A Tale of Gods and Magic

Nico: The Cracks of the Broken

A/N To make up for my incompetence, I am posting two chapters today! Sorry for the sappiness... I really needed some sweet Percy/Nico closure. Fact: I shipped Percico for awhile...that may shine through a little. It was hard to resist a kiss *evil Aphrodite smile*

"So that's... why I'm here." Nico hadn't made eye contact with Percy once through the whole conversation. Right now, he was wringing his hands and obviously trying not to cry. In a voice on breath above a whisper he asked, "Did I kill Jason?" A tear leaked from his red eye and he angrily wiped it away.

Nico was so ashamed. Completely and totally ashamed. How had he not been able to resist? He was weak. And he'd hurt Jason, one of his closest friends. He didn't know if he'd ever be accepted again. Percy would easily have been able to resist the mind control. He never would've shot Jason. Never.

Tears started streaming from his eyes and Nico couldn't believe he was crying in front of Percy. How much weaker could he get?

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what, Nico?" Percy looked concerned. He should be.

"Everything." And then Percy threw his arms around Nico again and pulled him close.

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

Nico's head fit perfectly in the hollow beneath Percy's chin. Their hearts beat in unison. Nico could feel Percy's irregular breaths ruffling his hair.

This was what Nico had hoped for for so many years. This perfect hero to wrap his arms around broken Nico, to heal him. And, then, obviously, to kiss him passionately and declare his undying love for the son of Hades. But now, Nico was content and completely satisfied with this now. And Nico was crying and Percy was doing exactly the right thing: holding him, holding him like he hadn't been held in years. He thought of Bianca, gone and dead, and of the strong arms he'd never feel encircling him again, understanding and accepting and loving every rotten part of him. He cried harder.

Nico thought he could stay here forever. He knew they should already have fought their next battle and be back on their way to Hogwarts, but this was perfect and everything.

Once all the tears Nico had bottled up over the years had spilled out over the rim, Percy started to talk.

"I know everything has been awkward since you came out to me, but I don't want it to be that way. You're one of my best friends, Nico, and I want you to be happy. I don't care if you like me, or girls, or boys, or dragons." Nico stifled a giddy laugh. "That doesn't define you. What defines you is what you did today, that you resisted. I don't know if I would have been strong enough. I can't believe all the pain you've endured without breaking and-"

"No, Percy, you don't understand. I've broken a thousand times already. I broke when Bianca left me for the Hunters. I broke when she died. I broke again when you told me she'd died under your watch. I broke when I realized I was in love with you. I broke again and again and again and again and I don't think all the superglue in the world could repair me."

"Then how come you're still here, still fighting? I don't think a broken person could do what you just did and what you've done since Bianca died, since the first crack."

Nico didn't reply.

"You're strong, Nico. I know it, your father knows it, your sister knew it, Will knows it," Nico stiffened. "Even Harry knows it! Sometimes it's harder to repair a crack than to make it in the first place, and I know you've repaired all the thousands you just mentioned. You're strong," Percy repeated. "And I love you for it."

"Why did you mention Will? We just met him." Nico's tone was defensive. He wished he hadn't asked.

"Well, it seems to me like you two were fated to meet."

Nico pulled back and looked at Percy.

"Seriously? You sound like Aphrodite right now. Shut up about Solace and get moving."

"Someone sounds defensive."

"No... um, just tired."

"Sure, sure. We should get moving, though."

Nico looked Percy in the eyes.

"Friends forever?"

Percy hooked his pinky around Nico's.

"Forever."

"Sorry to break up the love-fest." Nico and Percy gasped. Harry was leaning against the doorway, nonchalant. "But we have a lot of monster-kick-butting to do."

"I somehow doubt that's a word," said Nico.

"Oh, the devil has arisen. I've learned a lot of new vocab from Percy," Harry supplied.

Percy bit his lip. "Sorry?"

"What did you find?" asked Percy.

"A note. Would you like me to read aloud?" Percy nodded.

"Dear Heroes, this is Eurydice, as that coward Nico probably told you. Yes, I have Hecate. There's no point hiding any longer. You're a little smarter than I expected, I'll give you that, but are still lowly demigods who think the world has your names written all over it. News Flash: it doesn't. That would take too many markers. But that's beside the point. I am traveling to Hogwarts. You may find that the wizards and witches there have something to say about you when you return. Cheerio! See you on the battlefield!"

"Looks like she wasn't in much of a rush. That markers bit? Seriously?"

"She's a real nut," said Percy.

"Well, she seems to have outlined a plan for us. Let's get going."

"Whoa there, Nellie. I already have parts one and two of our plan. When has it ever benefitted the heroes to follow what the monsters say?" Percy didn't bother to let them try to answer. "What we need is a rainbow and the handy drachma I brought with me." Percy flashed the circle of gold.

"If you don't mind me asking, what the heck is that?"

"Demigod money. You'll see in a sec," said Nico. "I assume we're making some Iris-messages?"

"Right on the money. Part two is saving Jason."

The three boys went off in search of a water source.

Nico felt more whole, more strong, than he ever had before. I am invincible, he told himself. I am strong.

When he saw his aviator jacket lying on the floor, he kicked it into a corner.

Why did I ever get a new one?