Brothers Reunited

Chapter Twelve: Nico PoV

"They drowned in the lake," I ad-lib, "And it's safer than this tower."

Bucky seems to snap, "You need school."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"You don't get to control me!" I shout.

Bucky leans over me with his arms crossed, "You're 14 years old, and I'm your only living family. That standing makes me your legal guardian."

Everyone else shifts around uncomfortably.

Wanda comes up to me then, "Nico. I know we do not know each other very well, but I can tell from your head that you are a good kid. Try school for a month."

I did make her faint from my trauma, so I guess I owe her a favor, "Fine. But I'm going to Goode high school, not Midtown," I say with finality.

"What's so great about Goode?" Tony asks, pulling up the school's website on his phone, "Subpar ratings, a mediocre campus, and lackluster academics: There is literally nothing good about this school."

"Goode is good. They also have Mr. Blowfis and one of my friends went there. He's in high school now, but he said he liked the place," I respond, silently adding that Percy got Leo to build a monster barrier to my list of reasons.

Bucky says, "I don't see why not. So long as you're at school, I'm happy."

I smile inside at my victory, no matter how small it is. It's not like I'll be here much longer. Soon I'll be my father's heir and live in the Underworld. I still have to figure out the details involved with becoming his heir, but I'm assuming I'll have to spend most of my time in the Underworld. Hades said something about godhood earlier; Still, I'm sure I can work my way around that for Will.

Clint steps in before anyone can ask more questions, "Nico, why don't you help Wanda, Pietro, and Peter get settled in."

I grumble before saying, "Fine."

I turn around and start walking towards the stairs. The others look confused towards the elevator, but I ignore them and say, "Well, are you coming or not?"

They follow me to the stairs. When we get in the stairwell, they all reintroduce themselves.

"I do not think we were properly introduced. I am Pietro and this is my sister, Wanda. I apologize for attacking you earlier," Pietro holds out his hand for a handshake, but I keep walking down the stairs.

I mumble, "It's fine," and keep walking.

After another flight of stairs, Peter decides to befriend me, "I'm Peter or Spiderman! Mr. Stark told me about you earlier. He found out about my secret identity before everything with Ultron and gave me my suit. I'm technically not an Avenger yet because I'm 16, but I get to be Spiderman!"

I really don't want to hear this guy's life story. Call it the teenager genes, but I don't care, so I say, "Cool," and tune him out.

"Hey, Nico. Did you hear my question?" It's Peter, "Why are we taking the stairs?"

"Because elevators suck," I respond.

Peter comes to a realization, "Oooh. Do you not know how they work? I know you're from the 1900s like Steve and Bucky, but I can teach you how to use one."

I want to murder him. Of course, I know how to use an elevator! How stupid does he think I am?

"Speaking of, so do you think it was Hydra who brought you to this century? I mean that's the theory, right? It makes sense because we know they have the technology, but why would they freeze you? Why not someone older or stronger?" he continues to accidentally insult me, "Maybe they were planning to use you to control your brother, but they ended up thinking you were useless so they forgot to unfreeze you..."

Peter keeps rambling on. He reminds me of a slightly more talkative version of Will.

Eventually, Pietro does what all of us but Peter have been thinking about doing. He turns to Peter who's walking slowest down the stairs and says, "Shut up, please. Can you just stop talking for a moment?"

Peter quickly apologizes, "Sorry. I talk too much when I get excited. Isn't this exciting? It was so nice of the Avengers to let us all stay here, and everyone's so interesting, and-"

"Shut up," We all shout at him.

"Right, sorry, again," he scratches his head sheepishly.

We finally make it to the level with my room.

"So, there are four empty room's in this hallway," I walk towards each one and let them pick.

They all thank me and go to get settled in. I head to my room to take a nap. I walk inside and close the door behind me, and I tell Friday to turn all the cameras off. I'm at my bathroom sink when my father pops up in an Iris Message.

"Nico! There you are," My father says.

I turn to him, "Hello, father. What do you need? I am with the Avengers."

"A foolish thing, you should be here training instead," He replies from his throne.

I sigh, "I really do not need more therapy, and if I do, it's certainly not from you."

Hades ignores my last statement and rolls his eyes. I almost burst into laughter at his eye roll but instead settle for a smirk, "I need to discuss the conditions of the deal. If you are to become my heir, many things will change. You must shadow travel here, immediately. "

"I cannot let the Avengers know I am gone, so this had better be quick," I scowl.

I swipe my hand through the message and turn off a couple more lights, so the shadows thicken. I then concentrate on an image of my father's throne room and let the shadows take me away.