When I Don't Remember You (Percico)

Chapter Sixteen: Make Me Cry

Percy Jackson

Everyone was really nice and mom's food and baking was great, but I was ready to never exist ever again by the time Annabeth left because I get that she's worried and she wants to be around to make sure that I'm okay, but I just wanted to hang out with Nico, in bed, and then go to bed.

He literally pretended to leave and shadow travelled to my room so she'd get the hint.

Luckily, it worked, but only after like another 20 minutes and noticing that I was tired and didn't have it in me to be social anymore.

Cuddling was nice and definitely put my to sleep within ten minutes.

The next day Mom let us sleep in and I realized that it was because she had work when I woke up, but I slept until almost noon somehow as Nico was up, running his fingers up and down my spine.

Which, is hindsight, probably helped me sleep.

After we had brunch, though, Nico had to run to camp to tell Chiron he was alive and that he would be gone for dinner and maybe breakfast tomorrow, so he left me alone for the afternoon and it was honestly kind of nice to just recharge and relax and lay on the couch to take a power nap.

"Hey, sweetie," Mom said as she got home from work, holding a small bag. "i brought some candy home from the shop. Paul called and said he'll be home tonight in time for dinner, but you'll be out for dinner, right?"

I nodded my head, accepting a piece of blue taffy because it's my favorite.

"Yeah, I'm going out for dinner with Nico," I reminded her as she joined me on the couch, taking a blue sucker for herself. "I don't know how long we'll be out, but I have to go back to school tomorrow so it won't be that late."

"Sounds good," Mom told me, thinking for a second. "is he staying for the night, too?"

But I shrugged.

"Depends on how late it gets to be," I answered. "And also on what Chiron says, too. He's at camp right now."

"I see," she comments before nudging a little, almost teasingly.

Like how she used to when Annabeth and I would make plans before camp officially started.

Or how she did the one time Rachel and I went out for dinner even though I told her it wasn't a date and to date, it was not a date.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" She teased, finally catching one of my relationships as an actual relationship and not just a friendship with an unrequited crush not on my part. "About you and Nico?"

And I expected.

But it doesn't make it less embarrassing.

"Mom!"

"What!?" She responded as she went to go put the rest of the candy in our candy bowl we always keep on the table. "I was wrong about Annabeth, I was wrong about Rachel, I have to be right of these times, kiddo. I know that he's over a lot because nobody else is really around, but I also see how he looks at you. He toned it down a lot when everyone was here yesterday, but I still see it."

And it was kind of mean, but I was embarrassed.

"You mean the same way you look at dad?"

If Mom was mean, I would've gotten my mouth slapped for that.

Instead, she just scoffed and threw another piece of taffy at me.

"I do not look at your father that way!" Mom corrected me, proving that she is in denial about that still.