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Title: White Anniversary – Christmas Past and Future
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus; post both series
PJatO 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, past child abuse, Christmas-fluff, time-travel, threesome, shoujo-ai, hetero
Main Pairing: Nico/Percy
Side Pairings: Frank/Hazel/Leo, Piper/Annabeth, Paul/Sally, Tyson/Ella, Trend/Sam
Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Bianca di Angelo, Maria di Angelo, Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Jason Grace, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Ella, Tyson, Sally Blofis, Paul Blofis, Gabe Ugliano, Not-so-small Bob, Mrs. O'Leary
Own Characters: Esperanza Nicole Zhang, Bianca Maria di Angelo, Hades Poseidon di Angelo, Sally Persephone di Angelo, Theseus Paul di Angelo, James Charles di Angelo, Laura Silena di Angelo, Jackson Tyson di Angelo, Samuel Elijah James Raser III, Trend Ignatius Austin
Summary: It's Christmas, one year after Percy and Nico got together. But somehow, the son of Hades is not very enthusiastic about spending Christmas with their friends and family. Something unexpected offers them a journey to three different Christmases. Percy gets to see a Christmas in Venice, with Nico, Bianca and Maria di Angelo, so he may understand the family his boyfriend misses. Nico on the other hand gets to see Percy's past, a Christmas spend with Sally and Smelly Gabe, so he may understand why Percy is so adamant on making Christmas perfect. To end the three days of Christmas, Percy and Nico are send to see the future together – a Christmas spend together with their children, in a bright future full of happiness.
This binds my 'A Very Half-Blood'-series and my 'Chasing'-verse, because it takes place one year after 'A Very Half-Blood Christmas' and the future it shows takes place on the Christmas Eve of the same year as 'Chasing Fireflies'. But it can also be seen as a stand-alone future-fic.
White Anniversary
Christmas Past and Future
Second Day of Christmas: Percy's Past
Nico glowered as he leaned against the closed bedroom door. Why was Percy so fucking social and so friendly and all? Why was he so complex? The son of Hades had never really been social, he hated spending too much time with people. Even though he did, for Percy's sake, he still wasn't as happy being with others as he was when he was alone. Or alone with Percy.
He could accept that Percy wanted to spend Christmas Eve with his family – Nico wished for the same, after all. And it would have been okay, if Percy wouldn't have insisted on also spending the first and the second day of Christmas out and about. All Nico wanted was to curl together in front of the television, watch re-runs of stupid movies and hold Percy. Just the solitude of having his boyfriend – his fiance, his future family. But of course that overly social idiot didn't understand.
"I think you don't understand either."
The sudden voice was more irritating than startling because once Nico started brooding, he enjoyed continuing it to the end. Turning some, he glared at the pink, sparkling thing floating in front of him. Pink. Why was that thing pink? And what was it anyway?
"What do you want?", growled the son of Hades, flexing his hand a couple of times.
"Let me show you what you do not understand. I am the Fee of Christmas Past and as I will show your partner, I will also show you. Let me show you why he needs this Christmas."
Before Nico had a chance to protest (or to rip the bloody insect apart), he was brutally ripped out of his reality. It wasn't like shadow-traveling, it was unnatural and felt more ancient than anything he had ever seen. And he had met the forces of Tartarus and Nyx before, there was not much that would be more ancient. He groaned as he gathered himself again. Okay, at least he knew where he was. The question however was why he was there, on the fire escape right in front of Percy's old room. Back when he and Sally had still lived alone.
"Dear Santa..." The small voice caught Nico's attention and he turned toward the slightly open window to peek in. A boy – no, not 'a' boy, his boy, his Percy – was kneeling in front of his bed, with his hands pressed together and his eyes tightly closed. Of course Percy would pray to Santa Clause. Damn, how had Percy been such an adorable kid? He was maybe five or seven or so, but Nico would recognize his Sea Prince anytime. "I know you're very, very busy and I know you only bring those children presents that had been nice and I dunno if I was nice, but I promise I tried!" Nico chuckled fondly and leaned more comfortably against the window-sill. Would their own children be just as cute as Percy had been...? "Okay, so, I know you didn't really get my last wish. It's really nice that you fulfilled it because I've always, always, always wanted a dad, b—but... can I exchange him for someone... nicer? Please? But I guess you can't exchange what Santa gives you, right? So... for this year, I want a friend. One would already be enough, I promise! One that's nice and likes to be with me and doesn't call me a freak for talking to the horsies and fishies."
Nico gritted his teeth, his nails digging into his upper arms. Sometimes he forgot. Sometimes he forgot that Percy hadn't always been like this. This undefeated, strong, confident hero, surrounded by countless loyal friends that would not hesitate to lay their lives down for his. Sometimes he forgot what a broken, lonely child his love had been. It broke Nico's heart in a hundred different ways, because all he wanted was to scoop the child up into his arms and tell him over and over again that it would be alright, that he would find all the friends he wanted and that he was loved.
"What are you being so loud for, brat?!", growled a dark voice as a bulky, nearly bald man barged into the room, half-empty whiskey bottle in one hand. "I told you to keep your mouth shut and don't disturb me, damn it! And where is your mother anyway?!"
"S—She had to work...", whispered Percy, staring wide-eyed up at the adult, pressing himself against the wall, as far away from the disgusting man as possible. "B—But she'll bring dinner..."
"Well, what a merry fucking Christmas", snarled the man and left, not without a last nasty glare directed at Percy. "I'm trying to watch my movie! Tune it down, or you'll regret it, brat!"
The way Percy whimpered and curled together in himself gave Nico quite the idea what 'regret' meant and who this man was. Nico balled a fist and went to open the window completely. Whatever was going on here, he didn't care. No one was allowed to hurt his Sea Prince. But before he had a chance to enter the room and interfere, he found himself back in their bedroom, in their time.
He wished he could blame the turning and twisting of his stomach on the unusual way of traveling, but he knew it was because of what he had seen. It wasn't news to him, Percy trusted him enough to tell him everything, even about his childhood and the time with Smelly Gabe (and now, Nico completely understood that nickname). But seeing it made it so much more real, made Nico's heart bleed so much more than just hearing it from Percy. He made a mental note to check the fields of punishment on his next trip to the underworld and spend some 'quality time' with Gabriel Ugliano.
Aside from the disgusting feeling of hatred and the urge to seek vengeance on the one that had hurt his Percy, there was also guilt settling down in the pit of his stomach. Even though Nico was still a little unused to being around people all the time, it truly was like a drug for Percy. Deep inside, the son of Poseidon was still that little, attention-starved boy whose first friend had been a satyr – when he was twelve. Percy was protective and possessive of his friends, because he never wanted to be that lonely boy again. Of course he'd relish in having his friends around all the time. Still, that didn't change the fact that Percy could have been a little more inclined toward Nico's request.
"How did you get in here? I locked the fucking door", growled Nico, noticing the other presence.
The livid and temperamental aura of his Sea Prince stood behind him, he could feel the soul of the one he loved. But he was not ready to give in. The bed squealed as Percy climbed in and came to lay behind Nico, with his arms around the Ghost Prince's waist. A kiss was pressed to his back.
"I'm sorry, mio angelo custode", whispered Percy softly. "You're always acting so strong in front of me, you're always my guardian angel. I sometimes forget... that under your strong exterior is quite the soft core too. Christmas is the holiday of family. Y—You... miss your mom and Bianca... I'm sorry, I didn't think about it. I didn't think about you. I only thought about, well, what I want."
That was it. That was why he was so angry. All those people, everyone was there, but not... Taking a deep breath, Nico turned around and wound his own arms around his lover to pull him close. He missed his family, all he wanted was to curl together with Percy in his arms and ignore the world. But Percy had a family. A large family, because the Sea Prince counted all his friends as family too.
"I'm... sorry too. You're just... That's not it, not all of it. I'm sorry for expecting you to understand. Ti amo", whispered Nico softly and placed a tender kiss on Percy's lips.
And in the moment that Percy curled up against his chest and they felt as though they were one, Nico knew he would always do anything for Percy to not feel like that lonely child again.
/break\
Even if it meant spending half the day with three loud females. Nico groaned and emptied his glass.
"You're being such a Mister Grumpy again", chided Rachel with an amused grin.
"When is he not?", snorted Annabeth, rolling her eyes and placing the fish on the table.
"Leave him alone", defended Percy as he sat down next to his fiance and grabbed Nico's hand.
"Aw, they're still such love-birds. Tell me we're not as bad, Annie", grinned Piper softly.
"You are", grunted Rachel, elbowing the other girl before sitting down herself.
While Rachel, Annabeth and Piper fell into playful banter, Percy leaned in to brush Nico's earlobe with his lips. "Thank you. For still coming, even though we had that stupid fight and even though you don't want to be here. I'll cut you a deal, you try and even smile tomorrow at your sister's and I'll be yours for the rest of the year. No leaving our apartment, just you and me until New Year's."
Author's note: I know it's short, but I had no time yesterday and I needed to finish it before I go to my grandma's today! And I also know it's still sad, but the next chapter will be filled with all shades of fluffiness and cuteness, I promise! When Percy AND Nico travel to the future together to see their future family celebrating Christmas! Have a merry first day of Christmas, guys. ;)