Christmas' Presents

2017 Unique Chapter: 4 Christmas Quests (for Ashuri Benturi & iamlillyherondale)

Nico di Angelo and Will Solace had it all figured it out.

They had been dating for more than three years and had been totally honest with each other. Through their ups and downs? These guys rarely got into fights or situations where they needed the support of the other, as they were more independent than the regular demigod. Nico, well... if he just mentioned the sentence 'son of Hades', everyone understood how independent he was. Will, on the other hand, was more mysterious about him, specially for a son of Apollo.

When they weren't at Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter, this pair had been in the most normal yet extravagant situations there was, like going outside to vacationing or even learning a new language, just for the fun of doing something together. They liked their life that way, but all came down one fateful Christmas' Eve morning. Normally, Nico and Will were away, relaxing gods knows where, but this year the bad weather came biting them down and had to go to Camp Half-Blood to wait for a flight to depart.

Chiron, the activity director, was so surprised to see them that he assigned them, not one, not two, but four Christmases quests. Actually, it had been a joke name around the years by the campers, who mention that spending time with the family around the holidays could turn into an actual quest! Neither Will nor Nico wanted to visit their families for Christmas. Besides, Nico wondered who was he suppose to visit until Chiron gave the answer.

A trip to the Underworld did not appeal him.

"Nico" Willl called him, but Nico was concentrated on which way to go. After all, the Underworld is not a place for the living "I'm gonna keep calling your name till we talk" he admitted, before Nico finally turned to him "I'm sorry, I didn't want to fight, just the thought of my mother gets me crazy lately..."

"That's what I feared it'll happen if we go to them" Nico said, sighing sadly "We never fight, this is so no us"

"Yeah, you're not talking like that ever again" Will smirked, gesturing Nico's recent phrase. Nico rolled his eyes and smirked "We get in and out as quickly and painless as possible..."

"We should have a safe word... How about... 'mistletoe'?" Nico proposed "It's a holiday word, we don't use it and it's quick..." Will nodded in agreement "Perfect, because it's the last chance you get to use it before we walked into my father's place"

"Nico" Will grabbed his shoulders, gently "We'll get in and see your father. Let's go..." Nico groaned, but followed anyway.

~oOo~

"Well, well, well..." Nico took a deep breath before facing his father, who was standing there in his best robes "After all those years pestering you, you finally come down to see your old father..."

"Merry Christmas, Father" Nico answered, instead of what it was really on his head. No need to cause a mess just early.

"Merry Christmas, Lord Hades" Will greeted him, earning a smirk from the god "And thank you for having us"

"Got yourself one with manners. Come on in! I don't bite..." Hades invited them in, immediately engaging a conversation with Will "Thanks for the presents, but you shouldn't have..." Hades walked by a table ready for visits, that according to Nico's counting, had too many seats ready.

"Father, is Bianca coming?" Nico wondered, hoping he was right. Hades stopped his conversation with Will and sighed.

"You will see Bianca at your mother's later" That was enough before the ghost of a man with four children and who appeared to be his wife, walked in. The man was wearing his uniform, a uniform that Nico was paralyzed upon seeing "Will let me introduce you to Nico's older brother, Benito-"