A/N: Hola peeps! Inspired by a tumblr prompt I found while in the Jasico tag. I was feeling a little silly, ergo this is the product. 'Tis probably the shortest fucking thing I have ever written. Fluff alert, featuring tad-overbearing!Nico. He's a little OC here, but it's just a minuscule tweak in behaviour towards Jason, since technically they /are/ a couple after all... R&R my precious bby's, enjoy!
"Are you sure you can stand up?"
"Neeks, it's the flu, not a goddamn epidemic."
"Still."
"Just shut up and help me out of here, okay?" The son of Hades succumbed to Jason's wishes and helped the older boy stand up. Of all the things that could be the Golden Boy's downfall, it just had to be the flu.
Jason had been sick for almost four days now, and Nico had kept him bedridden for the most of time, but if things were completely up to him (which it kinda was), Jason Grace was, at any rate, not to lift a single finger and rest as much as he could without appearing dead or paralysed. But of course, Jason was as stubborn as he was, so they had to compromise their way through his recovery. Today's first daily request from Jason (Nico gave him a three-appeal quota that at times involved way too much physical exertion than he'd like, which was none at all) was to get out of Cabin 1 and get some fresh air ("There's a reason why we placed your bed near the window." "No one has opened that thing in over a decade!"), which he grudgingly obliged to.
Getting a hold of the blonde's biceps, Nico helped hoist him out of his bed and steadied him. Jason looked pale, almost as pale as he was, which was saying something. Despite the distinct chill January brought upon Long Island, beads of sweat lined his forehead. Nico frowned.
"If you faint on me, Grace, I swear I'm leaving you out in the cold. Flu or not, I'm going back inside to make myself chicken soup," the Ghost King stated. Jason only flashed him a charming smile that made his breath hitch and laughed. "Like you could really do that to anyone," he snorted. "You're too much of a softy." He winked at Nico and promptly earned a punch in the shoulder.
"Ow!" He yelped. "I thought you were supposed to be taking care of me, not abusing me!" Jason pouted playfully, knowing this got Nico all the time. His boyfriend was a sucker for pseudo-cute faces. As expected, Nico's features softened and unabashedly slipped his relatively smaller hands into Jason's bigger ones. The blonde smiled, because coming from the Ghost King, this small gesture was a big deal to him. He stared at their intertwined hands, lifted it, and put his palm face-down so he could plant a kiss on the back of Nico's hand. "We fit," Jason said, grinning up at his object of affection. "Always have." Nico flushed a brilliant shade akin to Jason's favourite Christmas sweater (an insanely red hand-knitted sweater with Rudolf's red nose jutting out in the middle), and mumbled "And hopefully always will."
They ventured their way out of the cabin and greeted passing campers, with Jason practically coughing at everyone's faces. Nico made sure to keep a slow pace as to not tire Jason too much and led them to nowhere in particular. They decided to visit their friends in their respective cabins and kept a light chatter 'round. Hazel insisted on making them join her and Frank's afternoon tea (it was a new thing she wanted to practice and Frank didn't mind at all) which ended in Jason getting Earl Grey all over his shirt (he experienced a particularly violent sneeze),Nico flicking him on the head, and Hazel none-too-happily cleaning up a broken china piece.
Their next stop was Annabeth, Rachel, and Piper, whom were all having a girl's night – noon? – out. Apparently disrupting their braiding session, the couple came out of Rachel's cave donning new, and monumentally embarrassing hairstyles. Jason secretly thought Nico looked exponentially adorable, even with a deep scowl on his face. Although he wouldn't dare mention this, lest he'd want a good whack on the head. They took their time removing the rubber bands that held patches of their hair together.
Leo and Percy were working on a chariot for the races that were to be held a few days from now and promised to make "the raddest chariot ever made that could whip any other chariot's butt", and also, to win for Jason, since he's always been fascinated by the game but wasn't allowed to participate in as of now. Nico decided that the forge's heat was too much for the son of Zeus's condition, and led them away from Cabin 9.
"You do know it's just a common illness, right?" Jason asked. Nico fixed him a look and said "Yes, but that doesn't mean even the simplest of things can't make it worse." He cocked his head to the side. "Besides, don't you like being taken care of?"
"Neeks, you very well know that I appreciate everything you've been doing, but you're kinda smothering me," the blonde confessed. He felt the smaller boy stiffen next to him and saw as he hung his head from the corner of his eye. "S-sorry," Nico stammered. "I'm just – I don't know, scared." Jason eyebrows shot up as he looked at him in wonder. "Of what?" he asked.
The son of Hades looked up at him with sad eyes. They arrived at a stop in front of the familiar Greek columns that marked the entrance of Cabin 1. Nico's gaze traveled towards the tall double doors and smiled a little bitterly. "It's time for you to rest, let's go." Without saying another word, the son of Hades led them back inside the cabin. Jason followed, but Nico's previous words reverberated in his mind and unsettled him.
"I'm just – I don't know, scared."
For months they've been working on Nico's night terrors and insomnia. It's recently receded, – hurrah! – but that didn't mean that it was gone altogether. What the younger boy said may have been a slip of the tongue but it wasn't to be taken lightly at all. Besides, they promised each other that there shall be no more secrets creating a barrier between them.
"Hey, listen," Jason said, turning to look at Nico. "You do know you can tell me anything, right?" He squeezed his shoulders lightly. The corner of the Ghost King's lips quirked up in a tell-tale smile and gave a small nod. "There's nothing to tell, Jay."
The dark-haired demigod made Jason lie back down his cot and went to fetch him some water and a pack of pure-wheat crackers. "I can't believe ambrosia can't heal something as simple as the flu," Nico grumbled as he went to pass Jason the aforementioned food, which he frowned at. "How come I don't get to eat brownies?" He asked, making a face at the bland-tasting crackers. Nico stared at him in disapproval, and said "Sweets are bad for people with coughs and colds. They can irritate your throat or something."
Jason opened his mouth in possible protest, when right on cue he burst into a violent fit of coughs. Nico's eyes widened and quickly handed him the glass of water, which he chugged down urgently. After draining the cup, he spluttered for a moment before pressing his palms against the sides of his head, groaning. "What's wrong?" Nico asked, looking panic-stricken. His heart skipped a beat. "Head…hurts…" Jason mumbled. The son of Hades visibly relaxed, massaging his temples. "I swear to the gods, Grace, one of these days you'll be the death of me," he sighed.
It was times like these when Jason stopped being superman and appeared actually vulnerable and human that oddly made Nico love him just a little bit more. Because for once, in his eyes the blonde was no longer Jason Grace the son of Jupiter, or Jason Grace the Golden Boy anymore; but – just – plain – Jason. He opened his eyes and was treated to the sight of a very distressed boy in front of him with his knees drawn up to his chin, stifling another round of coughs over his covers.
Nico's eyes softened and came over to help him lie down properly, taking extra care of avoiding sudden movements. Even under the blankets, Jason started shivering slightly. The Ghost King sighed and pressed his lips on the blonde's forehead. "I told you to take it easy," he said. "You just had to strain yourself today, didn't you?" Concern laced his voice, and he got up from his position on the bedside chair and maneuvered his way into getting in bed with him.
"This is what I'm scared of," he breathed out. "I know it's silly and I'm probably over reacting, I mean, it's only the flu but…" he trailed off, staring up at the cavernous ceiling. "I've lost so many important people in my life, Jay," the dark-haired demigod whispered. "I can't risk losing you, too." Nico looked down at the slight pained expression on Jason's face, no doubt from the onslaught of dizziness and fatigue his condition brought upon him. "Listen to me," he scoffed." I'm turning into a lovesick sap and it's all your fault, you little shit." He smiled lopsidedly despite himself.
Nico let out a breath and rested his head on Jason's chest. And almost as if an automatic response to this gesture, the blonde's arm went around him and pulled him closer, leaving the younger boy buried in the crook of his neck. "You're warm," Nico said into the fabric of Jason's shirt.
The son of Jupiter cracked open an eye, "And you're too cold," he countered. Nico smirked. "We fit," he echoed his boyfriend's earlier words. They shared a smile.
As dawn approached, Jason was starting to feel the pull of sleep, weighing his bones down. He's finally stopped shivering, thanks to the heat they now shared. Some of the ache in his throat has subsided and finally the scratchiness of his voice was gone. He looked down at the person next to him, at the face he's engraved in the very depths of his mind. Warmth spread through his body.
"Love you," he whispered into Nico's hair.
"You too," the son of Hades said and finally kissed Jason's cheek goodnight.