Stucco hearts

Chapter 8

Sometimes Percy thinks that Hazel has completely desensitized herself to the fact that Frank isn't her soul mate. She talks about the future like he is in it. She makes decisions about her life after discussing them with Frank. She smiles and laughs and, Percy notices, never looks at her timer. The fact that they have a forever-type relationship that's only going to last a few more years has always broken Percy's heart.

But it's kind of different now. He knows what it's like to have a soul mate. He knows what it's like for another person to be your other half. And even though Hazel and Frank love each other, they must not have what Percy and Annabeth have, otherwise they would be soulmates. It doesn't really make sense to him because their relationship seems to be perfect, and Percy can't imagine Hazel with the man that she will meet in a few years. But he can imagine her happiness. He can imagine what it would be like for her to have another piece of herself added because of a person who is the right person.

As they all sit around the table, plates heaped with food that has been cooked right in front of them, they are suddenly distracted by the sound of two different timers going off. Hazel looks up with a shocked, excited expression as her half-brother stares gapingly at his new soul mate. When he doesn't move, Hazel nudges him gently, calling him to attention. Nico glances over at her and she offers him an encouraging smile, her eyes soft as they communicate wordlessly.

"Go," says Hazel. "You can do it."

Nodding silently, Nico turns back to the man. He is getting closer, his head tilted slightly at the side.

The man has blue eyes and blond hair and a face that seems to have smile lines permanently etched into it. Percy can see his smile, despite the fact that he is not smiling. He is staring at Nico, though, with a look on his face that tells Percy that they're going to be okay.

As he starts to stand up, his hand slides towards the hot grill at the middle of the hibachi table. Heroically, Jason pitches forward and knocks Nico's hand out of the way before his soul mate's first impression of him is a burned hand. As Nico rises without incident, Jason looks around proudly, waiting to be praised for his heroics, but everyone is too busy staring at Nico and his soul mate to pay any attention to Jason. Dejected, he slumps back in his seat and moodily pops a piece of chicken into his mouth.

"I'm Will," the strange man offers first, stretching a hand out towards Nico, who grasps it tightly, eyes still on his soul mate.

"Nico," he says hoarsely, not able to stop staring at his future husband.

This is what soul mates are supposed to look like when they meet each other. This is what is supposed to happen.

When Hazel's lower lip begins to wobble, even Percy knows that her tears aren't tears of happiness. Annabeth grabs her sleeve and drags her to the bathroom, with Piper following behind them. The rest of them remain at the table, wondering why Nico had to go and ruin Hibachi night.

Seriously. They've been planning this for weeks.

"I guess you guys should go talk," suggests Jason. Both men are staring at each other with looks of awe on their faces. At Jason's words, they both slowly nod their heads, giving each other shy smiles. Percy thinks that this is a miracle in itself-nobody ever sees Nico smile. It's like sighting Bigfoot. He and Annabeth have a tally going, actually. When they get to twenty-smiles, they're going to buy a bigger television.

"That was dramatic," Frank comments, the innocence of his voice hiding his bitterness. He has a decade left on his timer. He has several year of loneliness to look forward to while everybody begins their lives.

"It usually is," says Leo, shoving a piece of chicken into his mouth. He seems unaffected by the moment, and once again, Percy wonders how much time is left on Leo's wrist. His friend always keeps the timer covered with duct tape, so that nobody can sneak a peek at the numbers ticking away on it. Not that society would ever encourage people to show off their numbers. Usually, though, close friends have conversations about it, ones that are weighty and difficult. Percy doesn't think that Leo has ever been known to do anything that is weighty and difficult.