Hello. I have MAJOR EXAMS coming up in a while so I might not write again for some time. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. And I apologize if it wasn't.

ALSO, my editor who didn't see Percico or even want it told me he wants it now. HE WANTS PERCICO. I'm really happy to have made another Percico fan ^_^

NICO:

The sight of Percy aboard the Ark made him want to throw up.

How, and more importantly why, had the idiot turned up here, he wondered. It was too late for Jason and Nico but Percy didn't have to get skinned too.

"Quite a ship you've got here", Jason said again, only half pretending to be impressed. They weren't so much impressed as much as scared.

Honestly, if you ended up on a ship with the heir of Olympus, you'd probably leave your skin and run.

"Isn't it?", Zagreus said, grinning, coyly at Jason. "But we're wavering. You're here to tell me your story and I'm here to judge you fairly and wisely and then serve accordingly"

Nico doubted Zagreus would do anything wisely or fairly but he just smiled stiffly. He felt like the leather couch was trying to swallow him up but that could've been his imagination too.

So Jason told Zagreus the whole story, starting with him being given to Hera. At the goddess's name, Zagreus became stiff and the Ark seemed to quiver. Nico wondered if they would be blasted to pieces or melted. Which one seemed worse, he didn't know. They finished with sending the Original Jason back to the underworld.

Jason did most of the talking with small inputs from Percy, who seemed like he was holding the urge to pee.

After Zagreus had heard them out, nobody said anything for a long while. The soft jazz music was still playing. Being ADHD, Percy hardly seemed to be able to stay sitting like he was.

"What do you mean you nearly killed Zeus?", Percy burst out, finally.

Zagreus looked at him sadly. Nico noticed Percy looking at Zagreus like a love struck puppy.

Wait, what?

He must have been imagining this. Sure, Zagreus was extremely attractive, most gods were. And the heir of Olympus was more beautiful than most with his smooth skin and exotic eyes and charming smile.

But Percy had no right to look at him like that. Percy loved Annabeth.

So what? Are you gonna tell on him to his girlfriend?, a voice asked inside his head and burst out laughing. He willed himself back to the conversation they were having.

"Remember the last titan war?", Zagreus asked.

"How could we forget?", all three of them answered together.

Zagreus sighed dramatically. "I was siding with titans, so I could over throw them once they toppled Zeus so I'd have revenge on them for killing me once and have the throne too"

"But-", Jason spluttered, "They killed you"

"Yeah, you'd expect me to know that", Zagreus replied sourly.

Before any of them could reply, Zagreus raised a hand. "Shush now. You're all honoured guests here. You'd want to see your quarters right now, wouldn't you?"

Honoured guests sounded like high security prisoners to Nico.

"How long are we gonna stay here?", Nico asked faintly.

"We were going to Pyrgos", Percy added.

"You said you'd let us go", Jason supplied and Nico knew he'd made a huge mistake.

Zagreus's eyes narrowed and seemed to turn violet, his mouth pressed in a thin red line. His cheeks dimpled.

"Did I really say that?", he asked and without waiting for an answer, he continued, "You'll need all the sleep you can get because the times ahead are pretty dark and you won't be sleeping then. If you want, you can go spend time in the game room and swim or practice fighting. I have all kinds of things here. Also, you will reach Pyrgos when the time comes. Don't whine about it. Your girlfriend won't be running away"

He smiled at that, as if he'd made a joke.

"Our bags are still up in the house", Percy told him.

"Really?", Zagreus asked and Nico had a feeling Percy was wrong.

They were dealing with something more powerful than they had expected without any escape route. At least not one they could see.

Percy cleared his throat. "I'd swim if I could"

"You can swim if you know how to", Zagreus replied. "Down the hallway, fourth door. Go down the stairs and the second door you come across."

Percy looked at Jason and then at Nico. When none of them made a move, he sighed and left.

"So what's up?", Zagreus asked Nico.

Nico stared at him.

"What do you mean?", he asked, confused.

"Oh, dear. Percy is oblivious to your feelings not only because he's a dolt, but because he thinks your feelings aren't deep enough", Zagreus said matter-of-factly.

Nico choked.

Zagreus went on, oblivious or ignoring, "His mouth was hanging open when he saw me. If you don't do anything about it, you might as well stop drowning in self pity"

Nico coughed and spat, indecrelous, "Excuse me, but I am not drowning in self pity"

"Well, you're brave, I'll give you that", Zagreus said dismissively, "But if you don't take it in your own hands, then, well, I wouldn't expect much help from Aphrodite"

"Oh, and I should be taking advice from you? A god?!", Nico snapped angrily.

"No, but I have powers I wouldn't expect you to understand. My presence has a special effect on people. You'll understand if you really try to"

Nico made no effort to reply. Because if he tried to, he'd probably say something that would make Zagreus blast him to pieces.

Zagreus sighed, "You're young. And shallow. Go. Leave."

He said it lightly but the power that command held, almost shoved Nico out of the room.

He walked out into the dimly lit corridor.

How could Zagreus just appear out of thin air and pretend like he knew everything? Yeah, sure, he was a god but gods were often just as bad as monsters. And about Percy. So Zagreus too had noticed the mouth-hanging. Thought, it didn't have to mean anything. Gods did have a certain allure.

Before he knew it, he found himself at the pool. The pool had two sets of benches on each side, along it's length, each row higher than the one before it. Nico wondered if Zagreus held the godly version of the olympics here.

He didn't remember even listening to Zagreus properly, when he told Percy where the pool was but here Nico was.

He saw Percy's clothes on the floor and Percy himself was cutting through the water with easy, not even coming up for air. In only a pair of boxers.

He wondered why Percy had to take his clothes off. He wouldn't get wet unless he wanted too. The lack of clothes was slightly distracting.

Nico didn't know why Zagreus had a pool or even how, but it was better not to question gods in matters like these.

He sat down on the foremost bench.

Finally when Percy came up for air, after about twenty five or so laps, he clapped.

Startled, Percy looked around till he spotted Nico.

Then smiled shyly. "I didn't see you"

Nico shrugged. He was used to not being noticed.

"It's not the same", Percy said.

Nico gave him a questioning look, and he continued. "Flowing water, sea water", Percy continued, "My father isn't here, or anywhere near, for that matter. Nor are the other Olympians"

Honestly, Nico knew that. He knew that Percy wasn't just talking about the pool water, but also about the water their ship was travelling on. He had felt the raw energy that surrounded the Ark and Zagreus himself. A power that seemed so strong as if it would erupt and destroy everything near it.

"Well, were here now", Nico replied, sounding sour. Nico looked away while Percy put his clothes back on which was stupid because he had just seen him half naked. But he didn't want to stare.

What Zagreus had said rung through his mind. He growled out loud and Percy gave him a startled look. "I don't know how to swim", Nico told him and Percy laughed.

"Yeah, I noticed", he replied grinning. "Let's see if we can change that"

"No, I think I'm fine", Nico said too quickly.

Percy laughed again and Nico must've gone red, because he said softly, "You know if you're uncomfortable with me in the pool, I'll just stay out."

Nico took off his shirt reluctantly, aware of Percy's eyes burning into his back. He unbuttoned his jeans and dropped them to the floor.

He closed his eyes, as if in prayer. But no god could hear him.

He jumped into the pool. As ungracefully as he could. He had jumped into the shallow end of the pool so he soon found out that he could touch the floor with his feet and the water came till about his chest.

But the water was cold and made Nico uncomfortable.

"I can't do this, I can't do this!", he said panicking.

"Its okay, Nico, really. Calm down", Percy tried to tell him, soothingly but his head was really muddled and his breath was coming short and fast.

Percy gave him an arm and dragged him out, perhaps afraid that Nico might faint again.

Great, so Percy thought he was a weakling.

He was wet and on the floor breathing hard with Percy crouching beside him, with a hand on his back.

"Let's go", Percy said, pulling Nico to his feet and putting an arm around his waist.

He felt light headed. But what scared him more was that he had almost felt afraid of the water.

What does water represent, Nico? He heard a voice ask him in his head. Are you afraid of the water? Or of Percy? Or of yourself? Or your feelings?

Go away, I'm dizzy already, he told the voice.

Ira's voice laughed, the musical and singsong lilt that it was.

He closed his eyes, leaning on Percy as they walked to where Nico knew not. He heard another voice, which he assumed was Zagreus but he couldn't force his eyelids open. Nor could he make out the words that were being said.

Strong arms lifted him up and he thought, oh no, not again.

After a lot of going up and down and up and down again, Nico was laid on a bed. He heard a door open and close again.

Instead of his eyelids getting heavier and him falling asleep, his eyelids felt lighter. He didn't know how much time had passed since he closed his eyes and there was no way of knowing unless he asked somebody.

When he was certain that nobody was in the room he opened his eyes.

Only to find Percy's sea green eyes staring at him, full of concern.

"Are you okay?", Percy rushed, "Do you feel dizzy? Can you see properly? They left some food"

Nico pushed himself into a sitting position and Percy shifted, to give him space, still keeping an arm around him.

Nico wished he'd remove his hand but his mouth refused to say so.

Percy produced a bowl of soup on a tray from the bedside table.

"What is this?", asked Nico hoarsely.

"Chicken and corn soup?", Percy replied inspecting the soup. He took a spoonful and emptied it in his mouth as Nico watched confused.

"Not too hot", Percy said cheerfully. "you can have it now"

"I'm a vegetarian", Nico told him flatly.

Percy looked like a wounded puppy. His eyes had gone round and reflected hurt and the corners of his lips were turning downwards.

All the different emotions Percy's face was capable of showing made Nico's heart burst.

He laughed, "I'm pulling your leg"

The look of hurt melted from his face and he smiled uncertainly.

"You should laugh more often", Percy told him and Nico's stomach fluttered.

"There isn't much cause for laughter", Nico told him, now unsmilling.

Percy brought a spoonful of soup to Nico's mouth but Nico frowned and moved his head.

"Stop babying me", he protested but Percy just rolled his eyes.

"You want to faint again, ghost king?", Percy asked stuffing the spoon in Nico's mouth. Nico made a rude gesture with his hand but Percy just laughed.

The soup tasted good. It probably had some godly ingredient in it too because Nico was starting to feel bold, strong and clever.

Things he'd never felt before.

Percy's arm around him felt good and for once, he didn't feel like he needed it, but more like he just wanted it.

Nico wasn't used to getting things he wanted so he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"I think I'm gonna rest now.", he told Percy.

Percy nodded but made no effort to move.

"Uh, Percy?", Nico said, nudging him in his ribs but the older boy scarcely seemed to feel it.

"I know, I know", Percy replied scowling at him.

Nico was wondering if Percy was so thick when he continued, "I don't trust Zagreus. I'm gonna sit here on guard. I'll wake you up when you've slept enough"

"Yeah, that's what you said last time", Nico scoffed. "And Jason has been alone with Zagreus all this while"

Percy's scowl deepened, "Aparently they have some 'sons of Zeus' things to discuss"

The fact did worry Nico but he couldn't do anything about.

He started to close his eyes and felt Percy shift his arm.

When the darkness settled, the nymph appeared. The warmth from Percy's arm was gone and she was here to mock him.

Her hair blew around her face and her dark eyes pierced into his. "Too close to Percy and you can't shadow travel again. Coincidence? I think not"

"Go away", Nico growled, "You're not her"

She laughed as she twirled in the air, "Are you sure?"

Nico wasn't. True, Ira had been the most sacrificing and caring person he'd ever known but what if she'd been turned this way after what Nico did to her? He didn't blame her for not letting him shadow travel anymore.

Just then, another figure popped up besilde Ira.

Percy stood in an orange CHB tshirt and blue jeans, as if it was just a normal day in camp.

"It's not her, Nico", he told him.

"I know that", Nico spat.

"No you don't", insisted Percy, "It's your consciousness"

Nico would have considered it if the ground below his feet hadn't opened up and and he hadn't found himself right where he had left last night, traveling with Ira through Tartarus with a bounty on his head and Titans on their heels.