Blue In The Soul, Purple With Red

Chapter 14

"What do you think they're talking about?" Jason asked, keeping his voice low in hopes that they'd be able to eavesdrop. "What would Percy have to talk to Will about?"

Lukas shrugged, keeping his inner turmoil in check. "Maybe something happened with Nico."

"It didn't," Annabeth confirmed. "I don't know what's wrong with Percy. He's brewing things up."

"Brewing coffee?" Leo hoped, having come soon after Percy started to talk to Will. "Because I need caffeine."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Can you not-"

"Guys." Jason held his hands up. "Chill. It's Christmas. We're supposed to be having a good time, not worrying about what Jackson is talking to Solace about."

"Maybe it's about the secret Santa." Piper continued despite Jason's words. "If one of them had Nico and didn't know how to deliver the present..."

"So are you saying you didn't have Nico?" Leo asked. "Hmmm...I wonder who you had..."

"Like you're going to find out, Valdez."

"Was it me?"

"In your wildest dreams, fire boy."

"Piper, Leo." Jason stepped between the two. "Again, chill. You two act more like a couple then Percy and Annabeth."

"And that's saying something." Annabeth agreed. "So knock it off."

Leo held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry that Percy has to have oh so secret conversations with the Californiac."

"Hey, I'm from California." Lukas cut in.

"See? You're offending people, Leo." Annabeth gestured to the TV. "Why don't you put a movie in?"

"I'm back," Percy exclaimed as he entered the living room just as Leo moved to the TV. "What did I miss?"

"The usual bickering." Annabeth kissed his cheek. "You okay?"

Percy nodded, trying to keep his emotions from showing. "Yeah, course. I just had to talk to Will about something."

"About Nico?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, but-...hey!" Percy protested. "Stop trying to figure out everything."

"About...Nico?" Lukas looked to Percy, his contacts as fake as the emotions he tried to show. "What about Nico?"

"I think you know." Percy looked deep into those unnerving eyes. "Will has a lot to think about, I guess."

Lukas stood up violently, his legs shaking beneath him. "I've got to...I've got to talk to Will!" He ran from the room, leaving Percy staring after him with a set frown on his face.

"What was that about?" Leo asked before getting elbowed by Jason. "Ow, sorry."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lukas closed all the doors leading out of the kitchen before looking to Will, his face red and his jaw clenched. "How did Percy find out?"

"I don't know..." Will was leaning against the island, his hand the only thing holding his head up. "I don't know... But he gave me a deadline to choose between you and Nico... He gave me a week before he tells Nico."

Lukas shuffled from one foot to the other. "Well...do you know what you're going to do?"

Will shook his head. "This is too much... I shouldn't have started this to begin with."

"But you did," Lukas muttered. "You kissed me-"

"Lukas-"

"You kissed me," Lukas repeated, this time louder. "You kissed me, Will. You kissed me. You kissed me. You kissed-"

Will moved to Lukas and grabbed the boy's chin, moving their lips together but stopping a kiss before it could start. "Lukas..." His breath hit Lukas' lips, sending his eyes closing. "I...I can't do this... I can't cause either of you pain..."

"It's too late for that..." Lukas seemed to melt against him. "It's him or me, Will. Think about your life...think about who you want to marry one day. Who would you rather spend the rest of your life with?"

"Lukas..." Will put a hand on Lukas' shoulder. "I need you...I'll always need you."

Lukas grinned. "So you pick-"

"Nico." Will cut in, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry...I love Nico. But I need you as a friend. Promise me you won't disappear. I need you, Lukas. Please."

Lukas pulled away from Will, felt himself lose the touch of Will's lips for the last time. "Will... I can't believe you..."

"I love him, Lukas." Will wiped at the tears that ran down his cheeks. "I love him-"

"Then why did you kiss me?!" Lukas barked out, his own words mixed with tears. "If you loved him then why did you kiss me?!"

"I don't know!" Will admitted. "I don't know! I was an idiot, okay? I was an idiot." He looked away from Lukas, unable to meet those fake eyes. "I love him, Lukas. I love you but not as much. I'm sorry... I never should have kissed you. I never should have cheated on Nico. I was scared and stressed. I thought I had lost you again... I can't lose you, Lukas. Not again. Not after all the times that I've lost you before."

"You crossed a line, Will." Lukas wiped his mouth off. "You...you lost me, Will." He turned around, walked to the door not knowing whether to hurry up or slow down. Will...he loved Will...

"Lukas!" Will grabbed his arm. "Where are you going? What do you mean?"

Lukas pulled away from him. "I can't...I can't be friends with you, Will. Not after this. Not after everything that's happened between us."

"Please..." Will begged. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please. It's Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to the asshole, then." Lukas glared at him. "Now don't stop me again. Next time you touch me I'll make sure Percy's in here to see what you did."

"Lukas..."

"Goodbye, William." Lukas turned around again and left the kitchen, taking a back door to avoid the living room and the guests there.

"Lukas!" Will ran after him, stopping in the doorway. "Lukas...where are you going? Where are you going, Lukas?!"

As Lukas ascended the staircase he received no answer. He sat there in his own misery, sat there hating himself and everything he had done. Mistakes, so many mistakes...

He couldn't help but sob, having fallen to his knees as he watched Lukas come back, duffle bag in hand. Without a word, he was out of the front door with a heavy slam.

That Christmas he got a call saying that Nico would be home soon. That Christmas he got his boyfriend back from drugs.

That Christmas he lost Lukas for good.