Back to You

Percico - I Already Have

He tried to pretend that he wasn't scared by the fact that he'd been outed by Cupid. He avoided Jason at all costs: staying in Percy's cabin or up in the mast, faking that he wasn't feeling well at mealtimes and keeping his head down. The only thing that kept him calm was the rocking of the Argo II and Hazel. 

When Percy and Annabeth got back from Tartarus, Nico spent all his time up in the mast. Annabeth confronted him about it, and he told her that he could think better in the mast. Annabeth left him alone after that. Percy talked to him. "I'm just tired, Percy." Nico looked tired, which helped convince Percy. Jason looked alarmed when he heard Nico's conversation with Percy.

Percy went to talk to Annabeth and Jason pulled Nico aside. "You are not tired, Nico. Now, tell me what's wrong." He was shocked by the force in Jason's voice . He tried to say that he was honestly tired, but Jason wasn't listening. "If you were really just tired, you could've crashed on the cot in my room. You don't have to sleep in the mast." Nico stopped trying to convince Jason.

The black aviator jacket that he always wore slid off his shoulders to the ground, revealing angry red lines and faded white scars. Some of the lines led up to his neck. Not wanting to see Jason's face, Nico kept his eyes on his black Converse. "I am just tired. Tired of everything. Of life. I wasn't lying. Sorry. I didn't want to bother you with my problems." He picked up his jacket and and pulled it back on. Leaving, he climbed up to the mast. 

In silence, he thought about the last month. Getting out of the bronze jar, losing Percy to Tartarus, Jason finding out about his crush, almost losing Hazel twice, getting turned into a corn plant, nearly killing Reyna, Hedge, and himself in a volcano, and telling Percy about his crush on him. Annabeth had been fine with it, but he wasn't sure about Percy.

Nico decided that thinking was bad for him. He kept thinking about things in the past that he shouldn't have been. Like Bianca. And Minos. Reaching in the shadows, he pulled his Stygian Iron sword out and began sharpening it. Nico also thought about disappearing for a few days. "I should. It'd be good for me." 

He shouldered his backpack, sheathed his sword, and disappeared into the shadows. He reappeared somewhere in New York City. Thinking about where Sally, Percy's mother, lived, he shadow-travelled there. He stood in front of the door, wondering whether he should knock. But he didn't have to because Sally opened it, smiling.

"Nico! What're you doing here? Is Percy okay?" Her pleasant tone quickly turned to worry. A slight smile crossed his face as he replied. "I thought I might stop by for a visit. If that's alright, that is.Percy's fine. He's still on the Argo II, right now." The harassed look on Sally's face disappeared as she relaxed. "Come on in, Nico. You're always welcome here." Another smile.

Entering the apartment, Nico softened. Sally and Paul felt like parents to him, far more than Hades ever acted like a father. "Hi, Paul." His voice was barely above a whisper. Paul turned in his chair. "Nico! How've you been?" A large grin was on his face as he spoke. Nico smiled again. "I've been okay. What about you?" Paul laughed. "Only okay? Missing Percy, like usual."

He nodded. He knew what missing Percy was like. Nico's smile lessened as he thought more. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he sat down beside Paul.  "Is there something wrong?" The same worry that was in Sally's voice crept into Paul's. "No. I'm great." Paul just looked at him. To Nico's surprise, his eyes filled with tears. "I'm okay. Things are a little rough right now. But I'm dealing." Paul didn't believe him.

"How so? How are you dealing with it?" Paul's voice got quiet and sad. It seemed like Paul knew what he was about to show him. He hung his head. His aviator jacket slid to the couch. Paul sucked in a deep breath. Sally walked in at that moment with a tray of blue cookies and lemonade. One of the three glasses fell to the floor and shattered.