Never (A Percico Fanfiction)

Don't Go

Percy exited the café a few minutes after Nico had, looking left and right for his dark-eyed lover. Seeing him nowhere, the sea child began to panic, running up the street.

"Nico?" he called, passing an alley. He stopped dead in his tracks at the hardly audible whimper that rose from within the shadows; the whimper he knew all too well, from holding the other boy through so many nightmares. He dashed into the alley, terrified of what the shadow could mean for his boyfriend.

Nico lay curled on his side, half-conscious, bloodied and beaten in the shadows.

"Nico!" Percy exclaimed. He ran to the boy, propping his head in his lap. His breathing was shallow.

"Percy?" he mumbled weakly. The larger took his hand, eyes welling with tears.

"It's me. I'm here. You're gonna be okay."

"D-don't let them take me. Shadows. Don't w-wanna go b-back."

"You're not going anywhere," Percy promised, squeezing his hand. Examining him, he realized with a jolt  that Nico was hurt badly. He thought of the ambrosia in their kitchen cabinet at home, wishing he had some now to save his boyfriend's life. He realized, in that moment, that there would be only one way to save him in time.

"Neeks, I need you to do something for me."

Nico's head tilted back in his lap, the boy peering up at him.

"I-I need you to shadow travel us back home."

"I c-can't," Nico shook with terror. "What if I can't g-get out?"

"You'll get out, Ghost King." Percy rubbed circles on the back of Nico's hand. "And I'll be right there with you." He hated himself for asking Nico to ever go back into the shadows, but there was no other option. Nico gave him the slightest nod.

"Take a deep breath."

Nico did.

"Squeeze my hand if you get scared."

Nico squeezed it weakly.

"I love you," Percy whispered.

"I... Love you, too."

And, with that, they were plunging into the shadows, blackness blanketing them in cold rather than warmth. Percy held tighter to Nico as they came through the realm of the shadows. Partly because he was afraid, partly because Nico was afraid, and partly because he just didn't want him slipping away.

He was just beginning to think how wonderfully brave and strong his boyfriend was, as they made it nearly all the way through, when he felt them start to slip. He squeezed the younger boy's hand.

"C'mon, Neeks. Just a little bit further. You can do it."

Bringing the back of Nico's hand to his lips, he pressed them to it. This seemed to snap the fading boy out of it, for long enough, at least, that he could finish fighting their way through.

Percy heaved a sigh of relief when he opened his eyes to find them sitting in the floor of their kitchen. The smaller boy trembled in his lap, spent and terrified, all traces of consciousness gone from his body.

Percy lifted him promptly, lying him gently on the couch in the living room. The boy whimpered audibly at the loss of Percy's touch, as the larger ran back into the kitchen, smacking his way through cabinets until he found the squares of ambrosia he was looking for.

He snatched the bag and hurried back to Nico, taking the boy's hand again and feeding him a square of the food. He watched as the pain visibly melted away from Nico's face, the cuts and bruises beginning to heal instantly.

He continued to hold Nico's hand for time without count, until his dark eyes finally fluttered open.

"P-Percy?" he mumbled, voice shaking with fear. Percy squeezed his hand.

"Hey, Ghost King," he cooed. "You did it. You did so good."

The smaller boy was trembling harder now.

"Please don't let them take me. It's s-so cold..."

Gently, Percy lifted Nico partially off of the couch, just enough that he could slide in under him, arms around the boy's tiny figure. "You're not going anywhere," he promised, kissing his head. "You're gonna stay right here with me. Forever and always. Sound good?"

"Yes, please." He cuddled into the other's chest, taking in his warmth. While the trembling didn't dissipate wholly, Percy was glad to feel it lessen quite a bit as the younger boy curled into him.

"How do you feel?" he asked him.

"Like I could sleep forever."

"Hmm, well, why don't we let you try?" Percy asked, standing. He went to help Nico walk toward the bedroom, only to scoop him up bridal-style when the weak boy's legs buckled. His head leaned into the larger's chest.

When he felt himself being lowered into the bed and tucked in, Nico couldn't help but ask, "S-stay with me?"

"Of course," the other said, climbing in with him. Percy pulled him close, wrapping the blankets tightly around his shaking boyfriend. Tying his arms around the smaller boy, he pulled his head into his chest as he kissed the top of it. "It's okay. You're safe now. I've got you," he murmured.

"Don't let go," Nico managed, drifting into sleep.

"Never," Percy told him, even though he couldn't hear.

A fluffy chapter to make up for yesterday. Forgive me? Yeah? No? Didn't think so. *Sigh* Oh, well.

~AGreer