King of My Miserable Life

Chapter 11

"This is what you do for fun?" Nico questioned, bruises now lining most of his body. "It's suicide!"

Will hauled him to his feet, the ice skates causing Nico to slip into Will's arms. They stared at each other for a minute before Will started to skate again, taking Nico with him. "I'll keep you from falling."

Nico's face was darker than the blood the dripped from one of his cuts. "William Solace, you are not going to use this as an excuse to hug me."

"And why not?" Will questioned. "It seems like a pretty good excuse to me."

"A pretty good excuse? It's cliche!" Nico protested. "You need to think of a better one."

"Fine. As a medical partner in training at the castle's infirmary, I can't stand to allow the prince to get any more hurt. So you let me hold you while we skate or we stop." he pointed to a cut of Nico's face. "You scarred your flawless face."

"William Solace!" Nico looked up into the night sky. "I'm going to kill you before this date is over!"

"Date?" Will perked up. "Does that mean you're buying me dinner?"

"You're telling me your middle name so it's easier to yell at you." Nico hid his face in Will's chest. "I feel like I'll be doing that a lot."

"Dinner it is." Will's own cheeks were red with blush. "I can't wait. I'm starving."

"I am getting the hang of this first," Nico stated. "And we need to find Percy and Annabeth eventually."

"They'll be fine." Will wrapped an arm around Nico's waist. "Come on, let's do this. Move one foot forward..."

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"We're getting away with it!" Percy ran down the alley with Annabeth, their hands clasped tightly. "I can't believe it!"

"Keep running!" Annabeth pulled him along, her blonde hair trailing behind her. A laugh escaped her lips, a laugh of pure joy. "They're faster than they look!"

"They look like they just ate a whole zoo!" Percy's feet smacked against the brick pavement, making noises that bounced off the walls and filled their ears. "There's no way they can run fast!"

"If you stop running then you're dead! I've got a plan!" Annabeth pulled Percy closer. "Fire escape up ahead. Jump and grab a hold of it."

"That's so cliche!" Percy stole a glance behind them. "They'll see us."

"Percy, I know them. They won't bother looking up." Annabeth dropped his hand as they made their way to the fire escape, her feet dying to a slow jog. She jumped up and grabbed onto the cold metal, hauling herself onto the landing. Percy was right behind her but was less graceful, almost dropping the bag that he carried.

Once they were both laying on the cold metal, they watched the policemen run down the alley, not sparing a glance towards where the two teenagers lay. When they were out of earshot, Annabeth and Percy burst out laughing once again.

"My ribs hurt!" Percy gasped for breath. "Oh god, I've never laughed so hard."

"You're missing out." Annabeth's thin hair fell over Percy's chest, rising with each breath. "Oh god, that was amazing. Americans can have fun, I guess."

Percy caught his breath for some time before sitting up, leaning his back against the brick building. "We went through all of that for a good meal. Are you going to eat with me or not?"

"A good meal?" Annabeth opened the bag before pulling wrapped burgers out. "We stole McDonald's and a bottle of wine and you call that a good meal?"

Percy cracked up laughing again, causing her to join in. They leaned against each other for some time, enjoying the other's company as they laughed about the night's events. Everything seemed light, everything seemed peaceful. Everything was okay.

"You know, McDonald's is Nico's favorite restaurant," Percy spoke up, grabbing a burger. "He eats it every chance he gets."

"You learn something new every day." Annabeth ate her burger more hesitant. "Open that bottle of wine, Percy."

Percy grabbed the bottle and smashed the top against the brick wall. "There, open."

Annabeth laughed again. "You idiot, there might be glass in the wine now."

"Only one way to find out." Percy raised the bottle to his lips and drank, his throat tickling from the new liquid. "It's good. Have some."

Annabeth took the bottle and drank some, her head leaning back against the wall. "You know, you're not half bad, Percy."

"You aren't, either, Annabeth." Percy agreed.