Alone Again (Percico/Pernico AU)

Chapter 53

Well hello beautiful people. Long time no see??? I have to warn y'all that this chapter is just bAD so brace yourselves. Quality is going to improve once I, you know pick a plot point and go through with it. For now, though, hope y'all can at least try to bring yourselves to enjoy this nonsense. Have fun.

[TRIGGER WARNING: a few implications of abuse/Percy's past, please read with caution if this applies to you. Stay safe]

Very smooth, di Angelo.
*****

"Jason, I think I might have just asked him on a date, but I'm not totally sure," Nico barged into the apartment after dropping Percy off.

From his seat on the couch, Jason glanced over at Nico with a confused look on his face. "How are you not sure?"

"Okay," Nico plopped into the seat next to the blonde, "I invited him over here to watch Netflix when you and Thalia are gone Saturday night."

Jason sighed at the younger boy. "Yes, Nico, that's the romantic first date every guy is dreaming about."

With a groan, Nico threw one of the couch pillows at Jason. "I just don't think he'll want to be somewhere with tons of stranger right off the bat, Jase. Plus, what if he doesn't even like me?"

"You're kidding me, right?" Jason paused before continuing, "Let's just talk for a second here, Nico. You and I both know Percy's had a problem with physical contact for so long, and I'm sure you also know he couldn't be touched without flinching up until he got close to you. Does that mean nothing to you?"

Nico shrugged sadly. "That doesn't necessarily means he likes me romantically, he could just think we're good friends."

Jason opened his mouth and looked like he was about to protest but stopped himself. "First of all, you sound like you're ninety. Secondly, fine. Pretend it is a date. If he doesn't pick up on your hints, he's either not interested or super oblivious. Tell me what happens, and we can ask Piper what she thinks. We both know she's better at this anyway."

The younger boy nodded, watching the blonde get up and walk to his room. Nico sighed as he slumped further into the couch. When he asked Percy to come over, he didn't originally mean for it to be a date, but he definitely wasn't opposed to the idea as long as Percy was also fine with it. He really did treasure the times in the Manhattan facility when it was just the two of them, enjoying each other's company.

Now he just didn't have to worry about intensive security, although even that was rather poor with Mr. D at the head of things.

*****

Percy and Grover had just finished an intense game of uno at midnight when they decided to go to bed. While Percy wasn't planning on immediately going back, Grover still had school the next day.

They headed to their respective rooms, and Percy didn't hear another sound from Grover. The green-eyed boy himself, however, was struggling to fall asleep. He'd gone through his nightly routine and had laid down in bed, but his brain wouldn't shut off. It wasn't the typical thoughts-running-through-his-head state that he tended to be in as he attempted to rest, but it was instead a dead silence in his mind. He was deprived of his anxiety-ridding and prodding thoughts for one night, and he couldn't even take advantage of that and fall asleep.

He stared out the window across the room, glancing around the urban environment with its lights still shining brightly and its people still quietly wandering the streets in the middle of the night. He'd missed the city after being stranded from it for months. Throughout his first time in the Manhattan facility, Percy had begun to think that the busy lifestyle of New York was the only thing he really missed besides his mother. His friends were and still are kind people, but he knew they'd never treat him the same way. He most certainly did not miss his home either, if you could even consider it one.

Percy's eyes drooped as he finally began to feel a bit fatigued. Now that he was thinking about things willingly and his thoughts were not totally controlling him, Percy was calm enough to eventually settle into a sleeping state.

However, Percy's serenity was short-lived as his consistent nightmares woke him up at four. His eyes shot open with a quiet gasp. He tried to relax his muscles against the tension that was in them, and after a few moments he could focus solely on his breathing and slightly fleeting vision. Percy held his left hand to his forehead as he tried to ease the oncoming headache that would inevitably show up any moment.

All he had to do was remind himself that he was okay, that it wasn't real. His hyperactive brain was messing with him again. He was...in Manhattan again. He sighed, rolling over back onto his side. Percy was never particularly one to get enough sleep, even when he was younger. He tried to call it insomnious tendencies, but Gabe called it idiotic and attention-seeking.

It wasn't too different than how Gabe usually spoke of Percy as a young child.

The teenager glanced at his phone, a dangerous thought crossing his mind. Would Nico be awake right now? He had wondered, internally debating the pros and cons and what may happen if he called. The biggest con was that Nico would think Percy is insane and block his number so he wouldn't call at an absurd hour again, but there was always the chance that Nico was awake and ready to receive the call.

Percy decided he'd go ahead and risk it. He was past the point of worrying if Nico would hate him for something as small as a phone call. If Nico was still walking alongside him now, a wake up call wasn't going to change that. Percy sat up and reached across his body to grab his phone from the table beside him. He tapped on Nico's contact and was met with multiple rings before the phone clicked.

"Hey, this is Nico. I'm currently unavailable, but feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day," Percy sighed, disappointed that he wasn't awake to pick up but slightly relieved just to hear the boy's voice.

Gods, he was pathetic when it came to Nico.

Courtesy of the voicemail, Percy did decide to leave a message for the other boy. He rested his cheek in his palm as he whispered into the phone.

"It's Percy..."

Well, there's that. Hope everyone is thriving. Have a nice week.