Because of You

52 4 5

by raejax1

by raejax1

"No, no, he can't be..." Will says, tears pouring from his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Will. He's gone." Nico answers sadly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Get off me!" Will says, jumping up angrily, glaring at Nico. "This is your fault. Austin is gone because of you!" he screams, running into the woods, away from Nico.

Nico stays there, on his knees next to Austin's corpse, his eyes glazed over, for a solid ten minutes before someone finds him.

"Nico, what's u--" Percy starts, then sees Austin's body on the grass, Nico's stygian iron sword through his chest.

"You did this?" Percy asks, confused and distraught.

"I didn't mean for it to happen--," he starts, but Percy isn't having it. "You killed Austin?"

"No," Nico says quickly. "I, I didn't, she--she took my sword and..." he trails off, devastated still, and shocked.

Percy's eyes widen. "Drew," he says, the realization hitting him as he gets down, kneeling next to Nico.

"It's all my fault, I did this, I should've--"

"No, it's not, none of it is!" Percy says with an edge to his voice, rubbing circles in Nico's back, a technique Will used to use.

"But Will said--" Nico starts, but Percy cuts him off angrily, standing up.

"Screw what Will says!" he yells, even more pissed off than before.

Nico flinches, and stands up also, wrapping his arms around Percy, crying into his chest.

"Hey, Nico, it's alright, everything is going to be alright."

Before Nico knows it, another figure has appeared, encircling their arms around the both of them.

"Percy's right," he hears Annabeth's voice tell him. "Everything's going to be okay."

The three of them stay like that for a solid five minutes, before Nico breaks away, regaining his 'I'm-an-emo-depressed-father-fucker-who-doesn't-like-hugs-or-affection-what-so-ever-so-fuck-off-and-let-me-sleep-because-it-comes-with-great-power' lifestyle, and muttering a brief, "Thank you," to the both of them before running off to the Apollo cabin, expecting to see Will there.

He wasn't.

It's okay, Nico told himself, trying not to worry. he's probably just still trying to recover. He'll be back by dark. he thinks, falling asleep in Will's bunk.