The Kingdoms

Chapter 8 - Talking Way Too Much Gets You A Detention

"What do you mean? I am safe here, I don't have to be protected." Percy got up from his chair, getting annoyed that he was being moved and kept preserved. He understood his dad's worry, but the battle wouldn't kill him, he had Nico with him during that battle. Even though he wasn't going to let Poseidon know that.

"You are not safe here. Hades's army has their front lines as our front door. They are waiting for something, we are too weak to attack. They obviously want him back." Poseidon nodded over towards Nico, who just listened in even though it looked like he didn't. Percy knew he was, as this would mess with both of their plans.

"I am sure that if we can use Nico to our advantage, maybe we can give them a death threat. If they don't end the war then we will kill him." Percy said, even though he saw Nico sent him a glare as well as a clear message "Shut up" was what it read. Poseidon had already thought up on it, obviously taking in his mind.

"They won't attack if we say that we will kill him... We won't even need to know their plans. That sounds good, make the torturing more subtle and I will open the doors tonight and show them their prince. They won't do anything as far as I am aware." Poseidon gave Percy a pat on the back. "Also, bring him to the room right beside mine. So, in case of an invasion, I will be able to get to him quick. Thank you son."

-#-

Nico growled under his breath, glaring at Percy. How can he trust him if he kept working with and against him? At least for now Poseidon forgot about sending Percy away, but that didn't mean the thought had been completely erased. Which it hadn't. Once Poseidon had left soon after, he threw his plate at the cell bars. Then it smashed into a twenty or thirty big and small chunks of glass.

Percy just looked at him, he wore this sad expression that almost sort of killed him inside.

"Thanks for saving my ass." Nico said in the most sarcastic tone he could manage. "Your father is going to kill me when they attack. How do you feel now huh? Promise me something and change your mind the next minute. You can't be loyal to me and your kingdom, it won't work Perseus." Nico just looked away from Percy, who had been trying to put words together.

"I needed to come up with something, and that was the only thing that I came up with." Percy said, he was obviously trying to convince Nico that he didn't mean to do that. Honestly, half of Nico believed him, but still it was a stupid thing he had said. Putting him into death row after saying that he would save him from it. His loyalties just weren't in place anymore, he still didn't understand why Percy was trying to be loyal to him anyway.

All of it was confusing, there was just so many possibilities and now he was stuck in the bedroom beside Poseidon's. He still had some time in the dungeon till he had to. He heard the cell unlock, and Percy came in. "Come on. How about before we head to your new room, we go on a walk?" Percy was very bad at trying to make it up to people sometimes.

"We are in the middle of a war, and my kingdom is just outside the doors. Do you really want to go and say hi to them?" Nico asked, but it seemed Percy didn't seem bothered by that.

"I know a secret way out, I bet you hate it in here so it will be a nice change. I will make sure not to get you in trouble. My father probably wouldn't kill me over it as long as I have my sword with me and you don't have one." Percy seemed to be thinking rather hard, as he had time for it and the mood for it.

"Fine, only for a couple hours though... I don't want my kingdom seeing us, either by scouts or just the army in general." Nico pulled his wrist closer to him, it still continued to hurt, as not really proper attention had been given to it.

"Well, I will have to hold your other wrist, so no one thinks I am thinking of you as a friend." Percy told him, Nico just gave him a nod, then Percy grabbed his not broken wrist and led him up out of the dungeon. Nico was still just as sore from the day before, and he sort of did miss the fresh air of outside at times. Even though it was much nicer to be inside, it was nice to be out there every few days. Which he hadn't since he had gotten there, five days ago.

They arrived at the exit in the back that looked more like a small arch, that didn't have a door. That was obviously where their food came from, and their escape route. Which wouldn't be the best as many wouldn't fit through the tiny space, that must be so no army comes through, or at least it would take them longer to come in.

It was so nice to be out of the Kingdom for a while, especially with Percy. Nico wished he could get rid of those stupid thoughts, he didn't want to get them both killed just because he had grown slightly attached to the other prince. The prince that tried to make loyalties to even his enemies at times, who doesn't think too much before he speaks, but somehow spares others and himself from dying. As well as being a very good fighter with his very nice sword, while he had been admiring, thinking of, in his own world, they had entered the light tree cover not far away off the beach.

Percy looked back at Nico, when he noticed how much he had been slowing down. "What is on your mind? Your sister? Getting back home? Being outside? You sure look happy."

"N-nothing, just daydreaming a bit." Nico looked away, gosh, why did he have to notice? Luckily, Percy didn't ask and had slowed down his pace so he was right beside Nico. His hand was no longer on his wrist, but it was slowly making it's way into the palm of his hand. He thought he was just going crazy at that moment, but then he felt Percy's hand clasp his. Nico looked over to him, slightly confused. What the heck was Percy doing?

"You had your glance on me the entire time you were "daydreaming", were you really daydreaming or watching me?" Percy asked, he honestly looked extremely curious. However, there was a smile on his face as if he knew the answer.

"No, I wasn't." Nico stated, trying to put that idea away. He guessed he was blushing as Percy just laughed at him, or maybe it wasn't so much directed at him.

"Can't admit it huh? Well, you only do have two days till you die. So, maybe you should admit it." Percy smiled and continued to lead the way.

"I don't have to admit anything to you." Nico snapped, in a voice that was nowhere near angry, more like he lost his voice and tried to get it back.

"Then why did you tell me your kingdom was attacking in two days if you didn't like me or at least see me as more than a friend? I may not observe a lot, but I am definitely not blind." Percy's grin was growing as the conversation continued. As Nico lost more and more words. "Your reactions are all I really need to put it all together."

"You make it extremely hard to just say that I do like you. If you just shut up and let me talk for a second." Nico stated, Percy ruffled his hair and then bent down slightly. Just enough to try and figure out what he was doing. Percy ended up kissing him before Nico could say anything more, which he had just been about to. He didn't make it last long enough, pulling away as if teasing him.

"You talk too much too, so maybe that is both our problems. I know the risks, and we are some very seasoned fighters. We totally have the power to go against what is the standard. That is if you are up for it." Nico didn't answer though, just kissing him again. They ended up against a tree, nothing too bad. Nico pushed up against it even though it did sort of hurt him, when they stopped kissing. Staring at each other, Percy smiling happily and Nico with his light smile.

Then a sword appeared in front of Percy's neck, pulling him back. "Nico, get to Hades. I will deal with him." There was his sister, with her sword against his crush's neck.