He doesn't know.

It dawned on Percy that he wanted Nico to know, though. Not to hurt him, or anger him or shock him.

But so that Nico would finally tell him why. Why he reversed Percy's decision to die.

Because he didn't want to, really. Percy felt like he had so much to live for, but nothing at the same time. He had all the good things like a girlfriend and success, but it was the same things. The same things he wasn't sure he much wanted anymore. The same things that everyone expected, that everyone was used to. The things that drove him down a path he didn't want to be on. A path that made it hard to deviate.

Yeah, Percy didn't want to die. But he chose to, didn't he? Alone, and under the ocean's current. The fish didn't help - he wouldn't let them - because instead of using his strength to swim he used it to make sure that nothing would interfere with giving up.

Why would Nico, of all people, bring back Percy of all people? Nico had a sister, a mother, real friends...

All Percy had was pressure. The perfect life that never felt perfect. Trauma that no one considered. Abilities that would eventually reach their limit. What he had seemed like the whole world and it still wasn't enough, so why?

Why?

"I didn't want to be here when I left, Neeks," he started, quiet and plain. "Why did you bring me back?"