solangelo one shots

Chronicles of N&W part 11

So yeah probally a triple update. Sorry for no updates recently
------------

Nico's POV
"

Dad, you have terrible timing." The word "dad" still felt strange and unfamiliar on my tongue.
"I'm sorry, Nico. I've been busy lately." He studied me tiredly. "You look like your mother and sister."
I felt hot tears rising behind my eyes, but I rebuilt the dam before they could fall. This didn't make sense, I'd already let go. No use being upset. It must be the fumes down here, messing with my brain. "Have you been watching me?"
He shifted upon his throne, and for the first time ever, he looked a bit uncomfortable. "Not much. A bit here and there."
"I'm happy. Really, truly happy." I informed him.
"Ah, yes, the Apollo boy. If he hurts you, I'll-"
"Dad, no. He won't hurt me. I don't want you to go banishing him to the Fields of Punishment or something if we have an argument."
"Very well. But there is something I must tell you. I probably should have told you a long time ago. Soon, your powers may change. This will happen because..." Hades took a breath and eyed me like I was a ticking bomb, "... you are part κακοδαίμων. Also known as an evil spirit. Your mother had a great grandmother that was one of them. Her great grandfather was a mortal. The tainted genes were slowly diluted though the generations. But since you are my son, those qualities of that... demon... will be activated. This could change what you are. Who you are. I have no interest in lying to you, son. No matter what you do from here, danger lies in your path."

I could only stare straight ahead. My heart was pounding in my ears. I was cold. Numb. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" I growled.
"Nico, I-" Hades didn't seem displeased by my blatant insolence. At least, not yet. Hades's temper was by and large unpredictable.
"If you don't have any information that isn't vague as hell, then can you send me back?"
"You may not survive the process of the dormant genes activating." He offered, knowing that I would explode.
"WHAT?" I screeched. "AND I HAD TO ASK FOR YOU TO TELL ME THAT?"
"You need to calm down. If you stay down here during your..." Again, he struggled for a word, "...alteration, it would eliminate the risk of you injuring or killing the other demigods at Camp Half-Blood."
"I could hurt people?" I demanded, ready to go and destroy the Fates with my bare hands.
"It is a possibility."
"When will this start?"
"Very soon. I suggest you stay here."
"If it keeps me from hurting people, then I'll gladly stay here. But for how long?" My voice trembled.
"Hard to say. A month or two, perhaps."
An entire month. Or two. Without seeing anyone. But the alternative was too terrible. "Then I'll do it."
"Your belongings have been transported to your room." I remembered it as clearly as if I'd seen it yesterday. Always dark and gloomy with bones for walls. I lived in it after I'd gotten Percy to become almost invincible in the Styx. I shook off the ghosts of my past.

"Okay. Is it possible for me to sent a message to my friends?" To Will.
"Just this once. Your sister could visit you, if she desires. And me being Hades instead of Pluto, I wouldn't be too obligated to return her to the underworld."
I took the proffered piece of paper and pen and began to write. When I was done, Hades snapped his fingers and it burned up, hopefully reappearing in the possession of someone trustworthy. And so I began my weeks of metaphorical exile, Hades locking me in my room with a TV, gaming console, and a buzzer in case I needed anything. I had them installed in what felt like decades ago. I'd been such a child then. Not that I was opposed to something that would take my mind off of... well, everything.
Will's POV
It had been two days since we'd gotten the letter. Two sleepless nights. Hazel, Frank, and Reyna had come from New Rome. Hazel was allowed to visit him, supposedly. He hadn't told us much, and the words he'd written were obviously scrawled quickly. I recognized his handwriting, though, telling us that he had to stay in the underworld with his father for a month or two, and refusing an explanation. The letter ended with the words, "Don't do anything stupid. I'm talking to you, Solace."
He should know that I don't do stupid things. Reckless, maybe, but not stupid. That would be Percy. "Hazel, ask him why he's there, and don't come back until he gives you a legit answer."

She looked at me for a long time, her golden eyes piercing me. They were somehow as shadowed Nico's, with a dark sort of aura that must be present in all of Hades' children. "You care about him deeply." It wasn't a question.
"He's the best friend I've ever had."
She nodded determinedly. "I won't come back until he explains everything, and proves that he's okay." A crowd of campers had gathered around.
"Stay safe, Haze." Frank murmured, hugging her tight. She nodded, taking his hand and absorbing all the words of encouragement and goodwill before concentrating and shadow traveling away.
Reyna, the Roman Praetor, put a hand on my shoulder, and I jumped. I hadn't noticed her silent approach. "He'll be fine. You know him. He's your best friend, right?"
I didn't know why I was annoyed at her nearly spot-on assumption, especially when all we did was conceal the existence of our romantic relationship. Really, it was what everyone who knew us thought too. "Right," I replied dryly. I shouldn't project my frustration on others, but I was so worried. She left to talk to Chiron, leaving me alone. And so began the wait.
After ten minutes of drifting around the infirmary in a daze, Kayla told me that I could take a break. I was obviously too distracted to be any help. Gods, I needed to talk to somebody. It felt like I would go bonkers if I didn't tell someone how I felt. Lou Ellen. She was my best friend when we were younger, but we'd been drifting apart lately. It was nice to be by her side in the Second Battle of CHB, and I would trust her with anything.
"Hey, Lou?" I asked, poking my head into the doorway of the Hecate cabin.
"Will! Been a while. What do you make of all this drama?"
I ignored her question. "I need to tell you something. You have to swear on the Styx not to gossip to anyone until I say it's okay to."
"Ooh, secrets. Okay, I swear on the Styx." She conceded, green eyes glittering with anticipation.
"I need somewhere that we can't be overheard."
"Done. Thanks to the Mist, everyone who overhears us thinks we're talking about how to cook goat balls." She waved a hand in the air, smirking. I allowed myself to feel the ache of how much I'd missed just hanging around her. "Hurry. I can't hold it that long." Lou wiggled her fingers in front of my face.
"Okay." I took a deep breath. "I've been dating Nico for almost a year."
"What?" She demanded, eyes going wide. "Are you kidding?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm gay..." To my eternal surprise, she dismissed the fact with an impatient sniff.
"I don't care about that! But you've been dating him for so long without telling anyone?"
She didn't care that I was gay? Maybe it would be easier to come out than I'd expected. Nico's friends all knew. It must be liberating. And they still cared about him the same. "Yeah. Don't tell anyone, you already swore on the River Styx."
"I know. I'm not stupid. Besides, I'll give you a tidbit too... I've been dating Connor Stoll for three months now."
"The Stolls are both in relationships? Pray tell me, will they stop pranking people?"
"Will you ever stop wanting to heal people? What do you think?"
"To be honest, I'm glad to hear it. The campers'll be bored if they stop. So does Connor prank you?"
"Actually, I challenged him to a jelly bean eating contest and won, so he's not allowed to."
"That's so very you." I was genuinely proud.
"Why, thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, Cons and I are going to go mess with Travis and Katie."
I watched in amusement as she bounded over to him, Connor falling into step beside her. They were trying to look platonic, but I could practically see the facade crack as they peered around to see if there were any onlookers. Was that what Nico and I looked like?
I turned my back to give them privacy, and almost smiled. Nico would be okay. Things would go back to normal. But Hazel reappeared, looking close to tears, which shattered everything all over again.