After hearing some much needed advice from his awesome sister, Nico was ready to use it. He was ready to have a better life. He was ready to be happy.

He was ready to move on from Percy.

Hazel gave him a sort of questionnaire to determine what he should do. After she finished interrogating him, she concluded that he definitely had to move on from Percy. She had said his unrequited love would only keep eating away at him and get worse and worse, and that he should get away from it as soon as he could so he could be happy again.

"I know it's gonna be hard, but... this is killing you. You have to move on from him. There's no use hurting yourself any more when you know it'll never happen. It's unhealthy Nico, and I'm worried about you. Ever since I met you you've been like this... angry, depressed, lonely... and now I know why. It's time for you to let go and be happy. Let go, for your own sake... and for mine, because I can't stand seeing you so unhappy."

"...You're right," he said, "I have to let go."

And since their heart-to-heart conversation two weeks ago, Nico seemed to be getting better. With help and coaching from Hazel, Nico was learning how to be happy, how to look forward to new people and possibilities, and most importantly, how to get over Percy.

The latter needed the most work. Hazel had told him not to avoid Percy like he was a plague, but to go about as if he were any other person, which he now was. If he happened to walk by, Nico wouldn't cower and duck away, he'd keep walking without being fazed by his presence. When Annabeth was near, Nico didn't let his former jealousy take over and cause him to be malicious to her. Instead, like Percy, she was treated like just another person.

Nico was also looking out for new love interests. A cute boy would walk by and Nico would check him out, without the slightest thought of Percy.

Hazel's advice was working. He was making progress; taking steps away from Percy and back towards happiness. And for the past two weeks, Nico had never felt better.

That is, until it all came crashing down on him, just like every other time he'd pursued happiness.

He should've known better than to think something would actually go right for once in his life.

And it was all thanks to Percy Jackson.

The night Nico's hope for happiness was finally extinguished once and for all had started like any other normal day. He had went about his routines, putting Hazel's advice to good use. He was still making much needed progress, and was actually in a pretty good mood.

The day was drawing to a close, as he had just finished his dinner in the pavilion and had taken a stroll down to the beach. Normally he avoided it at all costs due to the person it reminded him of, but tonight he didn't care. He kicked off his shoes and socks and allowed himself to enjoy the sunset and the sand.

After walking a good length of the beach and combing for shells all the way through it, he had stopped to sit down, setting down his findings next to him.

And the most unusual of it all: he had decided to go shirtless. He normally would be too self conscious due to his previous self hatred, but today he felt a new confidence that had never shown itself before.

And so he peeled off his jacket and shirt and tossed them aside carelessly, taking in the amazing feeling of being free and without worry.

He felt no urge to cover back up as the breeze graced across his bare skin and the sun warmed his chest.

Until a voice cleared its throat not ten feet away from him. His dazed state of tranquility snapped and his eyes shot open.

And there, emerging from the sea, was Percy Jackson himself, the root of all his problems.

He approached Nico slowly, edging closer and closer across the sand.

Nico was desperately trying to suppress his old habits and avoid freaking out in his presence. He tried to not feel self conscious again, to just feel normal and calm around him, because after all, he was just another person now.

He's just another person, he's just another person... nothing special to you. Don't let him get to you!

But when Percy finally stood over him, dripping wet and shirtless, and said his name with the most sincerity and longing he'd ever heard, he lost it.

"Nico..." He muttered, his beautiful voice blown soft by the wind.

Oh shit.

Percy glanced about the beach as if to see whether anyone was watching. A hand found itself at the base of his head as he opened his mouth to speak, but found nothing to say.

Finally he found his words and looked Nico in the eye.

"Nico, I... I need to talk to you about something."

Oh hell this is gonna be- wait...

Why is Percy acting so nervous? That's usually my job...

"Well it's not so much talking but... showing you something, I guess."

What?

Percy's hand remained on the back of his neck as he broke eye contact to glance around yet again.

Nico formulated something to say at last, out of all his confusion.

"What are you talking about Percy?"

Nico attempted to put some steel in his voice to show he was confident and was not totally affected by Percy, but it was to no avail as his voice came out shaky and weak instead.

"Look, just... don't freak out, okay? It's gonna be weird but... I need to do this."

With that Percy dropped to the sand to be level with Nico. With an anxious look in his eye, he looked Nico up and down as he scooted closer.

Nico was more than confused, and also weirded out.

What the hell is he getting at? And why is he getting so... close?

"Um..." He stammered, at a loss for words as Percy crept closer and closer. Soon the Son of Poseidon was just inches from his face, and Nico was having a hard time not hyperventilating due to his proximity. The fragrance of the ocean graced Percy's skin, his tan frame hovering over Nico's pale torso.

Nico could barely keep in his panic. What the hell is he doing? Why is he so hot? And why is he finding him so hot?

Percy looked down into Nico's eyes with hazy, unfocused look, and Nico gulped. Water from his skin and hair dripped onto Nico's chest, making him shiver, in a good sort of way. His arms were flexed in the most beautiful as they held firm on either side of him, trapping him.

Stop thinking about him like that! You're supposed to be getting over him!

With that Nico cursed himself and snapped out of his awestruck daze and tried to scoot away. But Percy had other ideas.

Percy's hand shot over to Nico's, grabbing it with a fervor that startled the younger demigod.

Nico was just surprised enough to manage sputtering out a question.

"Percy, what are you-"

But then Percy cut him off with something totally unexpected. Something he never thought he'd hear in a million years, and had been dreaming of for what seemed like the same amount of time.

In a husky, lustful voice, he said the four most amazing words Nico had ever heard.

"Nico, I love you."

And with this proclamation, Percy's lips were on Nico's.

Nico wasn't sure if this was reality or a dream. He didn't know what to do or think, he just sat still in paralyzed shock as the love of his life kissed him.

And it was the best thing he had ever experienced.

Percy had now pushed him onto the sand, his hands running up and down Nico's sides. Nico writhed in ecstasy, was his true love really kissing him on a beautiful beach?

True Love. The words triggered something inside Nico. And just like that, a pent up rage boiled up from within him as he snapped out of his stupor.

He is not my true love! Not after all this time and pain can he just walk back into my life! I will not be his plaything! Not now, not ever!

With a shove, Nico got Percy off his body. And then he slapped him across the face while doing it.

Heaving for breath, Nico Sat watching Percy, waiting for his reaction.

Percy had turned back around, revealing a bright red hand print across his cheek. He kept opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water, at a loss for words.

Before Percy could speak, Nico went off.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!"

"Nico-"

"No! Don't start with this 'oh I really loved you all along' crap, because I know it's coming! Don't even go there!"

"Nico, I really do love-"

"Shut up! I went through hell and back half my life being in love with you, and did you ever notice? Of course not! Even after all the great things I did for you, after all the favors I lent you, you still barely even considered me a friend! You never once bothered to look in my direction, even when I was killing myself to show my love to you. Because of you, my life has been horrible. Because of YOU, I lost my sister. And did you ever care about me while I went through that? No. You were never there. Never!"

Suddenly he was standing over the tan boy sitting on the sand, tears streaming down his face. He had held in too much for too long. He couldn't keep it in any longer. The pain was too much.

"And now, once I'm finally over you, you decide to walk in and fuck it all up. It's almost like you want to make my life hard. You can't just suddenly love me after all I went through and expect me to not only love you back, but forgive you for all of it. Loving you killed me, Percy, and I'm not dealing with it anymore. You made me hate everything: myself, the world, Annabeth, everything. And you never once noticed the pain you caused so don't think you can have me whenever you want, on your own time, because you missed your chance. I'm done hurting over you, so do me favor and get out of my life."

Nico turned and stormed off, leaving Percy with his jaw dropped, silent and still on the sand.

Annabeth looked up from her book as the door to the Poseidon cabin swung open. She dropped the novel on the bed and sat up, awaiting her boyfriend's news.

"How'd it go-"

But before she could finish, she noticed the crestfallen look on the Son of Poseidon's face, as well as an angry red handprint. He sighed deeply and closed the door behind him, leaning back on it and sliding down to the floor. His head dropped into his hands and his knees pulled up to his chest.

"Oh. Not very well, then."

She stood from the bed and approached the boy silently. She sat adjacent to him, wrapping an arm around his slumped frame. She rested her chin on his shoulder as she pulled him close.

Into his ear she whispered, "what happened?"

For a while he said nothing, and she wondered whether he ever would.

Finally, his muffled voice made an appearance, so slight Annabeth had to lean in closer to listen.

"... I had no idea how much I hurt him..."

"Oh, Percy," she began, "don't blame yourself for-"

"Whose fault would it be then? Of course it's mine, Annabeth. For years I put him through hell and I didn't even give him the time of day. So of course I'm blaming myself."

"Percy," she said firmly, "you didn't know about his feelings, that's not your fault."

"I always knew something was off... the way he changed when I would come around, how he always stared at me with a certain look in his eyes... but, I ignored it. I didn't care about him, especially not if something was going on with him. And that's completely on me. I should've shown interest, actually asked him what was up. I didn't know what exactly was wrong, but... like I said, it's not that I didn't know, but that I didn't want to know."

Percy lifted his head from his knees, and to Annabeth's surprise his cheeks were streaked with tears. Percy rarely cried, if ever. This must've really gotten to him.

He sobbed, staring up at the ceiling with a distant look, as if his mind were in a completely different place.

"And now, I've lost my chance... all because I never cared to notice Nico. I put him through hell... I can see why he would hate me. I would hate me too."

With that, he stood back up, leaving Annabeth bewildered on the floor.

"Where are you going?"

"I need some time alone," he said, wiping at his eyes and stepping outside into the cool night air.

With the click of the door closing, Annabeth sighed and laid down where she sat on the floor.

"Well isn't this going great."

Nick stared out at the empty ocean, it's calm waters gently lapping against the dock. The full moon's reflection on the water cast a serene look, so still and quiet.

He sighed, looking out at the beautiful sea, taking in the last scene he would ever see.

How ironic that I'm going to go by drowning in the sea, in the domain of the very person who drove me to do this. I just can't get away from him can I...

He had certainly thought of other methods, but they were all too graphic and gory. He didn't want Hazel to walk in on his body hanging from the ceiling, or floating in a bathtub, or bleeding out with a blade in his chest. No, this way it would be as though he disappeared, and they would know he had died without actually having to bear the grief of seeing his body. His sister would read the note he left and know that he was gone and that would be that. Yes, this way was the right way to go.

He crept ever closer to the edge of the dock, peering down into the murky depths where he'd soon be. His toes curled over the ends of the rotted wood planks, holding on instinctively even though he knew he would soon jump.

He checked to make sure the rocks in his pockets were still there, and they were, of course, but it was more of a matter of seeing whether he'd really follow through on this. With the extra weight and his poor swimming skills, the ocean would make quick work of him.

He picked up the last, largest rock he had brought with him and clutched it to his chest. He gave the open sea one last glance, and, shaking and welling up with tears, stepped off the dock and plunged into the cold, dark ocean.

He sank lower and lower, still clinging tightly to the rock. He watched the surface fade away as he sank yet further down into the depths. By now his lungs were burning, screaming for air, and he tried very hard to ignore it.

Moments later his butt landed on the sea floor, the surface now impossibly far up. His lungs were starting to give up now, and his vision was fading quickly. Staring up at the blurry moon high above him, the only light in this cold, deprived place, his body gave its final heave and began to shut down. His eyes fluttered, catching their last glimpses of the beautiful, ever stoic moon, and finally closed for the last time, succumbing to the darkness.

And right before he faded into unconsciousness, a final thought crossed his mind.

How completely ironic to die surrounded by the symbol of his greatest love, and his greatest pain.

After all, it was Percy who had brought this death upon him.

Percy had been walking the length of the beach for a while now, his destination a place he was certain no other campers knew of. Even he would never have found it if he weren't the Son of the Sea God and weren't roaming the ocean all the time.

It was a special place he went to to be alone, often to clear his thoughts and sort things out. He hadn't even told Annabeth about this place, which brought him some guilt, but he had to have some time to himself, right? How else would he figure out his personal problems?

He noted the surroundings looked more and more familiar and knew he'd reach the site soon. He looked up as he rounded a bend in the beach that concealed it from Camp, knowing that his secret place would be there, waiting for him in the distance.

But, much to his confusion, the secret place, a long, rotting dock that jutted off the shore, was strangely... occupied. He had never seen anyone else there, so who could possibly know about this place besides him?

Percy stopped to squint at the figure standing at the edge of the dock, trying to discern who his company was.

And with that he started seeing familiarity in the figure, and a thought crossed his mind.

Is that... Nico? What's he doing out here? And... what's that he's holding?

And, a little too late, Percy realized what the boy's intentions were, as he saw the Son of Hades disappear into the sea.

"Nico!" He screamed, but it was to no avail, as he was probably very deep by now.

Percy sprinted up the dock as fast as his legs would carry him. Without hesitating he dove in right where Nick had jumped, kicking hard to reach the bottom, where his love was dying.

And soon enough, there he was, his hair and clothes swaying serenely in the current. The dim moonlight cast a surreal effect on him, his skin pale and his face hollow. The fact that he was dead was surreal as well.

Percy gargled Nico's name in the water as he laid eyes upon him. He immediately beckoned the water to permit an air bubble around the boy's body, and as he got nearer, entered the air bubble as well.

Now that he could speak the words came pouring out. He shoved the rock off his chest and lifted up his limp body to his own.

"Nico, Nico, no, come on, please, come back," he rambled, using his powers to pull the water from his system. Yet it only flowed out, with no movement from Nico. He then performed CPR. Between breaths he would shout his name, pleading him to show any movement, any sign that he was still here.

As for a pulse, he felt none, and his chest refused to move despite all his efforts. Nico was gone.

"Nico, n- no..." He sobbed, breaking into tears, burying his face in the neck of his beloved.

"P- Please come back, don't leave me... I'm so sorry, for everything I did to you... I- I know you'd never forgive me and... I don't blame you, b- but I wouldn't care if you hated me as long as you were alive and h- happy. Please, Nico, come back, I l- love you."

And after a few moments of silence, and Nico's body lay still as ever, Percy realized that this had really happened. He finally registered that his love was dead now, all because of him. It was no one but himself who pushed the Son of Hades past his breaking point.