He had to keep running. He couldn't stop. Otherwise, they would get him. His heart pounded in his throat, his chest heaved as he struggled to breathe, asthma attacking. He could hear them behind him, gaining rapidly. He couldn't outrun them forever. 

There! The school was coming up. His hell would be the thing that lead to his survival, after all. He almost reached the door, when one of the creatures jumped in front of him, blocking the entrance. He stopped dead in his tracks, while the things cold, dead eyes stared back at him in silence.

Nico screamed as the giant red gummy-bear attacked.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Nico awoke with a lurch, groaning. He rolled over onto his side, flinging his arm out to smack the bastard of an alarm clock that had dared awaken him from his mighty cat nap. He laid back down onto his back, blinking as he tried to recall his dream. 

Fucking sweet tooth. I need candy...Sighing, Nico blindly reached for his phone around his bed. He had to blink several times to make out what it was telling him, both from the sleepy fuzz and his dyslexia making him unable to quite tell what was going on without his glasses. After a moment, he realized he had a missed call from an unknown number.

Nico's sleep ridden mind was puzzled for a few moments. Who would have called him? Oh! The idiot...what's his name? Uh...Jackson! Jackson, right...Nico yawned and called back, slumping onto his bed with one arm over his eyes to shield them from the evil sun peaking in through his black-out curtains.

Fuck you too, Apollo.

As the phone was answered, he heard little claws on his bedroom door. Nico sighed. He didn't want to give up, but Small-Bob (his cat) would get annoyingly insistent if he didn't open the door soon. Sighing, Percy payed his attention to the phone call, ignoring his cat for now.

"Nico?" Yup! it was Jackass -er- Jackson himself! 

"'Lo." Nico stifled a yawn. "You get the glasses? Otherwise, why in the name of Hades did you call me?" Nico, in his sleepy state, acted more...uncouth than he usually would. In his post-sleep state, he was more...aggressive, and less of his usual nerdy self. Absentmindedly, Nico realized he probably shouldn't have called back in this state, but he was too tired to give it much thought, and he really just wanted this to be over with.

~~~

Up, down, down, right right right, left, down up, left, righ-

Percy immediately paused the Barbie game he had been playing on his computer when his phone began to right. He lunged from his desk to his bed, where his phone lay. He was hoping it was Nico. After a moment a wildly searching the sheets, he found his phone. A wide smirk stretched his face. Sexy Ghost King, read the caller ID

Smirk never failing -where would he ever be without his faithful smirk?- he answered, feeling as though his confidence was radiating through the phone. If only that one guy -Alex Telebell, or whatever- had thought to install something like that when he created the phone. 

Mentally chastising himself when he realized how eager he would sound once he answered, he controlled himself, forcing himself to not fuck this up. "Nico?"

"'Lo." Percy could make out the noise of a muffled yawn. "You get the glasses? Otherwise, why in the name of Hades did you call me?" Percy had to physically stop himself from swooning at Nico's scratchy I-Just-Woke-Up voice, crossing his legs as he laid atop his bed.

"Yeah, I did. I tested them out a bit, and they work fabulously. Thanks to you, of course, Ghost King." 

A loud groan could be heard. Of course, Percy was happy he caused that, he just would have preferred the Nico had made the sound whilst writhing under him in the throes of passio-

"Damn it Valdez!" Came Nico's scratchy voice. Evidently, Nico had forgotten what his voicemail was. Not that Percy intended to inform him of that. "Knew I should have sent him to someone else." Nico grumbled to himself, sighing. "Whatever, too late now." Nico coughed to clear his voice. "Uh, just bring a copy of your class schedule to school tomorrow, and we'll work from there. Just bring it to lunch, and we'll figure out when to make the sessions, yeah?" Nico planned out, struggling slightly in his sleepy daze.

"Oh, uh, lunch? Uhm..." Percy trailed off. What would happen to his reputation if he was seen with a nerd during lunch, comparing schedules? So that he could get tutored, no less! What if someone overheard?

"Take it or leave it, Jackas-er, Jackson." Came the reply. 

Percy winced as his pride was hit. He wanted a nickname from Nico, yeah, but that was a bit harsh. And the foul language, don't get Percy wrong, was hot as hell. He just wished it wasn't directed at him.

"Alright..."

"Good. Goodnight, don't call me again." Moment's before Nico could his the end call button, Percy said something, that of course Nico had to reply to, because he was a fabulous emo. Duh.

"It's five in the afternoon."

"Obviously, Ghost King time doesn't go along with Jackass time. Now, I would like to visit Morpheus again, so goodnight. Don't call me." Without giving Percy a chance to answer, Nico hung up. Percy frowned. Who was Morpheus? Should Percy be jealous? Nah, nobody can take Nico away from me, I'm fabulous. Note to self, wake Nico up more often.

Percy smirked, which soon turned devilish as a wicked smile graced his lips.

~~~

Percy was searching the cafeteria with his eyes, seeking out the aviators jacket that Nico always wore. But before he had a chance to stop it, a mass of blond hair, grey eyes, and a shirt with an owl on it sprung into his vision. Percy smiled. "Annabeth! Looking as chic as always."

"Percy, you're as fabulous as ever. C'mon, the table with the awesome view is free, I don't want it to get taken!" Annabeth said, dragging Percy to their favorite table. Sadly, Percy had to halt her before they could get very far.

"I can't. I have to figure out...study sessions." Percy shivered as his nose scrunched up in disdain. Annabeth blinked, before sighing.

"Damnit..Fine, go and find Mr. Tongue Piercing." Sighing in disappointment, Annabeth walked off quickly. Percy wanted to apologize, but she was already gone. Sighing, Percy cast his eyes around the lunch room once more.

It seemed to take forever, but Percy finally found the aviators jacket, and set off. As he got closer, he saw that Nico was reading, hands clenching the book tightly, body tense, one hand flipping pages quickly, whilst an apple with a few bites taken out of his lay forgotten on the table.

Percy walked up behind him, leaning in close. He spoke at normal volume, right next to Nico's ear. "Whatca' reading?"

Nico shot away from Percy. The book went flying, and the apple was knocked over. Nico flailed as he tripped over his own feet (and a chair), landing on the ground painfully, his ass taking the brunt of the fall. "Santa Ade, non nascosto su di me in quel modo!" Nico exclaimed. Percy could only stare at Nico in wonder. (Translation (If Google translate is to be trusted, which it probably isn't): Holy Hades, don't sneak up on me like that!)

Percy had to physically force himself not to drool as he stared at Nico, confusion adorning his face like a flag. Nico sighed, shaking his head. "What language was that?" Percy asked, blinking as he spoke in a breathy voice, not really able to do anything besides stare at Nico's lips.

"Idiota non riconosce italiano. Mi sorprende che conosce l'inglese, onestamente." Nico murmured to himself, rubbing his backside as he slowly rose off the ground in an effort to diminish the pain.(Translation: Idiot doesn't even recognize Italian. I'm surprised he knows English, honestly.)

"Uh..."

"Italian."

"When did you learn? You're, like, really good." Percy inquired. True to his word, the words flowed off Nico's tongue fluently. 

"It's my first language, English my second." Nico said, gathering his book, fixing his bookmark and taking another bite out of his apple. Percy, meanwhile, was resisting the simple urge to replace his hand with the one rubbing Nico's backside. Instead, he sat down, leaning on the table with his elbows. 

"Cool. What did you say?"

"Nothing, just don't sneak up on me like that. It's not cool." Nico's voice darkened, hinting at something more, something deeper and more sinister. Percy wanted to know desperately what was causing it, but unfortunately (for Percy) Nico grabbed the schedule Percy held in his hand -honestly he had forgotten he had it- and grabbed his own, laying the two side-by-side on the table.

"Alright...second and sixth period are free for both of us Monday and Wednesday, so that'll be when he do sessions in the library, then I suppose a few hours on the weekends somewhere. Works for me, let me know if something pops up and you can't do that. Bye." Nico stood, taking his schedule with him. Percy stopped him though, asking the first question that came to mind in an effort to stop Nico from going away.

"What were you reading? You looked pretty focused on it." 

Nico blushed, face and neck a beautiful pink that Percy immediately became enchanted with.

"Nothing." Nico muttered, quickly walking off before Percy got the chance to ask more questions.

~~~

Google Translate and Wattpad were fighting me tooth and nail with chapter. *Sigh*

And I know that's not how school works, but...fanficiton?