Never (A Percico Fanfiction)

Errands

The next morning, Hazel and Frank were awake and ready to leave before breakfast. Percy caught them on their way out.

"Leaving?" Percy asked them.

"Yeah; we've got Christmas shopping to do." Frank said.

"Is Nico still asleep?" Hazel asked, taking two apples from the basket on the counter and handing one to Frank.

"Yeah," Percy scratched the back of his head, glancing up the stairs at his back. "He's slept a lot more since, well, you know. Like some part of him is still trying to heal." The room was quiet for a moment. "You guys want some coffee or something before you go? Cocoa?"

"No, thanks," Hazel said. "We've gotta get going."

"Okay," Percy said. "Be careful; I think it's supposed to snow."

"We will," Frank told him, helping Hazel into her coat before shrugging on his own.

"We'll be back in time for dinner," Hazel said.

They left, and Percy locked the door behind them, waving through the window.

When they were out of sight, Percy tiptoed back into the bedroom where Nico still slept, fishing a drachma from his dresser drawer and making his way into the kitchen again, going to the sprayer at the sink and setting up his Iris message.

When Iris showed him who he'd asked for, a grin crossed his face.

"Hecate," he smiled as she spun around to face whatever water source it was his face had appeared in. "I need a favor."

Nico woke to Percy standing in front of the mirror in their room, pulling on a long-sleeved flannel shirt. Creeping out of the bed, Nico hugged his boyfriend from behind, resting his head on the other boy's back. Percy smiled at the smaller boy in the mirror.

"What's up?" Nico yawned.

Percy turned toward the other boy, leaning down to peck his lips.

"Gotta run an errand," he said. "Hazel and Frank are gone for the day. Will you be okay for a few hours while I'm gone?"

Nico nodded. "What kinda errand?"

Percy sat down at the foot of the bed to put on his socks and then pulled the smaller boy to sit in his lap.

"Can't tell you that," he said with a mischievous grin, pecking Nico on his cheek.

Nico rolled his eyes and settled into Percy, who put his arms around him.

"Do you have to go right now?" he asked.

Percy checked his watch and sighed. He kissed the smaller boy's neck and hugged him tightly before he mumbled, "Yeah."

Nico pouted, but stood up all the same, stretching.

"Sorry, Neeks," Percy said, starting downstairs. Nico followed close behind.

Percy shrugged into his coat and slipped into a pair of shoes at the front door, turning to the smaller boy, who tugged up the zipper on his coat and wrapped a scarf round his neck before using it to pull him down for a kiss.

"Be safe, Fishface," he said. "It's cold out there."

"Always," Percy told him. "See you soon, Ghost King."

He opened the door, letting in a breeze that made Nico shiver. Nico stood in the open doorway, watching his boyfriend walk down the drive. Percy turned around as he reached the car, and shouted, in an afterthought, "I love you, Neeks!"

"Love you, too," Nico called out to him, smiling, and then watched as Percy drove away before closing the door against the chilly day.

You guys! As I'm posting this, Never has exactly 999 reads. In other words, WE HIT 1K! Thank you all so much! I love all thousand of you. How long do you think it'll be before we hit 1.5K? Let's not make it too long!

Thanks again!

~@AGreer