Mean So Much

As days went, there was nothing extraordinary about this one. It was just another day, peaceful and calm, having fun with family and friends, the monsters at bay in this haven, at least for the present. The second part he was familiar with, having fun and hanging out friends… The first on the other hand, he did have family, a very close one, but his parents… Well, what could he say? His granddad still was on the "other side" as he called it. And his granddad, maybe coming around to his side, sounded like something that might happen in the distant future, if at all. His mom was working, as usual… And he? Well, he was moping. Looking at a scene that should not have brought out feelings he usually dint bother having or in certain cases, dint bother acknowledging. Like loneliness and missing his kind-of-father, Liam, so much that it hurt.

He had chanced upon the scene in front of him by mistake. He should not have come in, especially when Donny had specifically asked him not to. To give Donny some time alone, to 'think' as he had phrased it. And then shadow travelled. As if he'd let Donny be alone at a time like this!

He had an inkling of an idea as to where Donny had gone. Well, of course, anybody who knew Donny, knew him well, would know. And Sam did want to see Percy again… That said, he had not wanted to leave Donny alone. Donny was theirs, after all. So he had gone out, taken a short walk and reached his destination in all of five minutes, to Donny's parents' home.

He had tiptoed around the house, after finding the front door unlocked and noises coming from the first floor. This had proven beyond doubt that he had been right. Donny had gone to his room. What had made Donny upset in the first place, had been the return of bad news after a mission. Donny, being the kind soul he was, had been nearly inconsolable.

He reached the first floor landing and very nearly walked into Donny's room. But the sight in front of him brought him to sudden standstill. Nico… Not Percy… He had a curled up Donny on his lap, who was quietly sniffling and muttering about Gods who couldn't do their jobs. Nico was tenderly patting his boy's curls and trying to soothe him. Sam had been shocked into stillness and had held his breath, remembering the times when Liam had done the same for him.

He walked out as quietly as he had come, now upset at his own self for thinking dispiriting thoughts.

Nico had felt Sam's presence, who, had probably come to check on Donny. He had not wanted to disturb Donny's rant and had not given any thought to it. He had thought that Sam would wait for his turn to cuddle and bundle up Donny and take care of him.

What he had not expected was Sam to quietly walk out the door with a hitch in breath and his steady steps faltering now and then. This confused Nico. What was going on?

He waited till his son had calmed down enough to fall asleep, before gently lifting the head that lay on his lap and placing it on a soft pillow. Whispering a "Shh. It's alright..." to Donny, who had whimpered at the loss of touch, he left the room to look for his husband.

His dear husband, who had chosen this time to leave Nico to fend for himself, not that he was blaming Percy, the latest prophecy and its casualties had weighed heavily on him and he had gone to visit Sally.

It had been the first prophecy in a long time that had caused casualties. Percy, who had been one among the pioneers involved in creating a world having lasting peace had been devastated.

Oh, there was a pattern he was seeing here… He went out and arrived at Sally's doorstep, shadow –travelling without a thought. He walked into their house to find Percy, hugging Sally goodbye, almost as if he had known that Nico would arrive. Percy gave Nico a dazzling smile that still tugged at Nico's heart and made him weak in the knees.

"Donny needs me, doesn't he?"

Nico nodded and took Percy's hand, waving Sally and Paul goodbye, before shadow-travelling home.

Nico had left Percy with Donny. He now had to find Sam and know what had happened to the boy, to make him leave so suddenly. Not to mention, what had occurred for Sam to get depressed in a matter of seconds. As he pondered, he walked over to his son's current home and knocked. Not receiving any reply, yet perceiving Sam's presence inside the home, Nico went inside.

Sam had been so lost inside his head, sitting at the dining table, that he had not heard the knock or the door opening. That had to be the only reason why he was suddenly faced with a person who still scared him. Yet the gentle almost endearing face that he had seen just a little while ago, popped into his mind and Sam found himself sobbing without meaning to.

He had expected Donny's dad to probably try to talk him out of it or even walk out so that Sam could have some time alone. What he had not expected was for Nico to walk forward, get down on his knees in front of Sam so that he could look into Sam's eyes and hug him fiercely.

Sam was so startled, that his breath hitched and he broke down into louder sobs, clutching at Nico's shirt and sobbing into his shoulder, making the fabric wet with his tears.

Nico let Sam cry till whatever he had bottled up inside, had come out. He hugged him closer, understanding that Sam was as alone, if not more, because of having two parents or at least one parent and one father-figure, whom he couldn't reach out to whenever he wanted to.

Nico was mulling over this as he patted the boy's back, his Mohawk and his cheek trying to calm him down.

And then he was struck with an idea. Well, it had been Percy's idea anyway. Had been for a long time now. If Percy could hear his suggestion, he was sure Percy'd be overjoyed. Happy with his decision, yet worrying about how Sam would take it, he gently patted Sam's arm to get his attention.

At the pat of Nico's hand on his arm, Sam became aware of his surroundings in a sudden burst of clarity and was embarrassed at how he had acted. Wanting out, yet unable to do it without being rude, Sam gently extricated himself from Nico and looked at the other man.

And Nico shocked him for the third time that day.

"Donny's not the only who is welcome over to our house. You do know that don't you?"

Sam nodded but looked confused.

"And I mean it in the complete sense."

Again Sam nodded but the confusion never left his face.

Well Nico would just have to spell it out for him then.

"Anytime you need a shoulder to cry on, we are there for you. You are as much our son as Donny is."

Sam then looked shocked and flabbergasted. Like he couldn't think of imposing on them anymore than he already had.

"Percy would be really happy to have you over."

And there, just like that, clinched it. Well Nico had known about the 'hero-worship' and Percy's name seemed to work like a charm on the boy.

Sam nodded and smiled a small tremulous smile.

"Thank you."

-end-