Sea Green (Merman Percico)

Chapter Five

Nico's POV

Panic spiked through Nico in a ragged breath. Water was everywhere, splashed on the floor all around the tub. A trail of small puddles that later turned into footprints led out into the carpet of his bedroom. He was about to say something out loud in shock when his closet door opened. Percy peaked his head around the door and grinned at him. Surprise and relief flooded Nico so fast that it nearly knocked the early morning pee right out of him.

"Your mother came in here not too long ago," Percy said, his voice in a soft tone. "I thought I should hide."

Nico could only stare at the boy, now standing- standing- in his room. He only looked away once Percy stepped out in the open to show he has yet to put on clothes. Nico swallowed down the heat rising in his face as he looked at the floor to the right of him. "How?"

Nico could practically hear the grin in Percy's voice as he explained. "I wanted to walk. I hate that bathtub, and my dad said since I'm here, I could change as long as I'm careful." When Nico didn't reply straight away, Percy continued on. "I've heard of merpeople changing their tails into legs before, my best friend Grover does it all the time to explore little islands on trips all the time. But my parents are a little on the protective side, and I've never had the opportunity to try it out."

Nico bit his tongue before saying, "would you like some clothes?" Maybe it was slightly rude, but Nico couldn't focus on anything else except Percy's naked body in the middle of his bedroom. The guy didn't seem to realize he naked at all. Like it didn't bother him to be completely exposed to another person. But it did bother Nico. Of course, under different circumstances, Nico would happily gaze at the other male. He was beautiful, and sinfully pleasing in more ways than one.

Nico squeezed the thoughts out of his head.

"Um, yes please." Percy said, biting his inner lip like he just now remembered he was naked. Nico quickly walked around him to the closet and picked out loose-fitted boxers, shirt and shorts. As he did so, he tried his best to make it painfully obvious he wasn't looking at Percy's nakedness. "See? I'm not looking! I'm totally not looking at your toned, tan body and proudly showcased parts!"

"Here," Nico handed Percy the clothes, keeping his eyes above the shoulders as he looked at him. 'He's taller,' Nico thought. Percy had at least three inches on him. And for the first time, Percy's hair was completely dry. It looked disheveled, a black, soft mess on his head. Nico exhaled a little too sharply. The messy look on hot guys has always been Nico's weakness. Percy offered a small smile in thanks, his green eyes shone with leashed excitement.

"You can change in the closet if you like," Nico said after a moment to collect himself. He quickly grabbed a shirt and shorts from a rack in his closet. "I need to mop up the bathroom." Percy's expression changed as he remembered the mess he'd made. "Oh I'm sorry about that. I'll clean it-"

"No no, it's fine. I got it." Nico moved quickly into the bathroom and closed the door. In the first time in days, Nico was able to use his own bathroom privately again. He dried up the water Percy left on the floor and freshened himself up with clean clothes and brushed teeth.

Percy was sitting off the end of Nico's unmade bed when he came back out. Surprisingly, Nico's clothes fit him well. With the rock band t-shirt and tan shorts, he looked almost like an ordinary teenage boy. But Nico could still see the mermaid-ness of him. The majestic sea-green eyes and perfect posture, the way his legs didn't just dangle off the bed, the aura around him that radiated confidence and power. The boy was just unworldly, and Nico's stomach butterflies were living for it.

"So, what's for breakfast?" Percy asked after an awkward moment of Nico just staring at him. Nico folded his arms self-consciously, "well, my family is downstairs, and they don't know you're here so you can't just walk out of my bedroom." Percy's shoulders slouched just slightly, "oh"