Tell him. Tell him! TELL HIM!
Jason's ears rung. He wanted to cover them - it was just too much noise. The disembodied sounds got louder and louder, begging, screaming, every time Nico twisted and the son of Jupiter rediscovered those luscious lips curved into an exhilarated smile. Whenever their eyes met they'd flash with joy. It left him breathless. Nico kept him moving though, kept him on his toes. Laughter and excitement mixed into their spontaneous routine. Left and right, up and down, Jason was blown into a million directions. Yet he was running on borrowed time. The window was closing. Gradually the notes faded into the background and for one last time, Nico's body pressed against his. He couldn't let go.
"Jason?" Nico's face, a lovely shade of pink, tilted, his pulse fast but strong. "Are you okay?"
He was not. His heart was beating furiously, his hands trembled, his muscles tensed as if they anticipated lightning to strike any second. Fight or flight? Jason froze.
"I…"
Tell him.
"I…"
He didn't. Jason's fingers closed around Nico's shoulders. In an unnatural almost robotic motion, he forced the younger back, putting a safe distance between them. Space. He needed space. Nico looked at him confused and worried. The ground below their feet rumbled. There was also hurt in his expression. Jason never meant to be the cause of it.
Please tell him!
He couldn't. Like a coward, he took off.
.
.
.
"The heck, Grace!" Percy's voice cut through the darkness.
The mortal son of the ruler of the Gods sat in the dirt, face burrowed between his knees and bulky arms thrown over his head.
"What have I done?" He whispered devastated.
"Hey," Percy said softer now, careful as if not to spook him any further. His friend looked three steps away from a panic attack.
Jason lifted his gaze. "This was my last chance," he choked with glassy eyes.
Percy winced at his pained expression. He should have never - "No. No, it's not!" The hero of Olympe suddenly burst out, following his guts and not letting Jason's drama pull him under. "Nico isn't going anywhere."
In an act of mercy, he gave Jason a second to let his words sink in and rub the snot out of his face. "It's going to be okay, idiot."
"Thanks," the literal Adonis replied, having no right to sound so small.
Percy rolled his eyes before he punched him into the shoulder. "Just make sure to apologize. Nico seemed rather upset."
AN: Inspired by the song from Cavetown - This Is Home
Do or die? Sink or swim? Red pill or blue pill? Maybe perfect boy Jason Grace has a fatal flaw after all. Let's tie up all those loose ends into a nice little bow chapter. It's time for Nico to pick his poison.
