Alone Again (Percico/Pernico AU)

Chapter 38

[EDIT: OOF I FORGOT THE SYNOPSIS I SAID I WOULD PUT AT THE END. SORRY IT'S THERE NOW. I APOLOGIZE.]

It's freaking chapter 38 and they're still not together, I suck at this.😂

Sorry this took actually ten years to get published, I didn't know what I was doing and the chapter is incredibly terrible.

But I mean, enjoy???😂

[TRIGGER WARNING: the topics of self-harm, depression, and the general mention of mental illnesses are addressed within this chapter (less "intense" than chapter 35). If you do not wish to read, I'll give a one or two sentence synopsis at the end of the chapter. If you are struggling with depression, self-harm, or any severe mental health issues, please seek out help. You are not alone. Thank you, and enjoy the chapter.]

Regardless, he opened the door and walked in.
*****

Nico was a bit concerned immediately upon entering the room. Percy was still lying in bed, as Nico assumed he probably had been all day, facing away from the door. His body was wrapped chin to toe in the thin sheet, but Nico could see the not-so-steady falling and rising pattern of Percy's midsection, which meant he wasn't dead.

Nico mentally checked off the only good thing he'd found about the current situation.

He slowly closed the door behind him, taking a step or two towards the other boy. "Percy?"

No response except a slightly heavy sigh.

Nico cautiously made the rest of the trip over to the bed and sat down on the utmost edge by Percy's feet.

"It's Nico."

After a few seconds of silence, Nico assumed he wasn't going to get a reply to that greeting either. However, he was rather surprised when he heard a slightly muffled voice from next to him.

"I didn't go deaf overnight, you know. I could hear you come in and say my name," the green-eyed boy next Nico had placed himself next to muttered. His tone sounded a bit aggravated, but he quickly apologized under his breath.

Nico, aware of the fact that Percy wasn't exactly himself at the time, pushed aside and kept speaking. He was determined to make some kind of impact before he left. "I assume you saw that Connor was back?"

Percy nodded ever so slightly, not wanting to make a comment on how he had nearly failed to save his friend. Nico knew too well how Percy felt about the Stoll incidents, yet he was still searching for ways to comfort him and convince him he couldn't have prevented anything more than he already did.

"Hey," Nico said gently, placing his hand on Percy's ankle in hopes to gain his attention fully and not whatever 60% he had now.

However, that was when Nico noticed that something was truly wrong. Percy had no reaction to Nico's touch. No flinch, wince, anything. As much as Nico hated the fact that physical contact still had an effect on Percy after all these years, he'd just accepted that as a part of Percy. Nico generally avoided all physical interaction with Percy solely because he knew it made the taller boy uncomfortable.

But now? Percy didn't seem to either notice or care.

Nico assumed it was the latter when he saw the gaze of Percy's sunken green eyes turn a bit towards him.