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Percy could no longer deny it.
The scratch in his throat the past couple days had turned into pressure in his skull from a stuffed nose. Breathing? Difficult at best. Sleeping? Near impossible.
Then that very morning he'd woken to an ache in his bones similar, but definitely not nearly as bad, as trekking through Tartarus. At least it didn't come with the unbearable heat. No, instead he was cold. So cold even though he'd layered himself up in his favourite pyjama trousers, blue hoodie and a fluffy blanket.
There was definitely no more denying it.
He was sick.
Advantage to being a demigod was that the Godly side of his blood tended to help him not get sick. Percy had never questioned the why, simply gratefully took it as one of the (very few) positive side effects to being a demigod. Although, quite rarely at that, the world decided to remind him of the half-mortal side to his blood.
Which had unfortunately come in the shape of a cold.
A cough racked through Percy's lungs, causing a pain to shoot through his throat. He reached blindly for the glass he hoped still had liquid in it before another cough shook through his body and he folded in on himself, letting out a mental curse in the process.
Admittedly, his lungs had never been the same since Tartarus. Usually it wasn't too noticeable, a bit of a shortness of breath he could deal with, yet the acid air that had tried to kill both him and Annabeth was scraping at his lungs with that painful reminder that his body was no longer the same, now permanently flawed and damaged beyond repair even though he was only eighteen.
He hated it.
The clock next to his bed blared '8:30AM' in glowing green lettering. Had it always been that bright? Percy watched as the zero turned into a one. He should have been getting up. He was going to be late for his morning lecture.
Dragging his body out of his blanket cocoon was a feat as the blankets tried to tempt him to curl up inside of them more. The pressure in his head expanded as he stood and Percy reached out for the edge of his bedside table to steady himself until his vision returned. He'd won two wars and survived Tartarus, something as stupid as a common mortal cold would not take him out.
His balance did though as he nearly lost it attempting to get his legs into a pair of beaten up jeans. The material was extra rough against his skin and Percy wanted nothing more than to put his pyjamas back on and wrap himself back into his blanket.
He couldn't. He wasn't sure how New Rome University took sickness absences but he wasn't too keen to find out.
The temptation was there though. A soak in the hot Roman baths would probably find a way to magically heal him. Even better if Jason and Nico were also there. They'd probably chat back and forth to each other in that easy, well-established way they always did and Percy could slip his eyes closed as the steam released the pressure in his nose. Maybe he'd finally teach one of them how to make hot chocolate the way his mom did and they could find a way to all somehow fit in his dorm bed. He didn't even have a roommate-
A sudden sneeze broke off his thoughts.
The glass next to his bed confirmed it still had water in it by the fact it shot upwards and landed on his carpet with a splash.
Percy scrambled for a tissue as he let out a curse in Ancient Greek. In the cloud of his sick brain he'd forgotten his powers tended to have a mind of their own when he was unwell.
His nose was clearer and the water now back in the glass but part of him felt as if it remained where the puddle had been on the floor. Maybe it was all getting too much but oh, he missed his boyfriends.
How long had it been since he'd last held them both and shared a promise to find the time to see each other before winter break? A month? Just over?
Too long, was the answer.
Except he hadn't heard from Nico in nearly a week as he'd disappeared down to the Underworld and when Percy had spoken to Jason a few days previous he'd been bogged down with his own school work. There was no point bothering either of them over his stupid sickness.
Percy pulled his hoodie around himself tighter as a sudden chill ran through his body. His chest ached with it although he knew that had nothing to do with the physical illness currently running through his system.
Gods, he seriously did hate this.
What Percy hated even more though was that he'd made it half way across campus before realising he didn't have a morning lecture because it was in fact a Saturday. He'd dragged himself out of bed and forced himself outside for nothing.
Plus he'd let out another sneeze in one of the courtyards and the fountain in the middle had stopped working for a moment.
He wanted his bed and his comfortable pyjama trousers. He wanted his mom's special soup recipe that always made him feel better. He wanted Nico and Jason to be waiting for him so he could cuddle up into their warmth. The first one he could get at least and he refused to think too hard about his mom's soup, he didn't want homesickness on top of his physical sickness, then the latter-
A figure stood outside his dorm room door — one with blonde hair, gold framed glasses and a comfortable looking grey jumper.
It couldn't be yet at the same time Percy knew no one else that matched that description, even more so one that he'd told his dorm room number to.
"Jason?"
He met light, sky blue eyes and a wide smile that pulled at the scar that intercepted pink lips.
"Percy!" Jason grinned. "I was starting to think I'd missed you."
Had someone heard his wish and sent Jason his way? No, the Gods were never that kind to him.
Jason's eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you okay?"
Percy's throat tickled and he suddenly felt more alert than he had since late yesterday evening.
"Yeah, I'm good!" he replied. "What are you doing here?"
He was fine. Jason didn't need to know. Jason might leave. He didn't want that.
"Temple stuff," Jason replied vaguely. "It's not until the afternoon though so I thought I'd come surprise you."
Percy managed a smile. "Consider me surprised."
The tickle in his throat turned into a cough, one that caught up with him before he had the chance to attempt to stifle it. It shook his shoulders and he put one hand on his thigh to stable himself as the other covered his mouth. His lungs burned. He hated this.
Hated it even more that Jason was right there, Jason who took a step towards him as Percy flinched backwards.
All of a sudden he was barely seven years old and sick with the current illness that had been sweeping through his class. He'd woken in quiet sobs that his mom still somehow managed to pick up on and he'd clutched her hand as the fever had attempted to sway him off his feet. Gabe's voice had been loud, louder than his mom's. It had always been louder than his mom's.
You better still take him to school. I'm not looking after the brat while you're at work. No- he's not that sick. He's clearly faking it. If you take him to the doctors you're the one paying the bill!
He'd ended up on the lumpy, plastic couch in the office of his mom's workplace and one of the few places he'd actually felt safe as a child.
Except his hand was cold and empty. His mom wasn't here this time. It was just him alone with-
"Percy?"
-Jason.
Not Gabe. Never again.
Jason's eyes showed concern yet he didn't attempt to make another step towards Percy. It was one of the things he always respected about Jason, he took note of and followed peoples boundaries even without there being the need for words to describe them.
Percy took as deep of an inhale as he could before he exhaled.
Only Jason.
"I'm okay. Sorry," Percy hastily apologised as he pulled his keys out his pocket. "I'll let you in."
Except Jason's next words made Percy's entire body freeze.
"Did I come at a bad time?" he asked. "No offence dude but you look awfully pale."
The panic that rushed through his bloodstream got Percy's mouth working, "I'm fine. I can handle-"
Yet another cough betrayed him. One Percy knew sounded awful, one that hurt both his lungs and throat and one that caused him to squat down onto the floor as his head began to sway. His chest rattled with each brutal sound. Gods, it never used to hurt that much.
The familiar smell of ozone managed to filter through the stuffiness of his nostrils before there was a quiet question Percy provided a short nod to. A weight rubbed across his back as another cough shook his body to its core. Jason. Percy wanted to sink into him. He really had missed him.
"Come on, let's get you inside," came Jason's gentle voice.
Percy managed another nod and raised a weak arm to hand him his keys before he was led into his dorm by an solid arm around his back.
"Oh, you've decorated well," Jason commented as his head turned to take in Percy's space.
This was not how he'd planned to have one of his boyfriends over for the first time. He'd wanted to take them both on a date to the little café he'd found in New Rome yet instead the idea of food made him nauseous.
Percy pulled off his jeans and reached for where he'd thrown his pyjama trousers yet as he did so he met pink cheeks.
"Dude, you've seen me like this before," Percy teased as he pulled up the soft fabric.
He had to stop the thankful sigh from leaving his mouth. That was so much better than the rough and restrictive texture of his jeans.
Jason's eyes flicked away and towards Percy's carpet. "We weren't dating then!" he responded, clearly in an attempt to defend himself.
The chuckle Percy let out turned into another painful cough and he flopped hopelessly down onto his bed. His muscles sighed in relief but his nostrils instantly protested being flat and attempted to cut off his breathing.
"Jason, this sucks," he admitted.
His expression softened, so soft for the otherwise defined angles of Jason's brow and jaw, and Percy's chest heated up. How he'd got so lucky last summer, Percy still hadn't worked out.
Warmth intertwined with one of his hands and a thumb traced a circular pattern over his skin. Percy's head turned to catch Jason's eyes, so much closer and laced with concern.
Jason was so handsome and his eyes so pretty sometimes Percy thought it was unfair. Unfair on his heart that swelled each time he saw him. Unfair on his mind that frequently clouded with a want Percy hadn't yet admitted to.
"Do you want me to get you anything?" he asked. "There's a pharmacy in New Rome that stocks outside medicines or I could get you tea or soup, I heard they're both good when you're sick."
Unfair that Jason wasn't just physically handsome but also so kind and caring too.
"I'm not dying," Percy tried to play off.
Jason gave him a mock, unimpressed expression that made Percy smile.
"My mom sent me with about every medication you could ever need," he continued. "I'm good. Just-"
It felt weird to ask. Vulnerable almost, and Percy couldn't catch Jason's eyes even though he knew they were still staring at him.
"Just stay with me?"
"Of course," Jason replied, tone soft. "Should I contact Nico too?"
Percy's head whipped around yet he winced as the action caused a pain to shoot through his skull. It was dulled ever so slightly though as Jason's hand squeezed his own. His eyes caught where they joined, Jason's paler and slightly larger hand wrapped protectively around Percy's own, and he wanted to sink into the hold, pull him closer and not let go.
"He's busy," Percy verbally protested even though the rest of him didn't agree with his own words.
"He won't mind," Jason replied. "Hazel will only ask about him later anyway, so, really, you're doing me a favour."
When put like that Percy struggled to protest. Even though none of the current situation had been planned, at least on Percy's side, and he was bogged down by the sickness taking its toll on his body, it felt wrong for Nico to not being with them. That same feeling that something was missing as it had been back at Camp Half-Blood over the summer when Nico had been called into the Underworld then too hung in the air.
He'd never stop Nico from going, and he knew neither would Jason. Plus, Jason was already with him. They may be a three but the three was made up of individual two's and each of those was just as important to both Percy and his boyfriends. He could spend this time with Jason; there was no need to force Nico to cut his time in the Underworld short.
Percy sniffled as he attempted to stop a sneeze.
He shouldn't have asked for more yet in the cloud of his sick mind he selfishly wanted them both.
"There's an IM set up on my desk," he admitted, eyes not leaving their joined hands. "Sorry about the mess."
"It wouldn't be you without it," Jason replied, tone lighthearted.
Their hands fell apart as Jason stood and a warm, soft kiss pressed into Percy's forehead. His insides melted under the affection and, as he shuffled himself into a more comfortable position, Jason's voice accompanied the once too empty space.
Percy couldn't keep his eyes off him, scared that if he blinked this would be some made up situation his sick inflicted mind had produced in some cruel form of self comfort. There was so much pressure in his head that he could hardly think straight and the pain in his throat continued to relentlessly nag. He didn't have the energy to deal with either though so Percy remained silent as Jason spoke to the image of Nico hovering above Percy's desk, only contributing with yet another cough.
It hurt just as much as the one's previous.
Nico's ton was unreadable through the call and it did nothing to ease the voice in his head that complained that he was inconveniencing Nico, and Jason too.
He probably was. Actually, he definitely was. So, why did he still have to feel so needy? Why was there, under the overwhelming guilt of dragging his boyfriends away from their busy lives, did he feel relief that they were with him?
Percy's dorm suddenly dipped into a chill and his head snapped up in a movement that made Percy wince. A dark figure popped out a shadow in the corner of his room before the shadows settled and the figure materialised into Nico's form.
Something began to click together in that exact moment, something settling inside Percy he hadn't fully taken note was previously disrupted.
"Man, that was fast," Jason commented, spinning himself around on Percy's desk chair.
Nico shrugged. "Wasn't doing anything important. Actually, you saved me from having to listen to my father once again complain about Underworld traffic control." His eyes then narrowed in Percy's direction. "How did you even manage to get sick?"
"Nice to see you too," he half-joked. Percy then sighed before he pulled his blanket tighter around his body. "I went outside the boarders a couple days ago, must have picked it up there."
All he received was a continued to look of confusion as Nico dumped his jacket onto the end of Percy's bed and sat down next to it. He looked good, refreshed in a way Percy was starting to realise the Underworld did to Nico. His hair was pulled back into a rough ponytail, strands falling over his forehead and framing the sides of his face, plus the jumper on his body too big in a way Percy knew it to be either one of his or Jason's. Behind the inky darkness of his eyes was concern though, less clear than Jason's but definitely there and Percy, yet again, didn't know where to place the conflicting feelings of both guilt and relief.
"Rachel was here on official Oracle business, we went ice skating after," he explained further, eyes moving away from Nico's and his throat tickling in protest to the usage of his voice box.
He didn't regret the day, it had been fun and a much needed break from the stress of college and Rachel was familiar in a way the lingering homesickness had soaked up gratefully. Did Percy wish it had come without getting sick? Yes. But also, considering said sickness had resulted in having both his boyfriends in his dorm, he couldn't even feel too miserable about that either.
That was until another cough caught up with him, shaking his entire chest and aching the muscles in his back as he doubled over, mouth tucked into his elbow. Each cough hurt more than the last, his rough throat and abused muscles only continuing to protest. It had seriously never used to hurt that much.
"Sorry," Percy grumbled.
Out the corner of his eye he could sense Nico's gaze but instead Percy focused on Jason who had leant forwards, holding a glass of water in front of Percy's face. Percy grimaced at the sight of it.
"Not that one. I, uh-" Gods, this was embarrassing, "I sneezed and it went on the floor."
A moment of silence hung before Nico sniggered. Percy kicked him in the back with his foot.
"Hey! You can't laugh." Percy protested as the sound of Jason's movements as he refilled Percy water filtered through. "You accidentally shadow travelled to China once."
Nico smiled, one that was teasing and made Percy's stomach flip in a pleasant sensation. "Yeah, when I was eleven."
"Guys…" Jason complained, glass in his hand and a fond expression to his face that betrayed his complaint.
Percy took the glass with a thanks, bringing the cool liquid to his lips as Jason and Nico's own connected in a quick kiss. He smiled around the glass. Seriously, how had he got so lucky? They shared a few quiet words Percy didn't pick up before Nico's weight left the bed only to be replaced by Jason's. A hand landed on Percy's blanket covered shin as Jason rubbed it up and down, an action Percy wasn't sure if he was aware he was doing but didn't want him to stop. The water was a blessing on his throat and before he got the chance to ask Jason what Nico was doing he returned, pressing a packet of pills onto Percy's lap.
Oh, those were one of the medication's his mom had sent him with. A warm feeling settled into his chest and Percy ducked his head encase the heat also spread to his cheeks.
It really was so unfair he had not just one but two caring partners. How would he ever make it up to them?
"Take two of those," Nico instructed then he climbed over Percy's lap, settling himself between Percy's body and the wall.
Percy took the pills in one swallow, attempting to ignore the way his body automatically sunk into Nico's touch. If Nico noticed he at least didn't say anything but instead he said something worse that chilled Percy to his already cold core.
"It got you too."
There was no question behind Nico's words, only a statement that Percy knew exactly what it was implying. He gave a small nod, there was no point denying it. Although, he couldn't help but focus on the 'too'. He hated that one word more than his own illness with it's horrible implication that if Nico were also to get sick his lungs would suffer just as much as Percy's currently did.
"What do you mean?" Jason's confused tone rang out into the silence.
Percy wasn't sure he had the energy to explain. There was a reason he'd never mentioned it before.
Nico's throat bobbed as he gulped. "Tartarus." Percy sucked in a breath at the word. "Everything down there attempts to kill you, including the air," Nico continued. "Our, mine and Percy's, I bet Annabeth's too, lungs aren't the same. Will confirmed mine when he made me stay in the Infirmary right after Gaea."
"Oh," Jason mouthed before a more determined, "Move over. I want in on the cuddle pile."
"I don't know if you'll fit," Percy said but he began to move closer towards Nico anyway, his aching bones protesting.
Jason clearly took his words as a challenge, silently roping Nico into proving Percy wrong in the process as Nico shuffled onto his side as to give Jason more room to sit next to Percy. It was cramped, Percy's dorm bed was hardly made for two, never mind three but with the weight of Jason pressed into his side and Nico's fingers playing with his own, all Percy could do was smile.
Tartarus was a heavy weight, one Percy knew he'd never really shake off, yet at least Annabeth hadn't had to go through it alone and now neither did Nico. Thankfully it wasn't one that continued to linger in his dorm either as Jason asked Nico a question about a chthonic deity Percy hadn't heard of but Nico clearly had from the way his voice filled the room.
A smile tugged at Percy's lips and he took another sip of his water to hide it.
He'd always enjoyed hearing them talk to each other like this, even before he'd joined their relationship and the enjoyment had come with a stab of painful longing. Part of Percy was still convinced this entire thing — his relationship with both Jason and Nico — wasn't actually real, especially since the move. That last few weeks of summer had been fine with both of them there, then they'd been his birthday where Percy had got to formally introduce them to his mom and Paul and watch Jason and Nico try and navigate baby Estelle. Except now they'd been scattered apart and parts of Percy had been scattered with them only to ache in the want to be pieced back together.
He sounded like a love sick sap and Annabeth would rightfully tease him as such but, as Nico's fingers intertwined with his own and Percy's head found Jason's shoulder, Percy couldn't find himself to care.
Maybe he could try and blame it on the sickness but it hadn't been the same ever since he'd moved to New Rome. Percy had been lonely. It was the furthest he'd ever been from his mom (if he didn't count her temporary Underworld visit) and she was busy with Paul and Estelle, Grover was off somewhere committed to his Lord of the Wild duties, Annabeth was so fully emersed in her studies and glowing because of it and Percy… well, he hadn't found where he fit into all of that yet.
Although, pressed between his two boyfriends, Percy felt those pieces click together. He felt peaceful, whole in a way he hadn't since he'd hugged his boyfriends and mom goodbye so he could move to New Rome.
He gripped Nico's hand tighter and pushed his head into Jason's shoulder.
"Thank you," he mumbled.
"Anytime."
"If I get sick, I'm blaming you."
Percy prodded him with his knee. "Take a compliment, Nico."
Jason chuckled, shaking Percy slightly but the jolt to his head didn't feel so bad when it was accompanied by that sound.
Yeah, he was a sap but he was also exactly where he wanted to be so he let his eyes slip shut as he sunk into Jason and Nico's warmth and gentle chatter from either side of him.