Chapter 1: Cousin Bonding and Cheese Burgers
I was rereading PJO when I realized all of the Big Three kids (Greek at Least) have a huge obsession with Cheeseburgers. SO spawned this story.
It started after the Titan War. Nico got bored at camp. He still didn't feel comfortable there even though his crush on Percy was fading and the aforementioned was only there on the weekends. Now he loved Percy like a cousin. Cousins hung out together didn't they? Nico wanted to get out of camp and eat some real food. He wanted a Cheeseburger.
Suddenly a grin grew across his face. Nico whistled for Mrs. O'Leary who came bounding out of the woods. Nico was her main caretaker when Percy wasn't at camp. She still loved her owner most, Nico used that and wanted to use it for his advantage. He climbed on the Hellhounds back.
"Girl, lets go visit Percy."
The giant dog woofed in excitement then ran into the shadows. As they became the darkness Nico became relieved. This was fun and familiar. Suddenly he was back in the light.
He was at the curbside of Goode High School. He jumped off the Hellhounds back and looked around. There; Percy was walking out with Paul. Nico assumed Annabeth had already left to Olympus to work. That meant he would have less trouble with this. He planned to approach cooly when Mrs. O'Leary bounded ahead. She tackled her teenage master and gave him a huge lick.
"Mrs. O'Leary?" Percy asked surprised attempting to stand up and wipe off the spit.
"Percy why is your giant dog here?" asked Paul.
"I don't know. This better not be another one of those crazy underworld quests. I'm on a break."
That's when Nico decided to expose himself, "Don't worry, it's not."
"Nico? Why aren't you at camp?" Percy sputtered.
"I'll tell you later. Paul is it okay if I steal Percy for a while? I promise it's not a quest," he asked politely. In his mind though he thought "It is though. A quest for a McDonalds Cheeseburger."
"I'll tell Sally then. Should I expect you home for dinner?" He asked Percy who looked at Nico. Nico shook his head.
"C'mon Goth boy. Were we going?" Percy asked as they hopped on Mrs. O'Leary's back.
"I'm not Goth and I'll tell you after our next stop." Nico pulled a silver swatch of fabric out of his jacket. He put it in front of Mrs. O'Leary. Another person needed to join their quest for cheeseburgers. He couldn't be alone with Percy yet. He wasn't ready.
"Bring us to the person who owns this." As Nico said this Percy's eyebrows tried to jump off his face.
"What happened to not another underworld death quest? That was me, you and Thalia. Even if it's not we can't ride into the huntresses camp on a Hellhound. They'll shoot us."
Nico laughed," We can and we will." He laughed louder as Mrs. O'Leary became the darkness.
They had landed in what seemed to Percy to be near the Great Lakes. A silver arrow whizzed by and Percy jumped off and raised his shield. HE looked to Nico and started scolding his younger cousin.
"I told you this was a bad idea. Why aren't you in camp? Do you have a death wish? Don't answer that. Of course you do. "
"Halt Fire!" They heard a voice cry. Percy stopped talking and grinned.
The voice continued, "Put down your shield Percy. Your head must be filled with more Kelp than I thought if you just rode into to a camp of huntresses on a hellhound." Percy sighed and turned raising his hands in surrender.
"Not my idea!" Percy whined, "It was his!" He turned and pointed to Nico.
"Guilty," smirked the younger boy.
"Thalia, why are there boys in our camp? We need to continue our hunt!" snarled a huntress.
"If the boys have come it must be important. Lady Artemis left me in charge. I say the boys may talk to me. We'll leave the camp and while I'm gone Phoebe's in charge."
The huntresses nodded. Thalia climbed on the Hellhound.
"What in Hades are you two up too? Why hasn't Annabeth stopped it?"
"Athena knows! Nico picked me up from school after Annabeth left for Olympus. All he said is that it's not another Underworld Death quest."
"It's not. Mrs. O'Leary go to….." Nico leaned forward and whispered their destination in her ear. They shadow traveled one last time.
Their final destination: McDonald's outside Buffallo, New York. The eldest two of our three whirled on Nico.
"Really? C'mon Nico. Not cool. I thought I needed to save the world," Percy paused, "Again."
Thalia's death glare was on she jabbed her finger into his chest, "I left my huntresses for this? What are you up to Death Breath? Why are we at a McDonalds?"
"I needed a cheeseburger," Nico wasn't fazed at the incredulous look his cousins gave him.
"C'mon. You know they don't make good greasy food at camp. I was gonna die from the greasy food cravings."
"Really Nico? Really?" Percy sighed, "Whatever I'm in. I'm hungry and I wouldn't mind a cheeseburger.
Thalia rolled her eyes, "I don't think I get to go back to my hunt till after I agree. Lets get some cheeseburgers."
"The food more heavenly than ambrosia," moaned Percy biting into his burger.
His cousins grunted in agreement. Both were sipping at their cokes and trying to fit as many fries and cheeseburgers into their mouths as possible.
"No kids meal Nico? I thought you needed 15 or so to raise the dead?" Percy asked once he swallowed.
"HaHa. Very funny, technically I'm 50 years older than both of you. Not a Kid."
"Sure. Just because I'm really 21 doesn't mean that people allow me to drink alcohol. At the time we all met I was oldest. That's how it is. You're the baby who wines all the time. I'm the one who gets to boss you two around. Percy's stuck in the middle," she ruffled Percy's hair. He rolled his eyes and elbowed her. Sensing a fight Nico spoke up.
"This is kind of nice. Getting to know you guys I mean."
"I guess it's like having siblings. I've only ever had Tyson," Percy smiled but his grin grew when he saw Nico's face fall. Thalia disguised her emotions well. He couldn't tell but that had hit her too.
"I'm not trying to replace anyone. I'm not your brother. I'm your cousin."
"Cousin. I like the sound of that, " agreed Thalia.
"Mfmgisig" Nico said with a mouthful of cheeseburger. Thalia and Percy looked at each other and adopted devilish grins. Nico was sopping wet and slightly shocked. His elder cousins just left.
"I'm disowning you two," he grumbled. He headed out the door where Mrs. O'Leary was waiting. He got on the dog and waited for the other two. They were still laughing as they got on which made Nico frown.
"I've seen you both do this to the other. That was much funnier. Scarier too." He muttered the last part under his breath.
All three looked at each other and started laughing.
