Ch. 7: Annabeth I started down at Nico in shock. The gash on his side wasn't anything like I had ever seen before. Percy knelt down next to Nico. "You alright, buddy?", Percy asked him. "N-no," Nico said. He was shaking and looked like he was about to cry. "Don't worry," Will said, "you'll be okay." We took him inside the cabin to treat his wounds. Once we were finished, Nico asked if him and Percy could be alone for a few minutes. I was reluctant at first, but Percy said it was fine. Everyone else left.
Ch. 8: Percy Me and Nico sat on the bed. He had his arms wrapped around himself and his breathing was shaky. "What happened?", I asked him. "Th-there was a m-monster, b-but not the k-kind we see," he said. "I-It was tall a-and thin, and it had h-huge c-claws." I was confused, so I asked Mike if he could figure out what Nico meant. "Sounds like the Demogorgon," he said. I was confused."The what?", I asked. "One of the monsters in the Upside Down. Nico's lucky it only scratched him." I nodded. "Thanks for the help," I said. I walked back to the room and immediately, I was worried. Nico had started crying. I sat down and pulled him close. "What's wrong, buddy?", I asked. "I was so scared, Percy," he cried into my shoulder, "it felt like I was back in Tartarus." Nico pulled away just enough that I could see his face, but I was still holding him. Tears streamed from his eyes, and his lips were pulled down in a pout. It was almost cute, except for the crying. I ran my thumb along his cheek. "It's okay, bud. I've got you." Eventually, Nico fell asleep. I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around him, careful not to wake him up. Nico smiled ever so slightly and nuzzled his face into my neck. That's when I realized it: I would always be there for my little buddy.
