PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || Lost at the Mall || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO

Title: Advent Calendar Project – Lost at the Mall

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. 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.

Warnings: shounen-ai, fluff, Christmas fluff

Main Pairing: Nico/Percy

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Piper McLean, Annabeth Chase

Summary: Percy got lost at the mall and finds himself at a pizza restaurant, waiting for his friends to find their way back. Nico's father runs a pizza restaurant.

Advent Calendar Project

Lost at the Mall

Percy frowned thoughtfully as he looked around the mall and walked slowly. Everything was beautifully decorated for the holiday season. He had gone here with his two best female friends Piper and Annabeth. Only that he had somehow lost them. Or they had probably lost him, he didn't really know. All he did know was that the mall was huge and the last time he had seen them, Annabeth had exclaimed something about a new book from one of her favorite authors, tugged on Piper's hand and gone they were. There were three bookstores in this mall and Percy kind of really didn't like bookstores too much so maybe it would be okay if he'd just let them do this on their own and he'd go and find them later on? After all, Annabeth could spend hours in bookstores. It was awful, at least for Percy and his attentionspan. So instead, he was just going to wander around a little, maybe use the chance to go and buy presents for Annabeth and Piper. It was a little hard to do Christmas shopping for someone while said someone was also there.

...Maybe he could do the shopping a little later, because the scent of delicious pizza filled his nose and there was just no getting back from pizza. Licking his lips greedily, Percy instantly changed directions and headed toward the booth that claimed Hades' Pizza Place – Where the pizza tastes divine. Percy grinned broadly at the dumb pun – he loved dumb puns.

"Ciao bello, welcome to Hades' Pizza Place. What can I get you?"

"You", blurted Percy out doe-eyed, staring at the handsome Italian behind the counter. "To go?"

Nico – as the name-tag claimed – laughed, a warm and pleasant sound. His dark eyes sparkled as he wiped his dark curls out of his forehead. Nico dragged his eyes up Percy's body slowly.

"I'm afraid I'm on the job and can only sell pizza", chuckled Nico. "Can settle for that?"

For now", frowned Percy, eyes wandering to the menu. "Oh. Mh. Yeah, I'll be fine settling for one of those bad boys. The prosciutto and peppers one, please."

"On it", replied Nico and got to work.

Once he got his pizza, Percy sat down at a table with the perfect view on the counter and ate what he considered the best pizza he had ever eaten before. He watched Nico interact with customers for a while and then Percy returned his attention to the gifts he had already bought. He started sorting them, checking who he had covered and who was still missing. Grover was easy – Percy, Annabeth and Piper had pitched together to donate to the rain forest in their name, knowing that was what would make Grover and his fiance Juniper the happiest.

"Christmas shopping?", asked the pleasantly accented voice from earlier.

Percy looked up and watched how Nico slipped into the seat opposite him. "I... yes. Uhm...?"

"I'm on my break", grinned Nico. "And you're cute. Did you seriously hit on me or was it just a reflex and you talk to the guy behind the counter like that all the time?"

"You are gorgeous. I was so serious, though I did not mean to blurt it out like that", grinned Percy.

"So, what's your name, pretty?", asked Nico curiously, arms crossed on the table.

"Percy", replied Percy with a pleased smile. "But please continue calling me 'pretty'. I like it."

Nico laughed at that, eyes sparkling. "You're cute. So, big family...?"

He motioned at the heap of presents. "Lots of friends who count as family to me. Though I got my parents, stepfather, half-brother Tyson on one side of the family and half-brother Triton on the other side. I just... really like making the people I love happy, you know?"

"That's... sweet", smiled Nico softly.

"You? Big family?", asked Percy curiously.

"Not big. Papà, mamma, two sisters", replied Nico. "All running the family business."

"And what's with the pun? Not that I don't love it, but wouldn't like... Hestia be a better call, or Roma?", inquired Percy, tilting his head like a curious kitten.

Nico smiled at the adorable look. "My father's name is Hades. Yes. Really."

"Ouch", laughed Percy. "Well, you can be glad that he didn't continue the naming tradition."

"True enough", hummed Nico, a content half-smile on his face. "Are you all done with shopping?"

"I'm afraid not", sighed Percy. "I'm here with two of my friends and we're barely through half our list. But I kind of... got lost. I have a short attentionspan. Tend to get distracted."

"Lucky me that you got distracted then", smiled Nico with warm eyes. "Because I got to find you."

"So. Since you're currently working and I can't take you out... When are you not working?", asked Percy boldly and leaned forward some. "Because I think I should go and try to find my friends."

The smile on Nico's lips was way too pleased and way too endearing. He grabbed a pen from his apron and scribbled a number down on the napkin before pushing it toward Percy.

"How about you just text me when you got time and we'll... find a time and day?", suggested Nico.

"That sounds nice", grinned Percy pleased as he got up. "It was nice talking to you, Nico."

"Likewise, pretty", replied Nico with a wink.

"Perseus Jackson! How dare you just slip out from us to eat pizza!"

Nico jumped slightly and blinked as he turned toward the angry blonde who came storming toward them like a Fury. Next to the blonde was a gorgeous native American girl, looking at Percy in amusement. Percy's friends, Nico concluded. Though... Perseus?

"Perseus?", echoed Nico, turning to Percy.

"Ye—eah. As I said, you can be glad your father didn't continue the naming-tradition", drawled Percy with a deadpan. "My parents thought they were being 'cute'. It was not cute."

"Percy, you can't just up and disappear in a crowd like that."

"Pipes, I didn't disappear. You did", countered Percy with a pout. "I was looking at something blue and shiny in a window and the next moment, you were both gone."

"Blue and shi... You are such a cat, Jackson", grunted Piper amused.

"Meow", grinned Percy broadly. "Oh, but I totally found something you can get me for Christmas!"

"And what might that be?", sighed Annabeth exhausted.

"Well. I want to say the blue shiny thing I saw in the window, but then I found this one and I think he'd look really good in a blue bow", mused Percy, looking at Nico.

Nico sputtered at that, staring at the boy in surprised. "You are... something else."

"Ye—eah. Get used to it", nodded Piper gravely, patting Nico's back.

"Anyway. Can we continue this trip now? I have my stepbrothers to shop for", sighed Annabeth.

"Su—ure. See you later, gorgeous", grinned Percy, winking at Nico as they left.

~*~ The End ~*~

Author's note: Part of my Advent Calendar Project, where I took Christmas/winter-themed prompts on my tumblr (takaraphoenix)!

Because yes of course did Percy try to order a Nico :D