So, to recap.

Hazel now hates Nico because he's gay. She broke Nico's polaroid camera in a display of "how could you do this" rampaging, and called Nico the f-slur after throwing his food to feed the worms (let's count that as an offering to Hades).

Percy and Nico's relationship is now completely out in the open, which adds pressure to Nico because he's insecure about his sexuality and is still learning how intimate romance works (yay to being exposed to the deaths of loved ones at an early age, eh?).

Nico has self-harmed in the past, burning and cutting his hips. He never did it on his wrists because that would draw unwanted attention, but he has been caught and it resulted in the shattering of relationships, self-esteem and what Nico considers traumatizing events.

Percy had a nightmare about Gabe ugly-ano, the abusive prick that traumatized a tiny Perseus and mother Sally before Percy became a heroic demigod who fought to save the very god (Poseidon) who kind of let that happen.

And Annabeth heard her ex, Percy, and Nico having sex.

Yeah, life can't pile up too much more in just one week now, can it?

Ha.

…

Nico had never tried drugs before.

Sure, he'd done weed here and there, but that's obviously not the same. However, a certain son of Hermes (okay, his name was Paul) recommended some for stress.

Obviously Nico was wearing. Taking drugs was a serious thing. People were known to go crazy for that shit. But, Paul assured it would be fine.

"Trust me, dude! Even the Apollo kids say so. We're half god, what's the worst that can happen?" he insisted.

"The worst headache of my life," Nico retorted, but sighed. "Fine. Get me whatever. But I want a discount."

Paul gave him a look like we aren't that close, "Why the hell would you get a discount?"

Nico arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms, "Because who the fuck else would pay you sixty bucks for one gram of whatever?"

…

Will always yelled at Nico. He was sun-shiney to everyone else, but on Nico he released all of his anguish.

Nico didn't quite mind. Will was basically his first boyfriend, and Nico wasn't much of a fun person to hang around, at least at the time.

But it did make Nico feel unsafe to be truly intimate with Will, like romance, or talking about… emotions.

It just wasn't a thing for them.

However, Nico didn't realize how much it bothered him until he got in a relationship with Percy. Percy was bubbly and caring and wanted to know how Nico's mind thought and what he'd say without filter. Will just wanted someone to yell at. There was a difference, turned out, between love and… something else, Nico wasn't quite sure what it was yet.

But none of that seemed to matter when he snatched the small plastic baggie from Paul, "What the fuck is this?"

Paul grinned, putting his hands behind his bed as if he were relaxing on a bed, but he was standing in open air, "Just some, you know… dope."

Nico lifted an eyebrow. He knew about a lot of drugs, but not necessarily their street names. "Dope? Like, coke?"

Paul almost busted out laughing, "No, dude! You know… China white?"

Nico shook his head. Paul lifted a judgemental eyebrow, "Skag? Snow? Smack? Dude! It's heroin!"

Nico's eyes widened and he stuffed the bag in his pocket quickly, "Shut the fuck up, Paul! I don't want the whole camp in my business. Again."

Paul shrugged, "Sorry. Just can't believe you dunno what dope is."

Nico sighed, "There's at least a needle in there, right?"

With that question, Nico's stomach turned a little. Did he really just ask that? This was weird, he admitted to himself, doing drugs without consequence.

Paul nodded, "Everything you need. Try it with a buddy if it's your first time."

Nico rolled his eyes and handed him the cash, twenty five bucks, "Yeah, whatever. Let me worry about it. See ya later."

With that, Nico headed off to his cabin. He stopped right in front of the door and groaned, realizing Hazel was still visiting. He rolled his eyes and pushed the door open anyways.

When she looked up, her eyes filled with disgust, and her lips and nose forms into a sneer. "What the hell do you want?"

"Not you," Nico assured.

He went straight to his polaroid of him and Percy, which was not promptly in the trash with a corner ripped off, and picked it up. He held it tightly in his hand as he turned towards the door again, but then went back to grab some clothes. When he finished, he didn't give Hazel a second glance before walking off in the direction of the Poseidon cabin.

When he got there, it was empty. Good, Nico thought, Percy must be teaching that sparring class. He made sure the door was closed behind him, tossed his clothes and polaroid next to him on the floor, and then pulled out his baggie of H before sitting down to inspect it. Paul had told the truth, there was a needle and everything in there. And it was only a gram, but it seemed like a lot to Nico.

He didn't even know what heroin felt like, but he was oddly excited to try. He'd been stressed as hell, and he'd never admit it to Percy, but anxiety and depression were catching back up to him. He was ready for a fun experience, maybe to even help him figure out his romance issues, who knows the influence it'll have.

But he decided to wait. He shoved it in Percy's drawer, the one he's letting him borrow, and put his clothes on top. He set his polaroid on the desk against the wall and got ready to go train.