The Plea of Apollo || COMPLETED

FLOWER BOY NICO 💐

He stood there in the suit originally given to him by Aphrodite for Percy and Annabeth's wedding with a nervous smile on his face. As he stared into the mirror, those around him trying to calm Hazel's nerves, his eyes kept drifting to the white basket in his hands that held rose petals just clipped from the roses in Persephone's garden in the Underworld. Even though Hazel wasn't her daughter, ever since unofficially adopting Nico she wanted to do something nice for her sort of half-step-daughter. Her gift was appearing briefly inside the church, snapping her fingers as she wished the daughter of Pluto congratulations, and vanishing only for the entire building to be decorated elegantly with the prettiest flowers of all kinds. The fake petals in Nico's basket had been replaced with real ones, and everyone's corsages were made reality as well. It was very kind of Persephone. Both Hazel and Nico made note to thank her later since they couldn't say anything before she had disappeared.

A slender hand tapped his shoulder lightly, causing the son of Hades to spin around. Hazel stood there, the veil she would be wearing soon in her hand, smiling up at her brother.

"It's almost time," she said.

Nico smiled warmly back at her, his eyes soft. "It is. Frank's about to make you the happiest girl in the world, Hazel. I can't say how happy I am for you."

She laid her free hand on his cheek, and Nico leaned into it. "You're too sweet, Nico. I know I'm getting married, going to be bonded through holy matrimony, but remember you're my brother and that I love you so much too. I know how you get sometimes, and I don't want you to become distant with me just because I'll be married. Everything will be the same except for the ring on my finger. And Frank and I will be living in the house we found just on the other side of New Rome. Oh, and my last name will be—"

"Hazel," Nico laughed, effectively cutting her off. "Stop fretting over me! I get enough of that from Will. Don't worry about me getting distant, okay? I won't because I have to make sure Frank is treating you right. Also, this is your wedding day. Everything is about you and Frank; don't worry about me."

"I'll always worry about you," she retorted with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes, checking the time on the clock. They needed to head to the chapel for the ceremony within the next few minutes.

"Okay, Hazel, let's get everybody lined up so when Grandma Zhang gets here to escort you down the aisle we can be on our way. The ceremony start in—"

"Excuse me, but is it not the father who traditionally escorts his daughter when getting married off to another?"

Everyone spun turned in the direction of the voice. Wide eyes landed on a figure standing in the corner, a man in a black suit who had definitely not been there ten seconds ago. He was well over six feet tall, his ebony hair slicked back as he gazed at the occupants of the room with fiery dark eyes. The children of the Underworld gasped, recognition hitting them right away, while it took a few more seconds for the others to figure out who he was. However, when the man's undershirt let out a tortured moan and caused him to pat down the shirt and everybody could now see said shirt was actually shifting as if people were trapped inside, they knew.

"Father?" Hazel gaped, almost dropping the veil in her hand.

He managed a small smile, which astounded those in the room since he basically looked like all of the world's most evil dictators combined.

"You look breath-taking, my daughter. I am sure that son of Mars will make you very happy once I hand you off to him."

"Wait wait wait!" She said, hands raised in the air as if to stop him from talking. Nico could tell she was very confused, just like all of her bridesmaids were by the looks on their faces. "I thought you weren't allowed to acknowledge me because if you did you would have to send me back to the Underworld."

Pluto fought off a grin, Nico knew, because he did the same lip quirking thing when he tried to hide one. "That has been very much true, Hazel, but you see I had a chat with Jupiter about the whole incident that led to you being alive today. You recall the only reason you are alive is because the Doors of Death were stolen and Nico rescued you, correct?"

She nodded grimly. "Yes."

"Well, many technically died while the doors were chained up. One of those people happened to be Jupiter's boy, Jason Grace." The god turned to Piper. "You remember that, right child? You were there when he should have perished."

Piper averted her eyes, remembering her first quest as a demigod. "Yes, that is true. Jason accidentally looked at Hera's true form and should have spontaneously combusted, but he didn't."

Pluto turned back to his daughter. "That is exactly what happened. For all intents and purposes, Jason should be dead just like you should be. You can probably guess how my brother took it when I pointed this out, threatening me with his silly lightning bolt like a child, but after I mentioned my daughter was getting married and how I would enjoy seeing her on her wedding day..." This time he did smirk, eyes glittering at the fact he had gotten his way.

"Wow," was all Hazel managed, tears gathering in her eyes. She knew he cared from the way he had (ironically) ignored her, caring more about her living than ever coming in contact with her to the point that Nico handed various gifts over the years to her from him, but this was different. He had practically blackmailed the king of the gods so he could walk her down the aisle.

The god saw the look on her face, his face softening somewhat as he walked up to her. "Do not cry now, Hazel. It is not fitting for a bride to cry on her wedding day."

She blinked, getting a handle on her emotions as Nico gave her hand a squeeze.

"Also," Pluto said as his eyes drifted to the basket of fresh flower petals Nico was carrying, "I heard that you are the flower boy. Congratulations."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Nico was actually glad that Cecil and Lou Ellen had been appointed photographers for the wedding. Frank's face when he saw it was Pluto walking Hazel down the aisle was priceless, and Nico wanted to be able to poke fun at him for that later. Of course he was a little embarrassed that he saw Cecil blatantly snapping photo after photo of him throwing flower petals; he would need to delete those as soon as he got the chance.

"You did great," Will whispered to him when he joined the other groomsmen.

Usually Nico would have rolled his eyes, but he decided not to in favor for watching his sister go to stand beside Frank and in front of the man wedding them. He did narrow his eyes when Leo's hair erupted on fire momentarily, his excitement getting the better of him. He had done this when he was the best man at Jason's wedding too.

The ceremony went just as the others had. Vows were exchanged, the coupled kissed to seal their marriage, and they launched right into the reception.

"Looks like the bouquet toss is starting," Nico said as he noticed the females gathering in a group in the center of the ballroom. "I see Reyna getting pushed over there by Annabeth and Piper. Oh, Calypso and Lou Ellen are there too."

Will grinned at his boyfriend. "Can you imagine Leo, Cecil, or Tucker's face if one of them caught it?"

"You're kidding, right? I'm trying not to die of laughter at the face I think Reyna would make. Gods, she would probably— Ow!"

The room erupted into gasps and giggles as the son of Hades shook his head and stared at the item in his lap. It was a bouquet of pristine white roses. Nico's eyes widened significantly, looking up at Will who was gaping in shock.

Nico suddenly stood up, grabbing the bundle as he did, and directed his blushing face at a laughing daughter of Pluto. He should have known telling her about wanting to ask Will to marry him was a bad idea. What if Will thought he needed to propose to Nico now? No, that couldn't happen. Nico already had everything planned out in his head; he would just have to act sooner than he had wanted to originally.

"Hazel!"