Nico collapsed in front of the statute of his father. He looked up with tears in his eyes while holding a small toy in his hands. He cursed his bad luck and horrid life.
"Take me to church!" he screamed. His voice was hoarse from earlier screaming. The wind responded carrying his words away. Nico looked at the small figurine in his hand.
"This is so stupid." He threw the figurine at the statute and watched it shatter into pieces.
"I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies! Take me! Please!" Nico begged. His jeans were muddy and his hands were stained with blood. The statute of his father never moved or offered an answer.
"I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife. Offer me my deathless death!" Nico was hysterical. Why wouldn't Hades take him? He curled his hands into fists and punched the statute. He screamed when his hand cracked.
"Good God, let me give you my life," Nico sobbed. He curled into himself cradling his hand. Moments later he felt warm arms wrap around him. Nico sobbed in a mix of relief and frustration.
"Why won't he take me?" Nico asked Will.
"You don't want to die, you just want to get rid of the pain. If I throw you into a moving river, you'll paddle to keep your head above the water." Nico sobbed harder when realizing Will was right.
"Let me see your hand," Will said gently. He bandaged Nico's bruised hand and gave it a loving kiss. He helped Nico stand. Nico's tears came harder when seeing the shattered toy statute.
"Sh-she died to give that to me. She is - was so much braver than me," Nico whispered. Will gathered the pieces and put them into Nico's hands.
"We'll fix it." Nico swayed and that's when Will noticed the bleeding wound in his stomach.
"Nico? Oh my gods, why didn't you say anything?" Will laid Nico down and started pressing a towel to the wound to stop the bleeding.
"Let me give him my life," Nico begged. Will furiously shook his head and steadied his shaking hands.
"Will let me go, please." Will's tears were dripping onto Nico's face. Will knew he couldn't save him.
"God, Nico don't leave," Will said. He put his hands to Nico's cheeks and pressed their foreheads together.
"Please don't leave. I need you. Nico, Nico I don't want you to go." When Nico's eyes started closing Will panicked.
"NO! How can I stop it? Make it stop!" Will pleaded. Nico stared blankly into Will's eyes. Will dropped Nico and screamed. And when he ran out of air he took a breath and screamed again. He clutched Nico's shirt with bloody hands.
"You are such a jerk! An absolute ass and your selfish and I miss you and I-I love you and please don't' go!" Will sobbed his heart out. Then he was numb. He laid across Nico's dead body and traced the pad of Nico's hand.
"I won't get to say good morning or ask you about your day. I was gonna propose in four weeks. Percy wanted to be the flower girl." Will wiped his tears leaving bloody streaks on his face.
"I wanted to have a little girl named Bianca. I guess I can adopt a little boy and name him Nico, but that might be weird." Will rambled to Nico about everything and anything. He didn't believe his sunshine was dead and he refused to watch as they lowered Nico into the ground.
On top of his coffin was a figurine statute of Hades that was sloppily put together with glue. Will didn't say anything but let other people talk. After the ceremony, Will kneeled in front of Nico's grave.
"Good God, let me give you my life," he whispered. Will wanted to die and join Nico in the underworld. Please, he begged silently, let me join my love. But Nico begged Hades not to take Will. Leave him with the living for in a few days he will heal over and the hole in his heart will mend itself. He doesn't want to die, only wants the pain to stop. So leave him, let him live, and don't force him into the pain I suffered. I love him too much to watch him suffer for me.