"Come on, Percy! I thought that you said that you wanted to take me out, not the other way around," Nico said, tapping his foot impatiently and standing at the door. He was waiting for his boyfriend, Percy, to get changed-which, apparently, took a long time.
"Just-Just a minute, Nico!" Percy called back from their bedroom, hoping that he didn't sound nervous; although he was sure that he did. He was taking Nico out to some fancy restaurant that night for their three-year anniversary, and he was taking deep breaths as he pulled on his suit jacket, checking the breast pocket to make sure he didn't forget the little velvet box. It was there, thank the gods. Percy didn't know what he'd do if he forgot it.
Nico rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. It wasn't as if he didn't mind waiting for his boyfriend-he didn't mind at all, if he was being completely honest-; it was just that Percy usually never took this long. However, it only took another minute for Percy to come out of their room, wearing a fancy-looking charcoal gray suit.
Nico tried to keep his mouth shut, but failed miserably. "P-Percy," he stammered. "I-You-Wow."
His boyfriend smirked. "Like what you see?" he teased, striking an over-the-top model pose, one hand on his hip and one behind his head.
Nico shook his head fondly. "You are way too full of yourself for your own good," he remarked, deadpan.
Percy laughed, continuing to make his way over to Nico. He draped an arm around the son of Hades' shoulders and said, "I love you, y'know."
Nico felt his cheeks take on a pinker tinge. "I love you, too. Now let's go; we've taken long enough already."
Percy nodded, letting his arm slip down Nico's arm until they were hand in hand.
+ + +
They flagged down a taxi pretty easily, considering the fact that it was a Saturday night and they lived in New York City.
The restaurant that Percy'd picked-a fancy sort of grill-type place-was, as expected, packed; it was a good thing that Percy had thought to make reservations a couple days ago. He wanted everything to be perfect, to the point of which that Nico would have absolutely no chance of even considering saying no.
Nico and Percy made their way to their seats-a table for two, right beside the window overlooking the street. Their waiter came with a basket of bread and left with their orders, and Percy could feel his stomach go in knots. It wasn't in a bad way, of course; he was just nervous.
He waited until they were finished their meals and waiting on their waiter to bring the bill.
"Hey, Nico?" he asked.
Nico raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?" he replied, confused; Percy had seemed fine to him earlier, but now he was acting really strangely.
Percy, whose hands were under the table, inconspicuously moved his right hand to the pocket of his suit jacket and took out the velvet box. "I, um, I just... well, we've been dating for a while now, and I..." Taking a deep breath, Percy got up, walking over to where Nico sat and getting down on one knee.
Nico's mouth dropped open slightly. "P-P-Percy?" he stammered.
Percy gave Nico a small smile and flipped the box open, revealing a ring.
"You wear your dad's skull ring on your right hand," Percy began, "and I was thinking that... maybe I could have the left?" He spoke with slight trepidation.
Nico was speechless. "P-Percy," he said again, completely taken aback. "I..."
Percy gave Nico an encouraging smile, still on one knee. "I'm not going to force you into this. I mean, I just thought that maybe-"
"Yes," Nico breathed. "Gods, yes, of course!"
Percy grinned and stood up, biting his lip, not making eye contact. He gently took Nico's left hand in his own and slid the ring onto his third finger. It was simple, as engagement rings go: black metal, with a sea-green gemstone set in the middle.
The ring was on, but Percy still held Nico's hand. He glanced up to see Nico's reaction, and grinned. Nico had on an expression that was a cross between awestruck, delighted, and ecstatic.
"I..." Nico shook his head slightly and broke out into a grin, letting out small puffs of laughter. "Percy." He stood up and wrapped his arms tightly around Percy's torso.
Percy's grin turned sappy. "Nico," he responded, hugging his boyfriend-fiancé-back.
When Percy and Nico separated, they realized that the entire restaurant was clapping for them. Percy took a deep, overdramatic bow, holding a blushing Nico's hand whilst doing so.
Nico rolled his eyes, but was still grinning, at Percy's strangeness.
As Percy straightened up, the applause died out and they both sat back down.
"I love you," said Nico.
Percy smiled and replied immediately. "I love you, too, babe."
At that Nico wrinkled his nose up. "Ew. Don't call me babe. Just-ugh, no."
Percy smirked. "Then what do I call you?"
Nico pretended to think for a minute, a finger tapping his chin in mock thought. "Mm... you can call me Nico."
Percy laughed, reaching across the table to take hold of Nico's hand. "But I like babe," he reasoned.
Nico rolled his eyes. "You're impossible," he stated, but the sparkle in his eyes told him that he was only joking.
Percy smirked again. "You're adorable," he countered, making Nico's cheeks turn a light shade of pink.
They stayed like that until their waiter returned, smiling at the two of them as if he knew, and handed them their bill after a warm, "Congratulations, you guys!"
Percy paid-though not without objections from Nico, though Percy's puppy dog eyes got the best of him and he relented-and he and Nico left the restaurant, hand in hand.
Neither of them noticed the faint pink glow surrounding them, or the fact that they weren't bothered in the slightest way by monsters. They continued onwards toward their shared apartment.
When they arrived, they were surprised to see that the door was unlocked. Exchanging a worried glance, they both drew their swords and quietly crept into their apartment, looking around the dark room for signs of movement.
What they ended up finding was a goddess-Aphrodite, to be precise.
"Hello, boys," she greeted, smiling at the two of them. Percy sighed and capped Riptide, while Nico sheathed his Stygian iron sword in the scabbard at his hip.
Nico was first to kneel, followed closely by Percy. "Lady Aphrodite," he said by way of introduction, "what brings you here?"
"Oh," the goddess said, "I just wanted to congratulate my favorite couple." There were no traces of sarcasm in her tone; just adoration.
"We're honored," Percy said sincerely.
Aphrodite beamed. "You don't have to bow; I'm here to honor your relationship. Please, stand up."
They complied, and Percy noticed that Aphrodite looked a lot like Nico, with her black hair and pale olive skin and chocolate brown eyes. He wondered what Nico saw.
The Olympian continued, "I'm sure that you know this, but I enjoy observing true love." She gestured to the two of them with her hands. "And you two are a perfect example of that."
"Thank you," Percy and Nico said at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned, Aphrodite beaming at them.
"Now, when I started you out on your love journey," she continued, addressing only Percy now, "I never thought that you'd end up with Nico. But now... Well, now I realize that sometimes the truest love goes unplanned, and I don't regret a single thing."
Percy glanced over at Nico, taking his hand and lacing his fingers together with his fiancé's. "So... well, congratulations!" Aphrodite finished, clasping her hands underneath her chin and disappearing in a puff of pink smoke.
Neither boy spoke for a moment or two after the goddess had disappeared. They exchanged a glance, and after a minute or so, Percy said, "Well, that was nice of her, to show up here and congratulate us herself."
Nico chuckled softly-the afterglow of Percy's proposal hadn't worn off quite yet. "Yeah," he agreed, giving Percy's hand a soft squeeze. "I... It was."
There was another comfortable moment of relative silence between them.
"Well, I think that I want to go change out of this stuffy suit right now," Percy announced, albeit loudly.
Nico smiled. "Same goes for me," he said, and he began walking-still holding Percy's hand-towards their bedroom to do so.
After changing, they both came out together, still grinning stupidly at the other. They made their way over to the couch, where they both sat down. Nico curled up against Percy's side, his head resting in the crook of Percy's shoulder.
"You know," Percy told Nico, who promptly sat up, looking at him expectantly, "I'd never been more nervous before today. I don't know if you noticed, but my hands were shaking and everything."
Nico blinked, then smiled warmly. "If you didn't notice, I was shaking, too. The way that you played it out-I kind of thought that you were breaking it off with me."
Percy raised an eyebrow, then pulled Nico into a tight embrace. "Nico," Percy breathed. He shook his head, his chin occasionally bumping against Nico's shoulder. "I-I'd never do that. Never. I..." Percy drew back now, holding Nico's shoulders gently, looking his fiancé in the eye. "I've never been good with words, but... I don't know what I'd do without you. You're my everything, Nico. I love you."
The son of Hades' lips tilted up into a smile for what seemed like the thousandth time that night-of course, not that Percy was complaining; Nico's smile was truly beautiful-and he hugged Percy again. "You... I..." He took a shaky breath before continuing. "You're everything to me, too. I... I don't know how to explain it-you're..." He trailed off, searching for the right words. Shaking his head, he said, "There aren't words for how I feel about you. Not strong enough ones, anyways."
Percy was speechless. "I-N-Nico..."
Nico drew back from their embrace and kissed Percy, slow and sweet.
"Gods," Percy murmured after they'd separated. "We're a mess right now, aren't we?"
Nico rolled his eyes but said nothing, nestling back against Percy's side. Percy circled an arm around him, resting the side of his own head atop Nico's.
This was how they were, and this was how they'd always be. They needed each other the way that one would need their sword whilst sparring; without it-or in their case, the other-, they would be rendered useless. And, as cliché as that sounded, it was the truth.
