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"Keep moving!"
"What do you think I'm doing?" the voice behind Nico shouted back.
"Being slow."
"Oh, forgive me if I'm a bit rusty," tone laced with sarcasm, "I'm meant to be retired!"
If Nico had been less concerned for own life meeting the fate of the not one, but four Laestrygonians currently attempting to make them both dinner, he would have turned around and told Percy Jackson that he had invited himself, that he didn't need to be with Nico on this damned quest he was starting to think he'd been given just to be used as entertainment and that Nico was also meant to be retired.
Nico threw him over a fallen log, his black leather boots hitting the ground with a heavy thud before he took off again. If he could just get them back underground Nico would have the advantage.
"There's a body of water at 10 o'clock, about half a mile out," Percy's voice called out, thankfully still close yet the words panting around gulps of air. "I could-"
Nico cut him off as he pushed his fringe from his face, "That's what they expect us to do, we're not going to lose them by doing the expected."
Percy grumbled something under his breath yet it was soon drowned out by the ear-splitting crash landing and flash of light of a burning cannon ball somewhere too close to comfort on their left.
"Do you have a better idea then?" Percy questioned, voice demanding. "As, if you didn't notice, they want us dead, our swords simply made them more pissed and the only other option I got is water."
"It's not like I asked Rachel to vomit that prophecy on me!" Nico snapped.
Forgive him, he was stressed.
"That's the least of my problems right now, Nico," Percy barked back. "Just make it so we're not giant cannibal dinner."
Honestly, Nico was trying. Locating underground structures and minerals was not his strongest point. That was more on Hazel and, although she'd been teaching him the same as he'd been attempting to teach her bones and the dead, it was still hit or miss. Concentration is what he needed, a moment to take a breath, to not be running for his life, yet Nico had neither of those options at hand. Stopping was a death sentence but eventually so would running be.
Hazel would be better at this than him. Reyna, also, as Nico knew she would have gone all diplomatic and never caused a problem in the first place, Jason too, maybe he would have been able to prevent Aeolus and his winds from getting aggravated in the first place. Anyone but Nico himself. No point to dwelling though, a painful stab into his ribcage putting Nico back in his place. Hazel was in Camp Jupiter, Jason was gone and Nico, and Percy, would be following in Jason's place if Nico couldn't find-
There!
"Follow me!" he called out, feet moving with a new level of determination as his lungs screamed to keep up with the new pace.
The only way Nico knew Percy had heard his instructions were the sound of his footfalls and heavy breathing. At least he was there. Nico had built up his reputation around both camps over the years but returning to the Greek one with the news his quest had killed their beloved Son of Poseidon… well, Nico would prefer to join Percy in the Underworld than face that. Neither could he dare to look back with the ground of the forest so uneven. One trip here and it would be over.
Finally, as Nico's thighs joined his lungs in screaming for a break, Nico sensed it. A parting in the ground, invitingly empty and in front of his eyes a raised, rocky mound. Thank the Gods. Actually, thank Hazel's teachings, the Gods didn't deserve credit for her hard work.
"Get in there," Nico pointed with haste at the small parting between the rocks.
Percy's arm brushed his as he came to a stop right next to him and Nico ignored the spark it rushed through his blood.
"We won't fit."
"Yes, we will or you'll be monster food," Nico grumbled. "Get in or I'm leaving you out here."
Riptide vanished back into pen form with it's usual metallic sound before Percy's body squeezed sideways between the gap with no further complaint. Nico wasted no time following after Percy's body had vanished, he wasn't sure how close the Laestrygonians had managed to get but he wasn't keen on waiting around to find out.
"Stand back," Nico warned before he clasped his hands together and, with a loud grumble of moving rock, darkness fell minus a small slither of light from above that rested on the top of Percy's hair.
His thighs wanted to collapse to the floor yet they didn't get the chance. Neither did he get the opportunity to breathe in a sigh of relief. No, because as Nico attempted to adjust himself he met solid. Rough rock along his back and-
"Ouch! Dude, be careful, that's my foot."
-Percy's body pressed against his front.
He'd predicted would have been a tight fit, after all they were both fully grown men with regular fitness training under their belt, but not so tight that there was no space. Nothing. Just solid weight of a body and, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, tanned skin, so close and temptingly bare where Nico knew a clump of freckles lived on Percy's neck. A shadow cast over him, one that suggested an arm and hand would be found somewhere to the left on his face and then lower, once hips began, Nico couldn't work out where he ended and Percy began.
Oh fuck. He'd led himself into his own doom.
It didn't help the ragged breath of his own lungs had finally decided to catch up with the desperate need for air now they'd stopped. Neither did it help Percy was doing the exact same as him, the expansion and deflation of his chest mere centimetres from Nico's nose as the sound mingled with Nico's own. Nico almost wanted to bolt, suggest finding a different, larger space but he knew it was too late. They'd lost key escape time and Nico had fallen from one trap into another.
"This is your fault," Percy grumbled right above his head, only serving to remind Nico of just how close the other demigod was.
Nope. Don't go there.
Instead, Nico let out an irritated sigh. "It was actually the fact I told you to be quiet and what did you go and do? Talk. I had it handled."
"Didn't look very handled to me. You looked next in line to the dinner table from my view."
Okay, maybe, just maybe, it was both of their fault but Nico was too stubborn to admit that one out loud. Also, it was still mostly Percy's fault.
"I was fine," Nico bit back. "You don't need to baby me, I'm not a little kid anymore."
Unusual silence fell and, for a reason Nico couldn't place, it felt as if he'd had that same conversation with Percy before. He couldn't have though even if the eerie sense of déjà vu tried to convince him otherwise. Although, that was the least of his worries given his comment. Had he taken it too far? Was it just Percy's way of showing care and Nico was acting ungrateful? Was he about to be stuck with not just Percy Jackson pressed against him but an angry Percy Jackson pressed against him?
He really needed to stop thinking about that.
Yet it was awfully hard not to when Nico sucked in a harsh gasp of air as a spine shooting sensation ran through his entire body. Naturally, he froze, didn't dare to breathe hard or even move his fingers even if they desperately wanted to push Percy away. Or pull him closer. No, push him away.
Fuck he needed-
"Stay still," Nico hissed.
"Sorry, numb leg."
Another shift of weight followed by another zap of energy, that time settling warm into Nico's stomach before the next dangerous touch dragged it lower.
Holy Hades, he could not let that happen here.
The rough texture of the small cave wall uncomfortably pushed through the fabric of Nico's jeans and his hips jolted backwards. An involuntary attempt at distance that only lead to shifting that part of his body so it perfectly lined up with the dip in Percy's thighs.
Fuck, he needed to stop thinking about it, the closeness of touch, the way the only thing his nostrils could pick up was Percy's sea breeze scent mixed with musky sweat, the fact he knew those freckles on Percy's neck were still there and Nico still wanted to take them into his mouth to discover what Percy tasted like.
Nope. Abort those thoughts before the they travelled lower and the crease of Percy's thighs no longer felt so tempting.
They were on a quest. They were going to be monster dinner if they got found. Nico refused to meet his father with a hard on from Percy Jackson's thighs because of his own stupid plan.
Wait…
This had happened before.
"I had a dream like this."
"What?" Only then did Nico realise he'd said the final part out loud. "You dream about me?" Percy asked, voice laced with confusion.
"A prophetic one," Nico attempted to save.
Percy's legs shuffled and Nico bit his lip to hold in this hiss that attempted to fall out of his mouth at the detrimental friction. Preventing his outward reaction didn't stop that ache from spreading, blood continuing to pump traitorously downwards.
"You dreamt about us stuck in a tight place?" that time the question laced with teasing. "Don't you have a boyfriend di Angelo? Bet he wouldn't be too impressed to hear you're having dreams about other guys."
"Shut up," Nico jabbed. "As I said, it was a prophetic demigod dream so not my fault."
The way Nico had sneaked off to the bathroom, cupped his aching bludge and stroked himself to completion, U-shaped indents imprinted into his arm to prevent the fall of someone's name who was not his boyfriend peacefully sleeping in their shared bed was probably his fault though.
Not that mattered. It was simply Nico's little secret. One that the exact subject of was way too close to discovering the truth behind.
Percy chuckled lightly, the sound echoing around the small space. "Someone should tell Apollo he's sending weird dreams about other guys to his son's boyfriend."
Nico should have come up with a snarky retort, something to get back at Percy and so he'd finally drop the subject of both Nico's dream and Will Solace, instead all that fell out of his mouth was a gasp as Percy's hips shifted, pulling Nico along with the movement.
Gods, he seriously needed to think about anything else. Demeter demanding him to eat cereal, Minotaur underwear, that time he got turned into a corn plant, Will's rather unusual-
"So, did that dream of yours give you any hints?"
Anything but Percy Jackson, that fucking dream and the press of firm heat against himself.
"Maybe something along the lines of how we're getting out of here-"
Another movement of hips and Nico's knuckles had most likely turned white from the grip he had on the rough wall behind him, the pain from the sharp rocks secondary to the growing ache in his jeans.
"-or a plan for after?"
"No." Nico mentally sighed in relief when his voice came out normal. Maybe Percy hadn't noticed Nico's growing problem. He seriously hoped not. "I woke up before that part."
"Oh," Percy exhaled. "Did that have anything to do with the fact you're getting hard right now?"
Damn it.
"No," Nico lied.
"The dream or the getting hard cause I can totally feel the last one."
He should have left Percy out for monster dinner or banished him from joining the quest in the first place, anything to prevent the current situation he'd found himself in.
"Has anyone told you that you're really irritating?" Nico attempted to deflect.
Percy hummed. "Multiple times." Hips moved again yet the roll was undeniably purposeful and Nico's gasp fell into the small space between them. "Your dick doesn't seem to care though."
"Percy," Nico hissed, venom leaking through his voice.
The heat of shame rose into Nico's face, no doubtfully pink in the darkness. He'd kept himself together for years only for one stupid quest and a plan of his own to kickstart his downfall. At least it was dark, at least Percy couldn't see his face and Nico couldn't see Percy's. At least he couldn't see what emotion ran behind Percy's eyes. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. The bare skin of his neck though, Nico could still see, tempting him to bite it to see if it would shock Percy enough to shut him up.
"Look, Nico, let's say your dream was a prophetic one-"
"It was."
"-If it was then what did I do next? We're stuck here until those-" Percy sighed. "Yeah, I'm not attempting to pronounce that. Anyway, until they lose the scent of us so you might as well fill me in."
Maybe it would have been fine if Dream Percy hadn't basically said the same thing. Nico hated it. If his dream hadn't been prophetic in nature - and it had been - then Nico's imagination had got Percy down to the tea. He wasn't sure what to think about that one, how to process the fact even years down the line and one boyfriend later, Percy Jackson was still a focus of Nico's mind.
That was the thing about first loves Nico had come to painfully learn, they never really leave, a permanent mark carved into a heart, always carrying a piece of them wherever he went.
"I told you, I woke up."
Movement occurred before Nico's mind caught up, his hands reaching warm skin for a hope of stability as Percy's legs shuffled again.
Gods, just what was Percy's motive here? They were middle of a quest, if they were found here there was no saving them as Nico had already used up his safe quota of shadow travel and was sure if he tried it again he'd end up in some random country then pass out the moment they reappeared on the other side. That, somehow, wasn't even the major problem. Not when Nico's relationship with Will wasn't a secret and Percy knew about it. Percy also knew the fact Nico's crush on him was long gone. Nico himself had made sure of that one.
(It was, if he ignored that annoying voice in his head that asked him, 'Why haven't you said no then? Percy would respect it if you said no, so, why haven't you Nico di Angelo?')
Lips pressed under his ear, unfairly sweet as torturous hips pressed even closer, pushing into the ache that only continued to grow inside his too tight jeans in a way that made Nico want to chase the movement. Fuck, Percy was going to kill him if this quest didn't.
"Go on," the whisper in a dangerously low tone that ran goosebumps over Nico's skin, "tell me, Nico. Might as well kill the time."
Was that all he was? A body for entertainment to pass the time?
The potential regret, or the heartbreak he should have been long over and the denial beginning to fray at the edges to show the ugly, buried truth, should have hurt and it did, a stab between his ribcage right into the spot Percy Jackson had taken up since Nico had been a ten year old boy. Although, with another tempting, purposeful movement that only increased the tug of weight in his jeans the logic of regret didn't seem all too bad.
All that really mattered was Percy Jackson and how willing he seemed to be to satisfy Nico's growing need.
It was about as stupid as the time he'd thought he could handle Tartarus alone simply because it was underground and he was a child of the Underworld but, as Nico's hands gripped into where they'd found Percy's biceps as lips found his neck yet again, the last thread of rational thought vanished.
"This. Exactly this," the sound tumbling out of Nico's mouth in a whisper before he could have another thought and take back his words.
When warm, sturdy hands found his hips and the thumbs pushed under his t-shirt to rest on bare skin, Nico knew he was a doomed man.
Words ghosted over the skin of his neck, "Must be pretty important if you were sent a dream about it then."
Lips connected with his skin, a brief pull of teeth that made Nico arch into Percy, pressure pushing into the perfectly shaped dip between Percy's thighs. As Nico swallowed down his own moan, refusing to show Percy just how much it was affecting him as if the sign of his arousal wasn't already pressed tight against Percy's thighs, he vaguely registered Percy's head move as his eyes caught that tempting bit of skin again.
Could he?
He could…
"Part of the quest, maybe?" Percy questioned.
Eyes set on his goal, Nico didn't reply, instead leaning those short few inches into Percy and letting himself finally taste. Gods, it was better than he'd ever imagined. The gasp that followed somewhere above his head only caused Nico to bite down harder, sucking the piece of warm flesh into his mouth.
"Fuck," the curse slipping out of Percy's mouth in a delightful groan. "Dude, if you leave a mark I'm not explaining that to Solace."
Nico's lips separated with a satisfying pop.
"Don't care," Nico muttered into the flesh, ignoring the part of him that did. It had no place ruining a long term fantasy came to life. "Take some ambrosia or go for a swim."
With that he went back to his mission. Too many years had already been lost, too much time wasted to throw away a single second of this moment he'd been presented with. Maybe Percy wouldn't speak to him again afterwards and they'd be forced into awkward silence for the rest of the quest but it didn't matter. One taste of Percy's skin, the warm, lightly salted sweat from their escape attempt only urged Nico on further, a new addiction discovered.
Could he lick the flesh, taste Percy on his tongue and drink him up until it was all his taste buds could process?
"Go on, Nico," Percy breathed into the space, thumbs massaging into the dip of Nico's hips. "Just part of the quest."
If Percy was trying to convince Nico or himself, Nico had no idea. Neither did he care as the dart of tongue ripped a gasp that turned into a moan from above him. Did Percy have a sensitive neck? Only one way to find out.
Too focused on the action of his mouth and the way it prevented Percy from talking with each moment his teeth grazed the flesh the pressure on Nico's hips increased, he lost control of the rest of himself. Part of him, somewhere in the back of his mind, was aware he was basically using Percy's thighs to get himself off as if he were a still a teenager. The rest of him didn't give a shit as the friction combined with the restrictive pressure of his jeans begged for more.
Oh fuck.
Nico's forehead hit the solid weight of Percy's chest with a moan, the sound loud and filthy in the otherwise quiet space. He was long gone, too far lost in the sea of Percy Jackson to care about the signs of his drowning. Any remaining restraint fell away with it, Nico's own hips meeting the movement over and over again, the massaging pressure in the dips of his hips grounding his desperate need.
"That's more like it," Percy chuckled. "Gods, you're so hard."
Easy, the words translated to. For a split second Nico the stomach turning feeling of shame attempted to dampen the heat until-
"So are you," Nico whispered in disbelief.
Hands traced from his hips, under his shirt and onto his lower back before he was somehow pulled even closer.
Oh. He could feel it. The solid weight of Percy's erection pressed against Nico's stomach.
"Your fault," Percy said.
He'd caused that.
Nico di Angelo had got Percy Jackson hard.
If he'd needed an excuse to indulge, take what he'd been offered and reap it's benefits then that had been it. Lips found those freckles, sucking the flesh into his mouth in a way that Nico knew would bruise and when Percy met the movement of his hips, that evidence of Nico's affect brushed into Nico's stomach again.
The feeling of Percy's erection and the weight of calloused hands on the bare skin of his back was almost so good it distracted him from his own dick. Only almost as yet another moan ripped out of Nico's throat.
"Oh god, Percy," the name sounding right and natural on Nico's lips.
"Thought that might be better for you."
The smug tone to his voice, Nico wanted to kiss it off his tongue. He wouldn't. That was a step too far, a step too close to the emotions attempting to burst out of his ribcage and spoil the heat of the moment.
Did those cursed feelings matter when the next drag of Percy's hips hit the tip of Nico's dick into the base of Percy's own bludge? Then the next? And the next?
No.
Nico's mind was long lost to the growing, all consuming haze of his own pleasure, the pressure only continuing to build as he began to wish the layers of clothing were no longer in the way. What he'd do to strip them both bare and know what it felt like to have the skin of Percy's cock rub against his own until they came over each other.
He was sinking, drowning, lost in the ocean that also felt like coming home and where he'd always been destined to meet his end.
"Nico, fuck, you feel so good," Percy groaned.
Did he have a thing for praise as Percy's trickled down from his heart and only added to the pressure growing in balls? Maybe it was just the fact it had come from Percy Jackson. It was always Percy Jackson.
"I'm sending Apollo a letter of thanks when we get back, his prophetic dreams are improving."
Nico bit him again for that one, just a sharp tug of teeth that caused Percy's head to drop backwards and hit the wall with a thud then a pained sound.
"Idiot," Nico panted.
"Shut up."
How could he when Percy's hips leapt meeting his own with a well-established rhythm that was only picking up in pace? Was Percy as close as Nico knew he was reaching?
The drag was near painful, the friction of his clothing he knew was well damp with pre-cum tugging at his sensitive tip. He'd have called it painful if it hadn't mixed with the pleasure and served to add to it.
"Are you close?" the question whispered without shame.
If Nico had thought about responding it was cut off as pain cut into his back and the moan that tumbled out of Nico's lips could have been a shout of Percy's name or something not even in English, Nico did not know.
"Nico," Percy panted, "be quiet unless that dream of yours was meant to end in us both dead."
Percy's words cut through the haze just enough for Nico to blink open the eyes he hadn't realised he'd closed.
"Wha- what?"
That was the moment his brain finally registered the new noise, one of heavy footfalls and grunted language.
Fuck. Not now. Not when the pressure inside his trousers was so painful Nico wanted to sob at the lack of movement.
A comment about sea spawn followed from a deep voice somewhere above accompanied by the rapid beat of two hearts and the shared air of panting breaths. They couldn't be found. They couldn't risk it. If Nico hadn't of been in any shape to shadow travel them before he definitely wasn't now. Yet rational had been long thrown out given the way his hips shifted forwards and brought a shared gasp between them.
"Nico?" Percy whispered as the earth above them shook from the weight of multiple, large heavy feet.
"Please."
Where they'd once been nails, small circles pressed comfort into Nico's lower back. Such a confusing, soft touch for such a situation.
Air once again trickled over his ear, "What do you need?"
His movement had been met though, a gentle, careful roll of Percy's hips as danger lurked just outside their hiding place, grunts and groans covering Nico's own as he attempted to muffle it into Percy's shirt.
"Percy."
Really, the only word to summarize Percy's question. It was always Percy. It would always be Percy. Everything in Nico's life came back to Percy Jackson as if his string had been wound around Percy's own and he could do nothing to escape it's pull. Cursed by Fate to sell his heart to his childhood hero to never be saved.
Although the way Percy picked up his movements, Nico meeting them and finding their previous rhythm even though the threat of danger was still loudly on their front door, Nico wondered if he had been finally rescued.
"Stay quiet," Percy whispered.
So, when Percy's nails once again dug in and Nico's own scrambled for Percy's waist, Nico did the only thing that he knew to shut him up and sunk his teeth into place where Percy's neck met his shoulder.
He maybe should have warned him with the way the beginning of his name slipped past Percy's mouth before it was cut off. The noises from outside didn't change though and Nico, falling back under the haze of regrowing pleasure that only added on top of the previous, couldn't find it in himself to regret his actions.
A dangerous game, Nico knew it, even more dangerous as the walls of their small hiding place shook from the sheer weight of the footsteps outside.
Although, in the most irresponsible way that Nico was not proud of, the threat of being cannibal dinner was a distant worry as his balls began to clench.
It was the only warning he got, his mind fizzling out at the sheer pressure that exploded from his body, the scraps of conscious he had left working overtime so that he remained quiet. Those soft circles were back, the movement against his hips slower and for a brief moment that clogged in Nico's throat and pained his chest, he wondered if this was what it was like to be loved by Percy Jackson.
Not that he could go there. He could never go there, the self-rejection sobering up his mind.
Teeth left skin to the taste of metal.
"Shit, sorry," Nico apologised.
Percy sighed, one that sounded peaceful and Nico's mind whirled around inside itself. He hadn't meant to bite him that hard, hadn't even realised he had until it was too late yet the idea he'd left an open wound on Percy, that it was his blood Nico could taste as he wiped his tongue over his teeth… well, there was no denying it sparked an ignition inside of him.
"It's fine," Percy replied, hands still caressing the skin of Nico's back. "Feels kind of nice actually."
"Did you-? Do you want-?" Nico attempted to voice, not knowing how to ask his question.
He should have been embarrassed at how hard his end had racked through him, how powerful and easy it had been even through multiple layers of clothing. With just how good it had felt though, the embarrassment laid dormant. He couldn't remember the last time an orgasm had felt on that level of all consuming powerful.
"Get us out of here first," Percy said, pressure falling away from Nico's back. "It sounds like the coast is clear."
How Nico managed to collapse the wall he'd built through the after shock of his own pleasure, he did not know but as the ground rumbled before he squinted at the sudden blast of light he at least knew he'd been successful.
Legs shook under him as he attempted to climb out of their hiding space and if Percy noticed he was at least decent enough not to comment on it. The warmth of the sun on his skin was too much, acting as a reminder to the ache of his decision as it slowly began to catch up to him.
A presence came up next to him and Nico automatically turned, eyes catching Percy's neck. Two red bruises that would soon turn purple against tanned skin and there, the small, red, shiny dips from Nico's teeth. He wanted to reach out and touch the mark, burn the sight of his presence on Percy's body into his mind until it was all he'd ever remember.
He didn't.
The sunlight had been the end.
What happened now? They still had a quest to finish, how was Nico going to look Percy in the eyes? Actually, never mind Percy, how was Nico going to face Will?
"What's that face for?" Percy questioned, eyebrows raised.
Nico dropped his gaze which did not help as the tent in Percy's jeans was still there and all it served to do was remind Nico he'd been the one to put it there.
"Oh, do you want cleaning up?"
Cleaning up? Then the feeling registered and Nico's face only managed to pull into brief disgust before that same gross damp feeling vanished, a milky white blob landing on the grass next to them. Had Percy just…?
"Handy," Nico commented.
Percy shrugged. "Mostly made up of water."
Then he grinned and Nico gulped in anticipation for what would follow. Rejection? A tease that would stab at Nico's chest and leave him raw and open for weeks to follow? He'd played a dangerous game with only him as the victim and these would be the consequences.
"Pay me back once we make it back to Camp," Percy spoke, his tone not giving anything away, and Nico blinked. "Unless, Will's fretting over your health and strange way of eating corn does something for you. Not one to judge but…"
Percy trailed off as his face shifted into one of grimace that Nico felt in his bones. He hadn't quite removed that mental image of his boyfriend from the Camp Half-Blood reunion BBQ the evening before Nico had been thrown onto this quest thanks to Rachel's tendency to vomit green smoke. Out of all the more questionable things he'd seen Will Solace do over the years, including flirting with his step-mother (not as if Nico were out flirting with one of Apollo's multiple dead lovers in the Underworld. No, just getting off on a very much alive Percy Jackson which was beside the point), the corn might just be the top contender of unusual.
If Nico were to be honest, the past three days of trekking through underground passages, forests and mountains with his sword in his hand and Percy for back-up had been the most alive Nico had felt in, well, a long time. Whatever had just happened only added to that feeling. Was it so wrong of him to continue to chase it, to stretch his wings further and taste the sweet ecstasy of freedom?
He'd already flown too close to the sun, burnt out from it's overpowering attention, and now, if he were to be doomed to drown in the sea then Nico, unlike Icarus, would accept those waters without fear.
"Your cabin or mine?" Nico asked, tone forcefully casual as a knot turned inside his stomach.
"Mine. Less chance on Solace knocking."
Freedom was thrilling, exciting and Nico was falling into it head first.
"That's if he lets me out of the Infirmary," Nico countered with a groan.
Percy's elbow nudged into him. "Well, the Infirmary has beds."
He tilted his head upwards and caught Percy's dark brow raised, the slightly pink flush to his face under his freckles and slightly chapped lips Nico wanted to taste positioned into a smirk. Sea greens were on his, open and challenging and they held him there for a moment before the tension snapped to laughter.
"You wouldn't?" Nico asked in disbelief.
"And you haven't?" Percy grinned back. "Damn, Solace needs to learn the fun of slacking off at work."
It wasn't a laughing matter, Nico knew that, and he'd had to face the backlash once he returned but as weight clapped into Nico's shoulder followed by Percy's voice,
"Come on Nico, there's a quest to finish first."
Nico found himself actually wanting to return to Camp Half-Blood just so he could see where his new taste of freedom would lead.