Children of Loss 19

Aside from the normal stuff about not owning the PJO or HoO characters, I don't own the Jormungand characters used in this chapter or the following.

Chapter 19

Nico watched as Percy moved his body sinfully to help Nico work out a routine for Saturday night. Why couldn't Percy still be allowed to perform like this? Or at least for Nico. He was beginning to see why the others had said he used to be the best. There was simply no flaw in his form. His body never shook, he never slipped during a move, and his eyes held a constant look of lust. He smirked at Nico when he finished, watching as Nico's eyes followed a trail of sweat down his torso.

“You look happy.”

Nico's eyes widened as he was pulled out of yesterday’s memory. His face turned red as he sat under Daedalus’s amused gaze. “Sorry. Did you say something?” Nico mumbled, averting his eyes to the ground.

Daedalus chuckled. “I said that I hope you have a good weekend. Hopefully, you don't get worked too hard,” the brunet said. Nico let out a long breath. Daedalus made a noise and dug into his pocket to pull out his phone. “That reminds me, we haven't exchanged numbers yet.”

Nico's eyebrows rose slightly as he dug his own phone out of his pocket. He and Daedalus swapped phones, quickly exchanging numbers. The brunet smiled at him as he handed Nico back his phone. “Thanks,” Nico mumbled.

Daedalus nodded. “I'll text you later. It'll come in handy if I ever want to hang out with you.”

Nico smiled and nodded. He looked up at the sound of a car horn blowing. His eyes soon landed on Zoë's black car. “Oh, it looks like my ride is here,” Nico said, grabbing his backpack and standing up from the bench that he and Daedalus were sitting on.

Daedalus gave a nod as he looked down at his phone, probably texting the girlfriend that he had mentioned. Nico smiled to himself as he walked over to Zoë's car. As he slid inside, she raised a brow at him. “Who was that?” The raven haired girl asked.

Nico blinked and turned his head back to Daedalus for a second before glancing back at the Lost Girl. “Him? He's just a friend I made at school. His name is Daedalus.”

Zoë nodded. She stepped on the throttle, and the car pulled away from the school. “So, how have things been? I haven't really seen you the past few days.”

Nico blew out a breath. “The same, I guess. Although, I felt like a lot of you didn't really want to see me after last weekend.”

Zoë pursed her lips. She glanced at Nico from the corner of her eye, giving the steering wheel a squeeze in the process. “Don't take it to heart. It's complicated, shorty.”

Nico smirked out the window. “We're the same height,” he chuckled.

He noticed Zoë glare at him in the window's reflection. “Anyways,” she sighed, “as you've probably seen, we sort of feel bad for how it was handled. You're supposed to be family, and we didn't really act like it.” The car fell into a brief silence while Zoë stared intensely at the road. “You're just hard to be around sometimes.”

“Sorry,” Nico whispered, his eyes falling to his lap.

The driver shook her head. “No, it's not your fault. It's just how you make us feel, and how you remind us of what we used to be.” She let out a long sigh. “And of what we can never get back.”

Nico nodded, but still kept his eyes in his lap. “I guess it was just a relief to find out that you guys didn't hate me.”

Zoë gave a lopsided smirk. “Not yet we don't. Just watch yourself.” She winked at Nico, who smiled back at her.

Nico opened and closed his mouth a few times. He had something he wanted to ask, but he felt awkward by asking it. Zoë seemed to notice this, and she raised her eyebrow at him. Nico bit down on his bottom lip, casting his eyes forward.

“Can I ask why you guys were watching me? What were you expecting from me?” The brown-eyed boy finally asked.

Zoë let out a sigh. She removed one hand from the wheel to grab her long black hair and draped it over the front of her right shoulder. “Waiting to see if you would end up like us. Or perhaps just waiting to see if you would force Percy's hand in his agreement.”

Nico's eyebrows furrowed. Apollo had talked about something similar a few days ago. What was it that he didn't know? And why hadn't Percy already told him about this? Nico thought that Percy was going to let him make his own decisions, but he couldn't be expected to do so if he didn't know what the situation was. Percy had just said that it wasn't important, that he wouldn't actually ask Percy for whatever it was, so there was no point in talking about it.

“What was the agreement?” Nico asked, digging his fingers into his jeans.

Zoë blinked over at him. “Oh that's right. Apollo said Percy hadn't spoken to you about it yet.”

“What is it?” Nico asked again, frowning at the black haired young woman.

Zoë let out a heavy sigh as she pulled into the hotel's garage. She found a place to park and cut off the engine. She sat there for a few seconds, just staring at the steering wheel, before she responded. “That, if you have sex with him, or any of us, he will put you to work as a full-fledged Lost Kid.”

Nico's brow furrowed. “What does that mean?” He asked, though he already had a sinking suspicion of what it meant.

“He won't deny customers anymore when they...request your services.”

Nico swallowed hard as his head started to spin. Shouldn't this have been something that he should have already been told? Why had Percy felt this wasn't important? He knew the Lost Kids were trying to seduce Nico. He knew that Nico had a crush on him. So, why had he neglected to talk to Nico about this?

“Are you alright?” Zoë asked, already out of the car and at Nico's side.

Nico nodded. “Yeah, it just took me by surprise.”

She frowned at him. “Don't be mad at him.”

He quickly shook his head, which did not help his stomach. “I'm not, well, not really. It just would have been nice to know, that's all.”

Zoë pursed her lips as they walked to the elevator. Once they had boarded, she pulled out her keycard and slid it into the slot. She quickly hit the button for the sixty-seventh floor. “He would have told you if he felt he needed to,” she assured him. “You said no to the Lost Boys, so Percy just didn't think you needed to be aware of the issue.”

Nico nodded. It wasn't really what he had been expecting, but it explained Percy and Apollo's conversation. “Where are you working tonight?” Nico asked, wanting to change the subject.

“Working the stage,” she replied with a small smile. “I would say thankfully, but I know some of our guests will be up there visiting.”

Nico tilted his head to the side. “Guests? But we always have guests.”

The raven haired girl smiled at him, patting him on the head. “Yes, but these are some special guests of Percy's,” she replied. Nico's eyes widened. That was right, that friend of Percy's was visiting tonight. “But I'm not sure I want to be in the bar tonight, so it's all good.”

Nico raised a dark brow at the girl. “What are you talking about?”

The girl rubbed her mouth, glancing up at the floors as they ascended. “Something's going down tonight, we all know it, but we just don't know what.”

“Wh-”

“Percy arranged the schedules to put Apollo at the bar tonight, and it just didn't sit right. So, we're all wondering at what he's got planned,” Zoë explained.

The elevator finally came to a stop. The Lost Girl placed her hand on Nico's shoulder as she walked out. She glanced down the boys' hall, waving at someone. Nico's eyebrows furrowed as he stepped out of the elevator. He turned down his hall to find Percy leaning against his doorframe, his phone pressed to his ear. His eyes were shining in amusement, and there was a wide smile on Percy's face. It made Nico's stomach do a flip. He loved it when Percy smiled like that. It wasn't a forced, fake, or knowing smile, it was genuine.

“Yes, I had Rachel pick them up about an hour ago. I was just about to go greet her. I just needed to check in on Ni-” Percy's eyes finally landed on Nico, his smile growing. “Yes, him. So, you can let Floyd know that his children are safe in our care. I'll make sure that their stay here is pleasant.” He paused, chuckling softly at something that was said on the phone. “No, you know I love her.” Nico's heart stopped for a split second. “Yes, Gaea. No, I'm not going to agree to it if she asks. No, I know she just lost R, but I know where I belong.” Percy rolled his eyes in amusement. “Yes, I know. Now, go enjoy the rest of your night.” Percy's smile slid off his face. “No, I still plan on taking care of that. Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

Percy pulled the phone away from his ear, slipping it into his pocket. Nico walked over to stand in front of him. “What was that all about?” He asked.

Percy shook his head. “Nothing. Don't worry about it.” He reached up and ran a hand through his black hair. “The boss just wanted to make sure I'm taking care of our special guests.” Nico nodded. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I'll be busy until our guests leave on Sunday. So, I thought I'd check in on you now, just in case I didn't get the chance to tomorrow.”

Nico let out a long breath. “As ready as I'll ever be, I guess.”

Percy's smile returned, once again making Nico's stomach do a flip. “Good. Oh yes, and you'll be working my friends' table tonight. You haven't met either of them yet, and I wanted you to get the chance.”

Nico quirked an eyebrow. “I thought there was only the one?” Nico asked.

Percy smiled. “Their father informed Gaea that he would be sending both of his children to the expo this weekend.”

“Expo?”

Percy waved off the question. “I have faith that you'll figure it out on your own. I don't get to see them much, so I'll probably be at the bar the entire night.”

Percy's smile turned into a smirk as Nico's face lit up. “Oh, that's good. I'll do my best then,” he assured his boss.

Percy nodded his head. Nico's eyes drifted over Percy's shoulder as he noticed movement. Travis and Connor had silently exited their room, cans of silly string in their hands. They raised a finger to their lips as they approached from behind Percy.

Percy's smile slowly grew. He closed his eyes. “Don't even think about it,” he said.

Travis and Connor pouted, letting the cans drop to their sides. “That's not fair at all,” Connor whined.

“We will get the jump on you one day,” Travis added.

Percy chuckled and shook his head, letting the twins slide under his arms. “Do try and behave, you two. And don't go destroying my hotel. I know it's almost Halloween, but I don't want this place covered in silly string. So, please try containing it to this floor,” Percy whispered into Connor's ear, making the shorter twin shudder. Percy smirked and turned his head to speak into Travis's ear, “And I look forward to the performance you two have planned for tomorrow night.”

The twins grinned at each other before wrapping their arms tightly around Percy, who rested his head on top of Connor's. “It would be better if you were to join us,” they said seductively.

Percy smirked again, running his hand down to grab Travis's ass. “If you're asking for some negotiation time, I have tomorrow night free after you two get off.”

The twins smirked, untangling themselves from Percy. They laced their fingers together and walked off down the hall to Thalia and Annabeth's room, where they knocked on the door before they were let inside. Nico turned back to Percy with a frown.

“I thought they were on punishment?” Nico asked.

Percy shrugged. “I lifted it. They've been on good behavior, so I figured it was alright.”

Nico scrunched his lips. He pulled out his card and slid it into his door slot. He pushed open his door and threw his backpack inside. He turned around to stare at Percy from the doorway. “So, Zoë told me about your agreement with the other Lost Kids,” Nico said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Percy raised a brow. He raised a hand to rub at his chin. “Really? Well, I was actually going to talk to you about it, but I suppose she saved me the trouble.” The green-eyed young man shrugged. “You don't look mad. I figured you would at least be upset.”

Nico opened his mouth a few times before sighing, letting his arms drop back to his side. “Well, I'm not exactly angry, but I'm not thrilled about it,” he replied. “I'm upset you didn't already tell me, but I can understand what you were trying to do.” Percy nodded at him. “I guess I should say thank you, but I'm not sure that's entirely appropriate. I thought you said everything would be my choice.”

Nico watched as Percy's eyes shifted to a darker shade of green. His face, however, remained neutral. “You would have made the same choice. I just made it for you. If you had objected to what I had done, you aren't the boy I think you are, thus I wouldn't have done what I did,” Percy explained. Percy blew at his bangs with a look of exasperation. “How do I explain this? I guess I just wanted to protect you, or rather, what you represent.” Percy glanced down the hall. “But, I had to make an agreement with the others, to make it fair. If I hadn't, you would have been able just do as you please with no consequences.”

“Like having sex with you?” Nico asked quietly.

Percy stared down at Nico for a moment, his gaze nearly burning a hole through the pale boy. “Yes.” Percy leaned on his arm against the doorframe, studying Nico's face. “I suppose, since we're being honest, it's not that I didn't particularly want to do it, it's just that I knew that it might be better if we didn't. Things are complicated, Nico.” Percy's phone suddenly rang. Percy blinked down at his pocket before pulling the device out, smiling at it when he saw the name. “Well hello there. Yes, I missed you too.” Percy chuckled. “Alright, I'll be right there. I just got a little distracted.” Percy hung up the phone and smiled at Nico. “I have to get going, but I'll see you tonight.”

Nico nodded. “Alright, I'll see you then,” he said, waving at Percy as he walked off.

He frowned as the door down the hall opened, and Luke and Octavian leaned against their doorframe to watch as Percy walked by. Octavian smirked and reached out to grope Percy's crotch, who just chuckled and shook his head. “Not tonight,” Percy announced, causing the blond to frown.

Luke crossed his arms, tossing his eyes over to Nico, who was glaring at Octavian. Octavian's smirk returned once Percy had boarded the elevator. The younger blond also turned his eyes upon Nico, smirking in satisfaction at the response he got. Luke frowned and whispered something to Octavian. The younger brother narrowed his eyes up at Luke before returning inside their suite.

Luke arched an eyebrow at Nico. “Don't fall on your face tonight, kid,” Luke said before starting to retreat into the room as well.

“I'm not a kid,” Nico grumbled.

Luke stopped to smirk at Nico before shutting the door. Nico narrowed his eyes at the spot Luke had just been standing for a few moments before walking into his own suite. He stopped in the middle of the room when he heard a door close from within the suite.

He arched an eyebrow at Leo as he came around the corner. Leo stopped, his eyes widening slightly at Nico. He quickly coughed and masked his surprise. “Hey there, Nico,” the Latino boy greeted him.

“Um, Leo, what were you doing in the spare room?” He asked, tilting his head to the side.

Leo glanced behind him. “Just looking it over, nothing to worry about.”

Nico gave Leo an odd look. What was this really about? “Um, I feel I have the right to know why you came into my suite unannounced. Not to mention the fact that you've apparently been back there for at least ten minutes.” He crossed his arms.

Leo opened his mouth before closing it. He stared up at his forehead in thought. “Percy just asked me to do a thorough inspection of it today.”

Nico's lips tilted down. “What for?” He inquired.

Leo lifted his hands in a shrug. “I plead the fifth?” Leo chuckled.

Nico rolled his eyes, stepping aside to allow the Latino to pass. Today was certainly turning out to be interesting. He closed the door behind Leo, pinching the bridge of his nose. He glanced over at the clock on the wall. He needed to do a quick practice of his routines for tomorrow night before he ate and got ready for work. He was actually eager to find out who Percy's guests were.

“Aww. Does Nico have a boyfriend now?” Thalia teased him as they rode up in the elevator. Nico stared blankly at the elevator door. He had his phone in his hand, and was in the middle of trying to write a reply to Daedalus, but the others had decided to take an interest in his new friend.

Calypso reached over and pinched his cheek. Will had his head resting on top of Nico's, and Nico could feel the blond grinning as he stared at the boy's phone. “Is he cute?” Silena asked, trying to pluck the phone out of Nico's hand.

The youngest Lost Boy fumbled with his phone, finally managing to slide it into his pocket. He turned around to glare at the others, who all grinned back at him. The only one who didn't seem to be enjoying torturing Nico was Apollo, who stood off to the side. The blond looked a little lost in thought.

“Oh, we should have Percy look into this Daedalus kid,” Calypso suggested.

Thalia snapped her fingers and winked at the caramel haired girl. “I like the way you think,” the black haired girl agreed. Apollo's lips finally tilted up into a smirk as he cut his eyes toward the girl.

Nico's eyes widened. He began waving his hands wildly. “No! Don't do that! Can't I just have a friend outside of the hotel?” He pleaded.

Will pouted at him. “Don't you love us, Nicky?” the blond teased him.

Nico narrowed his eyes. “Don't call me that. I'm not a girl.”

“Oh don't worry, Percy and Apollo both assured us of that,” Thalia cackled.

Apollo's smile widened as he slung an arm around Will's shoulders. “We're just not enough for him it seems,” the blond joined in.

Silena shook her head. “Way to get around, Nico,” she said with a wink.

Nico continued to glare at them. “We're just friends. He's straight and has a girlfriend,” he pointed out.

They all nodded their heads. “Doesn't seem to stop people, in our experience,” Calypso retorted.

Nico rolled his eyes. The elevator finally opened, much to his relief. Apollo and Calypso pushed past him, the blond ruffling his hair on the way out. Nico let out a sigh and followed after them, receiving waves from Thalia, Silena, and Will as the doors closed once again.

Nico groaned as he took in the crowded bar. Yet again, it seemed like it was a busy weekend. So, why was it different than the last one? It didn't take him long to spot Percy's friends' table, as several tables had been pushed together to accommodate everyone.

Percy sat at the head of the table, a glass of alcohol already in hand. He was dressed in a black dress shirt and black pants, with a dark blue tie hanging from his neck. A silver ring sat on his right ring finger. It bore a dark blue stone and an inscription, but Nico couldn't make it out. He was laughing at something that had been said at the table, but it didn't make Nico's stomach do a flip like earlier. This one made his stomach sink. It was a crooked smile, matched equally matched by the gleam of mischievousness in his dark green eyes.

Nico let out a breath as he walked over to the bar to retrieve his apron. Chiron handed it to him with a smile. “Ah, there you are, Nico,” the bartender greeted him. “Percy's table needs tending to, if you would get started with that.”

Nico nodded and turned back around to head over to it. He wrung his hands as he crept closer to it, feeling slightly uneasy about some of the people at the table. “I can't believe you bombed the Iraqi desert, just to deal with a single woman,” Percy chuckled, downing what was left of his alcohol.

“If you remember, my sister doesn't know what the word overkill means,” a blond man on Percy's left chuckled.

Nico finally took in the two blonds sitting on Percy's left and right. They looked similar, and from what the man had just said, Nico was going to assume they were siblings. The man was dressed in a dark grey suit with a red tie. He sat very casually in his chair, waving his glass of alcohol in his hand. He had platinum blond hair, that Nico would have probably mistaken it for a silvery white. He had it styled to look tousled and spiky, parting it off to the right. His eyes were a striking shade of icy blue that made Nico shift a little just looking at them. Like Nico, he had flawlessly pale skin, though the man radiated an intimidating aura of power.

The girl across from him, his sister, had long blonde hair that matched the color of her brother's. She also had a pair of matching icy blue eyes and an identical skin tone to that of her brother. Also like her brother, she made Nico feel uneasy. She seemed warm enough, but her eyes and smile practically screamed dangerous to Nico. She was dressed entirely the opposite of Percy. She had on a white dress shirt and matching white skirt, with a light blue tie with black stripes around her neck. Her posture was also entirely different from that of her brother. She sat very properly, with her right leg crossed over her left and her hands laced together in her lap.

Percy set down his glass and waved Nico over when he noticed the pale boy. “This is my new Lost Kid,” he said, nearly pulling the raven haired boy into his lap. The blonde girl lifted a glass of wine up to her lips and looked Nico over, which made Nico even more uncomfortable. “Nico, I'd like you to meet two of my oldest friends. These are Kasper and Koko Hekmatyar.”

Was it just Nico, or did the room fall silent at the mention of their names? He glanced around to notice that most of the patrons were glancing over at them. Nico blushed, trying to pull himself away from Percy. The blonde's lips tilted up slightly.

“Could we get some more wine for my sister? I don't think she's had enough,” Kasper asked, smiling charmingly at Nico.

“You just want me to embarrass myself in front of Percy!” Koko shot back, pointing an accusing finger at her brother.

Kasper shrugged. “If you recall, he was the one who bought you your first two glasses, not me.”

Percy grinned and rested his elbow on the table, dropping his chin onto his palm. “Hey, I don't get to see you very much, and I wanted to enjoy your inability to hold your alcohol,” he chuckled.

Koko waved her hand off in Percy's direction. “Whatever,” she replied. “Just don't let Jonah drink.” She raised a finger and pointed down the table. Nico followed her finger to a boy that sat a few chairs down on the other side of the table.

The kid was short, and appeared to be several years younger than Nico. What was a kid doing up in a place like this? His appearance was startling, though. He had silvery white hair and a pair of red eyes that were set in a blank stare. He had dark skin, though it was not as dark as the man a few chairs down. A small scar ran diagonally underneath his left eye. His lips were set into a thin line. He was not dressed nearly as nice as the others at the table, wearing a dark grey sweatshirt and a pair of shorts. His posture was slouched, and he had both of his hands tucked into his sweatshirt, while his eyes roamed around the room.

Percy chuckled. “Yes, I remember your request,” the hotel manager replied. He glanced down at a blond down at the other end of the table. “Oh, Lutz, some of the girls asked if you were going to come up and visit.”

The blond looked down at Percy, a huge grin spreading across his face. He had fair skin, but bore a small scar above his left eyebrow. He had short, spiky light blond hair. His eyes were small and dark blue. Besides Kasper, Nico decided that he was probably the most attractive guy at the table, not counting Percy. Something about him reminded Nico of the Stoll twins.

“Of course, Perce. The guys and I were talking about seeing the girls the entire plane ride over here,” Lutz replied, gesturing to the the guys around him.

Percy's eyebrows rose as he looked back to Nico. “Oh yes, I forgot to introduce you to everyone else.”

“And after all we've been through, Perseus,” a woman seated beside Kasper joked. “I'm so hurt, especially after teaching you everything you know about knives.”

Percy closed his eyes and smiled, running his fingertips through his hair. “Sorry,” he apologized. “This is Chiquita, the head of Kasper's bodyguard team.”

Chiquita was a thin woman, with pale skin. She had short black hair, with her bangs parting over her left eye. Her calm eyes were a shade of dark green. Unlike some of the others at the table, she radiated a sense of calmness. Her lips were tilted up into a lazy smile as she watched Percy.

Percy cleared his throat. “Anyways, the rest of our guests are Lehm, who I've known for as long as I have Koko and Kasper, Valmet, Mao, Tojo, Ugo, and Wiley,” he said, gesturing to each of them when he said their name.”

Lehm was a mountain of a man. He looked to be taller than even Percy and Beckendorf, and more muscular than both Butch and Beckendorf. He was relatively tan, with short grey hair and a hint of stubble. Like Chiquita, who sat beside him, he also radiated a calm demeanor. He also wore a constant toothy grin, which helped ease Nico's nerves a little. He had a lighter in his right hand, and was flicking it open and closed every few seconds.

When Nico's eyes landed on Valmet, he felt his cheeks darken. Now, while he was gay, he couldn't help but feel awkward looking at the woman. Her breasts were so big that she could probably put all of the Lost Girls to shame. Her skin nearly matched Nico's. She also had black hair that hung down to her shoulders. She also had a white eyepatch over her right eye. Her left eye was a striking shade of hazel, which nearly passed for yellow.

Valmet seemed to notice Nico's embarrassed state and smirked. “See, I think there's hope that Jonah will be interested in girls yet, Koko,” she commented, only causing Nico's cheeks to darken further.

Jonah didn't seem to acknowledge the comment, though. And Nico himself didn't particularly understand what the woman meant, besides that the kid was young and was going to hit puberty soon. Percy and Koko, however, had faint frowns on their faces. Nico cleared his throat and went down to the other end of the table to begin to take drink orders from the rest of the group, though he was conscious of how Percy and Koko's eyes were now studying him intently. As they all began giving him their orders, Nico took a second to study the remainder of the group.

Mao was clearly of some Asian descent, though Nico couldn't place the exact location. He was relatively fit and tall, but managed to remain thin. He had medium dark skin and short black hair. His eyes were the shade of tree bark.

Tojo was also of Asian descent, with shaggy black hair. He wore a pair of glasses over his light brown eyes. Like Lehm and Chiquita, he was fairly calm and relaxed. Though, he bore Percy's ability to give off an emotionless vibe.

Ugo reminded Nico of Butch from his appearance. He was relatively tan and muscular. He was also very tall, even taller than Lehm. He spoke with an Italian accent, which reminded Nico of his grandparents. He had a pair of beady hazel eyes and a strong jawline.

Wiley reminded Nico a lot of Beckendorf. He was dark skinned of African descent, though from the way he spoke, Nico assumed he was American. He had black close-cropped hair with two identical streaks above each of his ears. Like Tojo, he wore a pair of glasses. Five earrings sat in his ears; three hoops in his left ear and two studs in his right one. He also had a pair of warm brown eyes, though they tended to be hidden behind the reflection of his glasses.

Nico finally walked away from the table to deliver the order that he had been given. He groaned as he handed the slip of paper to Chiron. Why did he have to be the only one waiting on that table? He shouldn't complain, though. It only meant that he got more time with Percy.

He steadied the tray once it was filled with all of their drinks, and Nico carried it back over to the table. “So, how do you know Percy?” Nico decided to ask upon arrival at the table.

Koko blinked at him for a few seconds before her lips tilted up into a creepy smile. “Our father is a close personal friend of Gaea's, so once Percy was taken in by her, we were practically got raised together,” the girl answered. She took her glass of wine from Nico and began drinking eagerly from it, her cheeks beginning to flush.

“But Percy moved back here to America when he turned seventeen,” added Kasper, “so we weren't able to get him onto our teams.”

Nico tilted his head, glancing over at Percy. “I thought you were always here,” Nico mumbled.

Percy shook his head, swirling his drink around in his hand. He chuckled lightly. “If I was raised by Gaea, shouldn't that have implied otherwise?” The green-eyed young man pointed out. Nico blushed under Percy's stare, which did not go unnoticed by Koko.

“No, Percy was raised in Germany after he was taken in by Gaea,” Kasper continued.

“Thankfully, you didn't turn out like your brother,” mumbled Koko around her glass.

Nico frowned at her. Percy rolled his eyes. “Kronos isn't that bad,” he said. Nico was about to open his mouth when Percy looked back at him. “And before you ask, Kronos isn't my biological brother. He's Gaea's actual son.”

Nico nodded. “So, why did you come back here?” Nico asked.

Percy took a swig of his alcohol, licking his lips once he was done. The action managed to draw Nico's attention, and consequently, turn Nico's cheeks darker. “Well, she's never admitted to it, but I think Gaea was setting me up to take over this branch.”

Koko frowned at Percy, clutching his hand. “But she wouldn't let me have you,” the girl whined. Percy just grinned back at her. “You know, Percy, I do have an opening on my team, and my offer still stands.”

Nico felt his heart stop upon hearing the woman's words. So that's what Percy meant earlier. Percy raised Koko's hand up to his lips and kissed it, and Nico noticed Valmet's eye twitch. “As I've said the hundreds of other times that you've asked me, my place is here, or wherever Gaea asks me to be.”

Koko let out a sigh. “Such dedication. It's a shame that I can't have it.” She tapped her finger against the table for a moment. “So, I hear you are having issues around here.”

Percy's lips thinned. He cleared his throat. “It's nothing to be concerned with. I'll be taking care of it personally.” Koko and Percy shared a look, something dangerous appearing in both of their eyes. He took a sip of his drink before making a noise. “Oh, with the present that Lehm got me for my birthday last year, actually.”

Lehm chuckled and held his glass out towards Percy before taking a drink. “Glad you could find some use for it,” the man said.

Percy flashed a dangerous smirk. “Oh, I've found several uses for it since then.” He looked over at Koko. “I told you I found out I had a half-brother, right?” Koko nodded. “Yeah, well, he decided to come knocking at my door about a year ago, demanding some money.”

Koko snorted and burst out laughing. Kasper's smirk turned devious, while everyone else at the table had dangerous looks in their eyes. All except Jonah, who kept his blank look.

Valmet pouted at Percy and jutted her chest out towards him. “What about my present?” She asked.

“I keep it in the drawer beside my bed.” He raised his glass and clinked it against Valmet's. “Came in handy, too, I might add,” he chuckled. Percy smirked when he noticed that Nico was just standing there listening to them. “That will be all for now. I'll wave you over if we need anything.”

Nico nodded and began walking off to another table, passing Valmet and Mao, who were whispering to each other. “I'm not the only one who's noticing the similarity here, am I?” The large breasted woman asked.

Mao shrugged. “I'm not sure I follow,” he whispered back.

Valmet discreetly pointed her finger towards Jonah. “Doesn't the new Lost Kid remind you of someone we know?”

The man shrugged again. “They don't really look alike.”

Tojo sighed and leaned around behind Mao. “She means with Koko and Percy. And yes, I see what you're talking about,” the man whispered.

Nico raised an eyebrow, trying his hardest not to look at them as he walked by. He was about to reach a new table, when he heard something shatter. He looked over to find Apollo wide eyed and frozen in place. He followed the blond's line of sight to find a man sitting down close to where Nico stood. Nico frowned and glanced back at the blond, who was now helping Calypso pick up the drinks he had dropped.

The man looked vaguely familiar to Nico, somehow. He wanted to say he had seen the man in the news before, but couldn't place why. He had neatly styled blond hair. His eyes were green, but not as spectacular to look at as Percy's. He was very handsome and fit. He was maybe an inch taller than Apollo. He wasn't anywhere near as tan as the blond Lost Boy, though. His skin was fair, somewhere between Nico and Apollo's skin.

Nico finally stepped up to the table he had been about to reach. He greeted the brunette that sat at the table, though she didn't seem that interested in talking to him. He didn't mind, though. His attention was focused on Apollo, who seemed to be avoiding the mysterious blond like the plague. However, the blond's attention was completely locked on Apollo's form, studying his every move.

When neither Calypso or Apollo went to take the man's order, Nico let out a sigh and headed over. Apollo froze when he saw Nico walking towards the man's table. The man turned his head to look up at Nico's face briefly, but soon trailed his gaze down Nico's body. Nico shifted his weight onto his other foot, glancing around at his co-workers, who were staring at him intently. He looked over to Percy, who was watching the situation with interest. Koko and Kasper also seemed to be watching the situation, though Nico didn't know why they would be interested. Hell, he didn't even know why Percy would be interested.

“Hello there, handsome,” Nico greeted him, biting down onto his lip like he had been trained to do.

“You must be new. I don't think I've seen you around here before,” the man replied.

Nico rubbed the back of his neck. “I've been here about a month.”

The blond nodded. “May I inquire as to your name?”

Nico smiled brightly at the man, resting his hands on the table. “Nico.”

The man smiled charmingly back at him. “You can call me Robert, or Rob for short,” the man said, leaning closer to Nico.

Nico found himself being yanked backwards, and soon found a tall blond standing in front of him. Apollo glared down at the man. “What are you doing here?” He hissed.

Robert grinned at him. “I was wondering when you were going to come over, Apollo.”

Apollo narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “Nico, go take care of another table.”

Nico was about to walk off, but Robert grabbed his wrist. “Now hold on, I think I'd rather have him as my waiter.”

Apollo's eyes darkened so much that they were nearly black. “Why are you even down here? You usually lurk around upstairs,” the blond Lost Boy hissed.

Robert shrugged. “I got wind that the Hekmatyar siblings were going to be in town this weekend, and wanted to see if I could get a word with them. When I got here, that secretary boy directed me down here.” Robert glanced over at Nico. “And now I think I know why.”

Nico watched as Apollo fought to swallow. His lips were tightly pursed, and his hands were visibly shaking at his side. His eyes flickered over to Percy for a split second, who was watching them over the top of his alcohol glass. Percy's eyes had turned a deep shade of green that chilled Nico to his core. He felt a chill run over his body as he finally realized who this blond man was. And he couldn't help but begin to wonder at how cruel Percy could actually be. A snake wasn't the right analogy. Percy made a snake look like a harmless worm. Maybe Nico should have compared him to a dragon.

“So, if that will be all, Apollo, I think I'd like to be left alone with my real waiter now,” Robert said with a grin.

Apollo's eyes finally cracked. They lightened and took on a devastated look. He took a step back, looking back at Percy, his mouth opening a few times. Nico finally was beginning to understand what Apollo had meant the other day. He still cared about Percy, and to be betrayed like that, had really hurt him. What was Percy doing? Wasn't he supposed to be the loving boss that everyone could turn to when they needed him? Was he going to punish and hurt Apollo to the same degree that Apollo had hurt Nico?

Apollo walked off, only to be stopped by Calypso on his way into the break room. The girl led him into the back room, hiding them from Nico's sight. Percy, Koko, and Kasper all finally went back to their own conversations, though Koko pulled Percy closer to whisper in his ear.

Nico cleared his throat. “So, what can I get you?” Nico asked.

Robert tapped his fingers against the table before looking up at Nico. “I take it you've figured out who I am by this point?” The man asked.

Nico swallowed and nodded timidly. “Apollo might have mentioned you once or twice.”

Robert nodded. “I'll have some Scotch.”

Nico nodded and quickly hurried off to the bar to drop off the order. Chiron had his lips pursed the entire time, but his eyes kept glancing up at Robert on occasion. “Be careful with that man, Nico,” the bartender instructed.

“Don't worry, I know who he is,” Nico assured him. “What does he do now?”

Chiron let out a sigh. “Well, I'm sure you've heard he's married.” Nico nodded. “He's a congressman now. Apollo hates the man to his very core because of a lot of his political stances.”

“Like what?”

“Well, he's anti-gay marriage.”

Nico frowned. “After his relationship with Apollo? Really?”

Chiron nodded. “Yes, you would be surprised at some of his leanings.” He nodded over to Percy's table. “But Percy's friends over there don't mind him because of his stance on international trade.”

Nico glanced over at the brother and sister before looking back at Chiron. “What do they do exactly?” He asked.

Chiron picked up a bottle of Scotch and began pouring it into an empty glass. “Their father is Floyd Hekmatyar, the head of HCLI, and one of the most powerful men in the world. He's also one of our main owner's closest friends.”

Nico's eyebrows furrowed. He had heard of that company somewhere before. “HCLI...I've heard that name before. What is it?”

Chiron let out a sigh, glancing over at the two Hekmatyars. “I suppose I can give you the public details for them. They are a global company involved with shipping, logistics,” Chiron lowered his voice, “and the arms trade. Floyd's two children over there both became leaders of the company at young ages, and fall second in the ladder of control over the company. Kasper heads Asian division, while Koko heads the European and African divisions.”

“And she wanted to recruit Percy for her team?” Nico asked.

Chiron nodded. “When she got assigned to the European division, he was the first person she went looking for, not counting Lehm, who was assigned to her team by her father. Unfortunately for her, Percy had been moved back here to America by Gaea. Though, I sometimes wonder if she suspected the girl's actions, and had launched a preemptive strike to keep Koko from acquiring Percy.”

“They seem close,” Nico pointed out, looking between Percy and Koko.

“They are,” Chiron agreed with a smile. “She visits when she can, and she often vacationed in Germany when she was younger, so that she could spend time with him.”

Nico nodded and took Robert's drink order. He headed back to the man's table and dropped it off, but was thankfully saved by Percy, who waved him over. He let out a sigh as he reached the table, mouthing a thank you to the green-eyed manager. Percy smiled at him, melting away Nico's earlier uneasiness about the young man.

“Do you guys want anything before you head up?” He asked Lutz.

The blond young man shook his head. “Nah, that's alright. We'll just get something up there,” Lutz replied. He, Tojo, and Wiley stood up. Lutz grinned at Jonah. “You want to go?”

Koko sat her wine glass down rather harshly. “You're not taking him up there to stare at naked women!” She barked.

Lutz held his hands up defensively. “I was just joking, Princess.” Tojo and Wiley chuckled as they slapped him on the back, leading the blond towards the elevator.

Nico looked back at Percy and Koko, who were whispering to each other. He frowned as he studied the two of them, finally taking a moment to take in the similarities between the two. Their posture was very similar, and Percy tended to be proper and relaxed while Koko appeared to be the same. As he had noticed earlier, their clothing was opposite one another. But it now clicked in Nico's brain that he usually saw Percy in the same four colors: black, white, dark blue, and grey. Their eyes even held the same feel. They changed a lot, even in the depth of their color, to reflect the mood of each of them.

Their eyes could be warm and friendly one moment, and then flash to a dangerous look the next. Their smiles even had a similar feel to them. Like Percy's, Koko's smile could make Nico feel relaxed and calm at times, but others it would shake him to his core. They both definitely radiated a sense of power. And it was also starting to become obvious to Nico that they both wore similar masks to hide their true emotions. He could see why they would be best friends.

“So, I was in the Middle East a few weeks ago,” Kasper voiced, sitting his drink onto the table.

Percy smirked. “Let me guess, you had a visit with Kronos?” Percy chuckled.

Koko stuck her tongue out and made a face of disgust. Kasper gave a charming smile. “I did. He was looking forward to the Lotus meeting and getting to come see you.”

Percy nodded. “Yeah, Gaea wanted to host it here this year.” He shrugged. “The Lost Kids are eager to have her visit.”

Nico froze when he heard this. Gaea was going to be coming to their hotel in the possibly near future? “D-do you want another refill?” Nico asked. He cleared his throat, and tried to hide the fact that his cheeks had darkened. One little piece of information and he couldn't even control his voice.

Percy smiled and handed Nico his empty glass. “That would be great. Thank you, Nico,” he said, bringing a fresh blush to Nico's cheeks. Nico walked off, quickly getting the drink refilled by Chiron. When Nico returned, Percy smiled warmly at Nico again, resting a hand on Nico's waist.

Koko's lips tilted up into that creepy smile of hers. “He's adorable, Percy. I'm sure he gets a lot of attention. He'll probably find himself scooped up by someone,” she said, lacing her fingers together and resting her chin on them as she watched Percy.

Percy blinked at her before shrugging. “I suppose.”

Koko's smile dropped. She studied Percy for a moment, who stared blankly back at her. She quirked a single perfect eyebrow at the green-eyed young man. “I'm also glad to see that you seem relatively happy.” She glanced around the bar with a sigh. “And there are so many lovely sights around the hotel.”

Percy raised his own eyebrow. “It's pretty much the same as the last time you were here.”

Koko lifted her hands in a shrug. “I don't know about that. I think I found some new interesting sights.”

Percy rolled his eyes, his hand dropping from Nico's waist. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he sighed.

That smirk of hers returned. “Well, I thought I saw you staring at the sights a lot tonight.”

Before Percy could open his mouth, the elevator door opened. Ethan dragged a shouting man into the bar. Nico's eyes widened as he noticed blood on several parts of the man's body. His nose was bleeding, he had a bullet wound in his leg, and the fingers on his right hand had been bent into a sickening angle. The room quieted down as Ethan slammed the man's head down onto the table between Percy and Kasper.

Nico glanced around at everyone at the table, but found that they were all still relaxed. Jonah had been the only one to even make a move, adjusting his sweatshirt so the pocket now bulged oddly. Kasper sat back in his chair with an amused look. Percy let out a sigh, resting his elbow on the table next to the man's face.

“I found him trying to sneak into the hotel. Found a gun and two knives on him,” Ethan reported.

Percy shook his head, chuckling lightly. “Why is it that this stuff seems to follow you around?” He mumbled.

The brother and sister smirked at him. “It's a talent,” Kasper joked.

Nico stared at them in bewilderment. How could they be so calm when someone was apparently trying to kill them? Nico glanced over his shoulder. Everyone in the bar seemed to be glancing at their table, some being more discreet than others. Some of them just rolled their eyes, while other shook their heads.

“What should I do with him?” Ethan growled, twisting the man's wrist.

Koko waved her hand absentmindedly. “Throw him off the roof,” she mumbled, picking up her glass of wine to take a sip.

Percy gave her a lopsided smile. “I'd rather not have the news looking into a death that occurred outside my hotel,” Percy chuckled.

“It's not like you don't have the police and district attorney under your thumb,” Chiquita stated.

Percy shrugged. “I'd rather not get them involved. I'm going to have to write them a check soon anyways.”

“Take him down to the shooting range and let me show you some of our merchandise,” Kasper suggested.

Percy tapped his finger on the table's surface, apparently contemplating the offer. “Well, I would like to have a look at those new guns before the expo tomorrow, but I think I'll have to decline.”

“So, what do you want to do?” Ethan asked.

Percy stared down at the man for a moment. He looked back up at Ethan, his eyebrows raising. He lifted his drink to his lips. When he was done taking his drink, he rested his elbows on the table and held his drink between his hands. He fiddled with the silver ring on his finger before sighing and sitting his drink back onto the table.

Ethan nodded and grabbed the man by the back of his hair, jerking him off the table. Nico raised an eyebrow. Percy let out another sigh, looking up at Nico. “Would you mind cleaning this up?” He asked politely.

Nico nodded slowly, pulling out a cloth in his apron. He began wiping up the blood that had gotten on the table, while staring at Percy in confusion. Kasper rested his elbow on the table, dropping his chin into his palm. He let out a long sigh. “You never let me have any fun,” he said.

Percy smirked and took another drink. “Sorry, but unlike you and your sister, I prefer to be discreet,” he chuckled.

Koko stood up and pointed to the ceiling. “Alright, I'm getting bored. Let's go find something else to do,” she announced. Before anyone could answer, she was marching off towards the elevators. Valmet called after her before chasing after the girl. Lehm chuckled and rose as well, followed by Jonah and Ugo.

“Well, you can go have fun with my sister, but I think I'm going to retire for the night,” Kasper announced, rising as well. Chiquita let her lazy smile spread across her face as she followed him towards the elevators.

Percy finished off his drink and stood as well. He ruffled Nico's hair before resting his hand on the back of Nico's neck. “Like I said earlier, I'll probably be busy tomorrow, and probably won't be able to see you. That will also mean I won't be upstairs tomorrow night,” he said.

Nico frowned. That would mean Percy would miss his performances. “Oh,” Nico mumbled. “Why is that?”

Percy shrugged. “Koko doesn't really go up there, so I'm just going to tag along with her until she leaves.” Nico nodded with a frown. Percy smiled down at him. “I just wanted to go ahead and wish you good luck, and, hopefully, this time won't be as bad as the last.” He moved his hand to rest on Nico's cheek, giving it a gentle pat. “But she'll leave on Sunday, so I'll be upstairs while you work the floor.”

 Nico nodded. Percy removed his hand from Nico's face and slid both of them into his pockets. With a final smile, he turned around and walked off to join the others at the elevators. Nico scrunched his lips as the blonde girl tossed her arms around Percy's neck. He didn't find himself jealous of her, just nervous that she could take Percy away forever. He had the sinking suspicion he hadn't seen the last of the girl that practically mirrored Percy just yet.