From Now On (Percico)

Chapter 4

sorry I haven't updated... if anyone cared... school is a struggle /:

chapter 4 yayyyyyy.

I really want some percico action. but I don't want it to seem like it's happening too fast. but. WHATEVER. I need it to happen or I will die. :3 haha actually no but. really. I want it omg ;D

sorry. I'm a weird person •~•

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Nico's POV:

It hurt seeing Percy leave with Annabeth. But I couldn't blame him. She was his girlfriend. I was just someone staying in his cabin and taking up space.

I rolled over and laid on my back, staring at the ceiling.

I jumped up, startled, when the door open. I relaxed a bit when I saw that it was just Percy. Just a bit, though. "Hey," he said, smiling sadly.

"Hi." I pulled the blanket up to my chin. "Are you okay?"

Putting a hand to a slightly red cheek, he said, "I guess. Annabeth and I... we broke up."

I turned to look at him, slightly shocked. "What? Why?" I asked, then quickly added, "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, its okay." He sat at the end of the bed. "She asked if something was wrong... and I told her that I wasn't in love with her anymore... that I loved her like a sister. I hadn't told her earlier out of fear of hurting her, because I knew she was still in love with me." He ran a hand through his hair. "And here I am ranting to you about my problems."

"It's better to let it out than to hold it all in." I looked away from him. They had broken up? He didn't love her? Every word he had said had made my heart beat faster with hope, but I mentally slapped myself for thinking that way.

Percy nodded thoughtfully, chewing on his lip. I watched him for a moment before looking away, not wanting to be caught staring.

"It's dinner time, if you'd like to come," he told me.

"No, I'm okay. I don't want to see anyone."

"I can bring my food back here to eat with you if you'd like," he offered.

"You don't have to..." I trailed off.

He chuckled and stood up. "I'll be right back." He disappeared out the door.

When he left, I sat up on the bed, crossing my legs beneath me. I leaned my elbows on my knees, alone with my mind. As cliché as it sounds, I couldn't stop thinking about Percy. I will myself to stop, he would never feel the way that I did. But a small piece of my mind had ignited with hope because he and Annabeth and broken up, no matter how horrible that sounds.

I thought about it for a little longer until the door to the cabin opened again.

Percy walked in and smiled at me. I gave him a slight smile back and he took a seat next to me.

"I got you some if you want it," he said sheepishly, handing me a plate.

I took it and put it on my lap, picking at the food without an appetite. I could feel his eyes on me, so I took a small bite, not wanting to upset him.

"Do you eat often?" he asked.

I stared at the plate. "Not really," I said honestly.

"Do you just...decide not to?"

"Kind of..."

I felt the heat of his gaze leave my face, and I turned to look at him. His dark hair framed his face, slightly longer than when I'd last seen him at the end of the war. His sea-green eyes were fixed on his plate, and he chewed slowly on a piece of lettuce, seemingly deep in thought.

My face flushed slightly when I realized that he might have been thinking about what I had said. I silently cursed myself for drawing anymore attention to myself.

He stood up abruptly, looking down at me. "Want to spar?"

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Percy's POV:

"Uhm, sure..." Nico replied. "But not where other people are around..."

I wasn't sure why I'd suggested it, but I needed to get my mind off of... everything.

"We can go to the woods."

"Okay..." he paused and grimaced. "But I don't have my sword."

"Where is it?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, just stood up. He turned to look at me. "Where I was staying before my father... intervened."

"Oh."

He just nodded.

"If you ever wanted to go get it, I'd be happy to go with you."

"Okay." He gave me a slight smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

And the fluttering in my stomach returned. I turned away quickly. "I'll go get you a sword. Stay here." I ran out the door.

When I got there, I quickly grabbed a leather-hilted one and left before anyone saw me.

I took a deep breath and opened the cabin door. Nico sat on the bed, fiddling with his hands. He looked up when I entered and stood.

Handing him the blade, I put my hand in my pocket, clutching the familiar ballpoint pen.

"Ready?" I asked. He nodded, slowly meeting my gaze. I turned and walked out, quickly heading in the direction of the forest. I glanced over my shoulder to check if he was following, and he smiled. "I'm here," he assured.

I smiled back at him. "Just checking."

Once we made it to the trees, I went in deeper until I found a big enough clearing, then turned to face Nico.

His eyes met mine and his gaze hardened as he raised his sword. I uncapped Riptide, holding it in front of me.

He slowly circled me, looking for an opening. I kept my body turned towards him, never letting him out of my sight.

He suddenly lunged, and I held up my blade to block it. I quickly reciprocated, swinging the sword at his knees.

He seemed to sense the move before I made it, and jumped over the blade. While in the air, he sliced downward, and I barely blocked it in time.

He jerked forward, and I held up the sword in anticipation. The blow never came, but he attacked on the opposite side. I whipped my blade around to stop his advance, then watched his eyes narrow as he came up with a plan. I attempted to attack him, but he side-stepped the blade and stepped closer. He jabbed at me, and I caught the sword just in time. While our swords were pressed against each other, his blade slid up to my hilt and before I really realized what had happened my sword was clattering to the ground, my back to a tree and the point of his sword against my neck.

His chest was rising and falling quickly, sucking in short spurts of air as he tried to catch his breath. Only then did I realize how close we were. If I just leaned in slightly, my lips would be on his. I tried to dismiss the thought, but found my eyes darting to his parted pink lips. It all happened so quickly that I wasn't sure what had really transpired. All I was aware of was his lips crashing against mine, pressing me back against the tree.

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I couldn't resist. I just couldn't xD sorry, by the way, for the crappy fighting. I can't write scenes with people sword fighting. like, at all. it just doesn't work. but oh well. so. anywhore. i wanna see who's actually reading this. so. maybe drop a comment saying that my story isn't unbearably awful? thanks if you have on my previous chapters :) so yeah. or I feel bad asking for votes... but maybe vote? ;)

~carolineeee.-.