Nico stretched under the covers of his bed. As much as he enjoyed his father inviting (read kidnapping) him to stay in the Underworld for the Christmas season, it still irritated the black haired boy to not be able to spend the time with his boyfriend. It was their first winter as a couple and Will and Nico had looked forward to spending it together at Camp Half-Blood. Instead, Nico was a guest (prisoner) in Hades's palace.
A muffled thumping drew Nico's eyes open and toward the floor beside his bed. Sitting there inconspicuously was a large package wrapped in red and white paper and tied with a green bow. The thumps he had heard were emanating from the larger than average, square box.
Cautious, as a demi-god should be on a good day, he grabbed his sword from where it lay against the stone, bedside table. As Nico approached the box, he noticed a note stuck to the top.
Even though we celebrate the Winter Solstice, your father and I know that you were raised with Christmas. This is my gift to you.
-P
Nico looked in puzzlement at the gift. Even though his stepmother and he got along, they did not have the gift giving type of relationship. He was also concerned due to the fact that Persephone was a god and that the gift she had left was making noise. Deciding to err on the side of caution, Nico kept a hand on his sword as he untied the ribbon and lifted off the box's lid.
The sight that greeted him was not one he ever expected. Blue eyes looked at him from above a full body casing of flowering vines. "Will?" Nico hauled the blond out of the box and cut the leafy bindings off him.
Will embraced the dark haired boy as soon as he was able. "I thought your stepmother had something worse planned for me. She was quite forceful when she kidnapped me. "Nico just smiled into his boyfriend's shoulder. He would need to do something to repay Persephone. After all, she had given him exactly what he wanted for Christmas.
I wrote this a few years ago as a present to my good friend and I hope that others enjoyed it like she did.