The Ghosts of Millennia

Everyone Makes Stupid Twelve-Year-Old Decisions

CHAPTER SUMMARY

The wizards discuss Ron's dream. Nico's group set out for Persephone.

BEGINNING NOTES

Chapter Rating: General Audiences
Content Warning: Cursing, Violence (mild), Sexual Themes (mentioned only)
Word Count: 4142

I didn't post yesterday because I was updating my other fic, Shoot An Arrow Through His Heart. You should check it out!

And all the characters are owned by JK Rowling, or Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

____________________PERCY____________________

Percy liked watching Blaise and Hestia do magic. There was something effortless and cool about it. Thick rope poured out of their wand and wrapped itself around Melinoe's hands and feet, in case she shook off their stunning spell. They would have to carry her to the rendezvous point with Persephone. Hopefully it wasn't far, because she was a full-grown woman and not exactly on the skinny side.

Will threw him a banana from their supply bag. "Eat," he said. "I don't want you passing out."

"Thanks, doc," Percy said as he peeled the fruit.

"Pass one on to Nico? He went in that direction." Will threw another banana at Percy and pointed towards the river.

"What's he doing so close to the Lethe?" Percy asked.

"I don't know. You should check on him," Will said. "We were talking a bit about Nico's past before, and it was pretty heavy. Not sure what to say to him after that, honestly, and I think he feels the same way. I'm not the guy to bring up Bianca."

Percy nodded. "Gotcha. I'll be right back."

He found Nico perched on top of a pile of rocks overlooking the Lethe. He was far enough that he wasn't in danger of getting sprayed by the water, but it was still a little too close for comfort.

"Nico?" Percy called. He inched closer and saw exactly what he was afraid of. He gently put his hand on his brother's, preventing Nico from reopening his shoulder wound any further. "Hey. Let's put that away."

Percy didn't think about the fact that Nico had gauze on hand. He was just thankful that the wound wasn't deep, and stopped bleeding soon after he wrapped it up.

"It's only the second time," Nico said. "I wanted to on Persephone's quest, but I didn't. But everything kinda built on top of each other, you know?" And Nico launched into the story, everything, starting from his trip to Italy and ending with his run-in with Bianca. The things he hadn't wanted to share with anyone else. "What if I do love him, Percy? What if it wasn't just grief like Annabeth said?"

"Stop stressing about it," Percy advised. "Even if you do love him, that doesn't mean you have to forgive him. That doesn't make you guilty of murder." Nico said nothing, so Percy continued. "Look, that son of Zeus, Stalin? He killed millions of people too, and Jason and Thalia still love Jupiter. Does that make them bad people?"

"No," Nico said. "You're right. Thanks." He didn't sound any more sure than before.

"So, Bianca?" Percy asked, gesturing to the gauze on Nico's upper arm.

Nico couldn't meet his eye. He unconsciously played with the ruby on Macaria's necklace. "I made peace with all their deaths last year. But, especially after Alastor's poison dream, I can't stop thinking about her decision. I... get it. We'd been out of the Lotus less than a year, and we were both still thinking like it was the 1930's. It's why she reacted the way she did when I came out. She loved me, she'd never leave me, we both knew that, but she was raised in a different decade. It took me years to really adapt to the twenty-first century; she never had the time to. Back then, all she could ever be was a mother. Twelve, and she already had to raise someone. She felt trapped."