A/N: This is just a short little scene that popped into my head that I wanted to write out. (Takes place between the end of the Battle of the Labyrinth and the beginning of the Last Olympian.)
Disclaimer: Uncle Rick changed his locks again, so I don't own Percy Jackson. Or Spongebob.
Nico was not a happy camper.
On Sally and Percy's insistence, the ghost king was currently on their couch, sick with the flu. He only meant to stop by to exchange information, but Sally's natural motherly instincts detected the virus within him five seconds after he entered the apartment. And of course, she wouldn't let him go back to the Underworld while sick, despite his multiple protests and failed attempt to shadow travel away.
"Hey man, how are you feeling?" Percy asked as he entered the living room, handing Nico a cold washcloth to help bring his temperature down.
"Extremely uncomfortable in more ways than one, thank you for asking." Percy rolled his eyes at the response (not that he was expecting anything different though) and handed Nico the washcloth, who struggled to sit in an upright position.
"Come on, why don't we watch some tv to try and get your mind off it." Percy started flipping through the channels, trying to figure out what Nico might want to watch.
"You know, you really don't need to keep me here if-"
"Shut up before I stuff a pillow in your mouth. You're not going anywhere until you're healthy."
Accepting defeat and knowing he will probably never win, Nico sighed and carefully lied back down. Consciousness was just about to leave him when Percy gasped at the tv.
"Oh man! This was my all time favorite episode of Spongebob! I can't believe they're still playing this!" Percy turned excitedly to Nico. "Hey, what's your favorite episode?"
Nico stared blankly back at Percy. "Um, what's that? I don't really watch tv much." He had never seen the son of the sea god look so confused before, and he has been confused a lot.
"But...what...how...oh!" a look of realization and understanding had finally made an appearance on the teen's face. "You were originally born in the early 1930's! I forgot about that."
The sick one bolted into a sitting position. "How in the names of the gods did you forget that! It's not really a thing that happens very often."
"Anyways, I have to teach you the FUN song." The excited look was making a second appearance, and with the words he said, Nico was not looking forward to this, whatever it is.
"Um, I'm probably going to regret this, but what exactly is the FUN song?"
"It's the song that's sung in this episode. Want to hear it?"
"Actually, I'm pretty tired, I kinda want to-"
"F IS FOR FRIENDS THAT DO STUFF TOGETHER, U IS FOR YOU AND ME! N IS FOR ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME AT ALL, DOWN HERE IN THE DEEP BLUE SEA!"
Nico waited for his ears to stop ringing. "Was it really necessary to shout the thing."
Percy grinned. "Yup. Now do it with me."
"What." Percy just stayed there, continuing to smile. "Look, I'm really tired, I just want to go to sleep for a few hours."
"Okay, but after the song." Nico opened his mouth to speak, but Percy spoke again before he could. " I won't let you sleep until you do. Please, just once?"
Normally, he would fight and argue as much as he could to get out of it. But right now, Nico felt too drained to put up a good fight. "Fine." He snapped.
With Percy at a much lower volume and Nico barely speaking, the song was once more sung. " F is for friends who do stuff together, U is for you and me. N is for anywhere and anytime at all, down here in the deep blue sea."
Percy smiled at Nico. "See, now was that so bad?"
"Yes, now can you please let me go to sleep?"
Percy laughed. "Of course."