Take Me Back (Percico) {Collab}

Chapter 8

Song: Hometown by Twenty Øne Piløts

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Nico's POV

Kara was watching us with her indescribably incredible eyes when I awoke. Percy slept on, a peaceful expression on his face. He was curled into my side, making me feel warm inside and out.

"Good morning," Kara greeted; her voice lacking its usual energy.

I yawned, concluding that she was probably just tired. "'Morning, Kara."

"Did Percy fall asleep like that?" She nudged her chin at us.

A treacherous blush crept into my cheeks. "No-o," I said uncertainly, hesitant to go into detail.

Kara looked away and tugged at the grass. "Maybe you should wake him up. If we want to leave we should probably do it soon, before you become too attached to this world."

I looked down at Percy's sleeping form, and watched the trees' shifting shadows slide across his face in wavering stripes. I thought about all he'd been through. Wondered about how, after all this time, he could still manage to smile my heart in a melting puddle on the ground. Considered that even when he went to hell and back he always had Annabeth Chase with him. Maybe she was why he could still smile at all.

For a fleeting, foolish moment I didn't want to wake him. I could feel Kara's eyes on me — I shifted his head off of my side and took him by the shoulders, giving them the gentlest of shakes. I could feel the muscles shifting on his shoulders. "Percy. Wake up."

Percy shifted a little, and turned his head. He kept kept sleeping.

"Percy," I prompted, a little louder that time.

No response.

Hmm... "Blue pancakes!" I announced loudly. Kara gave me a quizzical look.

Percy's eyelids fluttered. And then opened completely. "Blue pancakes?" He pushed himself up, yawning hugely. "I swear I heard someone say blue pancakes."

Gods. Percy had the sexiest morning voice ever.

"Nico said 'blue pancakes'," Kara explained. "I have no idea why, though? Pan-cake?"

"Blue pancakes for the win, Kara." Percy shook his head, rubbing sleep form his eyes. "Seriously. You should know this stuff!"

"Well, I'm sorry. It's hardly my fault I that I don't know what they are! I wasn't even alive! Although I'd really like to try them, come to think of it..."

"You have to!" Percy grinned excitedly. "The first thing we'll do when we get back is visit my mom and have a blue pancake party!"

"Yay!" Kara laughed, and I couldn't help but laugh along with her, because Percy equals absolute adorableness. How could he keep that innocence, even in a gods forsaken place like this?

I sighed. Kara made a face at Percy, who responded by sticking his tongue out at her. A goofy — hot — smile danced across his face.

I want to freeze this moment in time. Just capture it, and never let it go. Like a photograph.

Kara turned to me, and then back to Percy. Her smile vanished instantly. "Percy! Oh my gods! Are you alright?!"

I realized with sudden horror Percy's skin had a yellowish tinge, and he was taking shallow breathes.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm ah- okay. I'm okay." It sounded as if he was trying to convince himself. I squatted next to him, and felt his forehead worriedly. It was an impossible temperature.