PJatO || Hadephone || PJatO || Dandelions and Pomegranates || PJatO || Hadephone || PJatO

Title: Dandelions and Pomegranates – An Understanding Between Ghost Prince and Spring Queen

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians; between Battle of the Labyrinth and Last Olympian

PJatO Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, of course. They are all copyright by the old Greeks. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: hetero, fluff, parental bonding, shounen-ai

Main Pairing: Hades/Persephone

Side Pairing: Nico/Percy (mentioned)

Percy Jackson Characters: Persephone, Hades, Nico di Angelo

Summary: Persephone and Nico share a stepmother-stepson moment with each other, kind of forced by Hades, but it leads to them understanding each other on a whole new level.

I really wanted some bonding time between Persephone and Nico, because in all of my later dated stories, they get along very well. So here's a little explanation.

Dandelions and Pomegranates

An Understanding Between Ghost Prince and Spring Queen

"Why should I?"

"Because you love me. And because you know my judgment is pretty good."

The King of the Underworld batted his eyelashes in a harmless way, looking way too creepy considering who he was. His queen huffed irritated, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at her husband. His judgment? Wasn't his judgment the reason she was in this situation to begin with?

"Because you judged so well when you bedded the boy's mother and conceived the little brat?", huffed Persephone darkly. "Because this whole situation has not risen because of your judgment?!"

Hades had the decency to blush and cough. "You know very well that we need heroes."

"And that brat is supposed to become a hero? Don't make me laugh. He didn't even make a decent dandelion", grunted the Spring Goddess with her hands against her hips.

"He has potential", started the King of the Underworld as he slowly stood up from his throne. "He can be the hero of the prophecy. Imagine the glory that would come our way if one of my children would be the great hero. For that, he needs to train. If he trains here, I can make him stronger. Stronger than Chiron will ever be able to. With my influence... and with yours, my love."

Persephone paused and frowned. It was true. A demigod, trained by the gods. He could become a hero, a great hero. And the looks from Hera and the others if a child of the underworld were to...

"Very well", sighed the beautiful goddess softly. "I suppose I could give the brat a chance."

"And that is why you are my queen", smiled Hades and leaned in to kiss his beloved wive.

"It's because I am the genius behind you", snickered Persephone, licking her lips.

"You may notice that you two are more alike than you think", called Hades after her.

She left with an extra sway to her hips, making the Lord of Death laugh whole-heartedly. The things she did for her husband. Taking a deep breath, she made her way over to the wing of their palace where Nico di Angelo was currently staying. Hades was probably right. Not about them sharing any similarities. But about the boy's potential. He was fierce and he was angry and determined, a strong combination. Knocking on the door, she entered without waiting for a reply.

"What do you want?", groaned the black-dressed boy laying on the big bed.

He was laying sprawled over the black velvet sheets, his fingers clawed into his dark curls, wearing a pair of black stone-washed jeans and a shirt with a skull on it saying Die Toten Hosen. The glare he was giving her was all the stubborn, annoyed teenager. She blinked a couple of times. This truly reminded her of her own stubborn phase when she had been living on Olympus with her father and her stepmother Hera. The woman had never stopped bugging her or teasing her, hating her for being her father's bastard-child. But while her mom had been busy with her seasonal duties, she had to stay with daddy Zeus and the evil stepmother. It had been horrible, because of Hera. Startled, she realized that she had grown to become Nico's Hera. It disgusted her.

"I... came to apologize about the dandelion incident", stated Persephone in an even voice.

"Yeah, right", snorted Nico with a dark glare and turned away some to stare out of the window.

Whenever Persephone had stayed with Zeus and Hera, she had dressed all dark and behaved all gloomy just like Nico did, to protest against the world (and mainly against Hera). A light smile slid onto her lips as she walked over to the bed and sat down next to her stepson. Her gloomy attitude back then had been how she had picked Hades' interest when he had come to a meeting with the Olympians. As she sat there and stared into the same direction as Nico, she noticed his longing looks directed at the rivers of the underworld.

"I mean it", said the goddess. "When I was your age, I was the victim of my merciless stepmother too and I despised hit. I never wanted to turn into her. I know... I know I can consider myself lucky that my husband, unlike so many other gods, is actually pretty faithful. Three affairs in hundred years is less than others have in a year. But I suppose that Hades' level of faithfulness has made me feel spoiled about these matters, which made me react even more sensitive. This doesn't mean I'll turn my mommy-mode on and we will trade stories while drinking hot cocoa. It just means I will... tolerate you while you are here and accept your existence."

The son of Hades frowned, his dark eyes still fixated on the flowing water. "Okay. Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome, I guess", chuckled the Spring Goddess, tilting her head. "What's with the river?"

"What? Nothing!", exclaimed the teen with burning red ears. "It's just dumb water!"

"Wow. You're worse at lying than your dad", snorted Persephone amused and raised one eyebrow, thinking hard what the river could mean. "Could it perhaps be that son of Poseidon...?"

"It has nothing to do with Perce!", huffed Nico and collapsed on the bed, hiding his face beneath his pillows. "I do not want to talk to you about this! Not with you!"

Persephone pursed her lips thoughtful, tilting her head to the other side. "Then you may consider looking for some friends you can talk to. At any rate, that was enough motherly duty for a month."

She patted his curls and left the room again to return to her husband. Hades looked at her curiously as she walked over to him and sat down on his lap on the throne. Smirking wickedly, she leaned down to kiss her husband passionately. Surprised, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It went well, I assume?", hummed Hades and licked his lips.

"You may have been right after all", murmured Persephone into his ear, nibbling it. "How about you get a treat for being right, my love? Dismiss those ghouls and I'll be all yours."

"Everybody, go!", grunted Hades wide-eyed and waved his hand wildly.

Who would have thought that his son would be getting along with his wife after all and even lead to him getting laid? This day certainly was a good one. Now all that was missing was Nico becoming the hero of the prophecy and him somehow showing his brothers who he was.

~*~ The End ~*~