Disclaimer- I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or the Heroes of Olympus

The second of a three part Percy/Nico centric drabble about their relationship, this time from Nico.

I want him. No, I need him. I can't live without my sea prince, my seaweed brain. He's saved me so many times, saved me from the darkness inside of me. He's my everything. It hurts to be away from him, he's my heart and soul. Which is why it hurts that much more whenever I see him, to see what I've put him through. What it put him through.

I see him, see him smile that big goofy smile he gives me every time he sees me. And then I remember his tears when his friends rejected him for loving me. They rejected him for being different, they hurt him for following his heart and saying 'I love you'.

I feel his arms around me, hear him whispering that he loves me. And then I remember him trembling and sobbing in my arms, hoarsely whispering to me how much he loves me, right after his mom threw him out for kissing me. For not being the son she wanted to have.

I see him look at me, that innocent look of wonder and complete adoration he saves just for me; that look of complete trust that I could never deserve. And then I saw the shattered, broken look in his eyes after Chiron threatened to have him evicted from Camp Half Blood for holding me. For risking his heart rather than his sword, and abandoning the role he was being forced into.

I had risked almost nothing and gained everything when I finally came out to Percy. Percy risked everything, and lost even more when he came out to me and admitted his feelings. And I only made it worse. My fatal flaw, my hate, had a mind of its own. And while I had forgiven my Percy for everything that had happened, my hate hadn't.

I didn't even know I was giving into it most of the time, it just happened. And I knew it wasn't me, because I would never do that to him, I would never hurt the one who had given up everything for me. It made him hurt, it made me flirt and cheat on him, it made me ignore and mistreat him. It made me hurt him. It was a demon, some kind of monster that possessed me, that made me hurt the only person I really cared about.

I couldn't let it hurt him, so I did the only thing that I could do; I ran. Whenever it got to strong, I ran, shadow traveling to the farthest reaches of the globe, trying to keep him safe from the beast, from the demon inside of me.

But Percy's breaking. Or at least that's what Jason says. He tells me that Percy's breaking, fracturing so perfectly that the cracks couldn't be seen. He tells me that I have to stay, I have to be honest and keep him strong the way he keeps me strong. But I can't stay. It's getting to strong, and this demon inside of me just keeps trying and trying to hurt him.

The last time I ran, I did see it though. I saw the hairline cracks, I watched from the shadows as he broke down. It broke my heart, but I have to keep him safe. And yet, the truth has cruel ways of catching up to you. And when I ran, the awful realization comes that there is no demon. There is no outside power controlling me, making me hurt him. It isn't even my fateful flaw. The truth is, there is no monster.

There's only me.

I have to keep him safe. Even if I need him. Even if I want him. Because nothing is more important to me than he is. And I'll protect him from anything. Even from me.

Ok, so it kind of changed from a two part to a three, but what the heck, it might actually not be as horrible as I think it is (It is DX) Anyways, the 2nd part of this three part, I know it's not the best, but it's Christmas so don't burn me to bad. Anyways, I'll try to have part 3 up soon, so if you want it just as, or keep your eyes open. Thanks to everybody who like Nicotine by the way, have a very merry Christmas!