©Rick Riordan
©Scarlett Dove
Chapter XV
A Familial Face (The Red-Head Named Sweet)
Nico glanced around the bedroom. They at least let him stay in the house. Next to his bed was the machine again.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
It's getting annoying Nico thinks. He wishes there was a silent button. Something to shut it up. Hitting it usually shuts it up.
"Annoin' roght?" Nico heard a heavy accent.
The corner of Nico's mouth quirked upwards, only a bit though. He turned his head to look at a red-headed man dressed much like Nico himself; black, black, black, sans the pink. The man known as Gavin tilted his head at Nico, his long red hair falling in his face before he snaps his head back.
"Only slightly." Nico looked towards the green light flitting across the monitor in sync with the beeping. "Takes your mind off stuff."
Gavin snorted. "At least…it-ah-"
"Healthier?"
"Oi," The redhead furrowed his brows. "Don't-"
"We both know it." Nico looked away from Gavin and back at the bland wall. It looked cold; the colours.
Nico heard Gavin shuffle in his feet towards his bed. "Can we-ah- I dunno - talk?"
Nico sat up in the bed. "Sure." Nico glanced over at Gavin. "What about?"
Gavin clenched his jaw. "Wh-when I found ya, you-you-god-you-I didn't know wut ta do. Dammit, Nico-" Nico cut off Gavin's rambling.
"There was nothing you could do." He said quietly.
Nico heard Gavin sniffle. He was crying. "I could 'ave-I should 'ave. I should 'ave checked on ya, I should 'ave known-!" Nico snapped his head towards Gavin.
"Known what, Gav?!" Nico cried, his vision blurring. "What!?"
Gavin look at Nico, his eyes were red and puffy. They looked in pain. They looked lost. Nico didn't like that look.
Gavin reached out and whipped Nico's cheek with his thumb. "…When I found you I was so a'fraid…" He took in a shaky breath. Nico blinked his vision clear. "…I didn't kno' wut ta do…" Gavin carded a hand through Nico's hair. He worked out the knots as he went. Nico closed his eyes and focused on that. Gavin's nails gently scratched his scalp, it felt nice.
Nico sucked in a breath and moved forwards to hug Gavin around his waist. Gavin moved onto the bed fully, he pulled Nico closer to him, keeping him tucked underneath his arms.
They sat like that. Nico sometimes felt the plopping of tears on his crown, it was oddly comforting. No one has held him like this in a while. "You're warm." Nico mumbled into Gavin's chest.
Gavin's chest vibrated as he chuckled.
That's the sound I know.
Gavin pressed his lips onto Nico's crown and kept them there. "I'm so happy I'm here with you." He mumbled into his hair.
Nico melted in his arms, any tension gone from his body draining out of him. He closed his eyes and inhaled Gavin's cologne. It was sweet.
This was sweet.
…Well…
So, this is the guy that found Nico! It wasn't Percy, sorry.
Please review,
Scar