There are too many memories that revolve around me because of Percico, but the most memorable moment to date was the first time I met my best friend who would later become my S.O.
We first met as Percico in a convention here in the Philippines. I was dressed as Praetor Percy and him as Nico di Angelo. We decided to meet dressed as our OTP because this ship was the reason we started talking to one another. He liked Nico di Angelo even before he knew the series, I liked Percy Jackson so much because I could relate with him and share the same penchant of sarcasm as him, and he started talking to me because I remarked something about being Percy Jackson in the sidelines looking for my Nico di Angelo in the con we were both attending that time (We still didn’t know each other personally because of it.). A few turns of events (an unfortunate one) got us to really talk to each other
I keep coming back to this memory because various feelings overwhelmed me the moment I saw him as Nico, our friends told us we looked really cool back then being their headcanon Percy and Nico due to our personalities, but honestly, I felt like the lamest demigod ever. I kept tugging at my toga and cape, fixing up my hair (which I intentionally cut short to fit Percy’s hairstyle) and asking my friend who came as Annabeth if I looked okay and not some sort of loser dressed in a bedsheet… I’m honestly just kind of babbling right now.
So yeah, I decided to become all “praetor”-like and decided that I should give my S.O. his quest provisions (which was a black box filled with letters, percico pics I’ve edited, five strawberries in the place of the pomegranate seeds, chocolate coins in place of the drachmas and denarii, and his favorite candies and drinks. It was funny because, because of this person, I decided to try out a different kind of art style, forced myself to try and make my own costume and props… basically really try hard to impress him (because I really liked him a lot already back then.). The whole meeting was nerve-wracking. Like it was a blind date planned by our friends because they, too, were getting excited about this day.
Aside from the fact that I got into the event a total of three hours late (long story.), and my S.O. running away from me the moment he saw me (because he got nervous). We kinda did the “Pleased to meet you, I’m Nico di Angelo” part. (lol yeah… we’re Percico trash.) and cue in the squeals and all the cameras and shenanigans from our friends. It was both embarrassing and cool at the same time. It was the first time I went through all the effort of actually being in character and giving quest provisions to someone I’ve actually met for the first time, but feels like I’ve known ever since I was a kid.
After the whole meeting, we continued talking to one another everyday. He had to leave the Philippines to go back to his second hometown in Hawaii, but our communication never wavered. In fact we got to talk more. Eventually, I confessed to him and found out that we were in fact just waiting for one another to say it. A month of courting later… June 6th he said yes, and now we’re officially dating and just waiting for the time we’ll see each other again.
To keep the story short, I think I’ll keep holding on to that memory of meeting my S.O. as Nico di Angelo, because it was the first time I met someone who shared so much of my interests, clashed opinions with and shared countless laughter and tears with… and it was the first time that I met someone who changed my life that much.
