AN: Here is my new story, co-written with Hubris-P. It is a dark love story for Nico and Percy, with a lot of danger and adventure thrown in. I must include warnings for angst, sex (m/m and maybe group sex, and mentions of m/f), violence, minor character death, Original Character (hopefully nothing like the typical Gary-Sue though, as he is based upon real Greek myth, though he is yet to appear in the Percy Jackson series) and possibly some kink. Rated M for the above, and probably some language.

Still in love with Percy, but feeling completely hopeless, Nico has hidden in the depths of the underworld. While there he discovers something that is going to change the entire world, but Nico could never have guessed just how much. Percy/Nico with Jason/OC

"What are you doing, Percy?" Nico cried, voice filled with laughter. The love of his life had dragged him from the dining pavilion, where hundreds of Greek and Roman demigods were celebrating the safe return of the seven. They were giggling like little girls as they avoided the attention of fauns and nature spirits and a dozen actual little girls who seemed to find the heroes the most exciting thing in the world. Percy had just grabbed Nico's hand and dragged him out here. Nico had been tempted to shout at him, tell him off for continually leading him on. But Percy didn't know he was leading Nico on. He just thought they were friends.

"Shhh!" hissed Percy, a finger over his mouth like a child. And Nico smiled and shushed, as Percy ran out over the sand, pulling Nico with him. They got very near the sea before Nico pulled up short.

"Er, Percy," he said, "you know your whole not flying thing..."

"Nah!" said Percy, "you're fine with me! I flew loads with Jason."

Nico had flown with Jason too. He'd barely been in the sea or the sky himself, otherwise, but he knew instinctively that it wouldn't be a good idea. Neither Zeus nor Poseidon had ever spoken two words to him, but he'd seen the former glaring at him with hatred and the latter with suspicion. "But what are we doing here, Percy?" he asked, instead.

"Look, I just wanted to thank you," Percy said. "You saved our lives in Tartarus without even being there. You brought the Athena Parthenon thousands of miles, even after I doubted you. You're just as strong and important as any of those others up there. You're one of the bravest people I know."

Nico was pleased it was so dark. He had to be blushing. "I'm nothing on you, Percy," he said truthfully, "all I could manage in Tartarus was wondering around for five minutes before being captured."

"And I wouldn't have survived that long if it weren't for Annabeth and Bob!" said Percy, "Now, are you going to shut up and let me thank you?"

Nico laughed, "I thought you already did."

Percy shook his head, "What, a speech in front of a pavilion full of strangers? Nah!" He turned to the sea and whistled. "That ain't a thank you. This is a thank you."

Nico looked where Percy was looking. At first he saw nothing, he wondered if Percy was actually drunk. He looked back at Percy. "What's a thank you?"

"Patience, di Angelo!" Percy cried, punching him gently on the arm.

Nico frowned, and punched him slightly less gently back. Percy only laughed.

"Here we are!" he said, and Nico turned in time to see two hippocampi emerging from the water. He frowned at Percy.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Percy just winked at him, "Come on!" he said, and jumped on one of the beasts. Nico followed far less gracefully, unused to walking through the water. Percy laughed at him, and Nico decided the son of the sea god definitely was a bit drunk.

"Where are we going?" he asked. "You do know I can't breathe underwater, don't you?"

"Of course!" said Percy, "trust me!"

Nico bit his lip. He did trust Percy. It was himself he didn't trust. And the gods. And the rest of the world. The hippocampi launched back into the sea, and Nico was relieved the night was so warm. At first they stayed on the surface, and Nico only felt like his legs were getting cold, but he soon realised he was sinking.

"Er… Percy," he called, "water… breathing…"

"Trust me!" Percy called, and the water rose over their heads.

Nico spluttered, waiting for his nose and mouth to fill with water. It didn't happen. He forced himself to open his eyes. His head was in a bubble, safe, with plenty of air to breath. And Percy was grinning at him. "I told you to trust me!" the cheeky bastard had the nerve to tease,

Nico stuck out a tongue, and Percy kept grinning. "Nearly there!" he assured him, and within minutes they had stopped, right on the edge of a great cavern. Percy got off his hippocampus, and pulled Nico off his. "Watch this!" he instructed, putting a jovial arm around Nico's shoulders. Nico had a hard time looking away from Percy's face, now so close, but he managed, just in time to see a shoal of brilliant silver fish.

"What…"

"Shhh!" Percy hissed, "Watch!"

The fish parted, revealing the most magnificent sight Nico had ever seen. He gasped. "Is that…"

"A blue whale," Percy breathed, "Hi Sue!" he shouted.

The ghostly sound of whale song met his ears, but Percy just smiled. "He's a friend," he called to the whale. "His name's Nico."

Impossibly gracefully, the whale swam over their heads. Its sheer size stole Nico's breath more thoroughly than the water could possibly have managed. "She says hi," said Percy.

"That's… incredible," Nico gasped.

"Yeah," said Percy, "I've only met Sue a few times, but she's amazing, isn't she?"

Nico breathed out. "So amazing," he said. Somehow more amazing than any of the impossible creatures they'd seen. Such gentle beauty in something so huge. "Wow," Nico breathed.

"I just thought… you know, not many people get to see someone like Sue," Percy explained, "And I thought you'd like to."

"Yeah," said Nico. "Wow."

He turned to Percy, only to discover the other boy's face was just inches from his own. He looked so relaxed, beautiful and perfect. He laughed, a rich sound so beautiful Nico wanted to glue it into his brain.

"She'll probably swim past again," he said, "she's a bit of a show off is Sue."

"It's amazing, Percy," said Nico. No wonder Percy was so beautiful if he could call such a beautiful place with such beautiful creatures in it home. "Thank you, Percy," he said.

"No!" Percy cried, "It's all thanking you, silly! I don't know if I've mentioned it but I'd be dead if it weren't for you!"

"No, you wouldn't…" Nico protested.

"I would! Years ago! I'd never have survived the Titans, let alone the giants!"

"And I would have been sold to Luke when I was twelve if it wasn't for you!" Nico replied. "I think it's safe to say you've more than repaid the favour."

"Alright," said Percy with a sheepish smile, "we'll call it quits."

That almost sounded sad to Nico. Like it was the end of something. Maybe that was the message Percy wanted him to take.

"But you're still one of my best friends, Nico!" he said, "I've already told Annabeth, when we get married, you're totally being second best man."

Nico did not like that sentence in the slightest. Aloud he said "Second best?"

"Well, I think Grover would go mad if I didn't make him best man."

Nico tried not to let his disappointment show. Second best of second best. That summed him up really.

"Hey!" Percy protested, "You're awesome! It's just, I've known Grover longer, you know?"

"Yeah," said Nico, "course."

"Hey!" Percy protested, "I haven't shown him Sue, have I?"

The both looked up. The enormous shape was making a second swim-by, as Percy suggested. "Seriously, Nico, you've got no idea how awesome you are, have you?"

Nico turned to him. Percy probably thought this was such a simple conversation, a quick thanks before he disappeared back to his own life. Nico had to keep reminding himself of that. Percy loved Annabeth. Percy loved Annabeth.

Percy grabbed his face and pulled it towards him, "Hey! Nico! I'm not letting you go until you admit how awesome you are!"

"Percy!" Nico protested.

"Admit it!"

"Percy…"

"Admit it!"

"Fine! I'm … awesome."

Percy grinned. He had an amazing grin. It made him seem so full of life in a way Nico couldn't fail to envy. He smiled back, but knew it had nothing on Percy's.

"There it is," Percy grinned, "you keep doing that, you'll have a girlfriend in no time."

Nico blinked. Was this the time? Did he dare? Jason had sworn blind no one would judge him for admitting his sexuality. Just his sexuality. He didn't want to scare Percy off. And Percy had never shown even a tiny amount of sexism or racism. Did Nico dare believe he could genuinely be that… nice?

"I don't… want a girlfriend," Nico mumbled.

Percy's eyebrows dropped in confusion. "Well, maybe not yet," he said, "when I was fourteen I was still telling anyone who'd listen that me and Annabeth were only friends…"

"No," said Nico, "I don't… I don't want a girlfriend."

Percy put his head on one side. "You… what?"

"Percy, I…"

And he couldn't see any understanding in Percy's face. No realisation, no forgiveness. He was suddenly aware of how completely he would lose Percy now. Forever. Never again would Percy be even friendly to him. He couldn't bare it. He needed to say good bye.

He leant forward and kissed Percy's perfect lips.

At first Percy didn't move. Maybe it was shock. Nico tried not to lose his nerve. Percy would reject him now, but at least Nico had done this. At least he'd got to kiss him, just this once.

Percy's lips moved. The hands, still gripping the sides of Nico's head, didn't move or release. Nico moved his own lips, desperate to put off the inevitable rejection.

And just for a moment, Nico could have sworn Percy was kissing him back. The hands held him closer, a tongue crept towards his mouth.

Then, too suddenly, the rejection came. Percy pushed him away. Nico tried to pretend that wasn't like a death to him.

"Oh gods," said Percy.

Nico didn't say anything.

"Look, Nico," said Percy, "I'm sorry, I didn't…"

Still Nico stayed silent.

"Look, I'm with Annabeth," Percy said, "I've been in love with her since…"

Nico didn't respond.

"I'm sorry," said Percy.

Nico wished he could run. He couldn't, he was at the bottom of the sea.

"Nico, I…"

Actually, maybe he could. There were shadows under here weren't there?

"Nico…"

Nico stepped into the shadows. And then he was gone.

...xxx...xxx...xxx...

You are cordially invited to the wedding of

Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase.

On:

23rd July 2020?

Nico had memorised the words. The stupid words. They dug into his heart and scratched him, ripping open the wounds he'd been working to close since he was a child. It had been years since he'd known for certain that Percy would end up committing himself completely to Annabeth. The invitation had no right to hurt him this much. How could a little piece of card create so much misery?

He barely even saw Percy nowadays anyway. After the sheer stupidity of trying to kiss a straight man in a committed relationship, Nico had barely seen anyone. He doubted Percy would spread any rumours, but he had probably told Annabeth, which meant Nico wouldn't be welcome anywhere near the Greeks any time soon. There was enough interest and adventure in the underworld to keep him busy, and a sense of acceptance he didn't seem to receive anywhere else, least of all camp half blood, or Camp Jupiter. Between spilling his secret to Percy and Jason, he had nowhere left to hide.

But it wasn't as if the majority of the other demigods would have accepted him anyway. He may be a hero, he may have made the difference between defeat and victory against the titans, he may have returned the Athena Parthenon to the Greeks, nearly dying in the process through sheer exhaustion of continued shadow travel, but he was still the creepy, weird, gay, son of Hades. He was freak with no home amongst the living.

He scrunched up the card, with its stupid blue decorations. He wasn't going. No way was he going. At all.

A rainbow shimmered in a pool on the floor and Hazel's face appeared. Nico groaned.

"Hi!" Hazel gushed, "Did you get it? Isn't it great?"

"Get what?" Nico snapped instead of hello.

"The invitation, of course!" Hazel cried, "Percy and Annabeth are getting married."

"I..."

"Don't you dare pretend you didn't get the invite!" Hazel cried, and Nico wondered when he'd let Hazel get to know him well enough to predict his responses to wedding invitations, "Percy and I talked about it. He was worried you wouldn't come, something about an argument at the celebrations after we defeated Gaia, but that was ages ago! You're coming aren't you?"

Argument? Nico thought. So that was Percy's explanation for Nico's absence for so long. He could stick to that. But he still wasn't going to the wedding.

"Hazel..."

"No arguments!" Hazel replied, folding her arms, "Or I'll send Frank to carry you."

"Ha!" said Nico, "I'd like to see him try, but don't suppose you want your boyfriend back full of holes!"

"You'd be surprised what Frank's capable of," said Hazel with a knowing smile. "Now say you're coming."

"Hazel!"

"Say you're coming."

"It would be a lie Hazel," Nico replied.

"No it wouldn't," said Hazel, grinning now, "You'd never lie to me."

Except he had. Of course he had.

"Look, I'll think about it," said Nico. "I've got to go, someone's coming."

"Where are you anyway?" said Hazel, trying to see round him.

"Bye Hazel," Nico said instead, and ran a hand through the pool, breaking off the connection. He loved Hazel, but her constant caring was really going to get on his nerves soon. Couldn't a man brood in peace?

He was about to stroll on when he remembered the scrunched up piece of card. He needed a reminder, something to stop that stupid part of his brain that wanted to hope, the bit that remembered Percy's lips on his, the cling of fingers in his hair that didn't quite push away. That moment had kept him awake for the best part of four years. He had to let it go, Percy loved Annabeth. Percy loved Annabeth. He'd remembered Annabeth's name when he'd forgotten everything about Nico. He was marrying Annabeth.

He picked up the scrunched up paper and shoved it into his pocket. He had to remember. Percy could never feel for him what he felt for Percy. It was never going to be what he wanted.

He walked on, further into the underworld than he'd ever passed before. He saw all the things he'd seen before, and then more he could never have imagine. Further, away from the palace and his father, away from the fields of asphodel and punishment and Elysium. He knew he'd never find an end. The realm of Hades was as never ending as time. The landscape grew rougher, the same dark light above him that had turned his skin so pale that it hadn't even changed back when he'd spent two weeks in the Mediterranean.

There was nothing here but lost souls. Spirits without thoughts floating aimlessly. Maybe it was a punishment. Maybe they just like solitude. To Nico, endless years amongst the endless chatter of asphodel would be as bad a punishment as any of the rolling rocks or the like. But Nico had seen the punishment some of his own siblings received at the hands of Hades' torturers. He had no desire to experience that for eternity.

He dropped down in a place further from any he had been before. There were hardly even any souls around here, just endless, endless nothing; a waste or emptiness. Nico sat cross legged, like a child, and let himself be consumed. He could give himself some time to feel this misery. That was how he'd always dealt with it before. The first time they'd all seen Annabeth and Percy kissing, when the mass of campers around them had been delighted and carried them off to the lake, laughing and joking, Nico had carefully slipped away and let the tears spill. He was better off alone, away from prying eyes. It was the way it worked for children of Hades. They could never be comfortable amongst the living.

It wasn't long before he realised his were not the only cries he could hear. He quietened down. Who could possibly be out here? The ghost goddess maybe? But it didn't sound like her. She always tormented Nico with his mother or sister. This cry sounded like a baby.

He got up and followed the sound. Maybe it was foolhardy. It could have been a monster, but Nico was far from helpless. And nothing ever really tried to hurt him down here. The underworld was his element.

There was a cave a little way off, echoing with the sound. Maybe it was just the spirit of a baby, one that died in infancy, but it was incredibly loud for a spirit.

He peered into the cave. The darkness here was even more pronounced. And sure enough, there, lying on the floor and wrapped in a bundle of cloth, lay a bawling baby. A real one. Pink, chubby arms, and everything.

Nico wracked his brains. He couldn't think of any monsters that disguised themselves as babies. It seemed like a pretty good cover, luring a caring human to their death. Except, if you were going to lure a human to their death, this was not the most efficient place to do so. Nico was probably the first human in centuries. Except for the baby.

He approached carefully. The baby stopped crying to hear him approach. The noises it made instead were gurgles. Nico almost found it sweet.

"What are you doing?!" hissed a voice behind him.

Nico spun around, hand on his sword. A strange old woman was looking at him.

"Get away! Go! Get away!"

"What's it doing here?" asked Nico, in confusion.

"Get away! Master's orders! Get away!"

"But, it's just a baby," said Nico, "what's it doing here?"

"Get away!" hissed the woman, shooing at Nico with hands, "Master said no one should touch. Get away!"

"Master?" Nico prompted. He was not going to leave a helpless baby alone in a place like this. Who would have sent the baby here? He looked down at it, a pale thing with just the beginings of jet black hair and dark eyes. It reminded Nico of someone. "He looks like me..."

"Get away! Master get cross! No one touch baby!"

"Is your master Hades?" Nico asked.

"Yes, god! God of death! Fear! Get away!"

"This is a son of Hades?!" Nico growled, furiously.

"No!" cried the old woman, but she was looking away, almost a comedy depiction of a lie. "No! Not for you! Go!"

Nico seethed. This was a son of Hades! This was one of his brothers. "How long has he been here?"

"Lifetime!" the old woman answered. "Get away! Not for you!"

But Nico would do no such thing. At least he and Bianca had been locked away in a children's paradise. This brother of his was stuck in hell, unable to grow up in case he could reach sixteen, and then forgotten about.

"I'm taking him!" said Nico.

"No!" cried the old lady, lunging forward, but Nico was quicker. He plucked up the baby and held it like he imagined people should hold babies. The baby smiled at him, a watery, toothless smile. Nico smiled back. "Give it back!" the old woman cried. "Give it back!"

"No!" cried Nico. "He's my brother, so I'm going to care for him. How could you keep him here?"

"Safe!" cried the old woman, "safe! Gods!"

"That prophecy was fulfilled eight years ago!" replied nico, scornfully, "He's fine now."

"No!" cried old woman, "gods be angry! Gods not forget!"

"It's fine," said Nico. "He's coming with me. What's his name?"

But the old woman simply shook her head, her eyes wide. Maybe Hades hadn't even bothered naming the child before hiding him away and forgetting about him. Nico wouldn't put it past him. No one would have described Hades as loving. "It's alright," he told the baby, "My name is Nico. I'm going to look after you."

The baby gurgled and smiled. He held out one chubby hand and gripped Nico's finger. He had a grip like a vice, but Nico didn't mind. The baby was going to be safe now. And Nico wasn't going to let anyone hurt him. Not even the gods.

AN: Good or bad, please review! x