Inconvenient Love

Chapter 14

Percy stepped into the kitchen to find Will and Hazel eating a light breakfast. His mother nor Nico were anywhere to be seen, but Nico's cup of coffee still steamed from the table.

"Where did they go?" Percy asked as he took an empty seat and pulled an untouched plate closer to himself. "To talk?"

Hazel nodded. "Nico was saying he wanted to pay for everything himself. I don't think your mom liked that."

"She knows he wouldn't be able to." Percy dug into his food, talking with his mouth full. "He says one thing but does another."

Will set his fork on the table, barely having eaten any of his food. "But why would he need to? If Hades went to his brother's, won't he be back? And can't he still make money?"

Hazel slid Nico's cup of coffee over to herself. "It isn't going to be that easy, Will. Dad...dad doesn't take things well. And he doesn't work anymore. Our fortune was already dwindling. Your mom took what was left, but it wasn't nearly as much as it used to be."

"Hazel and Nico wouldn't have been able to live on it for much longer," Percy continued. "Mom and I have already talked about this. If worse came to worse, their dad probably would have started working again. But now that another woman left him, he won't have the mental capability."

"He takes the losses really hard." Hazel sipped the coffee. "When my mom died, he left for a year or two. Nico and I were on our own. We had money to live off of, then, but now..."

"Now you don't have anything." Will finished. "And I'm an extra person in the house."

Hazel nodded. "Yeah."

Percy scraped the remaining food from his plate before grabbing Nico's, starting to inhale his food as well. "It'll be okay."

Will's lips twitched as he tried to hide a smile. "Hungry there?"

Hazel giggled. "He eats a lot, Will. A lot."

Percy didn't argue but also smiled. "You'll all be okay. Even if you have to move in here."

"Percy, we couldn't do that," Hazel declined. "Your mother is nice enough to offer it, but we're too many people. And you don't have the money, Percy."

"We aren't going to let you end up on the streets." Percy swallowed the last bite of food. "You know that."

Hazel nodded in acceptance. "That, I do."

Nico and Sally entered the room then, Nico's dark eyes on the ground as he walked. Sally stirred him to the others, her smile still as bright as ever.

"Nico and I figured out a plan." she saw Hazel's empty cup of coffee and refilled it. "We both decided it's the best option."

Nico sat in his discarded seat with a low sigh. "I want to save momma's house. That's the big thing. But another big thing is obviously that we're all cared for."

"So, what's the plan?" Hazel asked.

"I'm going to get a job or two," Nico explained. "Pay the taxes on the house and whatever it needs. But we're going to stay here with Percy and Sally so we don't have to worry about gas, food, electricity, etc. That'll be a lot less bills to pay."

Percy looked to his mother in a silent question. She simply nodded before giving Nico his own cup of coffee.

"I can get a job, help out with food and stuff," Will offered. "I mean, three extra people is a lot of money..."

"I'll handle it, don't worry about that." Sally assured him. "Now, we need to figure out sleeping arrangements and how long Mr. di Angelo will be gone. Then you three need to get what you need from the house."

"You're sure?" Hazel asked again. "You're really sure?"

"I asked her fifty times," Nico's eyes were darker than usual despite the compromise. "She's sure."

Sally ruffled each of their hair before starting to gather the plates. "Percy can help you get your stuff. And you can go buy air mattresses or something."

Percy stood up. "We can get one for Will and Nico, put it on my floor. Hazel can have the guest bedroom."

Nico rubbed his eyes. "We'll split up. I go look for jobs, Hazel goes to get the air mattress, Percy and Will go to get our stuff from the house. Will, just get my clothes, phone charger, and laptop. That's all I need."

"You sure?" Will asked, grabbing Nico's pale hand. It was still so cold.

Nico squeezed his hand. "Yeah, I'm sure."