the weight of the world [a pjo fanfic]

chapter ten.

"Percy?" Percy let out a startled yelp and came face to face with the son of Hades. Nico was kneeling down beside him. Percy swore under his breath and hoped that Nico wouldn't be able to see his tears in the moonlight.

"Hey, Nico, what's up? How's you and Mr. Sunshine?" Percy joked, trying weakly to laugh. His voice wavered and he clenched his fist. Nico glanced at Percy's balled up hand, and his eyes darted back at him. Percy winced.

"I'm not dumb, Jackson."

"I never said you were." Percy looked away. "I'd never say that." Nico ignored that and settled down beside him.

"I'm not going to push you to tell me what's wrong. I just want to know if you're okay." He said, unusually gently.

When Nico first heard quiet sniffling at the beach, where he'd regularly go watch the lapping water, he would never, in a billion years, expect Percy to be there. No one ever saw Percy break down like that. It was just ingrained in everyone's mind that Percy Jackson does not cry.

"I-" Percy bit his lip, trying not to sob. C'mon, Percy. Seriously? Crying in front of people? You sad excuse of a hero. You aren't even a hero. You can't even handle your own emotions.

No matter what you do, you're pathetic.

"Hey. It's okay to cry. You aren't pathetic for it. It's human." Nico laid a hand on the son of Poseidon's shoulder, as if reading his mind. That was all it took for Percy's walls to crumble down. They didn't say anything.

"Good thing I'm only half-human." He joked. Percy chuckled, wiping tears away and Nico meditatively looked out at the sea. Nico used his fingers to draw small skulls in the sand and little N + Ws in small hearts. They're so adorable together. Percy smiled to himself, and he suddenly stopped drawing.

"You know, Will wanted me to go on a trip with him. To Greece." He turned to Percy seriously, who stared at him in shock, his mouth agape.

"Wait, when?"

"He asked yesterday. We're leaving tomorrow."

Percy fought to say something. "Dam, Nico. I'm really happy for you. You deserve a break, after all the Gaia stuff, you know. I mean, with Will though. Alone and everything." Percy nudged his friend and Nico blushed a little. "Yeah. I'm pretty lucky to have Will." He blushed harder, thinking of the sunny boy that held a very special place in his heart.

"Speaking of, how's Annabeth?" Percy froze. Everything seemed to move in slow-motion.

"I wouldn't know." He said coldly. Nico made a face. "Okay, chill. I was just asking."

"I- uh, sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude." Percy kicked at the sand.

"When are you coming back?"

"Hmm... Will wanted to go for a month or two. He's super tired of healing as well. We both needed a break." Nico hesitated for a moment. "Do you want to go with us?"

"No, but thank you. I wouldn't want to intrude on your... special time alone." He wiggled his eyebrows and Nico punched his arm. "Shut up."

"In all seriousness, mini Hades, that means no funny business. No shadow-travelling, unless absolutely necessary. If you see monsters, run. If you can't run, use as less energy as possible. You know what happened last time. You better rest well and drink water, and eat. Also, no-" Nico cut him off.

"Mini Hades? Blah, blah, blah. Okay, dad. I know." Nico rolled his eyes good-naturedly. They sat in silence.

"You be safe too, Aquaboy."

"Yeah, I will."

Little did any of them know that safe was the last thing on Percy's list.

--

Jason was getting tired of Annabeth clinging to him. She was so.. affectionate that it sort of nauseated him. But it was pretty worth it, seeing Percy run out his door. He smirked.

"Jaaasoooon. Can I have a kiss?" Annabeth puckered her lips as they stood behind a tree. Percy would be walking by them any minute.

"Shhh. Just a second." Annabeth pouted, trying her best to look cute.

She looked like a constipated gorilla.

Jason heard footsteps nearby, and peeked through the leaves. It was Percy, and he was walking with-

Was that Piper?

Jason panicked. He tried to grab Annabeth and pull her farther down so that they couldn't see them, but Annabeth wouldn't budge.

"What are you doing?" She whined, impatient and tired of waiting for a kiss. They were coming closer. He could already hear them talking.

".. and they said they're going to-" They were rudely interrupted by Annabeth loudly smooching Jason on the lips. Jason held back a gag, and caught the two looking at him out of the corner of his eyes. Piper glanced at Percy, who's face went slack. He turned around.

"Let's go, Piper." He said softly, looking at his feet. Piper's face moulded into guilt. Then her eye caught Jason, and her face transformed into a mask of anger. She stormed over to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, yanking him away from Annabeth. She threw him on the ground and pinned him down with her elbow.

"What the hell, Jason?" She yelled. "You disgusting piece of shit!" She slapped him and Jason gasped in pain. "You-" smack! "ugly-" smack! "motherfucker!" smack! She punched him in the chest for good measure and Annabeth stomped her feet like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Piper! Why are you hitting him?" She wailed. Piper stared incredulously at her friend. Well, soon-to-be ex-friend.

"Annabeth? Is that even you?" Annabeth scoffed. "I hate you guys."

"You were the one cheating on Percy!"

"I never liked him anyways!"

"Then why would you date him?!"

"Dear gods, stop yelling." Jason said from the floor.

"Shut up!" Piper screamed. She glared at the two blonds in disgust.

"You cheating pigs." She spat, and turned away from them. "Let's go, Percy." She searched for the raven-haired boy. "Percy?"

He was sitting farther away from them, knees at his chest and covering his ears. Tears slid down his face as he rocked back and forth. His mind taunted him.

Pathetic. Loser. Waste of space. Worthless. You're worthless, Perseus.

Stop, please. I'm sorry.
"PERCY!" Piper ran towards him and crouched down, shaking him carefully. He shook his head and wouldn't meet her eye. She held his face in her hands, wiping his tears away.

"Oh, Percy. I'm so sorry. I had no idea." He looked up at her, his puppy-dog eyes holding so much sadness that it overwhelmed her. How could Annabeth do this to him?

There must be something wrong. Annabeth isn't acting like herself. This must have to do with Jason's meddling.

"Don't worry, Percy. I got your back."

Percy nodded gratefully, but deep down, he couldn't really trust anyone anymore.