Author's Note: So I finally got around to finishing this... part. This story is never really meant to be a full story, but maybe as a collection of coherent shorts? I don't know. Whatever helps me stay writing. Let me know if this is worth continuing or not, cause I have some other ideas to work on. And yes, there's some slight OOC here. What fanfic is complete without it. I'm actually considering writing the fanfic challenge my friend gave me of Percy and Nico... in a Western setting.
KyoAkiyamako, I am counting on the promised fan art from you for the first part. *eyes from just over the tabletop*
EDIT: Adelheid pointed out an error... and it bothered me enough I had to fix it. No more writing at 2:30 am.
Heat Two
In Percy's opinion, Nico wore way too many clothes. Seriously, it was the middle of summer. What kid wore baggy jeans wearing threadbare in the knees, a grey long sleeved shirt, and a black short sleeved shirt? And this was after Percy had slipped him out of the hoodie. With a method that involved a lot of tickling.
Yeah, who would guess that the son of Hades was the most ticklish person on the planet? Percy didn't even have to touch Nico to get him to start squirming. Just get close to his skin and wriggle his fingers and Nico would twitch like an over caffeinated squirrel. Percy was delighted at this discovery and often abused it.
"Come on Nico," Percy teased, albeit a bit impatiently. He tugged at the hem of Nico's shirt. "It's probably eighty-something degrees out here. Aren't you roasting?"
Nico slid away from Percy's touch, shifting uncomfortably as he glanced out at the lake which was currently empty of all campers. It was a benefit of being the only kids in your cabins – scheduling camp activities was less of a hassle to try and get some alone time with your new- Percy wasn't sure what to call Nico. They were definitely more than friends; friends didn't press up against cabin walls and steal each other's breath. They weren't lovers; Nico shied away and pushed Percy off with an embarrassed face every time his body started reacting. He didn't want to even think of Nico as his cousin, that was kind of gross on a few levels. But 'boyfriend' was too simple, too… human.
"I'm fine," Nico mumbled. Percy moved with the pale boy, closing in from behind him. He came close enough that he could feel the shaggy dark strands of hair at the base of Nico's neck against his lips.
"Don't you want to go swimming with me?" Percy asked in a hushed whisper. The reaction was amazing – Nico gave a full body squirm like every muscle in his body decided to spasm at once and seemed like he was going to collapse to the ground. Percy caught him, wrapping his arm around Nico's waist. As Nico recoiled and hissed sharply, Percy jerked both shirts over Nico's head in one fluid motion.
Nico gave a sharp yelp of surprise. "Percy!" he shouted, his cheeks barely stained red with embarrassment. "Give me my clothes back!"
Percy smirked as he held the boy's shirts out of reach and Nico made a mad grab for them. He caught Nico up against himself and held the skinny boy tightly. "Now, you're going to get your butt in that lake, and…" he trailed off when he saw his arm crushing against a deep dark bruise surrounding parallel gashes running down Nico's shoulder blade, back and side and disappearing below his jean line. The shirts dropped to the ground as he moved to trail his fingers lightly along the wounds. Nico shuddered against him and tried to jerk away from Percy's deathgrip around his waist. "What happened?" Percy asked, in almost an accusing tone.
"It was nothing," Nico replied lamely. "Got mixed up with some monsters on a mission for Dad – this one just hasn't healed yet."
"The wounds are black and green," Percy snapped. "Nico, this looks infected." Nico gave an uneasy shrug into Percy's side. "Why didn't you get some ambrosia and ask the Apollo kids to take a look at it?"
Nico said nothing.
So Percy dragged his half naked… Nico across camp to where the Apollo kids were dispersed in the woods, working on tracking skills. He caught two brunette boys' attention and called them over. "Percy!" Nico hissed as the two approached. "It's fine, I promise-"
"What's up?" one asked casually.
"Nico needs you to look at an injury," Percy announced, ignoring Nico's dirty look aimed at him. "I think it's infected."
"Yeah," the other boy replied with just a quick glance. "Actually, it looks like a mild poison. Harpy claws?" He reached to touch Nico's skin to inspect closer. Nico jerked back into Percy as if electrocuted. Percy caught the skinny boy and held him in place.
"Fine, I'll go clean it out," Nico said with a desperate edge to his voice. "It's nothing, I promise-"
"We have a kit here, my brother here tends to injure himself anywhere he goes," one said cheerfully and earned a swipe at his arm. "It'll only take a minute."
A soft keen of fear escaped Nico's mouth as Percy pulled him into a sitting position so the Apollo boys could apply a poultice and wrap. Nico buried his face into Percy's neck and shivered as if he were freezing while the boys worked. One raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing. Percy ignored him – it wasn't a huge secret that campers were together with each other. Even same-gendered ones. The gods were nothing if not… flexible on that subject.
Not that Percy thought either his father or Nico's would be happy about their specific choice. It wasn't exactly like they had announced anything, either.
The application and wrapping took only a few minutes for the sons of the god of medicine, and they quickly pronounced they were finished and it would heal in a few days before returning to their lesson.
Nico shoved Percy off almost violently, staggering to his feet and storming off for the lake front again. Percy jogged to keep up with him.
"Nico, what's the matter?" he demanded.
"Nothing!" Nico snapped back, snatching up his thrown-aside clothing. Percy caught a fistful of the shirts before Nico could redress.
"Let go," Nico said icily. In the light reflected off the lake, Percy could see how stark the bandages were against Nico's skin. Nico's skin was pale with too many small shadows caused by ribs and barely forming taunt muscle.
He caught Nico up in an embrace, and the shaggy haired boy stiffened in his touch. Even with the bright mid-afternoon sun and the heat of the summer day, Nico's skin felt cool against Percy's. It reminded Percy of the constant coolness of the ocean.
"What's wrong?" Percy said into Nico's neck.
"Nothing."
"Pants on fire."
"Oh yeah, that was mature."
Percy felt Nico shivering in his arms. "What's wrong Nico," he asked gently, running one hand up and down Nico's back in a comforting stroke. Nico's stark spine arched up against him at the touch.
This was the frustrating thing about… - being in a relationship - with Nico. The silent boy rarely said anything. Most of the time Percy had to guess at what was going on in that mind under the long black hair.
Nico didn't say anything, but didn't push Percy away either. He just stood there, letting Percy hold him. Percy rested his cheek against Nico's hair and sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry," Nico mumbled into Percy's collarbone.
"Nothing to be sorry for," Percy replied automatically. "But if we want this to work out, you have to start telling me stuff Nico. If I had known you were hurt, I wouldn't have tried to get you to go swimming."
"That's not it," Nico's voice had a note of despair in it.
"Then tell me what's 'it'," Percy demanded desperately.
"I don't like being touched!"
Percy stood there for a moment, before quickly recoiling his arms. "Oh… oh."
Nico's face had an expression as if Percy had just slapped him. "No, Percy, no. I mean-"
But Percy's mind was already speeding away. Was that why Nico reacted so strongly whenever he touched him? Was the thing Percy thought it was ticklishness actually just squirming to get away? Was that why Nico pushed Percy away whenever he started to trail his fingers under Nico's shirt when they were snogging?
"Percy!"
He heard splashing behind him, and realized he had instinctively moved for the water. He was past waist-deep into the lake and Nico was trying to come after him.
Concern for the skinny boy overrode all mental thoughts. "You shouldn't get your bandages wet," he lightly scolded automatically.
"Percy, I didn't mean that," Nico started as he kept wading over, soaking his black jeans up to his belt loops. "What I meant was-"
Whatever was going to come next was drowned out as Nico suddenly jerked at the knees and disappeared underwater.
"Nico!"
Percy plunged below the surface, and instantly felt the water nymphs' presence as they dragged Nico deeper into the lake. He could see the dark haired boy fighting against their grasps as they giggled.
Let him go! Percy shouted as he surged towards them. He caught the nymphs' attention immediately. A few of the younger ones scattered immediately, intimidated by the son of the water god. But the older ones, who had been around long enough that demigods didn't faze them, seemed to decide he wanted to play. They giggled and darted farther and deeper into the lake, dragging the struggling Nico with them.
The game of keep away last a minute until Percy caught up and most of the nymphs swam away. A few lingered, watching Percy as if to test how far he was willing to take this 'game'. Percy panicked when he saw Nico run out of what little air he had, and gagged on water.
Percy whipped out and uncapped RipTide to prove that he was not playing. The remaining nymphs immediately fled. Percy caught up the limp Nico in his arms, the drowning boy weak in his grasp. He started to form an air bubble around the two of them, but it wasn't enough soon enough.
Percy could feel the water inside Nico's throat and lungs, inflamed and irritated. He quickly pressed his lips against Nico's and coaxed the water out. It spilled out around their joined lips and faded into the water around the air bubble.
Nico gagged against his mouth and Percy drew back to allow him to gasp in air.
"Are you alright?" Percy asked in a rush as Nico's chest heaved. The dark eyed boy was clutching at his water soaked bandages as he breathed heavily, and Percy gathered him up in his arms and held him tightly to help ease the pain. He could see the nymphs swimming outside the air bubble, giggling again. He glared at them.
"I'm going to kill them," he growled under his breath.
"No… you won't," Nico gasped out carefully.
"They could have killed you."
"My dad probably… pissed in their river sometime or something."
It was so ridiculous Percy had to laugh, burying his face into Nico's wet shoulder. Nico was shivering again, and it brought Percy around enough to remember to raise the bubble to the surface and direct them towards shore.
Once they reached the sand again and Percy had the water ebb away, he released Nico and moved to back away. "I'll go get someone to redress your side," he said quickly.
Nico released an irritated growl. "Percy…." He grabbed at Percy's arm before he could go anywhere.
Percy didn't respond, so Nico pulled on his arm until Percy came closer and buried himself into Percy's chest. Percy sat completely still, not sure how to react to the boy.
"I didn't mean what I said," Nico started, talking into the curve of Percy's neck. "I just… I'm… I'm not used to being… touched, okay? It freaks me out still."
Percy's hand was rising to automatically comfort Nico by stroking his back, but he quickly stopped himself. Nico let out a frustrated noise when he noticed. He pulled back just far enough from Percy to look up and meet his eyes. "I'm not saying for you to not touch me," he said stubbornly. "Just… I don't like it when other people do."
"Do I freak you out at all?" Percy asked softly, but let his hand rest on Nico's back and carefully started rubbing small circles while avoiding his injury.
"…a little," Nico admitted. "But-!" he quickly added, "I like it."
"Are you sure?" Percy questioned.
Nico gave him an amused glance before snuggling back into his chest. "If I didn't, every time you tickled me I'd break all your fingers."
"…That is true," Percy drawled out before snickering.
"Dork."
"…a whale's penis?"
"Is that really what a dork is?"
"Yes." Percy rested his cheek on top of Nico's wet hair. "I like you like this."
"Soaked?" Nico asked, amused.
"Cuddly."
Nico snorted. "Oh great, I have a cuddler for a…" he paused and Percy had to smile.
"Don't know what to call us either?" he asked.
There was a weird, awkwardly long pause. "Nico?" Percy hesitantly asked.
"I know it was stupid – I knew it was stupid – cause you were right there and weren't going to let anything happen," Nico mumbled. "But for a moment, an insane moment, the only thought in my head was 'I never got to tell Percy…' " he trailed off. Percy could feel the heat in Nico's skin, and smiled before kissing the crown of his dark head.
"I know."
"You know?" Nico asked, confused.
"Like you said… you'd break all my fingers." Percy smiled as he pulled Nico's chin up. Nico rolled his eyes.
"You think you're so clever."
"Sometimes," Percy agreed, before closing the space between their lips and pulling Nico closer. Percy liked the feel of moisture on Nico's skin and slid his hands over his slick back to toy with the soaked waistband. Nico moaned into the kiss and pressed his body harder up against Percy's, and instinctively Percy tightened his arms and tentatively slid on hand along Nico's hip beneath his wet jeans.
Nico pulled back with a harsh hiss of pain, and it took only a second before Percy could feel the wound that had run down Nico's side beneath his fingers. "I'm sorry," Percy quickly apologizing and withdrew his hand faster than lightning. Nico gave him an enduring smile.
"It's okay. It goes down pretty far – onto my butt and leg, actually."
"That's not okay," Percy slipped into overprotective mode. "I'll go get someone-" he stopped when he saw Nico's frown. "…I'll go get someone to give me the poultice so you can take care of it."
Nico's frown faded into a quirky smile and a bright blush. "You know… I'm okay with you touching me."
"Oh. Oh!..." Percy felt himself start to blush, one probably bright enough to challenge Nico's right now. "Well, the next cabin is due to have lake time soon, so we'd have to go to one of our cabins."
"Okay." Nico nuzzled his head into Percy's chest again. "But… in a minute, alright?"
Percy gently nodded, his chin brushing Nico's hair. He couldn't help it when his hands moved to ghost along Nico's skin, finally feeling warm to the touch, and the boy squirmed deliciously against him.
Oh yeah, he hoped Nico would stay ticklish for a long time.