Note: This will be 5 chapters instead.
This is an adaptation of the movie "Just like Heaven". If you guys have yet to watch the actual movie and happened to read this, then please don't watch the movie yet. /sweatdrops/ If you have, please do not push your expectations high. Please leave a review and let me know of your constructive feedbacks on this story. Thank you!
Disclaimer: Percy Jackson and its characters solely belong to Rick Riordan.
This story can be found on Tumblr, and now, on AO3 as well as my other works.
"Please don't give up on me like everyone else."
Jason was never the silent and brooding type. That was, in all aspect, a Nico di Angelo quality which the latter claimed highly to himself. So when Jason opted to being silent and brooding once they entered his Black Escalade SUV, Nico had to wonder if he had actually seen all aspects that there was to Jason Grace. He had seen the contortions on Jason's features as he was immersed in his anger; had seen Jason basked in his depression with an occasional can of beer or alcohol. He had seen Jason breathe out a laugh though only half-heartedly. Yet, he had never seen this side of Jason – that silent and brooding type – which he could not fathom anything from.
Their eyes would constantly meet through the rear view mirror, and Nico would always be the one to disconnect their eye contact, unseeing eyes drifting to the passing scenery beyond the windows of the car. Nico had no idea where they were heading, or in which part of New York they were at that moment or if they were still within New York at all. Jason had been driving his car for hours, so Nico could only assume that they were either headed somewhere far or lost.
Neither of them initiated a conversation, partially due to the fact that there was not a specific matter that could actually be a point of an in-depth discussion. Aside from that, Jason's silence spoke volumes that he was immersed deeply in his thoughts – thoughts which Nico could not decipher based on Jason's neutral features alone. There was nothing – based on what Nico could see – that expressed displeasure in his features, so Nico was fairly certain that he had not royally screwed up for some unspoken reason.
When the car stopped, it was in the front lawn of a Roman-themed mansion of pristine white solid marbles, and Nico was leaning more to the idea that they were perhaps lost at that point that Jason decided to stop to ask for help. Yet, when Jason exited his car after promptly turning off the engine, walking with utmost confidence as he paced towards the mansion, Nico found himself voicing out his curiosity.
"Where are we?" The Italian male inquired hesitantly, following after the blond male as Jason guided them towards the far side of a mansion where a cast iron gate was, partially entwined by creeping, overgrown vines.
"The owners of this place are usually at Hawaii at this time of the year. It's their annual getaway, I believe," Jason responded with utmost nonchalance.
"Are we trespassing?" Nico questioned, now hesitant to take a further step into the property.
Though, matter-of-factly, trespassing would not apply to him as he was an intangible presence. If anyone were to be charged of trespassing, it was most likely Jason. What were they doing in a private property in the first place?
"No. Come on, I'll show you something," Jason assured him, pushing past the gates, and Nico hesitantly followed after him.
The first thing which Nico noticed was the scent. It was the first detail that actually registered to him – that saccharinely sweet and divine fragrance of, presumably, a wide array of flowers. Then, the sight greeted him. A garden stretched far and wide, where roses, hyacinths, tulips, sunflowers, and orchids bloomed, and so much more which Nico could only name a limited few with his inadequate knowledge of flowers. A fountain rested on the middle, where a sculpture of a young couple rested, atop a marble column, each having a hand outstretched to where the water was gathered. At the far end of the garden rested a plain yet pristine white gazebo, with vines creeping along the columns and dainty white flowers bloomed.
"You said you love gardens," Jason stated as Nico stepped further into the garden, the former's eyes softening with a bit of fondness in his eyes as he carefully watched the younger male. "I made this place. This is my work. I was a landscape architect. I had my own company for a while." Jason elaborated when Nico's eyes widened in surprise.
It was astoundingly beautiful, presenting the most picturesque scene that Nico has ever seen. Yet, the beauty was not what had Nico's features contort in a manner which Jason had difficulty comprehending.
"Jason, I've been here before… I think. In a dream," Nico breathed, wanting to reach a hand out to caress the petals and the budding flowers. The knowledge that he was unable to do so restrained him. "That is probably strange to hear, but I know of this place so well; I can clearly remember how beautiful it was in my dream. To see it in person, it is even more mesmerizing…"
Nico trailed off before casting gazing directly onto those electric blue eyes.
"It must be a joy to create a place like this," Nico concluded, slowly stepping towards Jason, stopping short a few feet from the blond male.
"Yeah, it was," Jason half-heartedly murmured.
"Is it going to be again?"
"Sure," Jason responded smoothly, but he followed it with a shrug and a slightly amused smile that had Nico doubting that he meant of it.
Pursing his lips, Nico extended his right hand and held it sideways.
"Promise?" Nico inquired, partially amused.
Despite the knowledge that neither of their palms would come to press against each other, Jason obliged the younger male's gesture with a natural smile curling his lips, extending his right hand as well and simply just holding it to press against Nico's in an illusion that they were actually in contact with each other; that Nico would not disappear anytime soon with that impending death that loomed over him.
That momentary peace lasted but a few seconds as Jason's phone started ringing shrilly. Excusing themselves with twin sheepish smiles, Jason rummaged through his pockets, plucking the phone from inside and pressing it to his ear upon answering the call without ever glancing away from Nico's guarded yet calm eyes.
"Hello?"
"Jason, it is Silena. Great news! The apartment is now yours, and they are willing to give you a long lease," Silena greeted cheerfully from the other side of the line, and Nico vaguely registered of her identity despite not being able to decipher their conversation at that moment.
"How long lease?" Jason inquired, frowning.
"Really long. I'm going to send it over, and I will talk to you tomorrow," Silena casually responded, and her tone indicated clearly that she was about to drop the call in a matter of seconds.
"Wait. Why are they giving me a long lease now?" Jason followed, his frown deepening.
"The tenant who apparently has been in a vegetative state for three months now, the poor guy, will have his plug pulled come tomorrow. Family decision and all– "
That was all that Jason needed to hear as he promptly dropped the call, his complexion seeming to pale considerably under the Italian's scrutiny. Nico could not blame him though. Had he been a tangible being instead of what he was now – a soon-to-be permanent apparition – he would have long paled at the implications of that long lease. Nico might not have heard of this Silena lady's response, but the implications were enough for him to arrive to one logical conclusion: Bianca was cutting off his life support.
"We have to talk to your sister," was all Jason blurted after a while upon gaining his composure, his fingers firmly clenching onto the mobile phone in his grasp.
"Why? What are you going to say to her?" Nico inquired in a low voice, laced with an inquisitive note.
"That's where you are going to be helping me. Tell me something about her that will let convince her that I can see you when worse comes to worst."
"… On grade school, she pulled a stupid stunt on her best friend, Zoe Nightshade, that resulted to her being suspended for about a few weeks. Mentos and a cola-filled mouth. You can guess what happened."
"What else?"
A pause.
"… She's lactose intolerant?"
A long sigh.
"The only way this is going to work is if I could tell her something that only you – her beloved and sole blood brother – knows; something she has never and will never share with anyone else but you. Something intimate. Something so personal," Jason explained, placing emphasis on Nico's position in her life and of the information he needed from him.
Jason was never one to engage unto impromptu actions, nor had he guessed that he would ever indulge in one. Yet, he figured that Nico was changing that little by little, and he did not mind it one bit despite how the pretend-doctor stunt had him drowning on too much adrenaline. But that was what made Nico's existence in Jason's life so refreshing. Nico had him feel alive; a feeling he had forgotten in more than two years.
"Oh… Oh! She French-kissed her ex-boyfriend PJ five minutes before her wedding," Nico blurted out, standing up straight as he snapped his fingers sharply, oblivious to Jason's musings.
"… Let me rephrase myself then. The only way this is going to work is if I could tell her something that only you know, which won't result with a knife getting impaled to my chest," Jason offered, a nervous chuckle escaping past his lips.
But Nico did not acknowledge that despite being aware of it. Flashing the former landscape architect a victorious smirk, Nico leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
"No, Jason. This would work. She has never mentioned that to anyone else. Now mush, Watson," Nico concluded, an amused smile curling his lips.
Jason could not find it in himself to argue, not if it meant getting to see that smile etched onto the young male's features much longer.
"So how did you know Nico? You must have worked together. Gods know he doesn't date anybody," was the slightly amused remark.
Upon providing Jason with the details of his sister's residence, they rode Jason's Black Escalade SUV towards the family's house, which Jason had to agree was that stereotypical presentation of a dream house within white picket fence. It was completely homey and oozing of hospitality, and it was in some sense a setting which Jason could envision being raised from. Yet, the contrast of how lavish Nico's apartment was compared to the ambience of the house would state otherwise.
"Everyone likes to rub that one in," Nico grumbled at his sister's comment, which had Jason biting on his lower lip to prevent a chuckle from escaping past his lips.
Just as the blond male was about to respond, twin squeals resonated throughout the house, followed by the rush of heavy patters of feet. Soon, a pair of young girls, aged seven and five, of contrasting facial features emerged from the hallways, chasing after each other and completely oblivious to the presence of the adults.
"Maria and Hazel? My nieces are here? They are supposed to be in school," Nico thought out loud, a frown creasing his forehead.
The Italian man shifted his gaze back and forth the older child of black hair and warm dark brown irises, whom Jason presumed as Maria, and the younger child of curly cinnamon-brown hair and eyes eerily the shade of gold, whom Jason presumed as Hazel. Maria almost seemed like a splitting image of Nico's sister, so Hazel must take in after their father instead.
"Would you like some tea, sir?" Maria stepped up, grasping the hem of Jason's jacket as she spoke in a playful British accent.
"I… I guess. Thank you, madam," Jason stumbled slightly as he was dragged towards a small table near the kitchen counter where a small tea set was diligently set up.
"You're freaking Bianca out," Nico voiced out, but he took his seat opposite Maria and beside Hazel. From his peripheral vision, he swore he could see Hazel gazing at his direction.
Indeed, Nico's sister was scrutinizing him critically, there seeming to be caution that was evident in her eyes as she observed the exchange between her eldest and the blond male.
"I'm sorry, you were about to say?" Bianca politely inquired, allowing a small yet professional smile rest upon her lips as she addressed to Jason.
"Lie. Lie your butt off," Nico instructed.
"We worked together—"
"No!"
"Uh, no. I mean we worked together… on my illness. I was a patient of his," Jason amended, trying not to wince when Nico commented of his lack of credibility to be a doctor. "I was sick. I had a meningitis. Spinal meningitis."
"Oh. I'm so sorry," Bianca apologized, and her expression and tone seemed utterly sincere.
"Spinal meningitis? That's not even a disease," Nico scoffed, snorting thereafter, but there was sheer amusement in his eyes as the barest hint of red dusted Jason's cheeks, clearly due to embarrassment of what he had said.
"Oh, no. It is okay, I am much better now. Nico, he… he believed that I would recover when nobody else did. And… I did recover," Jason offered with a small smile that slowly became natural as he observed the unmistakable fondness in Bianca's eyes as Jason spoke fondly of her brother.
"That sounds just like him. Nico has always been misunderstood outside of his profession. I am glad he managed to befriend you," Bianca replied earnestly and with a smile, but that smile soon slipped from her features as they slowly contorted to confusion. "But… why are you telling me this?"
"I just know about his situation and… I just wanted to ask you – to beg you, actually – to give him a little bit more time. He's going to pull through this thing. I just know it," Jason explained, his tone firm and oozing of high conviction.
Nico had to wonder where his sudden devotion of preserving Nico's life emerged from. At that point of time, Nico had figured that he would be the one adamant on stating that his life was not over yet. Yet, it was Jason – the guy whom he annoyed relentlessly since day one, and had been convincing that he was dead since then – that was fighting for his chance to live when he was at the brink of just throwing everything away and completely giving up.
"That's really sweet of you to say, but… it's already too late," Bianca murmured in a hushed tone, forcing a small smile to rest upon her lips, but it was too pained to even pass as a smile.
Tears pooled onto his sister's eyes, and Nico could only imagine what her family must have been through in the duration of his vegetative state. Nico could only imagine how painful it was for his sister to observe him day by day, clinging blindly onto false hope and pretenses of his brain activity increasing, and of him waking up in conclusion.
"I already signed the papers. We're terminating life support tomorrow. At noon. When the kids are in school. The past three months have been so hard on them and this whole family," Bianca finished, wiping a tear that managed to slip past her eyes.
"I understand that, I really do, but I think you are making a great mistake here –"
"It's for the best. Really. This is what Nico wanted. I spent my whole life thinking that I know what was best for him. This is the last thing that Nico wanted, and for the first time in my life, I will respect his wishes," Bianca responded firmly, cutting off whatever Jason was going to say.
"Bianca…"
Nico was certain that the situation had to be the most excruciating blow for Bianca. Throughout their life, Nico and Bianca had always been the anchor of each other. It was how they survived when their mother died, and when their father basically neglected their existence since then and had remarried another woman. If their position had been reversed, Nico might as well be handling the situation worse than his sister. Bianca had always possessed a stronger will between the two of them, and if Bianca was barely hanging on at this point, Nico would have been worse.
"Okay. This is going to sound strange to you, but…" Jason started, snapping Nico from his musings.
The change of tone immediately indicated to Nico what Jason was contemplating of saying.
"No. No, no, no," Nico chanted, casting a look of disbelief at the older male.
"The truth is Nico's right here with us right now. He's standing here next to you, and he's begging for you to wait," Jason went straight to the point.
Leaving his sister alone was one guilt. Nico did not need another guilt by sending Jason to a mental asylum.
"Right next to me?" Bianca slowly repeated his words, pausing dramatically on every word.
Her features were contorted in an expression that was unfathomable to either male.
"Jason, stop."
"No, let me do this," Jason chastised Nico, casting him a brief glance which Bianca followed. "I don't know how or why, but I can see your brother's spirit. I know it's crazy, but I can talk to him. So… why don't I have him explain the whole thing to you, and I'll… translate."
At this point, Nico was convinced that Bianca was ready to throw the blond male out of her house had he been in her place instead. Jason did not help at all with the manner by which he worded things, making him sound like a ghost whisperer instead. How often does a person meet a self-proclaimed medium who persistently insist on seeing your sibling's spirit? None, unless the person was a nut-job case. So when Bianca only seemed to stare at Jason with that unfathomable expression etched onto her features while assessing Jason heavily under her scrutiny, Nico was confused.
"… Can you just hold on? Just a second," Bianca blurted out after a while, walking past Jason as she approached her children.
"Who wants to play Princess Anna and Queen Elsa?" Bianca cheerily questioned her children, as she carefully ushered them to the next room.
"Did that just happen? Did that just work?" Nico inquired, wide eyes blinking in surprise.
"See, we can convince your sister," Jason replied, a smug expression crossing his features as he turned his back on the woman and turned to face Nico instead.
"We need to get her straight to the hospital, rip those papers off, and – Holy –!" Whatever Nico was about to say was cut-off immediately as he stared past Jason with wide eyes.
Jason would rather not have the pleasure of knowing what had just occurred, but he did so as when he faced Bianca, he noticed the woman's tense and defensive posture by the counter. With a meat cleaver on her hands pointed at Jason.
"Get out of my house!" Bianca bellowed, brandishing the knife, despite the erratic trembling of her hands.
Jason immediately backed up to the cupboard, pressing his entire body against it as he gazed with fear and disbelief at the Italian woman.
"Wait! I'm not making this up! Why would I?" Jason tried to reason, holding his hands up defensively.
"Bianca, just calm down. Calm down!" Nico shouted, raising his arms defensively as well, but his sister could not see him at all. He turned to Jason. "Tell her about PJ."
"I know about PJ," Jason then blurted out, comically pointing an accusatory finger at the Italian woman.
For a second, those erratic trembles stopped, and there was evident surprise etched onto her features.
"What?"
"I know what you did with PJ at your wedding, and I'll tell everybody."
In retrospect, Jason should probably stopped when he stated that he knew of what occurred. But the imminent threat of having a meat cleaver impaled onto his body had him impulsively blurt out the threat.
As soon as he registered what he said, coupled with the expression of utter disbelief and horror on Nico's face, Jason raced towards the door, followed by an enraged Bianca di Angelo who brandished the meat cleaver at his direction.
"How did you know that? Nobody knows that! Get out of here!"
Jason bolted out in a split second without even sparing a backward glance, the whooshing sounds as the blade was swung serving well its purpose of reminding him not to look back. Nico would not blame him for it, as he could not blame her for not believing some random guy who claimed to see the spirit of her almost dead brother.
Nico observed his sister for a few more seconds, watching as her features contort from anger, to relief, to somber, then finally to devastation just as she closed the front door of her family's house.
It was probably the last time he would ever step foot onto his sister's humble abode, Nico figured as he slowly stepped down the small flight of stairs and walked down the small pathway that led to the community park where he had seen Jason head for in his mad dash to get out of the vicinity of the house.
Under normal circumstances, Nico would have laughed of the situation, of how epic it was to watch his sister brandish a meat cleaver at a random guy she just met. But the circumstances then were far too unamusing at that point, for him and for her.
Upon reaching the park, Nico immediately noticed Jason underneath the shade of a tree, leaning heavily against the tree trunk as he struggled to catch his breath. How Nico managed to notice where he was immediately despite the crowd, Nico could only deduce that it was due to the vibrancy of the older male's blond locks.
"… I don't think your sister is a very spiritual person," Jason panted once he had stepped close enough, and exhaustion was evident in his voice.
"She's just trying to be a good mom, keeping her kids away from crazy guys. Keeping her family safe," Nico offered with a half-amused smile that did not reach his eyes, and which Jason noted. "We should… head back now. It's over, Jason. There's nothing else we can do."
"It's not over, di Angelo. If I could just convince those in the hospital—your friends… Reyna! Maybe she would believe. Or Will," Jason offered, and Nico vaguely registered that Jason was pleading to him at that point.
For what reason, Nico knew not of.
"Jason, just stop. No one will believe you. They will put you in a strait jacket once you tell them that I'm still here. To them, I'm dead," Nico explained with a sigh, and there was a dejected expression in his features.
This, convincing Jason that enough was enough, was becoming a tiring routine. To Jason, being convinced by Nico each and every time that it was a useless effort – that they were out of time – had the former landscape architect struggling to convince Nico di Angelo otherwise.
These, everything, was all too familiar to Jason, in a different scene that was of a tragedy two years down in the past. There was anguish gnawing at his chest once more; there was that escalating desperation. There was that sense of hopelessness of being unable to do anything. But the situation now was different. With Piper, it had all been instantaneous. With Nico, it dragged on. Piper's death was a clean break. Nico's, however, was much excruciating to bear.
"You just—I just—I can't let you die. And you just can't die, Nico," Jason concluded as he straightened himself, murmuring his response to the younger male as he was once again reminded that they were out in the public.
"Jason—"
"Look, everything is all connected. Why would I live in your apartment? Why am I the only one capable of seeing you? Why was I there when that guy in the restaurant collapsed? Everything is connected for a reason, Nico. Everything is attached to you," Jason reasoned insistently, but Nico was not budging from his stand that everything was all over.
"You shouldn't get too attached to a dying man, Jason," Nico responded in a serious tone, gazing directly onto those deep electric blue eyes.
"Your advice came a little too late, Nico," was the response, along with a shake of the older male's head. "I'm already attached, and no matter what you say, I will do whatever it takes to get you back to your body."
"Why?"
Indeed, why? Jason had to question himself as he met the younger male's inquisitive gaze head-on. But, he was well aware of the answer with regards to that question.
If there was anyone who was dead, it was Jason – or at least he had been until he met Nico. With Nico's presence, Jason slowly eased himself into learning how to live life once more. To actually live it and not for the sheer purpose of existing for another day.
There were a lot of reasons that Jason could offer; reasons which then passed through his mind in a brief flash.
Because your eyes are the darkest and deepest, yet most captivating shade of brown that I have ever laid my eyes upon –
Because you have that natural and honest smile that just tells me that I can trust you with my life –
Because you have a dark sense of humor, but it's completely you and I like that you don't try to hide that –
Because you make me feel alive in a way that I have forgotten in two years –
Because I love –
"I just have to," Jason offered, carefully wrapping his arms in a loose hug around the younger male, parts of his arms barely passing through the younger male's intangible frame.
To any prying eyes, he might as well have been standing awkwardly with his arms questionable outstretched to form a circle. Yet, that mattered little to Jason at the moment; much less than it did to Nico as the latter stared up at him with unmasked surprise.
It was foolish, and it had Jason seem utterly ridiculous, yet Nico chose not to move from his spot inside the circle of Jason's arms. As much as it was ridiculous as their bodies could never come into contact with one another, Nico allowed for his eyes to slide close, and rested his forehead – or at least it was the illusion that was provided – against the older male's shoulder.
There was no contact; no warmth. But neither of them at that moment could say that this was not their temporary haven. For that moment, it did not matter that Nico was dying or that Jason was bound to be alone once more. What mattered then was that Jason, at the very least, got to be with Nico until come noon the following day, and that Nico was by with him for as long as time allowed for his presence to last.
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Continua