Shadows (Solangelo)

I Want You To Be Happy

I open my eyes and take in my surroundings. I am in a dark room where there are no lights coming in, except for some candles. The place looks extremely familiar to me. As if I have been here before, but I can't tell when.

"Nico! You're finally awake!" I hear the same voice talking to me. It wasn't a dream. "Mom?" I ask, my eyes are starting to wet. I miss her so much. I get off of the comfortable bed I am on, ignoring the dizziness in my head, and go to the woman coming from the shadows. I hug her tight and she hesitates for a while before hugging me back. "No, Nico. It's Persephone." She whispers. I quickly let go of her and take a look at Persephone.

"I'm sorry." I mutter looking down. "It's okay." She squeezes my shoulder "Why don't you get back in bed? You're too weak to be walking around." I obey and sit down on the bed. "Your father wants to see you, he is worried, Nico. You shouldn't have left the camp like that, it was really hard for him to find you." Persephone says sitting next to me. I can see the look of sympathy in her eyes, I don't want her sympathy, I don't need it.

"Could you give us a moment?" I hear my father's deep voice coming from the entrance of the room. "Sure" The woman gets up and gives me one small smile before leaving the room.

"Son." Hades says coming into the room. I nod acknowledging his presence and look away. Hades just stands there looking at me, probably waiting for me to talk or cry, maybe both. But I don't feel the need to do either of them. I feel extremely uncomfortable with his gaze on me and decide to say something.

"How did you find me?" I ask and he shrugs in response "I have my methods. But Nico, you could have died, if I didn't take you out of there on time, you would be dead by now. Besides, you weren't supposed to be shadow travelling! You almost disappeared again! It took Persephone three days to get you back to normal."

Three days. I have been asleep for three days, not asleep, I have been dying for three days. But what if I had died? Would it be really bad? I have no one, so it's not like anyone would miss me. I'd be with my mother and my sister and even though I know I'd never achieve Elysium, dying doesn't sound too bad.

"Nico, I want you to be an exception. I want you to be happy. But it will never happen if you don't try." Hades says, before going away, as if he was reading my mind. He sounds just like Sunshine.

Will

I wonder how he is doing now. Probably much better than when he was with me...

A.N: Friendly not so friendly reminder that today is March 22nd