Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this, they belong to Rick Riordan.

Family love

My head staring into space as I'm sitting at the head of the breakfast table once again listening to my son Nico and wife Persephone having another one of their heated argument, but luckily my 'darling' mother-in-law who is always going off about how I should treat her daughter better… and to eat my cereal is not here. Mortals and gods alike wouldn't expect the fierce Hades god of the underworld to be at the end of his tether by a little family argument, but it's not only a 'little' argument and they don't know my family…

"Hades!" the angered scream of my wife calling my name snapped me out of my self-wallowing, making me ready myself for the brunt of her fury.

"Yes my flower?"

"Don't call me 'flower'! When are you going to get rid of your brat?" Now as the god that everyone tends to hate and fear I made it a rule not to be scared by anything, but then a got married.

"Who you calling a brat you damn weed" Well done Nico Now you've got her really mad.

"Nico don't call Persephone a weed" please please do what I say please.

"What! So she's allowed to call me a brat, but yeah sorry I forgot what was I thinking I'm only your SON." And with that Nico stormed out. Teenagers.

"Good that little insect's gone now we can enjoy ourselves"

I narrow my eyes at my wife watching her smile like she planned this whole fiasco, which as I think about it she probably did. The conniving little minx… My Maria (Nico's mother) would never have done this. Snap out of it Hades! Maria is dead, gone forever do not think about her, and remember that it wasn't Maria you are married to and had an affair and had to children behind her back. I do understand Persephone's disdain for Nico, because he reminds her that I loved a mortal woman more than I did her, yet she really needs to get over it because I am at the verge of doing something that I regret.

"Persephone my flower"

"Yes?"

"I would like it if you refrained yourself from insulting Nico, moaning about Nico, and above all starting these stupid arguments with him to try and get him to leave. He is my son and whether you like or not he is staying with us so get over it"

"What do you mean I start the arguments?!"

"Oh so you don't ever remember the sneers, scowls and cutting remarks you send his way whenever he's in the same room as you. Don't take me as a fool Persephone I've began to notice what you're like and don't try and blame Nico because I have also noticed that he tries his utmost not to even look at you let alone talk with you. Look I'm deliberately telling you this out of Nico's earshot as not to belittle you now I'm going to check on my son"

I lift out my seat and start exiting the in search of my son's whereabouts, before I leave I once again hear Persephone's voice- "Hades! Come back here"- but I ignore it. My search leads me to my son's room where I can hear his music booming through the door. If I'm correct he's listening to that 'simple plan' again I think.

"Nico open the door it's your father, and for crying out load turn off that music I wish to speak with you" To my surprise he actually opens that door without me resorting to shouting, maybe I'm better at this father thing than first thought. But then I see his scowl and retract that thought.

"If you want me to apologise to your wife then I'm not doing it! She always starts it but I'm the one that always gets punished either by you or her when she turns me into a flower it's not fair-"

"Your right" the boy better of stopped moaning now that I admitted that.

"I am?" Nico literally looks shell shocked.

"Yes and I have spoken to Persephone and she shouldn't be roiling you up any longer. I realise I'm not very good at this father thing it was much easier when your mother- anyway I hope that has sorted things out and I expect there to be no more arguments from now one are we clear?"

"Yes… dad, oh and by the way" at this point Nico has got his head down looking almost shy and unsure on about what he is going to say to me.

"What is it Nico?"

"Well um er compared to the other gods who don't even see their kids, I think you're a pretty good dad" Now it was my turn to looked shocked and lost for words.

"thank you Nico" Maybe I am good at this father thing after all.