Before You, a percy jackson and the olympians fanfic

Everything has changed

Now that I found us

And it feels like home

"Are you ready, Percy?"

The son of Poseidon looked towards the open door to where his father stood, dressed in his finest clothing. Those sea-green eyes which he inherited looked at him in surprise and awe before the older man smiled at him with pure adoration.

"You look handsome, my boy," Poseidon said as he stepped into the room, causing his son to smile slightly.

"Are you here to discourage me at the last second, Dad?" Percy had to ask, causing his father to chuckle.

"Nonsense. The son of Hades is too good for you. I'm fortunate to have him as my son-in-law," the suzerain of Thálassa teased, to which his son rolled his eyes playfully in response. His father had always been biased towards Nico; had always been extremely fond of the son of Hades since they were children, as if Nico was his own son. Percy shuddered at the thought. 'Son-in-law' was more than welcome, which Nico would be to his father in a few hours.

"Yes, he is," Percy acknowledged the fact that Nico was probably too good for him. Whether it was luck or fate, he was blessed that Niccolò di Angelo chose him as his other half.

"You're good for each other," his father amended what he said when he noticed that his son simply agreed. "Your feelings for him won't change. If it didn't change when you were apart, it's not going to change now that you two are together. Besides…" Warm hands settled on his shoulders as his father squeezed them firmly. "He makes you happy. That's all I could ever ask for."

But Nico didn't make him happy. Nico just made him the happiest he could ever hope to be. But Percy didn't correct his father; he didn't expect the older male to understand the complexities of his emotions. There were some things that only him and Nico could understand between them.

"Thanks, Dad," he said, placing one of his hands against his father's, squeezing it firmly in return.

"Percy?" The daughter of Athena peeked into the open door of the room. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Percy confirmed as he stepped away from his father's grasp, walking back a few steps to show his entire ensemble to them. "How do I look?"

His normally disheveled hair was mostly combed and swept back, the rest framing his face – framing those deep sea-green eyes – and giving him a flawless look while emphasizing the definition of his sharp jawline. His attire was almost a replica of his military uniform, but in a way, it was reimagined as well to an almost pristine white ensemble. He adorned silver white pants and a jacket with golden trimmings, embroidered with wave patterns that seemed to originate from the center back seam and expanded towards the front, and underneath the jacket was a deep navy blue ruffled silk shirt. Draped over his shoulders was a long white silver cape that stopped just around his calf, the hem of it in the same deep navy blue color with the golden trimmings, and cystal amethysts were lined along the area where the cape parts. The combat boots were replaced with polished navy blue shoes, the heels of which were made out of crystal. Pinned to the jacket, atop where his heart was, was an insignia of the district of Thálassa.

Percy was always handsome, there was no denying that. In another life, maybe Annabeth could have loved him instead of Luke. But right now, as she looked into his eyes and saw them brimming with love and life, she was certain that Percy was exactly where he needed to be, and that was with the son of Hades. Physical beauty could only carry someone so far. Nico was the one breathing love, life and happiness in those vibrant sea-green eyes.

"Like you're ready to marry the love of your life," Annabeth said with a genuine smile, her heart filling with a sense of pride as she looked at her former fiancée. Nico was a lucky guy.

"Yes, he is, and yes, I am." Nico really was the love of his life. No one came before him, and no one would come after. He was it for Percy - his first and last.

"And you're sure that you don't want to wait for him by the altar?" The daughter of Athena asked. By right, traditionally, that was what they were supposed to do. Percy would be waiting at the altar beside Luke and Will while Nico was to be escorted by his father down the aisle. But during the discussions, both of them immediately said no to the idea. In fact, they said no to many traditional customs.

"No, we want to do it right. We're going together," Percy said firmly.

Their love was unorthodox anyway. Them being together was unorthodox. He was not going to let Nico walk down the aisle, as if Percy expected him to be the one to make the entire journey for the both of them. No, they would walk that aisle together - hand-in-hand - as a representation of their relationship, of their marriage, going forward. They would walk towards the future, together, as equals.

"Are you sure you really want to get married? If you run now, I'll cover for you," Lord Hades proposed while eyeing his son.

"Father…" Nico could only sigh, unable to move around much since the maids were busy tending to him, fixing his appearance with the ultimate goal of making him look immaculate.

"I can't believe I agreed to give you away to that Tzákson boy. You're too good for him. How's he going to take care of you?" The former suzerain of Skotádi continued to complain. Luke could barely suppress himself from laughing in his seat. He knew that Lord Hades would be particularly difficult with the son of Poseidon due to the circumstances of his and Nico's engagement, but he didn't really expect that the older male would still have these sentiments up until the day of the wedding.

"Father," Nico warned, an edge in the tone of his voice. But he was not Niccolò di Angelo's father and the former suzerain of Skotádi if he became affected by it.

"What? You could have seriously done better," Hades said, glowering.

"Really? Previously, you said I could have done worse by choosing Jason. Now you think I could have done better?" his son asked in disbelief, one of his brows arching. Who could be better for him than Percy? "Name one person."

Lord Hades seemed to contemplate the question while staring at his son. For a second, the son of Hermes pitied whoever it was that the former suzerain would drag into this conversation, but when those obsidian black eyes glanced towards his direction, Luke considered that perhaps he should consider pitying himself more for ending up in these situations. Somehow, he knew what Lord Hades was about to say before the words left his mouth.

"... How about Lucas?"

As if on cue, the two of them looked at each other before loudly gagging at the same time at the ridiculous suggestion.

"My poor lunch is coming out," Luke lamented. He exaggerated by placing a hand over his mouth as if to stop some imaginary bile from coming out.

"I didn't even eat lunch - my breakfast is coming out," Nico quipped back, shuddering.

"You…!" Luke growled, pointing a finger at the younger male.

The maids giggled at their antics, so used to seeing and hearing the two heirs interact like a bickering couple over the past few weeks. If the young lord of Skotádi wasn't marrying their Lord Perseus, they would have assumed that there was something going on between the two.

Hades acknowledged that there was something between them, but unfortunately not the kind Nico had with the son of Poseidon. It was a brotherly bond - the kind that was more relaxed in comparison to Nico and Thanatos'. It was the kind that allowed Nico to act more his age; something that he couldn't really, growing up. The son of Hermes was good for him in that regard, though Luke did prove he was an excellent individual over the past few weeks. The boy was intelligent and - unlike Tzákson - not reckless. Similar to Thanatos, he cared for the people around him, though his was more brotherly whereas Thanatos' was comparable to a ruler with his subjects. Similarly as well, they placed their districts' needs above everything else - a basic understanding that was needed to succeed.

But it was due to that fact - that Luke would put his district's needs above everything else - that no one was better for Nico than Percy, albeit begrudgingly. Hades had seen the lengths the son of Poseidon would go through for his Nico, and knew that that was what his son needed in his life - someone who was unfailingly, unconditionally and irrevocably devoted to only him. If he was going to pass Nico to someone else, they would have to show a much greater devotion than what the son of Poseidon currently showed.

"What? You think my son is not good enough for you?" Hades demanded, glaring at the son of Hermes who instantly became pale in response. "I stand by my words that Zeus' son would still be the worst choice, but now that I'm suggesting you my son, you think he's not good enough?"

He liked Luke. He could consider him an honorary son to some small extent perhaps. But that did not mean that Hades would pass up a rare opportunity to torture the young man.

"I'm already engaged, Lord Hades," Luke tried to explain as calmly as he could under the scathing glare.

"As long as you're not wedded yet, it's still an option," Hades said dismissively. Luke didn't know how to respond to that so he just laughed awkwardly, glaring at Niccolò di Angelo as the younger male laughed silently at his expense.

"So… how do I look?" Nico asked, fiddling with the family ring on his thumb, as the maids stepped out of the room to give them some privacy once they were finished with him. The son of Hermes didn't really understand the son of Hades' need to ask while he took in Niccolò di Angelo in his entirety.

His normally untamed hair was styled artistically, his bangs half up and half down with the tips curling inwards, making his face look smaller and angular while putting emphasis on his jawline. Resting for almost a year did good on him; he regained a healthy olive skin that was every bit exquisite. Perhaps it was due to the powder dabbed onto his face, but his skin looked free of any imperfections.

Luke was considering requesting Lord Apollo's assistance for his own wedding attire as he marveled at Nico's. He adorned an immaculate and pristine white silver binding medieval jacket, with a black ruffled jacquard silk shirt underneath. The jacket had exquisite golden linings with a gray pattern inside, and atop of it was a long white silver cape with white fur collar that reached the back of his knees. Multiple crystal amethysts were attached to the whole ensemble, just enough to emphasize the wearer's standing. Pinned to the cape, atop where his heart was, was an insignia of the district of Skotádi. The whole ensemble was a reimagination of the district's military uniform up to the military boots. It was the perfect union between the occasion and a representation of his home district.

But more importantly, it was not the attire that carried him. It was Nico who carried the attire flawlessly. Niccolò di Angelo was undeniably beautiful. A genuine smile slipped into Luke's lips as he admired the young man before him. He was damn proud of this kid, his honorary brother.

"Percy is a lucky guy." He couldn't help but say, the marvel present in his voice.

"Damn right he is," Nico and Hades said at the same time, in the exact same tone, that had them both looking at each other before Nico started chuckling while his father gave an almost indiscernible smile.

"Shameless. Why did I call you my brother?" Luke teased.

"Because you're shameless too?" Nico easily supplied, earning an eye roll from the son of Hermes.

His father stood up from where he was seated and approached him slowly, stopping only when he was a few steps in front of him. There was a subtle fond look in his eyes that was almost indiscernible had Nico not been looking directly into them. Hades reached a hand towards him, hovering mere inches away from the skin of his cheek, as if the older male was afraid that he would tarnish his son's beauty by touching him with his sordid hand.

"You look so much like her. You look so much like my Maria… She would have been proud to see you grow up to be a fine young man," Hades said in a low voice, but in the silence of the room, it was audible to the three of them.

Nico didn't know how to respond to that. To begin with, he tried not to react to the name of his deceased mother. He had not heard his father or anyone else mention her name in years, to the point where Nico almost forgot her. It was difficult to talk about her; there was no one who really knew her better than him, Bianca and their father, and talking about her with his father was just too painful for the both of them. There was no denying that his father truly loved his mother. Maybe not with all his heart, but he loved her nonetheless. They were just not meant to be in this lifetime.

Many claimed that Nico looked like Hades, and Bianca, their mother. But in truth, no one looked more like Maria than his youngest son. Not even Bianca could fully capture Maria's essence in her. But Nico did, albeit he didn't recognize it himself, which was why there was always a lingering pain in the corners of Hades' heart for the woman that he lost. Nico looked so much like her that Persephone couldn't bring herself to accept him completely for years. Nico looked so much like her that when Nico was at his deathbed, he was willing to do anything to save his son. He didn't fully lose her when she died as traces of her were still present in their children. But with Bianca off elsewhere and in giving Nico up to be with his beloved, it felt as if he was losing her completely.

"Here." With utmost care, the son of Hades took off the pure silver skull ring - the family's heirloom - in his thumb and offered it to his father. "Please have it back."

"Why are you returning this to me?" Hades asked with a frown that had Nico hesitating for a second before he slowly answered.

"I figured you would want to keep it in the family." He was getting married to Percy after all. His family now would be Percy's, so it made sense to return the ring to his father.

"What nonsense," Hades scoffed as he took the ring and carefully placed it back in his son's finger, where it rightfully belonged. "You are my son, regardless of who you marry. There is nothing that can challenge or change that."

"Besides…" he offered his son a mysterious smile as he spoke, a certain faraway look in his eyes as if he were thinking of something else at that moment. "I'm sure you will find someone worthy of passing it to, in a few years' time."

There was a hint of madness in his eyes, a madness which Nico inherited from his father, that stopped the younger male from asking what his words meant. Perhaps he would ask at a later time, or perhaps he would just leave it be. There was something that mattered more in that moment - someone who mattered most in that moment.

"Are you ready?" Hades finally asked, offering a hand to his son.

That was a ridiculous question. He was more ready now than he had ever been his entire life.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Nico said with a small smile as he took it.

On the twenty-seventh day of the eight month,

In the 1st year of the new age - The New Hope.

In the name of His Majesty the suzerain

Lord Poseidon, 1st Suzerain of Thálassa

And his consort, Lady Amphitrite

In the name of His Majesty the suzerain

Lord Hades, 1st Suzerain of Skotádi

And his consort, Lady Persephone

With this present letter,

we request the honor of celebrating,

in thy kind and noble presence

and that of your household,

the marriage of his Highness

Lord Perseus Tzákson,

The third son; heir to the district of Thálassa

Lord Niccolò di Angelo,

The second son; heir to the district of Skotádi

Ambassador of Pangaea

The wedding is to be held

at the Grand Hall of the Alcázar of Thálassa

On the eighteenth toll of the bell.

Your presence will be a great honor to us.

May the blessings of the Moirai be bestowed upon thee.

Lord Hades spared no expense for his son, was what Apollo thought, as hundreds of guests marveled at the venue. Everything inside the grand hall was either locally sourced or - as with the majority - shipped directly from Skotádi. The grand hall was adorned with multiple flower arrangements consisting of pink hydrangeas, red azaleas, and green hellebore in cut crystal vases. The entire room was recarpeted to an immaculate white, with the aisles - as well as the grand staircase - lined with baskets of red and white roses and soft candles. All of the attendees chairs were made out of silver with the softest of cushions, gold sashes wrapped around the backrest and secured with rose gold crystal bauhinia brooches. Overhead the attendees - all dressed in their finest clothing, yet still seemed shabby in comparison to the venue - were royal blue and obsidian black tapestries with the crests of the Houses of Hades and Poseidon embroidered in gold.

The clear approval was evident in the eyes of the attendees - from nobles to officials - with some occasional jealous looks at the grandiose of the event. None could complain, however, since the money didn't come from the districts' pockets, but from Lord Hades' accumulated wealth. Apollo couldn't help but muse on how these people would react once they've seen the meticulous work he put through the two heirs' wedding attires. He spent months supervising their production to make them worthy of the two heirs, and to ensure that no one but they were worthy enough to wear these works.

He didn't really think his counterparts would be on board with making this the grandest wedding of this generation, but then again, Percy and Nico were respectively their pride and joy, even though Hades was a bit more reserved with his emotions. It was clear that he loved his children fiercely but he seemed to hold a particularly soft spot for his youngest son.

"They've outdone themselves, haven't they?" The son of Hermes spoke up from beside the suzerain of Ílios, startling Apollo.

"Lucas," the suzerain greeted. "Yes, Lord Hades spared no expense for young Niccolò."

"Not just him," Luke shook his head. "The wedding banquet hall, I passed by it earlier. Lord Poseidon went all out for Percy too. This might really be the grandest wedding of our generation."

"Too early to say that," Apollo said with a smile. "You still have your wedding next year with the daughter of Athena."

"We're a bit more practical with our plans. Besides, we don't have sponsors like Lords Hades and Poseidon. They even declared a week's celebration for their districts in recognition of the union," Luke answered with a chuckle. "Speaking of our wedding, is there any chance you would be willing to have wedding attires created for us too, Lord Apollo?"

"I take it you like Nico and Percy's?" The wide grin he received was all the conformation Apollo needed.

"You've outdone yourself as well. If you saw the way they looked at each other when we brought them to where they would make their entrance…" the son of Hermes trailed off, shaking his head fondly. "They couldn't look more in love. Percy more so; it's ridiculous how his eyes are so easy to read."

"That's what's charming about him," Apollo said with a smile, his eyes redirecting to the guests that were slowly filling the venue and taking their respective seats. "Regarding your request, I'll consider it. After all, those clothes were - in a way - my payment to Poseidon's son for bringing me back Zeus and Ares' heads."

Luke winced at that. He remembered that memory clearly. It was difficult not to because true to his words, the suzerain of Ílios did drag their heads from the back of his chariot across his district to show his people the murderers of his sons.

Speaking of sons, cobalt-blue eyes drifted to the front row where Lord Poseidon's family would be seated on one side with Ílios and Lord Hades' on the other with Anemoi. His eyes focused on two empty seats with silver cards placed atop of the cushions. He could vaguely make out the names of Leshem and Michael in them.

"I thought they were payment on behalf of Michael and Lee's pledges?" Luke asked.

"I'd say me officiating this ceremony and the wedding attire are… joint payments. After all, you can't outdo the parents' efforts," Apollo stated wistfully as he adjusted the robes he was adorning at the moment.

"Are you sure you're not officiating just because the high priest is a bigot?"

"That too. But they did ask me personally."

It was to be expected that not everyone was accepting of the union. They couldn't force the district's high priest to officiate the wedding without offending his devout followers so they settled for someone of high power as well.

"It's high time we take our places," Lord Apollo announced as the bell tolled from a distance, signaling the hour. With a grin, the son of Hermes bowed in front of the suzerain before he departed to take his place amongst the wedding entourage while the remaining guests seated themselves down.

Soft music began playing, a gentle and uplifting melody that set the tone for the wedding entrance that was to come. There was something intimate about the ceremony despite the grandiose of the venue - an intimacy that was reflected in the limited number of people involved with the entourage. There were no members of the families' branches involved, just the immediate ones and the closest friends of both grooms as they started walking down the aisle, all dressed in their finest clothings and jewelry. Luke and Annabeth led them, the best man and the maid of honor respectively, followed by Hazel and Thanatos. Behind them were Lord Apollo's children - Will and Kayla - who were, in good humor, the ones appointed to spread flower petals along the aisle. The ring bearer - Lord Poseidon's youngest son, Tyson - came after them, holding in his chubby little hands a veiled black cushion with a pair of silver wedding rings nestled atop of it.

The next members of the entourage were the parents of both grooms, and the guests lowered their heads as they passed by, showing the suzerains their utmost respect. Lord Poseidon was leading them as the suzerain of the hosting district, walking arm-in-arm down the aisle with his consort, Lady Amphitrite. Lord Hades followed some distance behind them, escorting his consort, Lady Persephone.

When it was time for the two heirs to make their entrance, the music slowly faded into the background while the seated guests all stood up to welcome them - all waiting with bated breath as they finally emerged from the top of the stairs.

The music started slowly - softly - while collective gasps resounded in the room as the guests took in the to-be-wedded couple, and Apollo couldn't agree more with what the son of Hermes said - that he had outdone himself. Gods, there was no one in the room that could compare against them. No poet or painter could capture the essence of the beauty that was of Perseus Tzákson and Niccolò di Angelo, and none could take their eyes off of the two heirs - captivated as if they were under a spell - as they made their way down the aisle. Both of them were gods who descended onto the mortal plane, as they appeared surreal under the soft lights. Like the previous ones he had gifted them, their ensembles complemented each other, specifically sewn for the two heirs and them alone. And, like gods, both of them spared no more than a few seconds to glance at their guests, their eyes drawn to each other like magnets. Love, Apollo thought. Both of them looked at each other with so much unspoken love and adoration, and that love glowed so strongly that it made them all the more radiant in the eyes of all who gathered.

He had never seen a pair more perfect for each other than the one in front of him. No one could contest the fact that they were made for each other.

"... We begin with the blessings," the suzerain of Ílios spoke once he was able to collect his thoughts, gesturing for the two heirs to kneel as he took a silver aspersorium with blessed water from the altar into his hands. The nobles all gradually lowered their heads once the spell from that moment was lifted, wordlessly offering their respects to the deities as the suzerain called upon their blessings.

"May the deities of Palaiá Rómi and Paliá Elláda bestow countless blessings upon you.

"Blessed be thee by the goddess Hygieia,

Daughter of the god Vejovis and the goddess Epione,

Benevolent goddess of health.

Bestow your protection and power unto thy children.

"Blessed be thee by the goddess Minerva,

Daughter of the god Jupiter and the goddess Metis,

Benevolent goddess of wisdom.

Bestow your protection and power unto thy children.

"Blessed be thee by the goddess Laetitia,

Benevolent goddess of joy, gaiety and celebration.

Bestow your protection and power unto thy children.

"Blessed be thee by the goddess Abundantia,

Benevolent goddess of abundance and prosperity.

Bestow your protection and power unto thy children."

Lord Apollo dipped the silver aspergillum onto the stoup, tapping it once on the rim before sprinkling the blessed water around the two heirs. The water did not touch any part of their bodies, but rather surrounded the area where they knelt.

"Bless thee children of yours, Perseus Tzákson and Niccolò di Angelo.

May the blessings of the Moirai befall upon thee.

Bestow your protection and power unto thy children."

The suzerain handed the aspergillum to his third son, who had moved to stand behind him. Kneeling before the two heirs, Lord Apollo dipped three of his fingers lightly onto the water, carefully raising it before brushing his fingertips against Percy's forehead, the fabric close to his heart, and his left and right shoulders respectively before doing the same gesture to Nico. Once that was accomplished, he arose once more.

"May the blessings and protection of Neptune and Pluto befall upon thy children. Evlogiménos na eíste."

"Evlogiménos na eíste," the guests answered back before they took their seats once more.

"The both of you are glowing with the blessings of the gods," Apollo remarked as he offered the two heirs a hand each, guiding them to stand up before him once more, facing each other, before he addressed the crowd.

"Before we begin, I must ask, is there anyone who challenges the union of these two?"

No one is hopefully foolish enough, Apollo thought to himself, watching as a couple of murderous glares were cast around the room, courtesy of the fathers of the grooms, Lucas Theodosios Castellan, Annabeth Chase, and as well as his son, William Gallagher Solace. As if that was not intimidating enough, the subtle move of soldiers placing their hands atop the hilt of their swords added to the sudden tension in the room. The suzerain of Ílios let the silence linger for a few more seconds before he dispelled the tension with his voice as he continued to speak, his attention redirected to the couple.

"We are gathered here to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, and to bear witness to an oath which shall unite Perseus Tzákson and Niccolò di Angelo in marriage. There are no obligations in this world more sweeter or tender than those you are about to assume, and there is no oath more binding than that you are about to make. This ceremony will not create a relationship that does not already exist between the two of you, but it is a symbol of how far both of you have come these past few years. It is a symbol of the promises you have made and will continue to make to each other as you continue to grow as separate individuals and as partners. It is a symbol that all the challenges you face henceforth, you now face them together, and that no matter how much you succeed in life, you succeed together as one. The love between the both of you binds you now as one in everything."

"Please say your oaths as you exchange your rings," he instructed, stepping back to make way for Lord Poseidon's fifth son and the couple's ring bearer. On the veiled black cushion with golden trimmings that the child carried, a pair of identical silver rings rested, each adorned with sea-green rhinestones and topaz zircon around their circumference.

Smiling at Tyson, Percy patted the boy's hair affectionately and whispered his thanks before he carefully took the slightly smaller ring that was meant for the son of Hades. Reaching for Nico's left hand, he held it tenderly with his right hand while presenting the ring with his left.

"In the presence and with the blessings of the gods, behold my oath that I, Perseus Tzákson, will take no one but you, Niccolò di Angelo, as my husband until the end of my life, and I give you my word for this.

By destiny, we are aligned - our love eternal and true. You are my friend, my lover, my heart, my soul. I bind myself to you with these wedding vows, willingly and wholeheartedly, free from any doubt or mental reservation.

As I place this ring onto your finger, I give you all that I am and hope for.

In richness and in poverty,

In jubilation and in despair,

In sickness and in health,

Despite our flaws,

I will share my life with you.

I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care.

I pledge to cherish and honor you through this life and into the next, for as long as my soul recognizes yours as mine.

This is my wedding vow to you.

This is the marriage of equals."

Percy slipped the ring carefully onto Nico's finger. The moment the cool metal rested against his skin, Nico felt as if something that had been missing came home to where it rightfully belonged. He tried not to dwell on it too much, tried not to get overwhelmed by his thoughts, as he grasped Percy's ring from the cushion, holding it with utmost care as he recited the same vows.

"In the presence and with the blessings of the gods, behold my oath that I, Niccolò di Angelo, will take no one but you, Perseus Tzákson, as my husband until the end of my life, and I give you my word for this.

As I place this ring onto your finger, I give you all that I am and hope for.

In richness and in poverty,

In jubilation and in despair,

In sickness and in health,

Despite our flaws,

I will share my life with you.

I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care.

I pledge to cherish and honor you through this life and into the next, for as long as my soul recognizes yours as mine.

This is my wedding vow to you.

This is the marriage of equals."

He carefully slipped the ring on Percy's finger as well, pausing for a few seconds to admire it. It looked like it was meant to belong there, just as much as the ring on Nico's finger looked like it was always meant to be there.

"By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husbands. What the gods have joined together, let no one put asunder," Apollo announced to the crowd.

"You can start kissing each other," the suzerain whispered before playfully winking at the two.

Percy and Nico laughed briefly at the gesture before they looked into each other's eyes. There was a giddy happiness in their faces as the son of Poseidon pulled his now husband close by the waist with one hand, the other resting tenderly against one of Nico's cheeks. In return, Nico confidently placed his palms against his husband's chest, welcoming the solid weight and warmth underneath. At that moment, it was as if nothing and no one else mattered and there were just the two of them left in the room. Lost in each other's eyes, they whispered 'I love you' to each other at the same time before their lips locked in the sweetest of kisses, the thunderous applause lost in the background.

Contrary to tradition, instead of moving to the dining hall, the banquet was moved outdoors to the gardens where multiple tables had already been arranged and guests were seated in designated seats. Each table was covered with sea-green linen tablecloths and adorned with elaborate and flamboyant centerpieces. The plates and utensils were made of pure silver while the glasses were made of crystal. Overhead the tables were multiple strings of light that lit up the entire garden in the night, giving it an ethereal feel.

The head table - reserved for the married couple - was placed in front of a weeping maple tree. But said couple weren't seated at the moment as they had to move from table to table to greet their guests.

"I would say congratulations, but you two are each other's burden now," the son of Hermes commented playfully, offering the son of Poseidon a handshake while he hugged the son of Hades tightly. Nico gasped in the tight hold, feeling as if his ribs were being squeezed. Fortunately for him, it only lasted a few seconds before Luke let him go.

"Wow. Didn't know we were your burdens to begin with," Nico rasped, patting his attire down before turning to his husband. That same giddy feeling rose in his chest, but he subdued it as he commented. "Remind me to say that when he and Annabeth get married."

Percy laughed at that, the corners of his eyes crinkling. Nico admired the sight briefly before he turned to the daughter of Athena, his eyes searching.

"Are you sure you want to marry that thing? I promise you, I can find you someone much better, just say the word," Nico offered, pointedly ignoring an outraged 'that thing?!' from his side.

"I am. Just as you're settled with Percy, I'm settled with him," Annabeth heaved a long sigh, as if she didn't have any other choice. There was a rare rueful look in her stormy gray eyes that had the son of Hades immediately agreeing to whatever she had in mind before she could speak of it. "Besides, you are the only one much better than Luke, and you're already taken."

"For you, I'll consider divorcing Percy," he said as Annabeth grasped his hands, looking at him with that playful, hopeful look.

"Get me a ring, and I'm all yours."

"Hey!" Percy and Luke interrupted at the same time, with Percy pulling Nico to his side while Luke pried Annabeth's hands off of the son of Hades and pulled her to his side.

"Okay, congratulations, you two deserve each other, enjoy a long married life, we'll see you in our wedding next year as our best men?" Luke hurriedly listed all that they needed to say, wanting to separate his and Percy's partner before the two continued to have funny ideas.

"Right. We have to greet the others," Percy agreed in a hurry as well before he and Luke steered their partners to opposite directions and whisked them away, causing both Nico and Annabeth to laugh out loud.

"You're being ridiculous. As if I'll ever love anyone other than you," Nico commented, placing a hand on top of the one wrapped possessively around his waist. When they were some distance away from the two, Percy stopped walking, his hands moving to hold his husband's slender waist.

"Good. Because I won't ever let you go, Niccolò di Angelo-Tzákson," Percy looked at him with a grin and a twinkle in his sea-green eyes.

"I like hearing you say that," the son of Hades murmured, returning the smile with just the same amount of giddiness that almost left him breathless.

"Niccolò di Angelo-Tzákson," his husband repeated in a low voice before Percy closed the distance between their lips in a gentle kiss. "Did I tell you yet? Eísai polý ómorfi…"

Hearing that phrase from someone else would undoubtedly put a revolted look on Nico's face, but coming from his husband, it left an endearing flush on his cheeks because he knew that Percy meant it. Regardless that it was addressed to his looks at that moment, he had laid bare for Percy all of his sides a long time ago. For Percy to still call him beautiful, Nico knew that it meant more than just his physical looks for Percy knew the real him and still decided that he - in entirety - was beautiful.

"Eísai polý glykós," he said, wrapping his arms around the son of Poseidon's neck to press their lips a little more insistently, a little more passionately.

There were a couple of cheers from the background - definitely from Luke, Will, the Stoll brothers and Percy's friend, Leo - and the sound of crystal glasses clinking against silverware as the guests encouraged the public display of affection. They smiled against each other's lips, cherishing the sweet moment before Percy stiffened, pulling away by a hair's breadth as he whispered in a low voice.

"What are the chances of your father guarding the outside of our bedchambers?"

"Well…" Nico contemplated the question, causing Percy to pale. "What is it?"

"... It's been months," his husband complained in a very low voice, but Nico heard his answer clearly, causing him to laugh out loud, throwing his head back.

The last time they had been intimate was roughly two months ago, just before Lord Hades came to Thálassa to oversee the preparations for their wedding. It was as if his father had a sixth sense for when the son of Poseidon came close to defiling his son. If it wasn't him interrupting their moment, it was everyone else Lord Hades could get involved - Percy's father, stepmother, Tyson, the maids… eventually he got Thanatos, Hazel, Luke and Annabeth involved as well as the wedding day approached closer. The latter party took amusement in Percy's 'pain' while the residents of the district were a little more sympathetic to his 'plight'.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect him to be overprotective," Nico offered apologetically.

"He's too late for that," Percy answered, likely thinking back to their first time back in Skotádi. How was it that they got away with that, but they couldn't in his home district?

"He doesn't need to know that, if you value your life," his husband reminded him, lips curling to an amused smile.

"Do we have to go to them now?" Them referring to their families who were probably waiting for them to approach. 'Waiting' was an understatement though; Percy could feel his father-in-law burning holes on the back of his head for touching his son, who also happened to be his now husband.

"Come on. We have to greet our families first." Let's get it over with, was what Nico seemed to suggest. They really should, Percy would agree on that, but he was definitely not looking forward to greeting his father-in-law. The rest of their family was more than welcoming of their relationship, but Lord Hades continued to give him a ridiculously tough time since they got engaged in a non-traditional way, which in his knowledge translated to 'not having asked their families for permission first'. Perhaps he was just biased against Percy since Frank wasn't receiving the same treatment, but Nico assured him that his father actually preferred him over the son of Ares, and that his father mentioned that Nico could have made a worse choice if he chose the son of Zeus. Percy tried not to dwell on the implication that while he wasn't the worst choice, he wasn't exactly the best in the former suzerain's standards.

"Big brothers! Congratulations on getting married!" Tyson slipped out of his chair and ran towards them. It was laughable how he ran towards the son of Hades rather than his own brother, but Percy would be lying if he wasn't expecting it. The two of them became close ever since the few weeks they spent in Skotádi, and after the war with Nico taking up permanent residence in Thálassa, they only became much closer. Where Tyson used to only babble about his great, big brother Percy, it gradually changed to his amazing and perfect big brother Nico. Percy couldn't really blame the child, since Nico was good at handling him.

"Thank you, Tyson. You did great out there," the son of Hades said as he knelt down, hugging the child tightly when small arms came to wrap around his neck.

"Uh-huh, I sure did!" Tyson agreed, clinging tight, refusing to let Nico go. With an awkward smile, Nico carefully stood up with the child in his arms while the rest of their families congratulated them.

"Congratulations, the two of you," Poseidon and Amphitrite embraced Percy first before doing the same to Nico, though it was still slightly awkward for them to act normally with the consort. The pain of losing her first and only son was still raw, and while she did blame Percy at first for her son's death, Poseidon ultimately took that blame. After all, Percy - from what Thanatos told him - spared his brother twice, despite his attempts to kill Percy and for what he did to Nico. Ultimately, it was Thanatos who dealt with Triton, but the fact remained that the fault lay with him. Neither Percy nor Nico could blame her though for pinning the blame on them.. How could she deal with the grief knowing that her son was buried somewhere without a proper burial in an unknown grave? But that was the price Triton had to pay, branded as a traitor and a sinner for his betrayal to the district.

The three of them were relearning how to have an amicable relationship. It was difficult to go back to how things were, but it was something. The same couldn't be said for their daughters, Rhode and Kymopoleia. While they were displeased of their brother succeeding as the next suzerain and much preferred Percy to do so due to political interests, it was never an option for them that their brother should die. It was due to that that they distanced themselves, corresponding to their father and mother on their own terms.

"Nico. Percy." It was Hazel's turn to greet them, along with Frank. She wrapped them both in her arms, giggling slightly when Percy's little brother joined in on the hug. "Congratulations, you two."

"Thanks, little sister," Nico grinned, habitually placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "So when are you getting married?"

Hazel and Frank blushed at the question as they glanced at each other before the daughter of Hades decided to answer on behalf of both of them.

"In a few years' time. It's still early for us. We'll get there eventually," she conveyed her hopes for the future.

"As you should," their father commented from the side, casually sipping wine while looking pointedly at her daughter and her partner from the rim of the crystal glass.

"Husband," Persephone scolded the former suzerain, but her husband wasn't listening. Rather, obsidian black eyes shifted to rest on the son of Poseidon, who could only look away from the scathing glare.

"You," he said, pointing at Percy with his index finger while still holding onto the glass. "You better not be expecting any gift from me. I just gave you one of my life's greatest treasures. If you hurt my son, I'll break every single bone in your body and pound it into ash."

There was something oddly heartwarming about hearing such words from the former suzerain of Skotádi, despite the fact that his son was being threatened, Poseidon thought. He could count on one hand instances wherein Hades had been upfront and honest, especially with matters concerning his emotions. For him to openly admit that his youngest was one of his life's greatest treasures… sea-green eyes could see russet-brown eyes become slightly watery. There was beauty in words rarely spoken.

"I won't… Father." Percy couldn't stop himself from visibly shuddering as he said that, the new manner by which he had to address the former suzerain sounding so foreign in his tongue. Fortunately for him, he wasn't the only one with those sentiments.

"Ugh, that sounds worse than I imagined," Hades shook his head, looking as if he was wronged as he rubbed a hand across his face. "It's Lord Hades to you." He pointed a finger at the son of Ares, looking at him with a glare. "And you as well."

"It seems that Father is not drunk enough for this," Thanatos commented with a small smile, interrupting their father before the situation could get any more awkward as he approached the newly wedded couple, extending a hand to them. "Niccolò. Perseus. Congratulations on your wedding. We do have a gift for you - from most of us. You just have to get it from Lou Ellen. She's over there with Lord Apollo," Thanatos instructed, pointing somewhere behind them.

"Thank you. We'll head over in a bit, we just need to greet the other guests first," the youngest son of Hades explained while lowering Tyson to the ground, an apologetic smile on his lips when the child pouted.

"Nico, son, do you have the list of expenses? Should we draft it first before you head to their table?" Lord Poseidon offered with a playful smile creasing his lips.

"Yes, father. I have it all noted down," Nico joked back.

Bowing to their families, they immediately moved on to greet their other guests, giving them their gratitude for their attendance. They moved from table to table, barely spending a minute at the tables designated for the nobles and officials. Their fathers would handle them - they didn't want to get involved in anything remotely political today.

They paid better respects to their counterparts from the other districts - people whom they had personally invited. The future suzerains, Kayla, Jake, the Stoll brothers, Cecil, Chris, Malcolm… though some of them were unable to attend, specifically Thalia and Bianca due to their oaths. They sent letters ahead to wish them best regards, and for Nico and Percy, that was enough. They received congratulations and teasing remarks from all around the table, albeit there were some that were… a little more awkward to receive. Jason's specifically, due to the complexity of their past. Jason was trying to befriend them again, Percy confided with him a few months ago. His husband confirmed with him as well that he knew that the son of Zeus was still in love with him, but that he was not going to intervene if Nico wanted to try a friendship again with Jason. Nico appreciated his trust, but it would take a long time before he could separate the Jason who was their friend and that Jason who viewed him as someone more than that.

By the time they reached the table reserved for their closest friends, Nico felt more at ease, practically melting into his honorary sister's arms when she embraced him tight.

"Reyna. I'm glad you could make it," Nico breathed as he leaned against her. It was comforting to have her here and to be in her presence.

"Mi valiente soldado. For you, I will always make time," she promised, pulling away to affectionately pat one of his cheeks before turning to the son of Poseidon. "Perseus Tzákson, I will only say this once: If you hurt him, Lord Hades will be the last person you would have to worry about."

"Now, aren't you happy that I'm the non-violent honorary sibling," Luke commented from the side, placing his chin on his hands as he leaned against the table, a teasing smirk on his lips as Percy paled slightly at the threat. Poor guy, he probably already received a threat from Nico's father, and now he was receiving another one from his honorary sister.

"Perseus, Niccolò, congratulations," Apollo greeted them, easily bringing the two heirs in for a hug. He had already stripped off the robes from the earlier ceremony and had changed to something that was more befitting of his position and style.

"Lord Apollo. My father-in-law is asking if you want to settle the payments now or should we settle it later?" Nico asked as soon as the suzerain released them.

"I swear, why did those two even agree to such a thing," the older male heaved a long sigh, sparing a sidelong glance at the empty chairs in-between him and Will. The same cards from earlier were placed on the silver plates, the names of Leshem and Michael elegantly written in them.

Technically they didn't really agree to the sponsorship, Nico just appointed them, as he did the rest of the people involved in their wedding. But they never really opposed the idea, so neither Nico nor Percy - or even Luke and Annabeth - brought it up. Perhaps, in a way, it's their last act of payback to their father for their previously lost bet. Nico would like to think of it that way, rather than dwell on the details of their death.

"Jokes aside, thank you for officiating the ceremony, and for having these made for us." Nico gestured to their wedding attires. The suzerain of Ílios stepped back to admire the couple once more with a genuine look of approval and satisfaction.

"It's fine. I wanted to do it. Besides, the thought you showed today for my sons is more than enough payment," Apollo said, a hint of sadness in his smile as he said that.

Respectfully, the both of them looked away from the suzerain of Ílios. It hadn't been long since his sons passed away; the grief from that day was still raw to most of them. It was Percy's idea to leave designated chairs for the sons of Apollo for their wedding ceremony and the banquet after. Nico just readily agreed, considering it a small tribute to them.

"You're lucky I like you. I hate wearing these constricting things," Lou said as she stepped towards them while pointing at the shoes that covered her feet. She cleaned up well for the occasion, but as a witch - someone who preferred to be as close to nature as possible - she disliked the constraints her current attire was presenting to her.

"I would have ordered you to come, either way," Nico said with a small smile.

"No, you won't," she answered with a smile as she moved to hug the son of Hades. Yes, she disliked it, but for an occasion such as today, she could endure it to show her support for her friend. While she might not know the young lord for as long as some selected few, she knew enough that life hadn't been kind to him growing up. She silently prayed and hoped that this happiness would last him a lifetime.

"Yes, I won't," Nico agreed, hugging her back just as tight before they parted. He appreciated her presence and was glad that she could share this day with her. She had always been one of the few that constantly worried about his happiness. "Thanatos told me to come here to receive a gift from you."

"I have a small gift for the both of you," she confirmed, fiddling with the straps of her satchel. "Well, we have a small gift for both of you."

"You all didn't have to," Percy commented on behalf of him and Nico. They really didn't; their support was more than enough for them.

"But we want to," Lou insisted as she rummaged through her bag before carefully offering them a crystal vial with a white liquid that looked almost like molten silver. She held it with utmost care, as if it were something truly special. But Nico had enough run-ins with magic, as did Percy, though in his case it was more of a one-and-done encounter. It didn't really leave him with the best memories despite that it saved Nico's life.

"... I don't even want to guess what that does," Nico admitted.

"You don't have to. I was going to tell you either way," she smiled, understanding their reservations. "Do you two want to have children someday?"

"Well…" The two exchanged a quick glance before Percy answered for them. "It would be nice to, but ultimately, no. If it means having to be with someone else other than Nico, I'd rather not."

They talked about it in depth over the months. Nico knew that given his gender, a child wasn't something he could provide Percy. Percy assured him that it was fine, that he would rather not have any if it meant having to sleep with someone else, but Nico still thought of it often. He's comfortable with his gender, but he still wished that there was some way for them to have a child that's just… theirs.

"What if you don't need to do the deed with a woman? What if you just need their body as a carrier for a child - a child carrying only your blood? Both of your bloods," Lou pressed, looking at them intently and with excitement as she rocked back and forth in her feet. She conveyed in her own words clearly what Nico wanted that it had the son of Hades sparing a second glance at the crystal vial in her hands.

"Lou… what's this potion?" he asked slowly, not allowing for hope to settle in his heart.

"This potion will allow you to have children of your own!" She answered with a bright smile. She was expecting to hear a response from the sons of Hades and Poseidon, something positive, but when she received only silence and an unreadable expression from them, she quickly interpreted that she might be stepping out of line. "I… I'm sorry. Forget it, it was a stupid gift anyway."

"No, don't say that." Nico hugged her immediately, squeezing her so tightly to the point where she almost couldn't breathe. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this gift means to us."

When the young lord pulled back, Lou immediately saw a small tear slip from the corner of his eyes that were shining with unbridled happiness. Even Percy had the same look on his face, like he was suffering from an overwhelming happiness and wasn't sure how he should handle it. With a gentle smile, she carefully wiped her friend's tears away. If she could give this happiness to Nico, then she would give it to him by all means.

"You're welcome. When you're both ready, let me know. I will see to it that you two will have your child."

"Now, when you say 'we'..." the son of Hermes interrupted from the side.

"I meant their family, Ílios, me, Lady Reyna and Lady Annabeth," the young witch explained truthfully.

"I know I should feel betrayed that you know and I don't," Luke started while looking at his smirking fiancé with a sense of betrayal. "But more importantly, why was I not included in this?!"

It was Will who answered with a victorious smirk, ignoring the glare he was receiving from the son of Hermes.

"You're too close to Nico. You might have slipped. We didn't want to risk either of them knowing until we're sure it would work."

"Your father asked for me to make this gift, with the consent of both your families," Lou explained while looking at Nico. "It has worked before for us - there were records in my ancestry that showed children 'born' from both male parents. Ílios and Lady Annabeth helped me with the necessary research to ensure that there wouldn't be any major risks."

At the mention of their families, both heirs turned around to look at their table, only to find that their family members were equally staring back at them. With smiles, excluding Lord Hades who was more or less just continuing to sip on his wine, they raised their glasses to the couple, with the other guests left wondering the reason why.

This gift was just too precious, both of them thought at the same time as they stared at the crystal vial. Inside it was the means to make their hopes and dreams a reality. Though his father tried to avoid taking credit, Nico couldn't help but be grateful for his father for continuously looking out for him.

"I take offense to the secrecy. How is any other gift supposed to beat that?" Luke complained.

"You can pay for the wedding?" Will suggested, grinning.

"No. That's it. You're all traitors," Luke raised his hands in defeat as he walked away before he could really be dragged into paying for this extravagant wedding.

Everyone laughed at his reaction, with Annabeth leaving a few seconds later to follow after her grumbling fiancée. She properly gave Percy and Nico her congratulations this time before she walked away.

Darling, if you don't mind

I'll take your hand tonight

We could just slow down time

Let me adore you

And from the moment I looked in those dark brown eyes

I can't remember life

Before you

As the night wore on, the festivities continued with music and dancing, creating an upbeat and cheerful atmosphere. Like before - in a time gone by - the merriment was so contagious that the son of Poseidon found himself dragging the younger male towards the middle of the crowd. The moment Percy stretched out his hand to him, Nico knew immediately what he would say.

"Théleis na chorépseis mazí mou?"

The answer had never been easier as Nico took his hand.

"Naí."

Translations:

Eísai polý ómorfi - You are very beautiful.

Eísai polý glykós – You are very sweet.

Théleis na chorépseis mazí mou? – Would you like to dance with me?

Naí - Yes.

Pink hydrangeas - "You are the beat of my heart"

Red azaleas - long lasting relationship; passion and love that remains despite all the problems and routine between two people in love

Green hellebore - rebirth and renewal; after a period of darkness and difficulty, something new and beautiful can emerge

I still have one more contribution to Proship April. I'll be posting it tomorrow. Please look forward to it!