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The subject of who was more powerful between Percy and Nico came up randomly in a conversation around the campfire one night. If someone were to ask Piper, she wouldn’t be able to determine exactly how they reached the subject, or who it was who initiated the discussion in the first place. All she knew was that it was brought to everyone’s attention from a deceptively lighthearted conversation so suddenly that no one could form an immediate response.
Percy and Nico – amongst everyone in their original group, those two were the ones Piper was most distant with. It wasn’t for lack of trying on anyone’s part – there was just a lack of… common ground from either side.
With Percy, Annabeth was their ‘common ground’. When she and Percy split a few years back, Piper remained in contact with her since they were each other’s best friends. The same, however, could not be said for Percy, whom she was cordial with but not close to.
With Nico, Jason was their ‘common ground’. Years had passed since his death, but Piper still refused to discuss him at length. Not that Nico was willing either; Jason’s death was as painful for him as it was for her. They reminded each other of him in some ways, which made interacting with each other not only uncomfortable but unbearable as well.
That was to say, Piper saw them rarely, and only occasionally heard news about them through the grapevine. Sometimes literally.
“That’s a tough one,” Leo admitted from beside Piper, bringing her attention to the matter at hand. He was fiddling with a metal box that oddly resembled a portable, retro radio as he continued, “I think it’s Percy though. He’s been thrown at the deep end since day one, but he always manages to turn the tides–” Everyone collectively groaned at his pun, while the son of Hephaestus cheekily grinned in response. “–in his favor. Not forgetting that he was at the frontlines for two great wars.”
Piper suppressed the urge to point out that Nico was too – thrown at the deep end from day one, and stood at the frontlines of two, no, three great wars. Just because he didn’t stand with them when the Prophecy of Seven unfolded, it didn’t mean he was in a different position, or served a lesser purpose.
“I think it’s Nico though, but not because he’s my brother,” Hazel replied from Piper’s other side, hastily adding the second half of her statement before the group could dismiss her subsequent argument. “From the very first day of the camp exchange program, I’ve seen Nico go against Percy during the sword and shield classes. He’s never lost once.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding us that Percy owes us a couple of drachma for that,” Connor grumbled while blowing on his overly toasted marshmallow. “He had our vote in a betting pool on who would win between them. Who knew di Angelo would kick his ass?”
“We do,” Lou Ellen chimed in as Miranda smiled triumphantly. On her right, Sherman grumbled in annoyance, having placed his bet on the Percy Jackson as well. “You should too. He spent a few summers teaching the campers before Percy joined him to co-teach. Even then, you can tell who’s better between them.”
“That makes Nico stronger, not more powerful,” Nyssa corrected. “I have to agree with Leo – Percy is more powerful. Remember all those years ago when Percy was fighting against Thalia and he willed the entire creek to rise? Or that time when he caused a volcanic eruption at Mount Saint Helens? Remember when he summoned multiple hurricanes in the Battle of Manhattan?”
“Nico has his moments too!” Hazel and Will protested at the same time, to everyone’s amusement. Hazel eyed Will with incredulity, but the latter avoided her probing gaze by ducking his head, embarrassment coloring his cheeks.
“Well, well. Trying to earn brownie points with your ex-boyfriend’s sister?” Connor teased the son of Apollo while Leo playfully wiggled his eyebrows to back up the suggestion. “I thought you both agreed you won’t get back together?”
“We did. We had an amicable breakup and all. Why are you making it sound like it’s something out of a drama?” Will huffed, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.
“Because it was something out of a drama,” Kayla corrected with a roll of her eyes. She zipped her lips a second later when her brother glared at her direction.
Piper unintentionally pursed her lips in response. Will and Nico’s breakup might not be as messy as Percy and Annabeth’s, but it was still considerably bad. There was a long period in which they avoided each other, and an even longer period where neither of them acknowledged each other’s presence. No one knew the main reason behind their separation, but from what Piper gathered, it was an accumulation of a handful of reasons, one of which was due to them wanting completely different things in life.
In a way, it reminded Piper of Percy and Annabeth, in that Annabeth had a clear vision of her future – their future – but Percy, at some point, struggled to look beyond the present.
“Anyway,” said Hazel, clearing her throat. “Nico’s considerably more trained in using his powers. If he and Percy were to get into a fight, I’m confident that he would win.”
“Bold assumption. Mi hermana has presented her evidence to the court. Kindly present yours, señorita,” Leo prompted, winking at Hazel.
“Fine,” Hazel huffed. “For starters, Nico has control over a sizable aspect of Lord Hades’ powers. He has control over the earth, death, darkness, and shadows, to name a few.”
“Exhibit A: the Athena Parthenos,” Lou said, backing up Hazel’s statement. “Wasn’t it Nico who transported it by shadow-traveling hundreds of miles to reach camp?”
“When we were down ‘there’ as well...” Will hesitantly rejoined the conversation, his expression solemn. “Nico was the one who protected us for the most part. He summoned an army of the undead to fight against Nyx’s. Before that, when we were falling to the ground, he also created a half-pipe out of thousands of bones to break our fall.”
Piper noticed how Will’s lips curled to a soft, subtle curve at the memory. The look in his eyes – and just in general – when he spoke of the son of Hades was an expression she was familiar with.
He’s still in love with Nico. Or at least, he still harbored romantic feelings for him. A pity though, Piper mused, since it was clear to everyone that Nico was past loving and being with Will. Their relationship left him utterly drained and defeated; it took months for Nico to find routine – normalcy – once more.
“Nico always operates behind the scenes. Not only is it difficult, but it’s also unfair to compare him to Percy who’s always in the spotlight,” Miranda pointed out.
“Look, there’s an easy way to settle this. Why don’t we get them to fight using their powers?” Sherman suggested.
“No. If history taught us anything, it’s that fights between the children of the Big Three never end well,” Miranda reasoned.
“It’ll be a friendly fight though,” Connor insisted, liking Sherman’s idea.
“No.” All the women firmly shut down the idea.
“It’s one thing to bet on them when they’re sparring. It’s another thing to get them to fight just so you can start another betting pool,” Nyssa berated.
“I think they’d be down if they’re here though,” Leo said with a shrug.
“Which they aren’t,” Kayla pointed out.
“Where are they, by the way?” Will asked, glancing at the other groups.
“I’m not really sure,” Hazel answered truthfully. “They spend an awful lot of time around each other, don’t they?”
“Well… For the longest time, Percy did say something about wanting to repair their friendship. I guess he’s working hard on doing just that,” Leo suggested.
Piper supposed that was sensible. The relationship between the sons of Poseidon and Hades had always been tense and messy from the get-go. Granted, none of them helped in the least by having… misconceptions about Nico. It wasn’t correct of them to pin the blame solely on Percy or Annabeth for previously having these misguided perceptions; all the more for them to consider any of it as Nico’s fault.
Piper earnestly wished the best for their friendship. It would do them good to find support in each other, especially since they’re now separated from their former partners who they once traversed Tartarus with. Of course, they – the rest of their friends – were still around if Percy or Nico needed them. However, if there was anyone who they could confide in, who truly understood the struggles they endured over and could offer unwavering support, it was each other.
“I’ll go find them,” Piper suddenly declared, rising from her seat. “Maybe I can get them to join us. It’s been a long time since we caught up with either of them.”
“I’ll come with you,” Hazel offered.
Piper refused with a shake of her head. “It’ll be quick. There’s only a few places they can be at this time,” she explained, smiling.
“Try the amphitheater,” Lou suggested. “Either that or the beach.”
“Will do.”
‘What am I doing?’ Piper questioned, the smile slipping off her face as she started walking towards the amphitheater. What was she expecting to accomplish by volunteering? To begin with, she wasn’t even sure why she volunteered in the first place–
‘No. That’s not true,’ a voice inside her head quietly contested. The truth was she anticipated where the conversation was headed – tiptoeing dangerously on a line she wouldn’t cross – and pulled herself away before it did. After all, there used to be similar conversations – comparisons between the sons of the Big Three – in the past. The only difference then and now was that Jason was… gone.
‘Pull yourself together, Piper,’ the daughter of Aphrodite mentally berated herself, tapping her cheeks lightly. She couldn’t be sad. Jason wouldn’t want her like this. He would want her happy, and she owed it to him to live her life happily.
Tapping her cheeks a few more times, she refocused on her task and started jogging in the direction of the amphitheater. There was roughly an hour left before lights out. She wasn’t about to waste it entirely by searching for Percy and Nico.
Upon reaching the main entrance, she paused and placed a hand against one of the columns, her eyes surveying the vicinity. She was hoping for some noise or movement – an indication of their presence. The sound of them training or, at the very least, conversing. But it was peaceful and quiet, aside from the faint rustling of leaves in the surrounding area due to the occasional summer breeze.
‘They’re not here. Maybe the beach then,’ Piper decided, already turning around. She barely took two steps before a gasp reached her ears, prompting her to face the seemingly empty area again. Did she mishear..? No, the sound was sharp, she assured herself, surveying the amphitheater once more. This time, her eyes darted around a little more slowly and carefully, a little more closely. It took a few seconds, but then she noticed it.
Several feet away from her spot, at one of the smaller entrances that was barely illuminated, were Percy and Nico–
Piper hurriedly clasped her hands over her mouth, choking on a loud gasp that threatened to spill from her lips, as her eyes widened in shock and surprise.
‘Are they… Are they kissing?’
It was stupid to question it; of course they were kissing. She could see it clearly with her own eyes – Percy claiming Nico’s lips with incredible passion, as if he was staking a claim through the intimate gesture. ‘Mine!’ His actions screamed of desperation and hunger as he pulled the son of Hades flush against his body, unwilling to part for even a second. It left Nico clinging onto him to keep himself steady as the world swayed around him, Percy’s kisses leaving him breathless.
“I’ve wanted to do that so badly since this morning, you have no idea,” Percy confessed, his voice hoarse with desire.
“You know we can’t,” Nico gasped, shuddering as Percy’s lips left his to trace his jawline before descending onto the delicate curve of his neck. “I haven’t told Hazel about us.”
“I know,” Percy groaned, a raw hunger in his eyes as he eyed the pale skin before him. He let out a frustrated sound when a hand clapped over his mouth, preventing him from going any further.
“I know,” he huffed, moving back to bury his face against the other’s hair instead. “I wish you didn’t feel that you need to keep us a secret.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just… I don’t want to mess this up like I did with Will,” Nico said truthfully, leaning onto the kisses being pressed on his temples. “I keep thinking that part of the reason why our relationship failed was because of everyone’s expectations of us.”
“Our relationship was too public, to the point where almost everyone felt entitled to comment on it. I felt as if I had to act in a certain way when we’re out together because of this. I always thought he was too good for me; that any problem in our relationship was my fault. I still think that sometimes,” Nico admitted.
“That’s not true. You’re the one who’s too good for him. Right now, you’re too good for me,” Percy assured him, pulling him into his arms. From Piper’s perspective, seeing them pressed against each other looked so natural, as if it were to be that way all along.
“I understand how you’re feeling. It was somewhat the same for me and Annabeth. Our relationship was viewed like some foolproof blueprint when in reality, it’s anything but. When everything settled, it was clear that we weren’t as compatible as we thought we were. We tried to keep up the pretenses for as long as we could. In hindsight, we shouldn’t have,” Percy mused, absent-mindedly stroking Nico’s hair. “It damaged our relationship more than it fixed it.”
“You said you don’t want to mess this up. I don’t want that either,” Percy stated, looking directly into Nico’s eyes in hopes of getting his point and sincerity across. “I like you, Nico. I really, really do. And I really, really want to make this work.”
“Me too. Just… wait a bit longer, please? I’ll be ready soon,” Nico promised, leaning up to brush a gentle kiss on Percy’s lower lip. “I have no intention of keeping us a secret forever.”
“Sneaking around is kind of thrilling,” Percy teased, a playful look in his lidded eyes as he caressed Nico’s slightly flushed cheeks. Lowering his head, he continued, “Don’t rush it. Take your time. I’m ready when you are. In the meantime, I’ll take my sweet time.”
Before Nico could question what he meant, Percy had already cupped his cheeks and captured his lips in a soft, sensual kiss. Piper chose that moment to retreat as quickly as possible, cautious enough to not make any sort of noise that could give away her presence. Although, given how Percy and Nico were enamored with each other, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to her if they didn’t notice her departure. The fact that neither of them noticed her presence despite how equally perceptive they both were…
It was a lot to take in – the fact that Percy and Nico were in a relationship. By the looks of it, they had been together for a while. For months now, perhaps.
For the record, she wasn’t surprised by the fact that they were dating someone of the same sex – Nico was out, and Piper always had the impression that Percy was someone who wasn’t bothered by social norms. What surprised her, however, was that they were together, against all odds.
It didn’t seem like a casual fling either; Piper sensed that their feelings for each other were far more… intricate. Especially Percy’s. The way he kissed the son of Hades… the way he held him… the way he addressed him… It was as if he were worshiping a god. And Nico, though less worshipful, returned his intimacy in kind.
‘I don’t want to mess this up.’
Piper was willing to believe that, based on how carefully they’re trying to handle their budding relationship. It was clear that it was something they genuinely wanted, and somehow, knowing that they’re invested in it made accepting it easier. Not that they needed her blessing. Or anyone else’s, for that matter.
“Oh, Piper! You’re back.”
Said daughter of Aphrodite slowed her steps, momentarily stunned by the fact that she was already back with the others. Everyone looked at her expectantly, and it was only then that she remembered what she had set out to do in the first place.
“I checked both places. Couldn’t find them,” Piper lied, plopping down and occupying her previous seat between Hazel and Leo.
“Really?” Will asked. “Where else can they be?”
“Feel free to check yourself if you’re worried,” Piper winked at the son of Apollo, teasing him. She didn’t feel particularly good lying to his face, but this was a white lie, wasn’t it? This was an exception. “I didn’t bother because it’s going to be lights out soon. Wouldn’t want to get caught by the cleaning harpies.”
“Wherever they are, I’m sure they’re fine. It’s Percy and Nico we’re talking about. We can have a conversation with them tomorrow,” Nyssa said dismissively. Piper let out a subtle sigh when the others unanimously agreed.
“So, a physical fight might be off the cards but, hypothetically, if a fight were to happen tomorrow, my bet is still on Percy,” Connor cheekily declared.
“Same here,” Leo, Nyssa and Sherman agreed.
“Hypothetically, I’m still betting on Nico to win,” Hazel stated, her tone decisive. As were Lou, Miranda, Kayla and Will when they voiced their agreement.
“Four versus five. Looks like you’re the deciding vote, Pipes,” Leo said, grinning as he nudged her arm playfully. “What’s your vote?”
Piper hesitated for a brief moment before responding slowly yet with utmost confidence, “Neither. Hypothetical or not, there wouldn’t be a fight because Chiron won’t allow it.”
There was a collective groan around the campfire as Piper pointed out what all of them overlooked. Right. Chiron wouldn’t sanction that, and if they insisted, not only would Percy and Nico be in trouble, but them as well since they instigated it.
Piper simply smiled at their reactions. That might have been the reason that she offered, but deep down, the truth was much simpler. She was confident that neither Percy nor Nico was going to agree to a fight, or to anything that might potentially hurt the other. But Piper wasn’t about to tell the others that.
It was her secret to keep, but never hers to tell. She was perfectly fine with that, for as long as she could see the possibility of them through.