PJatO || Jercico || PJatO || Jercico || The Legacy of the Big Three || Jercico || PJatO || Jercico || PJatO
Title: The Legacy of the Big Three – Heroes of the Next Generation
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Tags: polyamory (m/m/m), superpowers/superheroes, hurt/comfort, fluff, mutual pining, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, double penetration, m/m, f/f, m/f
Main Pairing: Nico/Jason/Percy
Side Pairings: Reyna/Annabeth, Piper/Hazel, Frank/Leo, Octavian/Luke, Ethan/Alabaster, Jake/Will, Charles/Silena, Chris/Clarisse, Malcolm/Katie, Grover/Juniper, Bryce/Drew, Paul/Sally | Poseidon/Amphitrite, Hades/Maria | Hades/Persephone, Tristan/Beryl, Zeus/Hera, Howard/Hecate
Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Jason Grace, Thalia Grace, Bianca di Angelo, Hazel Levesque, Piper McLean, Leo Valdez, Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Frank Zhang, Luke Castellan, Ethan Nakamura, Alabaster C. Torrington, Lou Ellen Blackstone, Cecil Markowitz, Will Solace, Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, Clarisse la Rue, Chris Rodriguez,Travis Stoll, Connor Stoll, Jake Mason, Malcolm Pace, Katie Gardner, Miranda Gardner, Nyssa Barrera, Kayla Knowles, Zoe Nightshade, Octavian, Drew Tanaka, Bryce Lawrence, Mike Kahale, Lacy, Mitchell, Juniper, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Ella, Tyson, Sally Jackson, Paul Blofis, Maria di Angelo, Tristan McLean, Beryl Grace, Esperanza Valdez, Howard Claymore, Small Bob, Mrs. O'Leary, Argentum, Aurum, Festus, Arion, Blackjack, Tempest
Gods: Zerberus, Hades, Persephone, Triton, Poseidon, Amphitrite, Zeus, Hera, Hecate, Chiron
Summary: Twenty-five years ago, the Olympians, led by the so-called Big Three, were the greatest group of superheroes in the world. One by one, they retired. There were still heroes, but there had not been a huge threat in many years. Now, the sons of the Big Three train at a school for heroes to be. Jason grew up under the pressure of being the son of Zeus, both from the public and from his father. Nico grew up knowing who his father was, but no one outside their family knows he is the son of Hades. And Percy? He has no idea he's the son of Poseidon.
The Legacy of the Big Three
Heroes of the Next Generation
Chapter 9: The Dark Horse
The first thing Nico saw when waking up was... the face of Jason Grace. He blinked blearily and very confused. As more of his surroundings came into focus, he noticed a glowering Alabaster looming behind Jason. If glares could kill, Nico would have died on the spot.
"Your boyfriend kept pounding the door. If he ever wakes me again, I will turn him into a frog."
Nico got to watch Jason's eyes widen and his cheeks turn dark red as both boys answered simultaneously. "Not my boyfriend!"
All Alabaster did was snort and roll his eyes before he left the bedroom. Yawning widely, Nico sat up and ruffling his curls, his focus on the still blushing Jason who was now staring at Nico in a more aware kind of sense. Like he was only now aware that Nico was wearing a rumpled shirt and boxers with tiny skulls on them. Rolling his eyes again, Nico cleared his throat.
"Why did you wake me at-", Nico's eyes drifted over to the clock on his nightstand and a string of Italian curses followed. "Screw that. I am getting Alabaster back in here to turn you into a frog for waking me at this hour! It's still dark outside, I don't care what you're doing here at all anymore because whatever it is, it should wait until the sun rises, cagnolino cattivo." [Italian: bad puppy]
There was a confused look on Jason's face at the Italian, large, blue eyes blinking at him much like a confused puppy and damn it Percy was getting into Nico's head. All he could now see was a giant Golden Retriever when he looked at Jason. Sighing, Nico rubbed his face.
"I don't know what that means but I'll take it as an insult and I am not here for fun", Jason huffed. "But I think Percy is going to do something reckless and potentially dangerous and I don't think I can stop him on my own so I came here to get backup."
Nico processed this and then he frowned at the blonde. "Why me. Why not Percy's friends?"
"Grover seems like a bit of a push-over when it comes to Percy, like the good-willed best friend who enables shenanigans. And Annabeth scares me too much. You were next on the list."
"...Annabeth scares you too much", Nico echoed stunned. "Invisible Barbie scares you too much so you come to me, the less scary necromancer who can summon an army of zombies. I can not express with words just how much this offends me."
Much to Nico's surprise, Jason snorted at him and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "I saw you with your puppy, baby talking her and cooing at her. You're all soft and gooey on the inside, that's not scary. Your glowering bad-boy persona is just an act, you're a softie on the inside."
Nico made an offended noise, struggling with words. Before he could find the right ones, a heavy pillow hit Jason square against his head, startling him enough to make him stumble and land on Nico's bed. Both of them turned toward Nico's roommate.
"Stop bickering. Get to the point and get out, or I will get Alabaster back here to hex you both!", growled Frank annoyed. "It's too early for whatever this is and I need my sleep."
At which point the actual reason why Jason had come here seemed to fully sink in with Nico. "Wait what do you mean Percy is doing something dangerous?"
In a show of surprising sass, Jason rolled his eyes at Nico. Seriously, how did Nico lose all of the respect earned through fear? Just because Nico treated his dog right and wasn't a cold-hearted bastard didn't mean he wasn't scary or intimidating! The audacity of this brat.
"Where is he and what kind of danger is he putting himself into?", Nico asked with a sigh.
/break\
It was quite before dawn, the sky was still dark but in that hazy-gray of pre-dawn that heralded the rise of the sun in the next hour or so. No one was awake yet. Over the past few days, Percy had already observed that even the early risers – the ones that went jogging or something before class – didn't get up before dawn. Grover was still soundly asleep as Percy got dressed and quietly slipped out of their room. No noise from the other bedroom either. Very good. The halls were dark and quiet too. It was strangely appealing, this kind of quiet. Peaceful. Everyone else still asleep, the whole school seemingly belonging to him. Maybe he could sneak out early in the morning more often.
Though, admittedly, the grounds themselves were a bit terrifying. The long shadows, the fog over the grass like a gray and heavy blanket. Creepy.
Percy was as quiet as a mouse as he sneaked his way into the stables. Before he headed to his actual destination, he took a tiny detour to look at the giant puppy. He might positively be in love with Mrs. O'Leary, she was such a good girl, such a huge dog and so cuddly and happy and excitable.
"He—ello, precious. I bring you a snack. But don't tell your human", whispered Percy.
He had put some bacon aside yesterday at breakfast for her, because he remembered that Nico had said she loved bacon. A girl with taste, truly how could he not love her. Her tail was wagging so hard it caused a gust of wind as Percy fed her the bacon. Laughing, he ruffled her fur.
"Good girl. You are such a good dog, aren't you? Yes, you are", cooed Percy pleased.
"...He looks neither reckless nor in danger, Grace. You will yearn to be turned into a frog."
Well, that just made entirely no sense at all. Frowning confused, Percy turned toward the source of the voice, finding a very sleepy and unusually grumpy Nico. And considering Nico's normal grumpiness-levels, this was saying a lot. However, next to Nico stood Jason. Which seemed like an odd pair, if Percy thought back toward how their first week had gone. Nico didn't seem fond of Jason and Jason mostly seemed kind of intimidated by Nico (which was fair, honestly, Percy could see why Nico would make people uncomfortable, Percy however also preferred to see the good in people and he could definitely see a lot of good in Nico).
"Hi. Wha—at are you guys doing up here? And why does Jason want to become a frog? If you are going for any animal-turning-magic, you should totally consider dog. You would make a magnificent Golden Retriever, you know."
"I'm not, I don't-", Jason interrupted himself by heaving a deep breath. "Never mind that, Percy. We are here because I had a hunch after yesterday that you would do something reckless and stupid like trying to sneak into the stables at the crack of dawn to get to the murder horse."
"Murder horse?", echoed Nico baffled. "What in the world is going on?"
"That's offensive", Percy huffed with a glare. "You don't even know him. He hasn't murdered-"
"Seriously, someone use more words or I am going back to bed after dragging you both with me."
"...Why would you drag us to your bed?", asked Percy confused.
Nico stared at him wide-eyed, his cheeks decidedly darker than before. "N... Not my bed! I would drag you back to the dorms and drop you at your own rooms!"
Wiggling his nose, Percy regarded the other boy. "I would like to see you try drag me anywhere, Ghosty. See who wins. Death or water."
That made Nico glower at him even more, both inching closer toward each other, until Jason forcibly pushed between them, resting a hand on each chest and pushing them apart.
"Enough now, stand down. Both of you", ordered Jason seriously. "You two can go toe to toe at another time. I know you're itching to try each other out because you're both weirdos. But how about we move this out of here, mh? No need for all of us to get in trouble."
Weirdos? Huh. Someone has gotten decidedly more comfortable. Percy liked that. Grinning amused, Percy took a few steps back. So the nervous awkwardness wore off quickly once Jason got comfortable around someone, huh? The blonde glared pointedly. He was cute like that.
"How about you two move it out of here and let me continue doing what I came here to do?"
"What did you come here to do? Because if it was just to sneak Mrs. O'Leary bacon then the only danger that comes from that would be that you may become her new favorite human and I am doomed to take second place with my own dog", wanted Nico to know.
Percy perked up at that and patted Mrs. O'Leary's snout. "Not the main plan, but a sub-plot."
"What is the main plan?", inquired Nico impatiently, tapping his own arm.
"There is a pegasus here", Percy sighed after a moment. "Principal Brunner said they freed him from captivity and are only gonna keep him here until someone can take him off their hands. But he is clearly troubled and needs help! I want to help him!"
"Okay. Get to the 'murder horse' part", urged Nico on. "I want to go back to bed."
"He's dangerous. He's wild and untamed and ready to kick your ribs in if you get close! I find Percy much better with his ribs not kicked in!", exclaimed Jason frustrated.
"A—aw, love that you care so much, Jay-Jay!", cooed Percy with a grin. "Don't worry about my ribs though, I am very much going to be okay, mh?"
He patted Jason on the head like he had done with Mrs. O'Leary earlier, making Jason huff. Without further words, Percy left the secluded area to head to his actual destination. What he really didn't need was for those two dorks to try and talk him out of something that was perfectly safe.
"Sto—op following me like lost puppy-dogs", ordered Percy with an amused look on his face.
Because yes, he was being trailed by both Jason and Nico. Nico looked more awake now than earlier and less annoyed about being here – though still plenty annoyed. At this point, Percy guessed, he was annoyed because Percy didn't listen to them. Well, tough luck.
"Percy, Percy stop. Percy, Jason is right, that sounds like an awful plan", grunted Nico.
"Hah. Look, he agreed with me. And so far I had the impression that he would rather eat his metaphorical hat than agree with me!", Jason yelped triumphantly.
"...That is... not wrong", admitted Nico awkwardly, clearing his throat. "Percy, please."
"While I totally love the sound of that, I gotta say no to that. You're adorable, really you are. I appreciate the worry. Very sweet. I don't need you to worry though, like, seriously. This is like me worrying about you going out during a lightning storm, Jason. Or you – uh, I don't know, going to a haunted graveyard? I will be fine, boys."
"I feel like I need more input", requested Nico in confusion. "How's the horse related to you?"
"He's my second cousin twice removed on my mother's side", quipped Percy immediately.
"...You think you're so cute and funny but you are not half as funny as you think."
"Mh. I see the way you only pointed out that I am only half as funny, yet not that I am only half as cute", observed Percy pleased, smirking at the way Nico glowered and blushed simultaneously.
"What I meant-", Nico stated frustrated. "-was how exactly a horse relates to your powers the same way that a storm relates to Jason's or a graveyard relates to mine. Horses are not made of water."
"Astute observation, Nico", Percy praised with a nod. "You have multiple powers, like your necromancy and some light Earth-control. I have more than one power too."
"And your secret other power is... being the horse whisperer?", asked Nico incredulously.
"No, he's actually a Disney princess", offered Jason. "He said he can talk to horses and other animals. Percy's a real-life Disney princess, singing with the birds and bambis."
"Actually not because neither birds nor deer – they are not called bambis, Jason – are among the animals I can talk to. I dunno, it's kinda random? I can talk to horses, fishes, some others too, like I had a great conversation with a turtle once and I like talking to the seals at the aquarium. Penguins tend to be very polite and sweet. But I've never heard a bird talk before. Maybe they can't."
"...I am fascinated by you", whispered Nico curiously.
"I know, I'm pretty great", Percy chuckled with a wink.
"So great, in fact, that I don't want to see you get eaten by a murder horse", interjected Jason.
"Your grasp on horses troubles me", muttered Percy disturbed. "Horses do not eat humans-"
"Yes they do, don't lie, it was all over issue-", started Jason offended.
"Oh no, you nerds are not having a comic-book-fight", groaned Nico, putting his hands up. "So the Olympians battled flesh-eating horses before, okay, but not all horses eat humans."
"This one might. He is aggressive", argued Jason frustrated.
"No, he will not and that is why I have to talk to him! Because he deserves a chance."
Percy ended the conversation by opening the stall where a big sign warned DO NOT ENTER. AUTHORIZED PERSONAL ONLY. Inside was the beautiful black pegasus from yesterday. He neighed, stomping his hooves in warning. Mighty, black wings were raised high in warning.
"Hello, gorgeous", whispered Percy gently, lifting his hands up carefully. "It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. You are... Are you alright? Are you in pain?"
"Not yet. But who knows how long that'll last with you humans?"
Percy bit his lips and nodded slowly. "And I get that. Humans hurt you in the past. Now they captured you and locked you away for no reason. And you don't deserve that. I'm sorry."
"...You can understand me...?", asked the horse warily.
"Yes. Yes, I can. Hi. I'm Percy. I brought you a snack, I thought you might be hungry."
Carefully, he reached into his bag to get the next snack out. An apple. The neighing slowed down and the stomping stopped as the pegasus sniffed the air curiously, clearly wanting the apple.
"I'm not here to hurt you, I want to help you. If you are in pain or need anything, I could help you get it. I can talk to the adults for you. I can be your voice. But for that, you gotta talk to me."
Percy held the apple out for the horse to sniff. He stayed patient, waiting for the pegasus o be ready. In the end, hunger must have won out because he took a bite.
"This is good. Do you have any more?", asked the pegasus eagerly.
"Of course. Bu—ut. For the next one, you gotta tell me your name."
Slowly, Percy pulled another apple out of his bag. He raised his eyebrows at the pegasus, waiting.
"My name is Blackjack. Give me the apple", ordered the impatient horse.
"Blackjack. That's a cool name. Hello, Blackjack, it is nice to meet you."
He handed the apple over to Blackjack and smiled pleased as he watched the pegasus eat. Such a majestic, beautiful creature shouldn't be abused and locked away. Carefully, he reached a hand out to caress Blackjack's side, making sure the pegasus had clear sight of all his movements at all times, moving slow so Blackjack could follow his motions. The pegasus looked wary but he still allowed the touch, albeit reluctantly and only for a short moment before he stepped away from Percy.
"Okay. Enough touching. Message received. Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for, human?", asked Blackjack confused.
"For allowing me to touch you at all. And for telling me your name. I'll come back. We can talk more. I promise I'll bring more apples, okay?"
"...Bring doughnuts", requested Blackjack after a moment.
"Doughnuts?", echoed Percy surprised.
"I had them before, where I lived, when there was no other food but human food and I managed to steal some because I hadn't eaten in days. They are delicious."
"Doughnuts. I can do doughnuts", agreed Percy with a pleased nod.
When he exited the stall, both Jason and Nico still stood where he had left them, though they also both looked baffled. They really were adorable. Grinning, Percy reached out his arms to pat them both on the back and steer them away from the stall and out of the stables.
"C'mon. I know a nice café just across the street. I have doughnuts to buy and I'll buy you guys breakfast, see it as a thank you for worrying, okay?", offered Percy.
/break\
Jason loved sweet baked goods. He rarely got them, because Hera held up a strict diet in the Grace-home. Everything, including snacks, had to be healthy. Some of Jason's favorite memories of his father were of him sneaking doughnuts or cake past his wife to share with Jason. At this point, Jason couldn't tell if he just loved baked goods, or if the kind memories he associated with them were what made them taste so good. Perhaps it was both.
"So—o you can talk to horses. That's... weird", offered Nico before sipping his coffee.
Nico had a chocolate croissant and a black coffee in front of him, while Jason had a piece of pie, a brownie, a muffin and a doughnut on his plate. It wasn't that he had meant to take advantage of Percy, but he had stood there at the display making big, hungry eyes at everything to the point that Percy had just started pointing at them and ordering them for Jason. How could he say no after they were ordered? Still, he was a bit embarrassed by the tall heap of food. At least Percy had ordered about the same amount for himself, plus a large milkshake.
"Yeah, that's mom's side of the family", replied Percy casually, twirling his straw in his milkshake. "Her dad was a water-controller and her mom could talk to animals. She can only talk to fishes though, but she suspects that it just... came on stronger with me. Like the majority of it just skipped one generation or something? I don't know."
"I love that topic, the genetics of powers and how they are passed on, the theory behind how each generation is only going to become stronger, more and more people without powers are having children with people who have powers, which leads to more powerful kids being born and the people with powers mixing their powers in their kids and-"
Jason quickly shut up as both Percy and Nico stared at him in surprise. He flushed and ducked his head a little, but then Percy just laughed and patted him on the back lightly.
"That is the most I have ever heard you talk. That's nice. You should do it more often, you got a lot of passion. And you don't need to stop talking, you know."
Percy's words were encouraging and they made Jason's heart race ten miles an hour. Swallowing hard, Jason took a large bite from his doughnut to stop himself from saying anything embarrassing.
"Ye—eah, what he said", agreed Nico after a beat. "I gotta admit, that's a topic that interests me greatly too. Ever since our powers manifested. I wondered why Bia's connection to the shadows is stronger than mine, how it came that she had no geokinetic powers at all while mine are weak but Hazel could potentially move mountains one day."
"Hazel...", started Percy slowly. "She... has a slightly different last name than you and uh she kind of... doesn't share too many features with you and Bianca..."
"She's our cousin. Our fathers were brothers, but we took her in after her parents died", offered Nico, slowly stirring his coffee.
Jason bit his lower lip at that. He'd guessed that something in Nico's past must have made him so grumpy and defensive. Losing family like that, seeing what this loss did so very directly – seeing the effect that losing her parents must have had on Hazel.
"I'm... so sorry", whispered Percy with knitted eyebrows.
"It's been a long time ago. Which, doesn't mean that she is over it, but it means that we all learned ways to cope with the loss and it's not a fresh wound anymore", assured Nico. "But just. Don't... make a big deal out of it in front of her. And... she is my sister. She may have been born my cousin, but she has been my sister for years now, she is my sister as much as Bianca."
"I get that", hummed Jason with the smallest smile. "Pipes and I may not share blood at all, but her dad and my mom got married so long ago and her dad is... a dad to me too and she's as much my sister as Thals is."
"That's nice", Percy grinned, nodding a little. "Siblings are awesome. Even the ones that are a huge pain in your butt. Tri may annoy the living daylights out of me, but I still love him. Mostly."
"Mostly, huh?", echoed Jason, laughing to himself.
"When he steals the last piece of mom's blueberry pie, I am ready to give him up for adoption."
Jason grinned at that, eyes drifting from Percy to Nico and back. This was... nice.
Author's note: Poor Nico, losing all tha hard earned respect ùû°°° Next chapter, Nico gets the chance to talk to his dad about Poseidon!