Never (A Percico Fanfiction)

Fairy Tales

The next morning, Nico awoke, surprised to find himself still wrapped in Percy's embrace, the other boy soundly asleep.

"Perce?" the smaller boy shook him lightly. "Hey, Percy?"

The green eyes flicked open. "Huh?" he asked, shrouded in sleep. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Nico assured him. "Except, it's Monday, Perce. You're late for work."

"Called ahead yesterday," he mumbled, gently tugging the other closer. Nico tried to hide his wince. "Took a few days off. Not leaving you alone right now."

"Oh," the smaller said, relieved at knowing he wouldn't be by himself. "Thanks."

"Of course, Ghost King." Percy kissed his head.

"I'm sorry you have to miss work."

"Don't be. I'd much rather stay home and take care of you. Besides, it's just until you can get back on your feet."

Nico sighed. One thing he hated about Shadow Travel was that ambrosia and nectar couldn't do anything for his sapped strength. His wounds were healed in an instant, of course, but his energy would take days to return to him, little by little. He hadn't used shadow travel since the accident, and the effects of that were showing now. It took more out of him than it used to, like using a muscle he hadn't exercised in a long time.

The smaller boy, though, found himself slipping back into another sleep after only a minute or two, exhaustion overtaking him yet again.

When he woke up again, it was just after noon, and he lie alone in the bed. Faintly, he heard the sound of a vacuum cleaner running downstairs. Sitting up, Nico's head went cloudy for only a few seconds before clearing again. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing shakily. He waited for his knees to buckle, but, finding that they didn't, he made his way slowly to the bathroom, flicking on the faucet, leaning heavily on the sink, and rinsing his face.

As he freshened up, Percy entered the bedroom, and, finding that the smaller boy was no longer in bed, moved toward the bathroom.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," he smirked, wrapping his arms around Nico's waist from behind and kissing him on the head.

"Does that make you the beast?" Nico teased, brushing his teeth and letting Percy's arms support him rather than the sink.

Percy erupted into a fit of laughter, so long and so much that he had to let go of his boyfriend, who leaned again into the sink. When he straightened back up, Nico spoke again, a little too innocently.

"What?" he asked.

The larger's arms went back around his waist, as he replied, still giggling, "Wrong fairytale, babe."

Nico felt himself redden, though at the pet name or at the embarrassment, he wasn't certain. "Stupid mortal stories," he muttered. "You couldn't have referenced something Greek?"

"Nope," Percy said smiling fondly at the boy.

Nico sighed as he rinsed his toothbrush and tossed it back into the navy blue mug they used to hold them.

"What d'ya wanna do today?" he asked Percy.

"Hmm," said the other, kissing a trail down Nico's neck that sent shivers up his spine. "Well," he said between kisses, "seeing that you," kiss, "obviously," kiss, "don't know your fairytales," kiss, "nearly well enough," kiss, "I think we should do something about that," kiss. "Don't you?" he asked innocently, as the other boy whimpered quietly at his pulling away.

"Y-yeah," Nico breathed. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"What are your views on Disney Princess movie marathons?"