King of My Miserable Life

Chapter 5

Nico weighed the two duffel bags in his hands, knowing there was a limit to what a plane accepted but never having known what the limit actually was. He hadn't ever flown anywhere, he never had stepped foot out of New York City (except for an accidental trip to Ohio in a car full of potheads, but that was another story). He was leaving his home, leaving everything he had ever known, for a country who claimed him as its unknown heir.

He set the bags down when he heard the sound of Sally's voice talking to Percy, not far away. As he put his ear against the door to listen in, his heart sunk when he realized that they were talking about him.

"He needed to know," Percy's whispering voice wasn't nearly as quiet as he hoped. "Mom, I know him. I know him real good. He needed to know. He's packing right now."

"Percy, I was going to tell him," Sally replied. "I wanted to do it. I wanted to apologize for lying."

"He said it's okay. He was actually the one that wanted to apologize to you." Percy admitted. "So just talk to him when he comes out. We have like an hour until we have to leave for the airport."

Nico pulled away from the door and picked up his bags, his hoodie the only article of color that he wore. A dark orange, a reminder of the summer camp that he had once gone to with Percy. A reminder to show his father that he was raised in America, that he was just as American as Percy. He wasn't a Cartian and he wasn't going to become one easily.

"I'm ready, Percy." Nico walked to the living room and dropped his bags by the door. "When are we leaving?"

"Oh, Nico..." Sally ran to him and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

"Don't blame yourself." Nico hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry for yelling and storming out. It's just...a lot to take in. I didn't want anything to change."

She kissed the top of his head, kept him close before pulling away. "Your plane leaves at nine. Do you have everything packed?"

Nico gestured to his bags. "Yep,"

"Warm clothes? Cartia is cold." Sally kneeled next to the bags and began to look through them. "Nico, you barely packed any socks! Go get some more so your toes don't get frostbite."

Nico shared a look with Percy before going back to their bedroom, sighing at his adoptive mother's anxiety but finding relief in it. She loved him, and she showed that through her constant nagging. It was good to be loved.

He brought socks back to her before being sent to get a coat, then another hoodie, and then more underwear. He eventually had to get another bag to pack the excess belongings, and when he had three duffel bags full to the brim was when she was finally happy. She made sure he had his phone charger, packed cookies and snacks, make sure he knew to contact her if he needed anything. When Paul got up, he slipped a pocketknife into Nico's pocket and told him to use it in an emergency. It was when they were about to leave when Percy spoke up, when he brought his own bags out of the bedroom. "Mom, I'm not letting him go alone."

"Percy-"

Paul was cut off by Sally leaping towards her oldest son and hugging him close to her, more tears spilling from her raw eyes. "Oh, I knew you would. I just hoped I would be wrong, hoped I was wrong for once..."

Percy chuckled softly as he hugged her. "It'll be okay. We'll take care of each other over there."

"I know you will." she let him go and looked him over. "Did you pack well?"

Percy smiled before holding his bags out. "You can check. No doubt that you will."

Sally took the bags and checked them just as she did Nico, sending him back for a few things but not nearly as much as she did for the younger boy. When she was finished she got up and hugged each boy again, not letting them go until Paul pointed out that they were late.

"Okay, okay." Sally wiped her face. "Let's go, boys. Out the door. Don't leave any bags. We've got to be there soon."

Percy and Nico got their bags and walked out, followed by the two adults. Soon enough they were in a taxi and speeding away from their home, away from the place they grew up. Percy kept close to his mother on the way there but Nico stared out the window and sat by himself, his colorless eyes fixated on the city they passed. Eventually, sooner than the boys wanted, they were at the airport and saying goodbye to their parents.

"Okay, okay." Sally hugged each of them before stepping back. "They said it's a private plane. Said a Cartian guard should be-...ah, there we go." She waved over a man in a black military uniform. Golden buttons lined the middle while ribbons connected the buttons to the pins over his heart. "That's a Cartian guard. He'll show you to the plane. You two behave, okay? We'll see each other soon."

"We'll come back." Percy hugged her again. "I promise. We'll come back."

Sally hugged him close to her before letting him go. "Okay, okay. It's after nine. You need to get going." She smiled at the man that finally got to them. "Hello, sir, I'm Sally Jackson, Nico's adopted mother. I'm sorry for getting them here so late."

"It's okay. We said a time earlier than the departure just incase." he shook her hand before looking to Nico. He looked the young boy over before bowing, his arms stiff at his sides. "Prince Nico, good morning. That other boy is coming with you?"

Nico looked around him uncomfortably before nodded. "Yeah, sure..."

"Then let's go." he nodded to Percy before walking off, expecting them to follow. Nico walked with Percy with his arms wrapped around himself, a blush covering his cheeks.

"Jeez, he looked scared of you." Percy teased. "Prince Nico, are you an evil dictator."

"Shut up." Nico shoved Percy's shoulder. "You're making a scene."

"We already made a seen when he bowed." Percy defended. "I'm just making it funny, not creepy."

"It's always going to be creepy." Nico sighed. "Just walk faster so we can get out of this airport. I hate people staring at me."

Percy did as he was told, continuing to look behind him where his parents had once been. Now they were gone, hidden behind the masses of people. He was alone, far away from them. And each step he took kept bringing him even further.