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Nico wasn't surprised, if anything he was surprised that it didn't come sooner. He looked up from the paper that was placed neatly in front of him with a pen at the side. His dark brown eyes met with sea green ones, they looked sad, Nico wanted to scoff but kept a blank face on. He looked back down at the paper and carefully read the bolded letters at the top DIVORCE he read in his head for the nth time. He took a deep breath and looked back at his husband and took in his appearance, the way his hair was sticking up in all directions from him running a hand through it the way his eyes were were slightly red from lack of sleep, his usual tan perfect skin didn't radiate the way it used to.
“does she make you happy?” nico asked calmly but quietly.
“what?” asked Percy his husband of 6 years.
“the girl you've been seeing, does she make you happy?” he clarified for him because truth be told Percy never actually told nico that he had cheated.
“wha- how did you know?” you could hear the guilt in his voice and nico hated it.
Taking another deep breath and trying to keep his emotions steady nico let out a soft chuckle. “how could I not know, I'll admit I didn't know in the very beginning but it started to all makes sense later on,”
Percy had the stupid adorable confused puppy look and nico wanted to smile but didn't. “I do your laundry Percy I saw the lipstick stains on the collar of your shirts, every time you had to ‘stay late at the office’ and you would come home into our bed smelling like cheap knock off perfume” nico didn't raise his voice once at Percy, he was wasn't fuming with rage and wanting to get back at him no, he was sad and numb. Percy went to open his mouth “don't say you're sorry and don't try to explain okay.”
They both sat there for a few moments in nothing but pure silence looking down not wanting to face each other. Nico sighed for what felt like the hundredth time “okay.” he said loud enough to make Percy look up at him. “I'll sign the paper,” Percy started to smile but nico continued “but, I have one last request, for one month I want you you to meet with me where I want and to just hold me. For just one month and I'll sign the paper.”
Percy looked like he wanted to argue but decided against and nodded his head he got up from the table and said “one month” as he grabbed the box that was on the floor and walked out of their home.
“one month” repeated nico and that was when he silently let the tears fall and nothing but the small gasps and hiccups echoed in the room.
Nico was leaning against a big oak tree in central park playing with the wedding band on his finger. “Nico!” Percy called out and met him under the tree once he was standing in front of him, nico smiled. “why did you want to meet here?” he said as he took in the surrounding. He was wearing his business suit which meant he probably came from his office.
“you don't remember?”
Nico took Percy's’ silence as a no Nico smiled sadly to himself. “This is the place where you proposed to me, Remember, how you were so nervous you dropped the ring and started freaking out because you thought you lost it.” nico chuckled at the memory and Percy just stood there Watching him. Nico voice dropped to almost a whisper that Percy had to lean in to hear him because there was so much noise around them “remember how you said that this was for life and that I was stuck with you till the end of time”
Nicos’ pale hand ran across the bark of the tree “we etched our names on this tree after because as long as this tree stood standing our love would be just as strong.”
Percy didn't say anything, he just stood there watching the boy in front of him move to wrap his arms around Percy’s torso burying his face in the taller male's chest. Hesitating, Percy slowly wrapped one arm around the smaller male's shoulder and the other placed to the back of Nico's head. Almost to quickly Nico pulled away and smiled at Percy before quietly walking away in the opposite direction that Percy came in without saying a word.
Nico would go days without contacting Percy asking him to meet and sometime they would come at the most random moments of the day this time nico texted Percy to meet him at the aquarium. Nico waited for Percy at the bottom of the steps leading up to the entrance. Percy came running up to nico “sorry I'm late” he said breathlessly. He was dressed in black slacks and a white button up shirt tuck in with a leather belt nico gave him for Christmas two years ago.
Nico didn't smile this time to greet Percy and instead decides to look at the floor instead. “sorry for interrupting your date.”
“how did you know I was--”
“you're dressed up and actually tried to to tame your hair which you only do when going out to someplace nice or trying to impress someone.” nico said sadly remembering all the times Percy would spend in the bathroom trying to keep his hair under control for the date nights.
Nico turned around and started to walk up the stairs to the aquarium. He went to the ticket booth and bought two tickets, he handed one to Percy and made his way to the entrance. Percy silently followed behind him.
“this was our first date remember? You bought me that one shirt that had the Skeleton of a fish on it. We got matching bracelets with wave all around it too.” Nico walked into the gift shop to where the jewelry was and picked up a mood ring, “you put a mood ring on your finger and instead of turning the normal blue or green it turned pink and you said that only I had that effect on you” Percy went to reach for the ring but Nico put it back down and walked out of the shop.
They walked through the aquarium at a distance without really looking at the fish but he knew that Percy was following where he was going. The two of them Walked out of the aquarium together. Nico stopped right outside the door and look up at the night sky. When he heard Percy stop behind he just turned around and hugged him and this time Percy didn't hesitate but it wasn't a strong embrace either. Nico pulled away and without saying anything descended the stairs got in a cab that was parked at the end sidewalk and drove away without looking back.
The next time they meet was at a local swimming pool in their childhood home town. Nico was faced towards the building but heard when Percy came and stood next to him “this is where you taught me how to swim. I never told you that I didn't know how to swim and when you tackled me into the deep end and I started to panic, you were right there by my side holding me up and helping me back to the edge. Instead of forcing me to keep swimming you got me out of the deep end and took me to the more shallow side and taught me how to swim, you said no matter what you would always be there to protect me when things went wrong.”
When Nico went to hug Percy, he already had his arms open the bring Nico into the hug. When Nico was about to pull away Percy held him there for a bit longer before they both let go. Nico walks away again while leaving Percy there to watch him
Percy was standing in front of a candy shop waiting where Nico wanted to meet but he wasn't there yet which was unusual because Nico was always there before Percy
He kept looking around anticipating for when Nico would show. He had to tell him that over the past four weeks he felt like they were reconnecting and that the love he thought was lost wasn't. He turned around and saw Nico smiling wide teeth shown and he was dressed as if to impress. Nico ran into Percy's arm and Percy immediately wrapped his arm around Nico but just as soon as it happened Nico pulled away and held up a piece of paper.
“I signed it, just as I promised” Nico smiled one last time and began to walk away while waving good bye.
Percy stood there in shock and feeling as if something was missing usually nico would tell him what the place signifies to their love story but he didn't today. And that was when it hit him, this was where they first met. Nico was working here part time and Percy came here after every time he got money because they had the most variety of blue candy and Nico was restocking shelves when he bumped into Percy and that's where it all started.
Percy could barely make out Nico's back side in the sea of people and started to run after his husband. “Nico!” he shouted making the said boy stop and turn around, Percy ran a dodged people before finally catching up to Nico, cupped Nico’s face and kissed him deep.
Nico pulled away with wide eyes and flushed cheeks “n-no you're with her now I signed the paper so you could be happy with her.” he sound broken and in disbelief.
“I know you did and I'm so so sorry for putting you through that pain but Nico, I love you nico- I still love you, I have loved you the moment you bumped into me in the candy shop, I loved you the way you clinged onto to me in the pool, I loved you when I took you to the aquarium I loved you when I proposed I loved you when we got married I loved you when I made the shittiest mistake in sleeping with her and getting involved with her but I love you so much more now than ever and I will continue to hold you everyday of my life cause I realize now that I am absolutely nothing with out. You don't have to forgive hell I don't understand why you don't just beat me to a pulp but Nico I love you and please please please give me another chance give us chance give our love another chance.”
Nico was crying through Percy's’ speech “I love you I love you so much but but what about her didn't you move in with her? And you still cheated on me I can't just forgive you.”
“I know you can't and I know I still have to do so much to regain your trust and no I moved in with a friend for a while but that's beside the point I love you so much can you please give me another chance and we can go back home”
Nico just hugged Percy burying his face in the male's chest crying silently. They stood their just holding each other. After the let go Percy signaled a cab that drove them back home. Once inside he carried nico into their bedroom like he had on their honeymoon laid him gently on the bed removes his shoes and climbed in pulling nico into his chest
“I love you and I promise I will never leave or cheat on you again.”
“it's going to take a while to trust you again but I won't give up on you, I love you to Percy.”
The end