Frozen Heart

Percy took a deep breath and laid back in his bed. His sad eyes followed Lucy as she moved away from the door and towards him. Without looking in his eyes, she began to unbutton his shirt.

"I'm sorry, but I'll need your chest exposed to use my magic." She said quietly.

"No apologies necessary." He smiled, trying to make light of the situation. The mood in the room was so heavy that the two found it hard to breathe.

"I really am sorry."

"It must be done Lucy. I won't let Lance live a life of seclusion at my expense." Percy nodded stiffly.

Lucy sighed and rolled up her right sleeve. The royal blue fabric gave way to expose her cold, blue arm. Gingerly, as if he was made of glass, She placed her hand in the center of his chest. She cleared her mind and began to prepare her spell. The blank canvas in her head filled with icy swirls and ancient words, provided by her tiara. She called forth a long dead power to help her, summoning it with all of her strength. Suddenly, images of Percy came into her mind. His smiling face when she failed at a spell. His scolding words when she ruffled his hair. The embarrassed look on his face when he had decided that he no longer would pluck his eye brows and would let them be bushy. she became lost in her thoughts, unaware if her spell was even working.

"Wait!"

She jolted back into reality. "What?!" She said, surprised.

Percy chuckled. "I broke your concentration, huh? I just wanted to tell you something before you got started." He pointed to a box in the corner of the room. "It's for Lance. Don't forget, please."

Lucy smiled. "I won't."

Then she began for real. A heart of ice blossomed out of Percy's chest in a brilliant light of purples, blues, and yellows. Though the pain was unbearable, he smiled peacefully. 

"Thank you, Lucy."