Author's note: I was reviewing my work Here Comes the Porn Star when I heard the song Painting Flowers by All Time Low. I instantly fell in love with it and then, this fic came to life. Listen to it, it's wonderful…
Oh by the way if you happen to worship All Time Low and don't want their songs to be used in shonen-ai or yaoi, please don't read. Sorry but like you, I'm just a fan, of both worlds. Besides, I have this freaking obsession in songfics, and these fics were my futile attempts in quenching it. Please try to understand.
I don't own PJO and Painting Flowers. Those were owned by Rick Riordan and All Time Low respectively.
Set after the Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian, wherein Nico and Tyson were searching for Percy. I guess that was the Lost Hero? I haven't read anyway.
Please review and no Flames please. Flames ignite my murderous and psychopathic side. (o.\\)
Painting Flowers
Leaning against a tree Nico di Angelo, son of Hades and heir to his father's throne (if Hades would graciously step down) was busy on rummaging inside his bag pack. Beside him was the sleeping figure of Tyson, the half-brother of Percy Jackson. They've been wandering, travelling, and questing for the missing son of Poseidon and Hero of Olympus.
Everyone close to Percy had gone on their respective quests to find the missing demigod. Annabeth have been organizing different search parties, strategically scourging Northern America in every corner. Thalia and Huntress had gone to southern America in search of Percy while Grover, although in the middle of his duty in looking for other half-bloods, would sometimes side-quest to look for his partner. Him and Tyson went to Europe, the home continent of his mother, to search for their special person.
Nico sighed before letting his shoulders to sag while willing the tears of frustration from spilling out. Of all the people who miss Percy, Nico would be the one who miss him the most. Why wouldn't he, if he's the one who Percy had chosen over immortality and Annabeth?
"Damn you Percy." The son of Hades hissed before letting the back of his head to hit the tree bark behind him. He closed his eyes and reminisced for his memories of Percy, just like every time he does, in every night, in every day…
He was still 11 then when he had confronted Percy about his feeling for him. At first, he would inflict pain just to catch the kelp head's attention. He wouldn't use the nick name seaweed brain for Annabeth had dubbed him that, and he had affectionately dubbed the prince of seas as kelp head. Then, he would smile at him every time the Percy looked over his direction.
In every time Percy returns back to camp, Nico would literally hug him to death. Nico had religiously gone to the beach during his days in camp, hoping and successfully claiming Percy's undivided attention. When Percy has his emotional moments, especially those which include Annabeth, Nico would come to ease his pain by pestering him with questions about mundane things.
They've gotten closer over that short period of time, so close that Percy had invited Nico to spend the summers with him in his house. Nico had become good acquaintance with Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis. During his stay Nico would ask Percy to play with him, from Mythomagics to modern game consoles to pillow fights. And when it's time to sleep, Nico would sneak out of his sleeping bag and went under the covers to sleep beside Percy, his little arms circling around Percy's body while burying his face unto the chest of the sea prince.
In every morning, Nico would wake up earlier than Percy and slip back into the sleeping bag. He doesn't want Percy to have the wrong idea, and pretending nothing happened during their sleep would ensure the continuum of their friendship.
"I miss him…" Nico whispered while hugging his bag pack, Percy's bag pack, closer to his frail body. He's tired, hungry, confused but nothing of those uncomfortable feelings can compare to the pain he's feeling deep within his heart. Nico sobbed a little before letting the tears he'd been pushing back behind his eyelids. He hugged the bad pack closer, pretending it was Percy, pretending that the son of Poseidon, his kelp head, was here with him in his little arms. Pretending that he, the son of Hades, was loved again and that his beloved prince would never leave him again…
Yes, loved again. Percy had returned his love, and he promised that he will never leave his side and will make him forever happy.
"You said. You promised, but you've broken your promises. You left me and now I'm dying with sadness." Nico stammered through his sobbing before putting the bag pack away from his face, which was now drenched with tears. Stygian eyes were now red and puffy as salty liquids overflow like rivers.
Every time Nico went to sleep, he would dream of Percy. He knew that Morpheus was helping him in reuniting with Percy even if it's just in his realm, but that's not enough. Every time Nico dreams, he pleas to any deity that he shouldn't be woken up, that at least let him live in this realm with his Percy but no, he would wake up, he would open his eyes to find out that the dream was not real. In every time he open his eyes, he wanted to see Percy's face and know that he's back home, in the arms of his sea prince…
But no…none of that happened.
Nico reigned over his emotions and set to do what is needed to be done. He took out a used paint brush, a blue poster paint, and thirteen white roses. He took out a nautilus and from it, drew water and guided it on an empty cup. He opened the paint and dipped the brush. Thinking that it's enough, Nico started in painting the first white rose.
Nico smiled forlornly. The mere color of blue always reminds him of Percy, and blue flowers always make him happy and sad all at once. He chuckled dryly as he finished his first rose, admiring the now blue rose.
Blue roses were special to him. Though he was turned by Persephone into a flower once, that didn't stopped the Ghost King from being romantic. Blue roses were the symbol of his love for Percy because he had confessed his feelings for the guy by it. He's an old fashioned guy, and guys from his time always use flowers in expressing their admiration. Upon learning the Percy had obsessions over blue color, Nico painted all of his roses blue. Nico would shadow travel to Poseidon Cabin and leave a lone blue rose over the table, together with a love letter.
Nico smiled openly upon remembering that day when Percy first received his letter. The boy was ecstatic, and he couldn't contain his excitement that someone had given him a love letter, with a rose of his favorite color. Nico had advised Percy to make a reply, and Percy did reply to the letter. And they started trading letters, with Percy lacking of the knowledge of his pen pal's identity.
"Kelp head, forever oblivious…" Nico whispered, a ghost of a smile hanging on his lips before starting to paint his third rose, his fingers shaky, eyes teary and his lips trembling from his longings.
Soon, Percy had discovered his pen pal's identity. He knew that his pen pal's a boy, a kid to be exact, but he's not repulsed by it. He's elated to know that someone had appreciated him in every single aspect; from being a loser in high school to being the prophesized child of Poseidon. Thru his last letter, Percy asked his admirer to formally introduce his self to him. Nico replied…
"Meet me by the beach. I'll be there, with a blue rose…" Nico said to the blue rose, hoping that the flower would answer in Percy's voice. "Do you remember? That night, under the moon, by the beach, only you and me?"
Tears hit the blue rose's petals. Tears of yearning, tears of longing, tears of Nico. He laid the rose back to ground, together with the other twelve blue roses he'd finished earlier. He looked at it, at the thirteen blue roses, the symbol of his and Percy's promise of love. Thirteen was his number, blue was the favorite color of Percy, and roses symbolizes love. He took out a shirt from the bag. It was Percy's blue t-shirt, tattered and marred from their previous wars but still smelled strongly of his prince. He hugged the shirt close to his face, nuzzling it with the deepest love he felt towards the boy. He kissed it, inhaled the scent of Percy, the same scent that makes him heady, and calm, and horny and sad and happy, all at the same time. Memories of him and Percy flooded his vision…
…the first time they celebrated his birthday…
…their time underwater…
…the time he saved Percy from the Underworld…
…the time he watched Percy bathe in the river of Styx…
…their first kiss…
…the first time they made love…
…the time when he gave Percy a blue rose before going to the war…
…the time when Percy gave him a sand dollar to assure his return from the war…
…the last time they made love…
…Percy's smiles…
"I miss you so much Percy." Nico stammered, tears flowing out of his closed eyes as his body shook so much. "Where are you?" He said before he completely break down, crying loudly at the shirt he'd been nuzzling and not caring whether he wake Tyson up…
That night, just like the other nights, Nico didn't have any sleep…
"Big brother? Are you okay?" Tyson asked. He knew about their relationship and being Percy's lover, Tyson had viewed Nico as his other big brother.
Nico faked a smile before nodding at the Cyclops. "Yeah, I'm okay." He said before standing up and pulling his bag over his small shoulder. "C'mon, we have to find Percy." He said before resuming their quest…
OOOOO
Oh great, now they're lost!
He sighed, berating from beating the daylight out of his stupid companion. In order to avoid killing his good-for-nothing roman partner, he went to venture and try finding the way back on his own.
The boy, about seventeen years old with well-built body, healthy fair skin and jet black hair, walked down the canopy. He let his sea-green eyes to dart here and there, trying to find a way out. He was about to turn back when something blue caught his eyes.
The boy went to kneel before the thing on the ground. It was the sign of the Sea God, Neptune, outlined by blue roses. He counted the roses, there were thirteen roses.
Thirteen blue roses outlining the Trident…
Feeling something tugging the strings of his hearts, the boy reached out to touch a blue rose. Immediately, fleeting memories and visions flooded his mind.
Memories and visions of a pale, black haired boy with dark, stygian eyes.
...his smiles...
...his laughter...
...his glistening dark eyes...
...his voice calling his name...
...the two of them, underwater...
The boy's sea-green eyes narrowed in curiosity, wondering who this kid is. When he tried to stand up, a water droplet hit the petal of the blue rose he'd touched. Shocked, the boy touched his face, noting the wet trail over his cheeks and the still flowing tears from his eyes.
He's crying…
Maybe the mind was asleep and had forgotten, but the soul remembers love…
"Why…am I crying?" He was about voice another question when his companion called for him.
Deciding that he'll just think of this later, he took all the blue roses and went back, noting the warm feeling the flowers were giving him…