All's Fair In Love And War

Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair

"Percy, how long have you been able to play guitar?" Nico asked. Percy had insisted we talk down in one of the practice rooms with the lights out and the doors closed. He'd called it a precaution, but I was thinking he was more than a little paranoid.

"I started teaching myself when the band started falling apart."

"So when Thalia left?" I asked.

Nico shook his head. "The band has been falling apart for a while. We were trying to bring it back together, but Thalia just wasn't into it anymore. I don't know why she joined the Hunters, but she was planning on getting out of here a long time ago."

I looked at Percy. "So why were you teaching yourself to play?" 

"Not to join the band." Percy said. "I just wanted to learn how. I didn't think Thalia would actually leave."

"Well, at least now we have a new bass player." Nico shrugged.

"No way! I won't do it." Percy leapt to his feet. "I don't want to play for the band, I don't have a death wish!"

"Percy, please? We need a new bass player! Jason's been working his tail off trying to find one, but he hasn't had any luck. You could be the answer to our problems!"

"I'm not a tool, Nico." Percy snarled. "I've let you all trample over me so far, but I won't let you anymore. I don't want to play in the band, and you can't make me!"

"Trample over you?" Nico looked angry now too. "Jackson, do you know how often I have to vouch for you? Jason may have forgotten the little promise we made, but I haven't. I refuse to let my uncle kill my cousin, but I refuse to let my cousin become a go-fer boy, an object instead of a person!"

"You've done a pretty bad job so far." Percy was nose to nose with the shorter son of Hades. Their eyes were flashing angrily as they glared at each other.

"Enough!" I shoved between them again. "Percy, you aren't a tool and Nico isn't using you as one. Nico, respect his decision. His life could be on the line here."

"What do you think he should do?" Nico demanded suddenly.

I frowned at him. "I think he could help the band," Nico made a triumphant gesture and raised his eyebrows at Percy, "But, it's his choice in the end and if he doesn't want to do it he shouldn't have to."

"I'm not doing it." Percy said shortly.

"Jackson-"

"No." He pushed past us and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

Nico made to go after him, but I grabbed his arm. "Let him cool down. I'll go find him in a little while. Don't tell Jason and the others about this just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because if he decides to join the band, he won't want people on his back twenty-four/seven until he gives them a straight answer."

Nico sighed angrily. "Fine. Fine, fine, fine. I'll keep this a secret, for now."

He turned to go again and I grabbed him by the shirt, yanking him back so we were face to face. 

"I'm dead serious, Nico. Don't. Say. A word."

"I won't!" He pulled his arm away and marched out of the room. Instead of leaving, I sat down and crossed my arms, waiting.

After a few minutes, there was a quiet noise outside and Percy poked his head in. When he saw me, he sighed and came into the room fully.

"How did you know I was going to come back?"

"You were in the middle of a song. I'm sure you came back the first time I saw you too. You aren't the kind of person to leave something unfinished, even if it's as trivial as a song."

Percy pulled a chair up to me and sat down.

"Were you the one who was singing in my hospital room?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said awkwardly, looking at his feet.

"What were you singing?"

"It's just a little thing I've been playing with." He shrugged. 

"An original?"

"No. I just can't find any chords anywhere so I've been figuring it out on my own."

"Will you play it for me?" I asked.

"Why?" He was blushing.

"Because I want to hear it."

"Maybe some other time."

"Percy, please?" 

He stared at me for a minute and I thought he was going to say no again, but then he reached over and picked up the guitar I assumed he had been playing before we had interrupted him.

"It's a work in progress."

"I don't care, I want to hear it."

Percy sighed and strummed the guitar a few times, reviewing the chords. Then he began to sing.

"Black is the color of my true love's hair,

Her face so soft and wondrous fair,

The purest eyes,

And the strongest hands.

I love the ground on where she stands.

I love the ground on where she stands."

He focused on the guitar, singing and playing. I felt myself leaning forward without meaning to. There was a quality to his voice that pulled you in, almost hypnotic in a sense.

Son of Nep-Poseidon. He's related to sirens. I reminded myself.

But I still couldn't pull myself away.

"Black is the color of my true love's hair...." Percy trailed off, strumming the last cord.

"That was really pretty."

He blushed. "Thanks. We should probably go."

He put the guitar away and we walked out of the room. I kept thinking of the lyrics of the song he was singing. I could feel my braid brushing my shoulder blades.

Black is the color of my true love's hair... 

[A/N AVI KAPLAN AND PETER HOLLENS ARE AWESOME! Just saying]