Work Text:
PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || Cupid's Arrows || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO
Title: Cupid's Arrows – Don't Shoot the Messenger
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Tags: m/m, angels/spirits, bickering, falling in love
Main Pairing: Nico/Percy
Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Bianca di Angelo, Hazel Levesque, Luke Castellan, Leo Valdez, Grover Underwood, Jason Grace
Summary: Percy was a Cupid's angel and he accidentally shot a death angel. In his defense, he had mistaken the other for a human! No need for the death angel to be so grumpy about it, really.
Cupid's Arrows
Don't Shoot the Messenger
Cupid's arrows couldn't force someone to fall in love. They didn't create feelings where nothing had been before, or where nothing could ever be in the future. The arrows operated on fate and possibility; if there was the possibility of two people falling in love in the future, if fate had it that way, then the arrows could kickstart those feelings. Give something a boost that was bound to happen anyway. That was how it worked. Percy knew this, he was an angel of Cupid after all. Still, the first time he shot his arrow and the target ended up staring at him afterward, Percy's brain temporarily forgot and panic set in instead.
He had been out and about, just doing his job – shooting lonely people with arrows. It was a good job, he loved making people happy. And then he spotted this... grumpy guy. His aura was all dark and gloomy, dark bags beneath his eyes. He looked like he needed sleep and someone to watch out for him. Next to him was a pretty blonde, so Percy figured – why not give it a shot?
The moment the arrow hit the grumpy one, said grumpy one grabbed the arrow sticking out of his chest and he turned toward Percy, with narrowed eyes, glaring directly at him. Humans weren't supposed to be able to see him! And people hit with the arrow were definitely not supposed to look at him! Then, he started cussing in Italian and – oh. Okay, that explained why he was looking at Percy. He spread out beautiful black wings and flapped them to fly up to him.
"You shot me. Why would you shoot me?", asked the death angel annoyed.
Percy knew what the black wings meant. death angels. Servants of Thanatos, just as Percy was a servant of Cupid. He flapped his own, fluffy, white wings in embarrassment.
"I... thought you were a human", admitted Percy. "I thought you looked in need of some company."
"Well, lovey-dovey angel, mind your own damn business", hissed the death angel.
Now, Percy stopped feeling sheepish or embarrassed. He glared, his glare matching the death angel's as he squared up. They were about the same height, so neither had the advantage to the other. They simply glared into each other's eyes, neither giving half an inch.
"Lovey-dovey? Screw you. I help people find love. Fight loneliness. Humans were not designed to be alone, they are meant to live in groups, friends, family, loved ones. I help humans. What are you doing? Collect them when it's all over. I help them when they still have life ahead, so don't you go about judging me like that, you hear me, raven boy?", countered Percy irritated.
"Woah, woah, whoa. Slow down there, both of you!", exclaimed the pretty blonde.
He came breezing up to them – quite literally, surrounded by storm-clouds and winds. Not a human either. Well, that was a big accident. The death angel was still glaring at Percy.
"Oh, stop it with the glare. You're as intimidating as a hellhound puppy", grunted Percy.
"No, Nico, down, do not bite the love angel", yelped the storm-spirit quickly before turning toward Percy. "Hi. I'm Jason. That's Nico, he doesn't bite, I swear."
"He shot me. I think I'm in the right to be angry", grunted Nico annoyed.
"It's a Cupid's arrow. It's not like it hurt or anything", huffed Percy and rolled his eyes. "Wimp."
"Gods, you are so annoying", growled Nico, trying to lung forward.
Jason kept him pinned though, stopping him from attacking Percy. Urgh. What a prick.
"Maybe... we should just... all go our separate ways now?", suggested the storm-spirit awkwardly.
"Yeah. Great plan", grunted Percy before he took off, though he shouted one last thing. "And I am not sorry, you know! Grumpy-pants really needs some love in his life!"
/break\
Bianca and Hazel exchanged curious looks as their brother returned home and slammed the door shut very loudly, followed by cussing. Someone seemed to be in a mood. Bianca rolled her eyes and opted to ignore him, while Hazel went to get the chocolate cookies out for him.
"What got your feathers ruffled like that?", wanted Hazel to know.
"Stupid Cupido shot me when I met Jason for coffee. Just. Shot me. And then he goes on about how lonely and grumpy I looked! Bastardo!", exclaimed Nico, gesturing widely.
At that, Hazel turned to exchange a look with Bianca, who smiled bemused. "I think he's right."
"Bia! Traitor!", hissed Nico with narrowed eyes.
"What? You gotta remove that stick up your ass. Get a boyfriend who can help you with that", countered Bianca casually, waving a dismissive hand. "You are always so angry, fratellino."
"Don't look at me. She's right", shrugged Hazel casually.
Nico returned to cussing and glaring before he made his way out of the kitchen. Just to pause, turn around and stalk up to Hazel. Holding her gaze, he took the chocolate cookies from her and left the room for good this time. His sisters heard his bedroom door close as loudly.
"The Cupid's right", muttered Bianca.
"The Cupid's right", agreed Hazel.
/break\
Leo yelped and fell out of his nest above the fire-place when the door got slammed shut. People around here knew better than to mistreat the doors! Frowning, he rubbed his eyes. He'd been working in Hephaestus' forges all day, he was tired and wanted to sleep!
"What's the ruckus?", asked Grover, sticking his head out of his own room.
The satyr was always stretched thin – between Pan, the rustic gods and Dionysus, he always had something to do and then there was his cute nymph girlfriend. Roommates had been a good idea, thought Leo at that. It was nice, living with others, coming home to someone. And he thought it worked quite as well because they all had different jobs. He didn't know if he could live with another dragon, after working together at the forges all day. This way, there was always some new gossip, something to hear that he hadn't heard before. A part of a world that wasn't his.
"Dunno. Wasn't me. Trying to sleep", grunted Leo, ruffling his curls.
Sure, he had his own room, but being a dragon, he just loved sleeping above the fire-place, so him and his roommates had build him a comfortable nest. Grover frowned at him and approached.
"Stupid, ungrateful, annoying, arrogant-!"
That was Percy's voice. Which was peculiar. He wasn't usually one for that kind of language. Well, he was but only with very particular people, like Ares. Those two edged on, which. Leo couldn't even begin to imagine picking a fight with an Olympian, much less the god of war.
"Who hurt you?", asked Luke loudly from the kitchen. "I'll hurt them back, kiddo."
The cussing stopped and Percy made a little 'daw'-sound before dropping his quiver. "Some stupid death angel! I shot him by accident – but I actually do not regret it, because grumpy-pants really needs it! And he just started going off on me like. It was an accident and it's not like it harmed him! The arrows are harmless! Stupid, grumpy idiot."
"I made brownies. Would you like to eat your feelings?", offered Luke.
Luke worked as a messenger for Hermes. What came with the job was that he could hardly ever sit still. Which was very helpful, because he liked to clean or cook or just generally take care of them. Kind of a den-mother to them all and Leo was grateful to have him in their life.
"Ye—es, please", groaned Percy pleased.
"Brownies?", asked Grover, sounding more awake as he made his way toward them.
Leo spread his leathery wings wide and stretched himself before getting out of his nest and walking over to the kitchen, following the scent of brownies. Percy was already sitting with a fork in his hand and a pout on his lips. Huh. That death angel must have really gotten under Percy's skin.
"I'm telling you, you are way too focused on work. You need a private life. Beyond us. You should go and find yourself a date. Ask Aphrodite to set you up", suggested Luke.
"I don't need to be set up", sighed Percy dismissive.
"Perce you are literally the one bringing love to others. Don't you think you deserve it too?", asked Grover slowly. "I mean, you are a great, independent angel, I know this, but... It's really nice having someone who is your person. Like Juni is for me."
"Grover's got a point", agreed Luke. "It's nice. I have Tav all for myself, especially on the... harder, more exhausting days. He makes me happy. And I wouldn't have met him if not for you. So, I feel like I owe you something. You... deserve that too."
Percy rolled his eyes and poked the brownie with his fork. "I just... I don't know. I guess you're right. I have been focused on the job since I got it. It's just... It's easier working on someone else's love-life than my own, you know? I mean. Do you have any idea how hard it is to meet someone? Actually never mind, you guys with your happy relationships and stuff."
"You can make that sound so frustrating", snorted Leo amused. "And I mean. You are a Cupid's angel. You could simply... use your arrows? They do reveal the... potential. Speeds up the process."
"Feels like cheating. And also like... weird? I dunno. I just. I would be the one selecting someone for myself and then testing it out and that feels so very selfish", Percy shrugged with a frown.
"Useless", muttered Leo with a roll of his eyes. "You know what. I am going to set you up for a blind-date. No buts. Leave it up to me and the Fates. No personal intervention. Got it?"
"...Okay, fine", sighed Percy after a moment. "Why not."
/break\
"Nico. Favorite brother of mine. Do me and you a favor."
Nico blinked as Hazel approached him from behind and leaned in to kiss his cheek. Huh. How very, very suspicious. Turning a little, he looked at her and waited for her to speak whatever it was.
"A blind date. You know the dragon I'm friends with – Leo – it was his idea. He has a friend who apparently needs a date and he asked me. And... you definitely needs a date."
"I do not. Is this still about the stupido Cupido?", asked Nico irritated.
"It's about your overall mood. Look", Hazel interrupted herself and heaved a deep sigh. "Either you let me set you up with this friend of Leo's, or you will be the victim of Jason's matchmaking."
Nico made a face at that. Oh no. He loved Jason like a brother, but the blonde was definitely not a matchmaker. He didn't understand Nico's taste. At all.
"Okay. Okay. Fine", sighed Nico. "If it will get you and Bia off my back."
"You're amazing, big brother", chimed Hazel, kissing his cheek again. "And I know you'll have fun. Just... give it a chance. Be open for it, okay?"
Nico rolled his eyes. Open. Sure. He was going to enjoy whatever food he could get out of it, then cut the evening short and be done with it and hopefully never have to hear about this again.
/break\
It was probably silly to fluff up his feathers for a blind date that he didn't even want to go to, but he had promised Leo to give this a try – so here he was. With his feathers all fluffed up, looking pretty. He was sitting in the restaurant, at the table, waiting for his date.
"Buongiorno", greeted a very velvety voice from behind.
It was pleasant. Smiling, Percy turned toward the voice, just to freeze. The smile turned into a grimace that was mirrored on the other man's face. What followed was a string of Italian curses in a soft voice. But before Nico the prickly death angel could turn around did the waiter arrive.
"A greeting from the kitchen. And the menus. Please that your time."
With a glower did the death angel sit down opposite Percy and watch the waiter leave again. "I can't believe my sister set me up with you, of all people. The Cupid's angel shooting helpless, innoce-"
"Oh, shut up", huffed Percy and threw a piece of bread at Nico. "You're not innocent or helpless and I shot you by accident. You really should go see a doctor about that stick up your arse."
Nico glared at him while picking the bread out of his hair. Percy held his gaze in a staring contest, neither of them backing down. Just glaring, fiercely. No one matched them in stubbornness normally, either of them, yet here they were – with someone completely en par.
"I'm not going to leave", declared Percy after a moment. "One of the ways my roommates bribed me into doing this was that they were going to pay for my food. This restaurant is delivered to by Demeter's garden, the wine is from Dionysus' vineyard itself. You usually have to wait like a year for a reservation. I'm not gonna pass on that because it's you."
Nico narrowed his eyes at him as he very deliberately got more comfortable on his chair. "Same for me. My sisters are paying for the meal. I will not miss out on this because it's you. I see you do not have any arrows with you so I think I might be safe."
"I have a knife", offered Percy, twirling the table-ware in his hand once.
"Ha, ha, ha", grunted Nico dryly.
Smiling innocently at him, Percy jammed his fork into the greeting from the kitchen. "Not a joke."
Nico made a choking sound as he had to laugh for real now, though he quickly covered it up and instead turned his attention toward the appetizer in front of him. They ate it in silence until their plates were gone and then they put up their menus like walls to divide them.
"Okay", sighed Percy, lowering his menu first.
Nico followed suit, one eyebrow drawn up. "...Yes?"
"There is a lot on here that I want to try. So. How about we order... together. And split the things? Because I want to get the most out of this restaurant visit", offered Percy carefully.
"Yes. Okay. That... is actually a very sensible plan", nodded Nico.
They both put their menus down to go through them together. Both expected to have to fight the other on what to pick, but they very quickly agreed on what things they wanted to try. Without meaning to, they started talking enthusiastically about the food options and only noticed so when the waiter returned and interrupted their conversation. Percy flapped his wings surprised as he realized and Nico cleared his throat awkwardly.
"So... We just ordered a lot. We're going to be here a while. Might... as well... talk?"
Percy grinned bemused at that and tilted his head. "Okay, sure. Nice weather we're heaving."
Nico snorted and rolled his eyes. "Ah, yes. Very nice. Who taught you how to shoot?"
"Oh, don't start-", grunted Percy defensively. "I meant to hit you. I didn't mean for you to not be human. And, again, it didn't actually hurt you, I know this-"
"Because you shot other non-humans before?", asked Nico snarkly. "And sure, it didn't hurt, but it is annoying. I couldn't stop thinking about you for two weeks now. It's like you're everywhere. And when I walked in and saw you from behind, I thought that was just... my mind, again. So, I'm annoyed that you hexed me with your love-magic nonsense."
All Percy could do was stare stunned, blinking slowly, cheeks turning red. "You... I... uh..."
Again, they were interrupted by the waiter, bringing the wine and filling their glasses. Nico frowned confused as he watched Percy's very red cheeks, while Percy took a deep drink from his wine.
"That's not how that works", blurted Percy out when he put his glass down. "I... shoot someone and the arrow's magic brings forth potential. It doesn't create feelings that would never be there, it is blessed by the Fates, it... it works with the future, the future you and... the other person... could share. If there is no potential future, the arrow does nothing. If there is, it... just kickstarts something that would otherwise take... a long, long time. I didn't make you fall for me."
"I didn't fall for you-", interrupted Nico quickly, his own cheeks red.
After that, the two fell quiet and avoided each other's eyes, until the waiter returned again and started serving them their food. For a while, they both picked at the food in awkward silence, but when the silence became too heavy, Percy broke it.
"What's being a death angel like?", asked Percy. "If you got misconceptions about my job, I may have some about yours too. C'mon. We... don't have to sit here in silence. Right?"
Nico looked up with a small glower, but after a beat, he answered. "I don't just collect souls. I... I'm the first contact they have after an incredibly traumatizing and isolating experience. I guide them to the underworld, I comfort them. It's... sometimes, it's a lot. But it's also very rewarding."
At that, Percy smiled, just a little. "That... does sound different than I imagined... So... What do you do in your free time? Any... I don't know, hobbies?"
The atmosphere relaxed as their conversation grew more casual and they shared laughter and food. Hours passed without either of them even realizing, or caring.
/break\
"You scheming little tricksters. I am so proud of you", whispered Luke about a week later.
He stood in the doorway of Percy's room, with Leo on one side of him and Hazel on the other. The two grinned broadly and high-fived behind Luke's back. Inside Percy's room, on his bed, were both Percy and Nico, curled together and covering each other with their wings, peacefully sleeping.
Two dates after Valentine's Day and Percy had brought his 'new boyfriend' home for the first time. They had shared coffee and laughed and afterward, the two had disappeared into Percy's room together. When Leo had suggested a blind-date, Luke had quite honestly not thought it'd work out. But then it turned out Leo and Hazel were actually friends and had talked to each other – Leo about his roommate and Hazel about her brother and they had pieced together what had happened. Though Cupid's arrow kickstarted things, sometimes even then it still needed a nudge.
"You're only saying that now because you haven't gotten your credit-card bill yet", pointed Grover out, voice sleepy as he walked past them all. "You will be much less grateful then."
"Wait, what? Why?", asked Luke, turning toward Leo and Hazel.
"I mean. Someone had to pay for their first date. And it was too expensive for us. So we... accepted your... charitable contribution to Percy's love-life", chimed Leo before him and Hazel ran off.
~*~ The End ~*~