My dream wasn't what I had expected.

Darkness swirled into my vision, it was all I could see.

"Nico," a voice whispered. I knew that voice, so as I turned around, I said his name back.

"Percy!" I said.

"How are you doing?" He said. "Are you hurt?"

Yup. Just like Percy to ask if I was okay when he was in Tartarus.

"I haven't left my cabin a few days, but besides that, I'm pretty good," I told him. "How about you?"

"I might go insane soon or something, but look, I didn't bring you here to talk about how I am," he said. "Now let's hurry this up, I don't get much time to sleep around here."

I looked closer. He was right. He had bags under his eyes and he looked constantly alert, his hand twitching towards his pocket where Riptide is. But his hand was always stopped before it reached his pocket. I wonder what that was about.

"I just wanted to tell you to go about the day as if I were there. Don't worry about me. If it helps any, then do what I always do- put on a fake mask of happiness. Like this." He gave me a lopsided smirk and he seemed to grow younger before my eyes. Wait, it was fake? It looked like there was a curtain behind his eyes- you couldn't tell what he was actually feeling, only what he wanted you to think he feels.

"Try it," he said.

And I did. Percy nodded. "Good enough. Just, get some training in. For me, okay? Because if you don't and you're killed by a monster or something, I don't know what I would do."

I nodded. "I'll do some training. For you." Percy nodded in approval. Then Percy's eyes widened and the dream shifted away. I heard Percy say some words before I woke up.

"I love you Nico. I'll return."