Escaping my NaNoWriMo word count to deliver some fluff.

Disclaimer: Excluding the witty plot, obvious headcanons, and character development throughout, I own nothing. Riordan owns my babies…I mean, the characters.. All real life facts have been supplied by creditable websites. If information is incorrect, I apologize ahead of time.

Pairings: Nico/Percy (main) with Bianca/Thalia, Jason/Reyna, and a few more briefly mentioned/hinted at. Both Nico and Percy have past relationships, but let's not give those away just yet.

Coffee Clarity

Frappuccino*

Percy Jackson ambushed him the next week when Nico drove Bianca to her treatment.

The siblings had just walked in the door when the skater appeared from, seemingly, nowhere and grabbed Nico's arm. "We're going on an adventure!"

"What?"

Percy Jackson rolled his eyes. "This is your only chance. Come with me, or not, but preferably come with me."

Bianca pushed Nico's shoulder. "Go. I can walk myself. I don't need my baby brother to watch after me, despite what Father thinks." She smiled at him and gave Percy a nod. "Nice to see you again Jackson."

Percy's entire face darkened and turned up to Nico, bright green eyes pleading. Sighing, the Italian offered Percy his hand, which Percy happily took, and allowed himself to be pulled away. He didn't know where they were going but, according to Percy, he was in for an adventure.

The adventure led him to the hospital roof. A scratchy hospital blanket had been spread out. Laid across it were two coffees and a few cookies, obviously taken from the nurses' station. Percy plopped down and helped himself before looking to Nico. "Well?" Needless to say, Nico followed suit.

It was only after eating the offered cookie (they were store bought; Hazel's homemade ones were so much better), that he was allowed to speak. "What is all this?"

Percy took a sip of his coffee. "It's a date. I told you that I required a date and you said you would give me one, but I'm impatient."

"I said that last week."

Shrugging, he pushed a coffee to Nico. "I stole it for us this time. Enjoy."

He accepted the cup with a smile and shake of his head. "How the nurses don't realize someone is stealing from them, I will never know."

"It's only once a week. They must not think it's important enough to investigate." He chuckled into the rim of his cup. "That girl…is she your someone important?"

Nico blinked. "Yeah. She is. Well, she's the one I was originally taking coffee for." He glared at Percy. "Which you stole causing me to forfeit my cup to her."

Percy did not smile as Nico intended. He sunk further down until he eventually laid on the ground. "Oh." He rested the cup against his chest. "Your girlfriend?"

The Italian nearly choked, spilling coffee on his jeans. "Girlfriend? No. No! Never. Gross. No, Bianca is my sister. I mentioned that before."

"You never said Bianca was your reason you were coming to the hospital, only mentioned that you had a sister named Bianca."

"Oh." Nico flushed and looked down, not being able to meet Percy's eyes. "Don't have a girlfriend."

"No boyfriend either?" When Nico glanced over, Percy had pulled the beanie to cover his eyes. Hearing nothing, he smiled. "Good. I wasn't about to be a homewrecker. Plus, you know, I'm possessive of what's mine. If I ever become your important, I won't be willing to share you."

Nico frowned. "Bia's my top priority right now. She's my only important."

Percy just shrugged. "I think she wants you to find another important. After all, as you said last time, she has Thalia. You're allowed to have more than one important…I don't believe I've learned your name yet."

"I suppose that will be important if this date turns out successful, or even if it doesn't. Nico di Angelo at your service Percy Jackson."

Percy's eyes shot open. "You're one of the di Angelo's? As in, son of Hades di Angelo, that top shot lawyer that owns half the world?"

Nico snorted. "Father doesn't own half the world. Why does everyone assume that?"

"Cause you're loaded." He rolled his eyes. "Damn rich people. Don't have any clue about the value of a dollar."

"Hey!" Percy raised a lazy eyebrow. "I know the value of money. I live on an allowance. I have to save up for what I want. Just because it's in bigger sums and presents tend to be more expensive doesn't mean I don't value that." He received only a shrug and "Whatever you make yourself believe." "You're insufferable."

Percy grinned. "Maybe, but you're still around so I can't be that bad."

Nico actually smiled. "Maybe…" He rolled onto his back, shutting his eyes against the sun. "Tell me something about yourself. Pick whatever you want, I'm willing to hear anything."

Percy was quiet for a while. "…I love my mismatch family." His voice was barely above a whisper. "It started out as just my mom and me, my father wasn't in the picture. Mom eventually remarried, my Wicked Step-Father, but he isn't worth mentioning beyond the fact he gave me a little brother. Tyson's great. Everyone loves him. Of course, Mom loves both of us and, despite the shit she went through with Evil Step-Father and wouldn't trade us for the world. Thankfully, Wicked Step-Father died and released us from his curse. About two years ago Mom married Paul; he's an English teacher at Goode and is helping Mom with my homeschooling. I like him. Paul's…Paul's everything I would want in a dad. Then, there's my biological father, the sperm donor. He's just coming back into the picture, is helping out my mom with my treatments. He's not a complete asshole…mostly just absent and has no idea what to do with a kid." He let out a long sigh. "And, that, is my screwed up family life in a bundle."

"Damn." Even Thalia and Jason's home life hadn't been…so chaotic. They'd lived with their drunk of a mother until Jason's freshmen year, when she got into a car crash. Then, they moved in with their mostly absent father and cow of a step mother, as Thalia usually referred to her. It wasn't bad because they had each other, Jason had confessed one day. Percy's story was one a completely different level. "Well, your mom obviously loves you and that brother of yours."

Percy smiled. "Yeah. I guess she does, huh?" He made a few satisfied noises and rolled to his side. "Tell me about your family. It must be great. You lot get whatever you want and get to live in that mansion. Did you ever get a pony? Don't give me that look! I've always wanted one."

He snorted with how Percy reacted to his raised eyebrow. "No, I've never had a pony. Hazel has one, though, Arion. Hazel's the youngest of us. You met Bianca already, if her reaction to you says anything. The oldest of us is Thantos. He's in college right now, going to work with Papa in his law firm eventually. We're…not as close as we could be. There's a family night once a month, and Persephone—Father's newest wife—tries to make family dinners happen as often as she dares, but it's a big house. We all have our own things we like doing. Bianca and I are closest out of everyone, but even we have our own separate things. The rich life doesn't make you any happier, just content."

"Totally not what I expected to hear," Percy admitted. "I know that money doesn't buy happiness, but I just thought…I don't know. The di Angelo's from the papers always looked really happy."

Nico shrugged. "We can be, sometimes."

Beep….Beep…Beep…

He glanced over in time to see Percy sit up. Percy pulled out a phone and grumbled, "Damn. My time's up." Setting aside his empty cup, the skater stretched. He looked like a cat. "Exchange numbers? Maybe we can meet up in the real world, outside the hospital, some time. This place is such a downer."

Nico nodded, taking the offered phone and adding his number as a new contact. "I expect a call from you. Don't just ditch me like a parent in the mall."

Percy snorted then broke out in laughter. "That's a…new one," he barely got out as he clutched his stomach. "Fuck. Didn't realize you had a sense of humor di Angelo." He groaned as he stood up, but swatted Nico's hand away when he was offered help. "I'm not some old woman. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Rolling his wrists, he raised an eyebrow at Nico. "Coming?"

And so they went. Percy disappeared before Nico had the chance to say goodbye. Nico rolled his eyes. "That's rude," he called after the skater, hearing a laugh in return.

"Nicky, you're all smiley!"

He blinked. Bianca stood in front of him with that goofy smile of hers. She looked worn and her skin was paler than normal. Must have been rough today. Still, Nico offered the smile he reserved just for her. "No reason. Are you still insisting on getting ice cream?"

Bianca's smile dropped some, but not enough for anyone but him to notice. "Yeah. I'll only be able to get a small, though. My appetite has flown away." She hooked arms with him. "Let's be on our way."

Beep.

She tsked. "It's a hospital Nico. Put your phone on silent."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Bet yours isn't," was muttered as he pulled his cell out.

Told you I wouldn't forget. Another 'date' next week? –Perce

Nothing could stop the grin as it pushed onto Nico's face. Percy Jackson was something else.

*consists of coffee or other base ingredient (e.g., strawberries and cream), blended with ice and usually topped with whipped cream