Chapter 2
Authors note: I'm sorry this is so short, but my exams are going on and this is all I can give you right now. I promise future chapters will be longer! :)
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A Week after the war: Tears and HeartBreaks
"I'm moving to camp Jupiter"
Percy stared at his girlfriend disbelievingly. "But you- we- new York- senior year-"
Annabeth just looked at him sadly. "I know, Perce, I know. But I think we need to spend a little time apart. I mean, we're only seventeen! Do you really want to tie yourself down now? It's just… this the first time in years that I've had some peace. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand," Percy said defeatedly, "I don't like it, but I understand."
"We're still best friends right?" Annabeth looked at him pleadingly.
"Course, wise girl. You're not getting rid of me that easily," Percy quipped, and then, in a more sombre tone, asked " When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow morning"
Percy nodded once, then turned and walked away. He didn't know where he was going, just that he had to go away from here.
After a while, he found himself in front of the Hades cabin. This past week, he had been talking to Nico more and more. Once Nico dropped the whole 'I hate the world and you especially' act, he was actually pretty fun to hang out with, and they had become good friends. Still, Percy didn't think he'd appreciate Percy showing up and dumping all his sadness on Nico. Befotre he could turn and head somewhere else, however, the door opened and Nico stepped out, probably about to head to the dining pavilion for lunch.
"Percy? What are you-" Nico stopped mid-sentence as he took in Percy's expression. His eyes were filled with hurt and despair, unshed tears obscuring those beautiful sea-green orbs. "What happened? Come in!" Nico said worriedly.
"B-But you were about to have lunch..."
Nico looked at him incredulously "Percy, I'm not going to leave you all alone when you're clearly close to breaking into tears just to have lunch! Now, come in and tell me what happened."
…..
Nico looked at Percy, waiting. They were sitting side by side on his bed, leaning against the headboard. Percy seemed to be struggling to gather himself together, while Nico was attempting to wrap his head around the sight before him. He had never seen Percy close to tears. Even while dangling over the pit to tartarus, the idiot still smiled. So what could possibly-
"Annabeth broke up with me"
"Huh?"
"She said that-that she needed space and she didn't want to be tied down and she's moving to Camp Jupiter and-and-" Percy started sobbing, quiet, hurt-filled sobs that broke Nico's heart. He didn't say anything, just reached forward and wrapped his arms around Percy. And that was how they stayed for a long time, until Percy fell asleep.
He was full of mixed emotions. He was ashamed to say that his first emotion on hearing that they broke up was pure joy. Of course, that emotion had quickly disappeared when he saw how lonely Percy looked. But it wasn't his fault. After all, you can't hear that the guy you've been in love with for years is single and not feel any happiness. Nico was only human! (Well, half of him, but it still counts, right?)
Nico looked down at the sleeping boy in his arms, sighing. He felt slightly guilty for lying to him. The way Nico had made it sound, he had just thought that Percy was kinda cute, and forgotten about it in a week. He couldn't tell Percy, but it was so, so much more than that. He had been in love with Percy, ready to move heaven and hell if it would make Percy smile. He still was.
Then he shook his head, pushing those thoughts away. This past week, Nico and Percy had gotten much closer, what with Percy determined to 'make up for lost time' as he called it. There was no way Nico was going to push him away again, not after seeing how insecure, how scared Percy had looked in the infirmary, because he was afraid that Nico hated him.
It hurt Nico to be around Percy without dating him, but it hurt even more to know that he had made Percy sad.
Nico ran his hand through Percy's hair. He had hurt Percy once, and he hadn't regretted anything more. He would make sure that that never happened again.
