Nico believed there were both ups and downs of being a spawn of Hades.

For the upside - which is totally unbiased- he did get the most coolest of powers. It was one of his most favourite hobbies (despite Will's many, many protests) to summon up a few skeletons, zombies, spirits, you name it, here and there to give a few specially selected a bit of a fright; which always turned out to be good fun. On top of that, there was of course the shadow travelling, literal teleportation, which in several occasions Nico has found to come in live savingly handy.

Yet (as Will loved to remind) using his powers on a mass drains his a lot of energy. Nothing too serious - he had only faded out of existence once but that was all. Sure, perhaps he'd flicker every now again or turn unnaturally pale or translucent an annoying consequence if Nico was being totally honest, but it wasn't that big of a deal... nonetheless, still a downside.

However, Nico knew - arguably - that he had one of the best godly parents. Sure, Hades may be a bit of (literally) a hellish figure but just because he has to deal with the underworld and all those shenanigans doesn't necessarily make him a bad guy. Nico knew to heart that as far as godly dads go, Hades was always one to try and actually care for his children. In particularly himself, Nico found, Hades was oddly fond of him.

But then, Hades was beginning to try too hard. No more than a month ago Nico found himself at Camp Half Blood boarders, surprised to accept an iris message from the Lord of the Underworld himself, demanding that Nico tell him everything about his personal life so he can be more involved. Nico, of course, cut the connection immediately and was completely stupefied. And gods above Nico's next visit to the Underworld featured his father frowning down at him, saying nothing besides, "I'm not angry son, just disappointed."

Needless to say, Nico still understood Hades had always meant well and he genuinely felt like his father wanted the best for him. Yes, he appreciated the intentions, but not so much so the gestures that came paired with it.

Then Valentines Day came along, which no way in fucking he was gonna do anything about due to his spite with the worst god he had ever encountered, and Hades seemed to have decided to he was going to treat his favourite son.

That was all he had been told, by Jules Albert of all, as he stood proudly postured besides his sleek, black SUV. "Hades wants to treat his favourite son," he said grimly, his voice, as ever, devoid of all emotion and only that too thick French accent making him sound somewhat living.

What was the worst that could happen? The son of Hades stood there, wordless, for a good minute contemplating that exact thought. A lot of things, his naturally pessimistic side of his brain responded, a lot of fucking things. Quite frighteningly, Nico had not a single clue what a 'treat' was in Hades' books, but the last time he had gifted something to his son— well for the gods sake he was the French zombie chauffeur standing in front of him right now.

Despite this, Nico still didn't know why he ended up sliding into the passenger seat of the SUV (Jules Albert finally letting him ride shotgun only a few months ago) and prayed for the best as they sped impossibly fast through Long Island.

Jules didn't take him past the gates of the Underworld, though through the way the undead being just seemed to have dissolved into the ground, Nico was pretty sure his chauffeur was going to beat him to hell anyway.

Trekking through the terrain was always oddly refreshing. Though yes, Nico most certainly didn't want to spend his whole life trapped in the Underworld but he couldn't deny the euphoric wave that would briefly brush past him whenever he stepped foot inside, as if he went from a dead to a super charged battery in one intense second. The spirits didn't particularly bother him, he was a son of Hades after all, and all the apparitions did seem to display a sort of morbid respect for the raven haired 17 year old. And due to the spirits and this place being the afterlife and all, even with no natural sunlight ever let into the Underworld, Nico found the shadows just as rejuvenating.

And when you did get past all the spirits and shadows, there was the breathtaking beauty of the place. Though Nico would never admit it out loud he adored Persephone's garden. There laid blooming flowers in neat, tidy beds and exotic fruits somehow still growing in such a climate. It was all a giddy and constant reminder that there was still life in the place for the dead. And her garden stretched to the gates of Hades' palace, which juxtaposed aesthetically with the obsidian built structure with dark, rich and intricate detail, an architectural phenomenon Nico knew Annabeth would love. There were lavishes of gems and gold scattered along the dark walls, all it's immaculate designing seeming to be shadowed over the grand vastness of the actual castle.

Hades, after all, was the King of the Underworld. Nico knew he wouldn't settle for anything less extravagant.

His breath would be taken away every time whenever he'd visit, finding it truly fascinating even though he usually stopped by every month or so. He couldn't stopped admiring the grand gates, stained glass windows, the red brick courtyard, Will, the awfully unnecessary drawbridge and— wait...

Will?

Ever so slowly, his analysing, dark gaze drifted, cautiously disbelieving, back towards the courtyard, towards the main gates and yep, his eye caught that gods so bright golden mop of hair and Nico's heart stopped.

What the fuck was Will doing here?

Nico jogged towards the clearly out of place son of Apollo, and only as he approached closer he recognised that expression of discomfort and those...

Those fucking vines Persephone always loved to mess with.

"Will... what in the name of Hades..?" He murmured thoughtfully.

The green ivy seem to have one purpose, and one purpose only: to keep Will Solace bound securely against all odds. They dutifully kept his exposed, tanned arms from his CHB tee pinned to each side of his torso, wrapping and twisting further down his midriff to find his legs in a similar state. He also didn't fail to notice the vine that laid expertly tight right upon his mouth, Will wasn't stupid enough to part his sealed lips to allow the absurdly muscular plant to gag him.

"Mmpho?" Will tried causing the Italian cocked an eyebrow up in amused response, "Mmmmmph mphmph mmm!"

And in any other circumstance, Nico would've have been laughing his fucking head off and force Leo to fix up a camera right then and there so he could snap and store this moment forever. But all humour and comical aspects flew astray when his eye twitched at the very eye catching note that lay twisted within the stems, flat across Will's chest.

I give myself to U tis valentine it read in an obnoxiously pink marker and oh gods above there were several scattered love hearts.

He was utterly mortified to say at the very least. How did they... how did they even fucking know about Will and... fuck he was shaking so much so the tied up blonde all too blue eyes widened in slight concern.

"Mmphmph!" He attempted to calm Nico down, of course, it didn't help.

"PERSEPHONE!!!" Nico bellowed so loudly that any rogue spirits swiftly flew off into disarray like a flock of timid birds. The Italian boy seethed, trying to juggle his confusion, rage, embarrassment and unnamed, stubborn feelings he felt for the son of Apollo.

"Don't blame me, it was your fathers idea!" Claimed a smooth, gentle yet hysterical feminine voice, followed by the Lady of the Underworld herself as she revealed herself besides the gates of the palace. Nico didn't even have to try when he reflexively mustered up the most horrified scowl he'd ever shot.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it!" Boomed a voice far too familiar for Nico's liking. Hades appeared besides his wife in his more typical of appearances dressed in a midnight black draping cloak which complimented his midnight black hair and funnily enough matched his midnight black eyes. Both he and Persephone were in their normal of heights, well, normal human heights, and Nico fumed as Hades was doing one hell of a shit job of keeping that grin off his face.

Persephone apparently didn't seem to appreciate her husband's accusation, "Hades, you abducted the child! You brought him to me and we roped him together!"

"MmphmmmmphPH!" Nico, despite his anger, threw Will a pitying glance but paid him no further mind.

"Well, at least it worked. Nico and Will can both spend Valentines Day together just like Nico has alwa—"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" The son of Hades snapped, "You seriously though kidnapping him was the best way to... to..." Nico grew frustrated not even careful picking out his words anymore, "seduce him for me?"

"MMMMPH?"

The almighty, immortal God of the Underworld hung his head low in shame, and Nico would've almost felt guilty had he not said those four fucking words.

"It worked for me."

Nico couldn't bare it anymore, so without a second glance he grabbed Will's shoulder and allowed himself to be swallowed up in the misty, dark tendrils opening up at the oh happily familiar Halfblood Hill.

Will, even wrapped and in mercy by literal vicious plants, still found the need to look stern, "Mmph mph nmmphs sphmmo mmphmvm." And thought the blonde's words were completely blocked by the vines, Nico still knew Will was scolding him about something along the lines of shadow travelling.

He bit back his bitter response before he drew the stygian blade from his hip, digging it carefully into the vines too strong stems and slowly freeing Will little by little.

By the time his arms were no longer restricted, he practically tore the vine that was attempting to chock him.

"If you wanted to ask me out, you could've asked me. I would've said yes!" Will exclaimed exasperated, regaining his posture and attempting to dust of any more green his bindings had imprinted on him.

"I had nothing to do with this, Solace! I didn't tell Hades to abduct you!" Nico shot back sounding pissed, but with the weaves of subtle disbelief sown into his voice, he found he was not completely into it.

The healer plopped himself roughly on a nice patch of grass, the son of Hades shortly joining him by his side. There was a beat of silence, as if they were both considered whether the events that just took place had actually took place.

"I just... he came out of nowhere, Neeks. Why can't he just be normal?" Will huffed and Nico hummed in agreement.

"He's trying I suppose," the Italian found himself saying sincerely, "It's the thought that counts I guess."

"And you appreciate the thought that goes behind it?"

Nico shrugged, laying back so he was flat against the clearing, stupidly uncaring about any threats that could burst out of nowhere, "Yeah, he just wants to give me what I want."

He didn't miss that shit eating grin that was flooding Will's cheeks that created that gods awful fluttering in his gut, "So you appreciate the fact he tried to set us up?" He pried, holding himself up on one elbow as he peered over Nico's resting figure.

"I— uh, no..."

Will tsked because he knew that Nico knew he didn't believe him one single bit. The Italian felt that stupid heat creep along his cheeks and he knew they were blazing red and it did anything but humble the blondes entirely and utterly false accusations.

But then if they were false, Nico didn't know why he didn't turn his head away (that he could've so easily of done) as Will's lips gravitated towards his own. He didn't know why he actually responded to the pressure or why his hands ventured to tangle in golden locks or why he was smiling like an idiot as Will pulled away...

~meanwhile in the Underworld~

"Told you it would work!" Hades bellowed excitedly. He ignored Persephone's scoff which definitely said loud and clear as if you thought it would coincidentally end up like this and the God of the Underworld silenced her with a wave of his hand. "Nonsense, my sweet. We both know that I'm such a romantic."

AN
Okay so this was very obviously inspired by this fanart:

This one has got to be one of my all time favourite Solangelo fanarts if I'm honest.