As soon as Nico woke up—a groggy, unpleasant start—memories flooded his mind that made him want to bury his head in his pillow and scream.

So, he did. He didn't have any cabin mates present.

At least, not until the door creaked open, and Hazel stepped into the cabin. Nico suddenly hushed, lifting up his head and simply looking at her.

"Am I interrupting some sort of weird morning meditation?" Hazel asked.

"No," Nico answered, internally debating what all he should tell her. He settled for: "It has been a very long night." He got up, not bothering to address his pajamas or messy hair, adding: "I need to see Leo in the Infirmary."

"The Infirmary?" Hazel asked, alarmed. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"He's fine, I think," Nico shrugged, guilt twinging in his chest. He licked his lips, feeling a tingling like muscle memory from when he kissed Leo—from when Leo kissed him. "He just had a bit of an episode last night. I can't blame him, he's gone through a lot in the past couple days. We all have."

Hazel nervously played with the latch on a bronze bracelet she wore. That was new, or at least Nico hadn't noticed it before. "That's partly why I didn't want to tell the others about the whole...Roman thing. At least not yet—we all need some time. Do you want me to go to the infirmary with you?"

Nico hesitated, then frowned, shaking his head. "No, I don't think so. He might be embarrassed if too many of us go to see him at once."

Hazel didn't seem happy with his answer, though she nodded. "I'll plan to see him later, then. In the meantime, Piper agreed to help me get started on training before she leaves in a couple days."

Nico's heart skipped a beat. "Piper's leaving? When did she tell you that?"

"Last night," Hazel replied. "She said she wants to make things right with her dad. She also told me to tell you so you can see her when you get the chance."

"Oh," Nico said, the word coming out like a punch in the gut. Why was this all happening so quickly? They just got back, and between everything with Leo and the Pluto thing with Hazel...He really needed Piper, and now she was leaving, too. "Okay, I'll go talk to her, right after I see Leo." He paused, eyeing the bracelet again. "Did Piper give that to you?"

Hazel nodded. "She helped me find it in the armory. Look," she twisted the small emerald resting in the bracelet, much like Nico had seen from Sarah's ruby ring yesterday, and the bracelet began to change. It expanded into a long, curved bronze cavalry sword. She twisted the handle, showing off the blaze before pressing the emerald jewel on the hilt. The blade shrunk back down, and Hazel slipped the bracelet back on her wrist. "I'm not sure how to feel about Pluto or his orders, but I'm going to stay here and train for whatever is coming next."

"That's good," Nico replied. "I'll do my best to help you as well, starting later today." He started towards the door, then paused to add: "Remember to have some fun while you're here, too. Try to get a break while you can."

As Nico opened the door, he could pratically envision Hazel nervously playing with the clasp of her bracelet.

———

When Nico entered the Infirmary, he was met with warmth and the familiar smells of alcohol wipes and ambrosia. The place was empty, save for two people: Will Solace and Leo Valdez.

What an interesting combination.

"—don't really need it," Leo was saying in a hushed tone. "I can just ignore it, no need to waste supplies." He looked over to the door, noticing Nico. His mouth pressed in a thin line, and he suddenly became very interested in the bandage on his arm.

"Hey, Nico," Will greeted with his signature warm smile. "You came to see Leo?"

"Yeah, if that's alright?" Nico replied. "I don't want to intrude, but I would like a moment alone with him." As soon as the words left his mouth, his face flushed with the implication. He was probably overthinking it—or was he? Will seemed kind enough to not participate in the rumor mill, but what if...?

Nico internally chided himself, wishing (not for the first time) that he could have aged into an adult during his time at the Lotus. What he wouldn't give to skip the years in which his teenage mind attached itself to worries about crushes, what others thought about him, and other adolescent nonsense.

Then again, as he got older, Nico had the sneaking suspicion that those sort of worries wouldn't simply turn off once he hit twenty.

"Okay," Will agreed, turning over to Leo. "I'm gonna go get some strawberries—I promise they'll help you feel better. Nico, let me know if either of you need anything, okay?" At Nico's nod, the son of Apollo smiled and grabbed a basket by the door, heading out towards the Big House where the preserved strawberries were kept.

As soon as the door shut, Leo looked up at him, frowning. "You're not wearing your jacket. You should be wearing it out there, you know, or you might get sick. And you didn't have to visit me. I'm alright—Will's blowing this way out of proportion."

Nico paused, recalling how he saw Leo last night—unconscious in the snow, fire snuffing out, the powdered remains of a deep-fried harpy beside him.

"I'm not gonna get sick from a short walk," Nico insisted. "And perhaps you're right about Will." Unlike the Leo he first met a few nights ago, the scared boy asking him to lock the door for fear of monsters, the Leo in front of him appeared to want no coddling. "He does tend to get antsy when there's no one in need of care. Do you think he might've sicced the harpy on you on purpose?"

Leo scoffed, adjusting his blankets. "Of course not—the guy's like if Skittles and the TeleTubby sun had a baby."

Nico's brows furrowed. "What's a...TeleTubby?"

Leo looked at him incredulously. "You don't know about the TeleTubbies? What did you watch as a kid?"

Nico paused, thinking back to the brief rush of his childhood. From what he could parse, every year in the Lotus was ten years in the real world, so from what he could remember...

"Voltron," he answered.

"Voltron?" Leo echoed. "Wasn't that an eighties cartoon?"

Nico, realizing he'd given up the goose without really even caring, paused. "Yes," he answered. Jumping the gun to fend off Leo's questions, he explained everything: his family, the Lotus, and being put in a boarding school only to be saved by Percy Jackson.

When he finished, Leo was looking at him as if he'd grown a second head. He rubbed his temple, letting out a sigh that suggested he'd aged five years in a matter of minutes.

"So you're telling me," the son of Hephaestus's voice was small. "That last night I kissed someone who is biologically, like, ninety years old?"

The question made Nico want to walk into the ocean, but he nodded. "Chronologically, since the time went by so fast, I'm fifteen." He answered, his face hot. "I should be turning sixteen next January, the twenty-eighth."

"Right," Leo said simply, clearly at a loss for words.

"Do you see what I meant about us not knowing each other?" Nico asked.

"Okay, come on," Leo protested. "You should have told me—I mean, it's taking me a second to process, but I don't care! I still..." he faltered, his face flushing. "I still like you, Nico...I still wanted this," he gestured to himself and Nico. "To work."

Nico sighed, sitting on the edge of Leo's bed. "I like you too, but...I still shouldn't have kissed you. There's so much going on right now, and...you're clearly not okay. The quest probably—understandably—gave you trauma, and made you paranoid, and...I mean, you killed a cleaning harpy, Leo."

"She started it!" Leo fired back, showing his bandaged arm. "But, I mean, yeah, I feel bad," he picked at the bandage. "Chiron said he's gonna have to put an ad in the Olympian Tribune to hire another harpy, and in the meantime, I got cleaning duty."

"I just..." Leo continued, looking out the infirmary window. It was an uncharacteristically bright winter day, all things considered, the sun (or was it still the moon?) shining on the white snow. "I don't know what came over me. It was self defense, but...I kind of liked it? Like, I was burning her, and I liked hearing her scream. I felt like I could fix myself by hurting her. And when I was done...I just felt empty." His eyes were watering, and he forced himself to look down at his blanket. "I understand, Nico. I get it. I went through this entire quest, and right when I think I'm okay, it turns out that I'm a mess."

"You're not a mess," Nico countered, his own eyes stinging. "If you're a mess, then so am I, because I've been there. Sometimes I still go back there. But the things you've gone through these past few days...it makes sense, these...violent thoughts. When you work through them, and separate the battlefield from who you are as a person...you'll be even stronger, believe me."

Leo nodded hesitantly, doubt in his eyes. "I didn't tell Chiron everything. I didn't want him to separate me from Sarah—no matter what, I'd never hurt her. But I think Chiron saw through me anyway. He told me about this program the camp started up recently—a foster care system of entirely demigods who aged out of camp. He suggested Sarah and I could be paired with foster parents in January, and we could start at a new normal high school and everything. I'm not sure how to feel about it just yet, but...I have a feeling that it's something I really need, even if it's not something I want. Plus, I gotta think of what's right for Sarah, and I think this would be it."

Nico's heart skipped a beat at the thought of someone else leaving, just when everyone was here and happy together. But he couldn't make Leo stay, not in this state. Besides, even if he did stay...Nico had a feeling that their plans still wouldn't align.

"I'd write you letters," Nico offered, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he thought twice. His face flushed, though when he noticed how Leo smiled at that, he couldn't help but smile sheepishly himself.

"Alright, but no raunchy pictures in case my mail gets intercepted," Leo replied, shooting a finger gun.

Nico's face flushed, burrying his face in his hands as he groaned. "We can't have a single serious moment, can we?" He asked, though he was beyond relieved that they were able to joke around like this after the events of the previous night.

"Did you want a serious moment?" Leo asked genuinely, brows raised, his voice low as it was that night in the hotel room. Gods, that felt like a lifetime ago. Leo reached out, brushing some hair away from Nico's face to behind his ear, feeling all too reminiscent of their first kiss.

"Not necessarily," Nico managed, not moving. He probably should have pulled away then...or when Leo pressed a kiss to his cheek. But he didn't.

"I'm not gonna kiss you again," Leo murmured, cupping Nico's cheek, glancing down at his lips, then back up into his eyes again. "Unless you ask me to."

In saying that, Leo was asking. In their close proximity, Leo's nose brushed against Nico's. Betraying his own resolve, Nico moved closer, his forehead pressed against Leo's.

"One more," Nico agreed. "And then..."

"One more," Leo echoed, closing the gap and pressing his lips to Nico's. His kiss was warm in the way his touch always was—like drinking hot chocolate by the fireplace after a long, long day in the cold. Not that Nico had much experience with that sort of comfort, of course.

There was no urgency in the kiss, which surprised Nico; it was slow and sweet, as if Nico had promised to be with him, as if he'd get a thousand more kisses in the future. That, more than anything, made Nico want to stay.

When Leo pulled away, it took Nico a moment to collect his thoughts, every second making him more flustered.

"That was the last one," Nico insisted, though he must have not looked too serious with Leo's hand still lingering on his cheek.

After one last brush of his thumb against Nico's cheek, Leo pulled his hand away, and the cold returned. It was as if Leo's touch was as warm and comfortable as his aviator jacket, and without it, Nico was alone against the elements.

"Scouts honor," Leo replied cheekily, doing a little salute.

Nico had a sneaking suspicion that they were both lying.

———

The next place Nico needed to visit was the Aphrodite cabin, where Piper might very well be packing her things the very moment Nico would enter.

The son of Hades hesitated in front of the Barbie Dreamhouse. He wasn't scared of many things, but love was one item on his list—the goddess of love in particular, especially after that stunt she pulled back at the hotel.

Of all the reasons he had said no to being with Leo, Aphrodite was not one of them. There was the issue of Nico not knowing Leo that long—if they'd been friends for a couple months, maybe, but a week? Also, Nico wasn't even a hundred percent sure that Leo was interested in guys. A weird thing to think after Leo had been so insistent on kissing him, sure; but Leo could be confused. Then there was, of course, the minor demigodly inconvenience of the entire world risking demolition at any given moment.

That put aside, Nico was still not fond of the conventional relationships the Aphrodite cabin seemed to parade around. Still, he knew Piper wasn't really about that sort of thing either, so he worked up the confidence to go in there regardless of her cabin mates.

To his surprise, she was the only one there. Her other cabin mates were probably out doing various activities like crafts or training, while Piper unpacked her quest bag on her bed.

"Hey," she greeted, her tone casual, though a certain sadness in her eyes suggested that Hazel was right about Piper's decision.

"Hazel said you're leaving?" Nico said, cutting to the chase. "She said you decided last night, and something about your dad..."

Of course, he was no stranger to Piper's feelings about her dad. Many of their previous late-night conversations involved her past—but she'd never seemed like she wanted to go back to all of that before.

"I am," Piper confirmed. "This whole quest just got me thinking about my place in this world and the mortal world...and even my dad's world with all the messy Hollywood drama. And I just kept thinking about how I haven't talked to him in months, and the Mist is tricking him into thinking I'm at some Wilderness School, and..." she sighed, plopping herself onto her bed in resignation.

Piper looked up at Nico, her mouth quirked to one corner in that contemplative way of hers. "I don't think I'll tell him the truth about where I was—I don't think he could handle it. But he loves me and I love him...and I wanna be with him. I wanna find a way."

She found a pocket at the front of her bag, opening it up and pulling out a picture. It was herself at around twelve years old, next to a man that Nico recognized to be Tristan McLean. They were at the beach, with Piper toting a small surfboard, and her dad holding up a picnic basket.

"This picture was taken just before the first time I was face to face with paparazzi," Piper said, looking at her younger self with softness, pitying her. "We were having a fun day at the beach, and...well, we thought it was secluded. This was before my dad got a private section of beach, because he hadn't seen the need to. When we were eating lunch, that's when we heard the cameras. When we looked, that's when these people started coming over, all complimenting my dad's work—they scared me at first, but then I figured they were just being nice."

"One of them," Piper let out a soft laugh, "one of them asked who I was wearing—as if I had a professional designer. When I said 'Justice', they all started laughing. Then one of them said I needed to lose weight before I wore a swimsuit like that." She frowned, running her thumb against the edge of the picture, as if caressing the memory. "Then, dad packed up everything and we left—and he was pissed, but I tried to show him I wasn't letting it get to me. But it did. Of course it did..."

Nico paused, fingers toying with the loose string on his sweatpants. "You were never one to want the spotlight...are you sure it's worth it?"

Piper nodded, her lips in a thin, resolute line. "It's just trading one short end of the stick for the other, right? There's hardly a difference between bloodthirsty monsters and the creatures that come out of Tartarus when you think about it." She smiled slightly at her own clever joke.

"I think..." Piper continued, standing back up and returning to unloading her bag. "I have what I need now. I know my Charmspeak is a gift, and I should use it in emergencies. And, I mean...I made some real friends while I was here. I didn't have to ask you, or Leo, or Hazel to be my friend using Charmspeak. You guys really like me..."

"Of course we do," Nico said, his eyes stinging, because that was the closest thing he could say to 'please don't go'. "You're my best friend, Piper..."

Piper smiled sadly, pulling the last item from her bag—her camp necklace. Nico hadn't realized she'd put it in there for safekeeping. There weren't any beads on there, as she hadn't been there a summer yet. Nico's own camp necklace had the beads of the labyrinth and the Empire State Building; it always felt like a consolation prize, these beads—like a participation trophy for a kid who was really bad at sports.

"This reminds me," she said, going over to a small jewelry box on top of her storage chest. "I made something in arts and crafts yesterday..." she pulled out a small bead, very similar to the other beads on Nico's necklace. This one was black, speckled with white stars and a painted crescent moon.

"I know there's only one per summer," Piper said. "But I figured no one would notice or mind if I made my own for this quest. Plus, I made one for you, and Leo, and Hazel...I was up pretty late, actually..." She laughed softly, offering forward one bead, and Nico took it, holding it as if it were made of glass. "I know the moons aren't all matching—I'm not an artist—"

Nico, surprising himself, enveloped Piper in a hug. She had about two inches on him, and she was warm, and her perfume smelled like peppermints. She hugged back, and for a moment, like he always did with Piper, he felt at home here at camp.

Nico pulled away a few moments later, clearing his throat and willing his face to cool down. Needless to say, his friends were making him way too soft.

"Thank you," Nico said, undoing his necklace and adding the bead. The bead was bigger than the others, and Nico could see where she'd accidentally left part of her fingerprint in the clay as it dried. Nico loved it.

"You're welcome," Piper replied with a sheepish smile. "I'm going to give Leo his when I visit him...Hazel said you visited him earlier, was he doing okay?"

Nico nodded, though he was hesitant to meet Piper's eyes. "I think...he'll be alright, he just needs more time. And I don't think you're the only one leaving. He told me about this foster care system Chiron recommended, with demigods fostering demigods. I think it'll be a good way for him to have a somewhat normal life while staying close."

Piper frowned, her arms crossed, looking over at her bag in contemplation. "I won't lie, that's one of the reasons I'm leaving myself. I don't think Hypnos targeted me with any dreams, but the mortal side sure has a way of giving detailed flashbacks."

Nico hummed in agreement, choosing to keep his mouth shut for fear of speaking out about everything—his fear of everyone making plans to leave all of the sudden, the mental repercussions of the quest, his relationship with Leo, and the future of the uncertain prophecy. If he thought about everything too much, he might scream.

"I'm gonna stay here and train with Hazel," he said finally, though he could feel it on the tip of his tongue—he was lying. Or telling a half-truth, rather. He didn't specify how long he was staying.

Piper looked doubtful by his tone, though after a moment, she nodded. "I will, too, but only for a little while. After that, well...I couldn't leave her in more capable hands." She smiled for a moment, then paused with a thought. "And, with Leo leaving soon, too...you'll keep in contact, right?"

Nico felt his stomach squirm at the question, as if she were accusing him of something, though he nodded. "I plan to. Why?"

"No reason," Piper shrugged dismissively. "It's just...I feel like something's shifted between the two of you. In a good way."

Nico's brows furrowed, though he willed himself to keep his expression neutral. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," Piper insisted. "I could be wrong, but...I mean, as a child of the love goddess, I thought I could sense something going on. But I could be way off base."

"Yeah, you could be," Nico grumbled, praying his face didn't look like it was hot enough to fry an egg. "Or maybe..."

When Nico did finally look up at her, Piper's intrigue only made him more embarrassed. Luckily, she knew when to stop prying.

"Just...keep in touch, okay?" Piper asked. "Iris message me, send me letters...and I might send a brush for that nest on your head." She nodded towards his hair, which Nico forgot to brush that morning.

"Alright," Nico agreed, "but I'll send fan mail to your dad—even though Leo probably has that covered."

Piper laughed, rolling her eyes fondly. "You could just say you'll miss me, di Angelo." Her voice was soft, and no matter how long she would stay after, it really felt like goodbye.

"I couldn't say it enough to where you'd really know," Nico said, and Piper just smiled, holding out her arms for one more hug.

———

As Nico walked along the perimeter of he and Hazel's section of the arena, he contemplated his next move.

Not in swordplay. Admittedly, Hazel was at square one.

"You don't need to hesitate to block," Nico explained. "You're not going to hurt me by blocking, and the faster you get, the more you'll keep your opponent on their toes."

Hazel nodded, and Nico returned to the motions—forward strike, a right jab, a feint. In his study of the blade, he was self taught. He didn't know how to teach another person.

But the Camp could.

The other campers would help her—in more than just swordplay, too. Hazel could train on the lava rock climbing wall, and ride pegasi in preparation for an airborne battle. The other campers could show her how to use a bow and arrow, or even up close defense strategy with a dagger.

Nico would be incredibly selfish to leave her here on her own.

Daughter of jewels, your home lies west,

The prophecy had been teasing the back of his mind, ranging from little thoughts to a barrage on his psyche. How could Nico, or Leo, or the god Apollo himself possibly have the foolish optimism to believe that the prophecy could be nothing but a monster's trick? Especially after Hades's-slash-Pluto's words in the Big Cabin?

Nico's heart thumped in his chest as he blocked a blow from Hazel.

It was nothing Nico had ever seen before—a god transforming unwillingly like that.

A spark flickered in Hazel's eyes as she began to anticipate Nico's attacks—she was getting the hang of this after all, and she would be just fine.

Nico wondered if Bianca thought the same thing about him, all those years ago.

A feat to smother the fire's breath,

And gods, what about Leo? He couldn't lie back and wait for something to crash into his life just as he was starting to heal again. Nico would defend him—since day one he would, no matter the price. No matter what they were to each other.

The red rose leads the troops through trial,

Hazel lunged forward, causing Nico to step back in surprise. She held a hand out, summoning about twenty jewels from the earth. The sparring continued, with Nico stumbling to find proper footing. The daughter of Pluto gracefully avoided each stone as if she'd intricately mapped this out herself.

And heroes meet under a fatal spiral,

Hazel had to not be the only Roman demigod. There would be others, out west in the land described as her true home. And Nico knew in his own pounding heart that Greek and Roman demigods never had a kind reunion.

Two halves of one coin, let one remain,

Nico took a step back, his foot catching a particularly large chunk of gold. He stumbled to the ground, Hazel charging forward with the end of her sword pressed to his chest.

And failure brought with the ivory rain.

"Whew," Hazel breathed heavily, but she was smiling, her bronze armor gleaming in the silvery winter sunlight. She offered a hand to help him up. "That was fun. Care to lose again?"

"Beginner's luck," Nico insisted with a smile, shaking off his nerves as he took her hand to get back up. "No powers, or I'll summon a dozen skeletons to carry you out like a mosh pit."

Hazel narrowed her eyes, cocking her head to the side. "What's a mosh pit?"

"Oh," Nico nodded, momentarily forgetting how behind she'd been on everything in the past few decades. "Wow, it's kinda refreshing to be the one caught up on the times for once. But I'll explain it later, after we do a second round. And then..." he trailed off.

And then Nico knew what he'd do. He'd do what he always did when the going got tough. One night, under the cover of darkness, he would simply fade into a mass of shadow. He might write a note explaining everything, or simply a sentence saying he's sorry. But he had to go—for Hazel and Leo and the fate of all the campers here. He had to explore what was in store for them out west.

Nico would stay just a little while longer, but then...he had an adventure of his own to go on.

Author's Note:

This marks the end of this story, but I am working on the sequel now. For more information & bonus features, feel free to check out the note on the ao3 version of this fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45191278/chapters/136944412