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Percy's first dream about Nico caught him by surprise. He hadn't seen the boy in months (though he had been told continuously by Hazel that the son of Hades was doing good and hadn't done anything really stupid), but he kind of missed him. He missed his messy black hair and the obsidian eyes that always glared at him and the crinkle between his eyebrows. It was shocking for him to realise how much he noticed about the younger boy, but he didn't make much of it. He fell asleep one night - after a long conversation with Jason about how weird it was for their ex-girlfriends to be a thing now and more than a few bottles of Jack Daniels - expecting the usual of talking to unicorns or, hell, even a usual demigod dream (even though those hadn't been very frequent since the end of the Gaia War), but definitely not one about Nico.
It started off pretty normal. He was sat on a beach by himself, staring at the water. Everything was incredibly peaceful, and he remembered humming some tune he used to hear a lot when he was a kid - probably a nursery rhyme. Then there was a shout and he turned his head to see Nico with a large, uncharacteristically bright smile on his face.
"Nico?" he'd said dumbly, and the other boy had dropped down next to him. He was wearing a thin black t-shirt, loose jeans and boots that weren't especially appropriate considering where they were. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, you asked me to be here," Nico shrugged, "And you know I've never been very good at saying no to you."
That wasn't true, of course. Normally, Percy would've scoffed and said, 'uh, yeah, you have', because Nico was never especially nice to him. Sure, there was that time before the Titan War when he would visit him a lot, but he was still distant. The little boy he met way-back-when had been cute (and asked too many questions) but he died with Bianca.
And that was Percy's fault.
But dream him obviously didn't have the same train of thought, so, instead, he was giggling like a little girl and leaning closer to press a kiss to Nico's lips. They were really inviting, and they tasted like strawberries. Blue strawberries that he'd asked the satyrs to grow for him (they had some really weird, special skills with growing things, and the strawberry fields at Camp Half Blood were perfect for home-grown blue foods.
So, yeah, they kissed. Things got pretty heated after that.
He woke up four hours later, tingling, aroused and horrified (but also quite pleased because the dream was totally hot and, from the way the son of Hades had been screaming, he had been pretty good, too).
Later that day, he ran into Frank and Hazel who were visiting from there apartment in New Rome. Annabeth had moved with them after they broke up (an awkward ordeal that ended in a handshake and no contact for almost six months before Piper forced them together. She and Annabeth were now happily living together whilst attending university in San Francisco) but she tried to go back to the camp whenever she could. Percy worked there now as a sort of assistant to Chiron. Half Bloods usually didn't live as long as he had, so they didn't have any proper jobs for him, but he refused to leave. Camp Half Blood was his home - the only thing he didn't like about it was how he could never invite him mother over (and that Nico never came, but he wouldn't admit that).
Hazel grinned widely, showing of rows of white, straight teeth, and happpily informed him, "Oh my gosh, Percy, you wouldn't believe it! Nico is visiting! Isn't that great?"
Yes, it was great. Really great. But also bad, because the idea of seeing Nico after his dream made his trousers feel a little tight and his cheeks flush.
"When?" he asked.
Frank gave him an uncomfortable smile, "Uh, in a few weeks, over his birthday. He's not coming here, though. He's going to stay with us in New Rome." There was a moments silence before he muttered, "Yay."
That night, he had another dream. They weren't on a beach this time, instead they were on the Argo II. That alone surprised Percy enough. He was in the stables at the base of the ship, the place he'd spent the night talking with Annabeth before getting majorly chewed out by Coach Hedge.
Nico wasn't there at first, and then he was. He wasn't smiling this time, he was simply staring at the floor with his feet dragging. His hair was even messier, wearing that aviator jacket he never seemed to part with - even though the sleeves were a bit short and there was a hole in the sleeve.
"Nico?" he said, like the first time.
Nico met his eyes. "Percy."
It was a cold greeting, one he was used to from when Nico actually spoke to him, but what followed wasn't normal. Nico lurched forward and then they were kissing and then things went further.
Percy couldn't help the little bubble of excitement he felt when Jason asked him to go with him to stay in New Rome and wait for Nico. He also couldn't help the jealousy.
"Since when are you and Nico friends?" Percy asked, frowning.
The blonde shrugged. "Back on the Argo II when you were... uh, yeah, back then, we sort of bonded. He didn't want to be my friend but I kind of wouldn't leave him alone. We Iris message, like, three times a week."
That was brand new information. Brand new, unwanted, anger-inducing information that made him want to scowl and run the son of Jupiter through with Riptide. Maybe that was an overreaction? He didn't care.
"Really?" Percy inquired through gritted teeth. "I thought Leo was your best friend."
Jason blushed lightly. "W-well, yeah, I mean, Leo means, like, the whole world to me. Well, uh, not the whole world, you know, but he's- he's really special to me. You know."
"Yeah." Percy agreed, and he suddenly didn't feel very jealous anymore.
He dreamt of Nico again that night.
And the next night.
And the night after that.
And all of the nights leading up to the day he left for New Rome.
Percy's things were packed and ready, and Jason was waiting for him by the door of his cabin. They knew that he couldn't enter - old rivalries between Gods and such - so the son of Jupiter leaned against the wall of Cabin 3 making polite conversation with an Apollo boy who had a thing for him.
The boys loaded there things onto one of the chariots Leo had made for them after finding Bunker Nine (Percy wasn't there when it started building, but he was there when it was finished) and attached Black Jack and Tempest to the reigns.
The Pegasus tried to talk to him, but Percy was too busy thinking about Nico and wondering if the boy would be happy to see him. Deep down, he knew he wouldn't be overly enthusiastic. Nico di Angelo hated Percy Jackson, and he had for years. The boy put up with him, he nodded along to some of the things he said, but he never really liked him.
Because, the truth was, Percy was falling in love with Nico and Nico wasn't even there to fall in love with. He hadn't seen the son of Hades in years.
With that sad thought echoing through his head, Percy helped Jason land the chariot and walked to the bus stop they'd planned to meet Piper and Annabeth.
The girls were stood together, talking normally, casually, with these beaming grins on there faces and their hands joined together. Percy didn't think he's ever seen two people more in love.
Annabeth hugged him in greeting, muttering, "Hello, seaweed brain," in his ear. He laughed, and punched her shoulder lightly.
"Good to see you, Wise Girl," he replied, because even though they'd broken up, she was still his closest friend. And they were both over the little thing they had when they were teenagers, and they both had feelings for someone totally different.
Well, maybe not totally different. Nico was just as smart as an Athena kid, and just as good looking (in a different way) and way more powerful (not that he'd ever say that to his ex-girlfriend, because he actually valued his life).
They went to the girls apartment ("I want to knock this whole building down," Annabeth had said, "The architecture is really disappointing and I could definitely design better.") and Percy and Jason settled into a room together.
"So, you excited about seeing Nico?" Jason asked, and Percy felt himself freeze. Oh, Gods, Jason was sharing a room with him for a whole two weeks! What if he talked in his sleep? That would be so embarrassing! And what if he told Nico and Nico rejected him because what else would Nico do? He'd hardly turn around and say, 'oh, good' and then kiss him with the same vigor he did in his dreams.
"Uh, I guess." Percy answered vaguely.
"It's been a while, huh?"
Percy's lips turned down, "Too long."
He dreamed about Nico again. Jason didn't act like he heard anything weird.
On the day Nico came, Hazel convinced them to meet at the park. She wanted everyone there to greet her brother - even Percy, who Nico really, really hated. The day was nice (sun shining, birds chirping) and Percy was filled with anticipation. He couldn't wait to see the son of Hades. Had he changed? He was older now, after all. Maybe his hair was longer. He really liked tugging on Nico's hair in his dreams.
Leo set down a blanket and took a seat next to Jason. Piper and Annabeth were ounging slightly further away - Piper was braiding Annabeth's hair and the blonde was reading. Frank was chewing on a sandwich from one of the picnic baskets his girlfriend had packed and Percy stood next to Hazel.
"I'm so excited," she told him. He didn't doubt it.
It was around an hour later that he heard Hazel squeal. She flew toward a figure approaching them with a speed that would put her horse, Arion, to shame. Percy saw the person's arms wrap around her slowly, hesitantly, like he wasn't totally used to human contact, and he knew that it was Nico (well, he sort of already knew, considering his friend just tackled him in a hug).
The pair pulled away from each other, and Percy saw him for the first time in so long. Nico's hair was longer (like Percy had hoped) and he wasn't wearing the aviator jacket. Instead, he simply had on a white t-shirt that seemed a few sizes too small and a pair of black jeans. The son of Poseidon swallowed thickly, because Nico was a million times better looking now and all he could think about were his less-than-appropriate dreams. Oh, Gods, he wanted to kiss him so badly.
"Hi, Nico," Percy said, smiling wide enough to be a little weird, "It's good to see you." It really, really was.
Black eyes looked at him, an odd sort of twinkle in them as he gave an uneasy grin in return, "Percy." His name didn't sound like a curse on Nico's lips, not like it usually did. Maybe there was hope! "Why are you even here?" Maybe not.
"Because I haven't seen you in years, and..." Percy went a little red, but he didn't think anyone noticed, "And I missed you."
Nico looked surprised. "You did?"
Percy didn't get a chance to reply, because Jason was shoving passed him and pulling the son of Hades into a friendly embrace. "Nico! Wow, you've grown!"
"Yeah, well, puberty," the black haired boy shrugged, though he looked pleased to see the older boy. "I'm not 15 years old anymore, surprisingly."
He definitely didn't look 15 anymore.
Everyone else said hello to Nico, but there was no more hugging. The other boy still seemed to be against unneccesary touching, so everyone sort of stayed away. Percy wished he didn't have to stay away.
The talked for a few hours. Caught up on everything. Nico told them about the Underworld and Hades and how he went on holiday to Italy and tried to meet more of his family. Hazel told him about everything that had happened since he left: Jason and Piper's break up ("Oh, wow, really?" Nico said) and Annabeth and Percy's break up.
"Seriously?" Noicp looked much more shocked now, "But- but you two have always been together!"
"We wanted different things," Annabeth said simply, threading her fingers through her grlfriends'. "And we're both happy now."
"Really?" the younger boy asked.
Percy smiled shyly, "Yeah. We both love other people now, so..."
"Oh." Nico's face fell a bit, and Percy realised that it must've been because he wanted to be with Annabeth. He had a crush on her before, didn't he? How could he have forgotten that? "That's good."
"Yeah, very good," Jason put in, wiggling his eyebrows in Nico's direction meaningfully. "Very good for all parties involved."
"What?" Percy frowned. Nico's face seemed suspiciously red.
"Nothing!" he yelped. "It's just, uh, Jason being dumb." His face twisted into one of those I-would-kill-you-if-my-sister-wasn't-around-right-now glares. "Go back to staring at Leo, would you?"
Leo blushed wildly. Jason scowled.
They left a little after that - Nico with Hazel and Frank, Percy with Jason and Piper and Annabeth. Leo simply went by himself, annoncing that he wanted to get back to the Argo II (his permanent house now with easier travelling between camps).
Percy's dream starred the New Nico. Older Nico, with his hair twisting around his face and his striking cheekbones and his very nicely tones body and his big arms and his slow smile.
They talked for a while, then Percy confessed his feelings and they ended up making out. And then more.
It was by far his most interesting dream yet.
He woke up with a tent in his trousers and a sheen of sweat over his body.
Jason gave him a large grin when he noticed he was awake and simply said, "Fun dream?"
Without thinking, Percy replied, "Very."
Every day for the rest of the week, Percy saw Nico. He wasn't even close to opening up to him, but they kept up a steady conversation and it was nice.
Nico asked him hesitantly about Annabeth and Percy told him about how they'd ended on good terms. How it was a mutual agreement. Nico asked him who he liked now. Percy flushed and avoided the question.
It was a nice thing they had going on, and by the time three weeks more had passed, they didn't even need Hazel in the next room as a buffer. Percy still dreamt about Nico, and he was definitely sure he loved him now, but he could settle for good freinds. He wouldn't like it, but he would accept it.
Percy caught himself staring at the other boy a lot, watching the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed, or the way his eyes crinkled before he let out a little laugh.
"I really live spending time with you." Percy told him one day.
Nico gave him a slightly gaurded frown. "You do?"
"Yeah," Percy beamed, "It's nice to be your friend after everythig that's happened."
The son of Hades didn't reply, but his eyes were smiling and that was enough for Percy.
Percy was losing track of time. Jason had already returned to Camp Half Blood, and Piper and Annabeth had gone back to school, but he didn't want to go. He stayed with Leo in the Argo some nights, and then crashed on Hazel's sofa others. He always stayed away from Nico as best as he could when he was tired, because he didn't want to fall asleep and let anything slip out.
He thought he was doing well, and he was, until...
"Percy!" someone shouted and he was pulled out of a very stimulating dream (Nico had been on his knees in front of him wearing nothing but a leather jacket and a smile).
"What?!" He yelled juming up, "Where's the fire?!"
But there wasn't a fire. There was just Nico in front of him with a slightly embarassed, murderous look on his face. "What the Hades were you just dreaming about?"
"Oh, uh..." Percy coughed, blushing. "Just, uh, stuff..."
"Well, you said my name!" Nico told him, voice at least ten octaves higher then usual, "And you were moaning in, like, pain or something!"
"Not pain," Percy muttered.
"Huh?"
"Not pain," he repeated, louder. "I wasn't moaning in pain." Oh, Gods, what was he saying? "I was moaning in my sleep because I was dreaming about you in a more than platonic way and I think it's about time you know."
"You dr- you... you what?"
"I've been dreaming about you for months."
"Why?!" Nico demanded, and, yes, his face was definitely more red than usual.
Percy stood up from the sofa, eyes determined. Nico couldn't reject him, not now. And even if he did, he had to know how Percy felt about him. "Because I love you."
Nico fainted.
When Nico woke up, he was tucked safely under a long, tan arm.
"You awake?" Percy asked, even though he knew he was.
Nico lurched away from him and ended up on the floor. "Gods, Percy, what was that?"
"That?" he could guess what 'that' he was talking about, but he played dumb.
"Saying that you love me!" Nico shouted, before turning pink and shuffling. "If- If that wasn't just in my dream, or something."
"No, it wasn't a dream, and it's true," Percy croaked. Gods, why was his throat so dry when he was literally the son of the sea! "I love you."
"You love me." Nico repeated, staring at him from where he was still sprawled on the floor. "You- what?"
"I love you. I have for a while, I just didn't realise." Percy stood and helped Nico up. Their bodies were very close, faces inches apart. "Please don't reject me."
"Reject you?" Nico spluttered. "W- This is a dream. I have to be dreaming."
Percy huffed impatiently. "This isn't a dream. Why can't you accept that I'm in love with you?"
"Because you're in love with Annabeth! You've always been in love with Annabeth!" the younger boy said hoarsely. "I'm not... I'm not your type! I'm a boy!"
"I know you're a boy." Percy frowned, "I just don't care. And I'm not in love with Annabeth anymore. It's been years, Nico."
"But-"
Percy was sick of his protests. "Do you not like me?"
Nico didn't reply.
"Is this your way of letting me down easy? Because it's shit."
Nico still said nothing, but he didn't have to.
He was too busy kissing him.