Never (A Percico Fanfiction)

The Note

Nico was the first to wake the next morning, warm and safe in Percy's embrace. His boyfriend slept soundly, though his arms held Nico as tightly as if he were awake. His hand was still under the smaller boy's shirt, pressed to his back. He wouldn't be able to move without waking Percy, but Nico didn't mind. He could easily lie like this all day.

After forty-five minutes or so, Percy's weight shifted beneath him. Nico turned his head toward the son of Poseidon, only to receive a passionate kiss from the still-waking-up boy beneath him. As he moved to let Percy up, the larger boy held him tighter in his arms, pulling him back into his chest.

"Not ready to let you go yet," he mumbled, hugging him closer to his body. Nico's arms found their way around Percy's abdomen, hugging him back. The two boys were liable to hold each other for quite a time longer, but after only a few minutes the doorbell rang. Percy sighed as he was forced to leave Nico's embrace, saying, "I'll get it," and pulling on his robe. Nico nodded, sitting up in the blankets.

When Percy returned to the room a few minutes later, there was a look on his face that Nico didn't like. "What is it?" he asked. A fist was balled at Percy's side. He didn't answer. "Perce?" The smaller boy climbed from the bed, moving toward his boyfriend, noticing for the first time the crumpled piece of paper in his other hand. He tried to pull it away, but Percy held to it.

"Don't," he said. "It'll upset you."

Nico looked up at him. "I have literally been through Hell and back, Percy. I'm sure it can't be that bad." He tugged the paper from Percy's grip now, though the other boy was still reluctant to let him. He unfolded the paper, peering down at it. On it, someone had scrawled:

nico di anglo is a fcking fag. he needs 2 do the world a favor n end his wrthless life.

Nico crumpled the paper, tossing it into the wastebasket near the nightstand. "I'll kill them," Percy growled, going to the other boy and wrapping his arms around him protectively.

"Hey, it's okay," Nico said. "Who gives a fuck what some random person thinks?"

Percy sighed, burying his face in the crook of Nico's neck. "You're not upset?" he said into it.

"Nah," Nico told him. "Who cares?"

"I care. Nobody gets to say that about my Nico."

My Nico.

Nico smiled, and then sighed. "It's probably just some stupid teenagers. They didn't even spell my name right."

"I just don't get it," Percy said, looking up. "I'm gay too. Hell, I'm your boyfriend! Why is it just you?"

"All about image, Jackson. It's all about the image. Yeah, you're gay. But are you a scrawny gothic target?"

"You're not a-" Percy started.

"Trust me; to them, I am."

Percy was quiet for a while. "To me, you're everything," he whispered, finally.

"I know," Nico said. "It's okay. I promise."

The green-eyed nodded. "Okay," he whispered.

Nico stood, turning to face Percy as he stretched. "Bet I can make you feel better," he said.

"How?" The son of Poseidon was suddenly curious.

"Two words," laughed the smaller. "Blue. Pancakes."

Percy squealed, jumping up. "YAY!" he dramatised, lifting the other boy and spinning him around playfully. "Are you gonna cook for me?"

The smaller boy laughed aloud. "On one condition," he said.

"Hmm?"

"You've gotta kiss the cook."

"Deal!" Percy shouted, leaning forward and pulling his boyfriend closer to him. Their mouths crashed together for a few harmonious moments that would've made Nico's knees weak, had he not still been hoisted off the ground in the other's embrace. Percy sat him back down what felt like all too soon, though, the kiss ending. Nico pulled on a pair of black flannel pajama pants, and the pair left the room.

A/N: So I thought I'd go ahead and post this bit, too, seeing as it was already written and why not? Hope you like it!

~AGreer