Nico had never been good at sleep. It was considerably harder when his father had just told him he’d have rather him die than his sister and that he wasn’t going to tell him more about his mother. Maybe worst of all was that Percy was trapped down in his father’s “dungeon”. Nico didn’t really know what it was, just a place where torture happened he supposed. He needed to get down there so he could free Percy and they could go to the River Styx. He was sure that Percy would forgive him.
Nico was in “his room”, or so his father had called it. It was almost completely bare, a desk in a corner and a bed in the center of the back wall. He needed to wait to be sure his father was asleep, gods needed sleep right? He didn’t know, he looked out of his window, well it was a glass door that led to a small patio but the door was locked so it was just a window. He couldn’t tell what time it was looking out but could see the underworld or at least some of it. He could see The Asphodel Fields, all the people down there, they were all walking just in circles but he could see one person moving faster than the rest towards his father's castle. Nico paid this no mind, he had important things to do.
He walked to his door, thankfully it was unlocked. He slowly opened it, a dark blue light poured through the opening. He crept out into the hall, being sure to move slowly and quietly. The hallway was smaller than he would have imagined. It was normal looking enough, carpet, normal height ceiling, framed pictures on the wall. It all seemed so normal. It was the kind of place Nico would want to be in, with a family. But he thought if he couldn’t have here, then he’d have to have that someplace else. He thought Camp Half Blood would be a good place, maybe after the war’s all over he’d be welcomed there, maybe that’s where he’d find his family.
That didn’t matter though, he needed to free Percy, he walked around trying to find… a basement? He didn’t really know. Not until in the corner of what he thought was a kitchen a small trap door, he got down to open it. It was old and creaked loudly, he’d need to move fast in case anyone heard him. He scuffled down the ladder.
“Percy are you ok?” Nico asked, worry coming into his voice, there was no response. “Percy it’s ok we’re getting out of here”
Again there was no response, it was dark so Nico couldn’t see much. But there was a clear outline of Percy's body, he was asleep.
Nico looked at the shackles holding Percy to the wall. They had to be opened with a key, of course that would be true, but there was so much shadow Nico thought he could unlock it from the inside. He concentrated on the pins within it, and with a crack it opened. Percy fell to the floor.
“Oh my god Percy I’m so sorry” he said, reaching for him on the ground.
But before he could help him up Percy sprung at him, “Percy what the hell??” Percy was on top of him, it was getting harder to breathe, Percy's hands were around his throat. “Per-percy i-its me n-“ Percy just strangled him harder, his vision was getting fuzzy and he couldn’t hear, but Percy was saying something. The grip around his throat just got tighter, and he could feel the last of the air in his body being forced out.
With the last of his energy he choked out “Percy please.” Just as he was about to slip into unconsciousness all of the weight was taken off of him.
“Now you listen here you goddamn bastard you’re going to leave here and you’re never going to come back, ever” a deep and considerably angry voice barked at Percy.
Nico couldn’t think straight, he was coughing, trying to get air back in his lungs. “Percy,” he said horsley.
But Percy had already ran up the ladder back into the house. “Oh gods Nico I’m so sorry” he deep voice said.
Nico’s vision started to clear. He could see the figure towering above him, it was his father. “Nico oh my poor Nico I’m so sorry” he got down and pulled Nico closer to him.
“I’m so sorry I should have stopped you” he said softly “are you ok Nico”
He coughed a few more times “yeah pápa I’m ok”, he was still short of breath
“Nico just try and breathe for me ok?” His father whispered out.
“I’m ok dad I promise” Nico said trying to calm him down “I’m ok now, thank you”
Nico hugged his fathers chest and started crying, how could Percy have done that? He felt so wronged, he went down here to save him and Percy nearly killed him. He stared sobbing into his dad’s shirt.
“H-how cou-ld he-he do that to me?” Nico said in between sobs.
“It’s ok Nico you’re safe now,” he comforted rubbing small circles on Nico's back. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
The two sat there on the floor for a while, hades staying with Nico as long as he needed it. Eventually he stopped crying.
“How about we go and get you cleaned up?” Hades asked softly.
“O-ok” Nico said, still sniffling a bit.
Hades picked Nico up, Nico was much smaller than his father. Hades was probably above 7’ft and Nico was 5’4 he was young of course just 12 years old. The two shadow traveled out of the basement, the travel was quick and Nico barely noticed it. They were back in the house.
Hades set Nico down gently on to the couch, the room wasn’t lit but he could make out, there were a few chairs in the living room, a fireplace in front of him, and a ceiling fan above him. Again it was strangely normal, it felt so nice.
“I’ll be right back you stay here” his father said in a kind voice, hades left the room to the kitchen.
He came back with a glass of water and a brown paper bag with a big yellow M on it.
“What’s that?” Nico asked, his voice a bit calmer
“Your dinner, but you should go take shower” he Suggested sitting next to him. Nico leaned against him, “you ok Nico?”
“Why won’t they accept me?”