A smile tugged at Nico's lips. His eyes lit with anticipation and his cheeks changed ever so slightly in color.

Jason hated it. All of it. Hated every second, hated the way the son of Hades couldn't tear his gaze away.

"Here I am! What were your other two wishes?" Will announced, invading the younger boy's space in one sleazy move. And Nico, Nico just lets him! They told him to be patient, which sounded about right, but Solace's arm around Nico's hip was dangerously low and… It was infuriating.

"That he be charming and handsome. Guess not all wishes come true," the young demigod replied mischievously.

Will grinned and Jason picked an imaginable piece of lint from his new sweater. The grumpy cat on it seemed especially grumpy today. Curse Leo and his recently acquired obsession for DTG printers - if they just weren't so damn comfy.

Not having a proper concept of danger in general, the healer leaned closer, pushing a lock of dark hair behind Nico's ear. Nico barely complained. Jason couldn't stand it. He just touched him so frequently. It broke Jason's heart each and every time. And for once there was no emergency, no fire in the infirmary, no Austin who got stuck in a blood pressure machine, or Timmy that fell down a well.

Don't. Let him dig his own grave. Jason could hear a voice in his head. He couldn't tell who the voice of reason belonged to. It sounded like Piper, maybe Annabeth, it might even be Percy, which was terrifying. Jason didn't want to be at a point in his life where Percy Jackson was the voice of reason.

Will and Nico locked eyes, lost and found and curious. It was too much.

"Nico!" Jason panicked. Two dark orbs turned towards him, while each step brought the son of Jupiter closer to the pair. "I... I need you -your help," he blurted out.

Involuntarily his hand clasped around Nico's wrist pulling them apart. His heart skipped a beat. Nico felt so nice beneath him, kinda delicate without being fragile. His skin wasn't quite warm but neither cold, unlike his own giant paws - huge and clumsy and sticky. What was he doing? He released him.

"With what?" Nico asked.

"I… I'll show you." It sounded stupid even to his own ears.

Nico sighed and turned to Will. A silent conversation took place and ultimately ended in Will's sunny laughter.

"Go ahead, but only this once," Will said.

Jason wasn't sure for whom the words were meant.

Nico shrugged, ready to follow Jason. And Jason had no idea where to.