Chapter Text
“It’s only one night, we’ll just share the bed.”
I was lying comfortably inside my cabin room, wrapped up in my warm bedsheets and feeling the body heat emitted by a certain son of Poseidon . I was settling in after a long days work at camp. Going through the exchange program, going back and forth in both camps, walking Mrs. O’Leary and spending quality time with my friends during dinner.
I sighed in contemplation remembering how sound asleep I always am whenever Perseus is sleeping beside me, feeling the soft thumps inside his chest, his light breathing that makes my ears heat up. It surprised me when he went inside my room bringing his favorite blanket. Usually I’m the one staying inside his Cabin.
When I asked him why he suddenly wanted to sleepover, he just shrugged and said, “It’s only one night, we’ll just share the bed.” He kissed my forehead and let himself in, tucking himself in my sheets, making himself at home. I rolled my eyes and followed suit, shimmying to find a comfortable position nudged between his arms. I kissed his palms, bringing it closer to my face while nuzzling it until sleep finally took over me.
The shadows surround me, Hypnos did a good job this time, I was deep in sleep – my body feels so light and I feel so peaceful. Suddenly a loud blood-chilling scream pulled me back to reality. Only this time, it wasn’t my voice, I wasn’t the one screaming. I shot up in bed, panic filled my body, my eyes darted across the room, adjusting to the dim light.
Percy was thrashing around the bed, kicking and screaming as his fists hacked around in mid-air almost hitting me square in the face, good thing my reflexes are fast. I pinned his shoulders down, sitting next to him while calling out his name in a loop, “Percy!! Percy!! Percy!!” shaking him awake, hoping he quickly rouses in his nightmare.
His screaming caused the water pitcher by his bedside table to erupt into million debris, I continue to shake him up but to no avail. Each passing second made my heart beat slower, I could hear a blur or waves crashing from the fountain outside but I’m too numbed to care about other people right now.
His hands find their way on my shoulders, my vision became blurry and I felt his side of the bed, wet with sweat pressed on my back, he’s straddling me, enclosing his hands tightly around my neck. His eyes are still tightly shut, he was screaming profanities in Ancient Greek, cursing someone, possibly thinking I’m them. I could feel the life slowly being sucked out of me.
I couldn’t say something because my throat is shut tightly from his grip – deprived in air and choking, I focused on him, reaching up to stroke his face gently. “Perseus…” I said in a labored manner.
He flinched from my touch, opening his eyes. Panting hard, he was looking down at me confused, as if his brain was still trying to catch up on what he was doing. I continued to stroke his cheeks, wiping of fresh tears from his sea greens, though my vision is beginning to blur because of oxygen deprivation.
“It’s okay…” I choked out, “I’m here…It’s okay…”
He loosened his grip on my neck, his hands were cold and trembling. I began coughing as soon as he pulled away, staring at his palms, “Ho—how could I do that to y—“ before he could finished I grabbed his hands, entangling his fingers with mine. “No. It wasn’t your fault.” I said gently. Placing his hands on my lips, “It was Tartarus wasn’t?”
He gave me a broken look, weighing what he was about to say next, he had this look like he was battling with himself. His eyes look stormy and dark, like what the waves look like at sea while in the middle of the storm, he bit his lips and just nodded. I straightened up and repositioned myself in bed. I reached out to him, stroking the hair on his nape. For a while, we just stared into each other’s eyes, breathing in one another’s presence. The panicked look on his eyes began to settle and calm down, they began to soften each passing minute. As if he just broke out from a dreadful spell, “Nico…” he breathed out meekly. I pulled him down to my arms, transferring whatever heat I have in my body. As if telling him I’m here, I’m real.
We didn’t have to say anything, it feels more real doing it like this.
“Please don’t leave me… I’m… I’m scared.”
He was the first one to break the silence.
My chest swelled up from what I just heard. It must have been so hard for him too, I’m usually the one that bothers him whenever I get nightmares from Tartarus that I forgot he’d seen what I’d seen down there and felt it too. How can I be so selfish into thinking he can just forget and ignore that memory. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that he’s not a superhero, he’s not that mythical figure everyone looks up to… when we’re alone he’s the real Perseus Jackson.
I continued stroking his hair, the action seemed to have calmed him down – so I continued doing it. We lied down on our sides, facing each other while his head is buried on my chest, I took a whiff on his wavy hair, kissing his forehead, his nose, his lips repeatedly until he’s completely rid of the horrible nightmare.
“I’m here,” I whispered as he replied with a soft hum. “I’m not going to leave you.” He nodded. I said it on repeat like a mantra. He just replied with nods and hums as he continue to nuzzle me and push me towards him.
“Perseus…”
“Hmm? Nico…”
“Promise me one thing…”
He looked up at me, his eyebrows in a wrinkle.
“Even though the nightmares stopped… Always share a bed with me from now on.”
He just gave me a crooked smile and leaned up to kiss my lips.
I can’t remember what happened next, all I could recall is the feeling of entangled arms, long limbs and warm breaths and sleepy exchanges of I love yous.