So Close To Knowing

fifteen: Percy isn't Percy

      --------- Nico  ---------

Nico held the camp beads in his palm as everyone fell back asleep. He felt like hours had passed before someone entered the room.

"Death boy." Someone grumbled. Nico looked up quickly to see Percy standing there but he had a grin on his face and his eyes were no longer sea green but a bright orange color.

"P-Perc-"

"He isn't home right now." He spoke harshly. "Come. Only you." He reached his hand out and he flinched. Nico took his hand but Percy shoved him away, his eyes flickered back to green.

"Percy?" Nico asked.

"N-No I won't let t-them hurt you!" Percy held his head.

"Percy??" Nico looked at him again and Percy just fell to his knees.

"N-Nico d-dont let them take you." Percy growled as his eyes turned the bright ornage color again.

"Come on death boy." Percy grabbed Nicos arm and started dragging him out of the cell. Nico followed while watching Percy have a silent argument with himself about something. Nico just let Percy guide him towards wherever they were going. They ended up at a cell and not Percy opened the door for Nico. Nico entered and saw Leo dangling in the air by his wrist.  He had tears in his eyes and he was holding a ballpoint pen in his hands. When the door opened the pen dropped and not Percy picked it up.

"So thats where riptide went off to." He grumbled.

"L-Leo?" Nico ran to his side. Leo looked at him and did his best to smile.

"Sorry I l-left you." Leo mumbled and then he looked at Percy. "Percy please come back."

"Percy Jackson isn't in control as we tried to tell you before Leo." Not Percy said.

"Then who are you?" Nico asked.

"You know exactly who I am." He looked at Nico closely and Nico backed away.

"Kronos..." Nico gasped. "But Percy wouldn't accept you ever!"

"He did it because of me." Leo stated as he looked at Percy. "Kronos threatened to kill me."

"But still Percy...he wouldn't, he knows your-"

"He does? Oh like that would change his mind Nico! His fatal flaw took over even after I told him..." Leo looked away and started to cry. "I'm sorry Percy, I'm so sorry." Nico looked over to Percy and saw his eyes flickered back to sea green for a moment.

"I-I forgive you Leo." Percy struggled to remain but he fell to his knees. "You have to kill me." He looked at Nico. Nico shook his head.

"No Percy!" Leo cried. Percy nodded his head.

"He has to Leo, please it's the only way to defeat him." Percy screamed and held his head.

"No! No Percy Jackson I am not killing you! I am not going to lose someone else!" Nico cried. Leo looked at Percy.

"And I'm definitely not going to be the one to do it either, Annabeth would for sure kill me." Leo mumbled.

"So Leo Valdez isn't going to go all flames and kill me even though I am not Percy Jackson?" Percys eyes flickered back to orange.

"Never." Suddenly the chains opened and Leo fell to the ground. He held his arms to his chest and looked up at kronos. "I'd rather die than kill one of my friends."

"Like you did your mother?" Kronos smiled at Leo and Nico stepped away as he felt heat rising from Leo.

"Leo, don't." Nico shakely reached his hand out and placed it on Nicos arm. Nico pulled back as Leo lit himself on fire.

"I'm not letting this-" Leo slammed his eyes shut and fell to the ground. "Breath Leo breath." He mumbled to himself. Nico watched as the fire disappeared. Kronos laughed.

"Maybe next time fireboy." He walked out leaving Nico and Leo alone in the cell.