I really love the relationship between Hazel and Nico, so i wrote something sweet, just some fluff were Nico tells Jason about her. It's the end of House Of Hades just before Nico leaves. have fun
please review!
Nico was tying Athena Parthenos so he would be able to shadow travel with it when Jason came to say goodbye. He saw Percy trying to talk to him, but Nico could barely look at him. Poor guy. He deserved a proper goodbye, from a friend.
Jason wasn't going to fool himself into believing they were friends, but he admired the guy. Nico was born in a different century, he lost his sister Bianca, he's the son of Hades, and as if that wasn't enough, he was ashamed of himself.
It's amazing the guy was even able to talk to people, let alone go on a quest with five of them.
"You sure you want to do this?" Jason asked him. Nico looked up at him with a frown. "Why wouldn't I?" He said it like a challenge, like he's daring Jason to say that he has a reason to stay.
"What about Hazel?"
Instantly, Nico's face softened at the mention of his half-sister, and he looked guilty. "She'll be fine. She has friends here. She has Frank." Jason smiled a little. Frank was a really sweet guy, and he was good for Hazel.
Jason bent down in front of Nico so they were eye to eye. "You're right, she does have friends. But she wants you with her. She sees you as her brother, no matter what history says." He stopped to take a breath.
"And I know you see her as a sister, not a replacement." Nico wouldn't look at him at all, concentrated with the ropes. So Jason stood up and turned around, intending to go back to the ship.
"He was wrong you know." Nico said behind him almost in a whisper. Jason turned and Nico walked to him.
"Cupid was wrong. He said the one I care for most was plunged to Tartarus. He was wrong."
Nico didn't look him in his eyes, but not out of embarrassment. It wasn't an attempt to deny his feelings for Percy. His black eyes were fixed on the horizon, and there was a softness in them that he wasn't used to see in Nico Di Angelo's eyes. A tiny smile was pulled on his face.
"The person I care for most packed me a bag pack for my journey. The person I care for most hugs me, and kisses me on the cheek, and says she's proud of me. The person I care for most smiles when she sees me, and I smile when I see her."
He took a deep breath, and then turned to Jason. He looked him strait in the eyes, no hesitation in them.
"Hazel isn't like my sister. She is my sister. She is the person I care for most."
Jason was silent for a moment. Nico has always kept his emotions at bay, hid behind the dead. But when it came to Hazel, he had always been open. Jason remembered the way he hugged her, took care of her not only on Argo 2, but also in camp Jupiter. The first few weeks he came every few days, making sure she was okay. Sometimes Hazel didn't even know he was there. He just got a brief update from Reyna or Jason, and then left.
Jason never gave him a second thought, dismissed him for more important things.
He will always regret that. Not getting to know Nico Di Angelo more may be the stupidest thing anyone can ever do.
"You need to tell her that. She thinks she's a replacement for Bianca. You need to tell her that Jason."
He looked at him, a little begging in his eyes. "There will be a moment when she's about to give up, when thinks she can't take it anymore, when she can't even see a future for herself. A moment when she doubts herself and wonders if bringing her back alive was a mistake. When that moment comes, you tell her that, and you don't stop until she believes it."
Jason was speechless. So instead of saying anything, he hugged Nico. He was sure the guy would push him back and get an army of zombies to attack him, but he just stood there.
Jason pulled back, looking into his eyes. "I will tell her that, but you need to tell her too. Everything. You shouldn't hide it, because she loves you too. Tell her when you're ready, but tell her."
Nico didn't say anything, but Jason thought he convinced him. He backed away. "Bye Nico. Watch out."
"Do me another favor Grace?" he asked him.
Jason raised his eyebrow.
"Make sure she doesn't spend too much alone time with Zhang. I wouldn't want to have to kill the guy for messing with my sister."
Jason almost laughed. He was pretty sure that Nico wasn't joking when he said that he'd kill Frank, but Jason still couldn't help from smiling. This is the Nico that everyone should see. The one that acts all big brother and has a sense of humor.
"Sure Di Angelo. I can do that."
Nico nodded and went back to tying the statue. A few minutes later, he was gone with Reyna and coach Hedge.
From that night, every time Zhang touched Hazel, Jason would give him the stink eye, and Frank would then remove his hand and blush. Jason guessed he knew it was a message from her brother, and like any smart guy, he was terrified of what Nico would do to him.
He was going to honor his promise to Nico. Plus, if something did happen between them and Jason wouldn't prevent it, he had a feeling Nico would give him a fate worse than what he had planned for Zhang.