Romeo (& Cinderella), a percy jackson and the olympians fanfic

Warnings: There are sexual scenes so be warned. A little bit more graphic than the first. This is also an AU, and if you're uncomfortable with the characters being OOC, then I am warning in advance that they are going to be. All in good fun.

In this fic, their ages are the following: Zagreus - 29; Thanatos & Theseus - 28; Percy & Bianca - 27; Hazel - 25; Nico - 24

"Perseus. Tell me what I'm supposed to do with all these?"

King Poseidon waved a stack of letters in his hands as he addressed his youngest son. Sea-green eyes that were identical to his looked up at him in confusion, not processing why he was being called out all of a sudden.

"... You could just throw it," Percy suggested cautiously as he looked back and forth at his father's disappointed face and the stack of letters in his hand. "... Or burn it."

"You do know these are wedding proposals, right?" His father asked rhetorically, his lips turned down into a frown. "Why don't you want to look at them?"

It was his turn to look disappointed.

"Look, Dad. I just think that I don't want to meet my future spouse this way," Percy stated, taking on a defensive tone as he frowned as well. He didn't appreciate that they were trying to meddle with something so personal to him.

"Then how do you intend to meet them?" Queen Amphitrite, his mother, asked while looking at him with concern. She meant well, he mentally convinced himself. They both did.

"I'm not really looking for one right now. Anyway, why are you all focusing on me? Triton's not married and Theseus is screwing around with another man's wife," Percy pointed out, causing the latter to choke on water from beside him. Their parents looked disapprovingly at Theseus at the aforementioned activities of their son.

"For your information, dear brother, I am to be betrothed soon," Triton said in a calm voice, looking at his youngest brother with one of his brows arched. "A political marriage which father and mother arranged."

"Oh no, who's the poor woman?" Percy said with faux concern. He smirked as his oldest brother glared at him from across the table, keeping it plastered across his face even as Triton not so subtly kicked him under the table.

"First of all, 'screwed'. It's in the past," Theseus stated, causing his brothers to roll their eyes in response. Yes, because the fact that it happened in the past was improving his record. "Second of all, I'm currently pursuing someone else."

"By pursuing, you mean 'screwing'," Triton quipped, causing Percy to laugh while Theseus grimaced.

"You're lucky you're my brothers," Theseus grumbled, stabbing a piece of bread on his plate.

"Or what? I can easily beat you now," Percy easily declared only to grunt a second later when his brother started jabbing at his sides in retaliation.

"Enough," their mother scolded them, causing the two brothers to sit up straight. "Percy, you're already twenty-seven. You won't get any younger. Don't you want to settle down?"

"I just want it to be with the right person. Like you and Dad," Percy tried to appeal to flattery, but Theseus was snickering beside him.

It was partly the truth; he wanted the kind of love that they possessed - the kind that would last. But what he wanted was almost… ludicrous: he believed in love like a fairytale. Not the whole package with killing witches or slaying dragons - not that they existed. For someone of his status, it was indeed ludicrous, but it was something he wanted. That immediate spark when you know that that person was meant for you, how that person would be the center of your world as you would be theirs. The silent understanding in each other's eyes and all the soft and loving notions. He wanted that for himself as unattainable as it seemed.

"How will you even find the right person if you don't get out unless you're doing your duties?" his father sighed, massaging his temples with his free hand.

"Fine. How about this? We have to send someone to discuss and settle some matters with the Skotádian empire for a month, right?" Percy questioned. He was getting tired of them pestering him about marriage. If this was the only way to get them off of his back, he'd do it. "I'll go settle these matters. If you can find someone 'perfect'-" He made quotations in the air. "-for me by the time I come back, I'd consider marrying them."

"Do you promise to consider it?" his mother asked with a spark of excitement in her eyes. He nodded in response. "Let him go. If we don't find someone for him here, maybe he'll find someone there."

"Hades' eldest daughter is around his age. The second one is about two years younger, though she's already engaged. Perhaps he really would find someone there." King Poseidon murmured as he gave his consent.

That seemed to end the conversation about marriage and proposals, but his older brother didn't seem to think so.

"Percy, maybe you should think about this…" At that point, their parents and oldest brother were already preoccupied with a separate discussion of their own. Theseus whispered from his side, looking at him with genuine concern. They both knew their parents took his words as an invitation to arrange him in a political marriage. Percy couldn't deny his mother's words though, he wasn't getting any younger and clearly, he wasn't going to find his future partner here.

If he was meant to have it, he would have it, he convinced himself. If it wasn't for him, that's just how life worked.

"It's fine," he said dismissively, not knowing he would be regretting it terribly afterwards.

He kept his expectations relatively low so that he wouldn't be setting himself up for disappointment, but Percy would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit hopeful that his first visit to Skotádi would bear fruit. Nobles and aristocrats approached him with purpose, and while Percy entertained them, it was all for the sake of pleasantries. He steered clear from most of them the moment their hidden agendas shone through in their eyes. While he felt privileged for being born in a position where he never had to struggle, for what he wanted, it was troublesome. No one would probably spare him another second of attention if he wasn't who he was - that was the truth. His position labeled him as someone to be attained, and nothing more, which was why he avoided these gatherings like a plague.

A considerable amount of time had passed before the siblings entered the room one-by-one with the herald announcing their names, each a picture-perfect definition of a royal prince or princess. All of them possessed a certain level of allure that captivated the eyes of everyone present, but Percy was observant enough to grasp each of their personalities. There was faux politeness, reserved for the guests, but he could sense that they were genuinely good people despite the stigma of having a supposedly merciless father as King Hades. The people seemed to highly respect them as well.

Princess Bianca di Angelo was pretty, Percy thought as he watched her from afar. She was prim and proper, demure and graceful. Everyone adored her, and Percy could understand why. She was pretty, but Percy felt nothing while looking at her. Not her then, he thought to himself as he looked away. He had hoped it would be her. He couldn't help but be slightly disappointed that it wasn't her.

"Prince Niccolò di Angelo!" The herald announced the fifth heir's name last.

Percy didn't really have any intention to pay attention afterwards, as disappointment rested thickly on his tongue that not even the wine from earlier could wash away. But the moment Niccolò di Angelo stepped into the room, all of his siblings' and father's eyes were on him. Percy only saw pure, unadulterated love in their eyes, and it sparked curiosity in him to know who this person was that was clearly the apple of their eyes. The moment his eyes landed on the youngest, his breath hitched, and his eyes widened in surprise.

Angel, he couldn't help but think. He was beautiful. It would seem odd to call a man a word that was usually associated with the opposite gender, but Percy couldn't think of a word that better suited him. From his natural artistically styled short hair, to his soft russet-brown eyes… to his perfect petal-shaped lips, to his glowing olive skin… to his slender frame, to his natural grace… And when he smiled at his siblings, all pearly whites and dimpled cheeks, Percy felt the room become just slightly brighter. Perfect. For Percy, he was perfect, but the son of Poseidon could see that not everyone held the same sentiments. In fact, only him and his family had their eyes on him - all with fondness and adoration - while the rest seemed to look on with disdain or simply neglected his presence.

What's wrong with these people? He couldn't help but think, an unreasonable anger burning in his chest. They couldn't appreciate a precious jewel in their midst; they were blind to his beauty. For some reason, he found himself looking for the fifth heir, excusing himself from the nobles and aristocrats who stood in his way. It was impolite - he was well-aware that it was improper decorum - but for some reason he felt that he needed to see him again.

And see him, he did.

Niccolò stood in a corner of the room, casually leaning back against the wall, a glass of wine in his hand. He briefly glanced around from time-to-time, and in Percy's perspective, he looked uncomfortable - almost miserable - to be in this gathering, despite being one of the few who had the most right to be there. From this distance, he could see how the tips of his hair seemed to curl around the area around his eyes, framing them lovingly. He was lovely, Percy thought. The loveliest person Percy had ever seen.

"Someone so beautiful doesn't deserve to be a wallflower in his own home." Percy found himself saying as he approached the younger male. His heart skipped a beat and began pounding violently in his chest once those russet-brown eyes looked at him with interest yet skepticism. Eventually, those pale pink lips curled up in a smirk as the son of Hades confidently held out his hand to him.

"Sorry, I don't talk to strangers." Even his voice sounded beautiful. Percy acknowledged. "Niccolò di Angelo. Nico's just fine."

"Perseus Tzákson, third heir of Thálassa, though I prefer to be called Percy. Perseus sounds pompous." How he managed to sound casual, he had no idea. Instead of settling for a handshake, he took the extended hand with practiced ease and brought it to his lips to place a chaste kiss on the back of it. The skin felt cold yet smooth to his touch. It felt right to hold his hand, and he felt an immediate sense of loss when Nico took it back a few seconds later.

Belatedly, he noted that despite the multiple rings on his fingers, there was an obvious lack on his ring finger. Something in Percy took pleasure in seeing it unclaimed.

"So, pray tell, what do I deserve to be then?" Russet-brown eyes remained locked onto his sea-green ones as Nico brought the rim of the wine glass to his lips, taking a slow sip. Percy found himself entranced by the movement as he watched the elegant curve of his neck move as he swallowed, so much so that he failed to see the ghost of a smile playing along the curve of Nico's lips.

"You deserve to be my dance partner. Care for a dance, angel?" Percy found himself offering, extending one of his hands to Nico who seemed to contemplate the offer for a few seconds before he placed his half-empty glass of wine on a passing server's tray.

"You're charming. Be my guest." He firmly took hold of Nico's hand, guiding him towards the middle of the room. He was absorbed with the feeling of the smaller hand against his that he didn't notice the crowd parting for them or the lack of sound as the music stopped as well. The Skotádian prince surprisingly took the lead, confidently placing a hand against Percy's shoulder while taking Percy's other hand.

It was only when the Thálassian prince's free hand rested against that slender waist that Percy suddenly remembered a pressing dilemma. He froze when the music suddenly played, and his partner seemed confused as they simply remained standing in place while the rest of the couples moved around them, following the flow of the soft music.

"Crap. I forgot I don't know how to dance," Percy admitted in a low voice so only his partner could hear.

"What?!" But Nico seemed to have other plans as he suddenly exclaimed, earning the attention of the people around them.

"I don't know how to do these fancy dances. I always skip the classes because they feel stuck-up," Percy offered sheepishly, genuinely embarrassed but he had a cheeky grin on his lips. When he asked Nico to dance, it seemed like the right and romantic thing to say, so much so that he forgot his inadequacy. He just couldn't be bothered to attend the classes, and since he didn't find anyone he wanted to dance with, it was fine. He was now regretting skipping those classes at that moment.

"You…" Nico continued watching him with a flabbergasted expression, before it suddenly morphed into amusement, small giggles escaping from his lips. Percy could only appreciate it for a few seconds before the son of Hades started laughing out loud. Percy found the sound and sight endearing. "Why did you even ask me here if you didn't know how to dance?" Nico asked breathlessly, wiping at the tears at the corners of his eyes.

"Like I said, someone so beautiful didn't deserve to be a wallflower in his own home," Percy answered truthfully, giving him a genuine smile as his warm hands rested against Nico's small waist, as if it belonged there. It felt like it belonged there.

"You're amusing, Prince Perseus. Normally, when they want to bed me, they would be more straightforward," Nico murmured, returning the smile with one of his own.

He almost missed what he said, blinded by that beautiful smile.

Bed him? What did his angel mean?

"You don't know my reputation? This is a first," Nico said, voice laced with surprise, but it quickly disappeared - as if a switch had been flipped - as he slowly wrapped his arms around Percy's neck with great confidence.

Percy blushed brightly at their intimate position, and the flush on his cheeks only became brighter as the younger male pressed forward until there was no more space between their bodies. Percy could feel every curve and dip of that perfect body molding against every inch of his, their bodies fitting against each other like two puzzle pieces. He could feel the alluring coldness of Nico's skin underneath his clothes, and he had an overwhelming urge to warm it with his body heat. In their close proximity, Percy smelled petrichor on his skin. No, that was Nico's scent - petrichor. It was so comforting - yet so seductive - he wanted to bottle up that scent and drown in it forever.

"Will you let me show you my appreciation for entertaining me tonight? I'll make it worth your while." Nico leaned up to heatedly whisper against the shell of his ear. Percy's breath hitched at the tantalizing warmth from those lips as his arms instinctively wrapped around the younger male, pulling him flush against his body.

In all his twenty-seven years, he had never been intimate with anyone; he had never wanted anyone. Something like intimacy was supposed to be sacred - shared between partners who were tied down in matrimony. He had never taken to bed anyone, for the moment he did, he wanted it only with the person he was going to spend the rest of his life with. But here was Niccolò di Angelo, challenging his beliefs by going through the notions backwards, and Percy couldn't find it in himself to resist.

Prince Niccolò di Angelo was insatiable, and Percy matched his desires equally with his own.

His first should have been special - their first should have been special - but this was fine too. More than fine. Nico said nothing about his inexperience, guiding Percy to take what he desired and guiding Percy to give what Nico desired. Every inch of his lover's flawless skin tasted and felt like heaven, and every lovely sound he made only served to elevate Percy's ecstacy. His lips, gods those lips, tasted like the sweetest nectar that Percy couldn't stop himself from suckling on them until they were bruised and red before he then suckled on his tongue, finding himself getting addicted to its sweet taste. He lost control on many occasions, his strong hands pinning that seductive body mercilessly on the bed as Percy marked and tasted every inch of skin until there was nothing left untouched. Even then, he continued, encouraged by the symphony of their erotic union. Nico begged for him so sweetly; Percy would have given him the world if he so desired.

When their bodies connected the first time, it felt like coming home, and Percy never wanted to leave. As he took him over and over again, it was those beautiful russet-brown eyes that grounded him. They looked at him with passion, lust, and reverence. As if he only desired Percy, and Percy alone was the only person able to satisfy his body's carnal needs. As it should be, a possessive voice growled in his head as he released his seeds deep inside that small body for the umpteenth time that night, fingers digging onto slender hips as he forced his lover's body to completely take everything. Nico collapsed on the bed with an adorable, little whimper, the existing glaze of lust in his eyes denoting that they were just beginning.

He had never wanted anyone, yet at that moment, Percy wanted to take him back to their kingdom and marry him immediately. Nico was the only one who ever completely captured his entire attention, and Percy was undeniably enamored with him from the moment his eyes laid on him.

If this was not love, what else could it be?

"This is another first; you're thinking of something other than me. What's keeping your attention from me, my prince?" Percy was snapped out of his thoughts as his lover stretched his body from beside him, biting his lower lip seductively as he closed his eyes before Percy could see the clear satisfaction in them. The sight of the young man biting his lower lip stirred now an all too familiar sensation in his lower region, causing him to pull Nico flush against his body, trapping him in another passionate kiss. He felt electricity race down his spine as his lover softly moaned into his mouth, and he could feel those now bruised lips smiling against his.

"I'll forgive you if you keep worshiping me like this," Nico whispered into the kiss, and Percy almost wanted to tell him that he had nothing to worry about; that Percy would worship him every single day if that was what his heart desired.

"I'm just thinking how to tell father about us," Percy admitted, albeit distracted as he suckled on those petal-shaped lips.

"Why would you tell your father what happened tonight?" Nico asked after a while when their lips parted, a string of saliva connecting them. Neither of them seemed to care for it though as Nico's hands splayed across Percy's body greedily and confidently, knowing it was all his.

None of them seemed to be able to handle holding a conversation, both still trapped in an oh so blissful dream with no intention of leaving. Nico's lips traced a path down his lover's body, his tongue occasionally peeking out to trace the dips on muscled abdomen. He kept his eyes on Percy the entire time, and the latter couldn't find it in himself to look away even as Nico slid further down, his face hovering inches above his engorged shaft.

"Well…" Percy said rather breathlessly, recalling in that moment that Nico asked him a question. But before he could formulate a response, a wet tongue lapped at the precum on his tip before a sinfully warm mouth closed around his glans, suckling on the skin hungrily. His hands fisted on the sheets as Nico slowly, slowly moved down his shaft, that sweet nectar trailing down to the base. "T-Though we have certainly skipped steps, I still have to properly court you. That would be the most appropriate thing to do, and also to earn the respect of your family."

Why was Nico asking him these questions? He belatedly wondered. That should have been obvious.

But all of a sudden, his Angel stopped. There was a sudden coldness in those russet-brown eyes as they looked at him, and it alarmed him. The entire night, he had only ever seen a certain playful side to Niccolò di Angelo. Whatever it was about his response, Nico disliked it with a vengeance.

"What did you think was happening here, Perseus?" Nico asked upon lifting his mouth off of him, cleaning the tip - as if in a gesture of thanks - that was dripping with precum before suddenly lifting himself off of the older male for the first time in hours. Alarmed with the sudden change in Nico's voice and posture, Percy raised himself up as well until he was seated.

"Did you think there was a meaning to us kissing? To us having sex? Did you think there were affections involved?"

… What?

Percy had to take a mental step back as he looked at the younger male before him. Did Nico seriously ask him that? Of course, Percy thought there was a meaning to them kissing. Of course, Percy thought there was a meaning to them having sex. And of course, Percy thought affections were involved. But for Nico to ask those questions, Percy felt like he had been slapped. He felt as if he had been disillusioned, which he had been.

"I like you, Perseus," Nico sighed as he moved to straddle his hips. Percy should feel repulsed, but it was as if Nico had him trapped in a trance where he couldn't do anything but submit to the younger male. He was like a god to Percy, his body the latter's personal temple. And when he cradled Percy's face so tenderly in his hands, it almost felt as if they were truly each other's precious lovers.

"You're a breath of fresh air from my previous partners - and I lost count of the many I've had." Percy flinched at the declaration. It explained what he had been dreading to acknowledge. He was Percy's first, but clearly, he wasn't Nico's. Other men have touched his body, which was why he knew how to guide Percy to give him what he wanted. He already knew what he wanted because other men have worshiped this body that Percy thought was his personal temple.

"You're an incredibly charming man, and - though inexperienced - a very, very good lover. But to want love? We don't do love. We do transactions. We do conveniences," Nico kissed him sensually on the lips, patting his cheek gently, almost mockingly.

What was wrong with wanting love? He wanted to ask. What was wrong with wanting to be with that one person who supposedly would know you better than anyone else? What was wrong with wanting all the soft beauties that it had to offer?

"Is this just a transaction to you then?" He was angry to have been played like a fool, but his sadness shone through more. He really believed, with all his heart, that Nico was his other half. No, he was absolutely certain that Nico was his other half. Could he really be blamed for his sadness when his person was rejecting his heart?

"No. This is your dream. So cherish it before you have to wake up," Nico tried to assure him; he crooned the words to Percy as he grasped the latter's trembling hands, placing them against the same body the Thálassian prince worshiped and mapped only moments ago. "Love is a commoner's dream. We don't do love in our world, Perseus. We don't do love beyond this room. Love shatters this dream."

"You can let your dreams take form in my arms… but when the dawn breaks, you have to wake up in the noble's world and forget about a commoner's dream," Nico stared at him with those unwavering eyes, as if he knew the answer he was going to get. He probably knew how all of these would play out from the moment Percy approached him.

Percy still felt some resentment for having been played, but when he acknowledged that he took just as much as what Nico gave, he couldn't really justify that emotion for long.

Percy believed in a love like a fairytale. Unfortunately for him, Niccolò di Angelo didn't.

But that wouldn't stop Percy from believing. If this was a dream, the only logical choice was to make it a reality. He would make Nico fall for him. But first, he had to ensure that Nico was his and only his for as long as he could.

"So, what's it going to be?"

There was never a need for Nico to ask.

In Nico's arms, Percy decided to keep dreaming. Or rather, he drifted living in between a dream and reality.

During the day, he fulfilled his duty to his kingdom, but at night, he continued his agreement with the youngest son of Hades. He'd lost count of how many times he had claimed Nico's body; he'd lost count of how many times he worshiped it with reverence. His feelings from that night never faded; they intensified each and every time their bodies would connect, and each time their lips would meet. On the outside, they seemed like lovers. Everything in their agreement implied that they were. But there was one cardinal rule that he was not allowed to break: he wasn't allowed to say "love". In essence, Nico was his entirely. Only his heart wasn't. Percy was no different to the men he bedded.

He found out a day after that night the youngest prince's reputation, and finally understood the scorn and disdain he faced. He also found that Nico couldn't care less.

Why should I care? Nico rhetorically asked when he brought it up to him. It's mutually beneficial for all parties involved. I get what I want, they get what they want. No strings attached. More importantly, I'm not hurting anyone.

But you are, Percy wanted to say that night, caressing that soft, silky hair as Nico rested against his chest, fast asleep. You're hurting me. You're breaking my heart. But he couldn't really blame that on the younger prince. It wasn't his choice that Percy decided to fall in love with him.

Which brought Percy to ask himself: Why was he in love with Niccolò di Angelo?

It was an undeniable truth that he was 'beauty' personified, but his approach and beliefs about love should have waned Percy's affections for him. Percy was waiting for his emotions to correct themselves, but with each passing day, he found himself falling harder than the last.

He might be Prince Charming, but Nico was no Cinderella. He didn't look at Percy as if he needed saving - he looked at Percy like they were equals. Nico treated him as his equal. Outside of those closed doors, Nico treated him as he would a counterpart, a friend. He also saw different sides to Nico with each passing day. He was kind, respectful, helpful, intelligent, and held no care to status as he treated everyone the same regardless of status. He was also affectionate to his family despite his constant playful bickering with them, and he had a cheeky and mischievous personality to him too. They definitely pamper him way too much, but he always gave as much as he received.

Percy loved all of his sides, and that doomed him from the start. He knew Nico was capable of love - if he could love his family that much, then surely, he could love someone with the same intensity. It only meant that something or someone broke his belief beyond repair and left it for anyone passing by to try to pick up the pieces.

Who broke your heart, my Angel? He wanted to ask. But he had a feeling that it was a question Nico wouldn't appreciate being asked.

I won't break your heart, he wanted to assure him. Won't you give me a chance?

But Nico was so stubborn, wanting the dream to stay a dream while Percy was trying everything to make it a reality. Percy couldn't ruin their arrangement and potentially push his lover into the arms of another man, so he started courting him unofficially. It was clear that Nico knew Percy's agenda, but since the Thálassian prince was not violating his cardinal rule, he let it be.

Percy started with giving him gifts, each one carefully considered with the son of Hades in mind. If he saw anything in town and thought anything along the lines of 'Nico might like this' or 'This reminds me of Nico', he would make the purchase and gradually give them to the younger prince, limiting to one per day so as not to overwhelm the latter. Nico would always take them with gratitude… and stash them in a box somewhere.

It wasn't a complete loss: Nico wasn't throwing away or rejecting his gifts. But it wasn't a win either.

Percy started leaving him notes as well. Every single night, once Nico was fast asleep and he had tucked him in, he would leave a note on his bedside table. But after a few days, he noticed that they would be left untouched. When he pointed it out to the younger male, Nico looked genuinely surprised before he started laughing - the kind that would inadvertently make Percy smile in return. He said it was unnecessary since they spent most of the day together. But Percy was adamant on leaving them, especially when he noticed the fond smile that subconsciously curled those pale pink lips. Percy knew they would be stashed in another box as well, but he took them as his win.

But Nico countered against his attempts. He played dirty. He carried out his agenda inconspicuously as well, and unlike Percy's attempts, he was always a hundred percent successful. He was 'beauty' personified, just as he was the 'devil' incarnate.

It was subtle at first: a socked foot under the table during mealtimes with his family, with that little devil slowly inching its way to his crotch. The first time it happened, he was so startled that the fork in his hand slipped, clattering loudly on the plate.

"S-Sorry… my hand slipped," he lamely excused, trying to fight off the blush on his cheeks and the panic in his eyes as he redirected his attention to the youngest son of Hades who only seductively winked in return before playfully licking his lips clean.

At the end of the meal - the entire duration of it being a nightmare for Percy as Nico didn't stop after that - Percy could only bury his face in his hands in obvious shame as he considered if he was becoming a pervert for liking the thrill of it. He took his frustration out that night, but even that seemed like a win for the younger prince.

Nico became more daring when he realized he could get away with it and Percy was surprisingly willing. Dragging the Thálassian prince to dark corners of the palace to make out heatedly, taking him to the stables so he could fool around with Percy's body…

The latest one had to be the worst one yet, and Percy found himself unable to say no once again.

"Nico…" Percy whispered, his upper body hunched forward as he tried to focus on the documents in his hands. He was struggling hard not to ball them into fists and permanently damaging them.

"Shh… 'Focus' on your job," his lover chastised him, and Percy could definitely hear the mischief in his voice.

They were currently in Nico's study room - adjacent to the prince's bedroom - which was also temporarily Percy's office since King Hades appointed his youngest son to personally assist in settling the matters with their kingdom. Something told Percy that the King wouldn't exactly agree with how 'personal' his son took it, clearly going beyond and above his duties. Well… in this case… below his duties.

Percy had to wonder how they had come to this, with Nico underneath the table and between his legs. He was pretty certain that he was trying to do his job one minute, and the next, he suddenly had a pair of hands caressing his inner thighs. Right, it's because I was trying to do my job, and Nico hated being ignored, Percy thought, biting his lower lip when that sinful mouth kissed its way around his shaft. When did Nico unbutton his pants and pull him out?

His head was suddenly blissfully blank as that warm, wet mouth enveloped him with ease, taking him to the back of his throat while his tongue curled up and around as he went. His hips bucked up instinctively, but Nico surprisingly kept him pressed down on the seat. There was a thrill in pretending he still held control by not acknowledging what was happening below, but Percy knew he was quickly losing as Nico pulled back with a loud pop.

They shouldn't be doing this - he shouldn't be doing this - but the moment Nico took him into his mouth again, all of him, he couldn't even remember why he was refusing to begin with as he threw his head back silently in ecstatic bliss.

Oh gods, this is wrong. So wrong…! His morals were losing to the vibrations around his shaft as Nico hummed around him, his thighs trembling as he tried not to desperately buck into Nico's mouth.

"Nico? Prince Percy?"

No. Nonononononono—

Said prince hurriedly looked down on the documents in his hands, his thighs clamping down on the head between his legs, forcing Nico's ministrations on him to stop as his eldest sister entered the room upon knocking once without waiting for permission to enter.

"I thought my brother was supposed to be here... Where is he? There's something I want to talk to him about," Bianca asked with a polite smile, but Percy couldn't even force one as his eyes darted around the room nervously.

"I… h-he…" He tried to think of an excuse, but his mind was coming up blank.

Whatever effort Percy exerted in keeping their activities a secret was thwarted with a series of loud suckling and slurping sounds originating from under the table. Both of them froze in that instance, expressions of horror and overwhelming embarrassment mirrored in each other's faces, as soft moaning and gagging sounds soon filled the room.

"Y-You perverts!" Bianca screamed, the most scandalous expression on her face as she hurriedly exited the room.

"Lock the door behind you, Bianca." As if he hadn't done enough damage, Nico called out to his sister from below the table, causing the woman to slam the door to their room close extra hard and the paintings to shake where they were mounted.

It was official. Percy wouldn't be able to face his family again.

Forgive me, Father and Mother, for I have sinned. The devil seduced me in the name of Niccolò di Angelo.

"N-Nico, you crazy…!" For the third time, his mind drew a blank when Nico's tongue swirled around his glans before one of his hands carefully held his shaft as Nico dragged the flat of his tongue from the base to the tip repeatedly. Percy couldn't stop one of his hands from moving underneath the table and cradling the back of the younger prince's head as Nico lapped at his tip with the tip of his tongue, laving at the steady stream of precum leaking from it.

Carefully, he used his free hand to push his chair back, ragged breath parting his lips as he looked down at the sinful sight on his lap. A string of curses left his lips as Nico shamelessly smiled around a mouthful of him, his eyes brimming with amusement. What was most frustrating was that it shouldn't affect him, but he felt himself twitch in response to that smile, which clearly meant that Nico felt it too. The younger prince laughed around his shaft, causing Percy to thrust deeper into his mouth out of instinct. Nico gagged, and Percy was about to apologize, but Nico simply took him all the way to the base, causing Percy to finally snap.

"Up. Get up," the Thálassian prince ordered as he carefully removed his member from the younger prince's mouth. It was the most erotic sight, seeing every single inch glistening as it left the now red lips. The moment his tip was out of Nico's mouth, he tucked himself back into his pants with a hiss before he pulled both of them to stand up, cradling the back of Nico's head with one hand, the other around his waist as he claimed his lips in a ravenous kiss. They openly moaned into each other's mouths as Nico wrapped his arms around his neck while Percy found his hands sliding down to cup the back of his thighs. With a grunt, he hoisted the son of Hades up, slender legs coming up to wrap firmly around his waist as he moved them to the adjacent room with their lips still connected in a sordid kiss.

"The paperwork can wait until tomorrow," Percy admitted his defeat once their lips parted as he dumped Nico onto his bed, causing the younger prince to chuckle.

"Told you it can," Nico purred, pulling Percy down to reconnect their lips in a chaste kiss.

He was about to pin Nico down on the bed and have his way with him when he remembered something important. Pulling away, to the surprise of the son of Hades, Percy hastily moved to the door to Nico's room, flicking the lock sharply. Nico laughed out loud at that, causing a bright flush to adorn Percy's cheeks once more, before he gave the Thálassian prince a come-hither look as he stripped off his clothing.

Nico was clearly winning for now the unspoken war going on between them, but Percy couldn't really consider that he was completely losing. Not when he was having Nico in ways that he wouldn't allow anyone else to have him in the future.

When the reality that he had to go back to his kingdom soon set in, exactly a month since he arrived, Percy was beginning to understand what Nico had said in the beginning of their arrangement.

"You can let your dreams take form in my arms… but when the dawn breaks, you have to wake up in the noble's world and forget about a commoner's dream."

In that one month, he loved Nico more than he could ever imagine himself loving anyone. He loved Nico for a month, but it felt as if he had loved him far longer than that. He gave Nico his everything, because that was what Nico deserved - everything.

They had been lovers for a month, and while Nico still wasn't reciprocating his feelings, Percy wasn't just about to give up. He wasn't going to allow himself to be just a number in the list of men his angel slept with; he wasn't going to allow himself to be a fond memory from Nico's conquests. Especially not since he had the support of all of Nico's siblings.

That had come as a surprise to him, for the second youngest to approach him to talk about their baby brother. Hazel, like her older siblings, held Nico in high regards. He was the apple of their family's eyes, so all of them had his best interest at heart. It surprised him though that she was the one who came to him and not the older siblings, just because the other three seemed exceedingly more protective, especially Bianca.

"Bianca wanted to avoid talking to you for some reason, and my brothers would have threatened you in many ways before getting to the point," Hazel had explained to him with a small smile, answering the unspoken question in his eyes. "Let me get straight to the point, Prince Percy. Are you in love with our brother?"

It was the easiest question he ever had to answer.

"Yes," Percy admitted.

"Why?" She asked.

Why, indeed.

All those weeks, he asked himself that question over and over again. What they had was nothing more than satisfying their body's urges. If that was only the basis of their relationship, it would have been easy to say 'sex'. It might have been crude and wrong, but that was the truth. However, their relationship was more than that. At least, to Percy. He had seen so many sides of Nico and loved them all equally. There was no defining the passionate love he harbored - no definitive way of expressing or justifying it. He was in love with Nico. It was nothing less and nothing more than that. Just… from the bottom of his heart, more than anyone in this world.

"I don't know. I ask myself that too," Percy offered with a small, fond smile. Hazel's smile widened a bit in return, but she looked downcast as she continued.

"But he wants to keep your relationship purely sexual." So they knew, Percy thought. It wasn't exactly a surprise and Percy expected it. In the time he spent with them, he was a witness to their extremely close bond. It would have come more as a surprise if one or none of them knew what their baby brother had been doing.

"Why?" Percy had to ask; he believed that he deserved to know. What was wrong about his love that Nico wouldn't accept it?

"He's had his heart broken before," Hazel answered. Percy was already expecting that that was the case, but it stung to acknowledge that his Angel loved another person, and perhaps still did. Another part of him felt an anger so deep in his bones as well for whoever was this person who had his Angel's heart and decided it was better to leave it in pieces. He received his answer almost immediately.

"Prince Jason Grace. You know him?" Know him? Percy repeated the ridiculous question in his head as his hands clenched into tight fists. It was difficult not to, since they were counterparts. He had been there on the day Jason got married months ago to a noble woman's daughter. It was perfect, Percy mocked in his head. That was the only word he kept hearing on that day - that their union was perfect, and that Jason's wife was perfect for him.

Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Nico was beyond perfect, and Jason was a fool for letting him go.

"He and Nico used to be close," Hazel continued, seeing his response to her question through the anger on his face. "Friends for years. Until they started to develop feelings for each other. At first, it was fine. But one day, Jason suddenly becomes engaged and just leaves Nico behind."

Did Nico still love Jason then? Was that why Nico was shunning his love for him? Or was that what Nico was worried about? That he would be another case of Jason Grace in his life? But Percy wouldn't, even if he were to swear it to the gods, he wouldn't break Nico's heart. He just needed a chance to prove himself. Just one.

"He doesn't want another heartbreak. But me and my siblings think you're good for him," Hazel said with a small, comforting smile as she patted one of his shoulders. "We can see potential with the two of you. You have our support, but you need to put in a lot of effort. It's going to be tough to break the wall he built around his heart, but once you do, you'll find a love so fierce and passionate that will last a lifetime."

"I love him," Percy stated, as if that was enough.

"They all did, Percy." Hazel said, her smile becoming sad. She seemed to say that his love alone wasn't enough.

That had been days ago, and Percy was still left wondering where his love was lacking. He's given everything. Everything. Why was his love not enough for Nico to give it a chance?

He would need to leave come tomorrow, and he still didn't have his answer. He would need to leave tomorrow, but this dream that they shared, he didn't want for it to come to an end, and he wanted Nico to know that.

So he sought out Nico.

Percy heard him before he could see him - heard his ease of saying a declaration that Percy waited for a month to hear.

"I love you," he heard Nico say. Only it was clearly not meant for him. Jealousy was an ugly feeling, Percy realized, as it clawed against his chest. But once he saw the recipient of it, his expression became forlorn. It was easy for Nico to say those words to his siblings. He had half a mind to envy them, but he didn't really want the kind of love his angel was offering to them. Schooling his expression, he decided to approach them.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything…?" He asked almost hesitantly, not wanting to ruin their mood if his presence was unwelcomed. Nico immediately turned around to face him, but he did it so quickly that he lost his balance, falling from on top of the tree.

"Nico!"

Percy's body moved before he could even process his own actions, arms catching Nico with a loud grunt as the impact of his weight caused his knees to slightly buckle. He steadied himself carefully after a few seconds before he turned to Nico in his arms.

It was adorable to see him covering his face while his eyes were closed tightly. His hands were trembling badly due to the scare. But once he registered that he didn't hit the ground, he slowly opened his eyes and gradually lowered his hands, russet-brown eyes immediately seeking sea-green eyes as Percy smiled down on him.

"Hey there," Percy breathed before his eyes wandered down his body, checking for any injuries.

"Nice catch," Nico breathed back, his arms shakily wrapping around the other prince's neck for support.

"Nice, indeed," the older prince murmured, his sea-green eyes raking over Nico's body sensually, causing the latter to shudder in his arms. Percy winked and flashed him another smile before he turned to face his older siblings. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but can I speak with your brother? Alone?"

"... yes, 'speak'. Like guest is 'guest'," Thanatos remarked, causing Percy to tilt his head in confusion. Half the time, he didn't really understand what the siblings were talking about. "Come on, you two. Let's go."

"... We'll leave in about three hours. You do whatever you want with Prince Perseus in the meantime," Bianca said with slight hesitance as she looked on worriedly at Nico.

"Or he could do you," Zagreus suggested with a snicker, causing the youngest son of Hades to show him a well-deserved middle finger.

"Traitor!" Nico shouted over Percy's shoulder. Percy had to move his head slightly away when the young man continued shouting in his arms. "You're demoted! Hazel's my favorite sibling again!"

Percy envied how close the siblings were. Though he could say he and Theseus were close, the bond that the di Angelos had were on a completely different level. It wasn't prim and proper - it truly felt like what a family was supposed to be. He could tell based on how they looked on fondly at one another despite their constant bickering. It was endearing to watch, especially Nico, who felt completely at ease. As Nico smiled sheepishly at him, Percy knew he should feel offended at having been forgotten, but he didn't. Somehow, he was willing to make so many exceptions when it came to the youngest son of King Hades.

"So…" Nico drawled with that sheepish smile on his lips. "Are you going to let me down?"

Instead of answering, Percy pretended not to hear his suggestion as he leaned back against the tree for support with Nico still securely in his arms.

"... I'll have to go back to our kingdom tomorrow morning," Percy decided to cut to the chase, looking at Nico's eyes directly as he said that. He watched as Nico slowly processed the news, the initial confusion in his eyes slowly transitioning to understanding… and disappointment. To say that Percy didn't feel slightly happy at knowing Nico was disappointed that he had to leave soon would be a lie. He was glad that, at the very least, Nico felt disappointed enough to be unable to mask it.

"Oh." The disappointment was even audible in his voice, it was literally dripping in every word. "The 'dream' ends today then."

But that was the thing: Percy didn't want it to end.

"I could just take you back with me," Percy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively while squeezing Nico in his arms.

"No, Percy," Nico said, trying not to laugh.

"Yes, Percy," the older prince countered, earning a laugh this time. "I want to continue this. What we have. I'll visit often if I have to," he promised in earnest.

"Percy…" Nico sighed.

"Unless you're bored of me, I'm not taking no for an answer, Nico," Percy declared, reminding the younger male of their agreement.

Just a little longer. Let me stay by your side a little longer, until I would never have to leave.

"You never did," Nico acknowledged with a small, knowing smile before he pulled Percy down for a chaste kiss, causing the latter to smile against his lips. Their lips barely separated before Percy reconnected them again, this time with an urgency that had Nico tugging at his hair on the back of his head out of reflex.

It might have escalated to something more had Nico not heard the sound of a startled squeak some short distance away from them.

"As much as I like this, I don't appreciate having an audience. Give me a minute, and I promise I'll make it worth your while tonight," Nico said upon pulling away from Percy's lips, smiling apologetically when the latter groaned in obvious disappointment.

"You three can go back now! Nothing will happen here that will potentially scar the servants for life!" Nico called past Percy's shoulders again.

There was a startled squeak again for a moment, before his older siblings emerged from where they were hiding behind a column.

"You heard him, Bianca, let's go." Despite the interruption, Percy had to grin as he watched the siblings walk away. Well, two of them, since Zagreus carried a reluctant Bianca di Angelo over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

"Three hours, Nico!" Zagreus called out without looking back as the three of them finally went away.

"Now… where were we?" Nico barely managed to finish his sentence before Percy impatiently claimed his lips once more. He was allowed three hours to monopolize Niccolò di Angelo, and he was going to savor every moment of it.

While Percy would have loved to spend the remaining hours of his last day monopolizing Nico, he didn't really want to get in the way of the siblings' plans when Nico seemed to be looking forward to it. Hence, he joined them instead. Surprisingly, they allowed him to join in on their little trip. Nico looked pleasantly surprised to hear that Percy wanted to go into town with them but didn't stop him. Rather, he looked… happy. So happy that he wasn't realizing that he had been holding Percy's hand the entire time and leading them around.

Perhaps this love isn't entirely hopeless, Percy thought, a fond smile on his lips as he let the younger prince lead him from shop to shop, stall to stall, suggesting things he should try or should bring back to his family. It was endearing to watch him be genuinely excited at the smallest of things, and it seemed that his siblings shared the same sentiments as Percy as they watched their baby brother fondly.

"Do you want it? I'll get it for you?" Nico constantly asked him, and he usually succumbed if it was something small just because he could see that it made him happy when Percy would say yes. His siblings would offer Nico items they think the youngest would like as well, but Nico brushed them off, saying that he wasn't the priority now, but Percy.

Seriously, how was Percy not supposed to fall in love with this selfless person?

"I really, really love you for this. How could I think anyone else was my favorite sibling?" Nico shamelessly declared while hugging onto one of his eldest brother's arms, his other hand holding onto a glass of rose wine.

Eventually, Percy and Nico's siblings had to reign the younger in from spending too much on Percy, much to the siblings' amusement. Not that money was an issue, but they could see that the Thálassian prince was having trouble saying no to their baby brother and that the prices of things Nico wanted to purchase were ridiculously getting out of hand. Fortunately for them, it was easy to divert Nico's attention with the correct incentive. But at that moment, they were having second thoughts as they watched their youngest down glass after glass of imported wine enthusiastically.

"That's not healthy," Percy said with a frown. How many had Nico drunk? Five? Six glasses?

"It's not," Thanatos agreed as he turned to their youngest to reprimand him. "Stop drinking wine like its water."

"It could replace water and I would be fine with it," Nico cheekily responded as he took another sip, playfully winking at his companions past the rim of the glass.

"You need water. You don't need wine," Thanatos claimed as he swiftly took the half-finished wine glass from their baby brother's hands, downing it before Nico had the chance to take it back.

"Blasphemy!" The youngest exclaimed before turning to his sister, pulling off a faux pitiful look on his face. "Sister, he's bullying me."

"Nico, you don't need wine. Just as you don't need to have sex with Percy every chance you could get," Bianca answered, causing the Thálassian prince to choke on his own glass of wine just as he was about to take a sip.

"It's a healthy amount," Nico tried to justify as he let go of his brother's arm, moving to stand just slightly in front of Percy, almost in a protective manner. On another day, Percy would have appreciated it, if Nico wasn't the main cause of this awkward predicament they were in.

"Yes, but you have sex on a daily basis. You're categorizing sex on the same level of need as… as food and breathing!" Bianca accused, gesticulating widely, her cheeks flushing a bright red. She was clearly remembering that time in Nico's study. It would help if Nico felt a bit of shame in his actions back then, but he was shameless then and he was shameless now as he embraced one of Percy's arms with a pleased smirk.

"You see, the funny thing is, if you read about it, sex is categorized under the same hierarchy. The way I see it, I'm taking good care of our bodies," he declared confidently, causing his siblings and Percy to just cover their faces in secondhand shame.

"How do you even come across texts like that?" Thanatos asked, frowning.

"About that… Funny story, actually… Bianca wasn't the first one to give him the talk about his activities with Prince Perseus. Father sent me," Zagreus explained with a smirk before he redirected his attention to his brother's lover. "No surprise there since the maids gossip. You should have been gagging him: he's too loud."

"We'll get to that part in the future," Nico declared with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Percy wasn't sure what was more mortifying: that Nico would consider having Percy do to him that or the fact that everyone in the palace knew what they had been doing.

"That doesn't explain how he's read about something like that," Thanatos stated.

"I like to read, and just happened to come across it," Nico said with a shrug, causing their eldest to chuckle.

"You should have seen how he quickly pulled that book out and used it as his defense for his actions," Zagreus recalled before holding his free hand up in defeat. "Can't argue against literature texts. I told Father about it and he didn't look happy."

"At least he knows how to pull something out," Bianca noted, giving their baby brother and his lover a nasty glare.

Nico playfully winked at her, knowing what she was referring to, but Percy blushed brightly in response, still unable to meet her eyes due to what happened. Though unaware of what transpired, Zagreus just cackled while Thanatos shook his head, having an inkling of what traumatic event their sister must have been a witness to.

"How's the wine?" Nico asked, looking at Percy. The latter glanced at his own tray, where only one glass had been emptied thus far. He wasn't a drinker, unlike the rest of the siblings, and definitely unlike the youngest son of Hades.

"Oh. I haven't had it," Percy admitted, moving to get the glass.

"Here," Nico slipped a hand to the back of Percy's head, bringing him down to press their lips in a sensual kiss. Percy seemed pleasantly surprised at the gesture, but he reciprocated, placing a hand against the small of Nico's back to bring him close. He could smell the aromas of apricots, red berries and strawberries in the gaps between their mouths, but he could taste a nice freshness of grapes and a slight spiciness to its flavor profile. Percy liked it a lot, but mostly because of where he was tasting it from.

"Good. I think I prefer this best," Percy whispered against his lips at the same time as the siblings started gagging at the shameless pair.

"Ew, gross. Stop defiling Percy," Bianca complained, shuddering.

Thanatos shook his head at the display while glancing around the room. Fortunately, the store had a private section at the back especially for them. He didn't want to think of the scandal his brother would be causing if his private affairs were found out.

"The betrayal!" Nico exclaimed. "How do you know he's not the one defiling me?"

"Oh, he's definitely the one defiling you," Zagreus agreed readily, causing the Thálassian prince to down the glass of wine on his hand in one go, as if that would wash away his shame. It didn't, and Percy regretted it as he felt a slight burn on his throat.

"Bianca was mistaken. You're just the one corrupting him."

Percy was a bit more apprehensive about the siblings' outing when they suddenly entered an auction house from the back. The staff recognized the siblings immediately, and brought them to a fully furnished private room with a clear view of the stage that currently had an assortment of antiques, rare collectibles, paintings and artifacts to name a few.

"You don't have to be on guard," Thanatos assured the Thálassian prince as he knocked on the glass separating them from the rest of the crowd. "Glasses are tinted, and auction houses here are for genuine products only. Father condones… whatever it is you have in mind."

"Oh," was the only answer Percy could provide, his shoulders sagging out of relief.

"Could you get us another seat, please? We have an additional guest with us today," Thanatos instructed the staff as he, Bianca and Zagreus took their personal seats.

"It's fine. Percy can have my seat," Nico called out to the staff, knowing it would be a hassle for them to find a seat of the same quality as the one they had in their private room. "Brother, let me use your lap," the youngest said as he approached their eldest brother.

"He's abusing me, isn't he?" Zagreus grunted as he readjusted his position.

"He is," Bianca and Thanatos confirmed.

But Percy didn't even allow Nico to take more than a few steps away from him as he grasped his hand firmly before tugging him backwards to sit sideways on his lap instead. He wrapped his arms possessively around the younger prince's waist while Nico looked at him curiously.

"It's your seat by extension," Percy justified before Nico could ask what he was doing.

It was the truth, but the siblings could sense the real reason why. Grinning, Zagreus raised his hands almost placatingly before he leaned back against his seat in his previous position. Thanatos only looked at his brother and his lover for a little while longer before he turned his attention to the stage.

"Please behave. I don't want to hear anything inappropriate from both of you," Bianca emphasized, looking pointedly at her brother as she said that.

"I think we can be quiet," Nico said with a rueful smile, his hands immediately coming up to wrap around Percy's neck.

"No! No exposing of privates, no kissing, no tongue in each other's mouth, no tongue outside each other's mouth, no nothing!" Bianca huffed, pointing an accusatory finger at Nico.

"She didn't say no to fondling or rubbing over the clothes," Nico cheekily whispered to Percy's ear as he playfully sneaked a hand down from the latter's chest to his abdomen.

"No nothing!" Bianca shrieked as she stomped over to them, smacking both Percy and Nico on the back of their heads.

"Ouch!" Nico actually whimpered as he rubbed the back of his head while Percy just grunted at the force. "Fine, we'll try to behave!" Nico grumbled as he removed his arms around Percy's neck to readjust his position on the latter's lap so he was facing the front.

It was interesting to watch an auction take place. To Percy who had never been to one, he immediately understood the basics of it after a few rounds: they would bring an item out, the auctioneer would give a description of the product, the auctioneer would state a price, and from there, whoever bid the highest would get said item. He didn't find himself interested in all the items they brought up so far, but Nico's siblings did occasionally.

So far, Bianca won a bid for an emerald jewelry set, Thanatos won a bid for a series of old paintings, and Zagreus won a bid for weapon artifacts. Like him, Nico didn't seem interested in any of the items thus far as he simply leaned back against Percy's chest with the latter's arms wrapping around him from behind. Occasionally, when he could get away with it, Percy pressed soft kisses to the column of his neck, and Nico would smile slightly each time he did. He never said a word the entire time, but he placed his hand atop Percy's, lacing their fingers together. It felt so intimate and so right, that Percy wouldn't mind if they just sat there for hours doing just that.

"That's Diocletian's Scepter!" Nico suddenly exclaimed with a gasp, sitting up straighter as he looked excitedly at the artifact that was just brought up on stage. He untangled his fingers from Percy as he hurriedly took his paddle, preparing himself to bid. Percy wouldn't admit it, but he was disappointed at how short-lived that intimate moment was and almost looked at the artifact with a glare.

It was a three-foot-long ivory staff, topped with a dark globe of polished marble the size of a fist and nestled on the backs of three gold Roman eagles. The globe seemed like an oversized obsidian pearl, but it had a purple tint to it under the lights.

"What's that?" Percy asked while the siblings looked at their brother as well, interested to know what caught his attention.

"It was once a property of a Roman emperor under the name of Diocletian. It was believed that it held the power to raise dead legionnaires," Nico briefly explained without taking his eyes off of the artifact.

"That sounds… morbid," Bianca couldn't help but conclude. It couldn't possibly be true, but stories like that didn't emerge from thin air. They had to have some basis from somewhere. "What are you even going to do with it if you get it?" Because it was so obvious that Nico was going to get it. "Raise dead soldiers, hold hands and sing Kumbaya?"

Nico looked properly offended by what she said, as he looked at her with a piercing glare.

"You just can't appreciate history, you uncultured swine!"

"S-Swine?! Why you little…!"

"Shh! Quiet, servants! I want to have this!" Nico shushed them, listening intently for when the bidding would start. The auctioneer was still droning on and on about things Nico already knew and he was growing impatient, which Percy could clearly see.

"H-He just called us servants!" Bianca exclaimed while looking at her elder brothers.

"We kind of are. We're at his beck and call all the time," Zagreus said, more or less resigning himself to said fate with their baby brother.

"How low have we fallen," Thanatos couldn't help but add before he suddenly paused, looking at his other two siblings. "Wait, did he say the word?"

"Yes. He said he wants this," Zagreus confirmed, a smirk forming on his lips as he twisted the paddle in his hand.

"Bidding price starts at 1000 gold coins!" The auctioneer announced. Before Nico could raise his paddle to cast a bid, Zagreus called on a staff to his side.

"Reserve this for us. A bidding fight will happen in this room," the eldest gave the instruction before he turned to face his younger brother and sister, tossing the paddle back and forth in his hands.

They waited for the announcement from the auctioneer that the item was being placed on temporary hold before the three of them started bidding against each other.

"1200," Thanatos declared, raising his paddle.

"1500," Bianca countered, raising hers.

"2000," Zagreus said, waving his paddle once.

"... What are they doing?" Percy whispered to Nico who was just shaking his head at his siblings, a fond smile creasing his lips.

"They're trying to outbid each other… for me…?" the son of Hades explained, looking slightly sheepish. "Perks of being the baby brother and for being the most charming," he added, this time with a confident wink. "They rarely hear me say that I want anything, so they get competitive like that. It's weird, I know, and definitely not financially wise."

"So they're bidding for the right of who gets to give it to you?" Percy questioned, looking confused.

"Our family is weird, you'll get used to it," Nico said dismissively, but Percy hung onto what he said.

'You'll get used to it'. As if he was implying that Percy had plenty of time to integrate himself to the di Angelo family. As if Nico saw him as a part of his future. That caused him to smile a bit.

"2250. Just stand down, both of you," Thanatos raised his paddle again.

"2300. Brother, please. As annoying as our brother is, I would still give him his heart's desire," Bianca answered, raising her paddle.

"2500. Let the eldest handle this. It's my duty to give my younger siblings' desires," Zagreus said with a smile, waving his paddle. "I'm the favorite sibling after all."

Thanatos and Bianca narrowed their eyes at that.

"2600. Not for long," Thanatos declared.

"2700. Yes. It will be me," Bianca stated.

"3000. Just give up. You don't even have that kind of money on hand at the moment," Zagreus countered with a smirk causing his siblings to click their tongues.

"5000." Suddenly, Percy raised his paddle, joining in on the siblings' bidding war. "All on-hand."

The siblings stopped bidding in a second, their eyes all looking at the Thálassian prince with incredulity. They exchanged glances between one another, a silent conversation transpiring between them before they all slowly lowered their paddles.

"Fine, we concede," Zagreus said sullenly, snapping his finger once before one of the staff came forward. "Please tell them that the price has been increased to 5000 gold coins. Will you continue bidding if someone offers a higher amount?"

"Yes. As long as I have it," Percy stated with confidence.

"Why did you bid? Are you interested in it?" Nico asked. Percy could see traces of disappointment in his eyes.

"No, but you are. I'm giving it to you," Percy said with a smile, watching as those russet-brown eyes shifted from disappointment to surprise, to understanding and then to happiness… before settling on slight hesitation with some degree of amusement.

"Percy… that's lovely of you. But you do know that my siblings are confident in saying those numbers just because the money is coming out of Father's pockets, right?" Nico explained, but Percy just shrugged. He had an idea. But the important thing was he was giving it to Nico. Not them.

Nico didn't seem to understand that Percy was competing for his love as well, albeit a different kind from his siblings. Yet, he appreciated his gift still.

"Thank you, my prince," Nico pressed a soft kiss to his cheeks before he claimed Percy's lips in a sweet, gentle kiss.

Percy wasn't going to lie - he missed his family, but he didn't miss them enough. He didn't realize how dream-like it felt to be in Skotádi until he was back in Thálassa and the servants either greeted him respectfully or avoided him due to his status as a prince. It was different in Skotádi; regardless of the status of the princes and the princesses, the servants were all genuinely happy to greet them, Percy included. It felt homely. Home didn't feel… homely. Home also didn't have Nico, and it was only dawning now on Percy how he might have taken Nico's presence for granted the past few days during his journey back. It didn't feel right not hearing his voice. It didn't feel right not feeling his warmth. Not even in the sexual way - just him hugging Nico or touching his waist or holding one of his hands. Home didn't feel like home all of a sudden. Home felt like an ocean away from him.

"Percy! You're back!" It was his brother Theseus who greeted him as soon as he entered the palace, embracing him tightly before he let go and ushered him inside. "You're just in time."

In time for what? Percy wondered. He racked his brain for any occasions he might have missed or forgotten, but was coming up with a blank. He knew he wasn't forgetting anything since he left at a period that was fairly uneventful for their kingdom. But Theseus seemed excited as he hurried Percy along, dragging him towards the throne room where Percy supposed Triton and their parents were.

Pushing the doors open with a mischievous smile, their family was indeed inside, waiting for both of them. But there was another person among them - a woman with stormy gray eyes and honey-blond hair set in perfect princess curls. She looked like a picture-perfect Cinderella, and it was with that thought that dread settled onto his stomach.

"Percy, my son. Welcome back. You're just in time," his father greeted him, but Percy wasn't fully listening. He was looking at the woman apprehensively, but his family, especially his mother, seemed to have mistaken it for interest as she gave him a pleased smile.

"In time for what?" Percy didn't want to hear the answer to that question. He was dreading to hear the answer to his question.

"To meet your fiancé," Queen Amphitrite said in a matter-of-factly tone. "This is Lady Annabeth, daughter of Duke and Duchess Chase from Ouranós."

Fiancé.

No, this was wrong. This was not supposed to be happening. If he had met her all those months ago, Percy might have been fine, but now…

I don't need Cinderella anymore. I just need Nico, he admitted to himself. He wanted to leave. Every fiber of his being was urging him to run back to the port and take the next ship to Skotádi. But instead, he remained rooted in place, politely reaching for the woman's hand to bring it up to his lips for a chaste kiss. But he couldn't even bring himself to do it. The skin of his lips brushed against the skin of her hand, and it immediately made him feel repulsed.

This is wrong. The warmth, the texture, the softness… everything, he thought as he brought her hand back down. She looked at him curiously, but didn't say a word at his gesture, or lack thereof.

"Can we talk in private, Dad?" Percy asked all of a sudden, his eyes pleading for an audience with his father. His father seemed to take a hint as he pointedly looked at his family and their guest before he offered his son a nod.

"Of course, son," King Poseidon said. "Please leave us be for now."

He barely acknowledged his mother as she embraced him in greeting or Triton who silently patted him on the back in passing. His thoughts were all jumbled as he tried to process what was happening. Above all, there was only one nagging thought that repeated itself like a mantra in his head.

Go back to Skotádi. Go back to Nico. Go home.

But he knew he couldn't. Not until whatever this was was settled.

"Cancel it," Percy went straight to the point once he and his father were all alone in the room. "I'm in love with someone now, and I have intentions to marry them."

His father seemed genuinely surprised to hear that from him, not expecting his son to really find someone in the month that he had been away.

"... and are they in love with you?" King Poseidon questioned, causing Percy to hesitate. A hesitation which the king took immediate notice of.

"They don't," his father answered his own question. It stung to have it acknowledged, but it was the truth. The past month had been one-sided on his part, but it was still love nonetheless. It was still beautiful and something he held most preciously.

"Percy, you proposed this agreement and your mother and I agreed to it." He wished he could go back in time and strangle his previous self. What had he been thinking, proposing such a ridiculous idea? "You said you would entertain marrying whoever we choose for you, and we choose someone perfect for you, Lady Annabeth."

She's not, Percy wanted to contest. Nico's the one perfect for him. Just… Nico thought that Percy wasn't the one for him.

"You're a prince. Being with Lady Annabeth will help us establish a relationship with Ouranós. You have an obligation to your kingdom."

But what about his obligation to his heart?

"Your life isn't a fairytale. You have actual responsibilities. Please understand that."

Reality hit him hard.

When his father disapproved of the renouncement of the engagement, Percy sought out Lady Annabeth, hoping that she would renounce it. She looked hurt as he briefly explained to her his reasons, before she ultimately shook her head. It wasn't for her to decide, she said, although she understood him. Since their marriage was political - an agreement between their kingdoms; a marriage out of convenience - she couldn't defy her parents as well, just as much as he couldn't defy his. When it seemed as if there was no other way to escape the situation, he contemplated just following the voices in his head.

Go back to Skotádi. Go back to Nico. Go home.

But then what?

This was what Nico warned him - that the dream was just that: a dream. It wasn't meant to overlap with reality. He could go back to Skotádi, but what difference would it make other than cause problems to everyone?

So he stayed. Reluctantly, he stayed, thrown into making arrangements for his supposed wedding. Or rather, he let his mother and supposed fiancé make the necessary arrangements. He didn't know a thing about what needed to be done, was the excuse he offered them, when in reality, he knew everything. It was what he wanted for so long for himself. Just… he was thinking of spending the entire process with someone else in mind.

There was not a single moment of his consciousness that he spent without thinking of Nico. How many weeks had passed since he left Skotádi? How many months? Was Nico still waiting for him? Or had he moved on to someone else?

Percy was certain that he must have heard the news of his engagement by then. Word always traveled fast, especially if it involved someone of their rank. He wanted to explain himself, to tell Nico that he didn't want any of this, but whenever he tried writing down the words to explain his predicament, the pen could only hover above the paper for minutes before he would ultimately give up. What was the point? He would ask himself. What was the point of explaining it to Nico? Would Nico even care?

When he thought of that, his thoughts just spiraled downwards.

Did Nico ever care about him? A small pitiful voice asked in his head. He wanted to fight for them. He wanted to fight for him. But how could he fight for someone who didn't want to stand beside him?

His heart was screaming at him that all of this was wrong. Him being engaged, him being here. He wanted to get out. He wanted to go back to Skotádi - to Nico. That was the mantra running through his head for weeks.

Why don't you? A voice in his head challenged. The answer was simple: it was because it was stupidly reckless and he didn't know if he had someone to come back to. Would Nico take him back? Would Nico want him back?

"How was your stay in Skotádi? You never mentioned it once since you came back."

Percy blinked a few times as he looked up, Theseus' grinning face coming into view. He looked at his surroundings for a brief second as he tried to process what he had been doing. Right. He was in his study, looking over for the umpteenth time at the documents he procured from his visit to Skotádi. He had already memorized them by heart, but beyond it, he didn't know what else there was for him to do.

"It felt like a dream," Percy answered his brother after a while. It was the most pleasant dream he had ever had. He knew he was the happiest he had ever been in that one month he was with Nico. "I didn't want to wake up," Percy admitted.

He was always thinking how he wanted to bring the dream into reality, but now that he was living in the reality, he so badly wanted to go back to the dream.

"Well, wake up, Prince Charming. Before you can marry your Cinderella, you still have duties to attend to," Theseus said, waving a letter in front of him before extending it to his direction. "I'm here to deliver this."

"Where's it from?" Percy asked, as he reached for it.

"From Skotádi. It was personally addressed to you," Theseus explained as Percy flipped the letter, the familiar black wax seal stamp of the kingdom confirming his brother's words. An odd mix of happiness and trepidation settled in his chest as he looked at he hastily opened the letter. He felt slight disappointment as an unfamiliar scrawl greeted him - it was elegant, but it was a different stroke in comparison to Nico's.

Dear Prince Perseus,

We would like to request for your urgent return to Skotádi. Unfortunately, some problems arose with the documents you handled with Nico which would require your personal supervision. We seek that you return once you have received this letter and deal with it immediately. This is not a request.

Regards,

Princess Bianca di Angelo

"That's odd. Why is the princess sending you a message? Aren't these usually sent by the advisers or something?" Theseus asked, hovering beside him, reading the contents of the letter as well.

Percy was well-aware of that as well. It didn't make sense for Bianca to write this letter to him. It was odd of her to mention and underline Nico's name as well. The letter left little to no detail about her actual intentions, but the general message was clear.

Come back, it implied.

Come home, a voice in Percy's head supplied.

This was his ticket to escape. This was his ticket to go back home.

"I have to depart for Skotádi again. Tell father there's an urgent matter I have to settle." Percy didn't even wait for his brother to reply before he was already up, heading towards his room to prepare to leave at once.

He was going home, he thought, a delighted laugh parting his lips as he briskly walked towards his room, almost breaking into a sprint. He was finally going home. Why had he been so stupid as to come back here? He didn't belong here anymore. He didn't belong in this reality anymore.

The moment the carriage stopped in front of the palace, Percy only headed towards that one direction. His heart was pounding erratically against his chest as he raced down the halls, ignoring the surprised expressions from the servants' faces as they took in his presence. They seemed to whisper behind his back, a certain hostility radiating from them that made it clear to Percy that the news of his engagement did indeed reach here. But he didn't care what they thought of him. No, only Nico's mattered.

All four of Nico's siblings seemed to have the same idea that he would be seeking Nico first the moment he came back, as they stood at the other end of the hallway to Nico's bedroom clearly waiting for his arrival. He paused in his steps as he looked at their cold expressions, and he could feel their anger palpable in the air. It suddenly felt as if he had stepped into a den filled with lions, with him as their prey.

"Bianca-" He stepped towards the one who sent him that letter.

SLAP!

Percy couldn't register the pain on his cheek over the high-pitched sound originating from within his ear. He was more shocked that he had been slapped out of nowhere, by King Hades' eldest daughter, without any context.

"What-"

SLAP!

Bianca slapped him again, this time on the other cheek. His hearing hadn't even returned to normal before she was shouting at him, her face livid.

"I trusted you with my brother! How could you do this to him?!" Bianca demanded, her eyes glistening with unshed angry tears. She looked seconds away from strangling the Thálassian prince within an inch of his life.

"I-" He tried to speak again, but the Skotádian princess didn't seem interested in what he had to say, lifting her hand to slap him across the cheek once again.

"Bianca, enough," Hazel stepped in between the two of them, forcing her sister to temporarily drop her trembling hand in defeat. She held her hand over the other, as if to physically stop herself from acting on impulse. Hazel turned to face Percy, a grim expression on her face.

"Hazel-"

SLAP!

"One's enough for me," Hazel said as she took a deep breath, lowering the hand she used to slap the Thálassian prince. "We trusted you with our brother and the moment you left, you're suddenly engaged? How could you?"

"It wasn't my choice! Like you said, the moment I left, I'm suddenly engaged!" Percy countered, glaring at the siblings.

"You could have renounced it!" Bianca hissed. "We thought you were better than the others!"

That stung. Did they really think he was just using Nico like the others? Did they really think that the month he spent here was a sham? Did they think all the effort he put was just a ploy to get their brother in bed? He wasn't sure what to feel. He wanted to be angry at them, but they were only acting like this because they cared immensely about their youngest.

"Bianca, calm down," Thanatos intervened this time, placing a placating hand on one of her shoulders. Zagreus looked pointedly at Hazel, and the latter simply nodded as she took herself and her sister to the side. Percy didn't have enough time to react before Zagreus suddenly hoisted him up by the neck, pinning him against the wall with an iron grip.

"You know, we never did care that he was sleeping around," Zagreus started, his tone casual, as if he wasn't slowly suffocating the Thálassian prince. Percy gasped against the hold, his hands immediately coming up to uncurl those hands around his neck, but to no avail. "At the end of the day, he was still himself. At least, he wasn't drowning in depression. At least, he was functioning."

A cold glint passed the eldest's eyes as he looked into startled sea-green eyes. Zagreus was smiling, but there was a manic glint in his eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now," Zagreus demanded, his hand tightening just slightly around the other prince's neck, making Percy realize that it really would be so easy for the former to kill him if he wished to do so.

"You had all our blessings," Thanatos added from beside his brother. He had unsheathed a dagger at some point and was playing with the sharp blade in his hand without sparing a glance at Percy. "You see, we were never wrong about anyone's character: you're the first one." Thanatos suddenly stabbed the blade beside Percy's head, the blade trembling at the force that was applied to drive it into the wall. Percy could tell it nicked his ear a bit as a sharp, yet tolerable pain suddenly flared.

"Tell me why we shouldn't send you back piece-by-piece to your kingdom for breaking him," Thanatos demanded as he easily pulled the blade out and began playing with it on his palm once more.

"Brothers, sister, that's enough. Prince Perseus clearly doesn't know what's happening to Nico. Clearly, he doesn't know what he did," Hazel decided to intervene, sparing some mercy onto Percy who was obviously clueless from the beginning.

"N-Nico? What… What happened to him?" Percy gasped, feeling slightly lightheaded from the lack of air, but his attention was clearly not on himself when he heard that something was happening to the youngest heir.

Hazel hesitated for a second before she looked at her eldest brother.

"You should let Percy go to him-"

"No, Hazel," Zagreus refused immediately. "If he's going to just continue toying with his heart-"

"I would never! I love him!" Percy growled, forcefully wrenching the eldest's hand from his neck. But Zagreus just unceremoniously let go of his neck in that instance.

He dropped to his knees, one hand resting on the ground for support while his other hand clenched around his neck as he struggled to get his breathing back. He coughed a few times before he glared up at the siblings, his anger getting a hold of him as he let out his frustrations.

"I love him! I love him so much, but no matter what I did, he wouldn't let me have his heart! A chance! All I wanted was a chance, but I didn't even have that!"

What did I do wrong aside from falling in love with him?

"What's wrong with the love I'm offering him? Why is it not enough for him to give us a chance?" Percy demanded through gritted teeth. "I would have moved heaven and earth if he asked. I'd give him everything. I was ready to give him everything."

"Do you think I didn't try to cancel the engagement as soon as I found out? I thought all of you trusted me, but to think that all of you would think so low of me…" Percy finished, voice trailing off in a harsh whisper.

"Why didn't you send a letter?" Thanatos asked while the rest of his siblings remained silent.

"For what?" Percy chuckled out of self-pity as he shakily stood up, still clutching at his neck. "I had assumed he would have heard and moved on to the next person. I wasn't getting out of this arrangement, and he wasn't going to change his mind."

"Idiots. Both of you are idiots," Bianca whispered while looking at Percy.

"Do you mean it?" Hazel asked. When Percy looked at her in confusion, she elaborated. "Did you mean what you said that you would give him everything?"

"I meant every word of it," Percy confirmed. He would always mean it when it came to Nico.

"Then please fix him. You left, then you were suddenly engaged. He thinks you're just another Jason Grace," Hazel explained, causing Percy to freeze as he finally realized what he's done.

"But one day, Jason suddenly becomes engaged and just leaves Nico behind." Hazel had told him before.

Oh gods, what have I done?

"Go to him. You broke him, so you go and fix him," Bianca said finally as she walked past him, but not before glaring at him icily.

"Nico, he… he's never had someone fight for him. Come find us in the morning. Hopefully you'll find an answer then as to what you need to do." Hazel offered, patting Percy's shoulder once. Whether it was out of support or apology or both, Percy couldn't be sure.

"You only have one chance," Thanatos said in passing, not even sparing him a glance. "Whatever you find in there, you did that to him."

"Let's go," Zagreus said, ushering his siblings away. He spared the younger prince a cold smile before he moved past him. "Since they're incapable of fixing this mess, we have to bring Father into this."

Percy watched as they walked away and disappeared at the corner before he looked at the door to Nico's room, his hands clenched tightly onto fists at his sides as he walked towards it. He hated Jason for what he did to Nico, but here he was, having done the exact same thing to him despite claiming that he loved him. He was stupid. He was the biggest idiot in the world. He knew he should have sent a letter, regardless if Nico cared or not - which he did, if his siblings' hostility was anything to go by. Nico deserved to at least know that Percy wasn't betraying him out of his own will. Nico deserved to at least know that Percy would only ever want for him.

No, he was an idiot before that. He shouldn't have made that stupid agreement to begin with.

The moment Percy entered Nico's room, the scent of alcohol immediately assaulted his senses. It was overpowering; he couldn't smell his unique scent of petrichor. He saw him almost immediately in the darkness of the room, the moonlight caressing his now pale skin, giving it a bluish tint.

Gods, what happened to you, angel? Percy couldn't help but think as he hastily approached his lover. In the few months he'd been gone, Nico lost a lot of weight. The skin around his eyes were sunken and dark, and all-in-all, he looked as if he had been neglecting himself.

I did this to you? Percy thought in horror, as he remembered what Bianca and Thanatos said earlier. Percy couldn't blame them anymore for how they reacted against him. He deserved all of it, for letting all his stupid decisions do this to Nico.

"I told you: stop drinking too much of that. You'll kill yourself," Percy softly chastised as he took the wineglass away, hovering above his lover as he looked down at him with concern.

Nico's eyes opened slowly - blearily - at that moment, and it broke Percy's heart to see them lackluster and looking shattered. His eyes drifted from the wineglass, to Percy, and there was a brief spark of recognition and happiness in them before they disappeared without a trace.

"I must be dreaming. You can't be here," Nico whispered. Percy really shouldn't be here; he was setting himself up for a heartbreak. But the heart wants what it wants, and Nico was the only one he truly wanted. Kneeling before him, he carefully took his, to Percy's unfortunate surprise, bitingly cold hands and brought them to his cheeks, warming them.

"I'm here though. Where else would I be but with you?" There was no other place he would rather be but here. The month they spent together was not nearly enough. What would he give to be able to go back to that time once more; to be able to love Nico every single day and not having to worry about anything else. Not his status, not his duties. That month felt like a dream. A blissful dream he never wanted to wake up from. "But maybe I shouldn't be. You're clearly intoxicated."

"No… stay," Nico begged, practically throwing his arms around Percy's neck. "Don't leave me too…"

Too?

Are you thinking of Jason? Is that why you're crying? Percy wondered as he felt Nico's tears against the crook of his neck. Why was he still staying? Why was he breaking his heart over this?

Ah, because I love him. Because I love him so much, that his happiness meant more to me than my own.

"Don't cry," Percy soothed him, patting his trembling back in reassurance. "I'll give you everything you could ever want. So don't cry."

At that moment, he meant it. Whatever it was that Nico's heart desired, he would give it to him in a heartbeat. If Nico asked him to pluck the stars from the sky, Percy would find a way to make it possible and present it all to him on a silver platter. As long as those tears stopped, as long as he would smile once again, Percy would give him anything.

"You," Nico breathed, looking into Percy's eyes. Was it delusional of him to think that he was the center of Nico's world at that moment? He could see his own reflection in those beautiful brown eyes at that moment, as if he was the only one Nico wanted to see. Even in this state, Nico was still the most beautiful person he had ever laid his eyes on. "I only want you, Percy."

He was weak. For Nico, he was weak. He would never be able to say no to him; never had been able to in that one month that they were together. Even though he knew he would be left picking up the pieces of his heart later on, he kissed Nico passionately, pouring into it all the love he held for the younger male. How did he survive months without his warmth and touch? No, how did he survive before he met Nico?

This was wrong, Percy thought to himself as they hastily pulled and took off each other's clothing, their hands immediately caressing each other's naked skin with utmost reverence. He shouldn't be doing this, not when he was engaged to someone else.

But do you love her? A voice in his head crooned dangerously, just as Percy lifted Nico up into his arms, those slender legs wrapping around his waist. He shuddered as a warm, wet tongue dragged from one of his shoulders, all the way to the curve of his neck before closing in on a patch of skin and sucking hard. He shuddered as Nico marked him, knowing that it would be there come morning. A proof of Nico's love, and a proof of Percy's betrayal.

No, I just love Nico, Percy found himself answering as he carried Nico towards his bed, placing him down at the center with him hovering over the younger prince. I just want Nico. I just need Nico, Percy was certain of that, as he cupped the back of Nico's head, cradling it preciously. He reconnected their lips in a deep, sinful kiss, their breaths intermingling as their tongues laved and twisted while their bodies rutted against each other. If loving Nico was a sin, let him continue being a sinner, Percy thought as he suckled on those petal-shaped lips. The taste of Nico on his tongue, his seductive scent, his cold yet smooth, soft skin and the sound of his breathy moans… all of it assaulted his senses, making him lose all reason.

The moment he entered and was wrapped around that exquisite, velvet heat, it felt like he was coming home. This was where he belonged - in Nico, with Nico. His fingers dug on the younger male's hips in an effort not to move immediately as he allowed for Nico to adjust. It would leave bruises come morning and crescent indentations from his nails digging into the skin, and the thought caused more blood to pool in his nether regions. He waited for Nico to pull him in close, an indication that he was ready, before he started moving his hips.

"Beautiful. So beautiful for me. All of you - born for me. My beautiful fallen angel." Percy kissed all exposed skin he could reach as their bodies moved with hunger after being denied for so long. The headboard was slamming harshly against the wall, but neither could be bothered at that moment as they basked in the union of their bodies, fresh tears still spilling out of Nico's eyes as he closed his eyes while instinctively arching his back, trying to draw Percy inside him deeper. Leaning down, Percy captured his lips once again, tasting the tears intermingling with his unique flavor.

"Don't cry anymore. I won't ever let you go," Percy whispered against his lips.

Why did he have to go back? Why did he choose to go back? He was happier here, with Nico. He didn't know his life had been dull and lacked color until he met Nico. What was even his life before he met Nico? He couldn't remember it anymore; didn't want to remember it anymore. Whatever it was, he didn't want to go back to it. He couldn't imagine his life without the younger prince anymore.

"Say it," Nico gasped as their lips briefly parted. Instinctively, Nico bit on Percy's lower lip, eliciting a guttural groan from the latter, and for Percy to deliver a harsh thrust to his insides. Nico's back arched in pleasure, a strangled moan escaping his parted lips before he began pleading. "Please say it. Please, please, please…"

Percy knew what Nico wanted him to say. It was those words that he kept locked up for so long that it had turned to a lump inside his throat, as if he was cursed not to speak of it. There was no going back once he said it. Not for him and Nico, especially not for him.

"I love you, Nico," Percy whispered against his lips, and at that moment, he felt as if he could breathe again. "Gods, I love you so much," he repeated again with a choked sob, finally breathing out the words he had been forbidden to say. It was always in his head - in his heart - begging and screaming to be spoken. This time, he said it a little louder, as if he was not afraid if the whole world heard him and hated him for his feelings. "You make me lose all reason. I don't care about anything else," Percy declared. "I want you. I just want you."

At that moment, he knew that what he said was the absolute truth. Russet-brown eyes fluttered shut at his declarations before they rolled back as Percy punctuated every confession with a harsh thrust.

"So tight…! Every inch… made for me. Every inch of me, for you," Percy rambled, eyes fluttering close as the sensations became too much. With a low growl, a hand moved to cup one of Nico's thighs, propping one of the younger's legs on his shoulders, allowing him to go smoother. Deeper. "Nico, love. I love you so, so much. Let me fill you until I'm the only one in your thoughts; in your world."

Forget everyone you've ever been with. Forget Jason. Just think of me. Think of me and know that I'm all yours.

"Too deep?" Percy asked when all he received as a response was Nico arching his back, eyes nearly rolling back again from too much pleasure. One of his hands had long dropped onto the sheets, clutching and tugging onto them as if they were his lifeline. "No, not deep enough. I need to engrave myself deep inside so you won't ever forget me."

"As if I could ever forget you…" Nico breathed in a soft whisper, but Percy heard it and his heart leaped for joy as he gave Nico a breathless, yet dazzling smile.

Don't forget me. Don't you ever forget me. Because I will never forget you, and I'll always be thinking of you.

"Don't hide your voice from me," Percy begged, his pace slowing when he noticed his lover biting down on his lips. "Let me kiss you. Let me hear every lovely sound."

Their lips met once again with ardor, neither parting for too long nor separating too far even as they struggled for air. Their foreheads were pressed against each other, sweat intermingling as did their moans - as did their breath - as Percy set a brutal pace once more, and Nico easily welcomed him with open arms.

"Percy…" Said prince heard Nico whimpering his name. He slowed his pace down as he silently urged Nico to speak, his name sounding like a prayer on his lips.

"-... you… -love you, I love you…!" Percy stilled inside of Nico, his mind drawing a blank. Did Nico…? Did he mishear what he was saying? But Nico continued babbling, fresh tears spilling down his cheeks as he looked at Percy. "Percy, I love you, I love you, I love you…!"

He used to want a love like a fairytale - the kind of love that was about warmth, comfort and security. The kind of love that was about secretive, chaste kisses. The kind of love that was pure and innocent. Perfect.

He used to want a love like a fairytale, until he met Nico. The love he offered was chaotic and crazy. It was passionate and wild. It was exciting and oh so liberating. It was so imperfect that Percy never knew how perfect that imperfection was to him.

"Don't ever forget what you said," Percy choked on unshed tears as he grasped the younger prince's hands. Lowering the leg on his shoulder, he placed those hands behind his neck before he forced both legs to wrap around his waist. Wordlessly, Nico understood, clinging onto him as tightly as he possibly could. "Don't forget what I said. I love you, Niccolò di Angelo."

It was as if they were making up for lost time, as they claimed each other's bodies over and over again, exchanging words of love with the moon as the sole witness of their union. Percy couldn't stop, not that he wanted to, greedily claiming Nico all to himself as he was finally completely Percy's. It was ridiculous how every I love you's made his heart pound erratically, and he found himself grinning from ear-to-ear like a kid as he cradled Nico so preciously in his arms. He loved Nico like he never had loved him before, leaving traces of himself in every single inch of his body. And when he was too exhausted to continue, Percy just held him dearly in his arms, pressing soft kisses all over his face, and occasional chaste kisses on his bruised lips as he finally drifted to sleep.

Percy didn't sleep a wink that night, his eyes looking out of that window, awaiting for dawn to break. But for once, he didn't feel dread over its approach, for he knew that when dawn broke, the dream had stopped becoming a dream.

He carefully cleaned both of them afterwards, especially his lover as best as he could. It was slightly amusing to see Nico passed out through it all, but Percy could understand as he traced the dark bags underneath his eyes. He had caused this, and he was going to fix it.

"Wait for me. I'll come back to you soon. I won't let you cry anymore," Percy promised with a soft smile as he kissed his bruised lips lovingly. He could see Nico opening his eyes, but Percy just coaxed him back to sleep, pressing kisses to his forehead. When Nico was finally deep in his sleep, Percy quietly left the room and headed towards the end of the hallway where Nico's siblings were once more waiting for him.

"Please, let me speak to your Father," Percy requested, feeling more certain that he was making the correct decision as all four siblings offered him small smiles in return.

"I wish to ask for your permission to marry your son, Niccolò di Angelo," Percy announced his intention as he knelt before the king of Skotádi. He kept his eyes trained on the carpeted floor, refusing to meet those piercing obsidian black eyes which he felt were intensely trained on his head.

"You know, when I asked Nico what he wanted me to do about the proposal letters we had been receiving that were intended for him, his response was to either throw them away or burn them. Tell me: should I throw you or should I burn you?" King Hades asked in a casual voice, while resting his chin against his palm.

Was he supposed to answer that? Percy wondered, keeping his head lowered. He could hear the siblings snickering at the side as they watched his misery. Did he deserve it? Probably. Did he deserve some leniency? Hopefully. It seemed like a long time had passed before King Hades cleared his throat before he uttered one word.

"Alright."

"Wait, really?" Percy asked dumbly as he finally looked up, watching as Nico's father rolled his eyes in response.

"You four," King Hades called out to his children who immediately stood a little straighter as soon as they were addressed. "Are you all sure you don't have the wrong person? Are you sure your brother wants to marry this idiot?"

"That idiot will be good for our idiot," Bianca said, giving their father a reassuring smile while her siblings just nodded.

"I assume you have already threatened him?" Hades redirected his attention to his sons, to which they only smirked in response. "He's not dead. Which can only mean that the four of you are fine with him."

"I trust my children to always have each other's interests at heart," Hades said as he redirected his attention to the Thálassian prince. "I love all my children, but Nico is the youngest, so he gets all of our love and attention. To think that that is not enough for him..." King Hades mumbled, his voice dripping with immense displeasure as he looked down at Percy. The Thálassian prince gulped visibly as the following words left the king's mouth.

"You best take care of my precious son. If you treat him any less than how his siblings treat him - or worse, mistreat him - I'll hunt you down and skin you alive. There's no corner in this world you can hide from me."

Percy shuddered at the memory. That had been almost a week ago, and now he was standing in front of his father's study, hesitating to knock. I can do this, he tried to convince himself as he took a shaky breath. If he could survive a confrontation with King Hades, then he could do so as well with his parents. They wouldn't threaten to hunt him down, unlike the other king, but Percy knew they would be disappointed. It was their disappointment that he didn't want to face, but he knew he had to do this. He couldn't keep Nico waiting for him, and Percy didn't want to be separated from him much longer.

He entered the room without knocking; it would be odd if he had since he had never done it before. As expected, his father was inside, but what Percy didn't count on was that the rest of the family was as well. His mother stood up immediately with the intent to approach him, but he cut her off as he raised the letter in his hand and handed it over to his father.

"I don't want to marry Lady Annabeth. Please annul the engagement," Percy stated, his voice firm with conviction.

"Percy…" His father sighed from behind the table, his eyes not looking up from the documents he was reading. He couldn't blame his father, this was not the first time he had brought up the subject. It always resulted in his request being rejected. But not this time, Percy was certain.

"I've already gotten King Hades' approval to marry one of his children," Percy announced, causing his family to look at him with eyes wide with surprise. His father finally took notice of the letter in his hand, feeling apprehensive as he looked at the stamped black wax seal.

Cautiously, he took it from Percy's hand and studied it for a few seconds before opening it.

It was almost comical to watch his father's face slowly morph from seriousness to surprise in a matter of a few seconds. He looked at Percy briefly, as if he was only seeing his son for the first time, before he reread the contents of the letter once more. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he released the letter in his hands, letting it fall onto his table as he looked at Percy in incredulity.

"Niccolò di Angelo? Hades' youngest?" King Poseidon asked, shocking the rest of their family further. His mother and Theseus snatched the letter off of the table at the same time, both in equal disbelief. But Percy just nodded to his father, causing his father to massage his temples as he felt an oncoming headache.

"Percy, we can't just-" His father started once more with the same argument. But this time, Percy wasn't going to accept a no for an answer. This time, he was prepared to lay down everything for Nico.

"You can. You will. Or you'll lose a son," the third Thálassian prince threatened.

"Perseus!" Queen Amphitrite exclaimed, unable to process everything that her son was dropping onto them all at once. Percy was sorry for her; he knew she only had their best interests at heart. He didn't want to do this to her, but if this was the price of his freedom, he would throw everything away that stood in his path.

"I'll leave everything behind for him," Percy said with certainty, not backing down as he met his father's gaze head-on.

"Percy, this isn't like you," Theseus spoke up before their father could. "Why are you suddenly making all these rash decisions?"

If there was someone in this room Percy was certain would understand him, it was his second brother. With a small, forlorn smile, he turned his attention to Theseus.

"What can I say? I want to keep dreaming with him. I don't want to wake up."

"Wow! Are you sure you would rather not marry this beauty instead?"

At this point, Percy was regretting bringing Theseus along. It was bad enough that the four siblings found amusement in teasing him, but now Theseus added himself to the mix.

"Said beauty has a name, and if Percy chooses to marry anyone else but our baby brother, I'll castrate him and feed his testicles to you," Bianca said with a bright smile, causing Theseus to shudder at the threat.

Zagreus snickered from the side while Thanatos simply smiled. Neither of their sisters need their protection. They were more than capable of handling these matters.

"Prince Theseus Tzákson, milady. I've heard nothing but endearing stuff about your baby brother from mine," Theseus introduced himself with a seductive smile, extending his hand out to the eldest daughter of Hades. With a raised brow, Bianca placed her hand on his, allowing Theseus to bring it to his lips for a chaste kiss.

"Princess Bianca di Angelo. That's funny, the only thing I heard from your brother was him moaning my brother's name while getting his dick sucked under the table," Bianca said in response, causing Percy to hide his face in shame with his hands while his older brother cackled at the new information as he let go of the princess' hand.

"So it wasn't love at first sight after all!" Theseus exclaimed, clutching at his stomach as he continued to laugh. "It was love at first suck! Or is it love at first fuck?"

"It's not!" Percy snapped.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," Theseus promised, patting his back in reassurance. Percy almost believed in him before he spoke to Bianca again. "Did he, at least, moan like it was the best thing that has ever happened to him?"

"Like he found a new god to worship," Thanatos murmured from the side.

"Like he found an oasis in the desert," Hazel joined in with a teasing smile.

"Like he was blind and suddenly could see," Zagreus added with a grin.

"Like a common pervert, that's what he is. Everyone in the palace knew he was sleeping with our brother every night," Bianca commented, causing the rest of them to laugh while Percy avoided looking at any of them. Horrible, all of them.

"Where is your brother, by the way? I would assume he would be excited to see my brother. God knows how Percy almost swam across the ocean just because the ship was too slow for him," Theseus teased his brother, causing Percy to punch his arm.

"He's still trying to get out of it. We haven't told him his mystery fiancé is you," Hazel explained. "We figured it would be a nice surprise for him."

"He's going to hate us for keeping him in the dark," Zagreus commented, knowing how their baby brother could be petty if he wanted to.

"He can hate us all he wants: it was a hassle to bring the two of them together," Thanatos remarked, to which the rest of the siblings nodded in agreement.

"I better be the maid of honor," Bianca declared, jabbing a finger at Percy's chest as she made her demand.

"You slapped him twice. I think that title would go to me," Hazel teased.

SLAP!

"Make that three. I'm still mad, and I haven't forgiven you," Bianca said, patting the cheek she slapped for good measure before she walked off towards the throne room.

SLAP!

"I'm still mad, but I forgive you," Hazel said with a smile, pecking the cheek she slapped before she followed her sister.

SLAP!

"I'm just following my sisters," Thanatos declared as he lowered his hand, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the hand he used to slap Percy with before he followed after his sisters.

SLAP!

"I really, really wanted to do that!" Zagreus said with a laugh before he jogged to catch up with the rest of his siblings.

"So…" Theseus drawled, trying not to laugh as his brother cupped his abused cheek. "Interesting family. You sure you want to marry into this one?"

"I'm sure. He's all I ever wanted," Percy said with genuine honesty, a fond smile creasing his lips as he thought of Nico waiting at the other side of that door for him.

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm happy for you. You finally found the one you're looking for," Theseus said, hugging his brother tightly for a few seconds before ushering him towards the throne room, opening the door for him. "Come on, Prince Charming. It's time to see your Cinderella."

Percy might be 100% Prince Charming material, but Nico was no Cinderella. And that was fine. It took Percy a month but he figured it out - he didn't want a love like a fairytale. He wanted the promise of a love that came only with Niccolò di Angelo. That chaotic, crazy and imperfect love.

Percy was smiling widely as he entered the room, but his smile faltered at the sight of his lover. Nico wasn't even looking at his direction - he just looked… troubled. He probably didn't notice that he was bouncing one of his legs at that moment, eyes fixed on a certain spot on the floor. Why wasn't Nico looking at him? Percy wondered as he moved to kneel before King Hades while his brother moved to the side, eyeing the youngest son of Hades with interest.

Percy's knee barely hit the floor before Nico suddenly spoke up.

"I'm sorry but I can't marry you." Percy's heart stopped at the sudden declaration. Did Nico change his mind about loving him? Even his family seemed surprised, not expecting this turn of events. The siblings all looked like they were considering strangling their baby brother at that moment. He was still looking down on the floor, nervously fiddling with that familiar silver skull ring on his thumb as he continued. "I-I'm in love with someone else and I promised to wait for him."

Oh. Oh.

Percy couldn't help but heave a shaky sigh of relief while the four siblings slumped on their thrones, raising their hands in defeat.

Always keeping me on my toes up until now.

"... Is he at least a very charming person?" Percy asked, a teasing lilt to his voice. He watched as those russet-brown eyes widened in recognition of his voice before Nico turned to finally look at him. His lips were slightly parted as he stared at Percy, his cheeks flushing a healthy pink. He looked much better than he did a few weeks ago, Percy noticed with satisfaction.

"... Percy? But how?"

"How what?" Percy asked, grinning. The siblings were now snickering at their youngest while King Hades massaged his temples, probably due to his son's earlier outburst and idiocy.

"You're engaged!" Nico exclaimed, as if it wasn't obvious. Well, technically, Percy was. But not to the person Nico was probably thinking of. "... aren't you?"

"I can decide for myself who I want to be with. And I know who I want to be with," Percy declared as he stood up and walked all the way to the bottom of the steps where Nico's throne sat on top. He could hear his brother chuckling at the side, but he ignored him in favor of Nico. He knelt down once more, offering a hand to the fifth heir. "You say that love is a commoner's dream. So how about we make it a reality?"

"Are you all mine?" Nico asked, hope seeping into his voice, as he stood up and slowly walked down the steps.

"If you still want me to be," Percy offered with a soft smile.

It was probably a ridiculous thing to say, Percy thought as Nico tackled him to the ground, his arms wrapping tightly around Percy's neck while their lips met in a messy kiss. It took them a while, but they finally got to where they both wanted to be.