Nico's heart swelled. His breathing quickened in a way he didn't notice. His eyes didn't leave Percy once.

"What are you talking about?" He didn't want to admit it. No, Percy wouldn't do that.

Everyone knew what happened - an accident. All there was to it. Perhaps a monster, who's dusted floated away in the foam of the ocean. Perhaps Percy just being an idiot like usual. But whatever it was, it wasn't on purpose. Percy couldn't die, he was too loved for that.

But he did, his mind argued, but still, it was not like that. It couldn't have been.

Nico had only given Percy a second or two to respond, but it felt like hours so he shouted, "Percy, what do you mean?!"

Percy wouldn't have chosen to leave them. His life. Him. That's not in Percy's nature, he's loyal to the core. He would've stayed if he had the opportunity.

"I was a burden to everybody-" Percy started, but Nico wouldn't let him finish, sitting up quick.

"No! No, you weren't! We all cared about you and loved you and you're our hero!" His anger didn't frighten Percy, but thankfully it wasn't meant to.

But when he shouted, it was scary.

The winds whistled at a quicker pace than before. The shadows that circled were drawn dangerously close to Nico. Suddenly, the empty house they sat in felt more like a shelter that wouldn't withhold.

Percy looked away, but Nico didn't want him to, so he shouted again, "Look at me! You wouldn't do something like that! You wouldn't leave us!"

But Percy only eyed him from the side, wouldn't face him head-on. Nico grabbed Percy's chin to make him look at him, but Percy pushed his arm away.

"Percy!" Nico shouted again, but his anger was fading. He sat back as his muscled ached from fatigue, a symptom of an illness he'd had since he developed his powers. He relaxed into the cushions and huffed, trying not to get worked up but he was already responding with extreme emotion.

"I just..." Percy started, the silence getting to him. "I wanted things to change, but they weren't changing."

"So change them," Nico said, sorrow creeping into his vocal cords bow. "Percy... did you try to k!ll yourself?"

Hearing it said aloud, it made them both uncomfortable. But Percy nodded. And Nico's heart shattered.

"Yeah..." Percy said sheepishly. "I did."