Well, hello again everyone, Paradigm of Writing here for some really, well... sad news. It is the last chapter of Nico Di Angelo's Hopeless Guide to Love, Chapter #22: Sound Kind of Resolve, and I hope it has been a damn journey. I know it has for me, becoming so invested in these characters and the type of trouble I have put them through will forever resonate, because if you all thought the pain in this due to emotional turmoil was bad, and *sigh* it is only because Beautiful Bizarre will be twenty shades of fucked up. And I say it, that'll it push everything about my craft and what is alongside it. I am very happy to have written this piece and reached you guys with it, because f'ing hell, we've been through a lot. Enjoy the last chapter, Chapter #22: Sound Kind of Resolve of Nico Di Angelo's Hopeless Guide to Love.

Nico resurfaces after the New Year's festivities have passed. He finds Rachel putting up a sketchpad and there's a warmness that sits inside his heart at the sight of the auburn haired, crazy artist who has given him so much love, at the Stoll's Coffee Shop. "Rachel."

"Nico." She's giving him that tight-lipped, 'sorry for your loss' smile he's become very familiar with lately. "I guess you heard about Percy."

He nods solemnly.

"So what're you gonna do?"

Is there anything else to do other than the right thing? "I'm gonna support him. Let him go."

Rachel stares at him with wide, sad eyes. "You're not going with him?"

Nico struggles for an answer; part of him wants to go, but moving across the country is a huge step for someone who took nine months to admit he was in a relationship, and then to even think about it halfway across the world to god knows where is only going to be part of the worst and horrible kind of journey.

"Have you even thought about it?"

"Until just now? No."

Rachel makes an exasperated noise. "Nico, this is your chance! You have to go with him!"

"Do you—do you think I could?"

"Yes! Yes! And—oh, oh my God"—she grips his arm in sudden realization—"his birthday's coming up! We're throwing him a party 'cause he's leaving next week, so it's like a going-away party and a birthday party! And you could be his present! Doesn't that sound really cute?"

The very idea of all this is frightening—in a good and bad way—and makes his stomach twist into knots and something ball up in his throat. "Do you really think he would want me there?"

"Of course! He's your lobster!"

"He didn't seem like he wanted me to go..." Nico says after a beat.

"Did you ever think maybe he was scared of asking you to come and hearing you say no? I mean, that's like telling someone you love them and they don't say it back."

That one cleaves through Nico's guilty heart, because when Percy first said he loved him Nico didn't say it back. And the only time Nico ever said those words to him was in the heat of an argument where it could be misconstrued as ammo.

Rachel notices the palpable distress on his face. She sets her guitar down and moves so her whole body's facing him. "How hard would it be to just go with him and live around the world like a big-shot movie star? Not to mention that he is your sexy and hot boyfriend."

Nico thinks for a moment and picks out the first hurdle to this tempting offer: "Well, I'd have to... move." He decides to get over the fact Rachel has called Percy sexy and hot, even though he is, it is a kind of uncalled for action on many unwarranted sides.

"We can help you! You know Thalia would go crazy over helping you pack! Organizing, cleaning—that's like sex to her!"

"My job does have an office there..." It's like he can sense that his apprehension is fading, and he has to push at the edges a bit.

"Okay, see? This was meant to be!"

"But—but—but!" Nico panics, because he's already putting too much thought into this. This is ridiculous—isn't it? If Percy wanted to be with him that badly, wouldn't he have fought a little harder?

"Why not?" Rachel asks, completely serious. "How is it any different than Annabeth running out on that one prankster? Or Luke finally asking her out? Or even you and Percy getting together?"

Nico wants to respond with something like "because it just is," but gathers his thoughts with a marginal amount of coherence. "Rachel, this is totally crazy. I can't—I can't just move all the way across the world like that! I mean, this is something people plan for! You don't just...do it!"

"You can't just sit around and plan things, Nico, or you're gonna miss out on something really wonderful."

Nico thinks that his entire relationship with Percy has its foundations in blind leaps of faith: asking Percy to kiss him again, their whole fooling-around period, going to the resort, blurting out all the embarrassing things he'd said while drunk... Even gaining Percy as a roommate wasn't part of Nico's plan.

Maybe that's just the disjointed, clumsy way they work together: spur-of-the-moment decisions that feel right. Maybe this is one of those pivotal moments where Nico can choose to throw caution into the wind and go with his gut feeling. A chance to fix what he's broken. A chance to prove to Percy that he loves him, no matter the cost.

Hey, man, if you wanna make it happen, you gotta be a man and lay it all down. Do what you told me! Do something nice, a big gesture to get her attention! C'mon, quit being a wuss!

Nico laughs to himself; he never expected his advice to Luke would ever work—now it's Luke' turn to give him the confidence he needs to commit wholeheartedly to this.

Almost a week later, the girls and Luke throw Percy a going-away/birthday party at his apartment. All Percy can see is that Nico isn't here. It shouldn't hurt so much, but it does, because Nico ignores awkward, uncomfortable situations as much as he can, and goodbyes definitely fall into that category. If Percy had known the last time he talked to Nico was actually the last time, he would have said more. He would have suggested that Nico come with him, felt the sting of rejection like the lash of a whip.

Percy gets that Nico has issues with intimacy and commitment and relationships, but Nico didn't even call once and leave a drunken, sob-riddled message begging him to stay in New York. So on top of not being asked to stay, Percy also doesn't seem to be getting a goodbye.

All he wants is some sort of proof that Nico actually gives a shit about him in a way that makes their nine-month relationship more than just a really convenient fling. Because that's the impression Percy's getting here.

He finds Rachel in the corner with a few packed-up boxes and the porcelain dog statue. She's stroking the nape of its neck affectionately when Percy sidles up beside her. "Rachel, you know that's not a real dog, right?"

"I might be a little wasted right now."

"Yeah, maybe." He plucks the glass from her hand, downs the rest of the drink. Rachel sniffles and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. "Aw, Rachel, I'm sorry, let me get you another drink—"

"No, no, Percy, I'm just gonna miss you so much." She hugs him close, and he wraps his arms around her. He buries his nose in her hair, tries to keep the waterworks at bay. He holds her a little tighter, and that's when Rachel pulls away and wipes her eyes again. "I'm sorry, I promised myself I wasn't gonna do this."

"Hey, it's okay," he murmurs, kissing her forehead. "I'd be sad too if you were leavin'." He rubs circles on her back until her tears have dried. Percy glances over at the door—still nothing. "Have you heard anything from Nico?"

"No."

Percy doesn't even bother hiding his disappointment at that.

She pats his arm. "You're still each other's lobsters."

Usually Percy and Rachel are on the same wavelength, but this time he's completely lost. "What?"

"Oh, you weren't there for that," Rachel realizes. "It's what we call Luke and Annabeth: the lobsters. 'Cause lobsters fall in love and mate for life. Like, on that one really weird TV show for everyone wants to have sex because they love each other, but only like two do it so..."

"He doesn't love me," Percy says numbly. It actually hurts a little when he hears it out loud.

Rachel gives him a knowing smile. "Trust me, he does."

"Then how come he's not here?"

Rachel shrugs and looks away for a moment. "He had a thing with—with the thing." Percy stares at her, totally out of his depth. "He probably got caught up at work. He'll be here."

He has a feeling that she knows Nico isn't coming but doesn't actually want to tell him. Percy makes a frustrated noise and wanders off for a drink. Instead he finds Thalia, whose eyes are red and wet as she pours herself a drink at the table. "Have you heard from Nico?" he asks.

Thalia shakes her head. "Not yet."

"You think he's comin'?"

"You don't?"

Percy doesn't have an answer for that beyond "because he's a jerk," and he knows in his heart that's not true. He wouldn't have dated a jerk for nine months, wouldn't have dreamed about spending the rest of his life with a jerk. So he just settles for, "Maybe it's too hard for him." Thalia's gaze grows sadder, and Percy says, "I don't understand why he didn't ask me to stay, Thal. Why didn't he fight for me?"

Thalia's hands fall to her sides as she stares at him in awe. "Percy, how could you live with Nico for two years and not know one thing about him? Nico has always supported your career! This is a huge step for you! Of course he's gonna tell you to do it; he loves you!"

It should make sense, but Percy still can't wrap his head around it. It's not like Nico ever once said those three words to him during their entire relationship—and, no, their last argument doesn't count, because Nico used it as a bargaining chip rather than an untethered, genuine declaration of love.

"When you had the audition for that one TV show, the uh... ER like thing, did Nico support you?"

He nods. "Yeah, he told me to go for it, even if I had to sleep with the casting director to get it."

Thalia looks at him in shock. "He did?"

"Yeah, I was pretty surprised about that too. He was actually sorta encouragin' me to—" Percy stops, because how the fuck did he not see this coming? Nico didn't actually want Percy to sleep with the casting director for the role, but he encouraged him anyway because he knew the part would make Percy happy. Nico wouldn't tell Percy how he felt because he thought the confession would make Percy uncomfortable. It's like he's always swallowed down his own happiness in lieu of what's best—or at least what he thinks is best—for Percy.

So why should this time be any different?

Percy laughs to himself, kisses Thalia on the cheek. "Thanks, and I mean it."

Thalia smiles at him in a way that's confused. "You're welcome?"

After the other guests have left, Annabeth's crying into Percy's chest and staining his shirt with tears when Nico stumbles in, sucking air. "Oh, good, Perce, you're still here! I'm sorry I'm late. I had a bunch of last-minute stuff at work and—"

Percy pulls Nico into his arms, and the familiar scent of his hair hits Percy like a wrecking ball. He gets his fingers full of fabric and lets his hands tighten into fists over Nico's back. "If you wanted me to stay, why didn't you just tell me, man?"

"Y—you're staying?" Nico asks in a small voice. "But I thought you wanted to go! Why are you—"

"Aw, c'mon, Nico, I'll get other roles! Besides, bein' with you makes me happier than bein' on TV and in the big leagues."

Nico goes stiff in his arms. Percy's about to kiss his unyielding mouth, but apparently this is Nico's breaking point, because he actually puts his hands over Percy's chest and shoves him away. "Oh my God!" Nico shouts, his mouth hanging open. "Are you kidding me?"

Apparently Percy's miscalculated—badly. "What? What's wrong? I thought you wanted me to stay so we could—"

"No! No, I didn't want you to stay! I was trying to do the mature, adult thing! Being selfish is how I screwed this up to begin with!" Nico's doing that whole-body angry flailing thing he's so good at. "I want you to—I want you to be happy!" It sounds fucking awful when he says it like that, like he's not even part of the equation of Percy's happiness. "Take the job if you want it, Perce. Don't hang back on account of me."

Percy shakes his head. "Nico, you always do this. You always put me bein' happy before you. Why can't we both be happy by stayin' here?"

"Because I'm going with you, you idiot!"

Percy's jaw drops, and he stares at Nico with incredulity.

Going with him? Percy can't even let himself think about the concept. It's impossible.

"You wanna know why I was late?" Nico continues, his furious blue eyes pinning Percy in place. "Not because I don't care about you, or because I didn't want to say goodbye, but because I was at work making sure I'd get transferred to the office in L.A. and maybe become like your international secretary or something so you and I could be together and start over!"

Percy's gaping at him in awe. This is Nico, Mr. Anti-Commitment. Nico can barely commit to choosing a restaurant when they go out, but he's willing to uproot himself from his friends and his job just to be with Percy?

"And I did not spend this entire week getting my stuff packed up with Thalia and Rachel and Annabeth and Luke just so that you'd back out and decide to stay, because"—Nico's lower lip quivers like he's going to start crying—"because if you stay, I don't know what else I can do"—he's officially crying now, his words sounding broken and desperate—"to show you that I want to make this work. I am so in love with you, Percy, and I can't—" He's cut off by a sob, and he wipes away the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"You love me," Percy says through unmoving lips, and it's half a question and half a realization.

Nico nods, and his voice is still shaky with emotion when he says, "You make me happier than I ever thought I could be."

Percy's thoughts are all a jumble. "Is this another one of your jokes? 'Cause it's not funny."

"No, no!" Nico reaches for him, pulls him closer. "Percy, I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you. Just—please, let me try, okay?"

Percy just stares at him, shell-shocked, before lifting a hand to Nico's face and letting his palm curve around his cheek. He's still trying to fit this into his world view, because Nico has flagrantly avoided all types of commitment for the past year, but all of a sudden he's willing to move acLuke the country. "Why didn't you tell me you were comin' with me?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Nico admits, chagrined. "Y'know, for your birthday."

"Well, it worked!"

Nico gazes at him with agonized eyes. "Look, I—I promise I'll try to be better, okay? I know you don't believe me, but I want to do this. I can be better because you'll make me better." His hands tighten into fists in Percy's shirt. "Just—please—tell me that you can still love me."

"I never stopped," Percy says before pushing his mouth over Nico's. Nico kisses him back, drags him in, his greedy hands pulling Percy closer and grabbing his hair. Percy's whispering "I love you" over and over in the short moments when his lips are free before Nico drags him back and captures his mouth again, messy and wet and real.

The girls "awww" in unison, and Luke tries to join in the recognition of the moment, but it's forced and uncomfortable. Annabeth gives him a look. Luke fidgets and mumbles, "Okay, I'll stop."

Percy's grinning when they break apart, his arms linked around Nico's waist. "He's comin' with me!" he gloats to the others, ecstatic, before the bittersweet expressions on everyone's faces sink in. They're not just saying goodbye to Percy here; they're saying goodbye to Nico too. "Oh."

"What? What's wrong? Did you change your mind again?" Nico panics.

Percy shakes his head. "I'm not the only one who's leavin'," he says quietly.

Nico's face goes solemn for a moment. "Ah, c'mon, give 'em some credit; they can make it without us."

Percy smiles despite his sadness; he knows that they can.

Annabeth, Thalia, Luke, and Rachel say their tearful goodbyes and promise to see Percy and Nico off at the airport the next day. Nico gets the grand tour of Percy's apartment, which isn't very grand considering nearly all of his possessions are packed away in boxes. But the fold-out couch is sitting in the middle of the living room, and they end up sprawled over it that night after dinner. Nico's lying on top of him, his cheek against the warm skin of Percy's chest, listening to the quiet thrum of his heartbeat. Percy sighs contentment into Nico's hair, one arm wrapped around his waist and the other tracing the curve of his spine.

"That didn't go the way I planned it," Percy says quietly around a chuckle.

"What'd'ya mean?"

"Well, I was kinda hopin' if we got back together"—Nico closes his eyes, feels his heart break because even Percy wasn't sure they'd find their way back to each other—"that I could, y'know, be on top."

"Gimme a minute, and we can go again."

"It's too late. The moment's ruined." Percy pouts. "I had this big thing planned out in my head where I was gonna take it slow, kiss you all over, sorta like our first time." Nico smiles despite himself. "But no, you just had to climb on and take over." Percy's trying to sound put out about this, but Nico is completely certain that Percy really doesn't mind that much at all.

"Well, Perce, a wise philosopher once said if you sit around and plan things you miss out on something better." Percy pushes his fingers through Nico's hair. "Actually, it was Rachel, but the point still stands. And, hey, if you wanna do all that stuff anyway, I am all for it. I know the moment's passed, but I'd still enjoy it." Nico gives Percy his best "look how cute I am" smile. It works, because Percy grins back and crushes his mouth over Nico's.

Percy's always had an insistent edge to his kissing, but now his hand shifts carefully through Nico's hair, like pushing too much might break him or split them apart again. His mouth moves soft and slow, as if they have all the time in the world to reconnect here; Nico really wishes they did, because he has so much to apologize for that he doesn't think sex can fix. "Hey, Perce?" he murmurs a little while later, his fingers tracing the line of Percy's collarbone.

Percy hums a sound that urges Nico to continue.

"Are your parents gonna meet us at the airport tomorrow?"

"Yeah, they said they'd be there."

Nico tips his head so his cheek lies flat over Percy's chest. "Maybe you could tell 'em, y'know, about us?"

Percy springs up to a sit, staring down at Nico in a way he's going to interpret as stunned. "Really? You mean it?"

Nico keeps his gaze averted, shy under Percy's fervent eyes, and sits in Percy's lap. "Yeah! I mean, you don't have to make a big deal of it or anything, but I think they ought'a know." Percy runs his fingertips over Nico's knees. "I know it's kind of last minute, but..." Nico shrugs. "At least if they don't take it well we won't have to stick around." He forces up a hopeful half-smile.

"So you're not scared anymore?"

Nico looks away for a moment. "Losing you...put a lot of things in perspective."

Percy kisses him, his hands gentle against the curve of Nico's face and the edges of his fingers pressing into bone and muscle. He licks into Nico's mouth, and Nico moans, gets his hands full of Percy's hair. He's so fucking glad that this didn't break them, that Percy still loves him and wants him here. They kiss like they're trying to catch up with where they should be, making up for time lost to distance. Percy's mouth is wet and hungry over Nico's own, and the frantic passion makes Nico a little dizzy in the best of ways.

Percy pulls back, wets his lips, and looks at Nico like he's something to eat; Nico burns under the heat of Percy's gaze. "Why don't you do something else with that mouth of yours?" he teases, touching his fingers to Percy's lips.

Percy chuckles and slides a hand down the curve of Nico's spine. "No way, Di Angelo. I told ya: I got plans for you tonight."

Nico feels his cheeks flush when Percy squeezes his ass. "Remember what I told you about planning?" he says with a grin before nudging Percy's back against the couch cushions.

Sweet and soundly I have left this. Man, I actually kind of have tears in my eyes from the sweet, super sweet conversation and half argument Nico and Percy had there at the end. I had in my head an idea that I'd do a story following Percy and Nico during Percy's adventures as a star, but I felt that'd be more cliché than this thing already was, so I'm leaving it here and it is up to you, dear readers to decide what it means and how they'll end up.

Firstly, I have to say thank you to a few people.

Sirius1696- Although your reviews are practical one-liners, they are still effective and mean a lot as you'd catch up at the last minute and personally left a warm feeling in my heart. Thank you very much.

ged565- From the few reviews you have left, they made me smile like nobody's business, and most definitely from that one way back when you called these characters my own creations despite being Riordan's... I can only give you a hug and say thank you for the inspiring words that caused me to push these six past their breaking points.

Darkness, Death and Riches- Do I even need to say anything? We have cried, laughed, screamed, and gotten angry together at this piece every step of the way as I typed up long ass chapter after long ass chapter about Nico and Percy's story, a story even I wasn't completely hooked on which is odd for me. You've been there since Day 1, November 29th, and you'll be here on the last day, May 26th, a near seven month journey that has left me a completely different writer.

So, now my long list of thank you(s).

Thank you to sirius1696, HeartThrobbingFanticyLover, Mr. Squirtle6, Darkness Death and Riches, SupaKoolCookieMonsta, Nutturbuttur, yaoiislife56, Iamapotatoskin, ged565, guest, r, Fos-nox, coralie14, slysilverslytherin87, Golfgirl1218, and Phoenix Deity for reviewing. At the time of posting this chapter, we reached 76 reviews, which I really wish we broke 100, but oh well. It's a start!

Thank you to 1Onyxcat, , Angelblossom15, ArtemisaLilianVestaNightshade, banananna601, BlackRoseSaiyan, Brooke book, Bryson.l, CharlieA6654, Cool-Hanyou, CrownClown1823, Darkness Death and Riches, Drarryforever69, emperador alterran, Fight Like A Girl, Firefly1078, ForeverAngelz, Fos-nox, Gaby Angel Black, ged565, Golfgirl1218, gypsygirl368262, HeartThrobbingFanticyLover, Jacquelyn Frost, Kiley Schatuley, kimberly22137, Labrujadel95, Lams 711, lespride, Lightskinbeauty, Lolita04, lolusername, Lyialp, Maiko, Mr. Squirtle6, Nighty Wolf, Niic-wolf, Nina S Spice, Nutturbuttur, rachel1819, roocat2010, Sakura, scoup709, sirius1696, StoogeMcD, Supernerdyreader, vamplover1232, yaoiislife56, and zzzjem for favoring this story! Because holy shit that it is the most favorites I have had on one story at one time, and we're at fucking 49!

Thank you to Angelblossom15, ArtemisaLilianVestaNightshade, Cool-Hanyou, Dark Umbreon 19, Darkness Death and Riches, Drarryforever69, , ForeverAngelz, HeartThrobbingFanticyLover, Kiley Schatuley, Kirjake, Leprecon, Lams 711, Loveanyway123, Maiko, Makayla Faith, Mel53001, Mr. Squirtle6, NickAnonymous17, Nighty Wolf, Nina S Spice, Nutturbuttur, Pomme-chan, Sakura, Slytherin Kingship, sora2302, StoogeMcD, SupaKoolCookieMonsta, Supernerdyreader, sylvannas daughter, The Lovegood Oddity, Why Don't You Take A Seat, , banananna601, Bryson.l, coralie14, emperador alterran, ged565, gypsygirl368262, nerdybandgeek14, ravensavage, shadowclover, sirius1696, tttfntty, twistedxdream, vamplover1232, and zzzjem for following this story. And once again, holy shit, that is the most followers I have had on one story at one time, and we're at fucking 48!

And last stat, we reached near 13.3k views from when I started this story, making it my 2nd most viewed story, as that one has just capped 49k views in the Super Smash Bros Fandom (Cross Examined, a Lucas x Ness fanfiction). That is huge and monumental.

If you are still here after that long ass fucking Author's Note, thank you. I do this for all my stories that I feel are huge, and this is no exception. Here are some questions I'd love to know your answers to as I type them, as they'll mean a lot for Beautiful Bizarre.

1) What was your favorite moment in this story?

2) What was your favorite sex moment in this story?

3) Out of the four side friends (Annabeth, Rachel, Thalia, or Luke), whom did you like the most?

4) Percy or Nico, and why

5) Any general thoughts on the story not specifically asked?

6) Shall I see be seeing you for Beautiful Bizarre, my next PJO Percy x Nico project?

And there we are! That's a wrap. If you are still here even more, I want to extend an offer for you to go and check out my latest Hunger Games story and SYOT, called Vermillion Shorelines which is need of a cast, as there have been scare pops here and there, but nothing major so go check it out if you want to see more of my work in a different fandom. Or, you can go and check out my Super Smash Bros story and current main WIP called Syrenet, as that is one crazy ride and perhaps my magnum opus. Thank you all for being downright fucking amazing readers and reviewers and plain fans. I shall see you soon with Beautiful Bizarre, which I shall start planning and writing when things settle down. Have an amazing day! Bye!

~ Paradigm