are you mine[?]

.douze.

"Hang on," Patroclus interrupted as everyone began to disperse. "We need to discuss the last two lines."

"I thought it was obvious," Drew sneered. "It's about you!"

"Sure," he agreed. He stood and straightened his jacket. "But it never explains anything. The king of men shall hold the crown, Down within the princess's town. What crown? Certainly not my own. And what does it mean by princess's town? New Troy is a single, large city, travel-able by foot if one is so determined."

"Wait," Annabeth said. "Are you forging any crowns?"

"Yes," Nico spoke up. "I'm actually in charge of that one..." he cleared his throat. "We're, uh, forging a crown for me because I'm the Ghost King and Reginald thinks people will respect me more if I dress the part."

Annabeth and Chiron exchanged looks.

"Will you stop doing that!" Patroclus complained.

"Sorry," Annabeth said unapologetically. "But maybe they pass through New Troy? Most questers do. Your father gave us a place to crash when Grover, me, and... Percy were searching for Zeus's master bolt."

Patroclus snapped his fingers. "I remember that! My father put me in charge in packing you bags."

"You gave them to us that morning! And then we got stuck in the Lotus Casino for four days."

Patroclus raised an eyebrow. Then he sighed. "Perhaps I'm presenting the finished crown as they pass through the city. Most questers stumble in uncontrollably."

"Or maybe you're not even in New Troy," Nico pointed out. "You may not even be the king of men they're talking about about."

"What other king could it be?" Annabeth asked.

Patroclus pursed his lips. Maybe...

"Patroclus?" Chiron asked.

"There is no other option. I haven't seen it heard from him for years. He may be dead. I'll try to make contact tonight but... just don't do anything until I get back to you. In other words, don't do anything I would go."

Annabeth scratched her head. "Patroclus... what if it isn't what we think? We can't try to decipher a prophecy without having all the facts."

"He's somewhere near Seattle. I don't think it's him though. He should be dead."

"What's that mean?" someone asked.

"He's on Thanatos's list," Nico sighed.

"It means he's lived too long or he escaped from the Underworld somehow," Patroclus interjected to the confused looks. "I will make contact with the gods tonight. I believe Persephone will answer my call or perhaps Hecate."

There a brief silence until Chiron spoke up.

"Patroclus, you do remember that Olympus is closed?"

"Unfortunately," Patroclus agreed. "But the Underworld cannot close its doors. Therefore, it's the perfect point of contact."

"Do you mean to tell us," Chiron demanded, "that you have been consistently communicating with Hades and the other Underworld gods?"

"Yes?"

There were several groans of exasperation.

Patroclus rubbed his forehead. "We've gotten off topic."

"Let's just guess that you're presenting the finished crown to Nico," Annabeth sighed. "In New Troy."

Nico sighed. "Yes, fine, okay. Can we go now?"

Patroclus smiled drily. He scanned the crowd and nodded. "You'll need your energy for your quest tomorrow. Good luck."

He and Nico twined hands and stepped into the shadows. Patroclus shivered as he dissolved into shadows. He ignored the whispering, grabbing spirits as Nico pulled them out of the shadows. They spilled onto the floor of Patroclus's room.

"I know about things I wish I didn't," Patroclus sighed.

Nico shrugged. "We all do."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?" Nico sat up.

Patroclus followed. "Undermine my feelings. I know these things because I'm king. I never wanted to be king. You know that."

"I do."

Patroclus rubbed his face. "Why are we like this?"

"I... I don't know."

The boys slumped down on the floor together.

Why were they like this?

}{}{}{

Finally finished this after like, two months lmao.