't realise where he was until he reached a clearing that was all too familiar. It hadn't looked familiar because he hadn't been here in so long.

"Out of all the places on this gods' forsaken planet..." He muttered, eyeing Zeus' Fist with distaste. "I know, right? It doesn't even look like a rock" a familiar voice piped through the darkness. A figure stepped out of the shadows, the moonlight shining on him like a spotlight. "Nico." Percy took a step back and he didn't know why. When he thought back to that horrible day, he didn't remember seeing the son of Hades.

"You bastard..." The son of Hades came forward with such vigour that Percy thought he was going to kill him and yet the knowledge didn't make him step away. He closed his eyes just as arms surrounded him and his own face was buried in a leather jacket. Percy's eyes flew open. What the Hades was going on here? "Normal people usually hug back, Percy".
Percy reluctantly wrapped an arm around the teen in a loose hug.

"Then again, you aren't what I would call normal" Nico muttered. Percy laughed at that and he hugged his cousin more fiercely. They both stepped out of the hug and Percy subtly checked Nico's height. "How come your taller than me now?" He asked, crossing his arms like a stubborn child. Nico raised his eyebrows in amusement. "That's what's bothering you? I come back from the Underworld and hear that you've pulled a me and my height is what's bothering you now?" He asked, crossing his own arms, looking like a disapproving teacher. Percy blinked. "Wow, Nico. Didn't know you could talk that much." He said. Nico slugged his arm. "You idiot, you can't just leave like that." he scowled, ignoring Percy's previous jibe. Percy's mood dampened at that. "I'm sorry, Nico. I just...I guess, I just had to go. I couldn't stand being here any longer." Percy looked off to the side, to avoid looking at his cousin.

A gentle weight of an arm settled across his shoulders and he looked up to see Nico giving him a rare smile, "Well, since your here, why don't we go get some dinner before I drag your podex to my boyfriend to check your injuries?". Percy perked up at that, "You got together with Sunshine Solace? That's awesome Neeks! You should tell me all about it..." Nico rolled his eyes at the nickname but didn't say anything. He immediately launched into the topic, almost as if sensing that Percy needed a break from the mythological world. And for that time being Percy forgot all about the betrayal of the past.

~TIME LAPSE~

"What the Hades where you doing to lose so much blood?" Will's face loomed over Percy's face in a threatening manner. Percy gulped, "You know, just the usual, hunting stuff." Will refused to look placated. Percy had somehow convinced the son of Hades to skip dinner, spouting some lame excuse but he knew that Nico knew the real reason. Percy had tried to escape the medical checkup too but Nico was every bit stubborn as he was. He still didn't know how none of the campers had seen him either.

"At least I'm not dying." Percy joked making Will glare at him. Nico stood off behind him, arms crossed with a bored expression donning his face, observing the two of them with feigned casualness. Truth be told, he looked better than he'd ever been. Will Solace was doing him some good. Percy was glad. "And how exactly have you been sleeping?" Will's question snapped Percy out of his musings. "I've been sleeping just fine" Percy said, suddenly feeling defensive. "I call bull" Nico's voice startled both of them. Will raised an eyebrow, "What he said. You look like he did a year ago."

Percy sighed, "I could be sleeping better?" He hadn't intended it to come out as question. Will frowned and Nico huffed. "And your eating? When was the last time you ate?" Will asked. Percy wracked his brain for an answer. When had he last eaten? He answered truthfully, "I..I don't remember". Both teens gave twin sighs of dejection. Percy dropped his head down, feeling disappointed with himself for letting them down. He heard Will shuffling away and saw a pair of boots enter his vision. "I saw your mom." Nico said. Percy's head snapped up. Nico looked at him with something akin to sadness, "And Paul."

Percy swallowed past the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, "Yeah?". Nico tilted his head to a side, looking like a cat before he crouched down so that he was in eye level with Percy, "Yeah. They were on they're way to Elysium and they told me to tell you to take care of yourself". Percy gave him a small smile before looking away, not being able to face the honesty that was present in Nico's face. "I told them that you will; because you won't let them down." Percy closed his eyes tightly, "What made you so sure of that?" He asked. He turned back to Nico who looked at him like he'd asked a stupid question, "Because you never let anybody down, Percy,". He said it with such conviction that Percy was taken aback. Here was the boy, whose sister he had let die, telling him that he'd never let anybody down.

"You don't believe that, Nico." Percy said, searching his face for any signs of a lie. But Nico merely shook his head, "But I do. You-". "Let everybody down. I mean there has to be a reason for Annabeth leaving me." Percy cut in making Nico scowl. "When I went home, the house was gone. Mom and Paul were gone. So I went to Olympus. And I asked Zeus to kill me" A gasp sounded loudly at that, indicating that Will was not-so-discreetly listening to their conversation. Nico turned pale. "As you can see he didn't grant me that wish. Instead I joined-".

"-The hunters. I know. Thalia told me. She's been telling me what you've been up to." Nico said. "Then she also told you that she kicked me out of the hunt." Percy stood up. He didn't want to have this conversation anymore. He wanted to go somewhere far away so that he could just forget what a disappointment he was and the pathetic life he had. "What? Thalia did what?" Nico asked, his face turning red with anger. "You can ask her, Neeks. I'm leaving now so don't try to stop me." Percy made his way to the door. "Wait, you can't leave now. You're still weak." Will rushed to him and was stopped by Nico, who looked defeated, "Let him go". He then turned to Percy, "Percy, I know we've never been that close but you should know that you were the first person I trusted in this camp and I will always trust you. I know that I blamed you for Bianca's death and I know you blame yourself too but every decision you've made has always been for the greater good. And you've always been selfless. That's all you should know" Percy felt a hand on his shoulder before he stepped out only to come face to face with a face he often saw in his nightmares.
"Annabeth."
-----------------------------------------------
So I updated. I don't know here this story is going but I've decided that it would mostly be about Percy's journey towards healing and I think I'll bring in a villain as the story progresses. I'm sorry if you guys were disappointed with this chapter but this was what I was able to whip up in 2 days. So take care of yourselves and stay safe guys! Toodles!