101 (Percico/Pernico)

---Chapter Fifteen---

"Percy what are you talking about?" Annabeth asked concernedly. "Leave the Vault? It's all you've ever known! You've been out in the Wasteland for five days, and you want to leave?"

"Annabeth, I'm sorry," Percy said. "I know I'm being selfish. It's just so... suffocating in here. I feel as if I can't breathe at times. I love all of you, don't get me wrong. Living here is just not the same anymore. I feel trapped, Annabeth. I can't..."

She hugged him quickly. "It's okay. I don't understand how you feel, but I can learn."

"You've always been good at that," Percy joked.

The blonde girl smiled. "Yeah. Are you sure about this? I mean, there's always space for you if you wish to return, and I don't advise you going outside on your own again, but... If you feel unhappy here, you should chase what makes you happy."

"Ha, Chase," Percy laughed.

"Yeah, I know." She shook her head adoringly.

"Thanks, Annabeth." He pulled away from the hug. "I'll never forget any of you. I should say my goodbyes and leave, then. Nico's waiting for me. He told me he always would be."

She smiled. "I want to meet this Nico someday."

"I'm sorry I didn't get to introduce you," he apologized. "Burke seemed in a hurry to leave."

"Who's that?"

"His Commander."

"Ah."

He gave her one last hug before venturing down to his quarters, where his mom was sitting on the couch, reading a book. He explained the story to her and gave her a hug as she tried not to cry. Her baby boy was leaving for good this time. He promised he would come back and visit her as much as he was allowed. She accepted, but not before she gave him a broken watch.

"It belonged to your father," she told him, placing the cold metal in his hand and closing his fingers around it. "He would've wanted you to have it."

"I don't want to leave you, Mom. It's just..."

"You want to be happy. I can accept that. Maybe I could leave and find a job somewhere out there, too, one day. The Jackson family was never meant to stay in one place. We always were meant to wander."

Percy nodded. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, sweetie."

They embraced once again, a longer one this time. She held his lean figure in her arms and somewhat cradled him. They rocked back and forth as the both of them tried not to cry.

He drew away, departing to his room to gather his essentials: a baseball bat (he smiled at the memory of Nico trying to explain baseball to the swatter guy, and all of them thinking he was crazy), some water, some stimpaks and Radaway from the first-aid kit that hung above his desk, some extra food, and, for old times sake, the teddy bear that sat on his bed. He hugged it before setting it in his bag. Then, with the bag over his shoulder, he was off to say goodbye to the rest of his friends, who he would miss dearly.

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Nico wiped the sweat off his brow with a gloved hand. He raised the gun back up and shot at the target, the rapid fire sending his shoulder back a bit. However, when he looked up at his progress, a slight, pleased smile graced his lips. All but one hit the target. Content with his practice, he decided it was time to return downstairs and take a break.

As he sat on his newly issued bed, his mind returned to Percy. He felt embarrassed that he tried to kiss him when he obviously did not share the same feelings. Why would he? He only knew him for about five days. It did not really matter, anyway. He knew that Percy was going to stay in his vault. He was going to have kids and raise them and forget all about him.

This feeling in his chest would not disappear. It remained since he left Percy in his vault with an empty promise about waiting for him. He knew he would never see him again.

He was not going to try to move on; it was too soon for that. Maybe one day, while on a mission or anything else, he would find an attractive man and they would be happy together. They would kiss and hold each other and stay with each other until their worlds ended. It seemed so far away. He missed Percy, but he was several worlds away from him now. He was in the domestic life of Vault 101 while he pursued Super Mutants in the Wasteland. He missed him, and he told him he'd wait for him, but he knew he would have to let go eventually. The thought was painful to think about.

He took a gulp of water and walked upstairs to the Citadel Courtyard to continue his training. It was the only thing that could keep his mind off of him, anyway.

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He pushed the faded, red door open, the familiar sight of the Wasteland before him. He looked back at the closing Vault door, engraved with a large 101. His home, or what used to be, was now behind him as he continued into the vast wilderness, full of adventures and excitement, and, most importantly, love and friendship. He found his home in someone else, and now, he was going to him.

With the thoughts of his mom and his friends, he trod on the irradiated grass, past the mangled tree that indicated the whereabouts of his vault. He continued down the cracked, faded road and past large stones until a familiar sight was in view. It was faint, but he knew what it was. What used to seem so far away was now in his sights.

The tall, metal gates of Megaton were before him now, as well as a Protectron, serving as both a guard and a form of advertisement. It made cowboy impressions while promoting Moriarty's. He was not sure what Moriarty's was, but he assumed it was a bar.

After he entered the gates, he strode down the debris-covered staircase alongside a long, metal pipe. The first time he had been here seemed like an eternity ago. Everything seemed so long ago.

He eyed the large, undetonated bomb that sat in the pool of water that some preacher was dramatically giving a seminar about how everyone was impure. He just thought he was crazy. He remembered fondly of how Nico tried to protect him from it. God, he missed him. He could not wait until he saw him again.

He turned into the Brass Lantern, the restaurant in which he met the two other men that led him home. Then again, he led himself home when he met the crying boy against the metal walls surrounding that settlement.

As he opened the door, he was met with the sight he wished to see: a man, a little taller than him, dressed fully in power armor. He sat at a table, staring at several clumps of cooked squirrel meat that were speared by a skewer as if it would digest itself by sitting there on the plate.

"Excuse me," he spoke up, approaching the man.

The helmet looked up at him and the man beneath it paused. He lifted his arms to remove the helmet from his head. As he placed the helmet on his lap, a familiar, amused countenance faced the former Vault Dweller.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," the dark-skinned man mused. "Didn't expect to see you out here again. What, did you get lost on your way to the bathroom?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "No, Theo. It's sure nice to see you again. Actually, I wanted a favor."

"Lay it on me, Princess."

"I need directions to the Citadel. Then again, as you know, I'm terrible with directions, so I might need you to escort me."

"And in return?"

"I won't tell Burke that you sing 'Crazy He Calls Me' by Billie Holiday in the shower when you're by yourself."

"Damn, you caught me. Well, looks like we're going. And, if you don't mind, I'll lead the way this time."

Percy laughed. "Sounds good."