Through the Burning Fires of Hell // A Nico Di Angelo Fanfiction (On Hold)

Chapter 5

Raven

Raven shot a sideways glance at Nico. She stifled the distant ache of pain that tugged at her heart. 

"What?" Nico asked, raising his head to meet her gaze. 

Raven shook her head, dismissing the fleeting memory. "Nothing."

Nico cocked his head. "When people say 'nothing', they never mean 'nothing'."

"I'm fine, okay?" Raven bit out, fighting the urge to snarl. 

"Yeah, and 'I'm fine' never means 'I'm fine', either," Nico muttered, "Trust me. I know."

Raven sighed. "It's none of your business."

Nico subsided into subdued silence. Raven could tell he was thinking about something and wondered what he meant by 'trust me, I know'. 

They didn't talk after, each one wrapped up in their thoughts. 

Raven gazed around at her home. The bloody sky with splatters of depressing grey clouds, the jagged landscape, the acidic air, and withering heat. Oh, and the perpetual screeching of the thousands of monsters that also called Tartarus home. 

Nyx would only allow her to go up into the mortal world once every year, on her birthday. She had one full day before being forced to return to Tartarus. Every time, the chance to see the sunrise and sunset left her feeling sucker-punched, along with the moon and the billions of twinkling lights in the night sky. 

Nico stumbled. "Hold," he said, breathing heavily. 

Raven paused. "Are you alright?"

They were trekking up a black hill with craggy outcroppings. Raven was honestly surprised that Nico hadn't keeled over yet. 

"Fine," Nico gritted out. 

"Someone once told me that when someone says 'fine', they never actually mean 'fine'," Raven commented. Before Nico could reply, she held out her hand and touched the raven pendant around Nico's neck and willed more of her night-kissed power into the pendant. 

"Thanks," Nico said. 

Raven brought her eyes up to meet his. Nico met her gaze unflinchingly.

They stared at each other for what felt like a lifetime. The air became incredibly charged between them. Raven wondered what his tousled black hair would feel like if she ran her fingers through it. 

An old ache tugged at Raven again and the pain brought her back to reality. She tore her eyes away from Nico's and released the pendant, taking a step back. Dammit, she snarled. It's not happening. Not again. 

Raven opened her mouth then closed it. Thankfully, or unthankfully, the flapping of wings saved her from saying anything. 

Nico grabbed the hilt of his sword, not noticing the electricity in the air a few seconds ago. 

"Relax," Raven said. "It's just Shadow."

Her raven swooped down and landed on an outcrop, squawking. 

"Shit," Raven said. 

"What is it?" Nico asked.

"There's a horde of gegeines heading this way. They'll be here in a couple of minutes."

"What?"

"Earthborn. Servants of her."

"How many?" Nico asked Shadow, who clacked his beak in reply. 

"Three dozen," Raven translated. 

"Do we fight or flee?" Nico asked her. 

Raven assessed him. "What do you want to do?"