AN: Before you read this chapter, I wish to apologise for the inexcusable amount of time it has taken me to post. This delay has been caused by creative differences between myself and the person who originally told me of Zagreus in Greek mythology and suggested writing this story. It has since become clear that our interests and focuses in this work are not the same, and he has not wanted to take this story in certain directions that I fear may be the only real and satisfying conclusion. As a result it has stagnated. However, I know how frustrating it can be to read a story and for it to never finish, so I am going to try to finish this story. To do so, I feel I need to try to work alone, as I work best. If you are keen for me to continue this story, please accept that I need all the encouragement you can muster. I am currently writing a few original projects and another, and relatively successful, fanfic under a different pseudonym as well as trying to hold down a full time job and a social life. It's not an easy balancing act, but I'm willing to try if people are still keen.

Thanks for your patience and your support so far.

All the best

Envious

Eventually, Percy and Nico fell asleep on the same bed. They'd begun the night at opposite sides, facing away from each other. Nico had thought they were both angry enough to stay that way, even in sleep, but he still woke up with Percy two inches from his face and an arm flung over his shoulder. His own hand was resting on Percy's hip.

Percy's eyes flashed open only a moment after Nico's.

They both gasped, a shocked breath of surprise, but neither pulled away. Their eyes met each others, their breath warm on each other's faces. Nico's fingers secured themselves on Percy's hips without permission from his brain.

Percy's lips moved, like he was about to speak, but no words came out. Nico watched them, entranced by them. He wanted to cross the gap, meet Percy's lips with his own. But he didn't know if that was ok. He didn't know if Percy would push him away, and whether he did or didn't, if Nico could survive the heartbreak again.

"Nico," Percy whispered, the warmth of his breath caressing Nico's cheeks.

Nico didn't reply. He dragged his eyes from Percy's lips to his eyes, waiting for more words. Percy's hand drifted down his shoulder, along his arm, and then up again, leaving Nico's skin shivering in its wake.

"What are you doing?" Nico asked.

"I don't know," Percy replied. It sounded honest, confused, real.

"Percy," Nico protested, "I can't keep doing this. I can't get my hopes up only for you to knock them down again."

Percy's hand stilled and he closed his eyes. After a few moments he whispered "I'm sorry."

Nico nodded, feeling hot shameful tears in his eyes again. He rolled away from Percy, ready to run for the bathroom.

Percy caught his hand. "Wait, I don't mean... "

He sighed. Nico couldn't turn back to him. He didn't want Percy to see his tears.

"Nico, I care about you. I even… I … look…" He let go of Nico's hand and Nico sensed him turning away himself, with a great sigh, "I don't know what to do now," he said. "Because I don't know if I do love Annabeth, but I've believed it for so long. There is still love there, you know? I don't know if it's the right love, but… but we went through so much together. You know?"

"Yeah," said Nico, quietly.

"Yeah," said Percy, "but… but everytime I've touched you, every moment I've spent with you, I never… I never lied." Nico heard him turn on the bed, "I wanted to kiss you, I wanted you to kiss me back. When I woke up in the underworld, and you were in my arms, I could have moved away, but I didn't. You felt right there."

Hope. More hope clawing at Nico's chest, trying to fill him, trying to stop his brain reminding him that he always ended up broken hearted when he went down this path. But it was hard to argue with it. If he couldn't shout 'Percy loves Annabeth' at himself, it was hard to force down the desperate desire that maybe, just maybe, Percy could love him.

"Nico," Percy whispered. "Nico, do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Not really," Nico whispered back, not daring to turn back to Percy.

He heard Percy squirm behind him, "Nico, I... Nico, look at me!"

A hand grasped his arm, pulling him round. His eyes caught with Percy's, where he was sat in the center of the bed. Nico froze, deadly still, heart pounding, muscles tense like they were about to take flight. And Percy edged forward, crept up onto his knees and across the bed, to where Nico was unable to move. Percy ducked his head and crept closer until his lips met Nico's.

Nico wanted to weep. Percy's lips on his were a kind of torturous perfection. A heavenly feeling he craved, and yet dreaded because he knew it would be followed by rejection. But Percy didn't let up. He pushed closer, moved a hand to the back of Nico's head, trapping him in the kiss. His lips got firmer against Nico's, manipulating them, until Nico's parted, and Percy's tongue slipped into his mouth.

He flung his hands around Percy's neck, moaning at the feel of Percy's tongue against his own. He was lost. Percy had taken control of his mouth, like Nico wanted him to take the rest of him, to own his body, to crave him back, to fill him completely.

The door flew open, "Percy…"

Annabeth had chosen that moment to barge into their room. The kiss stopped abruptly, but Percy didn't pull away. There was no denying what they had been doing, no pretending it was nothing, that it was the act of friends. Percy's hands retreated slowly from Nico's head, and Nico pulled his own back, and looked down at the cover on the bed. They were both fully clothed, but Percy's face was flushed, and Nico's breathing was ragged.

"I… I just... " Annabeth stumbled over her words. "Er, Percy, I thought you should know, your Dad was defeated and he's… er… in the dungeon."

After Annabeth had begged for Zagreus not to leave Nico, Jason and the other one chained spread eagled to a wall as they deserved, Zagreus had told her to mind her own business, or she'd find herself chained up next to them. She hadn't looked impressed.

"I'm not challenging your authority, Lord Zagreus, I'm simply asking for them to not be made so uncomfortable."

"Give me one good reason!" Zagreus snapped at her.

Annabeth put her head on one side, "Because you may not need them on your side, but you want them there."

Zagreus only scoffed. "I do not want Jackson on my side!"

Annabeth raised a withering eyebrow. "But you want Nico and Jason to love and support you. And I don't think you'll get them both without Percy."

Zagreus scowled down at her. How could a woman of less than twenty-five have really understood all that already?

"Prometheus told me about Nico," Annabeth explained, without prompting, "And I figured it out about Jason because, well, why else would he be here?"

"Because they are the children of the three most powerful gods, who have been Olympus' best defence too many times?" Zagreus snapped.

"Well, I don't see Thalia or Hazel, so it's not about the elder gods, and there were seven of us on that boat, and Nico wasn't one of them."

"Ha," Zagreus replied, trying his best to belittle her, "You think some brats of Hephaestus, Aphrodite and Mars could make a difference to me?"

"Hardly the point, Zagreus," Annabeth replied, "If you want Jason and Nico to love you and follow you, you have to make them want to love you and follow you."

"No, I don't!" Zagreus snapped, "I can make them fear me! Jason said so."

"No," said Annabeth.

"No?!" Zagreus repeated, voice dangerous.

"No," Annabeth repeated, as though it were simplicity itself, "It's love or fear, Zagreus, you don't get both."

He sent her to her room. The palace was nearly complete now, anyway. He'd manipulated time to help her work, so she felt like she'd known him for months. Zagreus knew it was only days, though. She didn't really know as much as she thought.

He made sure she wouldn't know that he sent the demigods back to their rooms. He let them put Nico and Percy together. Percy would probably plan an escape, but at least Nico would know Zagreus was still looking out for him, even if he was a stubborn little brat. Then he froze them in time for two weeks. He needed to get moving if he wanted to rule Olympus.

Without sacrificing of the ophiotaurus, it would have to be by warfare. But sometimes, war was necessary. He had legions following him now. And there were three bases to take. The sea, the underworld and Olympus.

He decided to start with Poseidon. Mostly because it was what would be least expected. Poseidon had never done him any harm, and though he was changeable and dangerous as the seas, he could also be wise enough to understand when he could not win.

Poseidon had put up more of a resistance than he expected. They'd met beforehand, like battles leaders of ancient times. Poseidon had come armed, his son and wife at his side. He'd greeted Zagreus with a cool "Zagreus."

"Lord Uncle," Zagreus replied, just as coldly but with that hint at respect designed to put Poseidon ill at ease.

"Why have you marched on my Kingdom, nephew?" Poseidon asked, "Why have you kidnapped my son? A mortal is of no use as ransom to a god, so must I assume that taking Percy was merely designed to distract me?"

Zagreus remained calm and courteous in his response, "My uncle, I assure you, the Jackson boy is safe in my palace, and I would never stoop to such tricks to fight my just war."

"Just?" Poseidon replied, "When news of your rebirth reached Olympus, I celebrated with your father, and your response is to try to depose me?"

Zagreus bowed his head, "I thank you for that, uncle, but it is my destiny to rule Olympus. I must remove all obstacles."

Poseidon's face showed his anger, "I will not stand idly by as you destroy my home and my dominion."

"I have no wish to destroy it, uncle," Zagreus told him, "I merely intend to rule it."

Poseidon was not mollified, but then, Zagreus supposed he had a good reason for that. So he nodded respectfully at his uncle, and went back to his troops and Poseidon did the same. He attacked instantly, battering Poseidon's defences viciously, until a new follower arrived.

Triton came snivelling into his command tent after mere hours of battle, a white flag of truce held by a follower.

"My cousin, Zagreus!" he greeted, "It is a pleasure to meet you at last."

"We met a few hours ago, Triton. Do you come to negotiate your father's surrender?"

"Not exactly, cousin," said Triton. "I am here to offer my allegiance."

Zagreus watched him closely, "You side with me over your father?"

"I side with the future," said Triton, "you are the next generation. As am I. We cannot meet our true destinies while our fathers grow complacent in their power. You and I are made to rule."

"I was made to rule, Triton," Zagreus replied, coldly, "let there be no mistake about that."

"Of course, Zagreus," Triton replied with a small bow, "If I were to be ruler of the seas, naturally I would defer to my cousin."

"You're desires are simple, then?" Zagreus asked, "You wish to be my vassell? You will acknowledge me as your overlord?"

Triton smiled at him, "You and I, Zagreus, are the heirs of immortals. We cannot sit by and wait for someone to die who will never oblige. We need each other if we ever wish to inherit the power we deserve. I can end this battle within a day."

Without believing the words from Triton's mouth, Zagreus asked "And of your father?"

Triton shrugged. "He will resist for as long as he can. He will not trust you while you hold his favourite bastard, though he knows he cannot sacrifice his kingdom for someone with less than seventy years to live if he's lucky, and who will spend a blessed afterlife in comfort. But I can take him down from the inside. Destroy his defences and deliver him to you as your prisoner."

Zagreus knew better than to take Triton at his word.

"You have a week to do as you say," he said, "should you fail, you will share your father's fate."

Triton smirked, "I shall not fail."

Poseidon did not find it easy to believe that his own son had betrayed him. When creatures formerly loyal to him surrounded him in the battle and informed him he was a prisoner, his first response was to call on Triton to help him. Triton did the opposite, and clapped chains of celestial bronze on his wrists. Of course, Poseidon would never run, would not abandon his Kingdom to save himself. He fought tooth and nail against his captors. His loyal followers were already overwhelmed by Zagreus' forces, but he'd given his son too powerful a position. Triton's followers were too close to the god. He stumbled and fell.

Poseidon's capture was to Percy Jackson, what his own capture could never be. It took away his fight. As the words left Annabeth's mouth, Jackson seemed to deflate, like a tyre with a puncture.

"Defeated?" he repeated.

"Yes," replied Annabeth, "He's OK, he's not dead. I don't think Zagreus wants to kill him."

"He's... captured?"

Annabeth nodded.

"Can I... see him?" Jackson asked.

With an uncomfortable shift, Annabeth replied; "I don't know."

"But..." Jackson stumbled, "he ... he brought down Typhon, he held back all the ocean Titan forces unaided, he..."

"Zagreus is not the same," said Annabeth.

Zagreus could not help but smirk as he listened. The Jackson boy was defeated by this news. He would submit to Nico in no time now he was alone. Without the sea god as his beacon, he was just a lost child like the rest of them.

"Can you ask for me, Annabeth? If I can see my father?"

"I can ask," Annabeth replied, "but I can't control him."

"Annabeth!" Percy cried, "what are you doing? Why are you working for him?"

Annabeth sighed a great sigh. "Because I'm tired, Percy. I thought I was going to marry you. I thought I'd settle into some New York apartment near your mom, then have some kids, then maybe a house in the suburbs, and every now and again, fight some monsters, and risk our lives for the gods. But it's all a lie, Percy! I don't love you that way! I'm a daughter of Athena, I can only have one true love, and Percy, you aren't anywhere near my level. I mean, you're smart, you're a great fighter and a great leader but you're hardly the love of my life. And so Aphrodite plays one little game, and I'm supposed to find happiness with you, forever? When I should be out there designing great buildings and you're gay? These are the people who expect us to die for them, Percy! Are they really worth saving?"

Jackson still floundered to argue, "My dad..."

"Killed his father and was betrayed by his son."

"Who?" Jackson demanded, as though the idea were shocking.

"Triton."

Nico shuffled uneasily forward, making Zagreus sneer. "Percy, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," the elder boy mumbled.

"I thought he was just another demigod, I swear! I never dreamed he would..." Nico protested.

"It's not your fault, Nico," Jackson interrupted.

And Nico still hadn't learned. He needed to make Jackson pay for talking to him like that, for being so rude and disrespectful. But Nico just stopped replying.

"I need to speak to my dad," said Jackson, "What should I do? Should I beg?"

"Probably," said Annabeth, thoughtfully. "I think you're only alive because Nico loves you. Better grovel. Show him you're beaten and broken. You know."

"Beaten and broken," repeated Jackson, sounding just that.

"But you're not, are you?" said Nico, worriedly, "you're just ... trying to see your dad? Then you'll be fine?"

Jackson didn't answer. Zagreus smiled to himself.