So Close To Knowing

seventeen: Percy the Monster

----- Percy ----

Please I don't want to hurt anyone. Please not my friends. Percy tried so hard to stop kronos from hitting Nico. Everytime a hit landed on Nicos face Percy felt his heart shatter. He was doing this, kronos was in control but he was hitting Nico. Everytime Nico saw him if he got free from kronos will Nico ever be able to see him without flinching away in fear?

"Nico! Look at me please!" Kronos pretended that Percy had control again. Percy started crying as he watched Nico lift his head to face him.

"P-Perc?" He asked. Kronos reached out to him.

"Yeah, its me Nico." He held Nicos hand and percy gained a little control yanking himself away.

Oh Percy stop struggling you'll never gain enough control to stop me from hitting him. Kronos laughed and it echoed all around him.

Please not Nico...not my friends. Please take me just don't hurt them. Percy watched as Nico looked at him eyes wide.

"You will never be good enough for someone to actually love you pathetic excuse for a halfblood." Kronos lashed out and Nico screamed. He curled himself into a ball tears flowing down his cheeks. "You blame Percy for what happens to Bianca but you are the one at fault!" He kicked Nico.

Oh God's! Please don't make him think like this! Stop this damnit! Percy reached out with his mind trying to beat kronos for control. One of his best friends lay in front of him, beaten and terrified and he was thinking about just giving up? Nico curled even tighter into himself.

"You will always be an insecure scrawny piece of sh-" kronos stopped and stumble back away from Nico as Percy gained control of himself. "ENOUGH!" Percy screamed.

I will get control back you useless son of Poisidon. And when I come back I'll have all my army torture your little friends and I'll be there to watch! Kronos growled into his mind. Percy didn't even flinch. He turned to face Nico who was curled up in a ball, bleeding and crying.

"Is tha-at you perc?" Nico whimpered out. Percy reached out gently and Nico pulled away flinching at his touch.

"It's me Neeks." He smiled at Nico. He went and moved hair from nicos eyes. Nico started to smile. 

"Good." He smiled and closed his eyes leaning into Percy.

He trust you even after what I've done? Does this boy have no self preservation? That could have been me fooling-

Just shut up already kronos! You can't defeat the only thing holding me together and that's my friends. These guys are all I have, hope is what's holding him together. Yeah he knows you'll take control again but I'm fine right now and he is alright knowing that information. Percy started to play with Nicos hair. He knew I would never lay a hand on him like that. Ever. 

One day I'll kill all of them and force you to watch as they suffer! Your going to wish you weren't able to see anything I do! Kronos tried to push past Percy and take control but Percy fought back. And I'll start with Nico.

"I'm going to leave you alone Neeks, alright?" Percy stroked some tears from nicos face.

"P-Percy..." He curled even closer to Percy. "Please don't leave me."

"I can't take you with me, kronos just threatened to hurt you! I'm not going to let him hurt anyone else, I'm going to go find Leo-" Nico looked up.

"I'm coming with you Percy." Suddenly Nico had a fire in his eyes. "Leo probobly thinks this is all his fault!"

"You didn't really help with that idea though Nico." Percy said as he held his arms to his chest. "I was watching through my eyes as kronos had complete control and he laughed at every word you two exchanged, I thought you two were together but I guess I assumed-"

"I don't hate him Percy, I would never hate him." Nico looked down at his feet. "It just...the things he was saying and doing..."

"He lost control of his flames Nico, you over reacted that wasn't his fault at all." Percy mumbled. He looked away shamefully. "We overreacted on the Argo and that caused all of this. He's being tortured for us and we just let him take it. I mean they aren't even trying to get out of the cell Anymore!" Nico looked at Percy shocked.

"Seriously? They've given up?" Nico asked. Percy nodded sadly.

"They assumed Leo was going to take the torture because he's immortal and  he won't die. They stopped caring about him after what happened in the ship. Our overreaction combined almost killed him and now this... I just feel like it's all on me because I allowed kronos to use me because I made him swear he would leave them alone! Dam I should have made him swear on the Styx!" Percy looked away as fast as he could. He was ashamed of himself. He was angry with Leo. He regretted it. He wasnt in control and because of that his friends got hurt.

"I-" Nico turned away from Percy quickly as Percy noticed he was slowly reaching for him. "Nico, please look at me." Percy tried to turn Nico to face him but Nico yanked away and slapped Percy hard. Percy felt tears fall down his face.

You are so vulnerable Percy Jackson. Your fatal flaw is the reason I am going to be in control soon! Percy backed away from Nico shaking his head quickly.

"No! I won't let you hurt him!" Percy replied out loud terrrifed. He backed himself away from Nico. Nico looked at him.

"Percy are you talking to kronos?" Nico asked. Percy nodded through his tears.

"Nico you have to run." He whimpered. "Get everyone out for me." Nico didn't even hesitate. He ran. Percy didn't blame him, he would have run too if he saw his friend standing in front of him arguing with himself. Percy was turning into a monster. He wasn't going to be able to stop kronos forever. He felt like giving up. He needed to keep fighting for his friends and family but kronos was just too strong. He looked at his bloody hands. "You think I'll give up easily? Your wrong. I am always going to fight! I'd rather die than let you out!  I am stronger than Luke was, I can and will protect my friends from you!" Percy fell to his knees as kronos started shouting in his head and flashing images of his friends being tortured.

But for how long can you last hero? Kronos started laughing. Percy lifted riptide out of his pocket.

"I'll kill us both if you don't shut up." Percy growled.

The brace hero taking the cowards way out? How ridiculous! Percy glared at his reflection in riptide and dropped the sword back to the ground.

"I will find a way to stop you, and I will save my friends no matter how much you torture me!" Percy suddenly felt dizzy and he closed his eyes passing out in the darkness of the cell they were in.