I remember.
Nico just said he remembered, and by the looks of it, he wasn't kidding. His dark brown eyes were watery, as he stood outside of bunker nine.
He had a broken photo in his hand, one where the two of us had arms around the other, smiling as we held each other.
I just stood there like an idiot in the doorway for a long moment, before tackling Nico to the ground as I hugged him tightly.
"How? How did you remember? Why now?" I sputtered off questions.
"I-I think it was the blow from the sword you had. I'm so sorry Leo, I never—I didn't—I wish I had realized you were telling the truth," he stuttered out, burying his face in my neck.
"You know that's not your fault," I said, hugging him tighter, "you lost your memories because of the prick who created this world,"
Nico smiled and looked at me, "you know the worst part about having lost my memories?"
"What?" I murmured.
"I've missed being able to do this," before I could as what he brought his lips to mine and kissed softly, rolling me over to my back. I kissed back, only taking breaths for air.
~{•}~
Nico and I sat back in the tree, relieved for each other's presence. His limbs were tangled into mine, the cold from his empty soul giving me something new from the heat I was used to being a bad boy supreme.
"Nico?" I asked, my voice sounding softer than I thought it would've been.
"Mhm,"
I swallowed, knowing I had to ask him the question. "What about Will? What do we tell him? That you don't love him anymore?"
He shook his head and looked at me, "it's not that simple. Before I got my memories—the first time—he asked me something. He asked me if I would ever leave him and I swore I wouldn't,"
Out of some sort of magic, or maybe just the goddess of love playing a track on me, my left arm seared with pain. I looked at the scarred tissue. 'I Swear On The River Styx'.
Those words...he said it to Will as well.
"Oh" was all I could bring myself to say. I glanced at the Lake through the bushes, knowing that there was only one person who knew what I was going through. "I have to go. I'll see you for training tomorrow,"
I didn't tell Nico anything more, just left him and headed towards the lake to find Percy Freaking Jackson.
"Percy," I croaked, wiping a tear from my eye. "I need help with something,"
Percy walked from the sea, completely dry. "Finally! I knew you'd be back to get Nico jealous, and I am happy to help. You two are easily my OTP. So I'm thinking we go back to the original scheme, but talk to him all the time and don't tell him. Just friendzone him—"
"No, Percy, I have a different problem. Nico remembers,"
His eyes grew wide, "he does? Well then how is that a problem? Go find him! Come on!"
"No, that's the thing. He promised will he wouldn't leave him, but he still loves me as well. It sucks, there's nothing I can do! It's that stupid river!"
"Well then what do you want me to do?"
I gave him a small smile, "well despite your best efforts to hide it, you're still hurt by what happened with Annabeth. She acted, for six years she acted like she loved you and that births. But that's the entire reason I came for you, I want you to help me get over him,"
"Get over....Nico? Why? I thought you loved him,"
"I do, but I don't want to be loved by a person who can't be with me. Help me move on,"
"No. Leo, if there's one thing I know about you two, it's that there's always been a challenge. This time isn't different, the challenge is just a person and a promise,"
"You sound like you believe we'll end up together,"
Percy smiled, "I know so. Go find Nico, and whatever happens, being with someone in hell is a lot worse than the hell of not being with them,"
~{•}~
So, I'm sorry, like really really really really sorry y'all but I suuuuuuuuuuuck at writing fight scenes. So just imagine this epic battle where they are all fighting and then Nico and Leo defeat chaos and now everyone is happy.
~{•}~
Nico threw his arms over my head, and I hugged him back tightly, my smile wide. "We did it," he whispered breathlessly.
"We did," I whispered back, "we actually did. But...what happens now? We won, where do we go now?"
Nico got off of me and looked at me with a grim expression. "I go back."
"Great, when do we leave?"
"No," he stopped me, "not we, me. Chaos put me in charge and we killed him before it could stop him. I'm the ruler of the universe, and I lost my best healer and best fighter. I need to leave and I have to take Will and Percy with me."
"What about me? After everything I've ever done to get you back, your gonna leave me?"
"I can't, I'm sorry. I have to leave you here, keep you safe," he said, giving me a sorry smile.
"Nico please. You promised," I begged.
"I promised I would be back, not that I would stay. I'm sorry Leo,"
Nico shadow traveled away and I looked at my arm which still had 'I swear on the river Styx' on it.
"Some promise that was,"
