foreshadow || a percico story

• Chapter 22 •

When Nico came back home, tears welling up his eyes, Hades di Angelo didn't think twice.

Nico was afraid. So afraid.

So afraid he stayed home.

So afraid he stayed trapped.

*   *   *

Closing the door behind him, he slid down the it, letting the tears loose.

Last evening, he had trudged in the front door, his face soaked with tears, his eyes red and puffy. The fact that it was actually Percy broke him. The fact he had avoided Percy repelled him. The fact that he had hurt Percy shattered him.

And it was just Percy... who knew a single person could make you feel so horrible yet so loved at the same time?

Nico should have ought to know, though.

So much hurt in his eyes, so much turmoil in his soul, how couldn't he have prepared himself for it?

It was Tuesday.

The Tuesday he stayed home.

As much as it pained him, Nico kept himself trapped from those mesmerizing sea green eyes.

Those salty sweet lips.

Those beautiful black tufts of hair.

Everything that made Percy Jackson perfect.

Hugging his knees, Nico couldn't help feeling horribly weak. 

The night of the accident, the dreadful kiss, everything... just came crashing back down on him.

At first it felt slow yet intense, just venom coursing through his veins, easing it's way to his mind.

Now it was a tidal wave, the one that destroys everything on it's way without any mercy, erasing the happiest memories to replace them with the worst.

When Percy had fainted in the cafeteria, for reasons unknown to others, Nico had felt utterly responsible. 

Isn't he responsible of anything bad?

Anything hurtful to others?

His sister Hazel had told him it happened right after she had told him about Bianca di Angelo.

At first, he had gotten mad, but it seemed unfair to. He just refused to move on, and every time someone brought the subject up, he would silence them harshly.

And now Percy knew... what could he do?

It wasn't like it would never happen.

Sighing, Nico stood up, reluctantly at first.

Why had he decided to skip school that day?

I don't know, he replied to himself.

But the truth was much more shameful.

Nico was scared. Apprehensive. Afraid. Frightened. Fearful.

Completely, utterly terrified.

He wasn't sure of what, exactly, but he knew it had something to do with cowardice.

Nico didn't want to face Percy. He was petrified to know what he thought of him.

And yes, Nico felt ashamed to feel like this, but Percy's opinion of him mattered greatly. After all, Nico had embarrassed himself so many times in front of Percy, and had shamed him as well. He had acted like such a fool when the green-eyed boy entered the art room. He had acted like such an idiot when he called Percy 'mio caro' in the infirmary, daring his chances.