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Title: A God Among Men – Life in the Kingdom of Demetria
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus; ancient Greece AU
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. 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.
Warnings: shounen-ai, gods, magic, fluff, worship, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, bondage, shoujo-ai, hetero, threesome
Main Pairing: Nico/Percy
Side Pairings: Reyna/Annabeth, Luke/Octavian, Ethan/Alabaster, Jake/Will, Frank/Hazel/Leo, Grover/Juniper, Malcolm/Katie, Tyson/Ella, Chris/Clarisse, Charles/Silena, Jason/Calypso, Poseidon/Amphitrite | Poseidon/Sally, Zeus/Hera, Hades/Persephone, Hades/Maria (past), Nico/Drew (one-sided)
Percy Jackson Characters:
Thieves: Perseus Jackson, Luke Castellan, Cecil Rogers, Chris Rodriguez, Travis Stoll, Connor Stoll
Royals: Nico di Angelo, Bianca di Angelo, Hazel Levesque, Maria di Angelo, Drew Tanaka
Royal Advisers & Palace Servants: Jason Grace, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Annabeth Chase, Malcolm Cage, Ethan Nakamura, Will Solace, Katie Gardner, Grover Underwood, Juniper
Palace Guards: Frank Zhang, Clarisse la Rue, Thalia Grace, Hylla Ramírez-Arellano, Kinzie Cohen, Zoe Nightshade, Phoebe Burge
Priests: Alabaster C. Torrington, Lou Ellen, Piper McLean, Silena Beauregard, Ella, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Octavian Simmons
Blacksmiths: Charles Beckendorf, Leo Valdez, Jake Mason, Nyssa Black, Tyson
Godly Characters: Triton, Amphitrite, Poseidon, Hera, Zeus, Demeter, Persephone, Hades, Hestia, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Calypso
Summary: Perseus is a minor Sea God, son of Neptune and prince of the sea. And utterly bored. Gods, is he bored. Instead of staying bored under the sea, he decides to pose as a mortal and walk the Earth. Throughout ancient Greece, one small island kingdom in particular took to worshiping him, the Demetria Isles. So that's where Percy goes, to see what kind of people worship him.
He runs into interesting people. Lives with thieves, learns from priests and falls for the prince...
A God Among Men
Life in the Kingdom of Demetria
Chapter 2: The Lonely Prince
Prince Nicodemos of the Demetria Isles was generally adored and envied.
He was a handsome young royal, in the prime of his years, living in a beautiful palace and not having a worry in the world. Or so the world liked to think. So the world liked to think about most royals. They were fancy, had everything – oh, what a life to be envied.
It was not.
Well, sure, he had all the riches and food and unnecessary little stuff that no one really needed but everyone really wanted. What he didn't have was what mattered the most. He didn't have love.
It was sentimental, he knew that. But he blamed his parents for that – King Plutonius and Queen Maria. They had what could only be described as true love. Not those arranged, forced marriages, but one chosen by the heart. They adored each other and anyone who met them could see it. The way they looked at each other, the simple gestures between them. Nico longed to have the same. He knew, deep in his heart, that he could never marry someone he didn't love.
"Have you given the marriage proposals any more thought, my prince?", asked one of his advisers.
Frowning, the prince turned toward Malcolm. "Yes, I have given it more thought."
"Wonderful", nodded Malcolm, tension melting from him. "What is your decision?"
"That I'm not getting married", hummed the prince.
Next to Malcolm, Jason snorted. "Sometimes, we hate you, Nico. You know that, right?"
"Sometimes, I think I should behead you after all, you know that, right?", drawled Nico.
Granted, Jason was one of his best friends, but this was just too much. He was often out of line, but then again, Nico was a stubborn prince so he had chosen his advisers to be people he trusted blindly and people who were not afraid to speak their mind. They were also his friends, not just some servants. And among them, Jason was pretty highly ranked. Annabeth heaved a deep, long-suffering sigh, arms crossed over her rather impressive chest as she walked up to Nico and leveled a glare at him. She hopped onto the balcony's balustrade to sit higher than the prince. She really enjoyed looking down on people and most the time, Nico found it amusing. Unless it was aimed at him.
"You're the crown-prince, Nico. You'll have to get married and produce an heir eventually", stated Annabeth, brushing her long blonde curls over her shoulder. "You can't avoid it forever."
Nico glared at her with an edge of viciousness to it. To lay with another man was not exactly frowned upon in their kingdom – it was after all a long-lived and proud tradition for heroes and men of status to take lovers of the same gender. He had some friends who preferred the male gender. But that was where hating being a prince came into play – where Ethan, another one of his advisers and friends – could openly be with the young man he loved, Nico couldn't afford such a luxury. He was the crown-prince, as Annabeth had so kindly pointed out just now. He was expected to produce an heir and for that, sadly enough, a woman was required. A wife. A queen.
"My sister is happily engaged, she will produce an heir. I have no problem pronouncing my nephew the crown-prince when I become king", sighed Nico frustrated.
"You know that's not how the story can end", muttered Jason as he leaned against Nico, bumping shoulders with his prince. "Come on, Nico. The king... would look weak if he'd not have heirs of his own. Hazel and Frank sure will produce a couple cute kids, but..."
Nico grumbled, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned forward against the balustrade, Annabeth on one side of him and Jason on the other. He could hear Malcolm and Ethan sigh behind them. He really didn't care at all. This was about his life; decisions that would affect him to the end.
"You know you can always just... pick a pretty princess to be your queen and bear your off-springs and have a 'manservant' close by for your... needs", suggested Malcolm, clearly uncomfortable.
"Just because I'm not interested in women on a physical or romantic level doesn't mean I don't care. No person deserves to be mocked like that", stated Nico coldly. "Even in a convenient political marriage without love, a queen deserves respect."
Annabeth hummed in appreciation, the irritation easing off her face as she reached out to rest a hand on top of his curls, patting his head. "You're... You deserve happiness too. My personal advise? Enjoy life and freedom while you still can. Some things in life are inevitable."
Nico heaved a sigh, eyes unfocused as he watched his garden. The beautiful flower-garden of his mother with the roses and the exotic flowers father always got her whenever a ship from a new kind of place harbored here. The large fountain – wide and deep enough so one could actually bathe in it (Nico and his sisters had done so often during the summer-heat). The gorgeous naked boy walking toward the fountain. Wait. Frowning, Nico leaned in some more, eyes focused on the naked beauty. A boy – young man – about Hazel's age, so a few years younger than Nico himself. He was gorgeous. His skin was pale, nearly luminescent. Long, elegant legs on which he walked very unsure of his steps – was he perhaps drunk, that would at least explain why he was walking around the palace garden butt-naked? His hair was long and black, some strands falling into his face while others seemed tied together in the back, falling to his shoulder-blades, as Nico saw now that the young man was turning his back to him. Oh, that view was simply magnificent. Never before had Nico seen such a perfectly sculpted butt, it looked truly inviting. Even the dip above it was beautiful, the way his spine bent, the narrow of his hips and the broad of his shoulders. He looked perfect. Absolutely breathtaking. Nico felt instantly enchanted in a way he had never been before.
"Is... Is... Nicodemos, tell me this one didn't escape from your bedroom", hissed Annabeth.
"What? No. Also, what's 'escape' supposed to mean?", asked Nico offended.
"Where else would a naked boy come from!", exclaimed Annabeth, pointing at the stranger.
"His room!", countered Nico, pointing at Ethan accusingly.
"Alabaster and I are trying to focus on ourselves right now. No inviting alluring playthings, even though I could see my Ally-cat getting excited about this one", hummed Ethan casually.
"T—Then maybe the priest! Everyone knows Apollo's high priest has a weakness for men too", continued Nico with a frustrated glare. "Or our palace's head-healer. He prefers them too."
Jason snorted and shook his head. It was true, Apollo's high priest and their healer too seemed to prefer the male gender and no one had seen them with women so far. But Jason doubted this one to be Will's; Will was discrete about his desires, clearly not as promiscuous as their dear beloved prince. Will wouldn't let a fling wander the palace gardens naked. Octavian on the other hand... that bastard would probably do it to entertain himself with it.
"Should I send the guards down to... escort him out?", asked Ethan curiously.
"Oh, yes. Wonderful idea, let's put a completely naked guy on the streets of the city", drawled Nico unimpressed. "Make sure he gets clothes and a meal."
"You are too generous, my prince", hummed Ethan, sounding nearly mocking.
/break\
Nico decided that he needed to clear his head. Talk about him getting married always agitated him. So he decided he needed a sweet treat. And Priestess Silena had the sweetest treats. The priestess of Aphrodite had a small stand on the market and sold chocolate-treats there. Something rare and delicious that the ships from overseas had brought to their kingdom months ago. It was a bit of a hobby and pastime of hers – and it was greatly appreciated by the prince. People smiled and bowed to him as he passed through the marketplace. Nico's people loved him, for he was always fair. He also always had spare coins for those in need. When he passed two small children begging at a corner, he handed each two gold coins, smiling at the large, grateful eyes of the children.
"You will be a wonderful father one day, Prince Nicodemos."
"Speaking from experience, father of the strays?", drawled Nico unimpressed.
He turned toward the mischievously smirking street rat. Lukos, with his sparkling blue eyes always hiding a wicked plan, the messy blonde hair brighter thanks to how much time he spent out in the sun. The leader of the island's largest groups of rag-tag thieves was leaning against a wall.
"Don't be so sore, princess", chuckled Luke amused.
"I just hope you're being careful. Annabeth would have my hide if I'd be forced to throw you in the dungeon", muttered Nico and shook his head as he bought silvery owl-feathered earrings for said adviser. "You know she's always worried about you. And the others."
"Mh. Yes, yes. Annie has always been a worry-ward", laughed Luke lightly.
Nico frowned over at him. Luke was a very special kind of person. He was an honorable thief. Nico was still dubious about that concept. He knew that Luke had practically raised both of Nico's best friends – Jason and Annabeth. Luke and the siblings Thalia and Jason had been on the run together when they had found Annabeth. Jason had barely been a toddler when Luke had met the siblings. He literally was the only father Jason knew. And while Luke always referred to Thalia and Annabeth lightly as 'his girls', he very rarely talked about Jason. Something that confused Nico.
"Any new stray puppies you took in lately?", asked Nico lightly as he picked more jewelry.
He could never pass through the market without buying something pretty and valuable for his girls – Bianca and Hazel, his sisters, as well as Annabeth. He saw from the corner of his eyes how Luke snatched a couple items while Nico paid for his things. There was no way to change Luke.
"Not particularly, but... you never know", hummed Luke amused. "See you around, princess."
Frowning, Nico lifted his gaze as he stashed the jewelry in his satchel. By the time he looked up, Luke was gone from his side. Sighing, Nico continued on his way to Silena's stand. He was used to the thief's habits. He was like a stray cat. There one moment, sneaking out on soundless feet the next. As the future king, he should probably not spend as much time with the thief, but as a friend to Jason, Annabeth and Thalia, he wasn't going to let Luke rot in a cell, if he could help it.
"Prince Nicodemos", greeted Silena with a bright smile. "It is so good to see you."
She was a gorgeous woman, maybe ten years Nico's senior. The wife of the local master blacksmith and also the head of the priestesses of Aphrodite. She wore soft pink robes that highlighted her curvy figure. She already reached for all of Nico's favorites, knowing what Nico preferred.
"Likewise, priestess", returned Nico with a short nod of his head. "How is your husband?"
"Charlie is wonderful", assured Silena happily. "When will your parents return to the kingdom?"
Nico heaved a sigh and shook his head. It was hard to pinpoint when exactly King Plutonius and Queen Maria were in the country. They always seemed to be on diplomatic missions, while their children were left to lead the city with their advisers. Sometimes they were gone for months, sometimes for weeks. But they rarely left home during spring and summer. Spring was Nico's favorite time of the year, because mother and father would be here and very often, his grandmother would come and visit them, sometimes staying for weeks.
"They had to leave on important business. Father was... not very forthcoming", sighed Nico.
They had been worried. Furious even. They had left this morning in a haste, without much explanation. Silena nodded in understanding, a compassionate look on her face. She handed him the sweets and he handed her the coins – more than would be necessary because he knew she had taken in two and a half orphans she took care of (one of the orphans being a mischievous youth called Leo whom Silena and Charles shared custody with Luke, actually). With a brief goodbye, Nico turned away again to head back to the palace. He got distracted on his way though, his mind was wandering as loud cussing and growling interrupted him. Gabe, one of the fruit venders, was loudly screaming at a stray dog while collecting his goods from the ground. Nico didn't like the man, there was something sleazy and uncomfortable about him. Nico chose to take the long way around, especially when two of the guards – Zoe and Phoebe – approached to see what the fuss was about. They'd surely report to the palace if they saw him out alone again. The royal guards were so fussy. As he tried to avoid Gabe, he caught a glimpse of something. Something pretty. The first thing he saw was bright blue silk, swirling and shining in the last rays of sun before the boy disappeared into the shadows. The black long hair, the luminous white skin. It was the boy from the garden. The naked boy. Well, now clothed. Nico tried pushing through the masses to get to him, to get to see him up close. But by the time Nico could find his way through the people, the boy was gone.
/break\
"They're beautiful, Nico. Thanks."
Nico smiled faintly as he watched Annabeth. She stood in front of a mirror, with the new earrings dangling from her ears, feathers blending into broad blonde curls. Nico and Annabeth were often at odds. She was bossy and stubborn and defied him every chance she got, always knew everything better than he did. Basically, she was like a third sister to Nico.
"How are you feeling, Nico?", asked Annabeth's 'best friend' from the bed.
A beautiful and fierce warrior and member of the guards by the name of Reyna. The two women were 'very close friends', to anyone in the palace. Training together and reading together. Nico knew they were also doing entirely different things together. It wasn't too unseemly for two men to be together, but the women still preferred to keep it hidden behind closed doors.
"Like your traitorous girlfriend wants me to get married", replied Nico dryly.
"The kingdom wants you to get married", corrected Annabeth very unimpressed. "With how often and how randomly the king and queen are out and about... You're the crown prince, Nicodemos. You have a responsibility toward your people above all else."
Nico resigned himself to not answering. The girls respected that. Nico was trying. He went out and mingled with princesses of neighboring countries, he tried to feel something – anything – for them. But he couldn't even make himself feel sexually attracted to them. The thought of kissing and touching them beneath the clothes, of having sex with them. It was so gross, disturbing. He knew he only desired males, the kind of spark of arousal he felt when just watching some of the male guards train, all sweaty and delectable. It was more than he could ever picture himself feeling for a woman. He didn't want it. He didn't want to spend a single night naked and sweaty with a woman, more mortifying was to think that what if she didn't get pregnant on first try? He would be forced to repeat the whole ordeal until it caught. He would be forced to spend his life with someone he didn't desire and someone he would never be able to love. The thought made his heart ache.
"All I want is the kind of love my parents have", whispered Nico beneath his breath, longingly.
Annabeth, who had just returned to sit on the bed with Reyna and Nico, turned to look at the prince with pity in her eyes. Reyna wrapped a possessive arm around Annabeth's waist and pulled her blonde close so the two of them were curled around each other.
"We know that, Nico", assured Reyna, voice soft. "Everyone wants that. The kind of love that's warm and true and makes you feel whole. Not... everyone gets that. Even if you will defy the law and continue on your pursuit of men, you can't know if you will ever find that one true love. You might end up as heartbroken and lonely as you will when entering a political marriage. Or you might find a true best friend in your wife, a confidant, someone you can trust and respect even if you can't love her. You have to make a choice, Nico."
Nico sighed and looked at them enviously. Oh, he knew that either of them would instantly drop the relationship to marry a man if that was what it would take to help the country, if it served a greater good, because they prioritized the happiness of many above their own. In a way, he envied that and in another way, the mere thought terrified them. How could someone who had found this kind of rare love willingly give it up just for the sake of someone else...?
/break\
To avoid his sister's scolding, Nico sneaked out of Annabeth's room through the balcony and headed straight back to the city. He knew Zoe and Phoebe probably reported to the head of the guard. Bianca, firstborn child of the king and queen and Nico's older pain in the ass. Oh, he loved her dearly, but she was so overbearing especially when their parents were gone. She had joined the all-female royal guard. The army may consist of men only, but their in-land force was all-female. Queen Maria had brought this tradition with her, often spoke of a younger sister of hers who led an all-female fighting force that was stronger than any male army she had ever seen. It was one of the rare times where the queen spoke of her home or family. Nico had met her mother, his grandmother, but he had never been to her kingdom before. It was all a bit ominous, but he had always chalked it up to his mother missing her home and family because he had to uproot to be with her husband.
Nico made his way to his favorite place in the city. The temple of Perseus. Whenever he felt down, felt like life was unfair, he would go and pray to Lord Perseus, to his very personal savior, and remember that things could be so much worse. He could be dead. Or worse yet, he could be alive while Bianca was dead. A god had graced them with his mercy, had saved their lives.
The statue of Lord Perseus was perfect. The best artist of the kingdom had done it and even though Queen Maria had given a startlingly accurate description of the young god, despite the fact that it had been stormy at night and it had all happened so fast, the artist himself had not seen the god, so there was only so much resemblance left. Not that Nico really remembered; it had been ten years and it had been a very dark and very stormy night, after all. But he liked to entertain the idea that the young god had grown up into the most beautiful god, even rivaling Aphrodite – who knew, maybe they were related in their realms since Perseus had risen from the sea too. Nico liked to think that maybe, the young god was still watching over them. Burning an offering, Nico knelt in front of the statue and closed his eyes in desperate prayer.
"If you are still... watching over me and my family", whispered Nico to himself, voice gentle. "Please tell me what to do. Please save my life one more time, in a different way. I don't know what to do. I want to be a good son and a good future king, but... I can't marry someone I don't love. It isn't fair. Not to me and not to whoever I might marry. Please, tell me what to do."
"Well, you shouldn't get married to someone you don't love. That's really-really wrong."
Nico was startled out of his prayer and looked up at a curious and mischievous looking young man. With glowing skin, long black hair held back with four smaller braids tied around it. He was still dressed in the blue robes that Nico had seen in the marketplace, but now that he actually got a good look at his face, Nico noticed something even more remarkable than the butt he had seen in the garden. The boy's eyes were such a bright, brilliant blue-green that looked as though someone had captured the sea itself and locked it into those two shining orbs. They seemed eerily familiar, like something out of a faded dream that Nico barely remembered. He couldn't place them.
"W—What?", asked Nico a bit startled, blinking slowly.
"Oh my gods, I am so sorry, Prince Nicodemos!", yelped Leo next to the gorgeous stranger, tugging on the green-eyed beauty's arm. "Percy. No. You can't just interrupt praying people! Especially not him. He's the crown prince of our kingdom! Sorry, my lord. Percy is new around here and he was curious about the temple so I decided to show it to him. We meant no disrespect."
Nico nodded slowly and blinked again, eyes not leaving the newly named Percy. "A strange name."
"Persephonus", supplied Percy with a bright smile. "Nicodemos is a pretty name though."
"Prince Nicodemos! Prince!", corrected Leo and elbowed Percy hard.
But Percy was too busy ignoring Leo and returning Nico's surprised stare. At least until Leo started vehemently pulling on Percy's arm and guiding him out of the temple and away into the streets.
Author's note: Basically, Leo summarized this entire story at the end there! Everyone else: "Percy no!" - Percy: "Percy yes!"
Sooo. They met. Yay. Next chapter, they're gonna meet again and they will actually have a conversation. Shocking, I know. ;)