CHAPTER FOUR: My Crush Gets Possessed

*IMPORTANT: This part of the book was written before House of Hades came out. I did not know Nico was gay when I wrote this. I am not trying to change him but I don't want to go back and change this whole story either, so please don't hate on it.  Also, although Nico had a crush on Percy, that doesn't mean he can't ever have a crush on a girl. I'll be doing Solangelo in the sequel so just bear with it and I'll try to stick some references in here.

Also, I'm aware that the Oracle is not supposed to date. This will play in later in this book and the next.

NICO

Nico couldn't get over it. Him? A God? He hadn't even done anything except eat pomegranate seeds while stuck in a jar.

It sounded cool, though he wasn't sure if he wanted all the attention that becoming a God would place on him. Nico preferred being alone, in the dark. He knew how bad that sounded, but it was true. He was happier just lurking in the shadows than stepping into the spotlight.

Some people thought he was kind of creepy. Actually, a lot of people thought that. Even some of the demigods living with him, like Leo and Frank. They didn't rub it in though.

At least he had Hazel. Although she was a lot more lively than him, she was still a child of Hades. Honestly, though, he still felt lost without Bianca. If only she were still around. If only his demigod powers would allow him to bring her back.

And then there was Will. For what seemed like a second in the lonely stretch that had been his life so far, his hopes had gone up. But then something had happened, and Will had shut him out. 

He tried to move on, and maybe he had succeeded. Although he could never completely get rid of Will's memory, he had managed to get to the point where he was possibly interested in someone else.

Another person that a lot of people thought was creepy was Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the current Oracle. Nico looked up to her a lot; she wasn't even a demigod, just mortal, and yet she had taken the risk of letting the Oracle of Delphi inhabit her body. Another woman had gone insane trying to take it on- and still, Rachel had had the bravery to try. Best of all, she succeeded. She had to put up with the fact that she could speak a prophecy at any random time, and then collapse afterwards. He heard she also got horrible migraines.

Nico visited Rachel often. She had her own room in the original Big House, and he figured she got pretty lonely in there. Nico had to admit that he liked Rachel- as more than just as friend. Rachel seemed to appreciate his being there, but didn't think of him as anything more than a good friend. He hoped he could change that soon.

He walked down the curving streets that night after dinner, hoping Rachel would be available. He stepped into the Big House, trotted up the stairs, and knocked on the locked door that he knew was Rachel's.

"Nico?" She called in a strange voice.

"It's me," He replied.

"You can come in," she said faintly.

When Nico entered the room, he saw Rachel sitting on the edge of her bed, holding her head in her hands.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Migraine," Rachel muttered, "I think a prophecy is coming. You'd better stay so you can hear it." Nico knew that when Rachel was taken over by the Oracle of Delphi's spirit, she usually couldn't remember what she said.

"Of course," Nico agreed. She gave him a pained smile. Hesitantly, feeling he was making a brave move, he sat down next to Rachel and put his arm around her. He waited tensely for her reaction and, to his amazement, she looked up at him gratefully.

"Thanks, Nico," she smiled. Their heads bent closer. Maybe Rachel had thought of him as more than a friend. There lips were about to meet...

That's when Rachel suddenly became rigid. Her eyes widened and Nico pulled back instantly, thinking at first that Rachel was embarrassed by what she had been about to do. That thought was erased from his mind, however, when she started to chant in an eerie voice that definitely wasn't her own. She was giving a prophecy.

"The newest god and goddess's child

Shall replace an old goddess long since gone wild

Peace has been made

But the price has been payed

For all the years of chaos

She shall be stripped of her

Powers which will be preserved

For the child to take in at birth."

Rachel sucked in a long breath before collapsing onto Nico's lap. He sat there, trying to focus on the prophecy but having a difficult time as he held Rachel in his arms. Even if she did happen to be passed out, it was a bit hard to focus when you were holding your crush against you.

It was a good thing Nico had an excellent memory. Because if he didn't, he would probably have forgotten every last word of it when Rachel opened her eyes, looked at Nico, and kissed him like there was no tomorrow.

As much as Nico was rather embarrassed to admit it, and although he had had a previous failed relationship he'd rather no mention, this was his first kiss, and it was a good one.

"I'm sorry I never... I don't know," Rachel muttered softly. "You've always been there for me, Nico. I could tell that you liked me. I'm not really sure why I never... responded to it."

"It's okay," Nico replied gently, happiness surging through his veins. Rachel had kissed him.

They sat there for a while, Rachel comfortably in Nico's arm. Nico didn't care if they sat like this forever, not making a sound.

Eventually, though, it seemed to dawn on Rachel that she had made a prophecy.

"What did I say?" She asked Nico. He repeated the prophecy to her, and she furrowed her brow in confusion.

"How are we supposed to know who the newest God and Goddess are? I haven't even got a clue who the prophecy is for."

Suddenly Nico thought of something.

"All of the demigods living with me, and myself, were offered to become gods by the Olympians," He told Rachel.

"You're going to become a god?!" Rachel said, her eyes widening in shock.

"Yep," he replied simply, "In five months."

"Nico, that's amazing!" With that, she leaned in and kissed him again. Nico decided that the prophecy could wait for another time as he tried to focus all his attention on his crush.

Unfortunately, there was still the memory of someone else lurking in the back of his mind. 

***

Nico arrived home in an ecstatic, giddy mood that he had never really felt before. Everyone, especially Hazel, looked at him strangely when he came in the door and went straight to his room, a very un-Nico-like grin plastered to his face.

"What's up with him?" he heard Leo mutter. If only he knew.

***

The next morning he decided it was time to think about the prophecy again. Once everyone was gathered around the table for breakfast, he brought the topic up.

"I was with Rachel last night," he started, but was cut off as Leo exclaimed, "That's what the creepy grin was all about!" Back to his normal self, Nico glared at Leo and he felt silent.

"As I was saying, I was with Rachel last night when she said a prophecy," At that, everyone stared at Nico, their full attention focused on him, food forgotten for the moment. It made Nico rather uncomfortable, but he continued on anyways. He repeated the prophecy and looked around the table to see their reactions.

Annabeth blanched, and Percy's eyes widened. Piper was glancing uncomfortably towards the two.

"Is there something I should know?" Nico asked suspiciously. Nobody said anything.

He looked around at Hazel, Frank, Leo, and Jason. They seemed just as confused Nico, but something was definitely going on between the other three.

"Percy? Annabeth? Piper?" Nico said desperately. Leo didn't even attempt to break the tension this time. Finally, Annabeth took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

"I'm pregnant."

Hazel squealed, Leo's eyes widened, and Frank and Jason looked concerned.

Well, it was no longer a mystery who the prophecy was for.