A/N: I thought about doing a Nico's P.O.V, but what the heck, Percy needs to find out sooner or later. This chapter and the next might annoy you.

To Matt (Guest): I guess it is pretty confusing. Yes, you're right, it's my mistake. However, I deleted your review for a few reasons. Maybe you could create an account and PM me instead? Thank you for your feedback, though. I appreciate it; seriously.

Disclaimer: With the exception of my own plots/OC's, etc.; Rick Riordan owns the rest (quotes, characters, etc.).


II: PERCY

Interruptions Need a Sign

'I don't need to.' Favonius tossed his bronze hoop in the air. 'Everyone has the wrong impression of Cupid . . . until they meet him.'

Nico braced himself against the column, his legs trembling visibly.

'Hey, man . . .' Jason stepped toward him, but Nico waved him off.

Percy thought about the sentence. Yeah, he knew that Nico didn't like anyone touching him.

At Nico's feet, the grass turned brown and wilted. The dead patch spread outward, as if poison were seeping from the soles of his shoes.

'Ah . . .' Flavonius nodded sympathetically. 'I don't blame you for being nervous, Nico di Angelo. Do you know how I ended up serving Cupid?'

'I don't serve anyone,' Nico muttered. 'Especially not Cupid.'

Percy wondered what the son of Hades had against the god of . . . love? He tried to think about any tales. He remembered Annabeth telling him the tale about Eros and Psyche. It kind of was like 'Beauty and the Beast', but then he considered Favonius' words. "Everyone has the wrong impression of Cupid . . . until they met him."

Roman. Percy amended his mistake. Weren't the Greek and Roman nature of the gods and goddesses different?

Favonius continued as if he hadn't heard. 'I fell in love with a mortal named Hyacinthus. He was quite extraordinary.'

'He . . .?' Jason's brain was still fuzzy from his wind trip, so it took him a second to process that. 'Oh . . .'

'Yes, Jason Grace.' Favonius arched an eyebrow. 'I fell in love with a dude. Does that shock you?'

Honestly, Jason wasn't sure. He tried not to think about the details of godly lives, no matter who they fell in love with. After all, his dad, Jupiter, wasn't exactly a model of good behavior. Compared to some of the Olympian love scandals he'd heard about, the West Wind falling in love with a mortal didn't seem very shocking. 'I guess not. So . . . Cupid struck you with his arrow, and you fell in love.'

Favonius snorted. 'You make it sound so simple. Alas, love is never simple. You see, the god Apollo also liked Hyacinthus. He claimed they were just friends. I don't know. But one day I came across them together, playing a game of quoits '

There was that weird word again. 'Quoits?'

'A game with those hoops,' explained Nico, though his voice was brittle. 'Like horseshoes.'

Again, Percy wondered about Nico's knowledge. The Italian seemed so young, and vulnerable . . . at least the first time he saw him. But now, Nico was more isolated and distant.

'Sort of,' Favonius said. 'At any rate, I was jealous. Instead of confronting them and finding out the truth, I shifted the wind and sent a heavy metal ring at Hyacinthus's head and. . .well.' The wind god sighed. 'As Hyacinthus died, Apollo turned him into a flower, the hyacinth. I'm sure Apollo would've taken horrible vengeance on me, but Cupid offered me his protection. I'd done a terrible thing, but I've been driven mad by love, so he spared me, on the condition that I work for him forever.'

Percy whistled under his breath. This Cupid guy sounded like he was taking advantage of Favonius. But then again, Favonius's actions were serious.

Would I face or run away from a crime I deserve? He thought. He already faced though his own demons, ghosts, and curses. It hurt him a lot.

CUPID.

The name echoed through the ruins again.

'That would be my cue.' Favonius stood. 'Think long and hard about how you proceed, Nico di Angelo. You cannot lie to Cupid. If you let your anger rule you . . . well, your fate will be even sadder than mine.'

Jason felt like his brain was turning back to the wind. He didn't understand what Favonius was talking about, or why Nico seemed so shaken, but he had no time to think about it. The wind god disappeared in a swirl of red and gold. The summer air suddenly felt oppressive. The ground shook, and Jason and Nico drew their swords.

"What are you doing?"

Percy blinked, instinctively hiding the book behind his back. He had nearly dropped it from initial shock, but caught himself fortunately. "Huh?"

Will rubbed his face, as if exhausted. "Annabeth came over, saying you were supposed to ask me for ibuprofen."

"Right," Percy replied sheepishly. "Uh, did you . . . ?"

"Don't worry, I gave her some. But you should handle your tasks first before reading."

"Will do."

The blonde nodded, as if he was the older of the two demigods. "What are you reading? You seem . . . more thoughtful."

"It's called . . ." Percy paused. Think, think! He chided. "Hm, it's just on the tip of my tongue. . ." he remembered his mom, Sally, placing one of her books on the kitchen table. "Marley & Me."

Instead of looking unimpressed at the lie, Will's mouth was widening into a smile. "I love that book! Such a shame when Marley dies, right? He was old, however, so it was good that they euthanized him."

"Thanks a lot!" Percy groaned, glad he got a hint. "I was probably getting to that part and you—seesh, man! Thanks a lot! Excuse me while I go to my cabin where nobody can give me spoilers!"

"Sorry," Will called after him, sounding deflated. "Uh . . . hope you still enjoy the book!"

Percy settled in his cabin, for once grateful that nobody was there. He eagerly flipped to his page, taking a deep breath.

So.

The voice rushed past Jason's ear like a bullet. When he turned, no one was there.

You came to claim the scepter.

Nico stood at his back, and for once Jason was glad to have the guy's company.

"'For once'?" Percy squinted at the words. "Dude, Nico is awesome! Man, Jason needs to work on his choice of words."

'Cupid,' Jason called, 'where are you?'

The voice laughed. It definitely didn't sound like a cute baby angel's. It sounded deep and rich, but also threatening—like a tremor before a major earthquake.

Where you least expect me, Cupid answered. As Love always is.

Something slammed into Jason and hurled him across the street. He toppled down a set of steps and sprawled on the floor of an excavated Roman basement.

I would think you'd know better, Jason Grace. Cupid's voice whirled around him. You've found true love, after all. Or do you still doubt yourself?

"I won't call it true love," Percy commented. "More like barf."

Nico scrambled down the steps. 'You okay?'

"You're too nice, for a guy who just started to appreciate your company."

Jason accepted his hand and got to his feet. 'Yeah. Just sucker punched.'

Oh, did you expect me to play fair? Cupid laughed. I am the god of love. I am never fair.

This time, Jason's senses were on high alert. He felt the air ripple just as an arrow materialized, racing toward Nico's chest.

Jason intercepted it with his sword and deflected it sideways. The arrow exploded against the nearest wall, peppering them with limestone shrapnel.

They ran up the steps. Jason pulled Nico to one side as —

"Percy?"

"What!" Percy snapped. He looked into the frightened eyes of Piper.

"I, um . . . " Piper slowly edged closer to the green-eyed boy. "Is this a bad time?"

Percy let out a sigh. "Sorry, I just . . . I feel like masturbating."

"Oh." Piper blinked. "Well, um, okay. Guess I should just —" She looked closely at Percy. "Are you kidding?"

"I feel like humping," Percy replied, putting emphasis on the last word.

Piper ran out of the cabin quickly.

Percy decided to be more prepared the next time. So he hastily wrote a sign: KEEP OUT! With OR DIE! as an afterthought, hanging it on the Cabin door. There. That should take care of things.

"Can't a person just read in silence?" he shouted to his bedroom's walls.

Of course, there was no reply.


The House of Hades: Pages 283—285