King of My Miserable Life

Chapter 12

"Dinner was good." Nico held Will's hand as they walked back to the castle. "Can we do it again some time?"

"Of course." Will beamed. "Of course, Pri-...Nico."

"Good job. I'm just Nico, not prince." Nico looked up at the castle as they came into view of the large building. "I hate what I was born into."

"We had fun tonight, though." Will put in. "That's good. It wouldn't have happened if you were born anywhere else."

"True." Nico laid his head on Will's shoulder. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Course, Nico." Will kept him close, shivering in the cold air. "Go ahead."

"Are you happy?" Nico wondered. "As a servant, I mean. Are you happy here?"

Will remained silent. "What do you think?"

"You seemed pretty happy tonight." Nico mused. "At the ice rink and the restaurant. But when we first met you looked kind of scared."

"I'm scared of King Hades." Will admitted. "But I'm not of you or anybody else. Just him. And I don't see him a lot so it's okay."

Nico nodded in acceptance. "He seems...moody, but lonely. He likes to be alone."

"He pushed everyone away." Will entered the castle close to Nico's side. "Do you need help to your room?"

Nico nodded. "Yes, please. This castle is confusing as hell."

"It isn't that bad." Will replied. "But I've had awhile to memorize it. And you've seen how smart Annabeth is."

"Where are they?" Nico wondered. "Should we look for them?"

"If they're not back by midnight." Will reasoned. "Then you can probably send a guard looking for them."

"I can do that?" Nico smiled. "Wow, that's cool."

Will laughed. "Yeah, you can do that." He opened the door to Nico's room, it even nicer than Percy's. The main color was red, the bedsheets looking like blood. "This okay?"

"Looks as evil as my father's soul." Nico laid on the bed. "Comfortable, though. Will you stay up with me to make sure they get home?"

"Yeah, sure." Will sat next to him. He glanced towards the closet with a nervous twitch, his hands in his lap. "Is it warm enough for you in here?"

"Yeah, it's fine." Nico buried himself in the blankets. "So comfortable..."

Will smiled. "Are you going to fall asleep?"

Nico sat up with the blankets wrapped around him. "No. But we need to do something to keep me awake."

"Explore secret passages?" Will offered. "That should give you nightmares."

"Cool, let's do it." Nico jumped to his feet.

"I was joking." Will whimpered. "Please don't make me."

Nico laughed. "Are you scared?"

Will shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe. Don't make me go."

Nico smirked. "Where's the passage, Will?"

"Not telling you." Will crossed his arms. "You're going to make me go in it. I regret saying it in the first place."

"Please?" Nico begged. "Pretty please? Just tell me where. You won't be going alone."

Will stood up, his legs shaking beneath him. "You owe me, you know."

Nico grabbed his hand. "Lead me. I have my phone for a flashlight."

"You're going to need it." Will pulled Nico to the closet. "Half door in the back. There's one in each closet. Said to lead to somewhere in the exact middle of the castle."

Nico's eyes lit up. "You're serious?"

Will nodded. "Unfortunately."

"Has anyone explored it before?" Nico wondered, throwing the clothes back into the room so they could see better.

Will dodged the clothes. "Nope. You'll be the first."

"Oh, I am so pumped for this." Nico could barely contain his excitement. "This is going to be amazing!" He kneeled next to the door, tracing his hand over the edges. "Should I open it?"

"Even if I say no you're going to do it." Will moved next to Nico. "Just be careful. Your dad will kill me if you get hurt."

"Relax, relax." Nico pulled the door open, straining his muscles but finally getting it. Clouds of dust settled over him, revealing what looked to be a black tunnel. He got his phone out and turned the flashlight on, illuminating the way. "You ready, Will?"

Will's face stood out in the light. "Nico, before you do this... Can I ask you something?"

Nico nodded, trying to see further into the tunnel. "Sure."

"Can...can we...um...can we...date?" Will stuttered. "Like...like be boyfriends."

"Yeah, sure." Nico hid his blush with the darkness, felt himself relaxing as if he was a shadow himself. "You ready to do this, now?"

Will smiled. "Ready."

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"Are you going to the ball?" Annabeth asked, stumbling alongside Percy as they made their way to the castle. The wine bottle had been emptied, leaving them to its expense.

"What ball?" Percy shivered as the wind blew stronger.

"For Prince Nico's coronation." Annabeth missed a step but caught herself. "King Hades is surprising him."

Percy's eyes lit up. "A ball, huh? So like a big party?"

Annabeth nodded. "But you need a date."

"Oh." Percy faltered. "I don't have one."

"Find one," Annabeth replied.

"You're a girl." Percy looked to her. "And I like you. Will you be my date? Are you allowed to?"

"You're not going to remember asking me in the morning." Annabeth sighed. "But sure. I'll humor you for now. But you better ask me again."

"Note taken." Percy grinned. "I see the castle."

"That's a church, Percy."

"Then I see a church!" Percy declared.