"Nico! I may have had another accident." His voice was nervous, and Nico knew why. This was the third time this week and the twenty-second time this month. Last week had ended in a hospital visits for stitches(Percy had decided to take up knife juggling, needless to say he wasn't much good).

Years ago, when they had first moved in with each other, a month after Percy's nineteenth, Nico would have stared at him in disbelief. Now, several years into their relationship, Nico just accepted it. Sally had warned him just how accident prone the boy could be but he didn't quite understand until he actually moved in with the boy.

Nico sighed, "What did you do this time Perce?"

There was blood trickling down his tanned skin, originating from a cut an inch above his left eyebrow. How could he be so clumsy?

He gestured for Percy to sit down before leaving to retrieve their well used (and significantly lighter than when they had bought it) first aid kit. Nico could swear he could wrap bandages with the pros by now.

"Well, you know how I used to be pretty good at skateboarding, Neeks?" Percy said with some hesitation. And Nico knew instantly the outcome of Percy's story.

"Back when you were twelve you mean?"

"Yeah, um, as it turns out, I'm, uh, not as good as I used to be. Which is a shame, cause I really used to like skateboarding and I..." Nico knew Percy well enough that if he was not interrupted the rambling could last a while.

"Percy," Nico interrupted, sitting down next to him and placing the first aid kit on the table. "That was almost ten years ago. Why would you think you would as good as you were then?"

Nico knew Percy would be a bright red. He didn't need to look up to see that, instead he started rummaging through the first aid kit for disinfectant and a bandage, pulling them out with a quiet 'ah' before getting to work at disinfecting Percy's cut. Luckily it didn't seem to be deep enough to need stitches.

"I... I didn't really think about it. I saw some kids doing it the other day and remembered how much fun it was, and mom still had my board and I wasn't really thinking and I'm sorry Neeks." Percy was rambling again. Nico could tell how embarrassed he was. He still thought an embarrassed Percy was one of the most adorable things on the planet.

Nico stopped his dabbing and sighed again before looking Percy in the eyes and saying "You're always sorry Percy. And you always come home with bumps and bruises and cuts and scrapes. And I worry Percy. Because what if one day it's serious? What if one day you bump your head a little bit too hard or a cut is a little bit too deep and you don't come home at all Percy? What then? I'd be left alone again Percy. And I can't deal with that anymore. You're my everything Percy. You know that."

"And you're mine Neeks. I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm-"

"Clumsy I know Percy. I just worry. I don't want another person I love to leave me again. I won't be able to handle it. Not after... Not after Bianca."

"I'm sorry." Percy whispered, wiping a tear from Nico's cheek.

"I know you are. And you know I don't blame you for that. Not anymore." Nico gave him a small smile before starting to bandage Percy's cut.

"I love you Death Breath." Percy whispered.

"Love you too Seaweed Brain." Nico replied equally as quiet with a small smile.

Things weren't perfect. They never would be. But Nico didn't care. He thought perfection was overrated anyway. What he had with Percy was so much better than perfect. It was Elysium.