A prompt I got for Percico Weekend.

Disclaimer: Characters, locations, etc are the property of Rick Riordan.

It was so freaking hot that he wanted to scream and run back into the hotel. Nico hated the beach. Well, that wasn't exactly true. He liked the beach itself just fine it was the heat that made it unbearable, so he actually hated summer itself. He was sitting alone high up on some rocks on a towel, under a giant beach umbrella that doubled as a weather shelter. From behind you wouldn't even be able to tell he was there. Bianca and Hazel had run off down the beach somewhere, Hazel with her arms full of seashells.

His mother was insisting that he get some sun and she didn't understand why he wanted to stay inside, he never did this when they went to Venice for the last family vacation. He'd tried to explain that although it had been summer and hot, Venice wasn't nearly as hot as this. Plus, you never stayed outside long because there was so much to do. In Venice there was so much to explore –art decos, restaurants were practically on every corner, not to mention all the historical places. There was stuff to do here too. It was an upscale private beach resort -paid for by his father—but everything that sounded like fun was inside and his mom kept shooing him outside.

So there he was slathered in sunscreen with his knees pulled up to his chest as he watched waves crash on to the rocks below him. Watching the sea water had become calming and meditative. Bianca and Hazel weren't around screaming and splashing either which was good and bad. He liked to see them having fun but their shrieks could wake the dead.

He sighed as the water crashed and splashed high into the air in front of him. He looked down and watched as it filled up the dips and bowls between the rocks and then ran out again. He'd watched this happen all morning but this time something shiny caught the sunlight and glinted at him. He blinked and leaned forward to look down. It looked like a fish tail. The fish probably rode the wave in and got stuck in the rocks. He watched as the tail flapped and struggled as the fish attempted to find its way back to the sea. Another waved was about to come in and Nico was sure the water would carry it back.

He leaned back to avoid being splashed but when he looked over the edge again, the tail was still there. It must have been really stuck. He felt bad as he watched it struggling. The poor thing was fighting for its life and he suddenly felt very guilty about just sitting there. He ducked out of the umbrella and the full weight of the sun hit him but he didn't care. Trying to climb down the rocks was worse because they were heated from the sun despite the constant drenching. He could feel it through the bottoms of his thin flip-flops but at least his red swimming trunks and tank top allowed him to move easily.

He went down as fast as he could always glancing up to check if the tail was still there and moving. When he got closer he saw that his perspective on the top had made the tail look much smaller than it actually was. This fish was huge and he was beginning to think he wouldn't able to help if it was bigger than him.

When he got to the last little jump he nearly toppled over the edge and caught himself, but when he looked up he was sure he must have hit his head. The tail did belong to something bigger than him, a boy. A boy who was half fish from the waist down. His tail had a green-ish tint and so did the light scattering of scales on his forearms, shoulders, and neck. His hair was jet black and wet, and his eyes were a sea-green color that matched his scales. He looked just as surprised to see Nico and for a few heartbeats neither of them moved. The merboy seemed to snap out of it more quickly and started to flap his tail in earnest. Nico could see this dip in the rocks was too deep for him. He was scrambling to find a hand-hold and put himself out but was having no luck.

"Wait! I wanna help!" he shouted as the boy's tail nearly smacked him in the face. Another waved rammed into them adding to the confusion.

"Let me help you!" the merboy stopped struggling after and fixed Nico with a suspicious look.

Nico held his hands out in a placating gestured. "I wanna get you out of here, okay? I promise not to hurt you," he said gently.

He moved slowly and tried to not make any quick movements as he edged around the boy, who watched his every step. He crouched down beside him with his back braced against the high rocks. There really wasn't much room for the both of them.

"Umm I'm gonna try to pull you out. Don't hurt me or anything, okay?" The merboy gave him a dirty look.

"I'm not really in a position to hurt you," he snapped.

"You can talk!" Nico exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, I can talk, human," he said irritably.

"Sorry," said Nico. "I didn't know you spoke English…"

"We actually speak every language, those known to man and those that man has never heard," the merboy shrugged.

"Wow, there are more of you?" asked Nico excitedly.

"Not very many," the boy said sadly. "All of the human pollution is corrupting our home. Many have died from the sicknesses it causes."

"Oh…I'm sorry," Nico said feeling instantly guilty and almost panicked. There really were mer-people out there and humans were killing them…

"It's not your fault personally I suppose. And you're trying to help me. What's your name?"

"Nico, Nico di Angelo. Do you have a name?" It must have been a stupid question because the merboy rolled his eyes.

"Perseus," he said.

"Like the Greek hero from the myths?" Nico couldn't help but ask, he was kind of a Greek mythology nerd.

"I guess," Perseus said giving him a strange look. "Now, you said something about helping me?"

"Oh right!"

Nico climbed behind Perseus and hooked his arms under the boy's armpits. His lack of strength was embarrassing but he pulled Perseus up and they both tumbled over the edge onto a flatter part of the rocks. For a moment Nico just laid there panting and sweating.

"I'll be able to use the next wave to slip back into the ocean. You just saved my life. Thank you."

"No problem," Nico said sitting up. Perseus looked at him with a small smile.

"I believe heroes are usually rewarded?" he said.

"Huh?"

"I can give you a gift for helping me, but," he said, "I'm afraid I'll also have to wipe this from your mind. Humans are too dangerous to trust."

"Why? We don't believe you exist. Everyone would just think I'm crazy if I went around saying I helped a mer…man."

Perseus chuckled and shook his head.

"Sorry, it's the law."

"Well, okay…"

Perseus leaned over to cup his cheek and smirked. Nico blushed and suddenly noticed how close they were and the rocks were right behind him. He pressed himself against them but couldn't move back any further. His mind stopped working when their lips met. Perseus tasted like the sea. There was a hint of saltiness but not like the overwhelming taste of saltwater itself. It made Nico feel like he was far away in a different world, but then it was over. Perseus pulled back but only enough to speak again.

"You're protected now," he said softly. "You'll never drown and never have any reason to fear the sea. But I'm afraid I have to take your memories next."

Nico looked into his sea-green eyes and felt a rush of sorrow.

"I don't want to forget."

"I know," Perseus said sadly.

He kissed Nico again, deeper this time and Nico responded back. If he was going to forget then he wanted this moment to be worth it. When the kiss ended Perseus did look sad.

"In the morning you won't remember me, but I'll always remember your name, Nico di Angelo."

He smiled and rubbed Nico's cheek before the water crashed into them. He felt Perseus slip away in the watery chaos. When the tide receded Nico sputtered and wiped his wet hair out of his face just in time to see Perseus disappear beneath waves.

End