Sister fic to The Betrayal. When Percy betrayed the gods, what are the responses of his fellow demigods.

So, I wasn't going to change this fic at all, but I had a moment where I just wanted to write and this is what came out. Hope you like it. Not planning on adding anyone else, but you never know.

Nico

Nico was there when Chiron broke the news. He was there when the grey shrowd with an owl was made. He was there when the pyre burned and Annabeth was sent to Elysium. He was there when Percy broke. He was there when Percy made his decision to end the world.

To be fair, Nico wasn't Percy's best friend. In fact, he had hated Percy for a long time. Bianca was dead and Percy wasn't. Percy went on the quest, was with Bianca when she died and didn't save her. He didn't choose to save himself. It was unfair, very much so. Nico was young though and he loved his sister dearly, but why was it her?

It took Percy dragging him through the labyrinth to finally forgive him. Percy was patient, and understanding. He treated Nico like a child, sure, but Nico realized now that he was acting like a child. Then Nico betrayed the only older brother figure he had for information. Percy was angry, and Nico thought he lost him. He tried to make it up to him, but Nico never felt like he managed to.

Then Annabeth died and everything went to hell. The labyrinth was sealed, people were saved and Annabeth disappeared to gods know where. She never came back that night. And not the next either. Percy was freaked out, and Nico was there with him, through it all.

So, when Chiron made his announcement, when Annabeth was burned and celebrated and mourned, Nico was forgiven.

It took a week for Percy to come out of his cabin. Nico sat outside the door the first night, humming a tune and freezing in the blistering wind. The sea was loud, crashing into the shores. Nico knew that it was a combination of fathers anger and sons despair.

The second night, Nico was prepared to freeze again, but Percy cracked the door open and ordered in a gruff voice for Nico to come in. When the waves strengthened on the shores, Nico could hear the rustling of sheets and a hissed "Annabeth's dead and I need a friend. Surely you can give me that much, father."

The sea calmed and Nico slipped inside, sitting gingerly on the bed beside the broken hero. Percy didn't even look at him.

Nico didn't sleep that night either, torn from dozing more times than he could count from sobs from Percy, and cries. Nico hummed the same lullaby he remembered vaguely as a baby and awkwardly stroked Percy's hair until he calmed.

The week was much the same, Percy mourning and Nico comforting. Percy never left the bed, and Nico had to force him to eat.

On the seventh day, Percy was up and moving before Nico could come back from fetching breakfast. He had a dead look in his eye, and when Nico handed him the plate, Percy threw it to the ground and stormed towards the forest. Nico followed, dutifully, though trailing enough that he could help Percy if he needed it, but not too close where he was intruding on his thoughts.

Now, Nico wasn't there when Luke betrayed Percy with the scorpion venom, so when Percy arrived at the spot everything occurred with Castellan, Nico had no idea the significance. But Percy did, and he knelt on the ground, running his tan fingers through the sand where he had once been dying.

"Nico, come here. Stop trailing like a puppy." Nico blushed but approached, studying the area with a keen gaze.

"Would you hate me if I turned into Luke?" The question came from nowhere and Nico snapped his head to study Percy silently. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was greasy from the lack of shower. Nico had no doubt his breath smelled awful as he hadnt bothered to brush his teeth, and his shoulders were slumped. He looked terrible.

"Only if you left me behind." Nico decided, eyes never leaving his cousin. Percy turned to stare at Nico before lowering his gaze back to the sand.

"Do you…" The son of the sea god licked his lips nervously. "Do you… think Annabeth would hate me?" This time the question was far more hesitant, and sounded like Percy was on the edge of tears.

"She didn't ever hate Luke, Perce, and I think she loved you far more than she loved him." Percy closed his eyes and nodded. A tear glistened on his cheek.

"I can't forgive him. Poseidon. I just… He's my father. I get that. But… Annabeth is….. She's…." Percy broke off and let out a strangled sob. Nico didn't step closer or put his hands on the traumatized boy.

"You don't have to." Percy's head snapped up and stared at the son of Hades' dark eyes. "Poseidon hurt you more than he will ever understand. He's a god. He doesn't get that mortals hurt more, and live less. We feel pain, and we mourn. To him, you and I are just a fleeting second of his existence. Both of us were supposed to either be killed young or never born. We are mistakes to him, and to Zeus. That's something that will never change about him, Percy."

Percy's gaze dropped back down to the ground. "Is Kronos any better, do you think?"

Nico studied Percy critically. "He can't be any worse."

The answer was not what the hero expected. Percy expected Nico to sneer and call him traitor, to kill him for even thinking such a thing. He glanced up and studied Nico with a critical eye, taking in the relaxed stance and the lack of emotion in Nico's eyes.

"Would you come with me?" Percy asked, not specifying where.

"Yes." And that was that.

Percy approached the Titan first, and as soon as he received a scythe charm, convinced Kronos to allow Nico into the Titan army as well. They planned sabotage together, helped each other, and supported each other. Looked into friend's eyes and lied together and neither felt an ounce of regret.

And when Hades joined them, Nico couldn't help but feel elation. His father loved him more than his brothers. Loved him enough to betray his siblings. He saw the look in Percy's eyes the first time Hades called him nephew with a fond smile, the look of terrified wonder. The fear was mixed with hope for a split second and Nico owed his father so much for even a split second of happiness.

When they were called to the throne room that fateful day, Nico was proud to stand by Percy Jackson. He was proud to betray the gods. He was proud to help the last son of Poseidon.

Kronos granted Percy godhood exactly one week after the new Titan age began. Nico smiled at his immortal friend, and greeted Castellan with a warning- "You betray Percy again and I will castrate you with a dull spoon." He smiled and walked away to stand by his father, not noticing Percy's second of amusement.

Nico felt little when he himself was granted immortality. But when he saw Percy give a small genuine smile and a nod, Nico felt a rush of something. Not pride, or at least, not all pride. Whatever it was, it made his face flush and his eyes widen. Percy's smile was gone a second later, but for all of his existence Nico would remember that smile.

Percy made his all male hunters, though he didn't teach them archery (he couldn't shoot a bow to save his life), he did teach them swordplay, and strength and wisdom. He taugh them to survive and fight and live without women, without that heartwrenching love that Percy still felt daily.

And so, when Percy offered him the first place in his new eternal bachelor party, Nico joined without hesitation. He never looked back.

Lieutenant Nico had a nice ring to it after all.