For the OTP Bootcamp 14) Shadows, for the LovetasticRomanceathon challenge 9) "I just...can't. This is perfection, you know that?" and for the Opposites Attract challenge: Enigmatic – Obvious (Nico - Percy)

Paradox

"I have loved you forever," whispers Nico absently, tracing a pattern on the palm of Percy's hand.

"Impossible," says Percy in his usual blunt way, but his words are softened by the whisper of amusement and his eyes by affection.

"True," Nico breathes and Percy wonders how he can be so certain.

"Then we have a problem," says Percy, eyes closed and letting Nico's soft breathing fill the room again for a moment, "because that isn't scientifically possible."

When Percy opens his eyes, after the frozen silence becomes unbearable, it's to Nico's face inches from his and Percy wonders how the boy's breathing became so impossible and how Nico's heartbeat doesn't hit the thumps of his own. Nico's eyes sparkle with a mystery that Percy still hasn't solved and his mouth quirks up at one corner to a joke that Percy can only catch a glimpse of, gone like the wind snatched it away.

"Your dad is Poseidon," says Nico, rolling towards Percy. "You can't talk about science."

The wind blows the curtain open, casting the shadows from Nico's face into a brilliant white before settling back and letting the shades cling onto his skinny frame.

Percy sits up on his elbows, letting one hand fly up from his side to tangle in Nico's dark hair, wavy and slightly damp from the shower, before bringing Nico's lips to his in a crash of lips and teeth. Nico bent low, letting Percy fall back down and increasing the difficulty of the kiss, but holds himself up with his own hands on either side of Percy's head.

When they break away, Nico rolls to the side, letting his legs stay twisted with Percy's like a puzzle neither of them dare to break. He begins his fingered pattern, drawing with his fingertips up Percy's arm.

"Say something."

Percy swallows a lump in his throat. "I just…can't. This is perfection, you know that?"

Nico smiles that inscrutable smile that Percy loves, "Yes," he says softly, words cutting through the quiet like red hot coal through snow, a shadow in a bright room. Percy can feel his heart jumping like a jack-in-the-box in his chest, begging to be sprung from its illusion of prison as Nico's fingers wander up his arm in unfamiliar shapes.

"What...what is that?" asks Percy, turning his head so that Nico is more focused, eyes half shut and skin starkly pale.

Nico smiles again, and Percy wishes he could understand. "Ti amo per sempre," says Nico and Percy relaxes, smiling as the familiar Italian words sweep over him.

"How long?"

"Sempre."

"Good."

Translation: "I love you forever" and "Forever".