Chapter 6

Nico was crying when they landed in his father's palace. Hades gently led Nico to his room and sat next to him on the bed, his death cold fingers softly stroking Nico's hair as the boy sobbed his heart out into his shoulder.

"It's not fair!" Nico choked out at last. "You guys never cared about us and now suddenly me loving Percy is such a big terrible thing and needs to be stopped!"

Hades continued stroking Nico's hair. "Yes, we gods are like that. But, Nico, it's not really you that's the problem, it's me."

"W-Why?" Nico asked.

"Because my brother mistrusts and fears me and thinks you're like me in more than just blood."

Nico sniffed, his sobs quieting. "Why does everyone hate us?" he asked.

"Because people fear the unknown which is what death is to most people."

Nico wiped his face on Percy's shirt. "Well, I don't hate you, Dad." He said.

Hades looked at him. "So don't try and kill yourself again, Nico. More people than Percy Jackson care for you." Nico looked at him and Hades touched his cheek gently.

Then, Nico stood. "I'd better get back to camp." He said and Hades nodded.

"Don't forget me, Nico."

Nico shadow traveled back to the cave and sat on the bed to wait for Percy. He was waiting so long that he soon fell asleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Percy slowly walked out of his room and into the one his father currently occupied. "Dad?"

"Why?" Poseidon sounded defeated, a tone Percy had never heard his father use before. "Why are you doing this?"

Percy didn't answer his father's question, instead he asked. "Where's Nico?"

"With his father in the Underworld," Poseidon turned towards him. "Is this some kind of rebellion tactic?"

"No…" Percy stared at the ground. "I really do love him… I've been hiding it for you. So that you wouldn't think I brought shame to the Poseidon house hold."

Poseidon sat with a hiss, his feet hanging in the water. He patted the ground next to him. Cautiously, Percy neared his father and sat. "I want what's best for you, Perseus."

"Nico is what's best for me."

"No. He's not. If he's anything like my brother… He's going to hurt you, Perseus."

Percy kept his quiet, scared that his dad would take this as an act of defiance instead if an 'it's my fault' kind of way. "If Nico hurts me, it'll be my fault. Just like it was my fault Annabeth hurt me. Not yours. Not Hades."

Poseidon stared at him. "But it'll be my fault for not stopping you doing something you'll regret."

"Dad…if this goes bad, you can drown me, OK?"

That made Poseidon laugh. "I can't believe I'm considering this…" He made the water swirl beneath them. "But… Perseus, I give you my permission to…date Nico di Angelo." Poseidon gritted the word out through his teeth.

Percy's face lit up. "Seriously?"

Poseidon smiled weakly. "Don't give me the chance to second guess it."

"Bye, Dad." Percy smiled then dove into the water.

He hurried past the squid and up to Drosia. He climbed onto her back and rode her the next two hours back to camp. Percy jumped off when he reached the outside of the cave wall. He dove into the water and found the entrance. All the torches had burned out and need relighting. He jumped when he heard a small snore. Percy lit one of the torches and yanked it off the wall. He stepped towards the bed to find the most amazing sight.

Nico was curled up into the smallest ball possible in the center of his bed. His shoes had been kicked off and all the lines of worry on his face had disappeared. Percy blew out the torch and reset it in the wall. He kicked his shoes off, pulled off his shirt, and climbed into the bed behind Nico. Percy wrapped his arms around the other boy and rested his head right above the Ghost King's. Nico half woke when he felt someone get into bed with him. "Percy?"

"Mm?" Percy mumbled sleepily. He hadn't slept in two days and it was just now catching up to him.

Nico cuddled up to him. "Is your dad going to kill us?"

"No." Percy breathed in Nico's scent. It was like an autumn forest. Percy loved it. He felt Nico relax in his arms. "I convinced him otherwise."

Nico laughed softly. "Good…" he said, his eyes closing.

Percy fell asleep to the sounds of Nico's soft snoring.