Nicabastercy || PJatO || Nicabastercy || Welcome to MagiCon! || Nicabastercy || PJatO || Nicabastercy

Title: Welcome to MagiCon! – The Necromancer, the Sea Witch and the Warlock

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus

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), meet cute, falling in love

Main Pairing: Nico/Alabaster/Percy

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Bianca di Angelo, Hazel Levesque, Leo Valdez, Alabaster C. Torrington, Lou Ellen Blackstone, Mrs. O'Leary

Summary: It's MagiCon! The greatest event for magic-users all over the world. Necromancer Nico really only attends to hook up with Alabaster, the cute warlock he'd met there before. Percy is a sea witch, who made his way out of the ocean all on his own, eager to see other magic.

Welcome to MagiCon!

The Necromancer, the Sea Witch and the Warlock

There was a literally magical thing known as MagiCon. It happened on a beautiful island, on the surface world. Magic-users form all over the world gathered there to exchange stories, learn from each other's cultures and traits, showing the progress they had made. There were panels held by experts, teaching the visitors, new magic gadgets shown off and sold.

Percy had heard whispers about this on multiple ships that he had encountered. They didn't have anything similar where he lived. Under the sea. Percy was a magic-user. Most merpeople weren't. Humans assumed they had magic based on the fact that they lived under the sea and were magical creatures by nature. But the majority of merpeople were just like humans, only without the legs and with tails instead. Only some merpeople could perform magic. Percy was one of them, though not a very powerful one. He was a hydromancer, he could control currents and water, he also could telepathically talk to sea-creatures. Again, not something every merperson was capable of. Would be awkward if everyone had casual conversations with their food – and fishes were the main food-source for merpeople. Since there weren't that many sea witches, Percy had never had a mentor to help him hone his skills. He'd improvised everything, teaching it himself.

Ever since he had first heard about this, from some sorcerers talking at the beach, he had been eager. He'd heard druids in Ireland speak of it a while later. He wanted to be there, to learn more. But he knew better than to blindly trust humans. So he waited until he had more intel, more different sources speaking highly of this, more context. The first he had heard was a 'gathering of magic users', which was very vague. Exchange of the trade came next. Cultural exchange, which really made him perk up in interest, because oh he was fascinated with humans – and the chance to learn more about various human cultures at once! It sounded perfect!

His vision of this took a more specific shape and he grew much more determined to attend. Now, the only thing to figure out was where it would be next held so he could go there himself.

/break\

Nico didn't particularly care for MagiCon. It was loud, stuffy, overcrowded and smelt, due to all of the many sweating people in it. Sure, there was a lot of interesting stuff displayed and taught, but there were also many phonies. Barely capable of any magic but acting like they were Merlin himself. Some genuinely claiming to be descended from Merlin. It was pathetic, really.

"I don't want to go," Nico groaned and tilted his head back.

"Tough luck, brother. I have to hold a panel about hell-hound care. If I have to go, so do you," argued Bianca unimpressed, staring her younger brother down. "Look at Hazel! She is cooperative."

"Don't play me like that. I'm not going to bite. I know Hazel is the better little sibling."

Hazel, their half-sister, heaved a deep sigh. "Come on, Nico, please. It'll be fun. I've learned so much outside of my trade in the last panel. You live in your own cultural bubble, doing magic the way it has been taught in your community for centuries. I respect my art, but oh, the possibilities there are! I really want to go and I want to go with both my siblings. Besides, you might run into Alabaster again, I know you... liked him a lot... last year."

Without meaning to, Nico perked up a bit at that. Alabaster was this incredibly hot warlock he'd hooked up with last year. A follower of Lady Hecate of the Greco pantheon. Personally, Nico was a follower of Lord Hades. But Nico's sister Hazel had taken an interest in Lady Hecate, so they had run into Alabaster and one thing led to the other. It had been a very good hook up.

"Mh... I've been texting with him, occasionally. You know, shared a particularly good spell or something. Would be... worth checking if he's coming..." Nico tilted his head thoughtfully.

"I would be complaining about you only agreeing for booty, but then..." Bianca sighed and shook her head in disappointment. "Anything that gets you to agree to come along."

/break\

Sexy Necromancer [skull-emoji]: You up for MagiCon this year? We could meet up?

Alabaster grinned pleased as he stared at his phone. Sexy Necromancer had been a very hot one-night-stands Alabaster had met at last year's MagiCon. While necromancy wasn't his favorite form of magic, he had met the other at a tarot-panel Alabaster had given. Nico – the sexy necromancer's name, but names were boring – had been there with his younger sister, who showed interest in the trade. She was a magic-user from New Orleans, who had never paid that much attention to the Greek arts despite her half-siblings being devout to Lord Hades. Hazel. Her, he actually had saved under her actual name. She had potential and she was very kind, likable.

"Lou-Lou!" Alabaster called out loudly. "You up for MagiCon this year?"

His apprentice Lou Ellen came running upstairs, out of breath and wide-eyed. "Yes! Ye—es!"

He'd taken her on about eight months ago. She hadn't brought MagiCon up yet, because she was still so new, but it figured the young witch was eager to go and see for herself. Alabaster grinned and turned toward his laptop to book them the tickets and a hotel. This was going to be fun.

/break\

The island was beautiful. Large, lush, with colorful surface-vegetation that Percy didn't know to name. Long, thing greens and broad greens. The really, really tall, hard brown ones from which more greens grew. Percy's favorite were definitely the different-colored smaller ones. Flowers. He'd heard that before. It was hard to believe all these incredibly different looking, different colored ones were all just... called flowers. Then again, fishes were fishes, regardless of size and color.

"Hey there. Are you, uh, lost? Because the convention center is more in-land. With a public beach for all attendees. I don't think we are supposed to be in this part of the beach or jungle..."

Percy turned to look at the brown-skinned human aiming a kind smile at Percy. "If we are not supposed to be here, then why are you here?"

The other chuckled sheepishly, ruffling his own curls awkwardly. "I, uh, kinda... did not stick the landing. Crash-landed a bit deeper in the jungle and am on my way to the convention center."

"I... do not understand?" admitted Percy in confusion.

"I'm a dragon! A pyromancer. I can shapeshift into a dragon, that's how I got here – not everybody can afford a private jet or helicopter or boat or whatever. Some people gotta improvise," the other laughed. "Uh, sorry, haven't even introduced myself. I'm Leo! Who are you?"

"I'm Percy, I'm a hydromancer, hey," Percy smiled and held out his hand.

Like Percy's skin, Leo's shimmered with scales in the light. Leo's was golden-red, while Percy's was blue-green. The both of them stared at their linked hands, watching the way the light danced over the other's scales in awe, neither understanding why the other had scales.

"What is this 'dragon' that you mentioned? I've never heard that before? You have scales, like me, so does that mean you're a merman too? A kind I haven't met yet?" Percy grew excited.

"Merman? What? No. Wait, you're a real merman? I didn't know those were real!" Leo looked just as excited as Percy now. "I'm a dragon. That's... uh... well, how do you explain a dragon to a merman? I can show you! Step back a bit though."

And before Percy's eyes, Leo turned into... a giant Nessie? But with strange fins spreading out on the side of his back? It looked very cool and also adorable, but Percy didn't quite understand. At least not until Leo flapped his strange side-back fins and started to lift off the ground.

"How are you doing this? I want to do this too! You can travel through the sky? You have sky-fins! That is amazing! I have regular fins. For, you know, the water. I didn't know there was a counter-part to mers. We can travel down into the depths of the ocean, with our fins. You... can travel up into the vastness of the sky with your fins. That is... fascinating."

Leo landed on the ground again and turned back human, staring at him in surprise. "I... have never looked at it like that. Huh. That's... actually really cool. And considering you have water-magic and I have fire-magic, that's even more a sign of being counter-parts! Can I see your fins too then?"

Percy frowned and looked around. Making a triumphant sound, he headed toward the breathtaking blue spot not far off. Leo was right behind him. As soon as they were close enough did Percy take a wide dive into the water. His skin prickled pleasantly as he turned back into his true self. His legs melted together into a tail, covered fully in his scales, shining beautifully. He broke through the surface and hopped onto the stones around the water-hole, flapping his tail.

"You are... beautiful," whispered Leo in awe. "I've never seen a merman before. Amazing."

"Thank you," Percy grinned broadly.

Though before either spoke again, there was rustling in the green around them. Both their attention snapped over to it, watching warily how two people came stumbling through the green. The two were lip-locked, until they noticed they weren't alone. They turned toward Leo and Percy in stunned silence, simply staring. One was really very pale, but his face was adored with freckles, the other had olive-skin and piercing dark eyes. The dark-eyed one cleared his throat.

"Hello, Leo. My sister was already wondering if you weren't coming this year."

"Nico! Hey! I've heard through the grapevine that you guys were going to be here. I'm looking forward to seeing Hazel. What suite are you guys in? I'll drop by once I find the center."

"You crash-landed again, Launchpad," the man next to Nico laughed loudly.

"Shut up, Alabastard," Leo grumbled, his cheeks turning red.

"That is a strange name," interrupted Percy, blinking at the man.

"That..." Nico started and trailed off, staring at Percy in awe. "You're a... a... a..."

"Merman, the word you are missing is merman," offered Leo with a roll of his eyes before turning toward Percy. "That's not actually his name. His name is Alabaster. But he's a bastard. So that works out very, very well as a nickname."

"Oh, that... makes sense. Though Alabaster is still a weird name," argued Percy.

"No disagreement on that," Leo huffed, grinning at him.

"Leo! Can we focus on the fact that you are talking to a merman there!" Alabaster motioned widely at Percy, like he was trying to make a point here. "I didn't know there were mermen living on the island! Is that why we're forbidden from going out into the jungle, because there are mermen living in the lagoons? If so, I should have gone here sooner, because he is cute."

"I am standing right next to you and we were making out until not even five minutes ago."

"Oh, shut up, di Angelo, you're not any less cute just because the merman is also cute."

Percy blinked as he watched them. "But you're also aware that I'm also right here, yeah?"

Alabaster actually flushed as he turned toward Percy. "Right. Sorry. Got distracted by you... existing. I thought mermen were a myth. Not real. Not living right around the corner of the convention center? How... How is this not widely known?"

"Because there are no merpeople – which is the neutral term here – living here? This is a tiny little water-hole, it is smaller than my house? No mer could live in here. Also, the water tastes gross."

"Probably because it's a fresh water lagoon, not salt water," guessed Leo. "You're from the ocean?"

"Yes! Our water tastes very different on the skin," replied Percy with a nod.

"...Tastes on the skin," echoed Nico as he blinked slowly.

"I assume there is no word for it in our language," offered Alabaster. "So the magic doesn't translate it for us, it finds the closest proxy, which seems to be 'taste'."

Percy held his gaze and tilted his head. "It's not like tasting something on your tongue, but... the way water feels on our skin is... close to tasting, I suppose. Good water, bad water, you can feel it through your skin. Well, you can't. I can. But also... how are we... speaking the same language?"

"Linguistic magic," explained Alabaster as he sat down in front of Percy on the ground. "This island is protected by magic and it is also enchanted with linguistic magic, because... it is used for a gathering of magic-users from all around the globe. Many who only speak their own language, or an additional second language. To allow communication, there's a spell surrounding this island that automatically translates everything you hear into your preferred language."

Percy stared at the brunette in awe. That was really cool and useful. He had been wondering about that. What good was a lecture held by someone from one culture when many could not speak their language? Grinning to himself, Percy flapped his tail a few times.

"I know this is a magic gathering! That is why I'm here too," stated Percy, motioning for Alabaster. "Uh, pretty boy, can you help me out of the water, please?"

"Are you talking to me?" asked Alabaster surprised.

Still, Alabaster approached him and offered a hand to help Percy out of the water. "Well. You just referred to me as 'cute' instead of asking for my name, so you are now pretty boy."

Percy shook the last scales off as his tail turned into legs. He was still wearing the dark-blue silk he had wrapped around his waist before he had even left the ocean. One thing he knew about humans was their weird need to cover themselves up, so he suspected he would not be allowed there if he did not cover his lower half (he had observed and noticed a trend that men seemed to only be required to cover their lower bodes for some reason he hadn't figured out yet).

"What... What is your name? I'm Nico. Nico di Angelo."

"Right. Yeah. I'm Alabaster Torrington. Sorry about that. And what Nico just said."

"Very nice. I'm Perseus of Atlantis, it's a pleasure to meet you. Call me Percy."

"So... What are you... doing here? If you don't live in this lagoon," Nico frowned curiously.

"I'm here for MagiCon! I want to meet other magic-users. I want to learn about land-magic."

"You... Wait. Right. Mermen – people – are magical," Alabaster nodded slowly to himself.

"Actually, no," Percy chuckled and walked a few steps. "Mers are just like humans, but... under water. And just like with you humans, there are magic-users. I can control water, currents."

He turned back toward the lagoon and lifted the water into the air, twirling it and forming it into a dragon, or as close as he could after only seeing Leo's other form once before. The other three gaped at him. Nice. Percy grinned pleased and then let it splash into the lagoon, dousing the three humans next to him. They complained and Percy laughed a little.

"Relax, it's just water. So... who can show me to where the convention is?"

"Of course," Nico offered Percy his arm with a smile.

"Oh, don't flirt up the merman, I am 'right here', to quote you," Alabaster glared pointedly.

Cute. Percy's grin turned more mischievous as he took Nico's arm and reached for Alabaster's with his other. The two humans blinked at him curiously, while Leo huffed in amusement.

"I happen to have two arms and I appreciate the help, because actually, very new to legs. Have not walked a lot yet. Technically, we are not supposed to go on land. Well, technically, we can't go on land. But, perks of being a sea witch, I guess," Percy grinned, holding onto the other two.

"Okay. Let us show you to the convention center. And, if you... if you want to be shown around there, we would be happy to be your guides," offered Nico, checking in with Alabaster.

"Sure. Definitely plan on spending more time with the only merman I have ever met in my life. Would love to learn more about you, if you don't mind," Alabaster looked at Percy hopefully.

"I have an idea!" Leo walked past them to then walk in front of the trio, backwards so he could look at Percy. "You should totally hold a panel! Talk about... you. Your culture, your magic. We've never had a merperson before, I think. Most cultures believe your people to be legends and myths. You're going to draw so much attention, I think this would be really cool for everyone?"

"Like... teaching a class?" Percy frowned thoughtfully. "Mh. I guess that could be fun. I teach classes at the summer camp. Is that... what you do there? Talk about your history?"

"In some panels," Nico nodded. "History, mythology, belief-systems, potions, spells. Anything. My sister is holding one on proper hell-hound care, for example. Some are about the care for magical creatures. Or... architecture, even. There are many things talked about here."

"Mh... I would like to hear about what you land-dwellers think about us mers. And I guess I would rather correct those assumptions," Percy tilted his head. "For now, I just want to see. This is a three-days event, after all, right? So I can look around today and don't have to decide today?"

"Of course. But if you do decide to hold a panel, let us know," Nico smiled at him.

"How... would I do that? I assume there are a lot of people here?" Percy furrowed his brows.

"Merpeople don't have phones, huh," Alabaster frowned. "Mh... Well, for now, we can give you our room-numbers. There is one large hotel here that houses all guests. Bigger on the inside magic. You can find us with the numbers."

"I know how room-numbers work," Percy nodded, a little amused. "We have rooms too. And numbers. A different letter-system than you, but still."

"Let's get you to the hotel and the convention center so you can check in and... wait... do you have money? Because this does cost. It's not for free," Nico side-eyed Percy concerned.

"Not money. But I gather you guys value this a whole lot," Percy let go of Nico's arm.

He reached into the satchel hidden between the blue cloth. When he opened it and held it out for them, the three humans gasped in surprise as they saw all the beautiful pearls Percy had mined before coming here. He knew what humans deemed valuable. For mers, pearls were mere trinkets, cheap accessories. Though Percy hoped these would get him far up here.

"So you're rich. Good to know," Alabaster's voice pitched a little.

"Not really. I have a rather regular income. But your society puts high value onto something that we collect for fun, that's barely worth a thing in our society," replied Percy with a shrug.

"You will be able to buy so many things," Leo whispered in awe. "I've been saving up for this all year and I know I'm on a budget. So much envy right now. I wish the scrap metal in my shop would be highly valued on this island, that'd be great..."

Percy grinned at that. Now he was even more optimistic about this. He wanted to bring a lot of souvenirs back home – his baby brother Tyson was nearly as obsessed about humans as Percy was. And he had to buy something beautiful for his mom. Human jewelry of sorts.

/break\

Nico had meant to hook up with Alabaster in the jungle, mostly so for privacy, since no one went there and both Nico and Al had to share their suites; Al with his apprentice Lou Ellen and Nico with his sisters, who shared the adjoined room. Instead of getting to enjoy themselves, they met their first ever merman. And he was cute and funny and snarky. All of a sudden, Nico found himself competing for the merman's attention with the man he had meant to hook up with.

"Can we agree to not compete?" asked Nico when the two of them headed to Bianca's panel.

"Why? You're good in bed, but you are not as interesting as the cute merman."

Nico glared at Alabaster. "Because of that. You are good in bed too. I like you. So... how about we try to seduce the cute merman together? He said it himself, he has two arms."

At that, Alabaster looked intrigued. "Okay. I like that pitch. You are tricky, necromancer."

"I know, warlock," Nico smirked knowingly, wrapping an arm around Alabaster.

"Hello! You two! Did you know there are amazing creatures like this just... living here?"

Both turned toward the excited voice of their cute merman... who was kneeling on the floor to pet Mrs. O'Leary's belly. The di Angelos' pet hell-hound, who had come along for demonstrations during Bianca's panel. And she looked completely blissed out as she let Percy pet her.

"That... That is a hell-hound. You know, I mentioned my sister holding a panel about their care. This is our pet, her name is Mrs. O'Leary," informed Nico.

"She is amazing!" Percy gasped, ruffling her fur. "She has hair all over and it is so soft! And her nose is all wet and adorable! The floppy ears and those – what are those? Why does she have them? They are so squishy and soft. Pressing them is fun."

"We call them toe-beans. And pressing them is fun," agreed Nico amused.

"...There are no dogs under water," whispered Alabaster mortified, turning toward Nico.

That caused Nico to make a face too. "That's... awful. How do you live without dogs?"

"Can't miss what you don't know. That being said, I will find a way to make this one breath under water and then I will kidnap her," declared Percy, smiling brightly up at Nico.

"I'm sorry, who is this person planning to kidnap our family dog?"

"Don't worry, Bia, that's Percy. He's a friend," Nico rolled his eyes. "And he's just joking. Right?"

"Mh... seventy percent joke. Thirty percent chance I might have to pull through with that. She is very soft and amazing and I am convinced that my brother would love her!"

"He's... not from around here," offered Alabaster helpfully.

"I'm a merman. This is my first trip onto the surface. I've never met a creature like her, she is breathtaking and you are very lucky to be able to share your life with someone so soft and cute."

"A... merman?" Bianca's eyes widened in awe.

"No time to explain that now, your panel is about to start. But yes, merman," confirmed Nico.

Percy grinned at Bianca and waved, his fingers webbed. They hadn't been before. It seemed he could control that as much as he could control his leg-tail situation. Nico was completely enchanted. Bianca sighed and shook her head, though she paused right next to Nico, leaning in some.

"I know your first ever crush was Triton from The Little Mermaid. Good luck living the dream."

Nico narrowed his eyes at his older sister, a flush painting his cheeks. Bianca smirked at him and then whistled for Mrs. O'Leary to follow her onto the stage, leaving a pouting Percy behind.

"C'mon. You can sit with us and we can watch. Mrs. O'Leary can perform tricks," offered Alabaster.

Eagerly, Percy got off the ground and followed the two of them to their seats.

/break\

"Where are you going? Today was exhausting, how are you still upright?" Lou Ellen groaned.

She had collapsed face-first onto her bed in the room. Alabaster at the door paused to turn and look at her once more. She looked knocked out. First convention did that to someone. Al, he was a pro.

"I have plans. I don't know when I'll be back, but from the looks of it, you'll be asleep then anyway. Do set your alarm before you fall into a coma though, otherwise you'll be mad tomorrow."

"Ri—ight. Good advise. There's a great panel about witch-fashion through history... G'night..."

Alabaster chuckled to himself as he left the room and headed toward Percy's room. They had accompanied the merman to check-in and he had given them his room-number. Later, they had run into him during the hell-hound panel and Percy had kind of... stuck with them for the rest of the day. It has been great. He was sweet and charming. One of the first things they had done was take him to the boots selling clothes, so he could blend in more. His scales were attracting attention that made going around harder and Percy did want to explore. Now, he owned a cute azure-blue hoodie with Flounder from The Little Mermaid on it (Nico had thought that to be funny). Once Al reached the door, he knocked and then got opened by... Nico, of course. Rolling his eyes, Alabaster leaned in and kissed the other briefly before entering. Percy was sitting on the bed, legs crossed. Surprisingly, when Alabaster approached Percy, he got pulled into a kiss too.

"Uhm. That's not... a general way of greeting each other," clarified Alabaster with a mild flush. "That is just for... lovers. Which Nico and I are. I think. More or less."

"I'm aware. Of both those things. I literally met you when you were five seconds from mating with each other. But you two have also spent all day today courting me? Unless you humans have very different approaches to that. And now you both found your way to my room, during night."

"Huh," Nico nodded slowly. "I... I mean, that is all true. I just didn't expect you to... so eagerly agree to a threesome. That's not... that standard around here, you know."

"Oh, I am not going to mate with you, I only met you two today," Percy frowned. "Courting phases have to be far longer. But I agree to your courting. You are both very attractive and you have interesting powers. I've never seen someone talk to the dead before, and what Alabaster does with his colorful picture cards is fascinating too."

Slowly, Nico sat down next to Alabaster and looked at his lover a little lost. The two of them didn't even consider each other boyfriends. Sure, they hooked up when they were close by – not just during MagiCon, they had also met a few times over the past year, admittedly – but they weren't boyfriends. And now the cute merman they had hoped to maybe have sex with wanted to get into a relationship with them both. Alabaster shrugged, a little lost.

"What does... that mean? Courting?" asked Nico after a moment.

"Well, when you like someone very much and want to spend alone time with them, going out to hunt together – for each other, actually, to show that you are capable to provide for them – and then prepare and share the meal with each other. Or swimming to the surface to star-gaze. Going to the coral gardens. Riding dolphins. Sharing things with each other? It's hard to explain?"

"Sounds like dating," offered Alabaster, turning to Nico.

Nico shrugged a little. "And you said... mating? What does that mean?"

It was fascinating the way Percy flushed, his cheeks turning purple due to the blue tint to his skin. "Uh, it's, you know, when you are naked with each other, doing... making babies? But you can also do with without making babies. Just for fun. I still think there should be more of a bond before you share these kind of things with someone and I did only meet you today."

"Okay so mating is sex and courting is like dating," concluded Alabaster.

Though Percy just blinked confused at him. "You just said mating is mating and courting is like courting. That's... is that like a glitch in the translation?"

"I guess we do have words for what you have but differentiate from something else, in a way you guys don't do," guessed Nico. "So you would be interested in dating us?"

"You're both very cute and I would like to get to know you better," Percy tilted his head.

"I mean... we have magic. Surely, we can make it work somehow?" suggested Alabaster. "See where it goes? I... wouldn't mind getting to know you outside the bedroom, di Angelo."

"Same," Nico chuckled softly, his eyes shifting over to Percy. "Definitely want to get to know you."

"Great," Percy grinned pleased, scooting closer so he could then also kiss Nico. "You will get to know me better if you attend my panel tomorrow! I talked to someone working here, who referred me to three other people before I got to someone who very eagerly agreed to give me a panel."

"Well, we're... looking forward to it," Alabaster chuckled, kissing Percy's cheek.

/break\

Percy felt torn about all the attention he got. When he was holding his panel, they gave him a glass box that reached his waist standing, filled it with sea water, so he could show off his tail. He also appreciated the sea water, it was starting to feel straining that he had been a human for nearly a whole day now. He had improvised it a little, starting out with some words on his own life and his own magic, then talked about Atlantis. And then he opened it up for questions. Some had great questions – about Atlantis' history, about what other kinds of mer-magic existed. Others asked quite inappropriate questions, where he understood the curiosity but was also uncomfortable answering.

After the panel though, people kept cornering him. Walking up to him with more questions, wanting pictures. It had been fun and flattering at first, but quickly grew annoying. Thankfully, he now had Nico and Alabaster, who could glare and chase people away quite easily.

"Look, these are beautiful," gasped Percy as he ran his fingers over blue gems.

"They are also useful," commented Alabaster with a small smile, resting his chin on Percy's shoulder. "I could teach you what they do and how to use them, if you'd like."

Biting his lip, Percy gladly leaned back against the brunette. "Thank you, I'd like that."

"Okay, there is a panel on ancient Egyptian death rites that I'm interested in..." Nico trailed off.

"Hardest pass," Alabaster looked at him. "I'll take the cutie out for lunch and you text me when your panel is done so we can meet up again. That sound fine?"

"I would like some food," agreed Percy. "Walking is very, very exhausting. It... burns more calories than just floating in the water? Also, using my magic to do this."

"Okay. I'll see you guys later then," Nico leaned in to kiss Alabaster and Percy on the cheeks.

Pleased by that, Percy turned toward Alabaster and let the warlock lead him toward the food court. Human food was so incredible. What really got to Percy was that they served most food hot. That was something the merman wasn't used to at all, but it was an interesting experience.

/break\

Nico had bought more things than he had meant to, but honestly he thought that was mostly due to Percy. His perception on MagiCon had vastly changed thanks to the merman. The level of excitement Percy had for the most mundane thing, because to him, it was special, new and unique. This kind of view made Nico change the way he looked at these things.

"This con was actually a lot of fun," noted Nico, sprawled out on his bed.

"Has nothing to do with the two cute guys hanging off your arms all weekend?" called Hazel.

Her and Bianca were in their room, getting ready for bed. It was Saturday evening. Tomorrow, the con would end. He had barely spent time with his sisters, so wrapped up with Al and Percy, though both his sisters had expressed that they didn't mind, as long as he had fun.

"Shut up," was Nico's lame reply, pouting a little to himself.

"Wow, so convincing and mature," Bianca chuckled to herself. "Though, I am still hung up on you now dating a merman. I didn't even know they were... real. And you just... date him."

"I didn't expect that either," argued Nico. "I just, honestly, I was flirting with him but he is so... direct about this. Which I guess is a cultural thing. Merpeople aren't... They don't play coy or pine from afar. They just approach those they like and start courting – dating, that is."

"Sounds easy. I think I'll move there," Hazel sighed a little.

"Yeah, Percy was really baffled when we told him how things go here," Nico chuckled fondly. "He straight-up laughed into our faces when Al and I told him we've been dancing around each other for a whole year now. He says we're unnecessarily wasting time."

"Could have told you that months ago," Bianca muttered to herself.

/break\

Portal-magic was key for long-distance relationships. While both his lovers didn't specialize in this, Alabaster was quite well-versed in it and he was a strong enough warlock to establish permanent portals between his apartment, the di Angelo mansion in Venice and Percy's place in Atlantis (though with an additional layer of magic on Percy's end so not the entire ocean poured into his and Nico's place every time the portal was used). It was a bit awkward at first, going on real, proper dates with them. Alabaster was used to strings of one-night-stands, his most serious relationship had been Ethan in high school, but also mostly due to them spending every day together due to classes. Now, however. Maybe it was because Alabaster was more mature now, having his own business and even taken on the responsibility of an apprentice months ago. Or it really were just Nico and Percy, who were doing this to him. He liked them a whole lot, spending time with them was amazing.

Thanks to Percy, both Alabaster and Nico could also turn their legs into tails so they could visit Percy in his home. Alabaster still couldn't believe that it took a little merman to turn his thing with Nico into a proper relationship. But laying at the beach today, with both his lovers, he sure was glad that him and Nico had made out in the jungle that day so they could get together and also get a cute mer-boyfriend out of this. A very cute mer-boyfriend.

"Pe—ercy, c'mon, just lay still for a little," Alabaster groaned, arms around Percy's waist.

"No. I'm part fish, it feels weird to willingly lay out on the dry sand in direct sun! This is how you cook food! I am not food. Stop trying to cook me," Percy hissed softly, wiggling his nose.

"No one is trying to cook you, amore," Nico chuckled and leaned in to kiss him. "Sunbathing is enjoyable. For humans anyway. How about we go and take a swim, will that relax you?"

"What would relax me would be some of that frozen water with taste that you have. And also not laying in the direct sun on the sand," Percy wiggled free from Alabaster. "But yes. Come along."

Alabaster heaved a sigh and sat up, watching his boyfriends run into the water. The thing about Percy was that it was downright impossible to make him stay still. After another moment, Alabaster decided to follow his lovers, because sunbathing was decidedly less fun with the view on both their abs. Percy looked so serene as he floated on the water. Bending over him, Alabaster kissed him.

"He—ey, you came too," Percy grinned pleased, wrapping an arm around Alabaster's neck.

"Can't let Nico have all the fun with you alone," Alabaster returned his boyfriend's grin.

It could have been a peaceful moment if Nico didn't decide to dunk him in that moment. When Alabaster emerged, he glared at them like a soaking wet cat, making both his boyfriends laugh.

"Don't pout, Ally," Percy pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Though it's cute."

Alabaster continued pouting. Glowering. He didn't pout. The way Percy looked at him did ease that look though. That was the kind of effect Percy had on them. Nico was grinning very unapologetic as he pulled Alabaster into a deep kiss, fully easing the look off Al's face. Okay, he might be able to forgive for that. He grinned pleased as he relaxed into his two lowers.

~*~ The End ~*~

Author's note: I realized that I've ever only written this threesome ONCE. And that's just ridiculous so that needed to be fixed and hey, I found an opportunity for merman!Percy too! ;D