Title: Kiss Me In The Daylight, If You Can

Fandom: Percy Jackson Books

Rating: 13+

Disclaimer: Percy Jackson does not belong to me, just this story/fanfiction.

Warnings: Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Swearing, Blood/Gore

Main Pairing: Percy/Nico Percico

Full Summary: Nico is a vampire sworn to protect his Coven. Fighting wars for territories, politics, and survival. He is the youngest of his brother and sisters, but still heir to his father's title. After years and years, Nico begins to wonder if there will ever be an end.

But an ambush one night by a group of Hunters leads the young vampire into the unsuspecting care of Percy Jackson, a struggling paramedic student working himself to an early grave. However, Percy has a dark and mysterious past, one he cannot stop running away from.

Kiss Me In The Daylight, If You Can

Chapter 1 - Beginnings

. . .

Holding down three jobs isn't the easiest of tasks, not by a long shot, but it was something Percy was prepared to do when he ran away to San Francisco. His mother had been an Angel in the ground for six long, unforgiving months before he decided to up-stakes and leave his stepfather's house behind in the taxi's rear-view mirror. Living alone holds less relief than Percy thought it would. Responsibilities never fail to kick him when he is down either.

The cramped, little apartment he managed to secure sits on top of a Chinese restaurant. It's noisy at night, but those very rare and few nights when Percy does get the chance to sleep once the sun has set, he's too exhausted to pay any heed.

And so goes job number one.

A trainee paramedic, he works shifts four nights a week and studies relentlessly in his free time, if there's free time.

Job number two sees him working during the hours of sunlight. He waiters in a café, too far to walk and too expensive to take the train. So he walks. Tips can go a long way and on a good day, he takes the bus home.

The rent is very decent all things considered, Percy struck a deal with the owners of the restaurant below and agreed to run delivers on his nights off. They're good people and on days when they're under staffed he agrees to help out in the restaurant as well. He even learnt to cook great deal too. The owner often slips a few notes into his pocket and despite Percy's refusal, that sweet couple never take no for an answer. It goes a long way to pay for his vet bills. Not that he doesn't love his little black kitten, but caring for Magic carries a cost, a runaway like him struggles to keep up.

Especially since Percy rescued those seahorses two months ago after he overheard the pet store owner say if he didn't sell them in the next few days, he'd flush them down the toilet. So now he has an elongated tank at the foot of his bed where Bonnie and Clyde live in relative peace, albeit the times Magic clambers his way on top and watches them with bright eyes. It always brings a smile to Percy's exhausted face when he sees that little tail flick in anticipation.

It's Friday night and, although the raised voices of drunken people enjoying themselves sounds outside, Percy struggles to keep his eyes open as he stares listlessly at his textbook. He turns to look out the window at the rain and laughs as Magic scurries along the window-ledge to squeezes through into the apartment. Water dripping slowly from his shiny black coat.

Sighing, Percy closes his book and drops heavily on ruffled, unwashed bed sheets. Magic pads over, meows and brushes his head against Percy's lax fingers that hang over the edge. He feels incredible, awfully guilty, but tonight he's just too damn tired. The world darkens and even the shouts from the street outside don't slow down Percy's decent into oblivion.

. .

. . .

. .

Darkness curls around his body, cloaking the young vampire in his hastening retreat. Blood drips from his wings, stomach, head. Splashing on the street below, it decorates the tarmac with crimson as he flies to avoid the moon's rays.

He had been heading home to his Coven after a long day patrolling their territory's borders. Not two miles from his bed and he had been jumped by a group of Hunters. The rain had hidden their scent when they slipped past one of the other watchers and entered their part of the city. He backtracked far, leading them well away from his precious family and in to the no man's land.

A stripe of San Francisco that sat unaware between the vampires and werewolves' territories. A place of violent battles and civil unrest, that is, if you're not human.

However, the damage was done. Their silver bullets had gravely wounded him, and the hit to his head with a crowbar in his human form, hadn't done him much good either. Concussion, definitely. His waning vision, falls in and out of focus and he so desperately wants to sleep. Yet still, he persists.

In his bat form, the Hunters struggle to keep up the pursuit. Crowded streets below are more difficult to navigate than empty night skies. So, he searches for the busiest to lose his attackers and then finds one.

A frenzy of activity, with bars and restaurants, he dives down into the crowd and flaps amongst the chaos.

The Hunters slide down from the roofs, weave through civilians to follow and now, with artificial lights, he can count at least five of them. Just perfect, the young vampire growls. He serves right and speeds forward, managing to slip out of their sight. And continues, unfortunately, straight into an open window. Dazedly he flaps about, desperately trying to stay awake, but it's all futile. He falls, expecting to hit concrete and into the merciless clutches of the Hunters.

Except, he lands on rumpled, fluffy blankets. His eyes slip shut, and Nico Di Angelo passes blissfully out.

. .

. . .

. .

Percy yawns shamelessly and stretches out.

As the bed sheets move, he feels a small weight near his feet. At first, Percy reasonably assumes that the warm bundle is Magic but after noticing the heavy lump of fur on his face, he reconsiders. Sitting up, the seventeen-year-old attempts to wake up the best he can for a teenager at five in the morning. He blinks rapidly and wipes the sleep from his eyes. Yawning again for good measure, Percy looks down and jumps up in surprise.

At the bottom of his bed, curled up and seemingly content, is a little black bat. That is, until he notices the blood.

Percy falls to the floor on his knees beside the small creature and lets out a sympathetic whimper, but hesitates as he reaches out. He doesn't know where to start. If he tries to move it, he may cause it more harm. So instead Percy scrambles to his feet, searches the mountain of clothes on the floor for his leather jacket and pulls out his Nokia phone from the pocket. It's ancient, but it works. He dials the second of four contacts, and waits as the phone rings. He strokes Magic as a little kitten attacks the shoe laces of his green converse.

"Will. . . Yeah? It's Percy. . . I'm sorry to call so early but I've got a problem. This little bat found its way into my apartment last night and it seems really badly injured. . . No, exactly I hadn't tried to move it. . . Okay. . . Right. . . Explain what it looks like? Well, it's completely black, longish face and big wings. . . Will listen. . . Listen there's. . . There's a lot of blood. . . Okay. . . Okay. . . You'll be round in ten minutes?" Percy smiles. "I think I can keep Magic off him till then."

Ending the call, Percy sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. It's a good thing he doesn't have to be at the café for another three hours, and an even greater relief that he met Will during one of his deliveries for the restaurant.

The blond was two years older than him and a third of the way through vet college. He would know what to do with Percy's little visitor. So, he waits and watches the clock.

A knock at the door has the young boy jumping up and racing to the answer. The blond zombie walks inside and Percy offers to make him a cup of coffee before he has even said hello. Will smiles and Percy steps back while the vet-to-be examine he's latest patient.

After ten minutes, two coffees each, Will finally tells him the diagnosis.

"Most of the bleeding has stopped, superficial really. No broken bones- that's good. I've bandaged up his wounds thou."

"His?" Percy echoes.

Will smiles. "Yeah and he'll need to rest for a few weeks. Your little friend had quite the bad night, either got attacked by God knows what, or he flow into something." The blond explains. "Percy, I'm really sorry but I won't be able to look after him, maybe I can find a friend to do it."

"I'll do it." Percy answers in a heartbeat.

The blond shakes his head fervently. "No, you're so busy, you've got so much work you can't-"

"Will, I'll make the time-"

The older boy sighs reluctantly. "Okay, okay but it's probably best to keep him in the cage I brought. And if you're struggling to cope you. call. me. immediately."

Percy grins. "It's a promise."

Will nods with another sigh and helps set up his guest's new home. It was much like a silver bird cage, a few different platforms to fly between and a couple of parts to hang from. Percy watches as the Will tenderly places the bat inside.

"Put some water in a milk bottle lid or on a paintbrush and feed him with this." Will dumps a couple of thin blunt end syringes on Percy's bed. He pulls ten plus sashes out of his hoodie pocket and deposits them on the pile. "Just add water, the instructions are one the packets."

Percy nods silently looking at the wounded little bat.

"I'll come by later tonight to check on the poor thing and bring you some more supplies. I'll see you later, Perce." Will promises, hugs him goodbye and gently shuts the door.

Magic purrs and brushes against his ankles as Percy sits down on his bed.

"I'm gonna need a name for you. . ." Percy musses. "Fluffy? Or, maybe. . . Dracula? . . ." The boy laughs to himself. "Radar. . . Vlad. . . I know, Bruce!"

He laughs louder at that one.

And when he finally calms down, he continues. "No, no I need something better. . . Like. . . Vesper." Percy smiles dreamily. "Definitely, Vesper."

He rubs the little bat behind his ears in a feather-light touch. Marvelling at the softened of his fur and his just plain cuteness.

"I'll take care of you, little one."

The alarm clock blares and Percy is now officially late for work.

. . .