Ppov (this is Percy's PoV for the ones who didn't know.)

I sighed, Nico had so much put onto him. Tears were actually coming from my eyes as I answered his question. I didn't want it to seem that I was a crybaby or something like that. I wiped them away and turned to face Nico. His bruises and cuts were still there. His ripped shirt and pants didn't do any good of hiding them. His cut the went from his forehead, down the side of his face, to his lip at the bottom left, like the rest of his cut was. He was definitely dirty and didn't have much to do about that. I let him take a shower yesterday, but it didn't seem to faze his stink and such. Maybe he didn't take that shower.

"Nico, that's why I am helping you, okay? Nothing else would make me do it, not some lie or hospitality before death," I recounted. That reminded me of the last person I figured out was being tortured here. He was a great friend, always showed selflessness. Nico's eyes seemed broken and filled with sorrow, regret, and (most of all) hatred. Hatred toward himself, I'm guessing. His sister just was hanged, so I'd cut him some slack on that part.

Other than that, he was a nice kid. Only two years younger than me but still more mature than I'll ever be, that's for sure. He was like Gandalf, with the "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" attitude. He would just looked at me then look away once I ask something and when he does say something it was more of a "no. You're not doing that. You won't be going there," type thing. I once even have him a stick to see what he'd do with it and he just banged one end of it on the floor like he was confused. I don't get it, Percy. What am I supposed to do with this? He had said. He was obviously not a Lord Of the Rings kinda guy.

Nico looked at me, probably thinking whether to kill me and have sex me with me, I guess. Hey, stare too long and people start to get suspicious. Like, what is he thinking? Is he imagining what I'd be like for us to have sex or a hatching a plan of death chickens? Sigh, I'll never know. Well, unless I ask. "What are you staring at?" I asked, smiling confused.

Nico blinked and then looked away. He didn't talk much, barely ever. Then, he just asked me about why I helped him. What if I said I did it just to do it? He wouldn't believe me. He wouldn't believe me if I said that I started to like him when we were small either. Ha, he'll never like me. I'm the princes son, he would never.

I sighed and sat down by Nico. He shifted a little, to give me more room but I refused to take the room. He looked up at me and stared into my eyes. I stared into his eyes and then he looked away, quickly and blushed a bit. He blushed. Oh, my gods, it kinda looks weird on his skin.

I cracked a smile and said, "come on. You stink, you're getting a shower." He seemed to not like that idea cause when I got up, he grabbed my wrist and his eyes pleaded no. I sighed and sat back down, he relaxed and looked down. "Why don't you like showers so much? Would you like to take a bath instead?" He looked up at me for a moment before a half-shoulder shrug and looking back down.

I took his hand and he tensed at my touch. He pulled away from me, fearing I might drown him or something. I sighed and took his hands, making him look at me. "You're okay, Nico. I won't let anything hurt you." He stared into my eyes for a second beforE nodding quickly and inching away from me to the bathroom door.

I followed him in and he looked at the stuff there was in here. He started to grab the sink handle and I picked up his hand and lend him to the bath tub handle. He frowned but turned to handle, gasping as the water just flowed out of it softly. He scurried away from it, to the edge of the bathroom. "I-I don't want to go in!" He cried, closing his eyes tightly. Was he really scared of the water?

I huffed another sigh and took his hand again. He hesitantly opened his eyes back up, staring at me. He really like to stare. He was just like, I'm gonna just stare my butt off because I am a stalker and want to stalk you and come to your house and murder you. That's just creepy.

I hugged him randomly and he hesitated before hugging back, closing his eyes tightly. "I won't let anyone—or thing—hurt you, Nico. I promise," I said and he nodded into my chest and we stayed like that for a while, the tub starting to fill up higher and higher.