Friend Of Mine

I can't find Nico.

The last time I called home-around two hours ago-he was there, but he isn't now. His coat and boot are gone, so I know he's not in the house (I've lost him inside before...don't ask.). And it's not like I have an empathy link with him, so I can't contact him in any way, since neither of us have cell phones.

And just to make everything more complicated, there's a blizzard in the weather forecast. So I have to find him before the weather gets colder, and before it gets any darker.

The only good thing about this situation is that my mom and Paul aren't here, so they don't have to worry.

I zip my coat up and go outside.

-

"He hasn't been here?"

The guy behind the desk in the arcade shakes his head.

I sigh. "Okay, thanks."

I walk back outside, were the wind is blowing harder and the snow is coming down faster. Nico isn't anywhere; not the arcade, not that creepy comic book store he likes to hang out at, heck, I even checked the morgue to see if he was raising the dead again (once again, don't ask). He doesn't really like to go to any other places, and all of his friends are at camp, so the only other option is...shadow travel. Which means that he could actually be anywhere in the over world or underworld. Maybe he fell asleep wherever he is, and got confused and couldn't get back, or maybe he went to the underworld and his father doesn't want him to come back. Maybe...he doesn't want to come back...

The wind blows a frigid puff of snow in my face, and I swallow the lump in my throat. I'm not getting anywhere, and I won't get anywhere in the storm that's brewing. But as I head for home, I pass the bus station...and find who I'm looking for.

He starts when I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Percy, don't do that!"

Despite the glare he's shooting at me right now, I hug him tightly. "I thought you were in another country or something!"

"Percy...I might be the son of Hades, but I still need to breathe..."

"Oh!" I let go and he takes a huge gulp of air. "Nico, where were you planning on going?"

He gives me a hopeful look. "Inside? Please?"

-

Ten minutes later, when we're sipping hot chocolate with blue marshmallows, I repeat my question. "Where were you planning on going?"

Nico shrugs. "I dunno. Ohio?"

"Okay...why did you want to leave?"

"I...I missed Bianca, I guess, and I felt like I didn't belong here...and I just wanted...I dunno, a family like I used to have, you know? I mean, even if Bianca was mad at me, or if I said something stupid, she still loved me. She still...acted like I mattered."

Somehow, that makes me feel pathetically inadequate, at least until he says,

"But...you're kinda like a brother. Even if you pour water on my head if I don't wanna get up for school."

I smirk. "You're lucky I'm not Thalia. She's probably zap you awake."

Nico laughs a bit. "Yeah. Hey, Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that Valentine's Day card you bought for Annabeth?"

Now I'm suspicious. "Yeah?"

"I...Uhhh...I sent it."

That actually doesn't bother me, but I pretend that it doesn't anyway. I put down my mug of hot chocolate and growl, "Why, you little..."

Nico, understanding that I'm not totally serious, grins and starts to run, after putting down he hot chocolate too. He heads down the hall and calls, "Percy, it's not like you can catch me!"

"Shadow travel or no shadow travel, you little twerp, I am going to catch you!"

Huh. I've always kind of wanted a sibling.