Sea Green Eyes

The Sun and the Star - Part One

"How's that work?" Will wondered and Cressida simply offered Nico her hand.

"Uh, I thought you could do it without touching?" Nico said.

"Yeah, but it's easier this way and still not completely awake yet."

"I knew it!" Percy exclaimed and she whacked him with the pillow again.

"Shut up."

"Then give me the pillow!" he said as he yanked it from her.

Nico was then pushed towards Cressida by Will as she gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm going to have to see a few things that you probably don't want me to see but Nico, I swear on the River Styx, unless you say otherwise, it will stay between you and me."

Nico glanced back at Will, who gave him a supportive nod as Nico took Cressida's hands and they glowed.

The purple light illuminated the dim room for a few minutes and Will watched Nico's body grow slack and Percy's grow tense as he waited. As they both waited. As they waited for a potentially terrible or potentially relieving verdict.

And when the light died out and they let go, their respective boyfriends were instantly at their sides.

"Dude, I'm fine. This is cake now. Cartwheels, remember?" Cressida said, her back to Percy's front, his brows furrowed with concern.

"Don't care. I'm always going to be worried about you, Grape Girl," he replied and that earned him a kiss.

"So, is he ok?" Will asked, in a very similar position with Nico who had a confused look on his face under Will's arm.

"As far as I could tell, you are not losing your mind, Nico," Cressida said.

"Why do I feel like there's a 'but' at the end of that?" Will wondered.

"But," Cressida said. "My talents, though extensive, can cause and reverse insanity but I don't think I can tell if someone is going mad slowly."

"But?" Will prompted hopefully.

"But," Cressida continued. "While I don't think that is what's happening with Nico, the only person who would be able to tell for sure is my father."

Nico was still quiet as he stared at the floor, a million thoughts running through his mind.

"Is that a good reaction or bad?" Percy wondered as Will stared at his boyfriend.

"I think he's still processing," Will said. "Are you sure that your father is the only person who can help?"

"Positive," Cressida nodded and then Nico finally spoke.

"I feel different," he announced. "Why do I feel different? What did you do?"

Cressida just gave him a small smile. "I just reminded you that there are people in this world that love you, me, Will and Hazel in particular."

Nico didn't know how to respond to that or exactly how much she'd seen inside his head. Granted, it wouldn't have taken much to come to that conclusion inside his head.

Will then cleared his throat. "Cress also said that Mr D is the only one that will be able to tell if your nightmares mean anything."

Nico sighed. "Really?"

The son of Hades almost flinched when he heard the Italian and then he turned to Cressida who was the source.

She'd only spoken Italian to him once before. Once when she'd been the one to walk in on him having a nightmare.