To Hold Up the Sky (Percico/Pernico)

Chapter 36: Is Love Worth It?

Prophecy:

There will be six at the beginning and at the end.

One will be enemy and one will be friend.

A choice be made; heart or mind.

The lover's ears be deaf and eyes be blind.

Misleading will he try to thee.

For much is the Pit God's unease.

For an ancient god will pave.

A looming final path: destroy or save.

Chapter 30:

WARNING: Overwhelming Percico feels ahead xD

VIDEO: "Madness" A Percico video that's absolutley amazingxD

"What in the gods’ names happened here?"

Everyone turned to see Rachel standing there, eyes wide with shock. It was clear the oracle had not expected such a sight, with Katie dead on the ground. She looked over at Nico, who was straining to keep the sky on his shoulders but very much alive. "It...it can't be." She whispered.

"Its true." Annabeth, who had been kneeling at Katie's side, stood up. "Katie died because I killed her."

Rachel stared in shock. "What?! That can't be true! She was supposed to live!"

And thats when Nico collapsed.

The sky dropped onto them like heavy rocks, leaving no mercy on the demigods within its reach. It pressed them onto the ground with unbelievable pressure, cutting off all sound and air that they desperately needed.

Once again Nico saw nothing but the brown, grey, and green of the ground, bits of red here and there. Feeling no pain, his mind wandered back to the person he has loved for so long that he couldn't imagine not loving him.

"Nico! Nico!" Nico turned to see the energetic guy run up to him, sea-green eyes sparkling in the sun. He looked like a dog wagging its tail, which the son of Hades couldn't help but find adorable.

Feeling a blush creep on his face, he turned away as fast as he could. "What Percy? Can't you see I'm a little busy?"

"Like what?" Percy asked, knowing the son of Hades was bluffing. His eyes sparkled with amusement. "Your not doing anything you shouldn't, are you Nico?"

The blush on Nico's face turned a deeper shade of red. "Mind your own buisness Percy!" He snapped, shooting the kelphead a nice glare that should send him running. But instead, Percy did something that threw him off.

"Look, I wanted to thank you for coming to sword-training with me." Percy said.

Nico stared at him for a second. Was this guy serious? Regaining his composure, the younger demigod looked away again. "Its nothing."

"Really." Percy added. He looked at Nico with a warmth that seeped into the son of Hades's heart, which made the organ pick up speed at the sight of those eyes on him like that. "You were great today."

Nico didn't say anything. He couldn't. Not when he felt like doing the unspeakable things such as, you know, hugging the son of Poseidon for all eternity.

Percy looked at Nico in concern, which told Nico he knew that the younger demigod was embarrassed. The red splash of color on his cheeks turned darker. "Are you finished looking?" He snapped, not wanting Percy to see him like this.

The older demigod pondered for a moment, still looking at Nico. Then something seemed to click in the son of Poseidon's mind. "Not quite."

Suddenly, Percy was standing only inches away from the shocked son of Hades. He looked right into Nico's brown eyes and smiled gently. "Just...let me do this, ok?"

Before Nico could protest, he felt a warmth engulf him. Percy's arms wrapped around him in a tight hug, his beautiful head resting on his bony shoulder. His heart felt like skeleton butterflies (gotta quote Rick Riordan now and then) had filled the organ to the brim, fluttering about in an overwhelming wave. Even though his muscles screamed to bolt, Nico forced himself to relax into Percy's embrace.

"There, that wasn't too bad was it?" Percy's voice whispered in his ear. He felt shivers go up his spine.

"Shut it kelphead." Nico murmured into his shirt. He was helpless to move away, for being this close to Percy was addicting. Very addicting. "You are going to pay for this."

Then he felt Percy laugh, the vibrations from his chest humming nicely into the son of Hades. He felt the older demigod bring him closer. "Later Di Angelo. For now, hug."

And hugging they did.

As Nico lay there suffocating, his eyes were filled with nothing but Percy: his eyes, his laugh, and most of all his smile that had the power to light up the whole world. He thought about how they had bonded throughout the journey through the maze, having each other's backs. They had become closer than the younger demigod had ever imagined they could be.

'Is love really worth it?' Nico wondered. He waited for the volley of retorts to jab from his mind, but heard nothing but the drums of his heart playing louder and louder.

'I promised that I would prove to you that I care...' Percy's voice affirmed in his brain. 'And I promised because I care about you Nico di Angelo.'

With that echoing in the younger demigod's skull, the son of Hades couldn't help it anymore. Eyes and ears opened at last, Nico finally realized the truth:

Love is worth it.

You're a soldier of love Nico di Angelo. Cupid's words echoed into his mind. Are you ready to fight?

I am. Nico answered firmly with nothing but truth, the drums of his heart answering the call. For Percy's sake, he would accept it as best as he can. It was the only way to win.

And thats when he got back onto his feet.

New-found strength poured into his veins like liquid energy, his muscles screaming as he rose with the sky back on his shoulders. He yelled with all his might, rising higher and higher until his knees were off the soil. A blood-red aura pulsed around him, the blessing giving him the strength he needed. There was nothing that could prevent him from winning this battle, and Nico wouldn't let anything or anyone get in his way.

Well at least until a certain headache-giving god appeared.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know the ending is dragging out a lot, but this last encounter will wrap up in a couple chapters, I promise. I've just been building up this critical point so that the ending will be even better, that's all. Nico confession to Percy will be very soon!xD

Oh, and if you saw what part of the prophecy in this chapter was solved say two things:

1: What was solved.

2: Rats are delicious (Courtesy of George the snake xD)

Note: first person to comment with 1 and 2 correctly will get a dedication AND anyone who tries will be in the afterwords note because I love it when people do this xD

QUESTION: What are some predictions you can make from what's left of the prophecy?