Work Text:
My Oasis in this Burning Hell
Nico was running. Running away from the battle outside the doors of Olympus. Away from the mess he’d created. Running away from his problems again. This time though it affected the only person he’d wanted to save. Luke.
Nico ran to the elevator and soared up into Olympus, praying to the gods he’d get to Luke in time. He knew what Luke was planning and he knew he could stop him. If he could get there in time.
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Luke lay on the ground, pain injected in every part of him. He remembered Kronos, being inside him, like his soul and body was in constant torment, imprisoned in his Lord. He thought it wouldn’t be so difficult, he thought he was ready. Apparently he wasn’t and it cost him everything. Including Nico. His Nico. His precious, spooky, kinda sadistic, son of Hades Nico.
Just thinking about how Nico would surely be found as a traitor made Luke’s mangled skin burn with fiery protectiveness. His blood ran cold thinking of what would happen to Nico. He couldn’t, ever let that happen to his beloved. He decided to fix everything quickly, or Nico would run in and would surely try to convince Luke not to. He couldn’t have Nico’s persuasion right now. He had to do it. He made his choice.
Drawing the cursed blade to his side and finding his weakest spot, knowing he was going to die to save Olympus. He wanted it to be an easy, definite choice, but still he screamed in agony as Kronos’s essence tore through his weak mortal soul. He didn’t think he could bear it until he saw Nico. He was running into the throne room, running like Thanatos (god of death) was behind him. Ironic really as Nico’s father was god of the Underworld and was Thanatos’s boss.
Luke raised the blade to his side and stabbed himself. If he didn’t he’d have to live with the guilt of hurting everyone, but more importantly hurting Nico. He was a coward, yes, but he had no choice.
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Nico tried not to scream in agony as Luke crumpled to the ground. A hot wind blew around the throne room, signifying that Kronos was gone. Not dead, but hopefully disintegrated enough they wouldn’t have to deal with him again.
All this was good, Nico had faked working with them, they would never find out, but Luke was— Luke was— Luke was gone .
Nico tried not to fall over, he couldn’t give himself away. He’d deal with the consequences of being a traitor later, right now he had to get the fuck out of there. He summoned the shadows and disappeared, like he’d never been there.
Usually the dark and cold, the general uncomfy bits of shadow traveling didn’t bother Nico. He usually reveled in it, the fact that everyone else who’d shadow traveled didn’t like it. But now he fucking hated it. It burned his skin, and he wished it would. He’d rather be flayed alive than live through seeing Luke dead again.
He didn’t know where to go, certainly not back to Camp Half-Blood, where he was an outcast anyway. He briefly thought of the Lotus Hotel and Casino, but going there would erase all his memories of Luke. He didn’t want that. If Luke wasn’t here, he’d at least want to remember him. And also, the Lotus Hotel would stop him from aging. At this moment, living with a sort of immortality was the worst thing Nico could think of. If he acted on his impulses now, he’d just kill himself and be done with it. As he was reaching his hand up, up to his throat to snuff his miserable existence, he saw solid ground beneath him.
His feet landed on hard cement, a sidewalk. Nico tried to right himself and barely escaped falling on his face. Fuck me Nico thought aggressively, he was never usually this clumsy. He imagined Luke standing there next to him, shivering and complaining loudly, too loudly about the effects of shadow travel. Nico had always jested at Luke’s delicacy, but now he’d give literally anything, even Bianca’s life, to be with Luke again. Just long enough to hug him or kiss him. Even just to fucking see the beautiful blond son of Hermes.
He reached for his sword, and swore angrily as his hand touched the empty scabbard. He was such a fucking mess, if he coulnd’t even keep track of his own shit. His sword, made of pure Stygian ice, couldn’t be replaced anytime soon. I can still do it he thought, but he remembered suddenly how Luke always told Nico to keep fighting. Never give up and you’ll get your reward. Luke had done that, and now he was a hero.
Nico wanted to honor Luke by doing something heroic. But he was the son of Hades, literally the most hated Olympian. Hades wasn’t even called an Olympian half the time, he was only allowed to visit Mount Olympus on the winter solstice anyway.
Nico smiled to himself, with a not so pleasant smile. He wanted to do something to make the other demigods never forget Luke. He wasn’t going to kill himself, that was pathetic. He was going to…… cry??
I’m so fucking pathetic !!! Nico screamed to himself internally. But he couldn’t help the huge tears from sliding out of his eyes, down his face. He collapsed onto the cold sidewalk, tears and snot sliding down his face, drenching his all black outfit. He lay there, sobbing big, ugly tears. He’d catch his breath and lie there for a minute before the grief washed over him again, drowning out reason just like the ocean washes over the millions of shells on a beach.
Finally after what felt like ten dozen lives in Tartarus, he regained control of himself and rolled over. But he wasn’t lying on the sidewalk.
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Nico was lying in a soft bed, in a beautiful bedroom that seemed to stretch for literal miles around him. Soft, classical music played from a speaker on a chair in the corner.
The room had light blue grey walls, and was furnished like a cottage beside the sea. That’s impossible Nico though to himself. I’m not near the ocean. I’m lying on a dirty sidewalk in…… I don’t know where. But the more he looked around, the more he became convinced that he really was near the ocean.
The windows on his left were open, and he smelled a fresh, salty breeze wafting through the windows, fluttering the white curtains. Nico leaned back on the giant while pillows, feeling deliciously content and sleepy. Until…….. he remembered Luke.
A sudden panic ripped through his chest, near his heart, making him catch his breath. How could he forget, even for a minute, even in this amazing room, that everything was okay. He wasn’t okay. As long as Luke was— Nico stopped mentally ranting in an instant, comical and pitiful shock plastered on his pale face, turned to the doorway and the person standing there.
“Luke?” Luke? LUKE?!? ” Nico screamed, bounding off the bed and throwing himself into the arms of the blond demigod standing in the doorway, who had a concerned and teasing smile on his breathtaking face.
“Wellllllll……. I take it you’re happy to see me?” He questioned jokingly, yet a real, genuine, heartfelt smile peaked through, letting Nico know that Luke was genuinely overjoyed to see him.
“Luke—“ Nico stammered, not even realizing he was shaking until he suddenly started crying, lightly at first but then a whole flood came pouring down.
“I— I thought……” he whispered, slender body shaking uncontrollably.
“Shhhh, shhhh, come here” Luke commanded tenderly, holding out his arms for Nico.
Nico walked forward and fell full force into Luke’s arms. It was a good thing Luke was strong, the impact of Nico nearly knock him over before he righted himself. Whispering tenderly to Nico, he wrapped one arm around Nico’s back, and one arm under Nico’s legs, creating a makeshift chair. He easily lifted the small demigod and walked over to the giant bed Nico abandoned. Rocking Nico gently, he dropped him into the bed.
Nico curled up, his heart soaring with joy for the first time since…… well, a long time. He hadn’t been this happy for a long time, since before Bianca’s death three years ago. He rolled onto his back and gazed up at Luke, still shocked that Luke was there.
“Do you like it?” Luke asked, smiling wider than Nico had ever seen him smile. When Nico looked confused, Luke gestured around the room.
“I love it. It’s like my oasis in this burning hell” Nico replied honestly.
“Your oasis?” Luke questioned.
“Yes, it is like a spot in the harsh desert where trees grow and wandering animals may find refuge. This place that you’ve created is like my escape to a peaceful place from the hellish pain of seeing you dead” Nico said quietly, trying not to cry at the thought of Luke’s lifeless form.
“I’m glad of that, I’m so overjoyed at seeing you Nico. I’ve missed you” Luke smiled down at him.
“I’m happier than I can express at seeing you Luke, and I’ve missed you so much. I hate to ask you, but how are you here?” Nico questioned, his body trembling again at the thought that Luke did die.
“Well, I went to Elysium—“ Luke began.
“I KNEW it!” Nico shouted with joy.
“Would you let me fucking finish!” Luke snapped, but his mouth pulled up a bit and Nico could tell he wasn’t actually angry.
“Yes, you were right” Luke continued a bit faster and louder so Nico wouldn’t interrupt again. “I don’t deserve Elysium for everything I did. But I guess the Fates were kind for once”.
“You do deserve—“ Nico contradicted.
“Well, after I got there, I kept saying to myself ‘death is better than I deserve anyway’” he continued, trying not to smirk at Nico’s annoyed expression. “But I couldn’t get over being separated for eternity from you. So, I asked Minos for a slight favor. And here I am” he finished.
“You asked Minos for a favor involving me ?” Nico gasped.
“Yes, well….. it worked didn’t it?” Luke replied, confused at Nico’s outraged tone.
“HOW COULD YOU FUCKING DO THAT?!?!??” Nico screamed.
“Um…. I just— mentioned that I’d go crazy without you when they were judging me. And Minos said he’d never forgive you, but he admired me for my bravery and shit and would pass that onto you. Look—“ Luke said, getting a little impatient. “I hate Minos as much as you. He’s a motherfucking asshole, we both know that. But if he was gonna give me what I needed, I was gonna accept”.
“You don’t understand,” Nico whispered, ashamed that he’d yelled at Luke. “Minos is more than twisted. He’s fucked up all the way through. He does nothing for anyone, not even a deserving hero. I thought he was helping me bring Bianca back, but he was really just plotting revenge against Daedalus.”
“But that was over a year ago and Minos is immortal. Surely such a small amount of time—“ Luke protested.
“Luke, Minos never forgets a slight against him. You’d think he’d forget Daedalus humiliating him some three thousand years ago, but no, it was obviously still fresh in his mind and I’m pretty fucking sure it hasn’t changed since I talked to him last. I’d bet my life Minos could recite every single thing Deadalus committed against him. And the same is for me. He hates me, sometimes I can practically feel Minos’s hatred. He’d never help someone who’s connected to me without some sort of malicious intent.
“Nico, I really think you’re getting too into this. I just think Minos changed a little, I don’t know. But I really don’t believe he had another motive” Luke said soothingly, trying to calm Nico who was always twitchy and suspicious.
“Oh, so you think Minos in the last, let’s see, year and a half? Had a complete change of heart? You think he totally wants us to be together, you think he wants me to be happy ?” Nico jested.
“I think you’re getting too into your ‘everyone wants me to be miserable’ spiel again” Luke replied calmly, trying not to let Nico get under his skin.
“You know what? Fine. I really don’t want to fight with you and if that’s what you truly believe, I’ll take your word for it” Nico said, trying to calm down.
“Thank you” Luke replied, a small smile lighting up his face. Just seeing that smile on his beloved’s face made Nico light up with joy.
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How did I ever live through losing this man? Nico thought to himself sleepily as Luke gently picked him up and tucked him into the giant white bed again.
Luke walked around the bed and gently pulled back the covers on the other side of the bed and crawled in. He dropped the sheets over them once more and turned so his face lined up with Nico’s, so close that Nico could feel Luke’s warm breath caressing his face. Luke tenderly wrapped his strong arms around Nico, pulling him close so their chests were pressed together.
“May I— ?” Luke questioned, and when Nico nodded slightly he slowly lowered his lips to Nico’s. The kiss was slow and sweet, but somehow it still made Nico’s heart beat faster and lust pool in his stomach. All too soon, Luke pulled away. Nico was about to lean forward to satisfy the desiring ache in his stomach when Luke gently shook his head.
“You need to rest, Nico,” Luke whispered. Nico was about to protest that he wasn’t too tired for Luke when Luke laughed softly and murmured “and so do I”.
Nico suddenly realized how tired he was, all his bones seemed to ache with tiredness. And he was unbelievably sleepy. Luke’s body stretched out next to his gave him the comfort and security he needed and he slowly closed his eyes.
“Sleep, my beloved Nico” Luke whispered tenderly, passing a hand over Nico’s forehead and resting it gently on Nico’s head.
Nico smiled at Luke with his eyes still shut, and that tiny bit of sorrow he had always carried around with him evaporated suddenly, leaving him free.
“I love you Luke” Nico whispered, opening his eyes and pulling Luke’s face even closer to his. “Promise me you will never leave me again. It would kill me”.
“I love you too Nico, so much. No matter what happens, never forget that” Luke murmured back, and Nico saw the love emanating from his eyes. “And I will never leave you, ever. I promise”.