Aquamarine
Dear @sugarcoffeecup, here's your gift for @percyjackson-secretsanta, hope you enjoy it!
Nico couldnât believe it. Here he is, tears streaming down his face as he reads the last page of the book. Before, if anyone told nico that reading could brought you to tears he would have laugh at their face. Books donât bring someone to tears. Losing your sister brings you to tears. Watching your crush kiss and dates the girl of his dream brings you to tears. Living alone on the streets when youâre ten brings you to tears. But books? No no no, theyâre just a bunch of words written on a paper for the purpose of passing information and to pass the time if you have nothing better to do. The fact that Nico is being sympathetic (no heâs not crying, his eyes just watered because heâs been reading for hours) to a book character might make him reconsider his stand on reading as a hobby (heâs a demigod, thereâs a law somewhere that states demigods and books donât really get along except if youâre a child of Athena or Frank Zhang with his excellent spelling skill).
Granted, the book heâs reading is a japanese comic (Nico isnât sure, does that makes it worse or not? In one hand, itâs a book with pictures which means less words but in another hand picture books are usually meant for children) and he could admit he enjoys reading the entire series. Nico isnât even sure how he got his hands in this series in the first place. Oh yeah, itâs Percyâs fault.
âHey Neeks! What you doin?â Percy asks as he plopped down next to Nico on the couch and try to snuggle to his baby raven/boyfriend.
âUhhâ Nico tried to close the book, ânothingâŚ?â
âOh is that a book? Whatâs it about? Is it⌠wait! Are you crying?â Percy starts to panic, he rarely sees Nico cries (twice in fact, once after Bianca fiasco (and Percy swore he will never let Nico make that kind of expression ever again) and when Nico finally get it through his thick skull that Percy is serious about his feelings and wants to date Nico).
âNo! Iâm not crying! Itâs just⌠i was sleepy and i canât hold a yawnâŚ.â Nico avoids Percyâs gaze and looking sullen.
Heâs too adorable. Percy canât help but smirk looking at his mullish boyfriend, âOkay, okay⌠So, whatâs that book about?â he rearrange their position so Nico is leaning back in Percyâs lap after putting the book in the coffee table.
âItâs a comic. A manga or a japanese comic actuallyâŚâ
âHuh? You can read japanese?â
âNo, i read the translated version.â
âCool, does it have a lot of action?â
âNoâ
âAdventure?â
âNoâ
âMagic?â
âNoâ
âRomance?â
âWhat? No! Why would i read romance?â
Percy chuckles âI donât know, i mean i donât even know how many genre comic have, you know? And i think the only japanese series i know is this show about a bunch of girls in costume called Sailor Moon?â
âAh, i think i know that one. I saw some add about Sailor Moon themed umbrella in Japan. Anyways, no the book isnât about romance. Itâs about daily life of a teenage girl.â
â....and it doesnât have any romance in it? And how did you even came across this book anyway?â Percy takes a look at the book cover, a girl with pink hair and green eyes is sitting on a sign that says Welcome to Neo-VENEZIA.
Because her eyes reminds me of yours âWell, i just saw the word Neo-Venezia and i thought itâs about a futuristic Venice or something, you know⌠And yeah it does have some romance in it but itâs not overwhelming or forced so it adds to the story as a whole.â
âYou really like these books huh?â Nico doesnât really share his interest with others, sure he spends more time around other campers and participate in more activities but Nico rarely become active participants in conversation, choosing the role as observer and listener more often than not. Seeing how Nico willingly share something he obviously like (even tho Nico tries to hide it) with him makes Percy really happy.
Nico cheeks colored slightly and tried to hide it with a shrug âThereâs some nice lessons in this book so⌠â
âLessons like what?â Percy reposition them again to find a more comfortable position to cuddle. Ah, Nicoâs hair is getting longer⌠Maybe i can ask him to put it in a ponytail.
âLike, learning how to let go, how nothing ever stay the same and how an end of a story is just the beginning of another.â Nico has a small smile playing on his lips and a tender look in his eyes. Percy couldnât help but think how much he wants to kiss Nico in that moment.
So he did.
And got a squawk in return.
âWha, what was that for?!â Nico face is flushed and he couldnât look at Percy in the eyes but all Percy can think is how adorable his baby raven is and how much he loves this boy.
âI love you Neeksâ
Nico finally meet Percyâs gaze head on and just stare at each other, Nico tucking a stray hair behind Percyâs ear âYou know, youâre kinda like the girl in that book.â
âReally? âCause iâm the main character in my story?â heâs flashing those lopsided smirk that makes Nico heart beats a little faster. âOr because we have similar eyes?â now the smirk turns into a full blown grin. Crap he knows!
Nico should have known better than to underestimate Percyâs observation skills (now that Nico can observe Percy closer than ever, he finds that the seaweed brain moments are mostly Percy when he couldnât be bothered or at least not interested enough because when he is, Percy doesnât miss a thing). Rolling his eyes, Nico pinch Percyâs cheeks âYou both have a way with leaving an impression on people even tho her method is much more commendable, loves adventures a bit too much and no i didnât mean the monster part but how eager you are to explore new places, you are sometimes a bit slow and dense,â âhey!â âand how you find happiness from the simplest and mundane stuffs.â
Nico kiss Percy softly, as gentle as the swirl of flower petals. Percy melts and follows his lovers lead, nothing passionate just chaste, innocent kisses. Percy nuzzles their noses, eliciting a giggle from the younger boy. When they pull apart Percy has the biggest grin on his face while Nico smiles smugly as if to prove a point.
âGood things can be found anywhere and everywhere you know? And isnât the most important thing in life is to find the good things in your everyday, to cherish and enjoys it?â Percy finally asks.
âWell in order to do that, you got to have a pretty good eyes to see beyond the normal donât you think?â Nico snuggles closer, âand you know, as the one who sees brilliance and beauty in everything and reflect it all through their eyes, i think they are the most brilliant and beautiful of allâ
â.... Aww NeeksâŚ.â
âWait, thatâs not what i meant!â
âI knew you think iâm beautiful and brilliant, thanks babe.â
âI was talking about the girl, dammit!â
Percy just laughs and tightened his embrace âYea, i adore you too, loveâ














