Halfway through the night, Percy felt the person at his side stir in his sleep. Eyes still adjusting to the darkness, he turned around to face Nico.
Nico's breathing grew heavier and picked up speed, his hand clutching the sheets in fear. Percy quickly realized he was having a nightmare.
His eyebrows furrowed. He turned around and placed his arm under Nico's neck and wrapped his other arm around him, gently pulling him into his embrace and closed any distance between them. He kissed the back of his head and said in a soft voice, "I'm here."
Nico didn't respond, but Percy noticed his efforts to steady his breathing. Both were now awake but neither said anything.
It had been years since the last war. Both sought help to deal with the trauma the battlefield had inflicted on them. It got better, they found therapists and comfort in each other's arms.
They found that nightmares became less frequent when they slept together. So they shared a bed, and along the healing process, they fell in love. But occasionally, fear crept in their dreams, reminding them of the horrors they had experienced. Every nightmare ripped the scabs off the emotional wounds of the past, leaving both Nico and Percy vulnerable. They fell into a routine of cuddling at night, trusting the other to help put their pieces back together and remind each other that they were together and safe.
Nico moved to lightly kiss Percy's arm, letting the other know the nightmare had passed and he was okay. He sighed, relaxing into the embrace.
After a few minutes, the steady rising and falling of his chest let Percy know he had fallen asleep.
With that, he closed his own eyes and drifted off.
A/N *sigh* I made the mistake of going outside and not protecting myself from mosquitoes, and now I have three bites on my arm. Lovely :( Welp, thanks for reading!