Hey guys! So this story is mainly about Nico and Percy finding out they love each other. Once I finished reading the books I thought how interesting it would be if Percy actually loved Nico back. So now a few years later I have decided to actually write about it.

Hope you guys enjoy it. Be sure to check out my other stories:

Banished and Betrayed

Framed

Give me your thoughts on this chapter.

Enjoy!

Nico's Pov

We were fighting monsters near the coast of Spain. Our journey to Rome has been anything but peaceful; the Argo II and its crew were long since weary of the path they had chosen to take instead of the one the captain aka Leo had suggested.

We were doing well until now, that is, before we met the manticore, and a couple of other just-back-from-the-dead monsters.

I was fighting a Dracaene and winning, thank you very much and the others were off fighting who knows what. The person closest to me was Percy Jackson, the guy I've had a crush on ever since the second Titan war. Yes, I know, what am I thinking? Why would the savior of Olympus and a total hottie, ever want to be with a guy like me when he can have any girl, and even any boy, from any of the camps? Sad thing is, he wouldn't. I'm just that kid he has always seen as a younger brother, someone to protect, nothing more.

Back to the fight at hand: he was doing pretty well, almost killing the hellhound he was fighting. We were lucky, the manticore hasn't shown his face yet. Hiding behind his minions like the coward he is.

I delivered a final blow to the Dracaene and with a screech she disintegrated into monster dust. I turned around and saw that Percy had also finished with his opponent. His messy raven hair was even messier than usual, his sea- green eyes looked like the ocean on a stormy night, those pink lips looked soft and I wished that I could test those lips to see if they were as soft as they looked.

A roar interrupted my musings and out of the trees stepped the manticore. He had a military jacket on, a buzz cut and sunglasses; just like I remembered him from Westover Hall. Percy backed up and was soon standing next to me.

" Hey, looks like finally got the guts to face us himself. " he said. Before i got the chance to respond several monsters appeared. Looks like he is still going to hide behind them. Percy and I engaged in combat, slashing and hacking monster after monster.

Then it happened. I was fighting the last monster dumb enough to come close to me and Percy was just finished with his. I wasn't paying much attention to anything besides the face full of ugly I was getting, so I didn't hear roar and I certainly didn't notice the three barbs coming my way. The only thing I did notice was Percy jumping to intercept the barbs, flying against a tree with the force of the impact, and collapsing, unconscious, to the ground.

I was so mad I charged the manticore myself and saw from the corners of my eyes, our friends enter the clearing assessing the situation- Percy unconscious on the ground and me battling the manticore alone- and they rushed forward to help. Jason, Leo, Frank and Annabeth helped me with , while Hazel and Piper went to Percy's aid. Jason, Annabeth and I attacked with our swords and, in Annabeth's case, dagger; Leo and Frank used their fire and shifting. With the five of us together the manticore didn't stand a chance and soon we were done and all that was left was a pile of monster dust.

I ran over to where Piper and Hazel were crouched over an unconscious and bleeding Percy. We took him back to the ship and the Apollo campers went to work as soon as he was laid down on a cot. I didn't want to see how badly he was hurt because of my idiocy, so I stepped out of the infirmary and waited on deck.

Ooo

I was going into the infirmary to check on Percy. He has been unconscious for 2 days now. Will says that he will heal but that it would take time because the injuries were severe and that he was on the verge of dying from the poison from the manticore.

I arrived at the infirmary and saw that there was a flurry of Apollo campers running around the infirmary, picking up gauze and ambrosia and nectar. I saw that they were headed to a particular cot, Percy's. My heart leaped into my throat. Did something happen? Is he okay? Is he awake? All those questions were answered when I approached the bed and saw pained sea-green eyes staring right at me.

" Nico. " Percy whispered hoarsely.

I couldn't respond, my tongue was tied. Did he hate me? I couldn't afford to lose him again.

" Nico" This time his voice was louder and his eyes beckoned me forward, closer to the bed. The Apollo campers who previously were busy wrapping gauze around his wounds and giving him ambrosia, were now standing to the side as if waiting to see what was going to happen. I shot them a look that said "Get lost or I will send some undead to kick you out". They scrambled out of the infirmary shutting the door on their way out. I turned back to the boy who held my heart. He was pale and you could tell he was in pain and even though he was doing his best to hide it, his eyes betrayed him.

" Percy I'm so sorry" I said. There was a moment of confusion and bewilderment in his features but then it was gone and replaced solely by anger. He was mad at me and probably wouldn't forgive me.

" What the hell are you sorry for!? This wasn't your fault! I did what I had to do and that was protecting you! I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you get hurt." he nearly yelled at me. Then his voice took on a softer tone, which I had to strain my ears to hear.

" You mean a lot to me Nico."

The words stunned me. He was mad at me because I blamed myself for him getting hurt and not because it was my fault? I meant a lot to him? Did he mean as a brother...or something more? My heart sped up.

" I-I... That blow would have killed you if you were the one who got hit but if i took it, it would just...you know, leave me like I am now. "

" So you're not mad at me?"

" Of course I am! You blamed yourself! You should know better than that. " he looked angry but not as much as before.

"Perce if the situation was reversed you would do the same thing, so don't go saying that I know better when you don't" At that he closed his mouth and pouted.

"Fine, I guess you win, but still." At the end of the sentence he yawned and rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"I guess I should leave. You need to rest. " I turned to walk away but a hand gripping my wrist stopped me. I swiveled and looked into those mesmerizing sea-green eyes.

"Can you...stay? I don't want to be alone." He pleaded. Who could refuse the puppy-dog eyes the sea prince was making? I sighed defeated and pulled a cot closer to Percy's. I thought better of it and put it together with his so that it was joined and made a big bed. I kicked off my shoes and climbed under the covers. The son of Poseidon turned his head so that he was facing me and smiled.

"Thanks. Don't leave me. " he muttered. His eyes were drooping closed.

" Sleep, I will be here in the morning I promise. " I assured the tired demi-god. He nodded and closed his eyes letting Morpheus claim him. I followed soon after, these two days spent worrying about Percy, left little time for me to sleep and I was exhausted.

Ooo

Next morning, I woke up with Percy cuddled up in my arms. I smiled and buried my face in his hair, just taking in his salty scent. When he shifted slightly in his sleep I froze. What was I doing? He's straight and my friend, what will he think if he woke up to me lovingly smelling his hair? No, that just won't do.

So, mindful of his injuries, I carefully slid out from under him, bending down to lace my shoes back on. I was just walking towards the end of the medical cabin when I heard him speak.

"He was right. No one will ever want me other than my mother." Percy whispered brokenly.

I spun around.

" Who said that to you?" I asked outraged.

" M-My stepfather. He was right, wasn't he? You will never love me beyond some brotherly love, Annabeth never really loved me beyond a friend and now she has Reyna, my father never answers my prayers and I can't even spend too much time with my mother because it will bring monsters to her doorstep," he paused to quickly wipe away a tear, "In the end it's probably best that I just stay away from people, since I'll end up alone anyway."

With that he turned his back to me and buried his face in the pillows. I could see his shoulders shaking, meaning he was probably fighting to hold back sobs. I quickly made my back over to the bed.

"Percy look at me," I demanded. "you will never be alone you hear me? You'll always have me by your side, no matter what."

As I spoke he lowered his eyes until they were level with my chest. I wouldn't allow that, so I gently grasped his chin and lifted his head until we made eye contact again. I had to know.

"Perce… when you said I'll never love you beyond brotherly love… what exactly did you mean by that?" He blushed slightly and tried to move his head away and break eye contact. I firmly held him in place. He seemed to be struggling with himself until he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Well I-"

"Perccyyyyy, you're awake!" He was cut off by a sudden yell coming from the entrance to the cabin. We sprung away from each other, both blushing slightly at being caught so close to one another.

Within minutes the cabin was filled with the demigods of the quest, asking if Percy was ok, saying how stupid he was, the Apollo kids going this way and that to check on his injuries and place clean bandages on him.

During all of this I was pushed backwards, so I used the opportunity that no one was paying attention to me, to slip out of the infirmary.

Hope it was worth reading.

Give me feedback if you think I should continue. So review for more!

Bye!