Sorry, again that this chapter is late. I went back to work and that is starting to cut in my reading and writing time :(
The usual, I don't own the characters and reviews are welcome :)
Everything went wrong. That was by far the most awkward dinner Will have ever been. Included that one time his father decided to show up on his birthday and started reciting poetry in front of the few non-demigod friends he had. Let's just say that Will became extremely unpopular after that. Taking into account the weird things that tended to happen around him, you know the usual monster or demon trying to eat his guts. Some kids stopped hanging around with him in school and once the rumor started that his father was some sort of drunk, no one wanted to be near him.
Will thought all those were bad. He had been so clueless; an awkward dinner in the Underworld with a piss off boyfriend and a piss off father-in-law was now the number one thing on his list of uncomfortable situations.
The weekend started on the wrong foot when Will decided to tell Nico about the visit Hades had paid him. Nico didn't take it well.
"No wonder my father knew about you. Why didn't you tell me?" Nico was walking back and forth in his cabin like a caged lion. Will was about to indicate that he should stop or that he would make a hole in the floor, but that would have been a bad idea. Nico was furious.
"I didn't think it was important."
"Of course, it was important Will. You were planning this thing we have with my father since the beginning."
"I was certainly not. He just wanted to make sure that I was good for you. I don't understand why you are so upset. It was somewhat sweet when you think about it. Your dad, leaving Underworld business behind, showing his concern for you. It was really sweet." Will realized the mistake he made the minute that word came out of his mouth.
When Hades showed up in his office, scaring the crap out of him. Will couldn't help but notice the similarities with his son, same pale skin and dark hair. However, where Hades' eyes were like a bottomless, merciless pit. Nico's were like the sea at night, endless, beautiful, and magical. Hades' eyes make you feel like you were staring at the very doors of Hell. Nico's eyes made Will feel like he could drown in there and die and happy man. Right now, Nico was showing that he was certainly a son of Hades.
"Did it just get cold in here?"
"My father is not sweet. He is the Lord of the Goddamn Underworld. And you should have told me. I don't need him to come here and ask guys to date me. I am a grown… teenager… Wait, did my father talk you into asking me out?"
Why? Why did Nico always feel the need to put himself down? Did he really think that the only reason someone could possibly date him was that his father made him?
"Why on all humanity would you think that? I wanted to be with you for a while now. He was just making sure that I was not an idiot or something like that. Then, he mentioned Percy, and I…" Will didn't finish that sentence. Nico turned around sharply and looked him straight in the eye. There were full of rage now.
"Hold your horses, Solace. Did my father tell you about Percy?"
"I… He… I mean…"
"ANSWER ME." Yelled Nico. That made Will jump. Seriously, that kid was freaking scary when he was angry.
"He didn't exactly tell me. It sort of slipped. He mentioned that I was not Jackson, so I connected the dots."
"This is embarrassing." And the pacing starting again, "I thought that one advantage of having a God as a parent is that they wouldn't do shit like this."
Will knew Nico would be upset, but he didn't think that it would be that big of a deal. Nico didn´t realize how lucky he was that his dad, at least, tried to have some sort of relationship with him. The reason so many demigod children joined Kronos in the First War was that their godly parents didn't spare them a second thought. Seriously, who would have thought that Hades would be the one trying to be the parent of the year? Yes, it was a bit embarrassing, but Will was happy that Hades genuinely cared about his son.
Nico stopped the pacing around and sat on his bed looking defeated. "My dad is forcing you to this. That actually makes more sense than you wanting to be with me because of me. I mean, why else would you be with me?"
Not this again, Will thought. He reached to take Nico's hand and talk some sense into him, but Nico pulled his hand away. Will thought that they were passed that stage where Nico kept pushing him away.
He knelt down in front of Nico and cupped his face with his hands. "Don't do this Nico. Don't shut me out, and more importantly, do not doubt my feelings for you. Your father had nothing to do with this. Do you really think that is the reason I am with you?"
"What else could it be? I am not nice. I hate other people. I do not like any sort of physical contact. I am not willing to acknowledge this relationship. I am damaged goods, Will."
It was in moments like this that Will wanted to punch Nico in the face. How can someone as intelligent as Nico could be that stupid sometimes? "You are not damaged goods and for the record, you may not like other people touching you, but you sure as hell have no problem with me doing it." Nico was blushing. He blushed so easily. It was kind of like a game to Will to say things that would make the other boy blush.
"That's different. Especially now that I know my father made you date me."
"Nico, it was not like that and you know it. Can we please talk a bit more about this before we leave?" Will kissed him and felt his heart break a little when Nico didn't kiss him back.
"We are not going anywhere. I am going because I need to talk to my father, but you are staying here. Now, please, leave. I need to think."
"About what? You want to be alone so you can do your usual Nico move and run away."
"I am not running away. However, I do need you to leave right now."
"I am not leaving. I am going to stay here until you finally realize how stupid this situation is." He sat beside Nico on the bed, crossed his arms and made himself very comfortable; at least as comfortable as anyone can be while pretending stubbornness.
"Fine, act like a child. I am the one leaving then." Nico moved before Will could grab him and left the cabin.
"Yep, that was a smart move, Solace. Putting pressure on the boy that is a flight risk." Murmured Will. He knew that it was unwise to press Nico, but did he leave? No, he decided to act the part of the spoiled brat. That might work with some parents, but not with Nico.
There was also the issue of Hades. Actually, he was surprised that the man was not there right now looking at him with those big scary eyes of him condemning Will to an eternity in The Fields of Punishment for being a tattle-tale. Although, in his defense he didn't exactly forbid Will to tell Nico. Maybe they weren't bros after all.
Will wanted to stay there, but he knew that it would be a while before Nico came back and he had some things to do; one of them was unpacking. Will had been in fact excited about spending a weekend in the Underworld. Nice for him, a cruel joke for the people that were currently suffering there.
"Uncool, Solace." He left, wondering if Nico would break it off before they even get a chance to make memories that would last through eternity.
Nico was walking down the beach, which was almost empty. A few campers were walking around like him. Some tried to approach him, but the scowl was back on his face, so they just left him to himself, which was fine by him. Nico didn't want anyone else to know what was going out. It was a good thing he decided to keep the relationship a secret. Everyone would be laughing now if they knew that his father was the one getting dates for him.
"Ugh. I cannot believe this." Nico was ashamed, scratch that, he was humiliated. That's why his father showed up that day telling him that it was okay, that he supported him. Hades was plotting with Will.
Gods, what if he is threatening Will to be with me. That is the only explanation why someone as amazing as Will was attracted to me, Nico thought. He is not attracted to me at all. My father is forcing him to be with me. That's a reasonable explanation. Surely more convincing than wanting to be with me because he liked me and crap.
Hades was just like Percy and Jason, trying to set him up with people. Nico certainly didn't need them. He was perfectly capable of embarrassing himself without anyone's help.
Nico sat on the beach and put his face on his hands. "Was I an evil person in a previous life? Why does this shit keep happening to me?"
He didn't want to visit his father anymore. He felt betrayed. However, he honestly wanted to go back to school. Although, he sure as hell wasn't going to Will's anymore. Nico never stayed where he wasn't wanted. That was the main reason he left camp for the first time and now he might have to leave again. Nico was not going to impose his presence on Will or anyone for that matter.
Suddenly, a mist appeared in front of him. It was an Iris Message and there he was. Hades Lord of the Underworld and apparently Matchmaker of Demigods.
"What do you want? Haven't you done enough?"
"Stop being melodramatic. I am making sure that you are coming tonight and bringing that boy of yours"
"Are you kidding me?" asked Nico about to throw a rock to that stupid mist "Why would I go? And would you please stop saying "that boy of yours"? It sounds… weird."
"How else am I going to say it? It sounds perfect to me. Like I said before, stop the drama. Do you really believe I would go up there and threaten a boy to be your date? I have a business to run, you know?"
"Why did you do it? What did you win with all this?"
"Why don't you come and find out?" Hades said, nonchalantly.
That man was tricky indeed. He knew Nico never back down on a challenge. However, Nico could reach levels of stubbornness that would make the most stubborn man on earth weep. "I won't go, father" he looked the other way.
"Come on. I got that McDonald Hamburger you like so much."
"Really?" asked Nico, hating himself for sounding so hopeful.
"Yes. I sent Alecto to get them for you. With fries and all the other stuff you like."
Damn, the man also knew how to offer a good bargain. It had been so long since he had a decent hamburger. It was just recently that he started eating a whole meal again. All of that thanks to Will. Stupid, blond and sexy Will. Nico did want that hamburger, but he was not taking Solace. It was too embarrassing, and there were not enough McDonalds in the world that could change his mind about that.
"I'll go, but Will is not coming and that is my final offer."
"First, I didn't know we were negotiating. Second, why not? It's a family dinner and the boy is practically family. Besides, don't you want to punish him for hiding the truth? I could make him real miserable."
"Are you even listening to yourself? Why do you want me to take him? So you can rub in my face what you did." He knew he was pushing it, but he couldn't help it. Nico was hurt and Hades was the cause of it.
"That is enough, Nico. I have given you too many liberties; maybe I should get that insolence out of you with a whipping like in the old days. I am a God and I certainly should not be begging you to come down here. Either you come willingly or I will send the Furies to get you. Your choice."
Nico should be grateful that his father was giving him a choice. If he were somebody else, there would have been an army of skeleton warriors ready to drag him to Hell. Sometimes he forgot that Hades was, you know, Hades. The fact that he was sometimes benevolent to Nico didn't mean that it was always going to be like that. Especially now that Hades was getting the crazy eye look he only got when he was in battle; the one where you feel you could burn just by looking at him; Nico had seen it and it was not pretty.
He decided to take the high road. It was either that or getting attack by the Furies "You win. I am taking Will with me. Happy now?"
"In general, yes, I am happy. I'll see you tonight. You better not be late. You know how much I hate lateness." Hades waved his hand through the mist disconnecting the call.
Hurray. Forced family dinner, Nico thought. The worst part was that he had the feeling that something was going to happen. Nico just knew it that was his usual bad luck. He needed to find Will and tell him that they were definitely going. Of course, he was omitting the threat part. It shouldn't be too hard to convince Will, who was, in fact, excited about going to the Underworld.
"And here I am thinking that I'm the weirdo in this relationship." Said Nico to himself, making his way to the infirmary and preparing himself mentally for a family dinner. In the Underworld with his family.
Nico and Will appeared in the main hall of Hades' Palace. The palace was a copy of Mount Olympus. However, being Hades God of Wealth; the palace was fancier than his counterpart.
The main hall was a room made entirely of gold and silver, which for Nico was not a good choice. It was like when a newly rich person is trying too hard to show her/his wealth and ends up looking expensive and tacky at the same time, which unbelievably, it is not as easy to accomplish as anyone could imagine. There were tables with huge bouquets of things that look like flowers, but that were actually a combination of diamonds, amethysts, opals and other jewels. The whole thing had been built to make visitors feel somehow unwelcome and like the smallest people in the universe.
Someone was approaching from the garden to greet them. In that moment, Nico realized that he could read the fortune for a living if the school thing didn't work out because his weekend just got ruined.
Persephone was looking as beautiful as ever. She was wearing a dress that appeared to be made from different colors: blue, yellow, red, purple, green and pink. It was like looking at a rainbow. An evil rainbow. The woman was impossibly tall, which made Nico feel like a dwarf in comparison. He did not like her, at all.
"What are you doing here?" asked Nico, hoping to convey hate and displeasure in his tone.
"Is that how you greet your step-mother?" said Persephone with a cheery voice.
"You are not my step-mother. I ask again, what are you doing here? It's summer, Are you not supposed to be with your mother?" replied Nico, wanting that woman out of there.
"Don't worry, my mother is here too. We were not going to miss this family dinner, Nicolas."
"It's Nico." He snapped.
"That is what I said. Anyway, I am being impolite. Who is this cute boy with you, Nicolas? That hair, oh my. It's like there is finally a ray of sun in this place."
Nico was frowning. This woman could not possibly be flirting with Will in her husband's palace. What was he thinking? She was Goddess, of course, she would flirt with someone in her husband's house. Then, she did the unthinkable. She touched Will's forearm and unlike Nico, he did have nice biceps.
"Wow, you must work out a lot to keep that rocking bod of yours." She was giggling like one of those girls from Aphrodite's cabin.
Nico was seeing red. She was making a move on her boyfriend in his father's palace. The Gods didn't have rules about who should be dating whom, but Nico was not letting that woman touch his boyfriend like she was entitled to it. He slapped Persephone's hand away and put himself in front off Will.
"Keep your hands away from him. He is my boyfriend, so you better not touch him again." Nico had to crane his neck to look her in the eye. Why did she have to be so damn tall?
"Or what? This is also my domain, ghost boy. What are you going to do?" she was smiling. A smile that made men fall in love with her, but that made Nico want to punch her.
"Nico," Will said, using that stupid calming voice of his and grabbing his arm just in case "Why don't we all calm down? I apologized that I haven't introduced myself properly. I am Will Solace, son of Apollo. Nice to meet you… ma'am." He bowed.
"At least, someone knows how to behave." Said a cold voice down the hall. Hades approached slowly to them. Hades was using his trademark robes with screaming souls trying to come out of them. "Is that any way to treat our guests, dear?"
"He started it," She said like a petulant child.
"Well, I am ending it. Nico, nice to have you back. Will Solace, welcome to my humble home."
That place was anything but humble. Unless humble suddenly changed its meaning to disgustingly opulent. It was ridiculous to Nico, but Hades was the rich one of the Gods; he had to live accordingly.
"Beautiful place, sir."
"I know. Let's move to the dining room. Leave your bags in here; one of the servants will take them to your chambers." He took Persephone's hand and led her down the hall.
Nico took Will's hand. An action that surprised the other boy taking into account that Nico wasn't the one used to starting any sort of physical contact between them. Will gave him an encouraging smile and they went to the dining room.
Imagine Versailles, France. XVIII century, hanging out with Queen Marie Antoinette while the rest of France was falling apart. The dining room looked like it was straight out of the Queen's palace. It was for lack of a better word, rich. It was this huge place made of gold and silver too. There were tapestries and paintings that probably cost more that New York city put together.
There was a twenty-seat dining table (Nico had no idea why. His father hated visitors) and what Nico was sure were gold engravings on the chairs. There were several two enormous chandeliers above it, made of diamonds. The whole room looked like someone summoned all the rich people in the world and they threw up all of their riches in there. Actually, the only thing missing was decent lightning. Hades was still a fan of candle-lit dinners.
"So, your dad is rich, huh?" murmured Will, who was gripping Nico's hand as if his life depend on it. Nico understood the feeling. The whole thing was really intimidating. It was designed to make people feel like they were nothing. He felt like that the first time, so he kissed Will's hand. Will gave him another surprised smile and he knew that everything was going to be okay between them no matter what.
They sat side by side. Nico was sitting at his father's right side. Persephone and Demeter were right across from them. If looks could kill, Nico would be dead by now. He should turn her into a Dandelion, so she would know how it feels.
Hades clapped his hands and several servants came out of the different doors around the room, carrying trays. His father was certainly showing off. There were probably twenty trays with food, which was too much taking into account that they were only five in there and that Will and he were going to eat hamburgers.
"You know. I forgot to ask before, but what are we going to eat? I don't know about you, but I can't eat Underworld food." Asked Will, sounding confused.
"Don't worry. My father took care of everything." Two servants placed covered trays in front of them (golden trays). They opened them and on the plate, it was Nico's favorite food in the entire world. Doble cheeseburger and extra fries with ketchup on the side. Will looked at him, raising one eyebrow in question. He smiled at him, then the servants put goblets and filled them with soda. After that, the servants bowed to Hades and left through the same doors.
"Enjoy your meal, everyone."
They started eating. At first, there was an uncomfortable silence. There were just the sounds of cutlery and chewing and for Nico it would have been amazing if they have just stayed that way, but no. He should have known by now that luck was never on his side.
"Nicolas, that food cannot be healthy for you. That's why you look so scrawny, you are not eating properly. You are a growing boy, you need to eat vegetables and cereals. That way you can grow up to be a fine young man like that one." Demeter was pointing at Will "Now, this one. He certainly has a healthy diet. Who are you anyway?"
"Mother, this is Will Solace, son of Apollo." Said Persephone making the proper introductions and winking at Will. Nico narrowed his eyes at her. He wanted to strangle her.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
"Oh yeah, he is Nicolas boyfriend or whatever."
"It's Nico. Ni - Co. How hard is it?" Nico's hands were clenched. He was angry. He hated when those two got together and talk about him, sometimes like he wasn't even there.
"So, Lord Hades, this place is… uh… cool." said Will, trying to break the tension. He took one of Nico's hands and smiled at him, telling him to calm down that he was there for him. They weren't exactly in a happy place, they still needed to talk a bit more about what happened this afternoon, but Nico was glad that Will was there. He would have left that room by now.
"I see that you have a way with words, Solace. This palace is… cool as you so eloquently put it. I needed to have a decent place down here since I wasn't welcome in Olympus. However, that is just water under the bridge now. My palace is better and has certain… commodities that Olympus doesn't." Hades looked so full of himself when he talk about this cold, sterile place. There wasn't a sense of home. Nico didn't like it, but he understood the awe that it caused in people. So much wealth put together in one place is somewhat extraordinary.
"It is indeed amazing. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I mean, it is the Underworld. I thought that I was going to see tortured souls in one corner. Evil monsters in the other corner." Will please, shut up. Nico thought. "Even the food looks amazing. I thought you ate the hearts of your enemies for dinner or something like that… ouch." Nico kicked Will's foot under the table. Then, Will realized that he had offended his host. Even Demeter and Persephone were looking at him like he was insane.
"I apologize, sir."
"No apology need it. I might start torturing one soul right now."
Seriously, only Will would start talking about that. The father-in-law thing would have been better than the heart-eating conversation.
"Hades, don't scare the boy like that. We have all thought about it. He just had the guts to say it out loud." said Demeter, looking at Will like an angel who just fell from the sky "Did my daughter say that you were Nico's boyfriend? Why? You are so sweet and full of life and he is, well, let's say that the apple doesn't fall far from the three."
"Excuse me?" said Nico and Hades at the same time, standing up from their seats. The food was forgotten. They were about to go at each other's throats, like animals. Also, the knives were right there.
That was exactly why Nico didn't want a family dinner. Someone always ended up turn into something; that someone being Nico. Especially when Demeter and Persephone got together, they just made cruel comments about his mother and Bianca. It was not his fault that Hades had been unfaithful. He shouldn't be blamed for other people's mistake. Although, he was thankful that his father was Hades and not Zeus. Only the other Gods knew what Hera would have done to him.
"Well, you did kidnap my daughter and your children were the ones who started that war all those years ago. So, why would this one be any different?"
"I would not allow your insolence under my roof, Demeter. I did not invite you to come. You are here because my wife wants it. If it were for me you would have never found your way in."
"What are they even doing here, father? It's summer. That is why I accepted to bring Will with me because I thought they were not going to be here. You know this shit happens every time we get together. Why force it?"
"Well, this is my palace too in case you forgot, and this is my mother. I think that the only one who is invading is you. The bastard child. You and that sister of yours. You should never set foot in this place."
Will have been sitting the whole time, just looking from one side to the other like he was watching a tennis match. However, at that remark he stood up and put out his hands, trying to get everyone to calm down. "Why don't we all just calm…" he couldn't finish. Four different "SHUT UP," were thrown at his direction.
"I'm sorry, but it is not my fault that your children were so useless that my father had to go and make others." Will and Hades looked at Nico as if they have never seen him before. It was the first time he stood up to Persephone, and that was a low blow.
Holy Hades, what did I just say? Nico thought, getting paler by the minute. He wasn't like that. He didn't like confrontations and more importantly, he didn't mean it, but he was so tired of that woman treating him like garbage, that he said the first thing in his mind. You see, he didn't just offend Persephone by saying that, his father was going to feel offended too.
"I am sorry, father. I didn't mean it. I apologize."
Before Hades could say anything Persephone was coughing to get attention. "Excuse me. I think you owe me an apology too."
"Only if you apologize for all the things that you have said to me all these years."
"I do not apologize for the truth," she said, menacingly. Nico was going to get turn into a plant again, but it was worth it because for the first time he made a stand. He was not going to let her treat him badly anymore.
"Right back at ya." Nico turned to his father, who was actually the only one he cared about in that family "I apologize father. I didn't mean to offend you. If you excuse me I will retire to my room." Hades nodded and Nico made a rapid exit, not without hearing one last comment from Demeter.
"I told you Hades. That kid needs a summer working hard in the fields. That would teach him some manners."
Nico had tears in his eyes. He was not going to cry in front of them. He was used to Persephone's comments, there was nothing new there. He has been hearing them since he was ten. Nico just kept thinking about one of Demeter's "Why? You are so sweet and full of life and he is, well, let's say that the apple doesn't fall far from the three." It was the same thing he asked himself every day. That is why it was easier for him to believe that his father forced Will to do it than the fact that Will had feelings for him.
It wasn't until he found his room and locked himself in that he realized he left Will in the dining room with three angry Gods and no idea where to go. He was a shitty boyfriend indeed.
