My friend and I have a community where we submit the best yaoi stories, and the one that "wins"based on some guidelines will be featured on our Facebook page. Anyone is welcome to join or recommend stories.
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Percy's POV
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I'm pretty sure I loved him.
Okay, so I know that sounds strange, especially when you consider I'm sixteen and he's… I think he's thirteen. And totally in his own little world. I'm dead serious (no pun intended). He liked being alone, and I'm one of the few who managed to get myself a small chunk of his world for myself. I bet Hades himself would be easy to talk to.
I'm talking about the son of the god of death himself, Nico di Angelo.
We'd gone on many dangerous quests together. He's risked his life to help me time and time again (which is something I can't ever repay him for), and he's gone from hating me to almost becoming something close to a little brother. But not quite. And I certainly didn't want him to be. In fact, I wanted him to be something more than my friend. But I don't think he's all that interested in my like that…
"Percy, will you quite scowling at your cheerios," Annabeth said, snapping me back to breakfast. Why I chose cereal I'm not sure because I hate the stuff. Oh right. Cereal, and cheerios in particular, are Nico's favorite. Without thinking about it, I must have grabbed a bowl of the stuff. I shoved it away in disgust and nibbled on the edges of my toast. In tribute to Tyson, it was covered in peanut butter. Annabeth studied me closely. "Cheerios are Nico's favorite…" she mumbled, almost to herself, shooting glances at the Prince of Shadows. "Hmmm…" She turned back to study me. I really hoped I wasn't blushing, because that would ruin the whole thing I was about to do.
"I must have just grabbed it by mistake," I said, shrugging. "No big deal." Nobody at camp, not even Annabeth, knew I was gay, and crushing on Nico. Besides, he was still practically a child, and he had yet to figure out any feelings of any kind, least of all towards me. I abandoned my breakfast and wandered over to the official Hades table.
"Percy!" Nico exclaimed, smiling around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. He gulped twice and his skinny arms snaked around my waist. "Hi Percy!" He was happier than I've seen him in a long time, and youthful enthusiasm radiated from him for the first time since his sister died. I wonder what had him so happy.
"Hi Nico," I replied, hugging him back. Nico was by no means a touchy feely person, but he hugged me whenever he saw me, especially when he was in a happier mood. He released me and sat back, smiling as he shoveled more eggs into his mouth. I raised one eyebrow at that. I've never seen Nico eat eggs, not once. I shrugged off the thought. Whatever he ate was fine with me as long as he was eating. No need for him to waste away.
"What are you doing over here?" he asked, tilting his head to the side and studying me, reminding me of a darker, black-haired Annabeth. He might be a kid, but he was a smart kid. I blushed furiously and waved my hands around, trying to distract him a little.
"Just thought I'd come over and say hi to my little buddy," I replied, ruffling his hair. He beamed at me, and my heart melted a little. Nico hardly smiled, but when he did, it was one of youthful innocence, and it made the sun disappear from the sky. "Well, I'd better get back to my own table. I just thought you looked a little lonely." I rose and made a move away from the table, when suddenly Nico launched himself off the table bench and wrapped his legs around my waist, clinging to me. I staggered under his weight, then steadied myself and slipped my arms around him so he wouldn't fall down. "Now what was that for?" I scolded him gently.
"Cause I wanted to!" he told me, smiling huge. "And cause I know you won't get mad at me if I do it." He giggled as I set him on his on his own feet. He waved as I walked away, and I thought he was behaving strangely, even for Nico. I had to get to the bottom of this.
"That was incredibly adorable," Annabeth commented as I sat back down. I blushed once again and stared at my breakfast plate, my stomach heaving too much for the consumption of food to be safe. I shoved my plate away and mumbled something to my hands. "What was that seaweed brain?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes. Groaning, I turned to face her.
"I think it was too," I whispered. "He's a cute kid when he wants to be." I pondered that for a moment. Was there someone he was trying to be cute for? Nico never acted like that. I called him Prince of Shadows for a reason. He was as dark and elusive as one, and this bubbly personality seemed to spring up faster than the skeletal warriors he summoned. "What's gotten into him?" I wondered aloud.
"Isn't it obvious," Annabeth replied, meaning it wasn't. "Nico's in love. You act the same way. Like when you were crushing on Luke." I made a face. That was definitely a long time ago and a story for another time. "Our little Nico has a crush on someone," she continued, and if she noticed the face I made at Luke's name, she didn't let on. "I wonder who it is."
"Me too," I gritted out. The thought of my precious Prince of Shadows crushing on someone at camp was enough to make my blood boil, but I fought down my feelings and reluctantly agreed to what Annabeth was saying.
"It's kind of cute," she said to me, shooting me looks. "He's pretty young yet for a crush. I bet it'll be just a phase he's going through." Just as she said it, a small body plowed into me. I hefted Nico up and he grinned.
"Hi Annie!" he said, waving. "Percy, wanna come meet my friend with me?" Annabeth shot me more looks when he turned back to face me. I shot her a quick look back, and something close to confusion appeared on Nico's face as he watched us. "Are you guys talking with your eyes?" he asked us.
"Yes," I replied. "It's an older teen thing. Sure, I'll go meet your friend with you." He wiggled out of my grasp and skipped ahead of me into the woods, looking back over his shoulder occasionally.
"You'll love Oliver," he called as I followed him. "He's a child of Athena, so he's really smart. He's your age Percy!" He ran back and jumped onto my back. I carried him piggyback until we came to a clearing. "Here!" he cried out, slipping off my back. A timid looking boy stepped out from behind a tree, and his face lit up when he saw Nico. I had to bite my tongue to keep from screaming at him.
"Hi Nico," he said as Nico plowed into him (I thought I was the only one he did that to), and he picked him up. "Did you bring a buddy?" The Prince of Shadows nodded enthusiastically and beckoned me over.
"This is Percy, Price of the Sea," he said solemnly, sounding more like the old Nico. "He calls me the Prince of Shadows so I call him Prince of the Sea." I smirked a little at that. It was true. When Nico wanted my help, he wouldn't call my name, he'd call me Prince of the Sea or simply Prince. His imagination was pretty spot on for being thirteen.
"Hi Percy," Oliver said, gazing over the Prince of Shadows shoulder. "It's nice to meet you up close." He reached out to shake my hand, but Nico slipped a bit and he quickly wrapped his arms around him again. He settled on a short nod toward me.
"Percy, Oliver asked me out!" Nico exclaimed, wrapping his arms around the tall boy (who was admittedly taller than me). "I said yes!" he continued happily, and Oliver pecked his cheek. I saw red momentarily as I lunged at Oliver. He moved back and Nico screamed, burying his head in the wisdom goddess's son's chest.
"What the hell was that for?" he snarled, still shielding my precious Prince of Shadows. "You're going to scare Nico." I snorted back laughter.
"Nothing scares Nico," I replied flatly, and he chuckled, because he knew it was true. That was more like the Nico I knew. The dark and mysterious one, not the fun, bubbly, flirty one. "Wait, you're gay buddy?" He turned to Oliver and the taller boy lowered him to the ground. Nico grabbed my elbow and led me to the edge of the clearing. "You're gay buddy?" I repeated. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, and again I was reminded of the old Nico, pre-Oliver Nico.
"Yes," he whispered, though I had no idea why. "Please, Prince," he said, and I knew he said that to try and soften me up. Well it worked. Who could say no to Nico, anyway? "Oliver's great. He makes me feel special. Wanted. Something children of Hades don't get very often." I wanted to scream and shake him, scream at him that I did those things too, but I held back. "I've only known a few weeks I like boys, so…" He trailed off, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
"I think that's great Nico," I replied tightly. "Want to know something no one else knows? Not even Annabeth." His eyes widened as he nodded. "I'm gay too. You have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?" A big grin broke out on his face as he skipped around me. I followed him with my eyes, smiling.
"I promise Prince," he said. "Wanna go on a double date sometime, though? You and someone and me and Oliver?" The very idea of dining or going anywhere with Nico's new love interest repulsed me and made me want to say things most mother's would be appalled at, but I bit down all things I was feeling. This was Nico I was doing it for. How could I say no to my Prince of Shadows?
"Sure buddy," I replied wearily, placing my hands on his shoulders. "I'll find someone to accompany me, and how about we all go out this Friday? I'm sure Chiron would let us leave for a little quality time." Nico wrapped his arms around my neck and squeezed.
"Thanks Prince," he said (I felt he was using that mostly to get his way). "You go do that. I'll be here with Oliver." He ran back over to the wisdom goddess's son and they sat together, heads bent and talking intently. I made my way back to the dining pavilion, my ears still ringing and everything tinted red. One way or another, I was going to get my Prince of Shadows all to myself.
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Well, I hope you all liked it. R&R! First Percico so be nice.
