IF TIME STOPS 『nico di angelo x reader』

chapter 22

I sat silently on the sand, watching the moon's reflections glisten on the surface of the lake before me as I let my thoughts wander in and out of my head aimlessly. The camp was silent and the cabins were all dark, of course they would be — everyone else was asleep after all.

Everyone but me it seemed.

Normally, the red harpies would have been after my stubborn ass and they should be since campers weren't allowed to sneak out past curfew after all but tonight the beach was serene, and no sign that a harpy was about to fly out and eat me alive could be seen.

"Maybe they sensed that I was uneasy about something..." I muttered to myself, tucking my legs in Will's jacket which I kept forgetting to give back.

The wind and the sand under my feet were warm even though it was winter time, maybe it was because Chiron melted all the snow and brought back the sunny in the camp.

It's been 2 weeks since the council meeting was adjourned and 2 weeks since I revealed my true appearance and was told of why I was the way I was...and well, it's the only thing occupying my mind these days.

The idea of me — no, my soul — having been reincarnated for a hundred times and being fated to stay cursed with not only my name, but also my love life pissed me off. Chiron said that the reason why the gods couldn't let go of my soul was because they loved me and wanted me to keep living happily but seriously just what do they think I am? A recyclable china doll? Isn't my soul tired enough of living with a faux name and appearance? Isn't my heart tired of being cursed to love the man who was also cursed to hate me the moment I give him my heart?

I threw a shell to the sea, the sudden urge to shout out my frustration was stuck in my throat. "What a shitty life."

"Sera...?" My brother's voice called out from behind me softly, as though he was afraid of disturbing me in my quiet.

I glanced back, sure enough Percy was standing just a few metres away from me. He looked awkward, as though he wasn't quite sure what to do which I frankly do believe he doesn't.

After my appearance was revealed and godly parent of this lifetime was confirmed, I was immediately moved to Cabin 3 with Percy, who at the time was still bedridden with shock and guilt for not having remembered me. For days he cried and begged for forgiveness...and for days whenever he did so, I repeatedly told him that there was absolutely nothing to blame since I had shape-shifted my own appearance and used the name Daphne had given me. 

"Hey," I smiled, patting the space next to me. "Sit with me?"

He hesitated for a moment before taking up my invitation and plopped down the space next to me. "...are you okay?" He asked, his sea green eyes glistened and voice shook with worry.

I pursed my lips as I stared into the horizon, "I don't know. I feel...conflicted." I clenched my fist in irritation, and without meaning to I started rambling, "I used to think that more than anything, I wanted to know why I am the way I am but now that I do...I don't quite know how to feel about it, it's all feels as though I'm forced to play a part I don't really want to."

Percy stayed silent before he placed an arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards his warmth while he rubbed small circles around my back. I sighed, leaning my head against his shoulder and he held me silently just like that, it was the warmth and the comfort I never knew I needed.

"Do you know why mom never gave you a second name? Why she just stuck with naming you Seraphine?" He asked, stroking my head gently the same way our mother did whenever she lulled me to sleep. 

I shook my head.

"Because she believed that the you in this life would be able to change your fate, because she knows that you'd grow up to become a wonderfully strong, yet rather spunky and foul-mouthed, girl." He whispered with a smile as he looked down at me. "And I believe that you'd be able to find the solution to anything and follow your own destiny at the end of it all, you get me?"

I smiled, resisting the urge to kick his shin. "Yeah I get it...but I'm not that foul mouthed you dickhead."

He laughed, "My point was proven however. If mom was here she would have washed your mouth with soap."

I bellowed out a laugh at the thought of my mother doing so. "Yeah, she would've." 

My mother. My beautiful, beautiful mother. I haven't seen her since Daphne took me under her tutelage when I was 6, and I missed her.

"She missed you, you know?" Percy suddenly right on cue, as though he had read my mind. "Everyday with no fail, she missed you and she wanted to come right away to see you when Chiron had told her that you were found but..."

"But...she's going through labour." I smiled, thinking how wonderful it was that my mother had found happiness with Paul, our new stepdad who I had never met.

Percy nodded, "We can always see her through iris message, I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

I nodded, honestly the thought of iris messaging my family members never crossed my mind since I've never known about it. If I had, I would've gotten in touch with my family sooner. 

For a few minutes we stayed silent in the same position just watching the water rippling across the lake before Percy let go of me and stood up, lending me a hand. "We should get back, it's getting chilly here and I'm not sure I'd like it if you caught a cold."

I took his hand and let him pull me up, "Right, cause you suck at taking care of sick people." I smirked, recalling a distant memory of Percy trying to make porridge by mashing uncooked potatoes and only adding hot water when we were both children.

He recoiled, probably thinking of the same memory. "Exactly, so don't even think of getting sick."

"I won't and even if I did, I have Will with me." I patted the sand sticking to Will's jacket away and failed to notice the irked expression my brother wore when I mentioned my friend's name. "Also, Percy?"

"Hm? Yeah?" The sound of our footsteps trudging against the sand and the salty smell of the sea water filled my ears and nose as we made our way back to the cabin we now both call home.

"Thank you."