Silence is Golden (Percy Jackson AU)

Special Edition! Nico

Merry Christmas everyone! Here to celebrate the third anniversary of this story is a special edition after story starring Nico Di Angelo. It's been a while and my writing style has changed a bit, but I'm sure that everyone wants a 5400 word story rather than a short 2000 word one anyway. Please Enjoy!

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"I don't know what it is," Nico admitted, "I just....It's weird. Like I see her and I feel...the same." He sighed as he scrolled through notifications on his phone, refusing to look up at his friend. There wasn't anything interesting in them; he barely ever even used his phone except for checking in on Hazel or the occasional text to his parents.

Beside him, Thalia let loose a cackle. The park seemed to encase her laugh, cherish it, and then spit it back at Nico like slap in the face. He knew his cheeks were red but it didn't help that she ever so casusally wiped away tears from her eyes and slung her arm over his shoulder.

"Nico, Honey," She said as kindly as she could, (which wasn't very kind at all, because it was Thalia), "You're gay."

"Oh is that all?" He snarked right back at her, stuffing his phone in his pocket. It took little effort to brush her off his shoulders. With a scowl on his face, Nico reminded himself why he hated other people most of the time.

Thalia didn't seemed bothered at all, "Aw come on Neeks!" She elbowed him playfully, "It's all good! Guys, gals--Hell if you were into Owls that way, I'd still like you. You're like my little brother." She attempted to ruffle his hair but he was quicker, ducking out of her reach with a step off the sidewalk and on to the road with barely a hesitation.

Her words rattled him, playing off a fear deep inside him. He's knees were shaking, but Thalia didn't seem to notice a thing.

"Who is it?" The older girl asked, "Who? Who? Come on you gotta tell me!"

"Knock it off!" Nico growled. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I just want to know who my little bro is into!"

"I am not your brother!"

Thalia blinked at him, taken aback. She looked so hurt, so vulnerable suddenly, like he had desecrated Luke Castellan's grave right in front of her. His words stained the air with a sticky black tension, so thick that Nico couldn't even breathe.

Take it back, he brain screamed, Take it back!

"Whatever," Thalia snapped before he could open his mouth, "It's just--whatever! " She stomped forward in a haze of anger, fast, ignoring the way Nico desperately called out to her, grabbed for her.

Thalia Grace stepped into the middle of mid day traffic before Nico could so much as scream. Her form dressed in black and blue was thrown to the side without a sound. Her scream, echoed off the buildings around them, to the stars overhead. The car screeched, Nico threw himself forwards, her body was crumpled in the middle of the empty road clear as day.

"Thalia!" He screamed, "Thalia get up!" He was on his knees next to her, breathing heavy, smelling blood. Oh dear gods, there was so much blood--Could she have any left in her at all? His hands were covered in it, his shoes squished under his weight.

Her chest wasn't moving.

He couldn't breathe. "No! NO!"His fingers shook so much he could barely make himself flip her.

Bianca Di Angelo's brown glassy eyes stared at the stars without seeing anything. She would never see anything ag--

"Wow, that's an ugly face!" Thalia Grace's voice was naturally loud, but when she spoke this time it sounded like cannonfire in his ears. Nico gasped to life, his sense exploding with awareness all around him.