Percy has been diagnosed with cancer. How do Sally and Paul handle the news?
This is Nico/Percy so if you don't like slash you won't like this.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters unless otherwise specified. This story is not for monetary gain.
Enjoy!
~o-o-o~
Dr. Barrenger set up a treatment regimen for Percy. He was going to start chemotherapy and radiation therapy. After a few weeks of treatment, Dr. Barrenger would perform surgery where necessary, if necessary. Percy was terrified. He had called his mother and Paul as soon as he knew what the plan was, and invited them for dinner. Nico stayed with him. Percy was glad. He doubted he could be alone. Percy cooked dinner, pasta, and once everyone was seated and eating Percy spoke up.
"I have cancer." Sally spat out her food and Paul started choking. Nico clapped Paul's back and the man coughed up his food. Sally stared at Percy. "I have Hodgkin's Lymphoma."
"Oh my god, Percy." Sally covered her mouth as tears sprung to her eyes.
"The doctor said I have good odds. I start treatment next week." Percy informed.
"My baby…" Sally gasped and went to her son. Percy hugged her, and Sally cried into his shoulder. He should have expected this, but he was still so dazed by the news. Paul hugged Percy too, and then Percy felt tears sting his eyes.
"I'm scared." That's all he knew nowadays. Fear burning in him. He had been so preoccupied with the idea of some Greco-Roman god thing he never thought he'd be sick with something like cancer. That was something mortals dealt with, but Percy was mortal too and he often forgot that. Eventually Sally and Paul pulled away. Sally made Percy sit, and ordered him to eat. He wasn't hungry, but he obeyed her.
"You're so thin." Sally murmured. Sally turned to Nico. "You made him go to the doctors?" Percy chanced a glance at Nico. The son of Hades blushed faintly.
"I was worried. He looked…unwell."
"Thank you." Sally kissed Nico's head lightly. "Percy, I want you to move back in with us."
"No, mom, I don't want that." Percy shook his head. "I'll visit, but I'll be fine here. I promise."
"I'll stay with him." Nico stated. Percy looked at Nico. "That way he isn't alone." Sally breathed deeply.
"Ok." Sally agreed. Percy blushed faintly and turned to his food. He didn't hate the idea of Nico staying, but the fact that his mom thought he needed a babysitter was embarrassing. "Take care of him." Sally pleaded, and Nico nodded. Percy pushed his plate away. "Honey, you need to eat."
"I'm tired."
"Eat first, please." Sally begged. Her eyes were wet again, and Percy couldn't refuse. He forced himself to finish the entire meal. "I'll tuck you in."
"Mom!" Percy gasped, but he didn't protest. Sure enough, Percy found his mother tucking blankets under him to cocoon him. Percy grabbed her hand. "I love you." Percy murmured. Sally smiled. She leaned down and pecked her son's head.
"I know. I love you too." Percy breathed out deeply and managed to fall asleep.
~o-o-o~
Nico watched Sally emerge from Percy's room. The woman was more distraught than she let on. Her eyes were hollow and her lips were pressed in a thin line. She looked so much older than her years at that moment. She was barely keeping herself together. Nico stood but Sally shook her head.
"I-I don't want to wake him. I…can we go? I need to go home." Sally went to Paul. Paul nodded shortly and the two left. Nico set to work cleaning the kitchen. Once the food was packed up and dishes in the dishwasher, Nico settled on the couch. He wasn't left alone long. Percy wandered into the room.
"Still not sleeping?" Nico guessed. Percy sat down beside him.
"I managed to get a few minutes. Will you hold me?" Nico looked at Percy. Percy kept his gaze on the floor. Nico obliged Percy. "I know the doctors said I have good odds but…"
"Percy, you're going to live through this." Nico assured. Percy shook his head.
"What if I don't? What then?" Percy curled up. "What…what about my mom? Gods she…did you see her? Did you see her face? She looked broken Nico. I broke her. If I die…"
"You won't." Nico hugged Percy closer. "I won't let you. I said that already, didn't I? So stop being stupid." Percy grunted. "You're not going to die." Nico whispered. "You're not." Percy eventually drifted off. Nico brought him to Percy's room, but he couldn't bear to leave him. Nico had liked Percy as more than a friend for years now. He was, naturally, too shy or too late to act. Annabeth had been first, but that relationship dissolved a year or so after the war against Gaea. Then there were others, names Nico didn't care to remember. Mortals and other demigods, but they never bloomed as far as Nico could tell. Percy had shut out relationships when his sleeping had depleted. And now Percy had cancer. No, Nico wasn't going to let Percy go. Not this time. He would make sure Percy lived, and then he'd ask for him to be his.
~o-o-o~
Percy walked slowly through the hospital. Nico offered to go with him, but Percy insisted he only needed Nico to pick him up. Percy smiled lightly. Nurses prepped him and then he was sitting in a chair with chemicals being pumped into his body. Percy wasn't sure what was worse.
"First day?" Percy glanced over. An old man smiled a wrinkly smile at him. Percy blushed and nodded. "It makes you sick. Make sure you eat after."
"Thanks." Percy murmured. "I'm Percy."
"Donald, that's Bill, and Carter." Donald motioned the other two men present. Carter was in his mid-forties Percy guessed, and Bill looked older than Donald.
"You want a brownie?" Bill offered a tin. Percy looked at it.
"Are…"
"You'll thank me later." Bill winked. Percy grabbed a brownie. Donald and Carter did as well. "The wife makes the best baked goods." Bill informed. "She's an angel." Percy bit into the brownie.
"Oh-wow. This is amazing." Percy inhaled the rest of the treat. They chatted for most of the treatment. That made it go by much faster and made it so much more tolerable. When Percy was leaving, he smiled dopily as he exited the hospital. Nico was waiting for him. "Nico! I'm ready to go home! And I'm hungry, let's get burgers."
"Alright…" Nico warily eyed his strangely upbeat friend. The duo left the hospital. Nico drove while Percy bounced giddily in his seat.
"I met Donald and Bill and Carter." Percy informed. "Bill's wife makes awesome special brownies. They were so good Nico. It was like eating chocolate heaven! Man, I am starving. Where are we? I would love some pizza, or a burger, or maybe a steak, oh, look, looklooklooklooklook-"
"What?" Nico asked.
"There's a big statue right over there!"
"That…yes, yes there is. Amazing mm?" Percy grinned.
"You're the best Nico. I'm glad you're helping me with this." Nico smiled softly.
"I'd do anything for you." Nico murmured.
~o-o-o~
Percy hurled again. Nico sat with him, rubbing his back. Percy coughed and gasped.
"Ow…" Percy wiped tears away that had fallen from the pain of throwing up. Percy looked at Nico. "This sucks."
"It'll be over soon." Nico assured. Percy flinched and then he was puking again. When he stopped to breathe Nico spoke. "I called Annabeth."
"You WHAT!?" Percy shrieked. Nico sighed.
"Percy, she deserves to know. She'll want to help you."
"Help-gods, Annabeth-no!" Percy gritted his teeth. "I didn't want anyone to know! I…I don't want them seeing me like this!" Nico understood. Percy looked weak and vulnerable, not at all like a strong hero, two times savior of Olympus. But Nico also knew how deeply Annabeth cared for Percy. Everyone cared for him and if Percy was going to get through this he needed support.
"I don't care about you telling the others." Nico replied. "You need to tell her though."
"You might as well tell the whole fucking camp." Percy snarled. He flushed his vomit and made his way to the sink to wash his face and mouth.
"Percy-"
"Whatever, Nico. You could have at least asked before you called her. I'm going to bed."
"You should eat-"
"I'm not hungry." Percy sneered and went to bed. Nico flinched when the door slammed shut. He was just scared. Percy wasn't mad. Not really. When Annabeth arrived Nico knew Percy would be happy. He was sure of it.
~o-o-o~
AN: Dr. Barrenger, Donald, Carter, Bill and Dr. Kareem (from the last chapter) are original characters. I will try not to add too many, but Percy needs doctors and he's bound to run into other patients. Don't worry, they're going to be minor and make only brief appearances. Percy will not die in this story. I would never kill Percy, he's far too awesome.
HM
