First and Last Kiss

"Nico!" Percy's voice was desperate and wild.

"Nico..." He said again, quieter and more pleading.

"Please, Nico......no...." A tear fell from his eyes momentarily clouding his vision of the son of Hades, but he could still feel the dying boy's soft hair tickling his neck. Percy choked on another sob and clutched Nico closer to himself.  The raven boy was leaned into Percy's embrace like a kitten. His gangly legs spread out before him and his head resting on Percy's legs, being sheltered by the other's chest and head as he was hugged. Nico didn't normally like being touched or being this close to another, but nothing was the same with Percy, who broke all of Nico's mental rules and knew all his well kept secrets. . . Except for one. . . Thought Nico in a haze. How would he react?

Percy's face revealed his thoughts, though no one else was around to see them. If he had only moved sooner... He could have gotten to the monster before Nico had to save him...

Percy couldn't even look at the black claw protruding from the younger boy's upper back, still sticking up from where it had pierced Nico straight through the heart.  It was his fault, he hadn't been paying attention and Nico had used himself as Percy's shield. Both Percy and Nico himself knew that he would die within the minute. Tears were now creating rivers down Percy's cheeks; more meaningful than those his father had created in the beginning.

A soft whisper,"Percy...."

"Nico!"

"Percy....I'm sorry..."

"No Nico! You don't have to be sorry," Percy softly whispered to his long time friend, "I... I... Nico, I am so sorry. If I had moved sooner..." He trailed off.

Should Nico tell him? Then he got the strength to move his head to see Percy's face.

"Percy! Please don't cry, it's not your fault! I was going to die soon anyway! Don't cry.... Please?" Nico's voice was gravely, but it still made Percy happy to hear it.

Percy quickly wiped the tears out of his eyes, sniffled, and looked back down at the pale face before him. The emotion in the italian's eyes startled and confused him.

Nico knew the mask he used to keep his feelings locked up was crumbling down, so he decided to settle all doubts and die happily. The pain in his chest wasn't just from the poisoned claw.

"Percy, lean down..." The please was in his eyes and slowly, Percy did.

Using the last of his strength... Nico brought his face up to meet that of the startled son of Poseidon. When their lips connected, new tears fell from Percy and Nico could tell that the elder thought of him as more than a friend. It was a tender kiss, both trying to say everything unspoken. Nico felt a drop of wet on his cheek and looked up to see Percy's eyes closed tight and harboring more liquid. Slowly, Nico ended the kiss; the poison making it even harder to breathe.

"Perce, I-I love you.."

"You too, Neeks"

Both voices laced with sorrow and love.

"I love you..."

Nico thought....

"Perce?"

"Yea,  Neeks?"

"Thank you." A smile of sorrow overlapped with joy adorned his beautiful face. Then, he made Percy's eyes widen and breath catch in his throat.

His voice was wobbly, but still surprisingly beautiful...

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.... You make me happy when skies are grey.."

Nico coughed and only just managed to get the next line out.

"You'll never know dear, how much I love you..."

Tears welled up in his eyes and he couldn't breathe. He opened his mouth and tried to continue, but his efforts were in vain. Nico's chest heaved, but didnt seem to be taking in any breath. Tears pouring out of his eyes, he reached up and caressed the side of Percy's flawless face... Percy's hand held his tightly and then Percy sang the last line for him...

"Please don't take my sunshine away..."

Nico's last move was brushing his finger over Percy's lips and closing his eyes with a smile full of hope, love, and regret.. But a smile still.....