A/N: Hey, don't expect too much for the moment.

Fun Fact: Percy's deck of cards are 'The Little Mermaid' Disney version. (There's actually a version of playing cards like that). Don't ask me how I know.


V: Nico

Broken Hope and Broken Bones

Despite Percy choosing the card game, he was pretty bad at it. I don't know if he was purposely or accidently doing it, but he kept saying "Do you have a four?" on his turn, which I don't have.

"Go fish," I repeated for the seventy-fourth time. Well, that was a close estimate.

He gave a sigh and grabbed a card, making a big show of flipping it in his hand so that I saw the card. Okay, obviously he was going easy on me.

"Why do they even call this game 'Go fish'?" he asked. "This doesn't relate to fishes!"

I smiled. "Percy, the term 'go fish' used in the game means going to search for the card in the pile . . . not the animals with fins and gills."

He returned my facial expression with a grin of his own, and I felt my heart doing a painful clench. It wasn't all fluttery and dreamy, making me melt, but made my heart seem to go tighter.

Great, my organ was even shutting out from Percy.

I don't know why in my opinion, but his best attribute wasn't his tanned skin, laughter, or even eyes, which I loved. It was his smile, which was infectious to me. He was completely content, and reminded me of how he was all go-with-the flow, and the quality loyalty made him even more endearing. . .

"Do you have an eight?" I asked, deciding to play along with his "game".

"Nope, Go fish!"

When I was about to reach for a card, Percy interrupted, "No, Nico. Go fish."

I looked up, confused.

Before I could register what was happening, Percy leaned in, brushing his lips against mine.

Startled, I pulled away, not knowing what to feel. What was he doing? He knew — he knew what effect he had on me.

Percy realized his mistake, and buried his face in his hands. "Gods, I'm so sorry," he mumbled. "I — it was bad timing —"

"Why do you always have to ruin moments like these?" I said, not knowing how much power my words had, and Percy visibly flinched. My voice was kind of high and panicky, with anxiety and fear in it. I didn't like feeling like this. At all.

Strong emotions take over me, letting my powers go out of control. I was scared of myself. What I was capable of, and I did not want to hurt anyone. Especially Percy.

"Can you leave?" I said, making my voice carefully distant and emotionless.

"Nico —"

I avoided his gaze. "Please, Percy."

"Nico, I'm sorry for kissing you."

No, he was apologizing for nothing.

"I know it's mean of me to . . . lead you on, but I really care for you. I don't know what it is, but —"

No, not now.

Don't.

"I think I love you."

And then hell exploded.


Not literally, of course. Or maybe it was, considering how the walking dead began to pop out of the ground. They all seemed to multiply, like cells, wielding clubs.

Percy had his sword, Riptide out, and began to swipe at the skeletons. "Call them off, Nico!" he shouted.

"I can't," I said helplessly, trying to concentrate. the more I focused on controlling the dead, the more they jumped out. All seemed to aim for one target: the son of Poseidon.

No, it wasn't supposed to happen.

Percy cursed and flung a skeleton away that whacked against the entrance door. He couldn't hold them all off, and I yelled for help, while decapitating one of my own skeletons with a weird doctor instrument nearby.

I wish I had my sword, but Will confiscated it, which proved to be such a great story. Yeah. I could've fought with my sword, forged from Stygian Iron, but instead I used a instrument instead. Who knew they will make great weapons?

I could not control my powers; this was the thing I most feared. it seemed as if all of my anger poured out, and I couldn't stop. The swarm of dead filled the room, and Percy locked his eyes with mine.

Instead of being angry, he calmly said, "Nico, I'm here for you. Try to — try to call them off."

I nodded, but frustration lowered my strength. Why couldn't I call them off? Why. was. I. too. broken. to understand how to do this? I remembered the feeling of panic when I had to shadow-travel Coach Hedge, Reyna, and me around. It wasn't pleasant, and that took a lot of stamina.

It took ten minutes for the room to become normal again.

One to three. . . Percy kept fighting, in quick, agile movement.

Four to six. . . I slowly sank some of the army away.

Seven. . . the door opened, and Will appeared, staring at the scene in horror. The skeleton lying there crunched underneath his feet.

Eight to ten. . . the skeletons were all gone. Finally.

"Percy, what is going on?" Will asked. "How —? What —?"

"It was my fault," I said, disoriented. My body felt drained from using up all of my energy, which I didn't like. I sank to the floor, trying to recollect my bearings.

"Gods, Nico, are you okay?" Percy asked but Will came by my side.

"I'm fine," I muttered. "Just tired."

Will checked my forehead, and shook his head. "You're burning up, Nico. You shouldn't have used your powers."

I couldn't correct him.

Percy wore a guilty expression. "I provoked him," he said. "I, um, upset him and — it was my fault." He carefully left some details out, unsure on whether to tell the Healer or not. His shirt was torn, and a cracked-up bony hand attached itself to his shoe, but Percy didn't notice. The sword, now formed into a pen was clenched in his left hand. But somehow, he managed to look heroic and ethereal.

I wanted to say that both of them had it wrong. That it was entirely my fault, but Will continued talking. Was he yelling at me or Percy?

Gods, why was the room spinning?

I will like to say that I cleaned up my mess, and made it to at least another hour.

Instead I closed my eyes, and passed out.


A/N: I know I said that I completed this story, but I couldn't help but add extra chapters. Okay, there is also the next one, and the Epilogue. That's all, I promise.

Thank you so much for you guys who are reading this, and a thousand kudos to you, because this story won't even be written.