Chapter Text
Nico felt like he was going to vomit.
He tried to breathe deeply to quell the trembling that took control of his body, he planted his legs firmly into the ground to stop himself from kneeling over. Nico hadn’t felt like this for a long while, not since he escaped the labyrinth at the very least.
The suffocating smell of sulfur almost made him choke. He felt like gasping for air, running from the bone chilling fear, and seeking any relief that this world could offer him.
But he couldn’t.
He had promised Percy that he would do this for him. Nico couldn’t bear the thought of hurting him anymore then he just did. So he had to stay.
Nico lifted his head to stare at Hades, he opened his mouth to speak but abruptly fell to his knees.
“Don’t you dare speak until you are spoken to. Learn your place. After what you did, letting that boy go… I should kill you.” The god leaned down over Nico, tendrils of darkness slithering across his body, the souls on his clock whispered hauntingly.
“But you won't, will you?” Smirked the demigod, he knew that Hades wouldn’t give up his only chance for his child to be the child of the prophecy. Probably.
Hades frowned, “You are far too confident in your words… so careless with your life.”
Nico swallowed roughly, finding his throat to be suddenly very dry.
“So what did you need to ask of me?” Asked the god smiling coldly, teleporting back to his throne behind him.
Feeling the pressure on his back lesson, Nico straightened to face his father.
“Help Percy and the demigods in defeating Kronos. Join the Olympians side!”
Hades scoffed, crossing his legs, “Why should I? They had never come to my aid.”
Nico paused, how could he possibly play this? “But Lord Hades, if you help them now, wouldn’t that mean they are in debt to you? You could take advantage of that!”
“Ha! Imagine that! But that was a good attempt at using your brain to think for once.”
Nico frowned slightly at the pointed insult.
Hades continued, ignoring his son's expression, “So, you know what? I have a proposition for you.” He smiled like a fox, "Let's make a deal.”
Swallowing, he thought it over, he could impress Percy, but at what cost? His last deal with Hades hadn’t turned out the way he hoped, could he really trust his father?
“Fine, I’ll hear you out.” Sighed the boy.
“Exellent, I’m glad to hear it!” Grinned Hades, he clapped his hands and the throne room's doors burst open, revealing the ghost of a man in his mid twenties. He was tall, with brown hair and eyes and wore a blood soaked beige coat over a pinstriped shirt. The man had a determined look in his eyes and held himself in a sort of confidence you rarely saw in the underworld.
“This is Sakunosuke Oda!” Announced the Lord of the Dead, “He is such an interesting case, I must say, a hitman in his past, but then a mafioso who didn’t kill, hell he even took in orphans, so sad what happened, truly.” He plastered on an obviously fake frown, barely taking a breath in between his words.
Nico found it hard to follow Hades' words, and he didn’t know what had happened to those children but he took in the way Oda’s hands clenched in barely consoled fury, his jaw rammed shut to stop himself from saying anything. If he had to guess, death claimed them far too soon.
“So it was slightly difficult to place him… despite the many he had killed, he also changed many’s lives for the better! The judges decided that the fields of asphodel would be the best place! But apparently he wanted to make a trade instead.” Hades' eyes gleamed, “Of course, I normally would never allow such a thing, but it's perfect timing thanks to what you did!”
Nico swallowed nervously, would the trade be his life for Oda’s? Would he have to take his punishment? Complete the paperwork for the trade? He had no idea what his father was thinking.
With no warning Hades teleported to stand next to the ghost, “Why don’t you tell the boy the same shtick you told me?”
The man shifted away from the god and looked Nico in the eyes, Nico immediately looked away, disliking the intensity in his gaze.
“I want you to keep my friend, Osamu Dazai, from killing himself. In return, I’ll go into the fields of punishment instead of Asphodel.” Said Oda, there was no hesitation in his words, just courage and hope.
Nico couldn’t believe it, keep some random person alive? That seemed too easy. How much did the man in front of him care for this boy to make such a damning deal that leaves him in eternal agony? He couldn't help but wonder if anyone cared for him like that.
“There you have it! Nico my boy, if you fulfill this poor man’s wish, and vow to protect Osamu Dazai from himself, I will join the fight against Lord Kronos!” Announced Hades.
Nico swallowed, could he really let Oda be punished for eternity? Even if that's what he wanted, that felt too cruel, but at the same time, he couldn’t let Percy down.
Nico turned to the ghost, “Is this really what you want? Do you realise what your deal will mean for you?”
Oda bowed his head, as if in thought, before nodding to himself, “Yes. I know of my fate if you choose to accept. It is what I deserve anyway, at least this way I can also help make sure Dazai makes good on my word.”
Nico found it hard to believe that a man that would do anything to help this guy, could be anyone that would deserve such punishment. But he also understood, if he could, he would do anything to prolong Bianca’s life.
“Fine. I’ll do it.” Nico steeled his gaze at his father who still looked too excited for the grim atmosphere.
“That's wonderful!” Hades snapped his fingers and Oda disappeared, presumably to the fields of punishment. “And I, of course will make good on my end of the deal, I’ll join the Olympians side, and since I’m feeling generous, I’ll help you fulfill yours.”
Nico flinched away from his father, who had appeared in front of him. The god rested a hand on his shoulder, and Nico felt his world pulsate. He stumbled back, it was like ice was spreading through his veins, he felt bile rise in his throat, it was hard to focus on anything, Hades was nothing more than a smudged line in a swirling art work.
Groaning Nico grabbed his knees in an attempt to not fall on his face, “What did you do to me?”
Rolling his eyes, Hades smiled good naturally, “Just a little thing to help you, now when Dazai is five minutes from his own death at his hands, you will be teleported to him through shadows, and of course, if you ever want to be rid of this gift, you can simply ask me.”
It took him a couple of minutes for the world to stop spinning and the words being said to fully process in his head. “Oh. That's actually.. Kind of you,” Nico pulled himself into a weak bow, “Thank you.”
The god laughed, “You’ll need all the help you can get with this one! He’s constantly trying to pass into the realm of the dead.” A dark look flashed onto his face, “Such a foolish mortal, he doesn’t understand the gift of life.”
Nico nodded, uncertain of what his father was talking about.
“Now! What did that Jackson boy need from me?”