I wasn't planning on making a second part to Aquarium Talk, but I remembered a few one-shot ideas that I'd been planning on writing that I could string together so… here's the next part. There may/may not be another one-shot to this grouping, but we'll see. Have fun with this. Hope y'all know what you're getting yourselves into.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Caught in a Dream

Nico and Percy burst into Cabin Three, trying their damnedest to make as little noise as possible which seemed to be an impossible task in their current condition. Outside, it was the pitch black of a clouded over night. All they knew was that it was somewhere around midnight, they were drunk and horny, and Cabin Three was the only empty cabin. Hazel was staying in Cabin Thirteen while she was in Camp Half-Blood, and Tyson and Ella had returned to Poseidon's castle with a special enchantment for Ella to breathe underwater. They were completely alone for the first time in a very long time.

Percy nudged the door shut with his foot. His hands were on Nico's hips, pulling at his belt with clumsy fingers, guiding him back through the disaster zone that Cabin Three had become since Tyson's send off. If they weren't careful, they would probably end up breaking something, or yeah know, each other. Though the latter was probably inevitable with the way the night was going.

The back of Nico's knees found the edge of Percy's bed. He fell back into the plush bedding, pushed down by Percy's hands. They're lips never broke contact, their tongues twisting together.

Percy pushed his knee between Nico's splayed legs, brushing against his pants. Nico let out a gasp, bucking up into the boy above him. His fingers slid along Percy's sides, pushing his shirt up and over his head. "Percy," he moaned, breaking the kiss for only a moment as the fabric passed between their faces.

Working at his belt, Nico ripped Percy's pants open, bending teeth and rendering the zipper unsuitable for use. He was working to pull Percy's pants around his ankles and then, hopefully, off.

A loud gasp mixed with surprise and lust tore up Nico's throat as Percy pulled open his pants, pushing his fingers searchingly, experimentally down the back of them. Smirking as his found the spot he wanted, he made Nico squirm.

"Why are we still dressed?" Nico complained quietly. Percy was halfway there, but Nico was still fully clothed, and it was getting rather warm. His shirt was damp with sweat, and his pants were uncomfortably tight. That's what he got for wearing tight pants.

"The better question is 'why did you stop?'" Percy slipped back teasingly, pressing his chest closer to the boy's.

Nico, flustered and blushing, muttered the first thing that came to his mind. "Because it's hot as Tartarus."

His eyebrows shooting up, Percy stared down at him, making the younger squirm. "Well then, I just suppose we'll have to change that." He started with Nico's shirt, pressing lips to Nico's throat as his ran his hands down his torso. He hooked his thumbs around the hem of Nico's shirts, sliding his fingers so they cupped his slim hips, and pushed the shirt up and over his head.

Percy kicked his pants off, flinging them across his cabin. They connected with the door, thudding to the floor. Pushing Nico back onto the bed, Percy slowly, teasingly, pulled both the younger's boxers and pants off, tossing them back towards where his pants lay.

"It's still unfair," Nico muttered, accepting the kiss Percy placed on his lips, eyes falling closed. "You still have clothes on."

Percy wasn't paying attention. He was concentrated on feeling his way over every inch of Nico's body. Arching into a kiss placed just above his belly button, Nico mumbled something incoherent. Taking his chance, Percy slipped his fingers back to the place he'd found earlier.

Nico gasped again. "Clothes, then we go in," he growled, using just his willpower to forcefully pull Percy's hands away. He dragged the older boy down and under him, flipping their positions. He sat on Percy's lap, feeling him pressing up into his bare backside. Without getting off the bed, his worked Percy's boxers down his thighs and finally past the edge of the bed where this slid to the floor with a slither.

They moved together, shifting and whispering and feeling until they were comfortably situated. Nico sat on Percy's lap, filled with the boy he'd pined after since he'd first met him. Gingerly, he pushed up on his knees, hands pressed to Percy's chest before sliding back down.

"Just go slowly," Percy whispered, leaning up on his elbows to pull Nico into a deep kiss, moaning into his mouth.

Just when Nico was finally getting the hang of making those delicious sounds resound from Percy's chest, the cabin door burst open. Three giggling girls fell through the door, two hanging off each other. The third leaned heavily against the doorframe, watching the two struggle up from the floor.

Nico and Percy stared in horror as the giggling dropped off into oblivion. The three girls stood, squinting into the dark cabin, trying to figure out what exactly they were staring at. "Are you two…" Annabeth's voice whispered, words slurred and quickly dropping off into a giggle.

Hazel giggled with Piper, pushing her gently. The little force knocked the girl sideways into Annabeth. "Are you two doing it?" Piper asked, hanging off of Annabeth.

"Oh my gods," Nico whispered, unable to move from where he was positioned, "My sister… Oh my gods."

"Shit!" Percy gasped, jerking into a sitting position, accidentally forcing himself deeper into Nico.

Crying out, Nico latched onto Percy's shoulders-

…..

Nico gasped awake, fingers curled into claws around the edge of his pillow, eyes popping open to the perpetual pitch black darkness of his cabin. Unlike the others' cabins, his never seemed to get brighter than the dull glow emanating from a sputtering candle. His face and body were burning with uncomfortable warmth, his boxers unbelievably tight. "My gods," he whispered, horrified as he sat up. He willed the pleasure seeking betrayal back to sleep, but like a disobedient teenager, it pretended not to hear a damn signal he sent to it.

Throwing his legs off the bed, he cautiously slid from beneath the covers, attempting not to wake the blond sleeping at his side. Guilt curled through his body, poisoning his mood before it even had a chance to begin forming.

He was a terrible fucking person. It had only been a week since they'd started their journey, a week since Percy and Annabeth had fallen hopelessly into the depths of Tartarus, but he had already claimed one of their team members. To make things worse, he'd been dreaming of Percy only hours after sleeping with Jason. Shouldn't he be mourning? Wasn't it wrong to simply use a friend to forget another?

'Percy isn't a lost cause. There's no need to mourn, you sack of bones.'

As he pushed open the door to the bathroom, he could almost hear Aphrodite laughing her heart out at his misfortune. If this was what she found to be an 'interesting love life', he couldn't blame Annabeth for not being particularly enchanted with her.

Staring at his haggard appearance, he could suddenly see Poseidon sadly shaking his head. 'I warned you, son. Now, what are you going to do?' he asked, his eyes sympathetic and warning.

"I don't know," Nico muttered to the reflection, turning his back to the mirror. Not wanting to go back into the not empty enough room with the traitor in his boxers still flying his flag, he sat on the edge of the tub, covering his face with his hands. The air shifted, and he stiffened at the intrusive energy. "If you're here to say I told you so, you can go shove it."

"That's not what I came here to do," Poseidon said gently, the cool scent of sea salt rolling off of him as he sat beside Nico.

"I don't need another friendly family lecture about being in love with Percy, or about screwing a friend, or safe sex-" Nico cut himself off. He could have continued for days with the number of things the God of the Sea could have been there about. Realistically though, there were only a few he could imagine.

Poseidon chuckled under his breath, tapping his fingers together between his knees pensively. "None of those are why I am here. I fear preaching old lectures does little to help, especially when it comes to teenagers. As for the others, I'm sure you are smart enough for those. I'm no Goddess of Love, but being confused, and having an attraction or love for more than one person is okay. It's normal. It's just another part of the rigorous process."

"I'll bet doing one of your friends and dreaming about doing the other isn't normal," Nico grumbled bitterly.

"I'd say the first half, not so much." Poseidon pursed his lips, stroking his beard. "I'm sure your sister would gladly help you in this department, or maybe that daughter of Aphrodite down the hall."

"Please tell me you have not talked to either of them." When Poseidon was silent, his head popped up, horror painted across his pale features. "You can't be-"

Poseidon was smiling that good-natured smile that was so much like his son's that it hurt, tugging viciously as Nico's poor aching heart. "I'm just messing with you a little. I haven't spoken with your sister or your friend. There has been no need. Alternately, little Hazel's heritage might bring out my Roman side. For now, I am relatively stable, and I'd prefer to stay that way for a little while longer."

"Right," Nico said, drawing out the vowel, "Then why are you here?"

Poseidon's easy smile fell. "I have come to ask your help."

Bewildered, Nico simply stared wide-eyed at his technical uncle.

"My son and Annabeth are making steady progress towards the Doors of Death," Poseidon began, staring out through the small porthole at the clouds skating past the Argo II. "I fear that he will not return as whole as when he fell. Where Annabeth will be reinforced, Percy will have doubts that will poison his ideals and his sense of self. He is discovering things about himself that he never knew before, dark things."

"He's…" Nico started, glancing away, "He's got Annabeth with him. He'll be fine."

Poseidon shook his head. "Physically, maybe. Mentally, I fear not. Athena's daughter, however wise she may be, will not understand. Along with the others, he will need you the most when he returns."

Nico was silent for a long moment. "Why? Why me? I'm trying to move past him, and this is what you ask of me? You were the one who told me not to let my love for him get in the way."

Poseidon nodded. "Yes, but I am afraid that I was wrong. That love may be the best thing to lead you. When they return, Percy will need someone who can understand his trials. You are that someone. I watched you as you made your way through Tartarus on your own. You have unique experiences that will help him. You will be the only one who can help him, I guarantee you that. Will you help him?"

Nico stared down at the space between his feet. "I can't say that I'll be able to help him." He sighed in resignation. "But I will try. I can't say I'll be able to do it, or stand it, but I'll try."

"Thank you."

When Nico glanced up, the God of the Sea was already gone. He rubbed his forehead. 'These gods and goddesses and their damn plans for us.' "What did I just get myself into?" he asked himself aloud.

Sighing again, he stood and stumbled his way back under his covers, greeted by a warm body and strong arms that immediately draped themselves around his waist. "I am so screwed," he whispered, snuggling into the blonde's broad chest.

Well, I hope this was… interesting? It was relatively interesting for me to write. Comments and suggestions are appreciated.