Nico was holed up in his mast. It's the only place aboard this ship he felt truly safe and alone. And alone and safe is what he wanted to feel at that exact moment.

He hated his life. Everything has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, crashing downward toward the thick, dark and engulfing fog of misery. Sometimes he wishes he could just snuff it out. One stab and its done. One rope and it's over. One botched fight and it's complete.

But he can never go through with it. Just one face surfaces in his mind eye every time he tried. Bianca. Her face when she concentrates on something. The way her eyebrows scrunch up and she bites her lip. Her laugh. Soft and lilting, lighting up anyone's day. She was all he ever had. She was his only family. More than that, she was his only friend. The memories he shared with her, were more life sustaining in that jar than those pomegranates.

But she's gone.

Then Percy. One of the most heroic people he had ever seen. He was literally his mythomagic game come alive. His beautiful eyes, which suddenly can go from laughter to rage. Being next to him always, excited Nico. Somehow through those confusing times he had with his feelings, Percy made it seem fine. Who cares if Nico's feelings were different from other guys? He had Percy

But nothing could ever describe the heartbreak and devastation he went through, seeing Percy fall in love with someone else, lose trust in him and become wary of him. He had heard what Percy had told the other six about him.

When the doors of death were open and he knew he could sneak Bianca out, it broke him to find she had chosen a new life. He had truly lost the chance. He was alone, friendless and miserable.

Then he met hazel. His new sister. She was no Bianca but she soon became the most important thing to him. She was brilliant, sweet, loving and caring. She was the only one who believed in him.

But he couldn't be with hazel forever. It didn't change his feelings much.

But the worst humiliation he had ever gone through was last week. That blasted cupid forcing him with fear and pain to admit his love for Percy. That too in front of Jason. That had been the last straw. All Nico wanted to do is melt into the shadows and never return. So much for stupid scepter that doesn't work anyway.

"Hey" said a voice, suddenly breaking Nico out of his depressing thoughts.

Nico looked to the direction where the voice came from. It was Jason. Great. More sympathy and pity from people. Worse than that Jason who is the last person he wants to see now

"Grace" answered Nico gruffly, turning his back to Jason and slightly curving into a ball.

"Gee dude thanks for the enthusiastic greeting. I'm glad you are glad to see me" said Jason sarcastically.

Nico rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Night duty. Luckily nothing so far, so thought I might talk with mister I'm- too- sad- to- get - down- the –mast- and- join – society" said Jason.

"Sorry if I disappointed your group. Really thought I was not wanted. I don't exactly add to the merriment, y'know?" quipped Nico "really Jason, leave me alone. I don't want to talk to anyone." Though he said it in his mind, the "especially you" part wasn't added but hung in the air.

Jason remained quiet for a while. Thinking that he actually left, Nico turned around to find a still airborne Jason frowning at him. "Is this about last week?" asked Jason.

Nico turned back to his position. "Grace, just leave."

"No. we need to talk about yesterday."

Exasperated, Nico turned around again. "Okay. You want to talk about it? Fine. We fought cupid. I had reveal my embarrassing feelings to a guy I barely know in the most humiliating way as possible. It sucked. There, I talked about. Leave!"

It was now Jason's turn to roll his eyes. "Really, sometimes you're an annoying shit. I just wanted to tell you that I'm perfectly fine with who you are and whom you like. And that I'm not going to treat you with that annoying pity or sympathy. I just want to be your….friend"

Nico looked at Jason in amusement. "Really! Please be serious. It kind of mean when you fake with people"

Jason stared at Nico "dude I'm not kidding. I mean it"

Nico stared back at Jason. And then frowned. "Jason" said Nico with a "stop joking" sort of voice

Jason began to look annoyed "really. I mean it."

Nico was baffled. He didn't mean for it to come out but it did. "Why ….why would you be friends with someone like me?"

Jason guffawed. "Listen Nico I want to be your friend because you seem okay and you could really use one. And really you can make friends if you don't act creepy and silent on purpose and push people away."

Nico got pissed "I don't –"

"Please! You do everything I just said. Don't even try and deny it."

'Listen grace you don't know what I've been through. I –"

"Yeah blah blah every demigod goes through shit, Nico. It depends on how you handle it. You can either become a loner or try your best to enjoy the moments you can and even though life sucks." said Jason, a little pissed

Nico was stunned into silence. He wanted to believe Jason was wrong but somehow he knew there was an inkling of truth in it.

"I...I'm just confused" said Nico, meekly.

"I got news for you, idiot. We all are" said Jason, frustrated, ruffling his hair. Somehow it didn't feel like he was confused with Gaia thing

There was silence for a while

"Do you still like Percy?" asked Jason, suddenly

"Wha...What?" asked Nico, thrown off by the suddenness of the question.

"Tell me. Do you still like Percy?" asked Jason again with sudden intensity

"I…I'm not sure. I don't know. I don't think so" murmured Nico.

"Don't you think then it's time for you to get on with your life and move on? Probably look for someone who might like you?" said Jason

'I guess Jason but it's not exactly the priority right now. We have to beat Gaia and I have to get this stupid scepter working." Said Nico

"Hmm that makes sense. But Nico..." said Jason thoughtfully

"What?"

"I just wanted you to know there are guys out there who would kill to have you" Said Jason seriously. "Someone who you might not know yet but is destined to meet. Or I don't know, someone whom you know as well"

Nico, astonished at what he said, stared at Jason. He caught Jason's blue eyes lingering on him. There was silence for a while.

Jason cleared his throat. "You know, I should get back to defending the ship."

"Yeah" agreed Nico readily.

"Hope I've given you something to think about." Smiled Jason, while it somehow seemed like a friendly statement, Nico also somehow felt it was not. But before he could infer anything, Jason had flown away.

Nico was stunned. Jason grace has proven to be a complete pain in the ass and also a confusing….. Friend.

Hi Guys

It's me, Anne.

I know I basically don't even come on anymore and my buddy Aquila had been ruling the roost here. so when I read one of her reviews requesting another Jasico, I thought "sure, why the hell not? its only midnight."

Well here you go!

Have fun. sorry if I wasn't clear about Jason being confused about his feelings for Nico. and sorry if I had spelling errors and grammar . It won't happen again and I will thoroughly proof read next time. And sorry about the bad title; really couldn't come up with anything.

Thanks fellow fangirls/boys

Ba-bye!