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And Nico’s scowling at his father, who is too busy intimidating a certain son-of-Poseidon to notice his son’s furious glance.
“Dad!” Nico screams “for the sake of bloody Tartarus, stop it!”
“I told you that I’d like my son to be happy,” Hades says rashly “And that I’d like you to chase your comforts, but this?” He signs at Percy “This is unacceptable!”
“You just gestured to all of him!” Nico spits “I love him, and you have no right to rule over my interests!”
Percy, for once, is keeping his mouth (helpfully) shut and trying to disappear into his plush chair. Both of Nico’s hands are on the table, clenched tightly. And it doesn’t help quell Percy’s fear noticing Hades’ hand gripping the hilt of the sword Percy knows by a quest he had from Persephone. He’s seen its power, but doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of the blade. Not really.
“You’re overreacting, son,” Says Hades in a highly controlled tone that signifies that Hades is really, really livid “a spawn of Poseidon? With my mortal heir? This is outrageous! I might just have to talk to my brother to keep his clumsy, dirty offspring’s hands off my son,”
“That’s no way of talking to my boyfriend,” Nico states angrily, and Percy wants to salute Nico for his bravery. After all, Hades is quite scary, no offense intended. Poseidon would himself blast Percy to smithereens if Percy threatened to throw such a fit.
“Is that what you call lovers nowadays?” Asks Hades, then his eyes widen “Wait,” he turns to Percy quickly, glaring “Have you… deflowered my son?!”
Percy blushes bashfully “NO!” He yells mortified “Uhm, I mean no, I didn’t.”
He wants to laugh that Hades has a word as ‘deflowered’ in his vocabulary (plus considering the thing with Persephone, deflowered is a bit of an uncomfortable term), but he hasn’t the guts. It’s pitiful; he can face the personification of primordial eternal hell of damnation himself and not have enough bravery to look his future father-in-law in the eye. His little Persassy is hiding behind a couch at the corner of his mind, which only proves his utter lack of any smart retorts now.
Wait, father-in-law? When had he thought of marriage? Nico was still seventeen!
“—and I really do love him, dad. Please. Even if you disagree with my choice of a partner, I would stay by Percy.”
Percy blinks. When had the conversation steered so far? Nico has now entwined their fingers, and Hades looks more dejected and grudgingly accepting. Now Percy knows where Nico acquired his habit of sulking from.
“Whatever makes you happy, son,” Hades smiles sadly at Nico “My children have often received fates worse than death, and I am admitting that it makes me greatly miserable. I would really love to see you happy.”
Nico smiles, then quite unceremoniously hugs his dad “I love you, dad,”
Hades freezes, and Percy sees him melt into Nico’s small hug. He gingerly raises a hand to pat Nico's back, and it's trembling slightly. Had anyone ever hugged Hades? Had any of his kids really loved him?
Figuring that this is personal, their father/son bonding moment, he leaves via vapor travel that his own dad had taught him not long ago, to go to Atlantis to help out Tyson. And he has a smile on his face.