Jasico Week 2024 - Day 3

Jasico Week 2024 - Day 3

Words: 2,002 Rating: General Audiences Type: Oneshot

Description: Jason Grace, ever aloof praetor, asks the new ambassador to spar with him. Nico isn't sure if this is a weird mating ritual or if Jason is going to murder him, but he has fun either way.

Sidenote: This fic was written for @jasico-challenges Jasico week 2024 event!

Full fic under the cut!

In Nico’s opinion, Camp Jupiter was pretty boring. Considering all the things he’d seen at Camp Half-Blood, this was a walk in the park. They were more organized and put together, which was both appreciated and vaguely disappointing.

One day, as Nico sat bored in a meeting with all the other senate members, he found himself zoning out. He rarely attended meetings but had been asked to be here. He probably should have paid attention, but gods this was lame. 

His attention was dragged away from its sharpened stare on the floor by a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around, instantly going into fight or flight. 

His shoulders dropped as he realized who it was. Jason Grace. The praetor. 

Jason flashed him a smile that looked more like a sad attempt at showing all his teeth. “Hello, ambassador,” he said. 

Nico shuffled awkwardly in his spot. “Afternoon. Praetor.”

Jason pointed to the seat beside him. “This spot taken?”

Nico shook his head, slightly less startled now that he realized he wasn’t in trouble for zoning out. Still, Jason freaked him out. 

Nico was well aware that he himself was a pretty scary guy. Jason, however, rattled even his nerves. 

He was just so untouchable. Nico often wondered if he had some kind of inordinate amount of human-to-god ratio that no other demigod had. 

He knew Jason was nice. He had experienced his kindness multiple times throughout his days at Camp Jupiter, but he just looked mean. 

Nico couldn’t blame him. He’d heard many stories about Jason’s upbringing, and how it was mostly done by Lupa. He’d probably be weird too if he was raised by wolves. 

One of the senate members started going on a rant that no one quite knew how to stop. Most people just quit paying attention. 

Jason leaned over. “Pretty boring meeting.”

Nico jumped again but recovered from his startle. “Yeah,” he agreed weakly.

Jason looked him up and down quickly, accompanied by the unabashed confidence only a man in his position could acquire. Nico yet again shuffled awkwardly, not sure what to do with himself. 

“Spar with me,” Jason said suddenly, eyes flipping back to Nico’s face. 

Nico sputtered before getting himself together. “Excuse me?”

Jason looked away. “You’re excused.”

Nico couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped his lips. “That’s not what I meant. It’s a figure of speech.”

The praetor’s head turned back to Nico, eyes settling on him with the same intensity of the sky before a storm. He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward just slightly. Nico resisted the urge to shy away and lean back. 

“What did you mean?” Jason asked. 

Nico took a beat to let his eyes wander over Jason’s face. “I meant ‘What?’” he explained. 

“I want you to spar with me,” Jason repeated, eyebrows furrowing. 

Nico couldn’t help but laugh again. He got that this guy spent the majority of his life so far either in the company of wolves or being trained for war, but come on. He also couldn’t help but notice the way Jason’s face softened when he laughed. He didn’t take time to ponder that, though. 

“No, no. I understood that part. I meant ‘why?’” Nico corrected, now aware of the few people looking at them, telling them to shut up. Oops. 

Jason lowered his voice. “Why didn’t you just say that?” he asked quietly. Upon Nico’s shrugging, he explained. “I’ve never sparred with you.”

Nico looked at him quizzically. Jason was like a puzzle no one but Reyna could really solve. He didn’t know much slang aside from what he heard every day, and he rarely felt the need to explain himself. Talking with him could be a task, but Nico always left their interactions feeling slightly—oddly— endeared. 

Jason watched him, waiting for an answer. Throughout his eager staring, the meeting was adjourned and people began filing out of the building. This included Reyna, who shot a curious glance toward Jason before shrugging and walking away. 

Nico decided that was enough explanation and nodded. “Sure.”

Jason smiled, slightly scary and slightly sweet. His smiles always were confusing, but it looked like he was really trying this time. 

“…right now?” Nico asked, standing. Jason nodded, just as eager as before. Something shone in his eyes, something Nico wasn’t used to seeing on him. 

Nico let him lead him out to the training area, following awkwardly. 

“Aren’t we, like, not supposed to be out here this late?” Nico asked, tilting his head to see the side of Jason’s face. 

Jason shrugged, though the act looked foreign on his stiff shoulders. “I’m a praetor,” he said as if it explained it.

Nico decided to let it go, following him onto the packed dirt of the coliseum. He pulled his sword from its hilt, standing in wait. 

Jason flipped a golden coin, which transformed into his own sword. Nico resisted the urge to say “That was cool,” deciding Jason already knew that. 

There was no warning or countdown, just Jason suddenly swinging his sword. Nico panicked and shadow traveled behind him, sweeping his leg under Jason’s to trip him forward. He poked the tip of his sword into his back as a sign he had accidentally won. 

“I didn’t say powers were allowed,” Jason said, though there was a hint of humor in his voice as he pulled himself up off his knees. 

“You didn’t say they weren’t,” Nico smiled back. 

Jason mimicked his smile, for once flashing one that didn’t look too threatening. Nico tried to keep his eyes from lingering too long, but he couldn’t help but notice how pleasant the setting sun looked on Jason’s face. 

He passed that off as admiration and let Jason come to his feet, readying again. He lowered his stance. Nico, again, couldn’t help but notice how good concentration looked on him. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he got into his own battle stance. 

“Powers?” Nico asked, not looking forward to a fight without his. 

Jason shrugged. “Go ahead.”

Nico let Jason advance again, shadow traveling behind him once more. Jason was able to anticipate it this time, swinging toward him. Nico blocked, forcing him to step out of the column’s shadow he had been standing in. 

Jason smiled, a cocky kind of smile that Nico would’ve been mad about if it was anyone else. However, he couldn’t seem to mind how the scar on his lip moved with his grin. 

Nico was forced farther into the light as Jason continued his advances. They were two skilled swordsmen, but without his powers, Nico often faltered. 

Jason had now figured out the trick to Nico’s powers and was about to show him his own. 

Electricity gathered on his arm in little bolts before shooting down his sword and onto Nico’s. It wasn’t enough electricity to actually hurt him, but enough for him to drop his sword and stumble. 

Jason held his weapon to Nico’s chest. Nico smiled, rubbing the elbow he’d fallen onto. 

Jason outstretched a hand, letting the gathered lightning fade away before offering it. Nico took his hand and stood. Their palms brushed for a second longer than they needed to. Nico tried not to think about that. 

They assumed their positions yet again, both formulating plans behind their eyes. 

Once Jason decided they were both ready, he advanced. Nico was not ready, but let it happen anyways, sword raising in defense. 

This time, he shadow traveled to Jason’s left. Just as he was about to kick him down, Jason shot electricity through his leg, effectively zapping Nico. 

Jason attempted to herd him out of the shadow again, but Nico knew better and evaded. He attempted to block another hit but was just zapped again. It seemed the two were at a crossroads. 

Well, until Nico decided shadow traveling above him would prove more successful, and set him up to do just that. 

He managed to push Jason to the ground with that method, catching himself mid-air to shadow travel just beside him. Nico had dropped his sword in the process, so he couldn’t officially end it. However, he stood triumphantly, taking the thud of Jason’s body against the dirt as clear evidence of his win. 

Before Nico could notice over his gloating, Jason reached out with his sword and zapped the back of his leg lightly, making Nico fall forward. He caught himself on his palms, one by Jason’s ribs and the other by his neck. His knees hit the dirt with a thud. 

He couldn’t help the laugh that fell from his lips soon after, kneeled over Jason. Jason laughed too, though his was more of a refined chuckle than Nico’s out-of-character cackling. 

When he collected himself enough to realize he was currently on top of the praetor, he pushed his hands off the ground, kneeling beside Jason with flushed cheeks. Jason sat up, rubbing the back of his head. His cheeks were equally red. 

Jason tugged himself to his feet, outstretching his hand. Nico, yet again, took it, tugging himself to his feet. 

“I’ll walk you to Temple Hill,” Jason said, dusting himself off. Nico usually used the easy access to the underworld in the Pluto temple to his advantage but wasn’t aware that Jason knew that. 

Nico took some time to dust off his clothes too. “Thanks.”

He knew Jason was just doing it so he didn’t get in trouble for being out past curfew, but it still felt nice. 

They walked silently for a second. However, the silence seemed less awkward than before. 

“What do you call that, by the way?” Jason asked, clearly wrapped up in his own thoughts.

Nico looked up at him, noticing swiftly how Jason didn’t meet his gaze. “Call what?” he asked, eyes lingering on the hints of embarrassment on Jason’s face. 

“The teleportation,” Jason said, footsteps beginning to fall in line with Nico’s. 

Nico considered. “I’ve always referred to it as shadow travel.”

Jason nodded. His eyes traced over Nico’s hands, they were paler than usual—nearly transparent, really. He realized he might have used that ability a few too many times. 

“Is that a side effect?” Jason asked, pointing to his hand. 

Nico held it up to let Jason see. “Oh, yeah. Don’t worry, it’ll go back to normal in a bit.”

Jason placed his hand under Nico’s to pull his hand closer to his face. Nico quickly looked away in a desperate attempt to hide his red face. ‘Gods, does he have any boundaries?’ Nico thought to himself. 

Jason ended the scrutinizing of Nico’s hand, dropping it. Their knuckles brushed in a way that was far from coincidental. Nico decided to focus his gaze on the ground. 

“You’re talented with that sword. What is it? I’ve never seen one like it,” Jason said, focusing on the sky. 

Now that they had their silent agreement of not watching each other very obviously blush, Nico felt confident enough to answer. “Thanks. It’s Stygian iron.”

Jason nodded, seemingly very focused on a cloud. “Interesting. Any special properties?” 

“It can evaporate ghosts,” Nico said, a little too casually. 

Jason nodded again. This dirt was really interesting. 

They found themselves at the Pluto temple. Nico was tempted to ask Jason if he wanted to come in but recognized that they probably shouldn’t go bending any more rules. 

Jason put a hand on his shoulder, flashing him the closest thing to a smile Nico had ever seen on him. “Thank you for indulging my curiosities, ambassador. I have enjoyed getting to know you.”

Nico nodded, doing his best to smile despite his fluster. “No problem. I had fun.”

Jason nodded. He looked behind him, looking at the setting sun. 

“Well, enjoy your night,” Jason said, starting to walk away. He didn’t give Nico the time to say, “You too,” so he mumbled it to no one. 

Nico disappeared into the dark temple and made a very sudden and awful realization. 

He had a crush. Godsdamn it. Not again.

please i love you i'm begging you bring back suspension of disbelief bring back trusting the audience like. i cannot handle any more dialogue that sounds like a legal document. "hello, i am here to talk to you about the incident from a few minutes ago, because i feel you might be unwell, and i am invested in your personal wellbeing." "thank you, i am unwell because the incident was hurtful to me due to my childhood, which was bad." I CANT!!!!

do you know how many people are mad that authors use "growled" as a word for "said"? it's just poetics! they do not literally mean "growled," it's just a common replacement for "said with force but in a low tone." it's normal! do you hear me!! help me i love you please let me out of here!!!

Jasico Week 2024 - Day 4

Words: 1,859 Rating: General Audiences Type: Oneshot

Description: 3 times Jason Grace thought Nico Di Angelo was a god, and the 1 time he realized he wasn't.

Sidenote: This fic was written for @jasico-challenges Jasico week 2024 event!

Full fic under the cut!

Jason Grace had only met a few gods in his life. Though, he could say with utmost certainty that Nico Di Angelo was a unique one. 

Nico had blown into camp one day with no real explanation. He just showed up with Lupa’s blessing, got his branding like it was no big deal, and went on his merry way. He introduced himself as the Ambassador of Pluto, as if that made any sense of it all, and blatantly ignored most of his Camp Jupiter responsibilities with no real repercussions. 

Jason was convinced he was a minor god of sorts. He could almost feel Nico watching from over his shoulder like he was keeping an eye on things. 

Jason remembered the first time they met. He remembered how everyone seemed to walk a wide circle around him, but Nico didn’t act bothered in the slightest. 

It had been a normal day. Jason was going about his business when Reyna came to inform him of a senate meeting regarding a new ambassador. Of course, he got there as fast as he could, but Nico had beat the two of them to it. 

He remembered walking into the senate building and seeing him standing there. He was ghostly pale but in a porcelain kind of way. Thick black hair sat in perfect ringlets around his face, curling up like the camp’s statue’s wings. A blank expression cast on his face, and Jason couldn’t help but notice how the shadows in the room almost seemed to lean towards him. 

Jason stepped forward to introduce himself, taking notice of Nico’s robes. He held out a hand. “Jason Grace, praetor.”

Nico looked him up and down sideways before taking the handshake. “Nico Di Angelo, ambassador of Pluto.” His hand was deathly cold but oddly soft. 

Jason tried to distract himself by thinking about literally anything else. No matter what, his mind wandered to Nico. 

The meeting began, and Nico immediately the main topic of discussion. He was asked to walk to the stand and explain himself, which he did without complaint. 

He stood behind the stand, robes hanging off him a little too perfectly in Jason’s opinion. He elbowed Reyna. “Do you think he’s a demigod?” he whispered. 

She elbowed him back. “If you would shut up and listen, maybe we’d know.”

Nico’s eyes flicked to the two of them before focusing back on the rest of the faces in the room. “My name is Nico Di Angelo,” he said for the millionth time. “I was asked by Pluto to represent him and his children here at Camp Jupiter.”

He paused, looking around at the uneasy faces. A ghost raised his hand. Jason attempted to pay a normal amount of attention to the way the light caught Nico’s dark eyes as they flicked over to him, but he found himself staring for a second too long. 

“How do we know we can trust you?” The ghost asked rather unceremoniously. Nico shrugged. Reyna decided that was not helping his case, and stood to give him a hand. 

“Pluto has given us express confirmation that he would like Nico to represent him. Unless, of course, you’d like to challenge a god?” she said, putting on her ‘praetor voice.’

Nico didn’t seem too bothered by the whole thing, standing there with the light shining in from the columns. The shadows in the room gave away his underlying emotions, as tendrils of smoky darkness played nervously in the corners. Nico noticed Jason looking and quickly unclenched his jaw, the shadows falling flat. 

This kid had to be a god. Jason was sure of it. 

A few days later, Jason was determined to prove his theory. He stood in the Principia, talking with Reyna as if they weren’t in a giant, ornate room. Jason wasn’t sure when he got so used to the elaborate structures all around him, but they seemed so normal now. 

“So,” Jason started, studying her face. “What do you think of the new ambassador?” 

Reyna looked over, brow furrowed. “He’s fine.”

Jason crossed his arms. “Right.”

Reyna snickered. “What?”

“I was just asking your opinion. What, I can’t get my fellow praetor’s opinion?” he defended, waving his hands around a little more than necessary. 

She raised her eyebrows. “Right. What do you think about him.”

Jason crossed his arms again, looking everywhere but at Reyna. What did he think of Nico?

“Isn’t he…I don’t know,” Jason raised his shoulders. “Doesn’t he feel like he’s different from us somehow?”

Reyna shrugged. “He’s just not a legionnaire. It’s fine.”

Jason groaned. “No, he’s different.”

She raised her eyebrows. A smile played on her usually straight lips. Jason groaned again. 

“How so?” Reyna asked. 

“He’s just too…you know.”

“I don’t know.”

Jason sighed loudly. He decided he’d just come right out and say what he was thinking. 

“Do you think he’s a god?” Jason asked bluntly. 

Reyna sputtered. “No? Why would you think that?”

Jason began his wild hand motions again. “I don’t know! He just looks too…godly.”

Reyna snickered. Jason felt his face heat up. He wasn’t used to the feeling and decided he wasn’t fond of it. 

“Well, he’s sparring down in the coliseum,” Reyna said. “You can go be a creep and stalk him if you want, but I have some actual work to do.”

She turned on her heel, walking away and chuckling to herself the whole time. Jason wasn’t sure what was so funny to her, but he did know he was about to go find out more about this guy. 

Jason stood on the edge of the coliseum’s training area. His eyes followed Nico as he sparred with his sister, Hazel. While it obviously wasn’t a fair fight, considering Hazel had just come to camp, it was an interesting one. 

Nico was clearly trying to teach her something, as he stopped every few seconds to share some information with her. However, his fighting style was still clear through the watered-down movements. 

Jason had never seen anything like him before. He weaved in and out of the shadows, allowing Hazel to block his attacks. He made a mental note to tell Hazel she had improved a lot later, but for now, settled his eyes back on the ambassador he was investigating. 

Nico looked impossibly more divine when he battled, like something right out of an old painting. His hair was pulled up off his face with a hair tie, but some still hung in whispers around his neck and face. He had hardly broken a sweat, but the sun still glimmered off him radiantly. Jason was about to lose his mind. 

Nico had to be a god. There was no reason for any mortal to look that way, Jason had never even seen somebody quite like him. 

The shadows clearly belonged to him. They trailed behind him as he jumped and ran through them like smoke. They seemed to cling to him as if they knew him as an old friend, hanging off his clothing and mingling with his hair. He sliced his black sword, clearly not aiming to hurt his sister but still putting up a challenge for her. 

Nico deemed her as successful in whatever task he was presenting and stopped his onslaught of slashes to let her catch her breath. He said something briefly, then turned and began his walk to Pluto’s temple on Temple Hill. 

Jason considered following him but noticed a few people staring and decided to instead go clap Hazel on the shoulder and tell her good job. 

Jason wasn’t done speculating, though. 

A few days later, after a senate meeting, he watched as people filed out of the senate building, one of which being Nico. He looked over to make sure Reyna wasn’t watching and ducked out of the building himself. 

Jason was a bit ashamed to admit to himself that he was currently following Nico, and in a rather stalking manner at that. However, the man was curious and that just couldn’t be helped. 

He watched how Nico walked, soft footsteps hardly making a sound against the pavement. His robes, as always, fit him way too well. 

Jason was walking quite a ways behind him, but decided he had a question to ask and picked up his speed. 

Just as he was right behind Nico, hand outstretched to put on his shoulder, Nico checked beside him for people watching. He managed to not see Jason and turned the corner just behind a tree. 

Jason reached out, but his hand didn’t hit anything. He looked behind the tree, and Nico was nowhere to be found. 

The shadows looked oddly ruffled but settled back into place under Jason’s examination. 

He stood there, dumbfounded, before concluding that Nico had used whatever godly powers he had to zap himself right back to the underworld. 

Jason knew he was a god now. He had to be. No other demigod was capable of doing that, not even a child of the big three gods. He had to be a god, and Jason was sure of it. 

Days passed, and Nico became the only thing he ever thought about. 

He walked through the Forum, mulling over his thoughts. Reyna didn’t believe him and seemed thoroughly amused by his notions. So, Jason decided to keep his ideas to himself about Nico’s divinity. 

He ducked into the library, deciding to read through every single book about the gods they had and see if he could find any hints as to what Nico was, and ended up finding the biggest hint of all. The man himself. 

Nico stood beside a particularly large bookshelf, hand on his hip as he stared up at the tallest shelf. He jumped, but couldn’t reach the book he was aiming for, hand brushing it desperately. 

Jason bit back a laugh and walked over to assist like the Good Samaritan he was. 

He leaned over Nico, who turned around to face him. “Praetor,” Nico greeted. 

“Ambassador,” Jason tipped his head. “Need help?”

Nico’s eyes flicked back to the bookshelf. He looked embarrassed. “That would be appreciated.”

Jason reached up and pulled the book down, offering it to him. Nico took it, studying it in his hands. 

Nico looked back up at him. “Thanks.” 

“Are you a god?” Jason blurted out, unable to stop himself. 

Nico’s face changed from embarrassed to confused. He raised an eyebrow, holding the book in one arm. “No?” 

Jason looked him over for hints of a lie. He didn’t find any. “Oh. Are you sure?”

Nico snickered semi-discreetly. “Pretty sure.”

Jason leaned forward slightly, inspecting the face he deemed too perfect to be human. “Really?” Jason could feel his cheeks burning. 

“On the river Styx. Just a regular demigod like you.”

Jason nodded, embarrassment matching Nico’s. 

“Well then. Enjoy your afternoon, ambassador.” Jason turned on his heel, deciding that if he walked fast enough back to his bed he could bury his face in his pillow and scream the memory away. 

He left a very confused demigod in his wake and realized as he walked back that Nico wasn’t a god. He was just pretty.

DaiSuga Week Day 6

Free day!

Words: 1,155

Summary: Suga and Daichi aren't doing a very good job of keeping their love lives away from their teammates.

an angel! :D

Jasico Week 2024 - Day 5

Words: 1,913 Rating: General Audiences Type: Oneshot

Description: Jason Grace, college-bound, is the most nervous he's ever been. His boyfriend, Nico, helps him relax.

Sidenote: This fic was written for @jasico-challenges Jasico week 2024 event!

Full fic under the cut! The formatting is a little weird here on Tumblr, so I recommend reading it on AO3 if you're going to. But, if you can put up with the weird dialogue spacing, good on you, go for it

Jason was excited to go to college. He wasn’t so excited to leave Nico back at camp, though. 

He remembered when he had first started looking at colleges after graduating from Edgarton. He sat in the Zeus cabin at Camp Half-blood. While its high ceilings and fancy architecture had never been particularly welcoming, he found himself returning to it more often than not. 

Nico stretched out beside him on his bed. A laptop Leo had fixed up sat in Jason’s lap, likely overheating. He chewed his lip, staring rather intently at the New Rome University pamphlet beside him, and their webpage on the screen. 

He looked up ‘Colleges in California,’ and an abundance popped up, each one looking more appealing than the last. Nico stirred. He closed the tab, guilty for no reason. 

Nico must’ve felt his body tense or just had some keen sense of knowing when his boyfriend was upset because he eyed him curiously for a second before giving up and burring his face back in the pillows. Jason resumed his search. 

“You know you don’t have to go to New Rome, right?” Nico said, slightly muffled from the pillows. 

“What?” Jason asked, half because he couldn’t quite hear him and half because he thought that was a crazy thing to say. 

Everyone in the world had been asking Jason if he was planning on going to NRU. That was an exaggeration, but that was what it felt like to him. After Percy graduated and was proving successful, everyone just assumed Jason would follow in his footsteps. In fact, not following in them would be crazy. 

Nico lifted his head from the pillows. “You can go to a normal college.”

Jason stared at him blankly. “I…know.”

“You sure?” Nico smiled, raising an eyebrow. 

Jason huffed. Nico sat up, putting a hand over Jason’s. 

“You don’t have to be a demigod all the time. It’s fine to just be a person, Jason.”

Jason wasn’t sure when Nico got so profound, but over the years he was noticing that he suddenly had a lot more to say. He managed to read the son of Zeus like a book, constantly reminding him that he should do what he wants, and not what he thinks others would want. 

Nico rubbed Jason’s hand with his thumb. “I know everyone’s telling you to go to NRU, but you don’t have to do that if it’s not what you want.”

Jason intertwined their fingers. “We’d get to see each other more. You’d be at Camp Jupiter anyway.”

“I can teleport,” Nico reminded, leaning his head on his shoulder. 

Jason tangled a hand in his hair. “You shouldn’t. It’s bad for you.”

“We can Iris message.”

“It’s not the same.”

Nico let the silence pool around them for a second. Jason wished he didn’t. 

“I want you to be happy,” Nico said quietly, moving his other hand so Jason’s was sandwiched between his. 

“I know you do.”

“Then why won’t you let yourself?”

Jason looked down at him. He paused, letting the words sink in so deep they started echoing in his head. 

“I don’t know.”

Nico moved his head so he could see the computer screen. “Open the tab you closed,” he said. Jason groaned. “Yeah, you thought you were slick with that, huh?” Nico laughed, watching him open his history and click on the most recent search. Jason rolled his eyes, grinning. 

They spent the rest of the night looking at colleges, wrapped up in each other’s touch. 

A few months later, the two had just finished making their rounds at Camp Jupiter, informing everyone Jason was off to college. They settled into Jason’s brand new car, testing the capabilities of his equally new driving skills, and began the too-long trip to a nice little university on the coast. 

Nico sat in the passenger’s seat, legs crossed as he watched the hills roll by. Jason would’ve taken time to admire him if he wasn’t so busy trying not to crash. 

Once traffic had cleared and they were on a smaller, less stressful road, Nico spoke up. 

“Are you excited?” He asked if only to fill the silence. 

Jason nodded. “Yeah,” he smiled, watching Nico move so he was leaning on the armrest. 

“Nervous?”

“Very much so.”

Nico smiled. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. However, if you join a fraternity, I am legally obliged to break up with you. Sorry.”

Jason rolled his eyes, hands relaxing on the steering wheel. “Darn. There go my plans.”

Jason looked Nico over, now given the chance without the stress of other drivers. He looked so casual, feet perched up on the seat, smiling as they talked. 

“How’s school for you?” Jason asked. Nico had recently started using a homeschooling program with Sally Jackson as his non-legal guardian—the school didn’t have to know that they were of no relation. 

“Good. I like it,” Nico said simply. 

Jason didn’t know how Nico was so casual about things like that. He never shied away from a challenge, even if he was nervous deep down. Jason wished he could do that. 

“What if I don’t like my professors?” Jason said suddenly, vocalizing his fears for no real reason other than knowing Nico would soothe them. 

“Switch classes,” Nico said. “Or, complain about them on Rate My Professors.”

Jason hummed. He’d had bad teachers in school before, how much worse could a professor be? He leaned back in his seat before deciding something else was nagging at him. 

“Do you think I’ll make friends?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Jason hummed again, trying to focus back on the road. His mind wandered yet again. 

“I don’t even really have a major picked out…”

Nico put his hand over Jason’s arm. “Jason.”

“What?”

“You’re freaking yourself out. It’ll be ok.”

He sighed, leaning back into the seat. “Yeah. I know.”

Nico rubbed slow circles into his forearm, watching the road for him. “Let yourself have fun with this.”

Silence filled the car again. Nico used his passenger princess privileges to take hold of the aux chord, subjecting Jason to the depths of his playlist. Jason didn’t actually mind as much as he pretended to, mostly because he got to watch Nico’s eyes light up as he explained in painful detail the backgrounds and facts of his favorite bands. 

They finally found themselves parked just outside the dorm building. Orientation was a few days ago, and Jason had attended and visited the dorm hall, so he had the key to his dorm practically burning a hole in his pocket. Nico carried a box with nearly all of Jason’s earthly belongings in it, while Jason had a clothes hamper full of everything he wore balanced on his hip. 

He finally managed to unlock his dorm, then turned to Nico before he opened it. 

“Oh my gods,” he said quietly. “What if I hate my roommate?”

Nico raised an eyebrow. “What?” he said back, not whispering. 

“You heard me!” he hissed. 

Nico chuckled before reaching over and opening the door himself. “You, Jason Grace, are not capable of hate. Besides, it’ll be fine.”

The door swung open, revealing a plain room with one desk and…one bed. It was a single room. 

Nico punched his arm playfully. “Boom. Just like I said. No problem.” He sat the box down on the floor, looking around. He tugged open the blinds, looking out at a bunch of concrete and the brick on the other side of the building. “And what a great view,” he joked. 

Jason rolled his eyes for the millionth time and walked over to wrap his arms around his boyfriend. 

“Are you going to be pessimistic all day?”

Nico feigned offensive. “I’ve been the picture of optimism all week, Jason. I’m wounded.”

Jason looked over at the slightly pathetic twin XL. An idea sprung to mind. 

“You should stay the night with me tonight.”

Nico laughed. “I don’t think that’s allowed.”

“When have you ever cared for rules?”

Nico laughed, letting Jason pull him into the middle of the room. He pulled Nico flush against his chest, wrapping his arms around him. 

“I don’t think we can both fit on that bed,” Nico said, a smile evident in his voice. 

“You can sleep on the floor.”

“I regret offering to help you move in.”

Jason laughed, and they got to work decorating his dorm with the few things he’d brought with him.

Once they were done, the sun had long set and it was far past visiting hours. Somehow, they hadn’t gotten caught yet. 

They both sat on the edge of the bed, talking absently about nothing and everything at the same time. Jason looked at the clock now on his nightstand and decided it was late enough to justify wrapping his arms around Nico and tugging him to lie down. 

Nico laughed as he was dragged, letting Jason put his head on his heart. Jason felt the laugh reverberate in his chest and decided it was his favorite sound. 

The bed was mildly uncomfortable, and they were practically on top of each other to fit. Although, they probably would’ve ended up like that anyway, so it didn’t matter all too much. 

“Do you remember, on the Argo, the night after the…” Jason trailed off. 

“Cupid incident?” Nico offered. 

“Yeah. When we stayed together in my room because I didn’t want you to take the couch again, but it was super awkward because we both had to fit on my bed.”

“I’m well aware. I was so embarrassed I thought I was going to die.”

Jason laughed. He was also pretty mortified at the time but was at least glad that Nico was getting some sleep. 

“That was when I realized I liked you,” Jason said. 

Nico looked down at him. “Really?”

“Yeah. You looked cute sleeping.”

Nico rolled his eyes, shoving him playfully. Jason pushed him back, starting a war. They had to stop pretty soon into their roughhousing, though, as they realized they were probably going to get caught if they kept being loud. 

“When did you realize you liked me?” Jason asked, moving to see Nico’s face. 

His cheeks twinged red. “It’s super dumb and embarrassing.”

Jason laughed, “I don’t care.”

Nico pushed him again, a little softer. “It was also on the Argo, near the end of the quest. I was sitting up in the crow’s nest, watching you and Leo talk on the deck. I was running on, like, ten minutes of sleep and it was late, so you were just in pajama pants, no shirt.”

Jason laughed, holding him tighter. “All it took was me being shirtless.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. I was just sitting there and thinking, mostly about you, then I looked down and you were just standing there. I had an ‘ah shit’ moment where I just kinda short-circuited.”

Jason laughed again, leaning against him. Nico huffed. “It’s not that funny,” he chuckled. 

Jason pulled him impossibly closer. “This really is just like old times.”

“The mattress is just as uncomfortable as the ones on the Argo.”

They continued their reminiscing late into the night, and mentally kicked themselves when Nico had to wake up early to catch the bus back to Camp Jupiter. 

Somehow, in the darkness of his dorm that night, Jason found all his worries melting away. He was starting something new, but, for once, he was excited about it.