AMANTI, nico di angelo

V. not the lonely god, but the victorious one

0005. | NOT THE LONELY GOD,
BUT THE VICTORIOUS ONE

"Hello, Nico!"

After losing the love of his life in Tartarus, the last person Nico expected to see was Bob the Titan. Well, he wasn't really called Bob, he was Iapetus, the brother of Hyperion. Nico, Percy, and Thalia had accidentally pushed him into the Lethe a couple years ago and renamed him Bob since. Nobody had spoken to Bob since it happened, other than Nico who occasionally checked in because he felt bad.

It was an odd sensation to have sympathy for a Titan, especially after surviving the Titan War, but Nico did. They had ruined Bob's life as Iapetus. He was once a mighty warrior, now he cleaned the floors of the palace at Erebos. If that wasn't a severe universal demotion, Nico didn't know what was.

"Hi?" The last thing Nico wanted was to come off as rude, but he was hugely confused. "Bob, what're you doing here?"

Bob grinned, showing off his big tooth gap. "Bob was cleaning the Throne Room for Mister King Hades when Bob heard Mister Master Nico ask for help!"

"You— You came to Tartarus because you heard me ask for help?" Nico repeated. It wasn't that he doubted Bob's kindness, but even he knew coming to Tartarus without thought was a humungous deal. He knew he and Bob were friends, but he never thought it would ever have consequences to this extent.

"Yes, Master Nico!" Bob beamed, still holding his broomstick in one of his gigantic fists. "Bob is sorry he was late, Master Nico, but it is a long way down here. But Bob was as fast as Bob could be!"

Nico couldn't believe it. He had jumped into Tartarus because he refused to let Vela be there alone. Bob had followed him here just because he asked for help. Acheron was right, Nico had more allies than he knew.

He smiled as best he could. It turned into a grimace but it was the best he could manage. "You don't have to call me Master, Bob." He shook his head. "That's not what friends call each other."

"Bob is grateful to have a friend as nice as Mister Nico." Bob struck his chest out proudly.

Nico's smile became a little more genuine. "I'm grateful to have you too." He said. "Thank you for coming."

"That is okay!" Bob insisted. "Bob knows Tartarus very well. How can Bob help Mister Nico?"

Nico knew it would be rude to correct Bob again so he let the 'mister' comment slide. His resolve and determination returned at Bob's question. "I've lost the person I was here with." He explained. "You know Vela I told you about?"

Bob nodded fiercely. "Yes. Bob remembers! Vela is the pretty golden god who looks like a pirate." Bob recalled.

"Yeah." Nico said. "Him."