Shoot an Arrow Through His Heart

Phase One: Where the Fuck Is Nico

CHAPTER SUMMARY

Bianca arranges for Nico and Will to meet.

BEGINNING NOTES

Word Count: 3324
Content Warning: Drug References

This is a kind of serious chapter, so I apologize in advance if it isn't as funny as usual.

I'm also sorry it went over my usual 3K word limit, but I couldn't condense it anymore without cutting important stuff out. I've had much longer chapters in my other fics, though, so I don't think this is the end of the world.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

After Mr. D's class ended, my day got a lot normaler. Normaler? More normal? Whatever.

Point is, there were no super hot new guys I paid to be my brother's secret therapist. I was definitely proud of myself for coming up with that plan. I knew in my heart of hearts that Will was just what Nico needed to get through Papà's marriage to Persephone, and, eventually, me moving away to college. He'd finally have someone to talk to.

By second period, I had come up with my super solid five-point plan:

Introduce Nico to Will.

Stage a few "chance meetings" until...

Will's visits are a regular thing Nico doesn't question.

Get updates from Will in Bio, where Nico can't overhear.

Know exactly how to help him before Nico's too far gone to save.

Step #1 would either be the easiest or the hardest on the list. See, Percy and I went back to my place every day because his swim practice and my archery practice got out at the exact same time. Percy would spend the afternoon at our place, then Sally took him home after she finished making us dinner.

Nico didn't do anything after school, but he hated being at home when I wasn't. Half the time he had detention anyway for talking back to a teacher, smoking on campus, something like that, so he got out around the same time as the sports kids. On the days he didn't, he spent those two hours alone somewhere, doing graffiti, drinking, smoking... aka all the things I didn't like. But he always showed up at the front door at 5:30 to meet Percy and me. It was the only thing I could guarantee.

After third period gym with Coach Hedge, I had free for the long block. So I texted our chauffeur, Jules-Albert, asking if he'd taken Nico anywhere. Of course, the answer was no. That meant step #1 would be significantly harder because there was no way Nico was still at home. He had a few usual haunts, but it would take longer than an hour and a half to search them all. Still, I had to get him to school, not just because it was important, but also so that I could introduce him to Will. I was sure he'd meet me at home after practice--I mean, he knew what time I got back to the house--but there'd be questions if this random kid appeared at our front step with no explanation. If Nico thought he was my friend, there went any chance of him considering him his friend. No, it had to be at school. And it had to be today, before Persephone and Hazel showed up and Nico isolated himself completely.

I opened Nico's texts for the first time. There were half a dozen, all various excuses why he didn't go to school and begging me to talk to him. That's what always happened when I gave him the silent treatment. He clung to me because he needed me. When someone's your world, you can't take silence for long.

I called him. It didn't take more than two rings for Nico to pick up. "I'm mad at you," I said.

"I know," he said. "I'm sorry, B, but I didn't feel well and--"