"I've got a bone to pick with you, di Angelo." Percy growled when he saw Nico. He had left Hazel and Frank to talk, even though they had insisted it wasn't necessary. He had noticed the stolen glances and awkward interactions between them from the first ten minutes of knowing them. And now that they were back from Alaska, he had tried to get them out of their comfort zone and into facing their feelings.

So he had left in the opposite direction, hands in his pockets, even though it was too hot to be wearing a jacket. His jacket, however, was one of his prized possessions and it was easier to wear it than hold in his hand. The air was warm, charged with a tense energy that he could sense would end up in a storm later. It hadn't rained in days and there wasn't even a breeze to stop the feeling of suffocation he had. He couldn't get enough air and it sent him into a panic, because it felt like he was drowning on dry land. All in all, he was feeling sick and exhausted, and it felt like he hadn't slept it years. All I want to do was to get into my stiff bed in the barracks and sleep for a few days until Annabeth and the others come for me. He supposed he shouldn't have taken the long way if he wanted to get some sleep, but it was too late to turn back now. And that's when he saw him. Sitting on a cliff, overlooking New Rome below.

Nico turned at Percy's intake of breath and swallowed at the murderous look in Percy's eyes. "I see you have regained your memories."

"You think so?" Percy asked sarcastically as he reached him. "Why the fuck did you pretend not to know me?"

"I had to. It's not like I had a choice. Dad told me that it was Hera's plan and I was not to get involved in any way. Don't you think it was hard for me to pretend not to know my own fucking boyfriend?"

"You think you had it bad? How about how fucked my life was ever since I was born?"

"You're not the only one with a shitty childhood, Perseus. Zeus killed my mother, I lived in a Casino and then you went and got my sister killed-"

"Don't." Percy growled, interrupting him. "Don't bring her into this because it wasn't my fault. I tried to protect her, damn it, but I couldn't and I will never stop regretting that. But don't use this against me." Nico's hands tightened into fists. "You had a rough childhood? You were too young to remember your mother and after your memory was wiped, you had your sister and lived relatively securely in the Lotus Casino."

"I was put there because my mom died." he growled. "You have no idea what that feels like."

"No, you're right, I don't. I don't know what that feels like because I always took the beating so I wouldn't lose her. I never told her that, when she was working her fourth job, Gabe was using me as a punching bag and threatening her safety. And while I was doing that you were playing video-games."

Nico barred his teeth at him and narrowed his eyes. "Oh fuck off, it wasn't always like that."

"I fucking stayed there!" Percy threw his hands in the air in exasperation before continuing like he had never been interrupted in the first place. " And then I get attacked by my maths teacher, as if being bullied at school wasn't enough, and then I'm thrown into this world without as much as a warning. I was forced to watch, completely useless, as my mom did. Then I killed the fucking Minotaur in my rage."

"But Sally is alive and you got over everything. You became the child of the Prophecy. And you didn't lose your mother or your sibling in the process." Nico spat out.

"For a while, I thought I did, you ass." He growled. "You still had your sister when your mother died. I had no one left. And oh, I became the child of the Prophecy. Is that supposed to be an honor or something?!" He laughed bitterly. "After all, you did betray me because your father wanted you to be the hero. And no, I didn't lose my mother or my older sister. But I lost people in the war too, and I couldn't contact my mom out of fear that she would be targeted."

"I already apologised for that. And you won the war, so everything turned out alright." Nico butted in, seething. His right hand twitched slightly, like one's would when he would reach for one's weapon. Percy eyed it but didn't comment.

"So I win a war, hooray, and then, not even a year later, I get taken from my cabin, put in a coma for fucking eight months and Hera only takes me out when she deems fit to use me. Nobody had any idea where I was, my mom thought me dead." He spat. "And then, I am thrown to the wolves. Literally."

"So are the rest of the—" Nico started.

"Sure, all kids at Camp Jupiter do the same, but at least they know who the fuck they are! And then I get chased by two Gorgons who have it out for me since I killed their sister, which I didn't even remember doing. And I get sent on a quest to fucking Alaska, the Land Beyond The Gods and I almost get killed there as well.

"You should have stayed at camp, waiting for us."

"But then your other sister would have died as well." Percy growled low in his throat. "So don't talk to me about having it bad when you have no idea how bad it can get!"

"You don't get it, do you? You have no idea what's it like to be so worried for a person that you search everywhere to find them and when you do, you can't tell them anything. You can't, because everything you ever did was for selfish reasons." Nico spat. That was a hit below the belt, but he was angry and Percy was riling him up and he really had no idea what it was like to worry so much over somebody.

"Everything I did, I did to protect you, you ungrateful prick!" Percy suddenly shouted and thunder rumbled above. His eyes had darkened to an inky hue and there was so much pain in them that it stopped Nico dead in his tracks and made his breath catch in his throat. "I was the child of the Prophecy so you didn't have to handle that kind of weight."

"I wasn't a child, Percy."

"Yes, you were, and so was I. But I did everything I could to protect Bianca —for you— but she chose to die to save the quest. And don't talk to me about looking for someone. Have you ever considered what happened after your outburst at the Big House? After you ran away? Have you ever thought that I looked everywhere for you, that I lost sleep and I forgot to eat from worry, that I had nightmares that I had lost you because I was incompetent?!" Nico's response got stuck in his throat at that. He had never known...

"I was so relieved to see you alive, even if you were with that ghost and when you thought that plan to keep me safe only to betray me... Even then I couldn't hate you!" Nico's face softened in wonder and all the fight left him. How did he not see it back then, the way Percy had stopped himself from hurting him too bad, had only held him down really.

"I did everything I could to keep you safe, you selfish bastard, so don't you dare tell me I don't know what that feels like!" He choked out, angry and hurt. Nico had no idea what to do now, how to make it better again.

"You know what? Forget I even said anything." He said after a few seconds of silence. Nico just sighed in reply and shook his head slightly.

"Look, how about we discuss everything tomorrow? My cabin is empty since Hazel sleeps in the barracks, and you look exhausted." He suggested, to which Percy just nodded in agreement, his face lined with exhaustion. He wasn't truly ready to let it go but knew it was hopeless at this point to try and make Nico understand.

Percy looked out the window at the full moon shining in the sky before his eyes turned to the sleeping boy next to him. Or was he a young man? After all, Nico was only a few months younger than him.

He ran his hands through his hair, messing it up more so than usual. He smiled to himself, rolling his eyes at his own behaviour. The effect my boyfriend has on me, even when I'm mad. Nico loved his hair. He enjoyed the contrast of the shaved, coarse hairs on the sides with the raised and long-ish ones in the middle and the softness of it. He sighed at his own train of thought. It was the middle of the night and, once again, he couldn't sleep. As always, the events that had transpired since he lost his memories drifted over his mind like pain-sodden clouds.

He was so thankful now that Nico had pushed him into getting the curse of the River Styx.

"I would have been dead in less than a month without it." he muttered. He reached over and gently stroked Nico's hair, which lay thick and soft against his head, and slid smoothly through Percy's fingers. After remembering how to use his sword, his days blended together into an exhausting routine: wake up, run, hide, fight the two Gorgons pursuing him, find something to eat, run, fight some more, find a safe place to sleep, and repeat. When he added that to the eight months he'd been comatose, he'd been missing for almost a year.

Once he got to Camp Jupiter —looking like a god, from what Hazel told him later— and finally remembered himself, he went on a quest with her and Frank to the Land Beyond The Gods. And he finally came back and remembered everything and everyone.

"So now here I am, waiting for the Camp Half Blood-style rescue." He whispered, voice tinged with sarcastic amusement, drawing his hand from Nico's hair as he stirred in his sleep. He ran his thumb over the skull tattoo on his wrist. One thing he was most thankful he remembered was the story behind each of the drawings adorning his skin. He moved his hands to rub at the sleeve of tattoos on his right arm, each one bringing back a hazy memory with a jolt. Strangely enough, the skull, which symbolized his love for Nico, had been the trigger to the rest of his memories.

He looked back at Nico sleeping next to him. "Together since the Titan War and marching to a next one, from what the Prophecy said." he whispered and leaned back against the headboard, hand unconsciously moving towards his collarbone, where an owl feather was inked in his skin. Even though him and Annabeth were not together anymore did not mean that she was not his best friend, and the feather symbolizes that. He had realized that their romantic feelings for each other were just the easier option and how much better it was now that they were not stuck in a relationship that sometimes felt a little too convenient. She would always be his Wise Girl, but it was better for both of them this way. His new relationship with Nico had been a sudden blessing, stammered out to him in front of the Big House, with the war just a few hours gone.

He smiled softly at the awkward Nico of back then, embarrassed as he confessed his crush on him. Since Nico was only a few months younger, being born in January while Percy was born in August, they could happily maintain a relationship. He had been surprised at how supportive Annabeth had been of him, but then again, she had always been his best friend. He sighed and got up. There was no use to try and sleep anymore, especially with all the thoughts running through his head. He put on his dark blue T -shirt, wiggled into his skinny jeans, and shoved his feet into his combat boots, grabbing his jacket on the way out. After a while of wandering around, he finally came to a stop at the arena and shrugged. He laced his boots up properly, put his jacket down and faced a dummy. After considering the dummy for a moment, he put Riptide away and took the chain attached to his jeans, spinning it around. He remembered the last time he had had to wait for Riptide to show back in his pocket, and how hopeless he felt without a weapon. It was the reason he now had throwing knives concealed in his boots and belt and why he was training with a chain as well as his sword.

The training room was split into two sections. The dummies and targets were on one side, with the movable dummies in the center, and the targets against the far wall. Behind Percy was a sand pit, which was right by the entrance to the shower rooms. He took a knife out of his boot and flung it to one of the targets on the wall to his right, thus beginning his training.

Three hours later found Percy gasping for air and sweating, shirt discarded somewhere in the corner with his sword, chain wrapped twice around his forearm, the rest dangling from his right hand. Luckily, it was long enough that he could get a good grip on it and still be able to choke a monster with it. It had been a present from the Hephaestus cabin, specially made, since it had a 6 inch long, thin blade about two inches wide at the base attached to it. When his chain was looped around a belt loop, the blade was hanging from the link connecting the base but it could snap fully on the chain and move with it for a wider range of attack. He took a break as he looked at the carnage he had left: dummies ripped or fully cut into pieces, wet walls, targets with knives embeded up to the hilt, and the floor a mess of stuffing and water.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" asked a voice behind him and he turned, raising an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you?" he asked his boyfriend as he took him in. Nico was dressed in his usual dark fashion, but he had ditched the aviator jacket and he was holding his sword instead of it being strapped to his belt.

"Well, I was, until I woke up and realized my significant annoyance was missing from the bed. Again."

Percy shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

"And you decided to destroy the training area instead?"

"Had too much nervous energy. It seemed like a good enough way to get rid of it."

"How about you train with someone who can actually fight back then? That should help." Nico said somewhat mockingly as he adjusted his grip on his sword.

Percy shrugged and walked to his discarded shirt, taking Riptide out from its folds and uncapping it. "Let's see what you've got."

Nico stepped forward, sliding his sword from its sheath with a quiet scrape, the only other sound besides the steady drip of water from the dummies. Percy adjusted his feet, moving his shoes minutely in the water. He stared at Nico, who was still in position, watching him from a distance that Percy estimated to be about five meters. They locked eyes for a split second, and then Nico lunged, sword flashing down to meet Percy's. The blow vibrated up Percy's arm, and his hand tightened almost painfully on the sword hilt to keep from dropping it.

They exchanged a series of lightning-quick blows, until Percy's shoulder was aching, not quite unpleasantly. When Nico paused to take a break, backing up and reassessing Percy with his dark brown eyes, which looked black in the stark lighting.

Percy took the opportunity to roll his shoulder slightly and wipe both new and old sweat from his brow. Nico's eyes narrowed. Dammit. I need to finish this quick if I'm going to win.

When Nico darted forward again, something was different. There was an edge of confidence to the way he moved, and though each blow was still powerful enough to rattle Percy's teeth, Nico's movements were still almost careless. He was reaching further out, not in the usual guarded stance that he adopted with more worthy opponents, each swing powerful but almost nonchalant.

Percy narrowed his eyes, knowing exactly what Nico was doing and becoming more enraged by the second. "Smug bastard." he hissed under his breath, tightening his hand on the hilt of his sword. When Nico's next blow came, he ducked, letting the other man's sword slide along his own with a sound that ground on Percy's nerves. Nico's stumbled slightly and stepped back. Percy made a show of rubbing his shoulder, clearly loosening his grip on his sword.

Nico's eyes flashed with triumph, and as he moved to deal the final strike, Percy went for his chain.

He swung it from his belt with his left hand, and it arced through the air. The motion caused Nico to shift in a half-ditched attempt to get away, but he was far too late. The blade snapped onto the chain and through the air, all momentum and deadly accuracy. With a sharp metal clash, the weapons connected and Nico's flew through the air, crashing into the far wall.

Nico's eyes widened in fear momentarily, but then he smiled confidently and raised his arms. He held his palm up, and then curled his fingers inwards, as if the tips were connected to thousands of invisible strings.

The ground began to rumble as cracks appeared in the concrete. From beneath the sand and rubber mats clawed hands appeared. Percy raised an unimpressed eyebrow but took a step back to give himself some room, waiting until the final skeleton was standing before starting to cut through them.

Percy saw Nico's eyes widen in fear as the final skeleton was cut down, and he brought his hands up to raise more, but Percy darted forward, and the movement was interrupted.

Nico took a few steps back, until he was solidly on the sand, but not close enough to the shadows of the wall. He then the shadows around him began to lengthen and thicken, drawing up to shroud his body. Without thinking, Percy shot out a hand, and water washed onto Nico, knocking him to the floor. He then ran towards him and as Nico got up again, Percy tackled him to the ground, arm on his neck. He took in a few deep breaths and released him, stepping back. "I win. I'm going to hit the showers." His voice was still somehow cold and unfriendly, but he did his best to hide it.

Once showered and changed back in his pyjamas, he got in bed in Nico's cabin, lying on his back, a hand thrown over his eyes. When Nico came out of the shower as well, his heart clenched at the invisible wall between them. He laid down next to Percy, keeping a safe distance between them.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Nico whispered after ten minutes of silence, almost sure Percy was asleep.

"What?" Percy, who was so tired he was dozing off, snapped awake when he heard Nico talk.

"I'm sorry for the fight." He clarified. "I… I was angry and I said things I shouldn't have and I never noticed how much you truly cared for me… I never meant to hurt you like that, Percy." Turning his head to look at him, Percy was startled to see Nico already watching him, eyes shining with emotion. "Annabeth told me, you know?"

"Told you what? When did you talk to Annabeth?"

"After you fell asleep… I IMed her and asked her to tell me the full extent of your search for me and she did. She told me how distressed you were after I left and how you tried to find me and keep me safe. And instead of saying thank you, I just bring hit after hit below the belt…" Nico averted his eyes as his voice became a mere whisper at the end. Percy took his hand and smiled softly.

"Trust me, I get it. I'm sorry for everything I said as well…" Percy whispered before releasing his hand and rolling over, head on Nico's chest and arms wrapped around his waist. Nico smiled at his affectionate behavior, it never failed to amaze him how easily Percy forgave.

"But Nico?"

"Hmm?"

"Never underestimate me again."

"Promise." he chuckled. He started tracing the gentle shapes of the shadows of Percy's back tattoo, remembering the day Percy got it. He had been so excited to show him the skeleton extending his hand towards the water below him, which was drawn dark and menacing looking, with waves that turned to shadows and scary creatures. Above the skeleton, right under his shoulderblades, in cursive were the words: 'Non ho paura del lato oscuro del mare, che è parte di te.'. 'I am not scared of the dark side of the ocean, it is part of you.'. It had amazed Nico that Percy had gotten his comfort words tattooed. He had just wanted to show his boyfriend that he would always be there for him, no matter how scary he might be, and Percy had been so inspired that he had a whole back piece for him. He felt Percy's body completely relax on top of him and could hear his even breaths, tell-tale signs of him falling asleep.

He started running his hands through his hair, marvelling the softness of it. He kissed his head and closed his eyes. Tomorrow Camp Half-Blood would come for them and they'd go to fulfill another prophecy.