Fate Withstands

Chapter 7

It was a week before Percy's sixteenth birthday when he didn't come home from his outing with Rachel. Nico had teased him about the fact that it could be a date, but he knew just as Sally did that Percy's heart belonged to Annabeth. It hurt, hurt a lot, actually, but Nico had accepted long ago that Percy was straight. Looking at that boy, living with him...there was no way he was gay.

So he had started to try to think of him as a friend, maybe a brother with how close they had been living. And now, with him gone...

Nico put on his old uniform before putting Percy's hoodie over it. He was busy packing a bag of ambrosia and nectar when Sally Jackson appeared in the bedroom doorway. "Nico...are you going to find him?"

"Yeah, I should be able to shadow travel to where his soul is." Nico grabbed the bag and stood up. "I'll find him and see what's going on."

Sally pulled him into a hug. "Stay safe, Nico. And do what Will told you when it comes to your powers."

"I will," he hugged her for a second before pulling away. "And don't worry too much, okay?"

She forced a smile. "I'll try not to."

Nico stepped to the darker side of the room, tried not to already miss his bed as he focused on Percy's lifeforce. He wasn't too far, was still in New York's area. With one last deep breath, he stepped into the shadows and melted into the darkness.

He stumbled out into what appeared to be a cabin. The first thing he saw was Percy Jackson, sleeping on one of the beds. No one else was in sight, but the early morning sun streamed in through the window.

"Percy," Nico hissed. "Percy, wake up!"

Percy jumped awake and fumbled around for Riptide. Before he could take his sword out, however, he noticed Nico and relaxed. "What are you doing here?"

"You went out with Rachel and never came back." Nico sat by him on the bed. "What happened? Your mom's worried."

Percy rubbed at his face. "Nico, things are happening. The war...it's closer than we've really been imagining. Yesterday, Blackjack..." He slipped into the story about what happened, the boat and Beckendorf's heroic death. Nico listened with rapt attention but with a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.

After he explained the previous day, he told Nico what he had a dream about the night before. Rachel, Typhon,...

"So are you staying here until this is all over?" Nico asked. "You're not coming home?"

"Nico...I..."

"I'm staying with you, then." Nico decided. "Your mom has Paul, she'll be okay. But...you're the only one I really trust in this life."

Percy's eyes softened. "Of course I'd be fine with it. But...how are we supposed to explain who you are? If they find out about your father-"

"We don't have to tell them," Nico insisted.

"Okay, but what about where you came from?" Percy asked. "You...you don't look like one of us, Nico. No offense."

Nico stood up and looked his hands over. "I...I know I don't...but please, Percy?"

Percy got up and started to get dressed. "Stay here. I'm going to go get Annabeth."

"What? Why?"

"She'll know what to do," Percy insisted. "Just stay here until I get back, okay?"

Nico nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

Percy ran out of the cabin, leaving Nico alone. He couldn't understand how Percy could stand to sleep there alone. It was too cold, too lonely.