**Holy shit, I was going through the characters and I totally and completely forgot Annabeth. No joke guys, I seriously forgot Annabeth until now. *gets smited by Athena*

Huh, she might come in later :P

A butload happens in this chapter, and you guys definitely deserve it :D

Thanks to: hopelesslyundenyablyaddicted, Solangelo Love XOX, theboringdolphin and ForscytheChase!

Song for this chapter: You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me, Cher, Burlesque Soundtrack

[TW: swearing, violence]**

~ 6 ~

Nico sat away from Frank and Percy that night after his latest session with Dr. Valdez, instead opting for keeping Hazel company on the floor on the far side of the dining hall. It wasn't like Nico was trying to hide from his friends (the dining hall was a useless place to try that, anyway) but he was avoiding them, because no doubt they were doing the same. Once or twice Nico caught Frank and Percy looking at him, talking quietly. Frank looked murderous, but that was probably more about Hazel. Percy, on the other hand, looked at Nico with unequivocal pity. It made Nico feel sick.

As soon as he could, Nico slowly sprinted back to his room to face-plant on his bed, leaving a very perplexed Hazel and two very concerned teenage boys.

~ O ~

Nico was trying to waste time by reading The Odyssey, but all it did was remind him of Frank and Percy. Also he didn't understand a word this guy was talking about.

"Nico?" The Italian tried to not jump at Percy's voice, but it was hard to hide his Not-Taking-Guests expression.

'What?" He tried his best pissed-off voice, but really it just sounded depressed. Lowering the tattered book revealing Percy leaning on the door jamb and looking at Nico with concern.

"Did you want to talk about today?" Nico took his time answering. Did he? Yes.

"No."

Percy gave a solemn nod, and looked like he as about to say something else, but something caught Percy's eye from the side, and his expression turned worried.

"Well… Enjoy the book." Percy's tone wasn't dismissive in the least, but he didn't hesitate to leave like a bat outta Hell. No wonder, Nico chided himself, who wants to be around a—

You gotta stop letting it having any power over you.

Nico frowned. Like that, the voice was silenced. Replaced by Percy's?

Nico's eyes itched when he remembered how hurt Percy looked bandaging up Nico's arm.

The concern in his voice when they discussed Bianca. Yeah, I think I do. God, Percy's voice had turned so husky; Nico got a familiar feeling below his waist. Remembering how Percy actually kind of nuzzled into his hair when he said those words. Holy shit, could Nico have been wrong—?

The memory of Percy avoiding Nico's suggestion of a kiss was enough to shut that thought down in a second. Talk about a boner killer.

Still, Percy was being very suggestive. Or maybe Nico was just convincing himself of that. With a growl Nico slammed the book on the covers next to him. No matter how suggestive Percy was or wasn't or wasn't being, nothing changes the fact that he indubitably didn't want to kiss Nico.

A shadow caught Nico's attention as it passed Nico's door. That silhouette was pretty much unforgettable.

In a flash, Nico was out of the bed and stopped at his door to look down the hallway in the direction Luke had hurried off to. Confirming Nico's suspicion, Percy was still there, a few strides down the hallway. Holy shit, Nico got a hard on for Percy when he was just outside his room?!

Nico was shaken from his thoughts as Luke reached Percy. He stopped to say something quietly to Percy, whose expression Nico couldn't read. They began to go down the hallway together.

"This is why?" Nico's quiet voice was like a scream in the silent corridor. The two boys stuttered to a stop and turned to face Nico.

"Nico?" Was Percy's first reaction, then leaned in to whisper something to Luke.

"You reject me because you're fucking him?" By then, Luke had laughed softly and taken a few steps toward Nico, an I'm gonna kick your ass expression plastered on his face. He slightly turned around to shoot Percy an I've Got This Babe look, but when he turned around again, all anyone could register was blood spraying into the air. After a second, Luke stumbled back, clutching his nose, Nico was starting to feel his hand, and Percy felt like everything was going to even more shit.

"Nico!" A voice screamed, probably Percy's, and Nico was shoved back into his room, the door locked.

Nico didn't have the strength the even bang on the door like the caged animal he normally felt like when a door was locked on him. He simply wiped his hand on a dirty shirt, and went back to sleep, feeling much more content.

Nico had felt like he needed to punch someone for a long time, and Luke was probably the most deserving guy around if he was letting his boyfriend get hurt like that.

As satisfied as he told himself he was feeling, Nico, for the second time that day, couldn't get Percy's face out of his mind.

~ O ~

The next morning, Nico's hand hurt like Hell.

What happened again?

Oh right.

Percy had rejected him for Luke. Seriously? Ugh.

Nico made his way to breakfast and ate like a robot, not meeting anyone's eye. Still, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but sneak a glance at Frank and Percy's usual table. Just Frank.

A feeling like wet cement moving through his gut made Nico want to be sick. Leaving the rest of his breakfast at the now-empty table, Nico walked as calmly as he could to Percy's room.

Just as he rounded the corner, Nico was stopped short by the sight of Luke stepping out of Percy's room, buttoning up his shirt. Luke saw Nico out of the corner of his eye, and turned to face him. His nose was swollen and red, but Nico had no mind for feeling as satisfied as Luke looked.

Without a word, Luke turned and walked off down the hallway, his smug smirk burned into Nico's retinas.

Nico waited until Luke turned the corner before he felt control over his limbs again. He was so sure the next time he saw Luke, the older boy would probably shank him with a sharpened toothbrush, or something scary like that. A chill settled over Nico's body. This was so much more terrifying.

Reminding himself he wasn't the subject of this impromptu house visit, Nico took a few quick steps to Percy's doorway, hanging himself off the side like Percy did the night before.

A figure was curled up sideways on Percy's bed, facing away from the door.

The cement in Nico's gut solidified and he felt his knees begin to buckle as he stumbled over to the bed, gently sitting down at the foot.

Percy curled into a tighter ball as the frame squeaked. Nico felt tears prick his eyes, guiltily glad the lack of light hid any details.

After a minute, Nico did the only thing he thought could help. He stood up on shaky legs and went over to Percy's sink. He returned with a damp washcloth and Percy took it with a shaky hand, still keeping his face hidden.

Nico returned to the end of the bed as Percy pressed the cloth over his face and held it there for a bit. After a minute, Percy gingerly rolled over and stood up from the bed, limping over to the mirror above the sink Nico was just at.

Nico watched with sorry eyes as Percy tried to clean himself up.

Removing the washcloth, Percy's nose was purple and swollen, and a black eye bled into the bruises covering Percy's cheek. Nico felt bile rise up in his throat, but forced himself to stand. Nico took the cloth from Percy's trembling hands and nodded for him to go back to the bed. Nico watched Percy limp back over and collapse onto the old mattress, and Nico couldn't help but notice a guy only walked like that when a very particular thing happened to him. Not that Nico had any experience with that, he could… Just tell.

Nico rinsed the cloth out and returned to where Percy was struggling to stay upright. Neither of them had said anything yet.

Nico used one hand to steady the back of Percy's head, and the other to hold the cloth against Percy's bleeding nose. The two stayed like that, only moving for Nico to rinse the cloth out and gently wipe at another part of Percy's face.

"What happened?" Nico whispered. Dark green eyes flicked up to look at him.

"I should ask you that." Nico hid his cringing at how hoarse Percy's voice was. With that, Percy pulled away from Nico's ministrations and reached up to his mouth. Nico watched Percy pull a tooth from the back of his mouth with little more than a grimace.

"You punched Luke." Percy flicked the tooth to the floor. Nico gathered his words.

"I…"

Percy finally looked squarely at Nico, and the Italian felt like a wilting flower.

"I'm sorry, Percy." He pressed the cloth into Percy's hand and left before he could see Percy's expression wasn't blame or anger, but one of gratitude.

**Figured you guys prefer longer chapters, so I'm just going to make this one kinda long. Can't be bothered uploading this many damn chapters.

*writes more* Hold on, I just realised this story is kind of wrapping up. Eeenyway.**

It had been nearly a week, and Percy and Nico still hadn't figured it all out, and it was driving Frank fucking crazy.

Same pattern, over and over: Nico sits away from Percy, Percy goes over to talk, Nico runs away, locks himself in his room until the next mealtime.

Frank saw Nico's medication dosage had been upped. He said as much to Percy one morning, but Frank's oldest friend was too busy giving doe-eyes to the Italian at the other side of the room.

"Percy," Percy's attention finally turned to Frank. "Huh?"

"I said you should ju—"

A familiar expression overcame Percy's face, letting Frank know what time it was. Frank didn't need to turn around to know Piper and Jason had caught Percy's eye.

"Go on, but tell them to lay off you a little more, Percy." Percy gave the usual bullshit response as to why he couldn't do that, but Frank just waved him off, turning his attention to Nico, who had witnessed Percy's exit as well. With a smirk, Frank let Nico know he was terrible at observing people he was trying to avoid. Nico just looked like Frank had pulled a knife on him.

Sometimes that really pissed him off; Frank trying to be friendly but people just being creeped out by him. He was so lucky one person— that being Percy— had seen through that visage when he was sent to Lake's Meeting.

Before he knew what he was doing, Frank had left his table and was striding purposefully over to where Nico was curled up with Hazel in the far corner of the dining hall. Nico had let his guard down once Percy left with Piper and Jason, and wasn't expecting to look up and see Frank standing over him.

"Come on." Frank took hold of Nico's arm and pulled him to his feet, practically dragging him out into the corridor.

'Frank, I swear it was an accident, I didn't kn—"

"Nico, hold up— what are you talking about?" Nico frowned minutely before answering.

"A week ago, when Percy was all beat up—? The night before… I kinda punched Luke." Nico lifted scared eyes to Frank's impressed ones. "Percy took the fallout for it."

"Really?" Frank asked after a moment of shock.

"He didn't tell you?"

"He hasn't told me anything since he showed you his spot at Lake's Meeting." Frank's voice turned deeper, implying he wanted an explanation, but Nico's blush was all he needed.

"You two finally kissed? Thank God, I don't think I could handl—"

"Wait, Frank, what? No, I tried… But Percy…" Nico's eyes dropped to the floor, and Frank felt sorry for him upon the realisation.

"Didn't." He finished. Nico continued to study the ground, but Frank frowned at him.

"But—"

"Look, Frank, I don't care what you're going to say, the fact is Percy would pick Luke over me, okay? Then I ruined any chance I even might've had with the most amazing guy on the planet by punching his boyfriend, and if that wasn't enough, Percy got beat up after that because of me!"

Frank was understandably silenced.

"Well… I wasn't expecting it all to act out like this."

Nico frowned his response.

"Why'd you punch him?" Nico shuffled his feet, but his response was less unsteady.

"I was angry because of Percy, but if Luke lets Percy be hurt by Piper and Jason, he deserved to be hurt as well." Nico knew he sounded crazy, and got ready for Frank to give him a look that said as such.

"If you were his boyfriend, you wouldn't let them hurt Percy, huh?" A different expression came over Nico's face with that comment.

"No. No boyfriend would let him get hurt like that."

"But you called Luke his boyfriend." Nico frowned as he recalled his words. Upon his silence, Frank continued.

"You're right, Nico. No boyfriend would let that happen. You know the deal with Piper and Jason? Percy has the same thing with Luke." Nico looked up at Frank with wide eyes.

"No boyfriend would let that happen; that's why Luke lets it happen— they're not involved outside of the deal, Nico."

Nico felt light-headed, and slapped a hand against the cool wall to keep from swaying.

"So why didn't Percy…"

"I don't know, Nico, but I do know you have to pick your ass up and talk to him, because if you don't you're gonna miss something amazing." Nico was still holding his tongue, but Frank could tell it was because he was trying to compute this newfound realisation.

"To be honest, I saw Luke's fucked up face, and I thought it was Percy. Once in a while, he fights back, and Luke beats him up like that. But, I'm glad someone punched Luke, and I'm pretty sure Percy is too." Nico scoffed at the last part.

"I seriously doubt that. Percy probably hates me for getting involved," Nico punch the wall he was leaning on. "He told me not to!"

"Hey! Nico, Percy told me he was going to thank you but you ran before he could! Why won't you just talk to him?!"

Nico sobered up. "I thought he hadn't told you anything since last week…"

Franks gave a You-Can't-Blame-Me-For-Trying shrug of innocence, but Nico wasn't concerned with being angry.

"He wasn't mad?"

"Excusing the fact we're in a sanatorium, no, Nico, he's not mad."

A rare grin stretched across Nico's face as the content of their conversation fully hit him. Percy was single, he didn't even like Luke. The grin faltered. Percy didn't like Nico, either, though.

"Hey man, you'll never find out if you don't talk to him." Frank said, reading his mind. Nico forced the smile back onto his face, and with a nod of confidence, he headed off back to the dining hall, only to stop and turn around again.

"Wait, how many of these deals does he have?" A sad smile made its way to Frank's face.

"Just… Talk to him, Nico." Frank left before Nico could think about his words.

Nico hurried back to the dining hall, where pretty much everyone had gone back to their rooms after breakfast. Nico's eyes scanned the room until they came upon the table he was sitting at with Hazel. Hazel was gone, but Percy sat in her place. His hair was ruffled up, and he would've looked really cute if his expression wasn't so broken.