Hell And High Water (Percico boyxboy)

XV

(Sorry the last chapter was a little lacking. I hope this one is better. Let me know if it is or not :) Or overall just what you think. That's cool, too.)

Nico felt beyond awkward in the days that followed. It had been almost two weeks since the hit and only a day less than that since he decided to open his mouth. A new month had begun and Nico figured new problems would errupt, not that he needed them. A lot of dealers took deliveries on the first, as well as payments, while pimps usually found new young girls to make money off of. And then there was the hires and hitters that felt that they had quotas they had to meet. Add to that the drivers of the get away cars desperate for money to pay bills and child support and cops desperate for a work place upgrade. That alone was enough to make the beginning of the month a pain. But, things would be worse considering it was April first. Despite most of their ages, the people on the streets would always act like children and do the dummest of things in the spirit of April Fool's Day. Nico was not looking foreward to it. He got lucky, though, and had managed to stay off the radar. For the time being, anyway.

Nico and Percy managed to get through the first week of the month without a problem. Nico convinced Percy it was safer for him to stay in the room at all times and have room service bring them whatever they needed. That was fine, until Percy felt he needed an escape. An escape the pool could usually provide. No matter how many times he asked, though, Nico kept telling him no. And the pool wasn't something room service could bring to him...
In his desperation, Percy had taken to showering two, or even three, times a day just in an attempt to relax himself. It never lasted for long, though, because Nicos tension always rubbed off on Percy, no matter how hard the son of Hades tried to hide it. Because of that, Percy felt angry for no reason and that was something showers were unable to fix.
The two did very little speaking to one another, which could probably be blamed on Nicos admission the few days before. Percy tried not to think on it too much but he couldn't help it. He was sure to not put himself in any positions that could turn out badly. He had known Nico had a thing for him for quite a while but the escalation wasn't something he had expected. But still, something about it made him feel... good. That aspect actually kind of bothered him a little.
Instead of focusing too much on that, Percy focused on the fact he had people still looking for him. Nico had told him not to worry about it, but if he didn't, he would have so many other things to worry about. He picked, what he thought, was the lesser of two evils.
Nicos phone hadn't rung once during the week. There had been no calls, no texts, no indication of any sort that anyone knew where they were. It was a nice thought: the possibility they could be momentarily invisible. It allowed Nico to take his guard down. He had been wanting to get away for a few days and this was just what he needed to push him to it.
"I'm going out. Stay in the room. I won't be long."
Percy stared at Nico. "What? Where are you going?" He couldn't figure why Nico was allowed to leave the room but he himself wasn't.
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm gonna get some food and have a cigarette. I'll be back in less than fifteen minutes." He didn't say anything else before he left the room.
Percy shook his head. He wasn't too keen on being left alone at the the time being.
The walk Nico took was a much needed one. He went outside and around the back of the hotel before he locked a cigarette between his lips. He really didn't like smoking but it helped him clear his mind. He lit the cancer stick with his Zippo and took a drag of its momentary ecstasy. It stung his throat but he was used to the feeling.
Percy sat in the room, heart pounding. With Nico gone, Percy was left to his thoughts. They swarmed his mind and overwhelmed him with worry. What happens if someone comes into the room while Nico isn't there? Was Percy safe without Nico around? It was stupid of Nico to leave. It wasn't like Percy had just wandered down to the pool despite the situation they were facing. Why would Nico have left?
Percy kept a tight grip on his pen, just in case something were to happen and he needed to use it. He would really prefer not to, though. He would actually kind of prefer to not even have it any more, considering how it had recently been reporposed. But there was no way he was getting rid of it.
Percy turned the pen over in his fingers a few times before he popped the cap off of it and let Riptide expand. He had done this many times at Camp, just staring at the blade that had helped him get through so many things. He had trained with the sword, he had fought with the sword, he had killed with the sword. It was really the only thing that had truly stuck with him since his first demigod days. It had never left his pocket and he was glad Mr. Bruner had entrusted him with it. It had become his best friend, his trustiest weapon, and his strongest protector. Just looking at Riptide was enough to calm him. Not like a swim could, but better than a shower.
Nico finished up the last of his cigarette and crushed it into the ground under his foot. He went back around the front of the hotel and stopped dead in his tracks as he rounded the corner. He pushed himself back so he was hidden by the building and leaned against it as tight as he could manage. He closed his eyes tightly and dropped his head into the brick work before peeking around the corner again. He had to be sure he had seen what he thought he had seen. He swallowed hard and leaned back against the building. He was regretting leaving Percy alone in the room just so he could smoke a cigarette. He pulled his phone from his pocket and called the son of Poseidon.
It took a few rings for Percy to pick up and Nico was seriously begining to hope he hadn't messed up big time...
"Come on come on come on. Answer the damn phone."
'Nico?'
"Thank gods. Percy, what are you doing right now? Are you still in the room?"
Percy was shocked by the desperation that sounded in Nicos tone. 'I'm not doing anything. And, yes, I'm still in the room." The confusion was as evident in Percys voice just as the tension had been in Nicos.
The son of Hades sighed in relief. "Take Riptide and go to the bathroom. Lock the door and hide in the tub."
Nico could almost see Percys eyebrows furrow. 'Why? What's going on?'
Nico squeezed his eyes, wishing the truth weren't the truth. "Typhon and the Manticore are here."
The line went silent. Percys ears rung. His heart pounded. If they were there, at the hotel, that must have meant...
Nico shook his head lughtly. "I think they found us."
'What?' Percys voice was quiet.
"Just do what I said."
Nico hung up and peered back to the enterence of the hotel. He cursed quietly to himself. He dropped his head back into the building behind him as a thought entered his mind. Percy had said once that he felt that he had to protect Nico because he was so young and fragile. Nico knew that Percy had done more for him than any demigod, next to Bianca and Hazel, could ever do. So, now, Nico was returning the favor. Percy was the one who was fragile and needed protecting and Nico had already told him he would do it. The son of Hades wasn't one to back out of things.
Nico reached around his back and under his shirt to grip onto the fire arm that had made its home there. He pulled it from his waste band and hid it the best he could in his hoodie sleeve and pocket before he tossed the hood on his head. He gripped onto the weapon tightly as he walked around the corner, fast enough to be sure he made it in without being noticed but not too fast to be suspicious. As he passed the two men, he could hear them talking to one another. He heard his name and he did his best not to tense up at the way it sounded in Typhons deep tone. He walked up the steps at as normal a pace as he could manage and entered the hotel, heading straight for the stair case. He wasn't going to bother to use the elevator; it would be much too slow, especially if he had to stop on other floors. He ran for the stairs and took them three at a time. He pulled his key card from his jeans pocket as he rounded the corner leading to the last set of steps.
Nicos heart pounded as he reached his floor and wondered whether or not there could already be somebody in the room. He knew there were others working with Typhon and Manti but he hoped to all the gods that none of them would have been able to get to the room.
He slid the key card into the lock and pushed the door open before he readied his gun, not caring at that point that he could have been seen, and entered slowly. The door closed quietly behind him and he looked around for any sign of anything unfamiliar. Some of his papers were on the floor instead of the desk and the trash bin had been tipped over. He didn't have time to check if anything was missing, though. He wasn't sure who would have made such a mess and why. He figured they must have been looking for something. He made sure to worry about that later, though. At the moment, Percy was his biggest fear.
He had told the son of Poseidon to hide in the bathroom. The door was closed and he assumed it was locked as well. He took a breath, hoping and praying with everything he had in him that Percy would be the only thing enclosed behind the locked door. Nico pulled a pin from his pocket and did the best he could to silently pick the lock with one hand. He held his gun ready in the other and he didn't want to alert anyone of his presence if Percy weren't the only one in the bathroom. He dropped the pin to the ground once the door was unlocked and turned the handle to push it open slowly. He readied his fire arm once again and pointed it from the beds to the bathroom.
Percy sat, cowering in the corner of the tub as he heard noise outside the bathroom. This wasn't the first time he had been in a situation like this but he sure did hope it would be the last. His nerves were on edge and his senses were on high alert. The only thing about his state that didn't scream 'demigod' was the overwhelming fear he had become familiar with over the past month and a half. He tried his hardest to convince himself it was Nico at the door but the possibility it could be someone else flowed through his thoughts. He gripped tightly onto Riptide, ready to use it if he needed to.
Percy jumped from the tub as the door opened and spun Riptide in his hand. Nico pulled the cock on the gun back to load a bullet when he saw the flash of the shower curtain. Percy swung Riptide at whoever it was that had entered the bathroom and held it to the throat of, who he thought was, his attacker. Nico tensed for a second and squeezed his finger a little tighter on the trigger until he realized it was Percy and he was alone. Nico lowered his gun but the fire in Percys eyes darkened and Riptide held its position on his throat.
Nico opened his mouth to speak but the blade of the sword pushed harder into him. He stumbled back a little, not knowing if Percy would actually kill him or not. He did know for sure that he didn't want to find out.
The son of Poseidon was obviously freaked. If the sword didn't prove that already, the tears did. His burning eyes were flooded with them and his cheeks were streaked with their wet stains. Nico feared speaking, thinking he might spook the son of Poseidon, but he had no better idea...
"Percy. It's Nico. Put it down." His voice was as calm and soft as he could manage with a sword to his throat.
Nicos words didn't register in Percys mind. The only thing he was thinking was that there were people out to get him and they knew where he was.
Nicos voice had a slight hint of desperation in it when he said: "Percy! Put it down!"
As the words reached Percys ears, and he allowed them to process, he managed to relax himself. The voice was familiar and clearly did not belong to anyone trying to kill him. He relaxed his arm and Riptide fell from Nicos neck. The weapon slipped from Percys hand and clambered onto the ground. He stared, dumbfounded, at the male before him. That's when it sunk in that he almost tried to kill his only friend...
"Nico, I-Im so sorry."
Nico was shaking his head, trying to calm his own nerves. "It's fine. Just come out and sit. I have to make a phone call." He left the bathroom and Percy followed closely behind him after picking Riptide off the floor and returning it to its writing implement form. He stuffed it back in his jeans pocket and buried his hands into his hoodie pocket before leaving the bathroom.
Nico had his phone out and he was dialing a number. He gestured toward Percys bed and told the son of Poseidon to sit. Percy obliged and watched Nico as he waited for the person to answer the call.
"Can you do me a huge favor?"
Nico very rarely talked like that on the phone. He was so calm, as if nothing was going wrong. It made Percy a little tense and kind of freaked. How could he be so calm with what was going on?
"I need you to hack into my hotels security cameras."
He walked around the room a little.
"The lobby." He paused. "Yes, it is." Another pause. "What are they doing?" Pause. "Just let me know when they leave and which way they go."
There was a loud bang coming from somewhere in the hotel and Percy jumped, almost falling off the bed. Nico dropped his head, knowing what happened.
"The clerk's dead, isn't she?" A slight pause. "Shit. Are they coming up?" Pause. "Seriously? They're leaving?" Percy wasn't sure what was going on with all these pauses... "Alright. Just keep me updated. Thanks." Nico hung up his phone. He continued to walk around what small bit of floor space he could.
"Did he shoot her?" Percys voice was quiet. He couldn't figure why that would have bothered him so much after what he had done...
Nico nodded.
Percy hung his head. He still didn't understand why these guys wanted to get at him and Nico so badly. "What do they want from us?"
Nico shook his head. "From us? Nothing." He went to the fridge and grabbed some leftovers and handed them to Percy. "From me? You." Not like Percy would be able to eat anything after that... "Why, though, is what I plan on finding out."
Percy had never felt so... emotional in his life. Some of what he was feeling could be explained, like the anger and fear, but some was just another thing to confuse him. He slid so he could lean against the head board and cranked his neck back. His head landed with a soft thud but the feeling of it was pleasant... It kind of made him feel alive.
Nico turned to Percy from the sound and stared at him for a moment. His eyes were closed tightly and he looked like he was trying his hardest to calm his breathing. He swallowed often and Nico could see his Adams Apple bob as he did. Nico wondered how it would feel to run his teeth along- Jeez, those thoughts really did pop up at the worst of times. He sighed heavily and continued to pace, doing his best not to look at Percy. He stopped and flopped onto the floor, pushing himself against the wall. He laced his fingers together and placed them behind him head before closing his eyes.
Percy remembered back to when he had still been with Annabeth. He remembered that one thing he had done to relax was sit with her arms around him and his arms around her. He had done the same thing with his mom when he was young. It had always calmed him...
Percy slid from the bed and onto the floor. He crawled like a child to where Nico was sitting and pushed himself against the wall before doing the same to Nicos side. The son of Hades flinched away, being totally taken aback by the action. Percy backed off, being somewhat shocked by the whole thing himself.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."
Nico shook his head, realizing he shouldn't pass up the opportunity to have Percy so close to him. "It's fine. I said I would protect you, right?"
Percy nodded, a little confused.
"Well," Nico wasn't sure where this was going. "Right now, you need comfort more than protection." As much as he hated human contact and would usually try to avoid it at all costs, there was no way he was passing up a chance to have Percy in his amrs. The whole thing was as much for Nicos good as it was for Percys. He situated himself a little better and opened his arms. Percy hesitated before he crawled back next to the younger male and allowed himself to be held.
"I'm sorry, Percy."
Percy looked at Nico, slightly confused. "For what?"
"Getting you into all this." He shook his head. "You didn't need this. You didn't need me to interfere."
Percy pulled away from him. "What do you mean 'interfere'?"
Nico loosened his grip a little. "If I would have just left you alone-"
Percy cut him off so he didn't have the chance to finish and left his arms completely. "Left me alone in the Lotus for gods only knows how long? No thanks." He shook his head. "I'd rather be here than there."
The son of Hades looked at the other male curiously. Not too long ago, Percy was saying he had no reason to be thankful. Now he was changing his mind? Percy was more confusing than Nico remembered. But that also made him much more interesting.
As Nico got wrapped up in his thoughts about Percy, his phone went off. It dragged him from his mesmerization and brought his attention to it. He groaned to himself, wanting to know why he was always getting phone calls.
Nicos face darkened when he saw the number on the caller ID. He looked over at Percy and the son of Poseidon felt, instantly, that he knew who it was. He felt like it was the last person he and Nico wanted to be hearing from.
Nico looked back at the phone and answered the call.
'Hades.' The man laughed maniacally and Nico was reminded of the voice he heard his name in a little earlier. It was a voice that sent shivers up even his spine. It was like finger nails on a chalk board, but deep and dark. Just the sound of it seemed like it could drop a rooms temperature down ten degrees. It was the voice of Typhon. Nico couldn't understand why everyone had his phone number. But he couldn't help but be happy he had a tech savvy guy that blocked his phone from being tracked and traced.
'How've ya been?' That voice was a different one but Nico knew it belonged to the Manticore.
Nico said nothing.
'We came by to see you today, but, apparently, you didn't want to see us.'
Nico wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Percy. ~Use your phone and call Apollo. Have him trace this call.~ Percy nodded and used his own phone to call the one person they could trust. It took a few rings for him to pick up and Nico just hoped he could keep Typhon and the Manticore talking long enough for his plan to work.
Percy gave Apollo the number and he instantly started running the trace. Nico did his best to keep their two pursues talking. It wasn't that difficult but Nico did have to be very careful what he said. He couldn't mention anything about himself, Percy, a sword, or a hit. And he definitely couldn't say anything about a track and trace. He would be dead before he knew it... Along with that, he had to be sure not to upset them by saying something he shouldn't. They may be mean and ruthless hunters and killers but they still had feelings. Feelings no one wanted to mess with.
It took a few minutes but Apollo finally gave Percy an approximate location the call was coming from. He wrote the adress and handed the paper to Nico. The son of Hades' eyes squinted in curiosity when he saw it. Percy had hung up the phone already so he couldn't ask what it was about the place that had Nico acting like that, but he sure did want to find out.
Nicos own phone call ended and he tossed the device on the bed with an exasperated sigh. He was really begining to get agitated by all the 'I know where you are' and 'I will get my hands on your friend' nonsense that seemed to fill the call. He was worried, yes, but it all seemed a little too rehearsed for it to be real. There was obviously something, or some things, he didn't know. He slammed his fists onto the desk and made a few things, including Percy, jump.
Nico shook his head, a habit he had taken to when there was nothing more for him to do. He wanted to do everything in his power to keep Percy out of the whole thing but that seemed like something that wasn't going to happen. He dropped his head and glanced at the son of Poseidon who was still sitting on the floor.
"Stand up."
"What?"
Nico stretched his arm out and Percy took it, with slight hesitation, and pulled himself up. He situated his shirt before he looked at Nico.
"I'm going to teach you a few things."
Confusion overtook Percy again as he wondered what in the world Nico wanted to teach him. There was probably more important things the son of Hades could have been doing at the time. But this is what he chose? He clearly thought it was a priority...
Once Percy was standing and not looking so confused, Nico told him to stay put and he walked over to his bag. Percy watched him and was still left wondering. He pulled a knife from his bag and spun it in his fingers. He went to Percys and grabbed the blade he had gotten from Apollo before handing it to the son of Poseidon.
Percy looked at the weapon questioningly before looking back up at the son of Hades. "What are we doing?"
Nico took a breath. "If you are going to be in as much danger as you are in now for long, you'll need to know how to protect yourself properly. I would love to do it for you," that came out as a little awkward seeing as how he kind of stressed the word 'love', "but there could be a chance I won't be around when you need help. Along with that, Riptide is big. It can't always be used. Knives are easier to control and allow for closer fighting, which could come in handy. But the biggest problem with your sword is that I have a feeling people will know you by it because it already has a reputation. Since you already know to use a sword, this should be a little easier."
Nico was quite vague with his reasoning but he had never really been too good with his words...
Nico spun the knife in his hand before he slashed quickly at Percy with it. The son of Poseidon took a speedy step back.
"What the hell is your problem?"
"You need to always be ready."
Percy supressed an angry growl. Even at Camp, there had been some sort of indication that a duel was about to begin. Nico gave him none; Percy was already done with whatever this was and it hadn't even really started yet. Nico stabbed at him again and Percy put his arm to up to block the blade.
Nico shook his head. "Never use yourself as a shield. Either dodge it or use your own blade to deflect it. Never purposely risk getting cut or stabbed."
Percy pursed his lips. All of this was stuff he had learned at Camp and was really nothing new. He was slightly agitated and wanted to know who Nico thought he was to try to 'teach' Percy something. Nico lunged at Percy again and the training began.
Percy had never dueled with Nico before so the son of Hades' speed and stamina came as a shock. Percy was having a hard time keeping up. He tried to anticipate Nicos moves but he was unpredictable. He had things up his sleeve Percy didn't even know were possible. Percy was a very talented swordsman but knives were different and he hated to admit Nico was better with them than he was. More than once, Nico had Percy in positions in which both knew the son of Poseidon would have been dead. Still, Nico found it necessary to speak the word and make Percy feel inferior, which was actually a pretty hard thing to do.
Percy was officially done. He had spent almost an hour repeatedly having a knife pressed to his throat or stomach and hearing the word 'dead' spoken in dark under tones. He stepped away from the son of Hades and tossed his own knife on his bed. Without a word, he went into the bathroom.
Percy made a couple of circles on the bathroom floor with his feet before he leaned over the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't know what had changed so much about him to make him feel so much different... He felt weaker. He hated it. He turned away from the mirror and left the bathroom.
The son of Hades still had a knife in his hand and Percys was still laying on his bed. He looked at it for a second before he reached to grab it, figuring Nico wasn't done showing him all the ways he could die by one.
"No."
Percy stopped sharply and turned to look at him.
"You don't need it. Get mine from me. Without being harmed."
Percy felt a slight satisfaction. He was good with this one. Annabeth had often fought with a dagger and the two had messed around with it during their relationship. If there was one thing Percy had gotten good at during their time together, it was disarming a person with a knife.
Nico came at Percy once again and the son of Poseidons mind quickly went into demigod overdrive. The knife flying at him was pegged as a threat and his hands instantly flew up to grab onto Nicos wrist. The son of Hades' dominant hand was trapped in Percys grip so he brought the other to try and free it. Percy grabbed it, too, and used it to twist Nico around so his back was pressed to the son of Poseidons front. Percy brought the arm that wasn't holding the knife around Nicos back and held it firmly to him while both of their other hands were still gripped onto the weapon. Percy was quick to maneuver Nicos hand so the blade was tightly held in both of their hands and only a centimeter from Nicos neck.
Nico swallowed hard, pushing his Adams Apple out so it actually touched the blade. "You were supposed to disarm me, not try to kill me."
Percy smirked. "Can I have the knife, please?" His voice was not much more than a whisper.
The son of Poseidons hot breath tickled Nicos ear and sent shivers everywhere. He tensed a little as he felt a heat spread through his body. He knew it wasn't supposed to be sensual, but it sure felt like it was. Nico loosened his grip on the knife and let Percy slide it from his hand before letting him go. Nico turned to look at the son of Poseidon who was smiling widely, and chilishly, at his small victory. Nico had no idea how Percy could go from a bad ass one second to an innocent child the next. He shook his head, all of the goosebumps and butterflies fading away.
Percy had sat himself on his bed and was looking at his phone. Nico turned and headed into the bathroom in the hopes of clearing his mind before any more negative things happened, like he- Nico really needed to learn to control his mind. He splashed a little water on his face and forced himself to think of brutal and terrible things. It was an interesting way to get someone off your mind, but it worked.
Percy was laying on his bed when Nico left the bathroom. He had one foot behind the opposite knee and it was almost as if his crotch was on full view. Nico supressed a growl. He went straight for his bag instead of focusing too much on Percy.
"Get up."
Percy took a second but obeyed and looked over at the son of Hades. He was pulling a gun from his bag and all Percy could do was tense up at the sight of it. He was really done with Nico and his 'teaching'. He wanted nothing to do with guns. He had already shot one. What more could Nico want from him?
"What's this?" Percy gestured toward the fire arm.
"A gun." Nicos tone was flat, with a hint of agitation. It was almost as if his tone was saying 'duh'.
"What are you gonna do with it?"
Nico shook his head. "It's not what I'm gonna do with it that you should be curious about."
Percy raised an eyebrow.
"It's what you're going to do with it."
The son of Poseidon was quick to object. "Whatever it is, I'm not doin' it."
Nico was rather taken aback by Percys response. He didn't expect the son of Poseidon to fight against something when he didn't even know what was going on. "This is for your own good."
Percy scoffed, not seeing how that made any sense. But he said nothing more and Nico took that as an opportunity to say something.
"What I'm going to teach you first is how to conceal a gun properly." Nico turned so he was facing away from Percy and lifted his shirt up a little. He began to talk slowly about how exactly a gun should be placed so it would stay hidden. Percy didn't catch much of what he was saying, though. In all honesty, he was pretty focused on Nico himself. The guy had once been scrawny and weak looking. Now, he had visible back muscle that made it hard for Percy to turn his eyes away. Nico wasn't the little kid he had known before...
Nico turned back around and Percy was brought back to his senses. He realized he had missed everything Nico had said... And the son of Hades was now excepting him to conceal his own gun.
"Umm..."
"You weren't paying attention, were you?"
Percy didn't respond.
"Damn it, Percy! I'm trying to help you here. Pay attention."
Nico turned back around and showed Percy one more time what he had wanted him to learn.
When it was Percys turn to show if he had listened, Nico sat on his bed. He watched Percy struggle a little as he munched on day old french fries and flat soda. He fought the urge to shake his head time and time again when Percy would get the gun stuck on his belt loops. A harder urge to fight was that of stripping Percys shirt off so it wouldn't get in the way. Okay, maybe that's not why Nico wanted Percys shirt off but it was better to tell himself that than the truth.
It took Percy until about sundown to finally figure out how to properly conceal a firearm and then remove it from its hiding place without it getting caught. Nico told himself that he couldn't get close enough to Percy to be able to show him so he just watched the son of Poseidon struggle. Nico wished he would have been able to control himself so he could help but he was on edge just watching Percy.
When Nico was satisfied with Percys progress, he let the son of Poseidon rest for a few minutes and eat while he tried to figure out a way to get the next phase in Percys 'training' to go smoothly. He knew he was pushing the limit with the gun but he wasn't quite done with it yet. He watched Percy eat for a few moments. The son of Poseidon was wrapping his lips around his fingers while he softly placed small pieces of food into his mouth. Without even knowing it, Percy was driving Nico far beyond crazy.
Nico put a stop to it before it went too far.
"Alright, I wanna do a little more before it's too late."
Percy stopped the food about half an inch from his mouth, which still hung open. "You're joking."
Nico shook his head. "Up. Now." He picked the gun off the night table and released the magazine. Percy was already vigorously shaking his head.
"I am done with that gun."
Nico scoffed and smirked a little. "I hate to break it to ya, but no you're not."
Percy thought that comment was rather audacious. But, never the less, he placed the food down and stood. "What now?"
"Disarm me."
Percy made an 'Are you serious' face and Nico once again had to supress a laugh. It was odd that he came across someone who was able to show proper emotions... It was refreshing that Percy could. Nico kinda liked it. He repeated his words and held the gun up, pointing it at Percy. The son of Poseidon tensed a little but forced himself to focus. He took a breath and reached out quickly to grab onto the barrel.
"No."
He gave Nico a very angry look.
"If the gun has just been fired, the barrel will still be hot enough to burn you. Try again."
Percy removed his hand and relaxed himself. He reached out again and grabbed onto Nicos wrist. From there, though, he was pretty lost.
"Good. But you can't stop. If you're in front of the gun when you do that, you will get shot. Do it again." Nico knew the son of Poseidon was making progress but that didn't mean he couldn't be getting slightly annoyed by Percys lack of knowledge.
Percy followed Nicos order and repeated the action but moved himself to the side. He added another hand and twisted Nicos wrist enough to get him to loosen his grip on the gun so Percy could get it into his own hands. The only thing Percy didn't account for was Nico fighting back. Nico brought the base of his hand into Percys solar plexus, taking the air right out of Percys lungs. Nico approached Percy quickly and pinned him to the wall. He stared speaking while Percy still tried to catch his breath.
"Always be prepared for anything."
Nico backed away from him slightly as he still struggled to catch his breath.
"It's late. We're done for tonight." ....Either that or things would escalate too far.
Percy was overly relieved. He didn't really realize how tired he was until he thought about finally being able to stop for the day. He showered, savoring the feeling of the water, and went to bed. Neither of the boys spoke another word to one another.