PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || All the Percybilities || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO
Title: All the Percybilities – Meeting Your Other Self
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus; kind of Mark of Athena
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, of course. They are all copyright by the old Greeks. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Warnings: shounen-ai, meeting with AU-worlds, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, child abuse, dark, character death, gender-bender (in one world), shoujo-ai, hetero
Main Pairing: Nico/Percy
Side Pairings: Jason/Reyna, Piper/Annabeth, Jake/Will, Tyson/Ella, Frank/Hazel, Chris/Clarisse, Malcolm/Katie, Lou/Miranda
Percy Jackson Canon Characters; Crew of the Argo II: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Hazel Levesque, Jason Grace, Thalia Grace, Katie Gardner, Miranda Gardner, Clarisse la Rue, Frank Zhang, Annabeth Chase, Malcolm Cage, Will Solace, Austin Barton, Kayla Hein, Phoebe Burge, Jake Mason, Leo Valdez, Nyssa Black, Drew Hanson, Piper McLean, Lacy Hunnigan, Mitchell Logan, Travis Stoll, Connor Stoll, Chris Rodriguez, Lou Ellen, Reyna Anderson, Hylla Anderson, Kinzie Cohen, Octavian Simmons, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Grover Underwood, Tyson, Ella, Mrs. O'Leary, Blackjack, Arion, Scipio
Summary: A primeval power decides to show the crew of the Argo II how their reality could be if only little things would have changed. For example, what if Percy had joined the titans?
Drifting from one reality to the other, the friends also have to cope with their own feelings. Will this journey teach them an important lesson about themselves?
All the Percybilities
Meeting Your Other Self
Second World Part 1: With Nico, Percy and the Argo II
"Where in the world are we, Valdez?", growled Nico angered. "Where. Is. My. Sister?"
"How can I know?", grunted the son of Hephaestus annoyed. "We're in the middle of the ocean."
"We're a half day's journey from New York", corrected Jason and licked his lips.
"But... where are they...? Where is my sister?", demanded the son of Hades to know.
They had followed through the tornado of storm clouds. Just to find themselves surrounded by the ocean. No land anywhere to be seen. But there were also no demi-gods drifting in the sea beneath. Nico stood at the rail, his fingers clawed into the wood, staring down at the water in anger.
The tunnel of storm clouds closed to form the face of Chaos. The son of Hades stared at her with hatred in his eyes. First she took his Sea Prince – nearly for good – and then his sister.
"Where is she?", screamed the Ghost Prince.
"Do not worry, young godling", chuckled Chaos amused. "They are not here."
"But... where are they?", asked Clarisse irritated. "Where's my baby brother?"
"In New York", replied the whistling of the wind. "The daughter of wealth needs to face this first alone. I do not need her brother to step in front of her and protect her. She needs to see."
Nico gritted his teeth, glaring up at her. His knuckles turned white at the pressure. But then a soft hand rested on top of his and he turned some to look into soft, calm sea-green eyes.
"It can't be worse than the last world", whispered Percy. "The titans ruled the world. How much worse could this one be? You heard Jason. We're only half a day from them. They're not stupid. Even if this world may be dangerous, they can hide for a few hours."
"Your consort is wise. Listen to him", whispered the wind, causing both of them to blush. "I deliberately separated you. You need to rest, my godlings. So take the time to do so."
With that, the clouds vanished. Nico slowly let go of the rail, his hand slipping down to grasp the long fingers of the sun-kissed hand. He turned to get lost in the sea-green eyes of his Sea Prince.
"She is right, you know?", grunted Grover and popped his neck. "I know you're worried about your siblings, but for now, there is nothing we can do. And we just fought a war. We need to rest so we can give everything to get Frank and Hazel back tomorrow."
"We'll turn shifts, Leo", nodded Piper. "You need to rest too, after all."
"Yeah", agreed the son of Hephaestus. "And now go and sleep."
"No", grunted Nyssa and rolled her eyes. "You'll go and rest now. Jake and I will take first watch."
Her younger brother let go of the wheel reluctantly until Jason pushed him along.
"Come on, let's get sleeping", smiled Percy, pulling the son of Hades with him.
"Yeah, brother!", exclaimed Tyson happily.
The cyclops had been so relieved to see his brother once he woke up again. Percy had explained to him that he has had to leave for a little while before returning. Tyson led their way back to their sleeping cabin, followed by Percy, Nico, Grover, Jason and Leo. They said good night to the girls and the others before entering their own cabin. Leo and Jason climbed up to their bunks and fell face-first into the beds, while Grover crawled under the sheets of the bunk beneath Leo's. The four bunk beds were were lined up in the small cabin, though the last two beds were pushed together so the cyclops had enough room in it. Tyson already crawled into his makeshift bed, his eyes closed. Percy climbed up onto the bunks above his younger brother, his eyes lingering on the empty bunk beneath Jason's, where Frank was supposed to lay now. He heaved a sigh. Why can't they get a single day of peace for themselves. Once up in the bed, he curled together and looked at Nico.
"Why are you still standing there...?", muttered Percy exhausted.
The Ghost Prince turned some to the shelf where the few belongings they had with them were laying and stripped his shirt and pants down, putting them into his shelf. Turning some he climbed up the short latter too to lay down behind the son of Poseidon in the now double-bed.
"You should get out of your clothes too. That's uncomfortable", grunted Nico.
The now slightly flustered Sea Prince sat up and got out of other Nico's clothes, tenderly caressing the belt bucket before throwing them onto the floor for now. Getting up again to fold them and put them away was out of the question for now.
"I'll miss them", muttered Percy lowly and laid back down again.
"Bianca was... she was... there...", whispered Nico with a tight voice. "They have a second chance... I envy them for that... But... they also have much work to do before they can start living again..."
"I know. But as long as they have Nico, they'll manage", grinned the Sea Prince.
"You really got along well with him", grunted the son of Hades slightly jealous.
"He is you, after all", grinned Percy and snuggled close some. "And nothing about you is bad..."
Nico wrapped his arms around the smaller demi-god, pulling him even closer. He buried his nose in the soft, black hair, inhaling the salty scent of his Sea Prince. The moment was nearly perfect. If only Leo and Tyson wouldn't snore so loud. It made Nico painfully aware that he wasn't alone with his love. Though he was satisfied with having Percy close for now.
"You won't sleep", noted the son of Poseidon lowly, a statement, not a question.
"She's out there alone", grunted Nico and gritted his teeth. "The last time I left my sister alone for a quest, she died... I can't loose Hazel..."
"You're wrong", whispered Percy softly. "The last time you left your sister alone, she freed Death with my help and brought honor to Camp Jupiter. Hazel is not Bianca. And she is not alone."
"I... I know", sighed the son of Hades and closed his eyes. "But the last world... I nearly lost you and you are far stronger and more experienced than her..."
"But that was not the doing of the bad guys", disagreed the Sea Prince. "That was... I'm sorry."
The grip on his waist tightened and he felt the strong muscles of the half-Italian against his back.
"It's okay", whispered Nico. "Just don't do that again."
"Well", grinned Percy cheekily. "You just have to protect me better, I guess, my guardian angel."
"Hilarious pun, Jackson", snorted the son of Hades and rolled his eyes. "But you're right."
"Eh...?", blinked the Sea Prince surprised. "What do you mean?"
Dark eyes scanned the dark room again, noting that their room mates were already asleep.
"After everything we... learned from this world", whispered Nico.
"Oh...", murmured Percy and turned his head away some.
So many things had happened in the last few days, it seemed so far away. As if it had happened a long time ago. But truth was, it had only been mere days. Mere days that he had involuntarily told them... everything. He folded his arms beneath his head, his bangs hiding his eyes.
"Percy", murmured the son of Hades, tightening his grip as the Sea Prince tried to wriggle free. "We need to talk about what you said. You need to talk about it. You... never told anyone...?"
"Who should I have told it?", snorted Percy, pulling his legs up into a fetal position. "I didn't have any friends before Grover and after I got to camp, we got rid of Gabe. What is there to talk...? It's over. He's gone. Nothing to talk about."
His voice was tight and cold, his body-language told Nico that the son of Poseidon didn't want to talk about it, to even be there at the moment. But the Ghost Prince couldn't let his Sea Prince carry this burden for any longer. He needed to know about what Percy had been through.
"Liar", whispered Nico softly. "After you said it... You were afraid. Afraid to be rejected. That's why you told no one. Because you were afraid to be judged by it. Why?"
"I told... Luke", whispered Percy after a moment. "Back when I came to camp, he had been all charming and friendly, even though Gabe had always told me that no one would ever... like me... But I thought Luke did. I trusted him and told him about it after he kissed me for the first time... He said... he understands. But others won't. How could I be a good hero if I couldn't even defy myself. That... they wouldn't take me serious anymore if they knew how weak I was..."
"You know he only said that so you won't turn to others, right?", murmured Nico pained at his Sea Prince's pain. "He only said that so you would rely on him and eventually turn to him."
"I... I know...", muttered Percy and nodded slowly. "I'm not stupid. I know. I know it wasn't my fault what had happened to me as a child. I know it doesn't make me weak that I got raped. I know that Luke tried to manipulate. I know that... this... doesn't define who I am. I know all of this."
"That sounds somewhat rehearsed", accused the son of Hades softly.
"I know it", continued the Sea Prince. "But it doesn't change that I'm still afraid... Afraid of... Afraid of being weak... I... I don't want to be weak, I don't want to loose them... Not now that I finally have someone... I... I don't want to be alone..."
A silent sobbing ragged the smaller body and Nico closed his eyes. All he wanted to do was help. But he had no idea how. All he knew was that his at least explained why Percy made friends so fast. He was so desperate to be alone that he bonded with everyone who was willing to befriend him...
"You're not alone", whispered the son of Hades. "You're not alone and you will never be alone. We all love you, Percy. We're a family. Tyson, Grover, Rachel, Annabeth, Clarisse, everyone. They all love you. They all consider you their family. Frank, Hazel, Reyna... You manage to worm your way into everyone's heart. None of us would want to miss you again. You should have seen how Thalia cried when we burned your body, I never saw her like that. Jake and Will... And Nyssa, Lou, Chris... Connor and Travis... Katie, Miranda, Malcolm... Even Jason, Leo and Piper, in the shortest time, they already love you, Percy... We would never judge you for what had happened to you."
"I... I...", Percy interrupted himself with another sob and turned around in Nico's arms to cry into the olive-toned chest. "I don't want to loose you... I always thought... if... I mean... no one ever... but then Grover and... I was afraid they might turn away from me again in disgust and with the time... the closer they got to me... Annabeth and Grover... And Thalia and Clarisse... It was just... too late to tell, because we knew each other for so long then and... I was so happy with them, at camp... And with mom and Paul... I just... didn't want to think about it anymore... I liked my new life and I... I liked pretending that... everything before didn't happen..."
Nico tenderly caressed Percy's back, staying as far up as possible, because he didn't want to accidentally ruin this by touching the Sea Prince's sensitive lower back. It would send such a wrong message at the moment. And he didn't need that. He was so grateful that his son of Poseidon finally bared his soul to him, trusted him enough to tell him.
"It's alright", whispered the son of Hades. "It's alright... You're safe with us. It's past and we will always be there for you. And I will never let anything like that happen to you again."
"Don't... promise things you can't keep", sobbed Percy and rubbed his eyes, slowly calming down.
"But I will keep it", declared Nico with determined eyes. "I will not let anyone harm you like that again. If someone dares touching you in an inappropriate way, I will personally rip them apart."
A small smile tugged on the Sea Prince's lips at that. He knew how ridiculous it was to promise something like that, but somehow, when Nico said it, he had to believe it. His tears died down and he rested his forehead against the taller boy's collar bone. He felt a kiss being placed on top of his head. Sea-green eyes closed slowly.
"Thank you", whispered Percy. "For... not turning away from me..."
"Never", declared the Ghost Prince firmly. "I will never turn away from you."
Dark eyes looked down at the older demi-god in his arms. He felt the even breathing of his Sea Prince. He must have fallen asleep. Of course. The past four days had been exhausting and now this. Nico shifted them some so he was laying on his back, with the smaller boy's head resting on his chest, his fingers running through the black hair.
"Is he asleep?", asked Grover's voice from beneath.
"Y... Yeah", nodded the son of Hades surprised.
"Good", grunted the satyr. "He should rest. I... Thanks for talking to him. I had a feeling he wouldn't talk to me about it. If so, he would have done so already."
"Nothing you need to thank me for", snorted the half-Italian.
"I know", nodded the brunette and paused for a moment. "Are you ever going to tell him?"
"I wanted to. This afternoon. But Chaos interrupted me", grunted Nico annoyed.
"And now she has your sister, yeah", muttered Grover. "And I know you're worried about her. But... don't wait for too long. He... I never thought to see him so insecure. I think it would... help him that you love him in that way. You would be good for him."
"I don't know about that", snorted the Ghost Prince. "But I know I will tell him as soon as I have the opportunity. I want to have him alone for this. I don't want to pressure him by telling him in front of others. I don't want to embarrass him. I want to tell him in a peaceful moment alone."
"You still believe in peaceful moments?", laughed Grover amused.
"Suppose you're right", laughed the son of Hades hoarsely.
"Night, Nico", muttered the satyr.
"Good night, Grover", chuckled Nico and closed his eyes.
He heard the snoring of Tyson and Leo, but so much louder than that, so much more important, seemed the even, calm breathing of his Sea Prince and the steady heartbeat. The wonderful sounds, the warmth of the body in his arms, were enough to lull him into a deep, content sleep.
/break\
Percy felt well-rested and completely at ease when he woke up. There was a loud heartbeat beneath his ear and strong arms around his waist. It felt so good and right and all he wanted to do was staying there forever. So he decided to cuddle closer and enjoy the moment some longer.
"Is brother awake yet?", chimed Tyson loudly.
"Ty", hissed Leo lowly. "He obviously still sleeps! Let him rest some more."
It seemed his roommates were already awake. That didn't mean that he had to get up though. But the rumbling in his stomach seemed to disagree. Right, he hadn't eaten in this body yet. It still felt odd to him to have a new body. It was... like a new start.
"I have a new body", muttered Percy slowly.
"You're awake?", grunted Nico surprised. "What did you say?"
The Sea Prince sat up some and blinked. "I said... I have a new body. I mean... It's completely new. I... didn't give it any thought yesterday, but... My body is completely new..."
He turned some, his hands gliding over his arms and shoulders.
"What's your point, Perce?", asked Grover confused and stared up at the son of Poseidon.
"It's new, but it's... exactly like my old one", muttered the Sea Prince, tracing a scar on his upper arm, one he had gotten from Annabeth during training. "Why...? I mean, it feels... new..."
"Perhaps because your scars are a part of you", shrugged Jason, his thumb caressing his lower lip and the scar on it. "Every scar tells a story. A story where you learned something."
"Suppose you're right", nodded Percy reluctantly.
"Come on now, guys. Get down here and get dressed. If that body is new, it seriously needs to get a taste of Lacy's pancakes!", declared Leo with a grin. "Time to check where we are."
"Leo is right", agreed the son of Hades and climbed down the latter.
Percy followed him and grabbed the clothes he had thrown onto the floor earlier. He still had no own clothes. The ones he had borrowed had been ruined by his other self during the fighting. That reminded him... He grabbed the empty space around his neck wide-eyed.
"Did you... did you burn my necklace too...?", asked the son of Poseidon.
Nico pulled his pants up before pulling the necklace out of one pocket and the cursed pen-sword out of the other. The pen he gave his Sea Prince right away, then he took a stance behind the older boy to lay the necklace around the son of Poseidon's neck.
"Stupid question, seaweed brain", muttered the Ghost Prince.
"Not that stupid", grunted Percy with a slight pout. "Why should you keep it?"
"A memory. A reminder. The... only thing left from you", whispered Nico and shrugged.
"Come now! No bad mood in the morning. Especially not before breakfast!", declared Leo.
Percy hurried to also get dressed and follow his roommates out of the cabin. He hadn't slept that well in ages. Perhaps ever. Was that because he had finally talked to someone about his fears? Or was it because he had slept with Nico at his side? Or maybe both...?
The dining hall in the belly of the Argo II was bursting with life. The noisy chatter of teenagers nearly made him turn again. It was just too much. Too many people, too many noises. All he really wanted was to still lay in their bed, with Nico holding him, and perhaps eating breakfast, just the two of them. Subconsciously he took a step closer to his Ghost Prince.
"How about we get food and eat on deck?", suggested Nico in a whispered voice.
"That actually sounds like a very amazing idea", grinned Percy softly.
They fought their way through hungry Amazons (Kinzie looked ready to bite the next person that dared to pass her) and up to the three demi-gods in charge of breakfast. Kayla, Lacy and Nyssa.
"What can I get you?", grinned the daughter of Hephaestus.
"Uhm... Anything would be fine, actually", muttered Percy with a shrug.
"Okay", nodded Lacy, holding the plate for Kayla to fill it.
The daughter of Apollo shoveled scrambled eggs, ham, bread and raspberry yam onto it before the girls gave it over to the Sea Prince. The son of Poseidon smiled gratefully at them, waiting for Nico. Once both had their servings for the morning, they sneaked out of the loud cabin again.
Everything was silent and calm outside. The breeze brought the smell of the sea up to them, birds flew past them, the clouds were white and fluffy. A perfect morning.
"How are you feeling?", asked Nico as they sat down cross-legged in front of Festus' head. "I mean, after last night...? Did you sleep well, or did you have... nightmares?"
"I slept like a baby", replied Percy. "Thanks to you."
"No problem", chuckled the Ghost Prince and started eating his eggs. "You can always talk to me. About whatever is on your mind, Perce. I'll always have an open ear for you. You know that, right?"
"I...", started the Sea Prince before shaking his head. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. I know you'll always be there. Thanks, Nico. I really... I need that. I need you."
Nico smiled softly at his Sea Prince, both of them remaining silent for the rest of their meal. It was a good feeling to just be for themselves for a change. No loud noises or voices or too curious campers, only the mild breath of the sea and them. Once their meal was finished, they stood and walked up to the mighty dragon head.
"Are you afraid?", asked Percy slowly.
"Mh?", grunted Nico confused and came to stand behind his Sea Prince.
"I mean... This world... After everything we encountered on the last world..."
"No", chuckled the Ghost Prince, wrapping his arms around the smaller teen and resting his chin on the black hair, looking down at the son of Poseidon. "No, I'm not. You know why?"
"No. Why?", asked the Sea Prince curiously and tilted his head upwards.
"Because we'll face it together. We fought the titans. Twice now. We can win everything, as long as we fight together", replied the son of Hades.
This was it. The perfect opportunity. They were alone, the mood was not... well, like crying and panic, it was beautiful and peaceful. He turned Percy's head some to lock eyes with the boy, but something else caught both their eyes and they stared at it dumbfounded.
"Is that", whispered Percy dumbfounded. "Is the Statue of Liberty made of... gold?"
Author's note: So yeah, I actually had planned to dive right into the second world, but then I felt it would be better to put something calm and Nicercy-esque in between of the two worlds. ;) But no spoiler in the pairing/character list about the second world just yet. *smirks*