PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || A God Among Men || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO
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, kink for powers, worship, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, bondage, shoujo-ai, hetero, threesome
Main Pairing: Nico/Percy
Side Pairings: Reyna/Annabeth, Octavian/Luke, Ethan/Alabaster, Jake/Will, Frank/Hazel/Leo, Grover/Juniper, Malcolm/Katie, Chris/Clarisse, Charles/Silena, Jason/Calypso, Poseidon/Amphitrite | Poseidon/Sally, Zeus/Hera, Hades/Persephone, Ares/Aphrodite, Hephaestus/Aglaia, 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: Poseidon, Amphitrite, Triton, Demeter, Persephone, Hades, Hestia, Hera, Zeus, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus, Athena, Enyo, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Aglaia, Feronia, Furrina, Laverna, 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 6: The High Priestess of Perseus
"And you really think I should just ask him out?", asked the pretty gardener.
"Yes. Totally. If this scholar is so nice to you and keeps bringing you flowers even though you are the gardener, chances are he's into you. You should totally try, Katie", confirmed Percy seriously.
"Thank you", smiled Katie, pushing her dark-brown hair out of her face. "You know, I came to the temple of Lord Perseus to ask for safe passage for my sister's journey. I didn't expect advise on my love-life. But thank you. It was good to hear that, for once."
"No problem", grinned Percy before the grin softened to a smile. "And your sister will be fine."
Katie paused and looked up at him in wonder. The way Percy said it, it was impossible not to believe him. She smiled gently at him and nodded before heading out of the temple. Percy smiled where he sat with his legs folded right next to his own statue. He really enjoyed hanging out at the temple of Perseus, answering people's prayers and helping them out with their problems.
"Percy. Just the person I was looking for", chimed a happy voice.
Percy tilted his head and looked at Piper. The priestess of Hecate was heading toward him with two other females and with Octavian, who glowered suspiciously at Percy. Percy vaguely remembered meeting the females at the palace, but he really wasn't good at this whole remembering people's faces and names thing just yet. There were so many new faces.
"Did your brother send you to scold me?", asked Percy with a bright smile.
Piper snorted and shook her head. "No. Though Leo does fret a lot about you going to the temple alone and talking to people who want to pray in peace. But no, I was looking for you so you could meet my friends. Those are Reyna and Annabeth. Reyna is... part of the guards."
Reyna looked him up critically and Percy stiffened just a little. "I'm not here to arrest you. But... there have been a lot of whispers in the streets. About a young man who seems to have a close connection to Lord Perseus and whose predictions come true."
"I guess I just give good advise", smiled Percy innocently.
"Or you have a connection to the god", argued Annabeth as she stepped up to him and looked at him so intensely. "There is something strange about you. And if your premonitions keep coming true, it might just be that you have a special link to Lord Perseus."
"It would explain why you spend so much time here", offered Piper with a grin.
Percy had been 'human' for four weeks now and he had taken to coming in and answering prayers in his temple whenever he wasn't out with the thieves or at the forges with Leo or trying to sneak around with Nico and talk to the prince who just kept fascinating Percy more and more.
"So... why are you people here?", asked Percy very confused.
"We want to see if you have the... potential to become a priest", grunted Octavian.
He looked like the words gave him physical pain and that was just hilarious to watch. "Wait, what?"
"Octavian is here because he doesn't think you have the potential. He thinks you're a fraud", supplied Annabeth casually. "I am here because... the link to the gods fascinates me. And Reyna is here as your official escort. You've been called to the court to meet the high priestess of Perseus."
Oh. Oh, Percy had a high priestess? How awesome was that? He sat up straight and giddy. He couldn't wait to see who was dedicated enough to him to become his high priestess!
"Ye—es. I totally wanna meet her", declared Percy and jumped off the statue.
/break\
"Where are you going, Hazel?", asked Nico curiously as he looked up from the scrolls.
Hazel smiled gently and innocently at her brother, telling Nico very clearly that whatever it was she was up to was neither innocent nor going to be good for Nico's overall health. Frank next to her kept blushing and fidgeting, which was even more of a bad sign. Sighing, he shook his head and waved them off; he did not need that. He had enough on his mind without whatever it was his sister was up to. He had important business to focus on, but all he could think of were sea-green eyes. Over the past four weeks since the ethereal beauty had first crossed his path, Nico had been unable to shake Persephonus from his mind. Oh, truly, he was worthy of his name.
"Sweetie, what is it that has you spacing out so much lately?"
Nico blinked and looked up as his mother entered the room. Maria was a true beauty, the fresh flowers woven into her hair only added to the youth and liveliness that she emitted. He smiled as his mother approached him and sat down next to him. She was always kind and attentive to her children and he knew she had been eyeing him suspiciously for two weeks now. Two weeks had passed since he had run into Percy at the temple of Hecate. The first time the two of them had actually been able to spend some quality time with each other. They had walked from temple to temple and talked for hours. Nico was completely enamored by the boy.
"I... have met someone", started Nico cautiously.
"Oh?", asked Maria, sitting up straighter as she scooted closer to her son. "Tell me more."
"H—She... is named after Lady Persephone", continued Nico, fidgeting with his hands a little. "And... the name suits h—her. Truly, she shares many trades with Lady Persephone."
There was a mischievous and fond look on Maria's face as she looked at her son. Nico blushed, if just a little. The tale of Hades and Persephone had always been Nico's favorite bedtime story. It had always been the kind of love that Nico sought; someone to complete him like that, his other half, the light and life to his own serious darkness. The king of the underworld, who had been so lonely, until this bright and beautiful spring goddess had walked into his life and captured his heart. The obstacle they had faced – the disapproval of Zeus and Demeter – was something he could kind of relate to, with his fear of his own desires being disapproved of. Yet Hades and Persephone prevailed, the gods with the strongest, most loyal relationship. It was what he wanted too.
"Tell me more about this Persephone", requested Maria, her voice gentle and caring.
"S...he is more beautiful than any flower in your garden, mother", whispered Nico, a far-away look on his face as his thoughts drifted off to Persephonus; to Percy. "But at the same time... not. There is a wildness to him. Like the sea, calm and beautiful but dangerous at the same time. So kind and... and caring. And gentle. He listens to me and to what troubles me with gentle understanding."
Maria's eyes widened in sudden understanding and then they softened in pain. He, mh? Was that it, in the end? The big thing that had been driving Nico away from his parents in recent years. And here Hades kept saying it was about 'teenage hormones' and 'boys being boys'. More like 'boys being into boys'. And this boy named after her, Persephone needed to meet him. Because the look she saw on her son's face? It was the same look Hades still gave her to this day. The look of a man whose heart had been captured and stolen for good. It seemed that Persephone – no, Queen Maria – would have a full plate of investigating to do before she could properly deal with this.
/break\
Leo was fretting about Percy. He has been doing a lot of fretting ever since Percy had entered their lives. The boy was just so incredibly different from anyone Leo had ever met, really. He was very innocent – half the time, he didn't even understand why stealing was bad. Not in the same way as Travis, Connor, Cecil and Chris, who just thought that they were entitled to it and as long as they could, why shouldn't they? No, Percy was genuinely baffled that there were starving people who were not allowed to just take the food they wanted. He had no concept of why that was a thing.
Leo was seriously dying to go and visit Percy's home-country. Wherever it was. Because that boy was as vague as possible. Leo wasn't stupid, he knew Percy was hiding something. Luke had already established early on that it was obvious that Percy had some kind of royal blood; it would also explain why the boy had no understanding of the concept of poverty. But then why had he run away? Had he been forced into some unwanted marriage? Had he been hurt? It was Luke's theory number one, that Percy had been married off to someone abusive who treated him badly. The theory only made everyone in the den even more protective of the innocent, naive boy.
"Hello, Piper's pretty brother."
Leo blinked very slowly. He was Piper's brother. But... pretty? Carefully, Leo looked up from his work to see... oh. His cheeks were aflame as he stared at the youngest princess.
"Y—Your highness", stuttered Leo surprised and bowed hastily.
"Hazel, please", offered Princess Hazelina like Leo wasn't just some commoner. "And this is my fiance, Frank. Frank, this is Piper's precious brother Leo. The one I told you about."
Pretty? Precious? What was wrong with that princess? Leo peeked past Hazel to look at this Frank. His eyes widened at the tall, broad, strong-looking guy. Damn, that princess had taste. Frank looked like he could bench-press an elephant or something. Leo blushed again.
"Uh. Can... I do something for you?", asked Leo carefully.
"I was... looking for jewelry for my fiance", nodded Frank, voice soft as he stepped up.
"Oh. Well, we got plenty of those", stated Leo, smiling and relaxing a little as the fell into a territory where he knew what to do with. "What did you have in mind for the lovely lady?"
Hazel blinked surprised and smiled a little at the young smith's words, while Frank laughed. "I honestly don't know. I'm not good with... jewelry. What would you recommend for her?"
"Definitely gold", started Leo as he looked Hazel up and down with a professional intensity, unaware that despite its professionalism it was flustering the princess. "Gold goes not just with those... fascinating eyes, but also with the princess' skin-complexion. Color-wise... mh... Considering that you prefer purple clothes, my lady, I think that purple sapphires might go along with that well. Mh. We don't have anything with purple sapphires right now, but Charles and Jake will leave to get new shipments of gems. I could put them on the order and... make something?"
"Yes, that sounds lovely", smiled Hazel please.
"I want you to go all out on it", confirmed Frank, looking Leo up and down. "Whatever you think would be best for Hazel. Because she only deserves the best."
"Of course she does", nodded Leo hastily. "Will get onto it right away!"
He saluted and missed the fond amusement with which Frank and Hazel regarded him.
/break\
Nico felt really relieved as he sat together with some of his advisers. Jason and Ethan, as well as their respective lovers. Malcolm had been with them too, but then Katie the gardener had approached them with flushed cheeks and requested to speak to him.
"Three gold-pieces that Mal and Katie are boning right now", declared Alabaster with a grin.
He was laying sprawled out with his head on Ethan's lap. Ethan rolled his eyes and gently ran his fingers through Alabaster's hair. Nico watched them with silent envy. Though he truly did feel better now that he had talked to his mother. Maybe not about everything, maybe he hadn't yet been ready to admit his particular desires, but telling her about Percy, it had made things a little easier. How come this beautiful stranger kept drawing him in more and more...?
"No way, Malcolm is far too emotionally constipated for that", chuckled Jason. "If anything, they'll talk about their feelings. Maybe, with any luck, set up a date."
"Where are Reyna and Annabeth?", asked Nico thoughtfully, noting the lack of two of his advisers.
"They're on a 'special assignment'. But they'll come back", grinned Jason mischievously.
Nico raised both eyebrows and then he frowned at the blonde. Jason was one of his best friends, one of the greatest heroes Demetria had, yes, but sometimes the blonde was a weirdo. Shaking it off, Nico decided to relax for now and let the comfortable conversation wash over him. Something to distract him from his too frequent thoughts of Percy. He knew it was unhealthy, how attached he had grown to the other. What had started out as pure fascination – truly, Percy had looked like a divine sighting the first day Nico had spotted him – had moved on to physical attraction, because that ethereal beauty was very unique, but then Percy just kept showing up, being so blunt and honest and yet still also kind, sweet and helpful. With Percy, Nico felt as though he had finally found someone willing to try and understand him, willing to help him.
"There you are. Why are you here and not at the temple of Perseus?", sighed Annabeth.
She looked a little grumpy as she entered Nico's room. But her glare was not aimed at Nico, which Nico totally booked as a success. Instead, she was glaring next to Nico where Jason and his girlfriend sat together, both of them turning toward the irritated female.
"Excuse me for not always constantly being at the temple", huffed the high priestess of Perseus.
"You knew we were going to meet your girlfriend", grunted Reyna as she glared at Jason.
"Oh, what was I supposed to do? It's not like I can magically talk to you guys while you're out in the city", huffed Jason defensively. "I didn't know she was planning on visiting me."
"Uhm, hello, guys, totally confused little me here", chimed another voice.
Nico blinked as Percy stepped up between Reyna and Annabeth. His heart beat just a little faster as he looked at the beautiful young man. He turned to look at Nico and once Percy spotted him, he smiled brightly, clearly happy and pleased to see him. Another reason why Nico was so hooked on Percy, probably. Yes, everyone was always pleased to have Nico around them since Nico was the prince, but with Percy he felt as though it was never about Nico's status, it was always about Percy just wishing to be in Nico's company. Nico couldn't help but return the smile.
"This is Percy. He... seems to have a close connection to Lord Perseus and his wishes and approvals", elaborated Annabeth slowly as the others all stared curiously at Percy. "Percy, this is the high priestess of Lord Perseus. Calypso, this is Persephonus."
There was a strange moment, one where not just Nico but also the others could feel the tension as Calypso and Percy stared at each other with wide eyes, like two people sharing a secret.
"H—He is...", started Calypso before she started laughing hysterically.
"Cally? Are you... alright?", asked Jason carefully, patting Calypso's back. "Love?"
"He's the one you want as a priest of Perseus?", sputtered Calypso, shaking her head.
"I do agree with how ridiculous the notion is", grunted Octavian on guard as he stepped up from the shadows like the damn creep he was. "But... you see it as a bit too hilarious."
"Ca—Calypso... can we... can we talk? Outside?", squeaked Percy wide-eyed.
She sobered up and nodded and the others could only watch them. Nico frowned as he turned toward Jason, searching for his friend's eyes and for an explanation. The high priestess of Perseus was normally a very strict and serious woman, he had never seen her act that... frantic before. Something was not right here and Nico did not like it at all.
/break\
"Oh my gods, Cally, how long have you been off Ogygia?!", exclaimed Percy.
His voice was hushed and in a hissing tone as he lunged at Calypso the moment the two of them were outside on the balcony and out of earshot. She started laughing again, this time a little less maniacally as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him closer.
"Oh, Percy, I'm so happy to see you", whispered Calypso as she nearly crushed his ribs in her hug.
"Ouch, titan strength, watch it, woman", hissed Percy. "I'm just a breakable, tiny god, you know?"
She laughed again, burying her face in his neck. "I know. Which does make me wonder: What in the world are you doing in the mortal world? Here, of all places?"
"Oh no, I asked first", argued Percy, poking her side.
"I...", started Calypso and flushed a little, eyes wandering to the curtain behind which Jason and the others were sitting. "Jason, he is a great hero of this kingdom. He was on a quest. A storm caused his ship to sink and he was stranded on Ogygia. But unlike the other heroes who come and go, he... he was so strong, so determined. He didn't give up. He saved me from that island. My hero."
Percy smiled gently and went in for another hug. "I'm so happy for you."
And he was. He was immensely happy for her. He had first met Calypso when he was just a little boy, curious about humans even back then. He ended up on her island, only fourteen years old. She had been nothing but kind to him. They had become friends, even though it had only been a few months he had stayed with her – well, days in the real world, but time went differently on Ogygia. He had promised her he would help her, but he was just a young boy; no one took him quite seriously. The Olympians still pinched his cheeks like he was an adorable toddler – it was one of the reasons he had run away. Because he was tired of not being taken seriously.
"So, wait, this Demetrian hero comes, swoops you off your feet, brings you here and you decide to become high priestess of my temple?", asked Percy after a moment to digest.
Calypso smiled at him gently, caressing his cheek. "You were sweet. Kind. The only god to ever show me kindness. When I stumbled into this strange kingdom, this new world so different from my isolated, little island... I often sought out your temple because you were... a familiar face. And then I somehow became priestess and later on high priestess, yes. Now, truthfully, what are you doing here? And why does Annabeth think of appointing you to be a priest of, well, you?"
Percy grinned sheepishly and ducked his head. "I... kind of... ran away from home. I was tired of being patronized. Of living in my very own Ogygia. So I left, to explore the mortal world. And, well, since this place seems so fond of me, I wanted to meet those people so fond of me. So... I'm not Lord Perseus. I'm Persephonus, just a random commoner."
"A random commoner who has spent so much time at the temple of Perseus that I have heard a lot of you. Many approached me and asked me about you, thinking you to be a priest because you spoke with so much conviction about the god's will", stated Calypso seriously.
Percy blushed and ruffled his hair awkwardly. "Well, I mean... they ask questions! How can I not answer them?! That's just rude! I wanna help, if it's in my powers."
Calypso shook her head, gently grasping his face to make him look at her. Her eyes were piercing and stern. "Percy. You're treading a very fine line there. Hiding as a mortal among mortals is one thing, but if you keep being so obvious, someone will grow suspicious. You need to lay low. Not associate with the royals and priests and making a fuss at your own temple."
Percy frowned with a pout. "I... I know. I try. It's just... hard. And learning more about the way humans perceive us gods, it's... it's kind of amazing. Please don't rattle me out. Please."
"Who to?", snorted Calypso and rolled her eyes. "The gods who banished me onto that damned island? Why would I? Oh no. I am here. I'm happy here. And if... if my only friend would be here with me, I would be even happier, Persephonus." She smirked a little. "Honoring your cousin?"
"You know I adore Phone", shrugged Percy and wiggled his nose. "She's like the only god who might just not disapprove of what I'm doing here. And I had already introduced myself as Percy..."
"Very well, Persephonus. Let's go and see if you're up to the challenge", chuckled Calypso.
Percy's eyes sparkled in gratitude. Calypso had his back. Of course she would have his back. He leaned in for another hug, because having someone who knew – someone who knew the truth – it felt so much better than just having the others coddle him and having to lie to them, even though he cared so deeply about them all at this point. The lies, they were eating away on him.
"Okay, let's go. You have to introduce me to your hero", declared Percy with a grin.
Author's note: Next episode is gonna show Percy and Nico actually finally moving on to the next step in their relationship! Like, ya know, actually achieving relationship-status. After Persephone does some Good Parenting ;)