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These are 5 things Percy Jackson didn’t like.
And occasionally, he helps the others when they experience them. More specifically, he helps Nico di Angelo.
1. Being alone.
Percy frowned at the boy sitting at the beach. Nico had once again successfully avoided the campfire, and he had waved off both Jason and Will.
The small boy was huddled in his jacket, barely acknowledging Percy as he sat down beside him. His eyes were tired and sad. Percy had always gazed into them, used to the sadness ever present in them, but it just struck him now how much angst was in him.
He wanted to say something, but he knew he should just keep quiet and enjoy Nico’s company.
“Have you ever tried shaping the waves?” Nico asked quietly.
“No, not really.” Percy admitted. “Can you do that with shadows?”
“Sort of.” Nico raised a hand. Shadows raised from the ground and trailed up his palm and circled his fingers. Black wisps curled off his fingertips. Cautiously, Percy reached out. Nico smiled sadly and let him intertwine their fingers together.
“I don’t get it,” Percy whispered. “I hurt you so much, yet you still protect me and watch over.”
“One day you’ll get it.”
Black smoke curled over their hands, leaving a sharp, tingling feeling in its wake, and a fluttering sensation in Percy’s guts. The darkness compressed and formed thousands of letters, dancing on the scarred surface.
Non ti scordar di me. He read. Amore eterno, il mio forte eroe.
“Italian?” Percy chuckled. “What do they say?”
Nico stayed silent and went back to looking at the sea.
It crushed Percy when he realized how truly alone the boy next to him was.
2. Being forgotten or unwanted.
“Hey, um, aren’t we going to invite Nico?” Percy reminded carefully.
“Oh!” Piper looked surprised. “Yes, right, I forgot about him.”
He couldn’t stop the bitter taste in his mouth. He forced a smile. “Shall I get him?”
“Yeah, sure!”
He hated that he could tell her smile was fake.
He ran off to find Nico. “Hey, di Angelo.” He smiled at the figure. Nico was holding his sword in one hand as he turned in shock.
“Percy?” his eyebrows knitted. “I thought you guys were going out for gelato.”
“Gelato wouldn’t taste nice without my favorite Italian.” Percy pouted.
“I’m the only Italian you know.” Nico pointed out.
“Who cares? Let’s go!” He pulled on Nico’s jacket. “It’s been a while since I shadow-travelled.”
“We did that when we got out of the House of Hades.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve shadow-travelled with you.” Percy corrected himself. “You know, without the others.”
“Percy,” Nico said slowly. “We’ve never shadow-travelled together before. Mrs. O’Leary brought you to Connecticut, remember?”
“There’s a first time for everything!” Percy nudged him enthusiastically and took Nico’s hand. “Now, come on, Shadow Prince.”
The younger demigod groaned and wrapped the shadows around them. “Oh, and stop in front of the others; I want to mock them.”
He sighed and dropped them off near the van.
Jason’s eyes widened when they materialized in front of them. “What?”
“Nico and I are shadow-travelling there!” Percy said cheerfully. “See you, slowpokes.”
Nico blushed and turned his head to the side, ignoring their eyes trailing to their casually linked hands. The shadows engulfed them once more.
3. People who take what’s his.
He showed that when Kronos tried to take over Manhattan, and especially when a legacy from Annabeth’s architect class flirted with her.
But he couldn’t stop the intense, confusing feeling bubbling in his guts when Jason slid in the booth next to Nico, their hips pressed close. The son of Hades even leaned into Jason’s shoulder.
He knew Jason and Nico were close friends, maybe even BFFLs, but he suspected some romantic or sexual attraction lingered between their every touch and interaction.
He hated how Jason looked down and Nico tilted his head up so their eyes could meet when they talk. He hated how Nico ducked his head to hide the spreading blush when Jason had teased him and scooted further away. Jason smiled and cooed Nico’s name until the younger demigod snorted and they sat back closer than before, Jason’s arm behind Nico’s back and rested firmly next to him, near to Nico’s ass.
Nico’s ass.
Percy blushed heavily at the thought.
Sure, he had seen it plenty of times before whenever Nico scaled the climbing wall or walked in front of him or while sparring, but the fact that Jason's hand near it was a sharp reminder that Nico wasn't his, and his stomach didn't exactly agree with that thought.
“Seaweed Brain, are you okay? Why are you so red?” Annabeth teased, bumping their shoulders together.
“He needs to cool down, that’s why we went for gelato.” Jason joked.
Percy glared at him.
A waitress with strawberry blonde hair and sparkling green eyes came to them. “May I have your orders?”
“I’ll have the bubblegum gelato, thanks.” Percy said.
“Apple caramel for me, please.” Annabeth smiled softly at her. "
Peach gelato.”
She waited patiently for Nico. “Italians must have a hard time choosing gelato,” she commented.
Nico looked up, startled. “Oh, um, yeah. Mia madre used to make them for mia sorella and I.”
Percy fidgeted in his seat, keeping his legs closed. He rarely heard Nico speak his mother tongue, and he had always liked the way they rolled off so fluidly. The way he spoke it sounded like a beautiful sonata.
“Can’t possibly beat that.” The waitress grinned widely.
Her name tag read Delaney. Nico seemed to gaze a bit too long in her eyes as he returned her smile softly. “I’ll have the strawberry gelato.”
“Great! I’ll be back soon.” She smiled bit too fondly at Nico for Percy’s liking.
“She likes you!” Annabeth whispered gently.
Nico blushed. “She’s gorgeous, but she’s not my type.” He glanced up at Jason, who gave him a knowing smirk.
"Her eyes are stunningly similar to yours, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth observed, pushing his hair back to get a closer look. He felt a sudden urge to push her away, and couldn't stop the bitter taste at the back of his throat when he flinched away. Annabeth dropped her hand, looking hurt and confused.
Jason had barely looked at Piper who was sitting at the table next to theirs. Each booth was made for four person, so they had to split up. Piper glared at their direction, but was interrupted by Leo trying to get a taste of her gelato, followed by her hissing, “Go after Frank’s water sorbet!”
“Hey!” the sound of Frank smacking Leo’s hand away echoed.
Annabeth thanked the waitress when their gelatos arrived, followed by Delaney walking past Nico and him sitting rigidly, squeaking and blushing red as she slipped a hand on his shoulder. A folded paper fell on his lap.
“Is it her number?” Annabeth smirked.
“Yeah.” Nico’s blush deepened.
“Cut it out, Neeks.” Jason snorted. “You can’t like her.”
Percy gave him another glare. "You can't like Delaney." he muttered bitterly under his breath.
Nico shoved Jason. “Shut up, eat your gelato, or I’m eating it for you.”
"You don't need to. I'm offering." Jason smiled fondly at him, bringing a spoon to his lips.“Open up.”
“They’re cute together.” Annabeth whispered to Percy.
His grip around the pen in his pocket tightened.
4. Accusations.
Piper put a hand on her hips, eyes squinted dangerously at him. “We need to talk.”
Fuck. Percy gulped. Did she find out about how he felt towards Nico? She was the daughter of the goddess of love.
“Um, about what?”
She let out a humorless laugh, pushed him in his cabin and slammed him against the wall, Katoptris pressed against his neck. Her foot closed the door behind them.
“What’s your deal, Jackson?”
He gulped, and slowly raised a hand, holding Piper’s forearm. “What’s this about?”
“You love Annabeth, right?”
He was a bit too slow answering that. Of course he loved Annabeth. But his feelings had faded to like when he started intensely noticing Nico.
“I knew it!” Piper hissed in his face. “Back off. Jason is mine.”
He frowned. “You think I have a crush on Jason?”
“I can sense romantic or sexual attraction, I’m literally the daughter of love. Plus, you look at him like you want to ravish him.” her words were rushed and angry.
“Can you sense who I feel them for?” he asked slowly.
“I used to sense your love towards Annabeth, but it started fading.” Piper frowned. “I can’t sense who you like.”
He laughed. “I don’t like Jason.”
“Um, who-” Her eyes widened in realization. She immediately stepped back. “Oh my gods.”
“I look like I want to murder his guts, not ravish him.” He said weakly.
“You like di Angelo?”
He nodded.
“But we all know it’s not possible for him to like you.”
He hated it when she was right.
5. Dying Unloved.
He felt his lungs being compressed as the water forced his way in.
‘Never doubt your powers, or you will lose them,’ a Naiad had once told him. ‘Immortal or not, if forgotten, would fade away.’
As usual, he was pondering at the bottom of the lake. Annabeth always thought he went there to talk to the fishes, as did everyone else. He usually went there when his thoughts got negative or he was very, very distressed.
He had been thinking about what Piper had said, and he was suddenly struck by how hopeless his feelings for Nico were.
His powers had stopped working the moment he declared everything was useless.
Percy’s clothes weighed him down, and he tried to swim up. He had never realized he was too dependent on his ‘Poseidon’s kid’ abilities, and never bothered to learn how to swim decently and holding his breath underwater.
He could hear the naiads above the surface shrieking for help in Ancient Greek. Naiads rushed over and hurriedly pushed him up, and a dark figure jumped in the water. He had muscular arms which were wrapped around Percy’s waist. Strong legs kicked up and brought them up to the surface.
He placed a hand against Percy’s chest and performed CPR. His lips were chapped and soft. Weird. Percy noted drowsily. I like the taste. He decided.
He opened his eyes slowly.
A dripping wet Nico di Angelo desperately pumping at his chest. The blue sky is beautiful. He thought. The sunlight formed a halo around Nico’s hair. Tears dripped down his face as he cried.
As he cried for me, he realized with a pang in his chest. I'm dying. I'll never see his beautiful dark eyes. I'll never see another smile. I'll never hear his chiming laughter.
When Nico’s lips met his again, he took the last bits of his strength and dipped the Italian boy’s head down for a real kiss.
Electricity arced through him, his mind hazy and his guts squirming.
Nico gasped against his lips. “Percy?” Percy’s being screamed in delight when Nico kissed back.Tender and gentle. Just like Nico, Percy mused.
"One last smile." he rasped.
Nico had a shocked expression on his face, but managed a smile. It was sad, happy, and determined, all at once. It was enough for Percy.
And then he was gone.
-
He opened his eyes. Camp Infirmary.
Jason looked like a horrible mess, sitting there waiting for him to wake up.
“Why am I not dead?” He asked quietly. “I was already being judged by the bastard Minos. Why am I here?”
Jason ducked his head. Piper came in and clicked the door shut. Her eyebags were dark and prominent.
“Percy, you should rest.”
“How long was I out?”
They winced. “Five days.”
“Can I see Nico?”
The two shared a sad look.
“Did you tell Jason?” he asked Piper in panic. That must be it. Piper must’ve told Jason, and Jason must’ve told Nico. Nico must hate him too much now to visit him.
Nico.
His lips tingled, remembering the kiss he stole from Nico before he had died.
“I didn’t know.” Jason shook his head.
“So you told him?” Percy demanded angrily.
“She told me,” Jason held up a hand before Percy could shout. “She told me that you returned Nico’s feelings.”
He gaped.
“Nico loved you, Percy, with all his heart since he was ten. He told me.” Jason smiled sadly. “He might say it was a petty crush, but I knew it was love.”
His heart leapt with joy. “Where is he?”
Piper bit her lips. “He traded his soul for yours.”
Percy froze. He hoped he still had water in his ears. “Excuse me?”
“He exchanged his life for yours.” Piper looked guilty. “He said to tell you to live your life.”
“But I won’t be living my life! No, this isn't happening!” Percy shrieked hysterically. Tears flowed down when the situation hit him hard. He gripped his hair tightly, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the painful, crushing feeling in his chest. “I’m living his life! I stole his life!”
Annabeth ran in. “Percy…” Her grey eyes were sad as she took in the scene.
“No! I don’t need to handle another type of guilt!” he shouted.
Annabeth wrapped her arms tightly around him, comforting and strong. “Percy, calm down.” Her voice as soothing, and he felt himself relax.He sobbed and buried his face in her shoulder. “It’s okay, Percy. I know you like Nico. I’m fine. But I’m still your best friend, and I hate seeing you like this.”
His friends entered the room, and Percy felt a bit lighter when they gave him a massive group hug.
But they couldn’t fill in the emptiness in his heart.
-
Two months later…
“Hades invited you to the Underworld.” Hazel smiled warmly at him. “Nico requested to see you. He promised to serve you mortal food.”
His heart leapt.
Nico.