Batman: I believe this is my second story that has Anuco as the main couple, and I'm really glad it came out the way it did! Writing with Syko was fun and I really enjoyed it! I hope you all enjoy!

Syko: This will be my second as well. And it was really fun to write it together. I've always wanted to do a co-write and I think this turned out great. Please enjoy!

~*8*~

Nico never asked for much. At least now-a-days, he didn't. He was rather happy with his house, his friends were all healthy and Anubis was his lover. In his opinion, he was living the life. So why did he look dead on his feet, well more so than usual?

That's because daddy-dearest sent him running on some god forsaken errand that involved him shadow traveling half-way across the world just to get Persephone some outfit she's been dying to get but can't because she was too busy doing she only knew what. When he went from step-son trying to save the world to errand-boy…let's just say his day wasn't getting any better.

Opening the door to his and Anubis' home he walked in to see Anubis trying to separate Amit and Myrsus, one of Ms. O'Leary and Cerberus' pups. And to think Percy hadn't realized the hell hound could even have pups with the guardian. His poor cousin (and most of camp for that matter) had nearly had a heart attack when they walked into the arena to find the proud mama watching over her litter. Nico had kept one pup- the other three were Percy's problem, though Hades had taken an interest in the pups as well. Which could be a solution to Percy's problem as well as a solution to should escaping from the different exits in the Underworld.

Anubis looked up from where he was kneeling on the floor, holding the two apart as best he could by their collars, warm chocolate brown eyes showing relief at the sight of his lover. The demigod noticed scratches on his arms that suggested the god had been at it for a while. "Oh good, you're home. Can you grab Myrsus?"

"Nope." Nico shrugged off his bomber jacket and hung it on the hook by the door. He didn't understand why Anubis was bothering with trying to keep the two apart anyways. They were all living in the same house so they'd have to get used to each other eventually.

Anubis raised a disbelieving eyebrow as Nico took off his sword belt and set it on another hook next to the beloved jacket. "And why not?" Honestly the two canines could hurt each other! Didn't the teen care at all? His next response led Anubis to believe not.

"Why should I?" Nico sighed as he bent to loosen the laces on his boots. He was so not in the mood to be dealing with this. And this was not what he'd been hoping to come home to after the crap his step-mother had made him go through in the name of keeping the peace within the Dark Family.

"They've been rough housing and I don't want them getting hurt." Anubis huffed in irritation as Myrsus finally broke free of the god's hold, prompting him to pick Amit up and hoist her up where the other would have a harder time reaching her…at least until the way-too-smart-for-his-own-good canine began jumping up to knock him down. Again.

Nico rolled his eyes and walked by the trio towards the bedroom, not bothering to remove the boots just yet. "Just leave 'em alone. It's what animals do."

"Not like this it isn't." Anubis growled at the male as he raised up to knock the god over with his front paws. He stumbled anyways and put his girl down, Amit was simply to big for such a tactic to be very successful though he still kept between the two

"Oh you know it is," scoffed Nico, sending a very tired glare over his shoulder from his place just inside the bedroom door. "After all, not all of us are part jackal. Why don't you just do some alpha-bullshit and leave me out of it?"

Anubis' eyes narrowed, not quite certain if he'd just been outright insulted or if Nico was telling him he should know more about canines because of what he was. "What the hell has gotten into you?" He suppressed another growl when the two he was trying to keep apart darted off out of sight. He was tempted to go after them but dealing with his lover had just become a first priority.

"Now there's something wrong with me? Just out to get everyone, aren't you?" The demigod tossed the small bag of supplies he'd learned to keep with him over on the mirrored dresser, ignoring the god that followed him into the room.

"Dammit Nico! She doesn't know how to act around the hell hound!" Anubis threw his arms up in frustration. Honestly how hard was it to understand that? "The only others in the Hall are me and my jackals!"

"Well she'll have to learn then because this is how animals act!" Nico shouted back, finally turned to face his lover and leaning against the dresser.

"Amit isn't used to rough housing!" The god yelled at the teen. He wasn't sure how he could make that anymore clear to the other, who was being deliberately closed off to him today.

"Then send her back to the Hall of Judgement!" Nico grabbed the nearest thing on the dresser, trying to find an anchor to calm himself by. The telephone was right near the edge next to the bed but in front of the lamp and that was what his hand found first. Okay, not exactly what he's been hoping for but good enough.

"No! Why don't you send Myrsus back to the Underworld!? He could rough house with the other hell hounds then!" Anubis paced the floor in the other side of the bed, a (very) small part of him mind noting that they were standing on each other's side of the bed.

"Because unlike a god I can not be in more than one place at a time!" Nico finally lost it and hurled the phone at his lover, more than a little upset that he'd tell Nico to abandon the pup he'd just adopted in the Underworld.

Anubis swore and ducked into a roll as the telephone smashed into the wall where he'd just been standing. "And you think that Amit won't feel left behind if she's in the Hall just because a small aspect of me is there?" The god was more prepared to dodge the lamp when it flew his way and it occurred to him that later- after they resolved this fight- he'd have to properly thank his lover for teaching him how to fight even when everyone else was convinced he'd never be able to be a warrior.

Nico let out a wordless shout of frustration and rage as he shot the lamp at the taller teen, who was completely missing the point Nico was trying to make. Part of him wished he hadn't been giving Anubis lessons in fighting and part of him was impressed at the male's skill at evasion, the rest of him was too busy reaching for the next thing to throw. "I just got back! All I want to do is shower and rest and you aren't even listening!"

"What do you mean I'm not list- don't throw the vase!" That vase and flowers within it had been a housewarming gift from Sadie and if anything happened to it he'd have some explaining to do to the temperamental blonde. Anubis dove and caught it just before it crashed on the floor, shattering into pieces. Although as his lover raised up with one of those heavy boots hauled back to throw he wondered if it wouldn't have been better to face the temperamental blond girl versus being bludgeoned by his volatile lover.

A bark from the doorway grabbed both of their attention, stalling Nico and saving Anubis. They watched as Myrsus danced in the doorway, dashing in to run circles around them before running out. He waited a few seconds and when they didn't follow, he repeated the action. Nico sighed as he let the boot in his hand drop to the floor. He kicked off the other one and moved through the doorway to see what his pup wanted. Anubis stayed absolutely still until Nico was out of arms reach of his boots. The he went over and kicked both under the bed, setting the vase back on the dresser, before following the path his lover took.

They found themselves in the living room, staring in disbelief at the sight of Amit in the oversized doggie bed they had first gotten for the two to share. Around her were five little black bundles of fur snuffing about. Next to the bed, looking far too pleased with himself was Myrsus. Nico turned to look at Anubis.

"Just what kind of rough housing has been going on while I'm out running errands?"

Anubis gave his lover a blank look. "I don't need to explain that to you, do you? If so, I'm sure we can do a demonstration, that's if you need visuals."

Nico flushed but didn't turn away. Suddenly he wasn't in such a rush to go to bed anymore. Snorting in amusement he tugged of his shirt and threw it at Anubis' face. "I need a shower- but I'm sure if you're creative enough we can work something out." The demigod sauntered back into the bedroom, absentmindedly thinking that at least he wouldn't have to worry about the two canines anymore.

Anubis grinned and pulled the shirt from his face, stalking after his younger lover. He could do creative- and he did have to thank him for those fighting lessons. This was going to be fun.

~*8*~

Batman: *laughs* So, what do you guys think? Did we do good, or did we do good? Please leave a review of what you think on the way out!

Syko: Reviews are love and they help inspire. Please let us know what you think.