PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || Meet the Future In-Laws || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO
Title: Meet the Future In-Laws – Boy, They're in for a Surprise
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus; mortal AU
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Warnings: shounen-ai, family fluff, misunderstanding, shoujo-ai, hetero
Main Pairing: Nico/Percy
Side Pairings: Piper/Annabeth, Octavian/Luke, Frank/Hazel, Jason/Reyna, Tyson/Ella, Grover/Juniper, Paul/Sally
Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Leo Valdez, Jason Grace, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Tyson, Ella, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Octavian Simmons, Luke Castellan, Thalia Grace, Grover Underwood, Juniper, Sally Blofis, Paul Blofis
Summary: Percy has been gushing to his friends about his bright, sweet, kind, dorky, adorable boyfriend who was a perfect ray of sunshine. Boy, they are in for a surprise when they meet Mister Gloom and Doom, better known as Nico di Angelo. It's all in the eye of the beholder, though.
This is a birthday request for Angelo Queen - happy birthday, honey. I fear it turned a little more angsty than planned, but I do hope you like it.
Meet the Future In-Laws
Boy, They're in for a Surprise
Everyone knew who Nico di Angelo was.
Nico di Angelo was the sweetest, kindest, cutest, most endearing sweetheart in existence.
According to his boyfriend Percy Jackson, at least. Because Percy never shut up about his bright sunshine of a boyfriend. That guy with the brightest laugh, who had the sweetest voice when whispering romantic, cheesy nonsense. The guy who curled together with Percy on Saturday mornings to watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic because it was Percy's favorite cartoon. The guy who cooked delicious meals for Percy whenever Percy was upset. The guy who would always drop everything when noticing that Percy was driving himself into the ground by overworking himself. The guy everyone knew they could trust to keep Percy safe and happy.
Nico di Angelo was a sweet, gentle ray of sunshine and everyone knew that.
So when 'everyone' met Nico di Angelo, they did not get what Percy advertised.
The guy was dressed in all black, with a studded belt and a skull-motif on his shirt. He wore piercings and mascara, he had an undercut and what looked like a severe case of resting bitch-face, because he kept glaring and scowling at everyone. He barely opened his mouth at all. And he kind of gave everyone the creeps. It was like he was emitting a dark aura.
There was no way this was Percy's ray of sunshine. No way.
/flashback\
Nico had a soft, gentle smile on his lips as he watched Percy sleep. He loved that he always woke up first, because his boyfriend was such a cute little kitten, always seeking warmth. Percy was snuggled up against Nico's side, face planted against Nico's chest. Gently, Nico brushed Percy's hair out of his face. With a soft grumbling sound, Percy slowly woke up.
Nico loved how their roles were exactly reverse in the morning.
Normally, Nico had always been this dark, grumpy guy who had chased people away with his attitude. Not many people stuck around to endure him. Only two, actually. Nico's best friends Reyna and Jason. At least until he met Percy Jackson, who was a force to be reckoned with.
They first met through Jason, actually, because Percy was friends with Jason's older sister. Nico thought it would pass, that instant stupid crush he got on Percy. Percy would leave his life again, Nico would move on from his crush and life would go back to normal.
Percy was even more stubborn than Jason and Reyna combined. He refused to leave, instead he carved out a larger and larger spot for himself in Nico's life and Nico's heart, until one day, Percy just asked him out on a date because apparently Percy wanted him too. That was the anticlimactic way of how they got together. Percy had been the sunlight of Nico's life, brightening it in a way it hadn't been lit up since the death of Nico's mother and older sister.
Percy brought happiness and warmth back into Nico's life in a way Nico had dearly missed. Jason, Reyna, his sister Hazel and her fiance Frank kept claiming that Percy was good for him.
Nico adored Percy, he worshiped the ground Percy was walking upon because Nico knew all of that. Nico knew that he had been in a really bad emotional place when he met Percy, he knew it had been one of his biggest holes of depression back then, he knew he was anti-social because he was angry and bitter and afraid that if he let people close, he would lose them again. His half-sister Hazel was overly concerned about him, because he refused to see a therapist.
He had been seeing a therapist since month two of being friends with Percy, because the Navy SEAL put his foot down about it. While Jason, Reyna and Hazel were trying to push Nico but didn't know if it was their place to insist, Percy called bullshit. He had been to war, he was suffering from PTSD, he knew that mental illness didn't just go away because one ignored it. Percy recommended him a psychiatrist and even drove Nico to his first appointment.
Nico wasn't magically fixed, but he was better now. Percy didn't let him get away with holing up in his room and ignoring the world when he hit a bad phase.
"Stop being so perky", growled Percy, glaring up at Nico.
Nico laughed, a bright soft sound, as he leaned down to kiss the top of Percy's head. "My sweet grumpy little kitten, I wish you a good morning too."
"Blergh", huffed Percy, wiggling his nose in that adorable way of his.
That only made Nico laugh even more. Percy was this bright, happy, carefree guy, but in the mornings, he was the grumpiest grump Nico had ever met. Until he got his hot chocolate and breakfast, which was adorable because other people needed coffee or something, but Percy just lived off like five kilogram of sugar in the morning and then he was good to go.
"Amore, how about you nap for a little and I get breakfast started?", offered Nico softly.
He leaned over to kiss Percy's cheek as Percy hummed contently. "Love ya, babe. Go get me food."
Smiling to himself, Nico went to go and get breakfast started. Frank and Jason were already in the kitchen and working on waffles and pancakes. Easily, Nico found his way into that and helped them. It had been Percy's idea that the three couples moved in together. After all, rent in New York was not the cheapest and they had gotten the most perfect penthouse apartment with view over the Central Park, four bedrooms, three baths, a giant kitchen. The fourth bedroom had been converted into a shared office-space. It was the perfect apartment for them and since Nico, Hazel and Reyna all worked at the same law-firm – di Angelo & Partners – they could all car-pool.
"Thals texted me", stated Jason off-handedly. "She organized all of Percy's friends together so we can plan Percy's big surprise party when he's out of the country this weekend."
Nico sighed. Percy was going on a class-trip for the week – the retired Navy SEAL had become a teacher. Which meant it was the perfect opportunity to plan the big surprise party for Percy's twenty-fifth birthday. Big number and all. But Nico wasn't looking forward to it.
"Okay that face? That face, don't make it", chuckled Frank amused. "You'll make kids cry."
"Argh, shut up", grumbled Nico with a glower.
"He's nervous. He never met any of Percy's friends before", offered Jason.
"...How is that even possible?", asked Reyna amazed as she entered the room.
"Evasion", stated Hazel, who came in right behind Reyna. "He has perfected the art of dodging them. Every time Percy tried to get him on a double-date with Annabeth and Piper, Nico had a sudden 'very important case', when Percy's parents invited them to dinner, Nico actually ate raw chicken to have a legitimate excuse – he was sick for three days! And when-"
"Okay, enough Hazel, everyone gets it", growled Nico with a blush.
"Why, man?", asked Jason surprised as he went up to his girlfriend to offer her a spoon of dough.
After trying it, Reyna smiled and kissed Jason's cheek, making Nico scoff. "It's... It's..."
"Come on, Nico", sighed Hazel softly, eyes soft. "We're your family."
"Yes, you are", grunted Nico, looking a little pained. "And they're his family and... and what if they don't like me? What if them not liking me is what makes Percy realize that this isn't working for him? That he could do so much better and find someone-Ouch!"
He turned to glare at Jason who had just hit him over the head. "Stop saying shit like that, dude. You're awesome and we love you and Percy really loves you a lot and if his people care about him as much as we do about you, then they'll accept you even if they might end up not liking you. Which they won't, because they will totally love you."
"Jason's right", agreed Hazel from where she was comfortably leaning against Frank's back, nuzzling between his shoulder-blades. "I so love that Percy signed you up to that dojo..."
Nearly a year ago, Percy had signed himself and Frank up at a dojo and the formerly chubby Canadian had really shaped up into a muscular Adonis, much to Hazel's joy. She kept groping his arms and abs every chance she got, which was way too often in Nico's humble opinion.
"Still, I consider it a miracle", chuckled Reyna amused. "I mean, we've been friends with Percy for a year now and you two have been dating for half a year."
"I'm good at avoiding people", stated Nico with a deadpan.
"Bre—eakfa—ast", groaned Nico's zombie-boyfriend.
Percy groaned as he stumbled into the kitchen. Gently, Reyna nudged him into the right direction so Percy could crash face-first into Nico's back. Humming, Percy wrapped his limbs around Nico like the possessive, cuddly octopus he was. Rubbing his face against Nico's shoulder, Percy clung onto Nico like he was a back-pack. Sighing contently, Percy kissed Nico's neck.
"...You know, I've heard the phrase 'climbing someone like a tree', but... Percy is taking that way too literal", drawled Reyna teasingly, half-smirk on her face.
"I'm just impressed that Nico can carry all that muscle-mass of SEAL there", countered Jason.
Nico grunted in agreement. "The first time he did that, I literally collapsed and twisted my ankle and he kept blushing and stuttering out apologies for it. It took a while for me to work up to it, but yes, by now I can carry all of that on my back for... a short while. Not very long though, Perce."
"Shush. Breakfast", grumbled Percy, nosing Nico's neck.
/flashback|end\
Nico shifted nervously as he looked around the room. There were so many people here, that alone made him uncomfortable. So many happy couples, at that. Which also made him uncomfortable when he was without his boyfriend. And then there was the matter of all of those people being Percy's family. The people who were super important to Percy. The people whose judgment was super important to Percy. Nico's chest felt tight and he felt like a caged tiger, so he tried to stick back, keeping close to Frank and Hazel, or Jason and Reyna, whoever was closest.
But Jason and Reyna kept standing with Jason's older sister Thalia and Thalia's best friends and their respective partners. Annabeth and Piper, as well as Luke and Octavian. Nico knew them all, he could put names to all of their faces, he knew who was in a relationship with whom and who was best friends with whom. Like Rachel, who was an artist and Octavian's best friend even though Octavian kept denying any kind of friendship between them. Rachel stood a bit aside, talking to Percy's little brother Tyson and Tyson's girlfriend Ella. Aside from Annabeth, Percy's other best friend was Leo, who was very animatedly chatting up Frank and Hazel right now, planning some part of the party. Then there was Percy's oldest friend Grover with his fiance Juniper, the two of them talking to Percy's mom and stepfather. Just looking into their general direction nearly gave Nico a panic-attack and made him retreat more. Nico knew all about Percy's abusive first stepfather and just how important Percy's mother was to him and if she hated him, he would be a goner.
Nico kept glaring at everyone who approached him, trying to chase them away. Normally, in situations like those, Percy would be the one to coax him out of his shell and make him interact with people. But Percy wasn't here, so Nico planned on hiding in his shell where he was happy.
"I... I know I'm not good at this", whispered Hazel gently as she approached Nico with soft eyes. "You're my big brother and my hero and when you tell me 'no', I can't bring myself to push you, which is why I'm so glad you met Percy. But... Percy isn't here and this is for Percy, so... so I will not accept your 'no' and you will come with me and you will meet Leo. Right. Now."
Nico's eyes widened as Hazel grabbed him by the arm and pulled him over to where Frank was standing with Leo and Piper. Both of Percy's friends smiled at him.
"Hey, I'm-", started Leo with a broad grin, holding his hand out.
"Leo", grunted Nico out, glaring at the hand. "Yes. I know."
Leo stared at him wide-eyed and slowly pulled his hand back. Looking intimidated. Great. Nico was doing it again. He turned, ready to flee, but Frank rested a large, firm hand on his shoulder.
"It's because Percy talks about you guys all the time and he has all those photos of you everywhere in their bedroom", chuckled Frank fondly. "No reason to be intimidated by him."
"Sure about that?", grunted Annabeth as she came up behind her girlfriend Piper. "He's doing a mighty good impression of the Grim Reaper there. Emphasis on the 'grim'."
Nico backed off as far as Frank's grip allowed, while a laughing Reyna came to his aid from the other side, with not just Jason but also Thalia, Luke and Octavian in tow. Reyna smiled as she patted Nico's other shoulder, the one not being held by Frank in a death-grip.
"He's just nervous", offered Reyna gently.
"Nervous? Why?", asked Sally with a laugh.
And apparently everyone had gravitated to Nico as the center of attention. Nico hated being the center of attention. Whenever he was, Percy would do something hilarious to distract them so Nico could melt back into the background where he preferred to be. But Percy wasn't here. And everyone was staring at him. Tyson with large eyes, Ella next to him tilting her head in confusion. Grover and Annabeth were exchanging looks over their girlfriends' shoulders and Thalia had both her eyebrows raised as she was looking him up and down. Everyone was staring at Nico.
"Because you're the people Percy cherishes the most, you're his family and if you don't like me, you'll take him away from me because your opinions matter and I can't lose my sunshine."
Nico stared at them in absolute horror as he just word-vomited out all of his feelings. This time, not even Frank could hold him back as Nico broke free and ran out of Mrs. Blofis' house.
/Percy's Birthday\
Annabeth smiled softly to herself as she leaned into Piper's embrace. Piper hummed softly and tightened her arm around Annabeth's waist. Piper was busy talking to Hazel, Reyna and Rachel. But Annabeth's entire focus was on the other side of the room where, on an armchair in the corner by the book-shelf were Percy and Nico, curled together. Nico sat there with the gentlest, softest smile as he had his chin resting on Percy's head. Percy looked absolutely content as he was curled together against Nico's chest. The two of them had danced for nearly an hour, but when Nico had grown decidedly more uncomfortable by Octavian and Luke, Grover and Juniper as well as Tyson and Ella dancing so close and engaging them in conversation. As soon as his boyfriend started closing off, Percy claimed that he was exhausted from all the dancing and that he wanted to sit down in the corner for a bit to relax. Clearly, he did this for Nico.
"He's an odd one, that di Angelo", stated Thalia curiously.
"Ye—es. I was terrified when we met him", agreed Ella doe-eyed. "He was so dark and angry."
"But clearly", interrupted Rachel amused. "He's just angsty."
"I mean, I expected something totally different when we met", grunted Luke.
Octavian hummed in agreement where he was sitting beneath Luke and nosing his boyfriend's neck. "The way Jackson talks about the guy, I was expecting... something like Valdez."
"Wait, what has Percy been telling you about my brother?", asked Hazel confused.
"Nico has the sweetest, softest smile", sighed Thalia in her worst Percy-impression.
"And his entire face lights up like the sun when he does!", gasped Annabeth, also imitating Percy.
"He's such a cuddler and so cute and he always has time for me", grunted Octavian, not even trying.
"It's just everything", interrupted Sally with a disapproving glare at the others. "We know that Nico did his best to learn how to deal with Percy's panic-attacks and PTSD. That he literally rushed out of court once because Percy was having a panic-attack and called him. Percy's been telling us all about his caring, sweet, gentle boyfriend who is the... softest boyfriend possible."
"And let's just say, that boy did not match the description when we met him last month", grunted Paul next to his wife solemnly. "He looked more like a serial killer who was going to kill all of us."
"I mean, when he blurted out why he was nervous...", drawled Piper with an amused look.
"It was the cutest thing ever", sighed Juniper with a smile. "That he'd care that much about our approval... Sure, his attitude was awful, but... he's so different tonight."
"Most of tonight at least", snorted Grover. "Every time Percy is close by and talking to him, actually. I feel like we only got half the story."
"That story being: Nico being the knight in shining armor, coming in accepting all of Percy's flaws and mental problems and being his strong pillar", concluded Annabeth with calculating eyes. "The other story, quite clearly, is the one where Nico has a bunch of insecurities and problems and Percy was the one to waltz in as the knight in shining armor to support him as his strong pillar."
"Ye—eah, you're spot on with that", agreed Reyna with an amused smile. "Those two complete each other. They're good for each other and know how to fight the other's darkness."
Everyone collectively turned to watch Percy and Nico in the corner. Percy had his head tilted up, smiling gently as he whispered to Nico, apparently something funny because Nico laughed softly. Nico was running his fingers through Percy's hair, holding him close and caressing his sides. The two of them looked like they were in their own little world over there, both bathing in the sunshine the other was radiating for him. Both of them looked utterly content and in love.
"My brother does have a lot of issues, but... Percy has been helping him deal with them", whispered Hazel lowly, voice heavy with emotions. "It's why he left that awful first impression last month. Because Percy wasn't there. Nico's still... very dependent on Percy as a crutch for social events."
"He—ey, guys. When you're done gossiping about me and my precious ray of sunshine of a boyfriend, how about we order pizza?", chimed Percy amused as he sauntered over.
Nico looked reluctant as he was being pulled behind Percy. Percy smiled brightly and pushed Nico down onto the couch, right between Ella and Reyna, before planting himself on Nico's lap. The proximity to his own friends made Nico relax a little, burying his smile in Percy's neck. His very sunny, true to Percy's description of Nico, honest smile. Percy grinned and stole a kiss.
~*~ The End ~*~
