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6th Year of The New Hope
“Is this normal? Why is it taking so long?”
Several pairs of amused eyes watched as the youngest son of Hades paced back and forth the corridor outside of the birthing room. Only one watched with genuine concern, as he noted that his husband was spiraling into a self-induced panic.
“You know, he reminds me of you when you were having your eldest," the soon-to-be former suzerain of Thálassa remarked while looking at his counterpart.
“You were asking the same questions as well," Hades countered with a leveled glare.
Being a first time parent was hard. Though Percy and Nico knew they could count on their friends and family, no amount of knowledge could really prepare them for the real thing. It took long talks and careful planning on their part - five years, to be exact. They considered the risks of starting a family with their unconventional arrangement in mind, what with Nico having to travel across Pangaea for months every year and Percy taking over as the future suzerain of Thálassa. Surprisingly, it was the son of Poseidon who made the decision easier for them.
I'm not asking you if it would be practical, Nico. I'm asking you if having children is what you want ? Percy had asked him.
When Percy worded it like that, it was easier to answer; it was easier to be certain. Yes . Yes, he wanted them to have children. His husband assured him that he wasn't being selfish, that he would care for the children while Nico was out carrying his duties. As long as you come back , Percy always said. Now you will have more reasons to come back. They would make it work, Percy assured him, and Nico knew they would.
Fast forward to the present, here they were, expecting twins days before Percy's succession as the next suzerain of Thálassa. The twins were not due for a few more weeks, but it seemed that they had other plans. Fortunately for them, Nico's father and brother, Percy's father and stepmother, and Luke and Annabeth were already there, having pushed their arrival a few days earlier, while Will decided to arrive weeks ahead, having been personally requested by them to assist with the birth. Just in case the babies arrive early , all of them said. How they made the correct assumption was beyond the son of Hades.
“Nico, love, calm down. Everything is fine.” Percy grasped onto the younger male’s shoulders when Nico walked past him for the umpteenth time. He should feel offended when his husband looked at him as if he was seeing him for the first time, but he could see how stressed out Nico was at that moment.
“How do you know that? It’s been hours , Percy,” Nico stated, a hint of fear in his eyes. Percy didn’t like that look on him.
“It’s normal. The birthing process takes a long time. For some, it could last minutes whereas for others, it could last days,” Amphitrite tried to assure the son of Hades, but it had the opposite effect on him.
“ Days?! ” Nico almost shrieked, his breathing becoming uneven.
“Whoa! Okay, you need to sit down. You’re hyperventilating.” With Percy still grasping onto his shoulders, he steered the son of Hades towards the bench outside of the room, taking a seat in it with Nico seated sideways in his lap. He gently cradled the younger male against his chest, his free hand cupping one of Nico’s cheeks as he murmured reassurances.
“How are you so calm?” Nico asked while leaning back against him. He closed his eyes as he tried listening to Percy’s heartbeat, the even rhythm helping to calm him down a bit.
“I try to be. You’re not calm,” Percy pointed out, his thumb brushing soothingly against the cold, pale skin of his cheek.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…” Nico felt like the worst partner. They weren’t even officially parents yet and he’s already breaking down. If he continued acting like this, how was he going to support Percy? Would Percy hate him for wanting to have children but being unable to handle it before they could even start?
“Shh, I know. I understand. You want this more badly than I do,” Percy assured him, speaking in a low voice while their families and friends silently watched their interaction. “Seriously, the suzerains from the other districts were saying that they’ve never seen you without a book or two that’s related to childcare.”
“I’m still doing my job,” Nico stated defensively. He had never allowed his personal life to affect how he conducted his duties.
“I know you do, and I’m so proud of you,” Percy said firmly. And he was - he was extremely proud of this intelligent, beautiful man who he was blessed to call his husband. “They find you endearing, that’s all.”
“I just really want this to work. I really, really do.” He wanted for them to have children, and he wanted to maintain his position. He never really wanted anything in his life growing up - except for Percy - and he knew he was being selfish, but he believed that he deserved these at least. He believed that they deserve to have their own family after everything they’ve been through in life.
“It will. You trust Will and Lou, right?” His husband asked, to which he nodded. There was no one he trusted more for this than the son of Apollo and the young witch. “Then it will work.”
It has to work , Percy didn’t say out loud. It would be extremely cruel of The Fates to dangle their children in front of them, only to take them away at the last second. It would break both their hearts, but Nico more so. The son of Poseidon could see that his husband was already in love with the children before they were even born; before they even met. He didn’t want to entertain the thought of how Nico would be if anything were to happen to them.
“Is this how we’re going to be next year?” Luke asked his wife, the daughter of Athena, as he embraced her from behind, his hands resting atop the small bump in her stomach. It was amusing how their timeline seemed to match with Percy and Nico’s, with only a few months of difference.
“No, Lucas,” the suzerain of Thálassa decided to entertain the suzerain of Anemoi, lips curled in amusement. “Your wife will have to go through the actual labor. There are only two options for you: If you decide to be inside the room to support her, she will break the bones of your hands to compensate for her pain while cursing at you for putting her through it. The alternative is that if you are outside, she will still be cursing at you for putting her through it. All of these are based on experience, of course.”
“Is that true?” It was odd that he turned to Lord Hades for confirmation, but the latter simply arched one of his brows before speaking.
“Of course. Do you think babies magically pop out? And no, no magic can make babies magically pop out,” Hades shot down those thoughts before they could bear fruition in Luke’s mind.
The sudden muffled screaming that they could hear from inside the room supported the suzerains’ claims. They could only imagine the pain their Entrusted Lady was going through, having to push not one, but two babies out of her. She had been having contractions for hours, but they could hear how Will kept saying 'Not yet' .
What do you mean 'Not yet'? Nico wanted to barge in and demand for an answer, though a part of him was certain he knew the answer to his question, just that he had forgotten it in his current state of mind. Though muffled, they could hear the woman screaming, groaning and crying, with the sounds becoming louder when Will finally prompted the woman to push. None of them were sure how long it lasted before there was just silence. No screaming… but there were also no sounds of children crying.
What's going on? Nico wondered, looking at the room in alarm. Babies cry when they are born, don't they? Why are there no sounds of babies crying?
"Breathe, my heart," Percy prompted his husband. "It's going to be fine."
It's going to be fine , Nico had to convince himself. Everything was going to be fine. It has to be.
More than an hour must have passed before Lou stepped out of the room, her face covered with a sheen of sweat while her chiton was slightly stained with blood.
“Will is cleaning up the children. He just sent me out to tell you that your sons are born healthy,” Lou said with a bright smile before she headed back inside the room.
“Sons,” Nico said breathlessly, a wide smile slowly stretching across his face as he looked at Percy who was equally grinning back at him. There was an overwhelming amount of relief in their faces at the news.
“Damn it! I lost the bet!” Luke groaned, the sound cutting off sharply when the son of Hades glared at him. “What? Lord Apollo started it and most of us joined in,” he tried to justify. “My vote was on two daughters, by the way. Daedalus, Hazel and Piper voted on it too.”
“Reyna, Clarrise, Leo, Pollux and I voted for a son and a daughter, with the son being the eldest,” Annabeth joined in, winking at the other couple.
“We voted for a son and a daughter as well, but with the daughter as the eldest. I think the suzerains of Gi, Selíni, as well as your sister, Bianca, voted on that as well,” Lord Poseidon stated while gesturing to himself and his consort.
“Father, Mother, Lord Apollo, Jason, William and I voted on two sons,” Thanatos concluded, the father-and-son duo looking equally smug for winning the bet. “Easiest bet won. Why anyone would bet against the healers is beyond me.”
“How did you all even manage to gather to bet?” Percy questioned, clearly amused by the situation, until honey-gold and cobalt-blue eyes pinned him down with pointed looks.
“How, you ask? The last Solstice. Seriously, Perseus, when you have the ambassador of Pangaea and the future suzerain of Thálassa missing and delaying the start of the Solstice, that gives us plenty of time to discuss those matters," Thanatos stated matter-of-factly, crossing his arms as he looked at the son of Poseidon in disappointment.
"I didn't appreciate that, by the way," Luke added with a frown. "I tried looking for the two of you, but I ended up having to hear the sound of you defiling our baby brother in my own home ." Luke shuddered at the memory, unable to forget the sounds from that day. He almost considered asking the witch if there was any way to forget specific memories. He was still considering it, now that he was reminded of it again.
Percy laughed awkwardly at that, averting his eyes from the piercing glare that he was likely receiving from his husband’s father. Marriage changed little to how Lord Hades acted with him; the man still acted as if he was making his son impure with sordid hands. If he only knew how it went both ways… then again, he would think Percy corrupted his son. There was no winning the situation.
Traitors, both of you, he wanted to accuse Luke and Thanatos, but he knew he would lose that fight easily since he was at fault. Well, they were at fault, but as per usual, he was the sole recipient of their wrath.
“I don’t even want to know how much all of you bet,” Nico said, placing a hand on his forehead while he waved the other dismissively. He didn't look bothered by what they were previously discussing. "How did you even get Clarisse and Daedalus to bet? Last time I checked, the two of them are particularly uptight with discussions outside of district matters."
“Easy. We bet using resources. How did you think the last Solstice finished quickly?” Luke answered, flashing that cocky smirk that had the son of Hades contemplate if punching him would be worth it. It probably would be. But he didn’t want Annabeth to lose the only redeeming quality her husband had.
“I hate all of you. You’re making my life harder as it is.”
“Next time, don’t withhold the start of the Solstice then,” Luke quipped back. Forget Annabeth - murder was the answer. He could easily get her remarried.
“Are you ready to meet your sons?” Will and Lou emerged from the room just as Nico stood up, about to do something that would make Anemoi mourn for their suzerain. At that moment, his mind drew a blank as he looked at the small bundles in Will and Lou's arms - one wrapped in a navy blue fine linen and the other in sea-green. Percy grabbed him by the waist, steering them towards where their sons were. The entire time, Nico’s eyes were only drawn to the babies.
“This is your eldest…” Will carefully handed the sleeping baby in his arms to Percy who cradled his son with utmost care. “... and the little one over there is his twin brother.” Lou gently placed the sleeping child in her arms in Nico’s.
“They’re so… tiny,” was the first thing Percy said as they placed the children between them, earning an eye roll from the son of Hermes and his father-in-law while the rest just smiled.
“They’re perfect,” Nico whispered. The twins clearly inherited his messy hair and olive skin, but both parents could see their close resemblance to Percy. “You drool just like your dad…” Nico commented with a soft smile as he reached over to their firstborn, wiping away the slight moisture at the corner of his son’s mouth. Redirecting his attention to their youngest, Nico gently touched a chubby little fist peeking from underneath the linen.
“Now, as I have said to both of you repeatedly, there will be… surprises with them growing up,” Lou explained, her hands clasped behind her back as she tried not to let her nervousness show. They were still in unfamiliar territory, after all. “According to what information we have gathered, they will have some… resemblances to the deceased due to the nature of the magic. By right, they are not supposed to exist, hence your sons will take the… ‘identity’ of a deceased. It’s not reincarnation or rebirth. It’s like… when a child is born, that child has resemblances from both parents. Except the children will have resemblances to your deceased relatives. You could see these resemblances at an early age, or perhaps not at all, depending whose 'identity' they will receive. I hope you’re prepared for that.”
“Yes, we understand.” They were prepared. At least, that's what they think. That was something they discussed in great length before deciding to proceed to try for a child. But looking at their children now, he suddenly felt as if none of their concerns mattered. Nothing else mattered at that moment than them. Nico knew that he would literally pluck the moon and the stars for them - that he would do anything and everything for their precious angels to make them safe, healthy and happy.
“Have you thought of names?” His father-in-law asked, stepping closer to them to get a better look at his grandchildren.
“Yes, we have." Percy glanced at Nico for a moment. “Well…-”
“Oh! They’re opening their eyes!” Annabeth pointed out, interrupting what Percy was about to say.
Somehow, both of them knew that their children would inherit Percy's sea green eyes. Lord Poseidon claimed to have inherited it from his grandmother, Triton inherited it from him, and so did Theseus and Percy. It was the one trait that they were most sure their children would inherit. Nico didn't mind. His eye color was common, he claimed, while Percy's was more vibrant and expressive that it felt as if Nico was seeing into his husband's soul every time he looked into his eyes. What they didn't really expect, and what Lou warned them, was what they saw in their sons' sea-green eyes. It was small, barely there, but there was a familiarity in their eyes that couldn't be ignored.
Percy stared at his eldest with a forlorn look in his eyes. He and Nico expected this. Since the Fates had been quiet for some time, they knew it was only a matter of time before it tried something like this. A part of them fervently hoped that it would not be the case. But perhaps, he knew it was inevitable. After all, when he and Nico decided on the children’s names, it was the first one he suggested; the only name he decided for a child of theirs. Out of all the names that they could have chosen - because Nico had an extensive list for both genders - the child’s name was the only one that he was adamant about, to give to their eldest. Looking into those somewhat familiar murky sea-green eyes, he knew it was meant to be. It was just fate.
With the smallest of smiles, he approached his father-in-law, holding his first grandchild to him. Lord Hades took the baby with ease, nestling the child in his arms.
“Our eldest. His name is Theseus,” Percy announced, earning shocked expressions from their families and friends. It was a name not spoken for a long time, almost forgotten. They should have expected it - the two sons of Poseidon were extremely close when the original Theseus was alive. More than a decade had passed, yet it was clear that Percy still wasn’t completely over from his brother’s death.
“As for his younger twin…” Percy beckoned for Nico to come to his side with their youngest cradled in his arms. As he took their youngest in his arms, he looked into those curious, wandering eyes that reminded Percy of the raging seas. He approached his father, who seemed - in equal parts - eager to take his grandchild yet hesitant to do so as well. Percy could understand why. He knew his father saw what he and Nico had seen in their children's eyes.
“He…He looks like-” his father started, but was immediately cut off.
“Amadeus,” Percy firmly stated, looking pointedly at his father and stepmother. “His name is Amadeus.”
He knew what his father was about to say. But just as Theseus was not Theseus, Amadeus was not Triton. While they wanted to honor both brothers - despite everything - in some way, they couldn’t really bestow Triton's name to their child. Names hold power. The last thing they wanted was for any of their children to inherit his brother’s legacy, or worse, his fate. Eventually, they settled with Amadeus - loved by God - for they wanted their child to receive love so tremendous he wouldn't want for more. Though, they had the same hopes for both their children - to give them a childhood that they were robbed of, and to ensure that they wouldn't need to live in that world they grew up in.
Lord Poseidon and Lady Amphitrite looked close to tears as they watched their grandchild. It looked particularly more difficult for his father as his eyes drifted back and forth between Theseus and Amadeus. Percy could guess what was running through his head - that it seemed he was getting two of his sons back, but in reality, they were not. They were Percy and Nico's sons. They were his grandchildren. There was some resemblance in their eyes, but essentially, the blood of Percy and Nico flowed through their veins. Not his and his wife's. Not his .
“... Hello, little one. Thank you for being born healthy. Your parents already love you very much," Poseidon eventually whispered to Amadeus who was periodically closing his eyes. The child yawned softly, lips parting in a perfect 'o' that had the grandparents give a watery smile. He passed the child over to his wife who took the baby in her arms tenderly.
They looked away to give the suzerain’s consort some privacy as she silently wept, tears streaming down the sides of her cheeks as she embraced the child. Percy could see the clear want in her eyes, but he could also see that she understood Amadeus was not her son reincarnated. Triton was long gone, that was a fact that she accepted. But holding the youngest twin allowed her some sort of closure from six years ago; a closure that she was unable to have.
Hades looked down at the child in his arms, one of his fingers moving to caress a pudgy cheek as gently as he could. The smallest of smiles curled his lips as he looked at his grandson, the barest of annoyance flaring up in his chest when he saw telltale signs of mischief in the child's eyes that told him that the eldest will be, unfortunately, like a mini version of his son-in-law.
After a while, the grandparents swapped the two children, coddling them respectively.
“I think they should meet their godparents too,” Nico whispered to Percy as he leaned against his husband while looking at their parents who were obviously hogging the babies. Smiling, Percy simply wrapped his arms around his waist to pull him close and press kisses to his forehead. Just a bit longer, he wanted to say, but he knew Nico would understand without him having to say it out loud. He would let the grandparents coddle their grandchildren first while he got his fill of his husband in his arms. Percy could tell he would be fighting for his husband's attention from now on, with the way Nico's eyes never strayed from their sons, but he didn't mind it as much as he thought he would.
"Please hand my son over to me. It's time he meets his godparents," the son of Hades said after another minute passed, as he stepped forward to take Theseus from his father-in-law who reluctantly handed the child over to him. Nico smiled down at his child, pressing a quick kiss to his firstborn's forehead, before he presented him to the son of Hermes and daughter of Athena. "Luke, Annabeth, meet your godchild, Theseus.”
Luke easily took the child in his arms, and Nico could tell that it was something he was used to. Probably from having many siblings growing up, he had taken care of them at least once at some point. He wouldn't admit that he was just slightly jealous that the older male had more experience than him in that regard.
“Hello," Luke said almost breathlessly, giving a wide smile as he looked at the adorable child in his arms. He lowered his arms a bit, making it easier for Annabeth to see Theseus. "I hope you grow up to be an angel and not like your father Nico," he couldn't help but add in a teasing tone, earning an eye roll from said person.
At the same time, Percy took their youngest into his arms, briefly embracing the child, before he offered Amadeus to his brother-in-law.
“Thanatos, meet yours and Hazel’s godchild, Amadeus," Percy said, ensuring that the older male had a proper grip on his son before he let go.
“... I promise I’ll take care of you, little one." There was the barest hint of warmth in those honey-gold eyes as they gazed down at his youngest; a warmth that had been absent for years. Up until now, Nico still worried for his brother, and that worried Percy by extension. He's not completely himself , Nico had told him. He looks as if he's just going through the notions. Percy understood it to some extent. He had felt it a long time ago, when he thought he almost lost Nico. But Thanatos' loss was permanent, and it left a permanent wound in him which he endured in silence.
But perhaps Amadeus could slowly heal Thanatos. Probably not in the way Thanatos wanted , but in the way Thanatos needed .
10th Year of The New Hope
“Daddy! Papa! Is baby here?”
Nico and Percy knelt down as the two four-year-old toddlers ran into their arms - Theseus in Nico's, Amadeus in Percy's. They looked too identical; it was always a struggle at first to distinguish who was who. But aside from their eyes, they were starting to see differences in the children's personality. Theseus was like the day - he was so bright and bubbly that he could effortlessly light up a room with his presence. On the other hand, Amadeus was like the night - without his brother, he was the quiet and observant type, his eyes always wandering about curiously. But like the night, there was comfort in his presence alone. If they had to make comparisons, Theseus was like a mini Percy and Amadeus, a mini Nico.
“No, Theseus," their Papa replied as Nico ran his fingers through his son's hair as the child cuddled him. Such a sweet boy. "But the baby will come soon. You just have to be patient.”
“You’re much calmer now," Percy noted playfully while cuddling their youngest, earning a huff from his husband.
“Yes, I won’t be embarrassed a second time." It was normal to be overwhelmed the first time, his in-laws and Will assured him. But he was better prepared now; he knew what to expect. “To think that the baby will arrive early again. I can imagine it taking after its brothers."
Most of their peers would have to meet the child a few weeks from now. They assumed the child would come nearer to the date of the Solstice, but like its siblings, it had other plans. Even Percy’s family would only be able to see the child at a much later date, as they were currently out, exploring the other districts since Lord Poseidon was relieved of his position as the district’s suzerain. The only thing that was fortunate for them was at this time of the year, Lord Hades and Lady Persephone happened to be visiting their grandchildren in Thálassa. It was unexpected yet endearing to see them dote on the children; more than they ever did their own children, amusingly. For the twins, Nico noted that his father compromised a lot. The man constantly traveled to Thálassa because one, Percy couldn’t leave the district unless it was absolutely necessary for him to do so, and two, Nico would not permit the children to travel to Skotádi without either him or Percy. The children were simply too young, while their grandparents could make the journey on their own since they had so much free time now in comparison to them. They were not overprotective parents, contrary to their friends’ beliefs.
"What do you think the baby's gender will be this time?" the son of Hades asked as they sat down on the bench outside of the room, their kids still in their arms.
"Hmm… A girl. You want a girl, right?" Percy scooted closer to him, allowing Nico to lean his head against his shoulders. He had been up all night reviewing documents for the upcoming Solstice. All he wanted was to get some rest, a few hours would have been fine, but their child decided it was time, in the form of their Entrusted Lady shouting down the halls that the baby was coming. Thank the gods Lord Apollo was willing to take over Will’s duty for the time being; they wouldn’t trust the task of delivering their child with anyone but him and Lou.
"I asked you what you think,” Nico pointed out, grunting slightly when Theseus slightly kicked on his abdomen as the child readjusted himself in his lap to face the door. Percy was quick to readjust the youngest of the two to follow his twin’s position, knowing all too well how Amadeus would try to copy Theseus.
"As long as you and the children are happy, gender doesn't matter to me,” Percy answered with a soft smile as he leaned down to peck his husband’s lips. Nico had to wonder how he got lucky with such a wonderful partner. Percy was the most considerate and caring husband and father, though he was trying hard to be for the latter. He didn’t want to repeat the mistakes of his father and cost him their sons, hence him trying to be as present and involved as he could possibly be while not neglecting his duties to the district.
"Fine. I do hope it's a girl since it will be our last child,” the son of Hades admitted against the space between their lips before he leaned up to brush their lips once more in a slow, languid kiss.
"We could always try again. What say - you and me - tonight while the kids are sleeping?” Percy whispered against his lips, causing Nico to smile.
"Tzákson. What are you doing here when you should be signing documents?"
The two of them parted with a soft sigh, the suzerain of Thálassa schooling his expression as he turned to look at his father-in-law. It’s been nine years. Nine . They were finally alone, and sure, the twins might want Nico’s attention at times, but they were essentially alone. Percy was certain that what Lord Hades was doing to stop their intimate moments had become a personal mission at this point.
“Grandpa! Grandma!” The twins immediately hopped out of their laps, ambushing their grandparents as they immediately latched onto their grandfather’s legs, giving him toothy grins. The former suzerain’s attention was immediately taken away from his son and said son’s husband as he scooped the two kids into his arms.
"Hades," Persephone sighed, shaking her head, before giving her stepson and said stepson’s husband a smile. "Don't mind your father-in-law. Any news yet?"
"No. No news yet," Nico shook his head. "We're hoping it won't last as long as the twins' birth."
"Don't worry, it didn't," Will and Lou suddenly stepped out of the room; none of them even heard the door opening. "Come meet your daughter."
The son of Hades smiled widely at the news, immediately standing up to reach for their daughter while his husband only shook his head fondly, following from behind. Now he had to worry about another person stealing his beloved’s attention. But it was fine, he told himself. If it was the children, it was fine. They brought happiness to Nico’s life in a way that Percy wouldn’t be able to, just as much as they brought happiness to Percy’s that Nico wouldn’t be able to. They were the living proof of their love.
The twins immediately asked to be placed down on the ground, to which their grandfather complied, as they wanted to meet their new sibling. Lord Hades and Lady Persephone stepped close as well, wanting to see their granddaughter, but still kept a respectable distance away from the younger couple so that they wouldn’t feel smothered.
"She's so beautiful…" Nico cooed as he expertly held his daughter, while Percy wrapped his arms around him from behind, peering past his shoulder. An affectionate smile creased his lips as he looked down on her. “Oh dear, she has the same features as the twins.”
The same olive skin and messy but luscious dark hair, although Nico could tell that hers would become wavy as it grew longer. He didn’t need to see her open her eyes to know that she would have the same sea-green eyes as her father and brothers. As if she understood what he said, she gave them a toothless smile, and it was the most adorable thing Nico had ever seen. There was something familiar about the way she smiled that Nico instantly recognized. He immediately knew what her name would be once he saw her smile. By the way his father stiffened just a few feet in front of him, he knew that his father recognized her smile too.
"I think you know what her name will be,” Nico said as he carefully handed her over to him.
"Maria…" Hades held out his hands for the child immediately, cradling her against his chest in a protective manner.
"Meet your granddaughter, Maria Salómi Tzákson," Nico confirmed, leaning back against his husband as the two grandparents coddled their newest grandchild.
"Hi, darling. You look so lovely…" A long time ago, that name would have brought pain and anger to Persephone at the mere mention - the name of the woman her husband chose aside from her, despite the supposed sacred bond of their marriage. For years, she silently despised her stepson, for he was one of the living proofs of her husband’s adulterous relations, and because of his close resemblance to her. Her past actions seemed ridiculous. It took years, but it seemed absurd now to have felt jealousy for someone who was long gone. Looking at her granddaughter, she felt at peace. And despite the forlorn look in her husband’s face, she knew Hades did too.
"I want you to be her godparents,” Nico said as she turned to face the suzerain of Ílios and the witch. There was no one else he and Percy could trust with their daughter than the very people who brought her into this world. “And Reyna as well." Well, them and his honorary sister. He knew she would love his daughter with just as much love as she had shown him. And perhaps, more.
"We will be honored,” Will exchanged a glance with Lou, who simply nodded her consent and smiled in return. "Congratulations on the baby daughter."
"All right, who won the bet this time?" Percy had to ask. He knew someone must have started a bet again.
"Honestly, Luke would have a list on that. That man is becoming a gambler at this point,” Will admitted with a laugh, not even ashamed of being caught at that point. They still had smaller bets from time-to-time, and then there were bigger ones that involved the other suzerains, like Luke and Annabeth’s baby’s gender, although it really did start with the twins. The people would probably lose their faith in them if they found out that they were using the districts’ resources as payments. But it was all in fair game - it was something they all bonded with. “Honestly, I thought he would be the first one here.”
“He’s probably still bitter about what happened a few years ago,” Percy supplied, grinning.
“What happened a few years ago?” Nico asked. His husband looked at him as if he was wondering if Nico was feigning innocence or if he genuinely forgot what he did.
“Love, you laughed in his face when their daughter was born,” the suzerain of Thálassa gently reminded him, a smile curling Percy’s lips when the son of Hades realized what he meant and Nico grinned cheekily in return.
“He had it coming,” Nico said in defense, causing Will to laugh at the memory. “He was mocking me for panicking when the twins were born, but he was bawling when his daughter was born.”
Was Nico going to let Luke live it down? Definitely never.
"Daddy! Papa! Is that baby?" Theseus asked, tugging at his grandfather’s robes despite the fact that he was addressing his parents.
Releasing himself from Percy's grasp, Nico lifted Theseus up while Percy lifted Amadeus, helping them to get a closer look at their newest sibling.
"Yes. Come meet your baby sister, Maria.”
"She's so tiny! And pretty!" Amadeus was the one to exclaim out loud, carefully - as careful as he could be for his age - reaching out with a finger to touch her clenched fists. His older twin looked on quietly, sea-green eyes wide with awe and raw adoration.
"Yes, and as her brothers, you should always watch over her and keep her safe and happy,” Percy explained to their sons who looked absolutely smitten with their baby sister.
"Okay, Papa! We will be the bestest brothers!" Theseus declared while looking at his twin who nodded vigorously in return.
"I'm sure you will,” both parents said as they watched their children fondly. They could definitely see the three children growing up and becoming extremely close with one another, with little Maria as their center. She would easily become the apple of everyone’s eyes, her brothers included. They were sure that they would be the best brothers and the best role models to her. They were sure that they would love her unconditionally and give her the world, just as much as their parents.
It would be different this time. They were sure that the generation after them would be different.