A/N1: Any disclaimer stuff, please see chapter 1.
A/N2: It's been forever an a day! I hope you guys enjoy the second chapter to Their Shitty Boss. Just as a heads up, it's not about Nico and his associates, but actually Percy and his friends. After reading Takara Phoenix' professor story, I got to thinking about what you're about to read below. And at Takara Phoenix' suggestion (read: pointed enthusiasm), I decided to write a small ending to Their Shitty Boss. Hope you like!
Percy Jackson was a great guy.
He was kind and loved to laugh with friends and strangers-alike. He wasn't out on his surfboard, he made sure to have as good of a time as he could on land. And he loved to talk about his adorable spouse.
Anyone who knew Percy knew that they would hear at least three stories about his spouse by the end of the day.
Even during work, when Percy was helping the curious tourist work on balancing on a board, a small anecdote about his spouse would pop up.
Nicky Jackson sounded like a cute, cuddly, but wickedly smart, romantic wife.
"Hey Jackson!"
Percy looked up from where he was teaching his junior class, anyone under the age 16, about the different ways the ocean can be dangerous (safety first!). "What's up?"
"Your wife is on the phone!" answered Triton.
Percy blinked. "I'll be there in a minute!"
Once he got Grover to trade off with him, he headed over to surfstand and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi Percy. Sorry for calling, but Nico's a bit...angsty," said Lou, his husband's secretary.
"Anything for you, love," he said sweetly, remembering how his husband woke up pouting that morning. "What's going on?"
"Besides his usual terror tactics, he's even shut me out. Any clue what's going on?"
Percy frowned. That didn't sound like Nico. Percy was well aware how Nico behave at work, and while he strongly disagreed, he let it be. Percy may disagree with Nico's terror tactics, but the resulting associates that move on tend to be rather fantastic at their jobs.
Plus, Nico may be a hardass at work, but at home he was a total teddybear. So really, Percy didn't complain. Unless, of course, he wanted Nico to show more of his scarier side.
For science.
Naturally.
"Weird," he ended up saying.
"I'm gonna patch you through. Please, please, please get him back to normal. I need to pick his brain for Clarisse's party."
He laughed as he heard the tell-tale sound of his call transferring.
"What?" growled an upset voice.
Oh wow, Nico was pouting pretty fiercely.
"My love, what's wrong?" he asked gently, hopping up on the counter of the shop and looking out to the ocean. There were calm waves crashing currently, but he knew from his morning swim that the rip tides were rather strong today.
"Did Lou put you up to this?" asked Nico with a sigh.
"Why do you sound like the world is ending, Nicky?" he asked in return.
"It may as well be. Do you know how long its been since we've had sex?"
Blinking, Percy was not sure what to do with the sudden question. Which shouldn't be the case, since it wasn't the first time Nico pouted because they haven't had sex. But for whatever reason, Percy was still taken off guard.
"A week?" he asked after a few seconds of silence. His mind happily supplying the gala he attended at Nico's work, after meeting Nico's employees. They'd barely made home when Nico had started ravishing him. Apparently, Nico had been thinking of Percy in women's clothes all night, and they both knew what that did to the lawyer.
"A week," agreed Nico. "I miss you, mio amante. I've been so busy with work, that by the time I get home, you're already asleep. We haven't spent any time together as a couple either!"
Percy hummed agreement, having been thinking the same thing just the other day. He missed his husband, as well. But he also knew that sometimes, Nico would get an important case and then they wouldn't see each other for some time. Or one of his employees made a fuck up, and then Nico would end up staying overnight, fixing the problem.
This time around, Nico was being held late due to a beast of a case.
"Tell you what," smiled Percy, an idea coming to mind. "Come pick me up in an hour, and we'll go on a late lunch date."
"...late lunch?"
"A long one," he drawled smoothly, knowing full-well that Nico was already on board.
"One hour?"
"One hour." Percy laughed as Nico's pouting baritone switched to a much happier version of his smooth voice. Ending the phone call with 'i love you's, Percy put the phone back in its cradle just as Grover joined him. "Dang it, class over already?"
Grover nodded, grabbing two bottles of water as Triton came out from the back with a shortboard. "The kids are excited for next time. Since they'll get to get their feet wet this time."
Percy laughed, hopping down from the counter. "Kids can be so cute."
"Sometimes," agreed Triton, propping his board on a stand and grabbing his favorite wax.
"Oh, boss man," said Percy, grabbing his board from where he'd left it propped up inside the small shop. "I'm taking a late lunch today."
"Trouble in paradise?" asked the man, looking worried. Grover was also looking at him worried from where he was helping a customer pick out a board to rent. Hell, even the customer looked concerned.
Did he talk so much about Nico that others were invested in their relationship?
"Nah. Just haven't been able to see each other in some time. So we're going out for lunch."
"What's this?" asked Pan, coming up to the counter in his wetsuit. He'd been on his break and decided to surf a few waves. "We're finally meeting the Mrs?"
"I guess so," laughed Percy, zipping up his suit. "Should be here in an hour. I'm gonna catch a few waves, first."
"Of course you are," said everyone as he grabbed his board and headed straight for the water.
Triton frowned as perhaps the most rudest person he's ever met stood at his counter, asking for Percy. The instructor was in the back getting ready for his late lunch date, and Triton really didn't want to ruin it for Percy and his wife with this jackass.
"Perhaps there's something I can help you with?"
"If it's getting Percy, like I've been asking, that would be top notch," said the man sarcastically.
"Whoa man," said Grover, popping up beside Triton. "Perce's in the back, busy. Until he comes out, we just wanna see if there's anything we can do?"
"No."
Grover looked at Triton in a 'what can you do?' look. They both went back to their usual duties and left the man at the counter, waiting for Percy. Hopefully whatever the man wanted would be quick and to the point.
Pan walked out from the back, snickering. When he saw their visitor, he looked at Triton and Grover in question. "Who's the suit?"
"He's waiting for Percy," answered Grover, stacking up the skimboards he and Percy had been testing out earlier.
"Who's waiting for me?" asked Percy coming out, dressed in a pair of ripped jeans, an orange shirt with their surf shop's logo on it and his usual necklace.
They all pointed to the suit by the counter.
"He's a jackass," warned Triton.
Percy snorted, eyes rolling...fondly?
"Of course he is." Percy went up to the counter just as the man turned, probably hearing Percy's foot steps, grabbed the man's tie and pulled him over the counter. The three of them almost jumped at Percy, surprised at the sudden aggression, but froze when they saw their friend kiss the man rather passionately.
"What the fuck?" mumbled Pan.
"Dude!" exclaimed Grover, smacking at Pan's arm.
Triton said nothing. He was too shocked.
When Percy pulled away, he was grinning. "Hiya."
"Hi," said the suit in a much calmer voice. The suit looked down at where Percy was still holding him. "You're ruining my tie."
"Wouldn't be the first time," laughed Percy before he stole another kiss and then let go. "Ready?"
The suit nodded.
"I'll be back later," said Percy over his shoulder. He then hopped over the counter, something Triton has yelled at him about repeatedly (there's a door, dammit!), and grabbed the suit's hand. "So what do you have in mind, Nicky?"
"Must you call me that?" sighed the suit that they were all beginning to realize was Nicky Jackson, Percy's husband.
"Aww, no pouting. We're about to go on a date."
"I do not pout."
"The sky is green."
Percy's husband sighed, leaned down and kissed Percy before they were out of sight.
"Well then," said Grover, clearing his throat. "That was...unexpected."
"No shit," agreed Pan, sitting down. "Since when was Percy gay?"
"Since always, apparently," responded Triton, trying to think back about all the times Percy mentioned his wi- husband. Not once did Percy mention whether his spouse was male or female, always using gender neutral pronouns or just dropping the pronouns altogether.
He hired Percy about a year ago. During his interview, Percy had mentioned how he was done traveling for all his surfing competitions and wanted to be closer to home and the love of his life.
Triton had just assumed the younger man meant his wife.
"Wow," said Grover for the third time in a row. "Anyone else feel lied to?"
"What do you mean?" asked Pan.
"I mean, I thought Percy's wife was just the cutest damn thing in the world. Like cavity inducing adorableness. But instead…"
Triton nodded. "He's a jackass with an attitude problem."
"Exactly."
Percy sighed happily as he curled into Nico's side, sore in the best kind of ways. The hand Nico had resting on Percy's side, slid lower so he rested right on his hip. Fingers ghosted on slowly forming bruises that matched Nico's larger hands.
"Sorry," rumbled Nico huskily.
"Don't be. I enjoyed every moment."
Nico chuckled, kissing Percy's temple. "Guess your coworkers will stop calling Lou your wife."
"That's true," he sighed. "I kinda liked the guys not knowing that you're...well you."
"Perseus," warned Nico, pinching right over a bruise. The thought of Percy being with anyone that wasn't him made him a bit jealous.
"No," said Percy quickly. "I mean...this!"
"You just gestured to all of me."
"Exactly," agreed Percy, sitting up with a pout. "They probably won't believe me now."
Nico raised an eyebrow. "About what, exactly?"
"About how adorable and cute you are."
Nico snorted, pulling Percy into his lap so the older man was straddling his waist again. He sat up and kissed Percy's pout away, not pulling away until Percy had melted back into his arms. "You know that's only for you."
"And you know I like bragging about you."
Nico hummed, well aware of how much Percy liked to brag. He's been pulled into many arguments Percy has had with complete strangers about how much cuter the lawyer was than her three month year old. Grocery shopping was a headache and a half most times.
He heard Percy's breath even out as he finally fell asleep. Nico was surprised that Percy even lasted awake as long as he did after their vigorous love-making. Percy generally dropped off the face of the Earth within seconds of finishing.
Nico ran a hand through Percy's soft hair, smiling down at his husband. Percy may think Nico was cute, but Nico knew better. Between the two of them, Percy was definitely the cutest.
A/N3: There you have it. Let me know what you think!