A/N: Heya people! My friend Anjana (remember her? From my first story?) and I wrote this story together. Anjana's got an account on too, but after an intense rock-paper-scissor battle, I'm keeping it on my profile. ;)

Disclaimer: Anjana and I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus, or Nico di Angelo, or Hades (thankfully) or Persephone. Rick Riordan does. If I owned PJO and HoO, then Nico wouldn't have such a crappy life. Anjana says that he would, since I'm evil, but I maintain that I do not enjoy torturing people/characters.

Enjoy!

It had been 2 years since the Giant War. 1 years and 9 months, to be exact.

Nico di Angelo had left as soon as the war was over. He didn't stay for the victory celebrations. Didn't stay to say good bye to anyone. Just shadow travelled out of there.

He lives alone in a small apartment in New York now. Somehow, even after leaving Camp Half-Blood, he couldn't bear to leave New York. He needs that small connection to the boy he loves. It's nowhere near Percy Jackson's house, so that's okay.

He's left the life he had behind. His old life. Started a new life, alone.

It gets horribly lonely sometimes. But hey, he's the son of Hades. Being lonely is what he does best. Being lonely and depressed.

He doesn't get called by his father, Hades, anymore. Hades had found out about his stupid crush on Percy from the King of Jerks himself, Cupid.

Nico still cringes, remembering the day.

Flashback

"Nico di Angelo!" Hades bellowed. "What is the meaning of this?"

Nico winced. He'd been summoned by his father, and Hades had immediately started yelling at him.

"What… what do you mean, father? I don't…"

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. Cupid told me…"

Nico flinched. He knew what was coming.

"… about your crush on that damned son of Poseidon!"

"Father, I'm sorry. I can't…"

"You stupid brat! It's bad enough that you're a freak. And Poseidon's son! How could you shame me like this?"

Nico hung his head. His father was right. He was a freak.

"I thought I could trust you. You're weak and foolish, but I thought that with a few years of training you'd be fine. But now…"

"I can't help it!" Nico burst out. "Percy's the most perfect boy I've ever met!"

"How dare you!" Hades grabbed Nico by his neck, lifting him up. Nico writhed in mid-air, clawing at his father's fingers as his air supply was cut off. Hades flung Nico so that the 15 year old demigod crashed into the wall behind him.

"Father please, I'm sorry. I… really, I promise I won't…"

"Won't what?" Hades asked, advancing on his son, who lay sprawled on the floor at his feet.

"I… I don't know." Nico cried. He could feel the blood seeping out of a wound on his head, where he'd hit the wall. But the pain inside him was worse.

Hades kicked Nico, causing the demigod to curl up, whimpering in pain.

"You weakling." Hades spat. "You're not my son."

End flashback

It hurt. Hades was the only family Nico had left, since his mother and Bianca had died, and he'd left Hazel behind in his old life. Hades hadn't been the best father, but he was still Nico's father.

Or he used to be. What kind of father does that to their kid?

Ironically, it was Persephone who had supported him after that. Nico had blacked out from the pain and loss of blood, and woken up to find himself in his room, being fed ambrosia by his step-mother. Persephone said that it was okay, that she was there for him. Nico knew that it wasn't okay, but he realized that Persephone might not be a total bitch after all.

Anyways, he's left all that behind. Persephone still iris messages him sometimes, but apart from that, he doesn't speak to anyone.

He actually goes to school. He's 17 now, and Persephone insisted that he needed to get an education. It had been a long argument, but in the end, he gave in. He did owe Persephone, and she was nice to him now.

He doesn't have any friends at school. He's the invisible kid. No one knows him, he doesn't know anyone. Blending into the shadows is easy, so he can learn whatever shit they teach at school and still not have a repetition of his old life.

He's got his whole life worked out. Live alone until some monster kills him. Lovely.

And this plan would have worked, if he hadn't met her.

A/N: So… how was it? Too mean to Nico? I know, Hades is a bit OOC, but that's the way I needed him for this chapter.

Review, please! Even if you want to flame me, I don't mind. Just tell me what you think.