Waiting (a pernico fic)

Chapter 16

This chapter is dedicated to @EzraMatical because you are bae and proof someone reads my shit I luh yew and your messages are lyfe

Nico

The first thing Nico saw on his nineteenth birthday was Percy's sleeping face, highlighted by the morning light, nose to nose with his own. This made him grin and, already, this birthday was significantly better than his last one. The last one, he woke up to a foghorn blown by Hazel (who he adored, but was far too chipper in the morning) and spent the day being dragged around to shops to buy him things. Don't get him wrong, it was fun, but he wasn't with Percy for his last birthday. So, instantly better.
Speaking of, Percy opened his eyes not even a second later, and Nico was graced with Percy's full 10,000 watt smile. It made Nico's heart stutter pleasantly and Percy spoke in the raspy morning voice Nico loved, "Morning, mi angelo. Or should I say, birthday boy." The term of endearment in his mother tongue still made his stomach flip, and Percy knew this full well, which was why he used it. "Mi angelo works, tessoro," Nico said softly, his own morning voice rasping the musicality of his tongue. Percy grinned to hear him speak it and leaned forward to kiss him softly. They probably would've stayed that way, had they not remembered that their friends were anxious to see them. So begrudgingly, they left the warmth of their bed. As they dressed, Percy paused and dug through his things, producing a poorly wrapped box and handing it to Nico. "I wanted to give you my present first so you could wear it today." Nico's brows rose. "So you got me clothes? Not what I expected," Nico said playfully and tore the paper. "What'd you expect?"
"Something cheesy like a bracelet with a horrible pick up line on it."
"No, that's for Christmas," Percy said so matter-of-factly that Nico wasn't 100% sure he was kidding. Either way, he opened the box and soft black wool. A sweater? Nico pulled it out and saw the front, his confusion dropping into derision instantly as he realised what it said; '2 kawaii 2 die' with skeleton arms in the sleeves so it looked like Nico's arms were the skeleton arms and the I's in Kawaii were bones. Nico glanced over the sweater to see Percy grinning like he was trying not to laugh. "Seriously?"
"It's cute! And it'll keep you warm." Nico shot him that look of derision until Percy started pouting and he rolled his eyes as he put it on. Percy grinned wider. "It IS cute! My cute little Ghost King," Percy added before kissing Nico on his nose. "Fuck you." Percy just kissed his lips briefly, unfazed. "Love you too, mi angelo." Nico's look of derision didn't lift, even though he admitted the sweater was probably the most comfortable thing he owned.

They went out into the commons to see Annabeth waiting with Rachel, Frank, Hazel, and Piper. They seemed to be looking for the boys and Nico almost cringed when he saw they all presents. He didn't mind Percy doing it, because he was his boyfriend and even if he minded, Percy would have gotten him something anyway. The others, however, made him feel bad. Percy followed his line of sight and caught his hand, encased in a sweater paw, and dragged him over, waving them down. Annabeth saw them and waved back, smiling wide.
When they reached the group, Nico was engulfed in hugs and cries of "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" in his ear, although he couldn't make himself mind the noise. He smiled back and they all settled down at the Hades table so Nico could open his presents.
Annabeth got him the newest Mythomagic expansion pack (that he had been subtly eyeing). Rachel announced that she hadn't had time to leave camp and get him something, so she made the cake herself to make up for it. He'd sincerely thanked her (until he saw that it had Percy and Nico's 'ship logo' on it and he'd tried to look unamused). Frank had gotten him The Bigger Blacker Box of Cards Against Humanity and Nico had almost hugged him. (He had always secretly wanted to play the game with his friends and now he could.) Piper had given him an iPod that the Hephaestus cabin had fixed for him so it no longer amplified his demigod 'signal', loaded with all the bands he'd confessed he'd liked (Piper and Nico had been up late a lot on the Argo II and talked a lot, so she knew exactly what he liked). He really had hugged her this time and Piper had looked pleasantly surprised. Hazel got him a Polaroid camera with plenty of film (she knew he liked having pictures to hang up). Of course he'd hugged her, because there's probably some cosmic law that says you have to hug your sister when she gets you presents.
After the presents, Nico made them not sing and he blew out his candles. (It turned out that the frosting was gray dyed cream cheese but the cake itself was blue vanilla and he'd laughed lightly at how delighted this made Percy.) They ate and Nico donated the rest to the Hephaestus cabin for fixing his iPod. (Leo ate most of it because he was the fastest and got there first.)
Then Nico asked if everyone wanted to play a game of CAH and everyone was on board.