Never (A Percico Fanfiction)

Okay.

Nico woke hours later, late afternoon sunlight pouring in through the slanted blinds. Good. Light was good. Shadows were bad. The boy whimpered at the thought of the dark night that was to come, but relaxed a little at the thought of Percy's warm embrace, feeling it around him even as he had such thoughts.

Trying to roll over and look at his boyfriend, he winced and stopped moving. Noticing, the older boy held him at the shoulder, thumb running lightly back and forth. "Hey," he said. "Baby, take it easy. You got hurt really bad."

Nico nodded, settling back into Percy's chest. "What time is it?" he asked.

Percy thought for a moment, craning his neck to see the analog clock across the room. "Seven thirty-ish?"

"Did you really lay here with me for that long?"

"Of course. I told you I wouldn't go anywhere, didn't I?"

Nico sighed. "I'm sorry I made you stay," he mumbled.

Percy kissed the top of his head. "Don't be. I like holding you. And you look so cute when you sleep. All calm and peaceful."

Nico laughed a little, which made his whole body hurt, so he had to stop. "You watched me sleeping?"

"Well, yeah. What else was I supposed to do?"

Nico smiled.

Percy sighed, now. "Okay, Nico. You know I've gotta ask. What happened earlier? How'd you get hurt, and who am I killing for touching my Ghost King?"

Nico hid his face in Percy's shirt. "I don't— don't wanna talk about it," he said.

"I know, baby. But you have to tell me. Please?"

Nico sniffed, nodding. He pulled his face from Percy's chest, leaning against him. Percy's arms wrapped tightly around him.

"Some man. He was wearing black, with a mask on his face. He grabbed me from outside the store and threw me in with all the shadows. I could've taken him, I swear I could've. But... the shadows, Percy. The shadows. S-so many of them. I had to try so hard not t-to let them take me. I c-couldn't fight. I just couldn't."

Tears started to roll down the boy's face. Percy hugged him tighter. "Hey," he cooed. "It's okay. You're gonna be okay. You're safe with me."

Nico nodded again. Percy wiped the boy's tears. "Hey, Neeks?"

"Yeah?"

"I've gotta get up for a little bit, and I need to do it now, that way we can get you to bed early. I still need to take a shower, and maybe fix us some dinner. Do you want me to help you downstairs or do you wanna just stay up here for a while?"

"Will it be too much trouble to take me downstairs?"

"Not at all," Percy smiled, easing himself from under Nico.

Nico winced at the shift, and again as Percy began to help him to his feet. He let out a small cry as his knees buckled beneath him for the second time that day, and again Percy simply swept him from his feet.

"You okay?" he murmured, walking toward the door.

Nico nodded, and Percy peered down at him. Suddenly, he stopped walking, turning back and sitting him gently on the bed.

"What's wrong?" the smaller asked, a bit worried, sitting up some as Percy turned to face away from him, walking.

"Nothing," Percy assured him. He pulled the dresser open, taking out the pair of pajama pants he knew Nico liked best, fresh and clean as they'd just come from the laundry. "I just noticed your clothes; they're the same ones from earlier. I thought you might wanna change out of them."

"Oh," Nico said, looking down at himself for the first time since he'd gotten home. Sure enough, his clothes were ripped and even a bit bloodstained in places, marked by wounds almost entirely healed from his body, thanks to the ambrosia. "Yeah, thanks."

Percy nodded as the smaller boy began to struggle from his shirt. "Here," he told him. "Let me help you."

Before Nico could object or be embarrassed by his weakness, Percy had already undressed him completely, down to his black boxer shorts. After helping him into the flannel pants, it was agreed by some sort of unspoken mutual understanding that he would go without a shirt, to avoid the struggle of putting it on.

"Better?" Percy asked.

Nico nodded.

"Good," he said, smiling down at him. He scooped the boy up again before heading out the door and flipping the switch off. When they got downstairs, he carefully deposited his boyfriend on the couch, pulling the throw blanket from the back of it and wrapping it around him. He handed him the remote from the coffee table.

"Do you need anything before I go fix some food?"

"I'm really not hungry..." Nico told him.

Percy took his hand gently. "You've gotta eat. Something, at least. Just a little bit, so you can get stronger. I'll make you some soup or something. Sound good?"

Nico sighed. "Yeah. Okay."

Percy kissed him. "Thanks, Nico."

"I don't know how much I'll be able to eat..." he mumbled, almost apologetically.

Percy just kissed him again. "That's okay. Anything's better than nothing."

"Yeah..."

"It's gonna be okay," he said, giving his hand a squeeze before heading into the kitchen.

Nico clicked on the TV, letting his thoughts wander aimlessly. He heard Percy shuffling around in the kitchen; the metal clank of the pot on the stove, the sound of the can-opener and of running water. The boy couldn't help the small smile creeping onto his face, even after all that had happened today. Percy was still his, and that was enough. Percy was his and he was here and safe and everything was going to be okay.

So I'm almost caught up on all of my pre-written story now.  I should still be updating pretty often, though. Hope you like it!

~AGreer