Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson. Which sucks cause that mean I don't own Nico di Angelo. Damn.

Pairing: Nico/Percy (Nicercy)

AN: This story is inspired by "Drown the Dead in Love" by Artistic-Chaos on FanFiction. SERIOUSLY amazing. Check it out.

Prologue

The year was 1921. More than eighty years ago and yet, the night was still burned in Nico di Angelo's mind like a scar. It was especially worse today- the anniversary.

The death of Percy Jackson.

It had been a humid night, hot and sticky, like feverish breathing on your skin. It frequently was during an Italian summer. Though the heat was terrible, the sky was cloudless and the stars were bright with the promise of tomorrow.

Nico and Percy were lying on the grass staring up at said stars. Percy had his head resting on Nico's developed chest and their hands were intertwined. Their clothes were dirty and tattered, but neither of them cared much. They were demigods, they were happy to be alive and together; clothes were the least of their worries.

"Tired?" Nico murmured into Percy's messy, black hair. Despite the lack of bathing it still somehow smelled clean. Most likely from his Aphrodite parentage.

"I'm fine." The words were muffled against Nico's black shirt he had rolled up to his elbows.

Nico rolled his dark eyes. He knew even if Percy was tired he wasn't going to say so. "Alright. Just tell me when you are so we can find shelter before you fall asleep on me. I don't want to have to carry you again. You drooled on my shoulder last time." He was teasing of course, Percy was unbelievably light and saliva wasn't the only fluid they exchanged.

Percy lightly punched his shoulder. "If you wouldn't keep me up all night then I wouldn't be so tired."

Nico chuckled and kissed the top of his head. "I never hear any complaints until morning."

"Yeah, well, that's just cause my mouth is otherwise occupied."

"Uh-huh."

"Got somethin' to say, Nick?"

"No, no," Nico mumbled as he busied himself with kissing along Percy's collarbone. "My mouth is otherwise occupied."

Percy laughed breathlessly as Nico continued his advances. Nico sat up and dragged Percy with him until he was sitting in his lap. Percy moved his hand to tangle it in Nico's black curls, gripping tightly. Even though he was only a son of Aphrodite, he was still fierce and made sure nobody ever forgot. Nico was reminded constantly when he glanced at the scratch marks on his shoulders and back or a dark hickey usually hidden by his clothes.

"Ti amo, mio amore (1)," Nico breathed into Percy's sweet tasting skin. Percy shuddered against him and drew in a shaky breath, ruffling Nico's bangs.

"I know." Percy's words were just as quiet and were nearly swallowed by the silence of the night. Nico heard them though. They made his heart beat faster and his lips curl into a smile. Life wasn't fair. He knew that. But, he also knew that as long as he had Percy with him then everything else would be okay. Nothing was perfect, but their little world was as close as it got.

And then the monsters appeared.

They stepped out of the surrounding forest, growling, hissing, barring fangs. Nico and Percy were quick to react, standing and grabbing their weapons. Percy had Riptide, his sword, and Nico had his Stygian Iron blade. They stood back to back, eyes sweeping across the field for options. There were too many monsters to fight so they had to create a plan to get past them and fast. More were no doubt on their way.

"Why are there so many?" Percy muttered under his breath. His muscles were tense against Nico's back.

"I don't know," Nico replied, jaw clenched. Monsters were still stepping away from the woods while others were approaching Nico and Percy until they formed a circle. There was too many for this to simply be a coincidence. An outside force planned this.

"I could distract them. You Shadow Travel and kill them from behind." The words were formed as an order, but they sounded too unsure to be classified as one. Both of them knew there were too many monsters for that plan to work for long, not to mention too much Shadow Traveling would exhaust Nico. But what other choice did they have?

Nico nodded even though Percy couldn't see it. "Fine. Now!" Nico pulled the shadows to him like armor and slipped through his own on the ground. It was dark and tingly for a second until he emerged on the other side of one of the monsters that had surrounded him and Percy.

It was a snake-like thing and hissed furiously when Nico's sword was stabbed into its back. It immediately turned to dust and was swept away by the wind.

Percy was already onto another monster. This one was a parody of a lion-like animal. Nico rolled forward under its belly and thrust his sword upwards.

On they went, monster after monster, until Nico felt as if his arms would fall off his body. His sword was much heavier than usual and sweat stung his dark eyes. Percy seemed to be in the same state.

Percy was dodging blows from the stinger of a giant scorpion while Nico tried to find its weak point. Its whole body was covered in some type of armor and the one time he managed to cut the stinger off it grew back before their eyes.

Wait. Eyes. Eyes.

"Percy!" Nico yelled. "Stab its eyes! Now!"

"I'll try!" Percy yelled back. He raised Riptide, gave an almighty yell, and plunged his sword into one od the scorpion's eyes. Its scream was so terrible it brought Nico and Percy to their knees, each holding their ears in pain.

Time slowed down. The scorpion lifted its stinger and thrust it into Percy's chest.

Percy didn't scream. He simply blinked and looked down at his chest as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. He raised his head to look at Nico and tilted his head like he always did when he was confused.

"Nico?"

"Percy," Nico whispered. "PERCY!" He suddenly rushed forward and his sword dropped from numb fingers. As he ran to Percy, the scorpion fell to the grass and disintegrated, leaving a gaping hole in Percy's chest where the stinger used to be.

"No, no, no, no…" The words escaped from Nico's mouth against his will as he kneeled by Percy's side. Percy's green eyes where hazy and unfocused, but didn't seem to be in any pain. Poison.

Nico carefully gathered Percy into his arms and cradled him against his chest. He didn't even realize he was crying until he saw his tears splash on Percy's pale cheeks. "Don't worry. Everything's gonna be okay. We'll get you healed. A doctor. Ambrosia. I know we're out, but I'll find some-"

"Nico," Percy interrupted. He raised a shaking hand to wipe Nico's tears away and gave him a small smile. "Please. Don't cry. You're a son of Hades. I don't fear death."

"But…" An idea started to form itself in Nico's mind. He gripped Percy as tight as he dared and stared into Percy's green eyes. "Do you love me?"

A single tear made its way down Percy's cheek as he frowned up at Nico. "What? Of course I do. You know that."

"And you want to be with me? Forever?"

You're being selfish.

Percy gave a hiccupped sob. "Yes. I do. But-"

"You promise? Forever?"

Selfish. Selfish. Selfish.

Percy exhaled softly for the last time. "Yes. Forever, Nico di Angelo."

Nico choked on his sobs as Percy Jackson died in his arms. But, he couldn't go to pieces just yet.

Nico gently slipped Percy's eyelids closed and set him on the bloody grass. He drew a circle around Percy's body in the dirt with a single finger, got to his knees, and began to chant in Ancient Greek.

" Το όργανο αυτό θα ξαναγεννηθεί. Αυτή η ψυχή πρέπει να αναβιώσει το πυρ της κολάσεως. Εγώ, ο βασιλιάς φάντασμα, να το πράξουν.(2)"

He pressed his hands into the earth and pulsed his power into the ground, almost like a heartbeat. The ground shook slightly with the amount of energy Nico put into it, no doubt causing an earthquake somewhere, but Nico couldn't bring himself to care.

Nico's world began to fade into darkness.

Selfish.

AN: New story! Yay! If the updates are slow, sorry, Nico (my laptop) is broken so I have to write my chapters at the library. If you like Top!Nico stories then yous hould check out my community, Two Princes.

(1). Italian for "I love you, my love".

(2). Ancient Greek for "This body will be reborn. This soul needs to revive the fire of hell. I, the ghost king, do so".