The door to Jason's cabin opened with a slam and Jason was only half surprised when Nico di Angelo stormed into the room and fell face first down on Jason's bed, groaning loudly into the pillow.

Jason's lips quirked up at the corners and he flipped the page of the book he was attempting to read, laying on the couch with his head in Piper's lap. She had jumped when Nico had come in but was now staring down at Jason with an eyebrow raised.

"Jason," Nico whined into the pillow. "Save me."

Jason snickered and sat up, putting the book down on the coffee table. He looked over at Nico and smirked.

It had been 5 years since they'd defeated Gaea from waking and her forces from destroying the world. In those few short years Nico had shot up like a rocket so that now he towered over everyone at 6'3", got an undercut and actually, believe it or not, started wearing colours. He'd gotten healthier and started working out so that now he was one of the most attractive guys at camp, lucky bastard. Oh, and he'd come out to the entire camp. Jason was still the only person on the planet who was aware about his crush on Percy, though(or at least, the only person Nico knew was aware of it).

Jason was 99% sure he was over that crush. He knew Nico had been lying through his teeth about being over him when Jason had first found out, but now that he was 19 and slightly more—ahem—experienced, he had gotten over the phase. Jason, honestly, was relieved. Nico deserved happiness. And he wasn't getting it from Percy—who was busy frolicking in Camp Jupiter with his new wife and baby girl. Nico had even smiled at the wedding.

"What can I do for you, babe?" Jason asked, sitting back and stretching his arms out to his sides, resting them on the back of the couch. Piper snuggled in against his chest.

Jason and Nico's relationship was... complicated.

Leo would always be Jason's best friend, but since the gods had granted him immortality and set his equally immortal girlfriend free, Jason didn't see him much. He stopped by from time to time to catch up and to fix everything his brothers and sisters had been to 'lacking of natural talent' to fix.

Nico, however, was more like Jason's... soulmate.

They weren't soulmates as in, romantically involved. Jason was happily engaged to Piper and would never stop loving her. Nico was just... well he was that part of Jason that he'd felt like he was missing ever since he woke up on the bus with Leo and Piper after having his memory stolen.

It was common knowledge around the camp that Jason and Nico always knew where the other was, always knew how they were and what they were doing. They knew everything about each other and kept no secrets from each other. They acted like a couple and like brothers at the same time in a weird sort of relationship that would never work with any other two people.

Nico whined loudly and peeked out at the two demigods sitting together on the couch. He pouted dramatically and Jason rolled his eyes.

"You're ruining you're image, bro."

Nico huffed and sat up as Piper chuckled softly. "I'll leave you two alone," she said softly, kissing Jason's cheek gently and standing from the couch. She blew a kiss to Nico teasingly before slipping out of the cabin and closing the door behind her.

Jason stood from the couch and walked towards the bed where Nico was hiding in the pillow again. He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted Nico's head.

"There, there. What's up?"

Nico whined again and sat up slowly, leaning back against the wall with his legs crossed under him.

"I met a boy," he said softly.

Jason's eyes went wide and he grinned.

"Is he cute?" he asked loudly, his grin only widening when Nico blushed.

"Ugh, only you would ask that first," Nico scoffed, shifting uncomfortably. "And of course he's cute, even I have standards."

Jason laughed out loud and patted Nico on the shoulder. "Okay, so why do you need saving? This isn't your first rodeo show, babe."

Nico squirmed and chewed his bottom lip. Jason raised an eyebrow, growing suspicious.

"Alright, spit it out. What's wrong?"

Nico sighed loudly and ran a hand through his untidy hair. "He's... he's mortal... and he has no idea what I am."

Jason closed his eyes and sighed. "Ah," he said softly, leaning back against the wall beside Nico so their shoulders and arms touched just slightly. "Now I get it."

He looked at Nico, taking in his appearance. He looked... really concerned about this. Jason wondered just how much Nico liked this boy.

"Tell me about him," Jason said softly, smiling at the younger man.

Nico flushed and swallowed hard.

"He, uh... his name is Peter. He has brownish red hair and blue eyes. He's only an inch or two shorter than me. He's thin, but t-toned."

Jason didn't miss the stutter and the way Nico's cheeks darkened at the description.

"Nico, anyone can tell me those things. Those are facts. Tell me about him. What made you fall for him?"

Nico rubbed his forehead irritably. "I didn't fall for him," he muttered. "It's n-not like it's love or anything... I just like him. I think he's funny and smart and he has a really nice... smile."

Jason grinned and nudged Nico with his arm. "You're so smitten."

Nico rolled his eyes and huffed, nudging back. "Shut up. Do you want to hear about him or not?"

Jason mimed zipping his lips.

"He's... we met when I was on my way back from visiting Hazel. I decided to walk, for some ungodly reason, and he was just sort of... there. He was sitting on the side of the road looking so incredibly lost and yet... he was smiling. He had headphones on and he was listening to something. His eyes were closed and he looked so happy. I figured he was a weirdo. So naturally, I said hi."

Jason chuckled. That was his Nico. Since he'd started to open up and let people in, Jason had quickly discovered that Nico would befriend anyone.

"He was just really lost. He'd been hitchhiking but no one ever comes down that road any more unless they're going to Camp Jupiter. I offered to lead him to the nearest town, since I was going anyways, and we started walking together. He let me listen to his music, which was really good, and we talked about nothing in particular. It wasn't awkward, though. We spent most of the walk laughing... I realized once we got into town and he said that that was where he was going to say goodbye that I didn't want him to leave. I'd had such a good time talking to him that I asked for his number without even thinking about it. He was surprised at first but smiled and gave it to me before asking for mine in return... He called me before I could work up the courage to call him."

Jason frowned, stopping Nico's story to voice a question. "What number? You don't have a phone, dude."

Nico rolled his eyes and pulled out a old looking cell phone from his back pocket. "Annabeth made it for me," he said and Jason couldn't help but smile at the casual way he said her name. "So that I could keep in touch when I'm visiting dad. It's signal is blocked so the monsters can't sense it."

Jason whistled lowly. Nico did tend to disappear for days at a time, so he was glad he had a phone he could use. Now all he needed to do was get Annabeth to make him one.

Nico gave him a knowing look. "She says it will be here within the week," he said, smirking.

Jason grinned and nodded. "Excellent. Alright, continue." He mimed zipping his lips again.

"The first thing he said to me when I picked up was 'You're gay, right?'. It took me a couple seconds to make any sound, but I said yes and then he said 'Good, because I just wanted to make sure that when I ask you on a date in a minute that I'm not getting the wrong assumption'." Nico smiled and chuckled softly. "I sort of floundered and just said ok but he just said 'Now pretend like I didn't say any of that so you can be surprised when I ask you on a date'."

Jason chuckled. "What an interesting man," he said softly, running a hand through his hair. Nico shrugged and mirrored the action.

"Interesting... yeah, I'd call him that. He's really strange and energetic. He reminded me a little of Leo at first, actually. Except less annoying and sarcastic. And Peter is actually funny."

Jason laughed. "Wow, harsh."

Nico smiled a little and played with the end of his shirt, running his fingers over the fabric.

"So, um... basically he's all I can think about and I really... really want to be his boyfriend. And he's asked me if I wanted to be official even though we've already gone on several dates. But I don't want to... not until I tell him the truth. I can't lie to him about it... Jason, how am I supposed to tell someone that I'm actually the son of Hades, the Greek god of the underworld? He's going to think I'm crazy. Or, if I prove it to him, he's going to think I'm a monster."

Jason frowned. "You're not a monster."

Nico gave him a long suffering look. "I see dead people."

Jason rolled his eyes. Nico had a point. It would probably be pretty freaky to someone who wasn't used to it.

"Just tell him, man. What else is there to do? Just say that you really want to be with him, but you have a secret that is kind of important he keep. And then tell him. Simple as that. You're gonna have to tell him eventually. You can introduce him to me, if you want, so that he knows you're not totally wacko. Maybe, once you get together, you can convince Chiron to let him into the camp. Introduce him to everyone and make him really believe. You've gotta seriously convince him, though, or else he won't be able to see the truth through the mist."

Nico sighed loudly and nodded, letting his head fall into his hands. "Yeah, you're right," he murmured softly.

Jason grinned. "I'm always right."

Jason was planning his next sword fighting teach when the door to his cabin swung open and he suddenly had a very excited, very tall Nico di Angelo attempting to climb his way onto Jason's lap.

"Jason!" Nico practically screeched into Jason's ear once he'd finally found a comfortable spot straddling Jason's lap with Jason's carefully thought out, except not, lesson plan scattered around him on the bed where Nico had tossed it. "Jason, I have a boyfriend!"

Before Jason could respond, Piper's head poked out of the bathroom where she'd been doing her make up.

"Is he cute?" she asked, a shit-eating grin plastered on her face.

Nico blushed and attempted to retreat off Jason's lap, obviously having been unaware of her presence when he'd come in.

Jason wasn't having any of that, however, and hugged Nico tightly to stop him from squirming away.

"So you told him? And he's okay with it?"

Nico squirmed some more, uncomfortable with Piper around. No matter how many times she said she was okay with their relationship, Jason knew Nico felt like he was imposing. Yeah, their relationship was weird, but it worked.

When you jump into the River Lethe for someone, you tend to get attached.

Nico didn't say a word until Piper rolled her eyes with a disgusted noise and walked out of the cabin, closing the door behind her. Jason looked at Nico pointedly and he launched into the story.

"We were at his place and he was messing around in the kitchen and I was kind of freaking out a little, worrying about what I was going to say to him and how I was going to tell him and then I just said it... It just came out of my mouth and I couldn't stop it. I don't know why, but he just looked at me funny and laughed. I thought he assumed I was joking, but he was laughing because he... already knew."

Jason frowned and opened his mouth to say something but Nico put his finger to Jason's lips and hushed him.

"No, just listen. He laughed until he was crying and I was really embarrassed and just sat there and he looked at me and grinned and said 'I know, stupid, it's obvious'. I didn't know what part of it was obvious, but it didn't matter because he came over to me and kissed me and said that my face was like an open book. Apparently he has a cousin who's a demigod at Camp Jupiter. He knows all about the gods and stuff, even though he's mortal. He's just... Gods, Jason, he's so perfect. I thought the fact that I'm a demigod was going to totally rip us apart but it didn't, we're closer than ever now and... and now he's mine."

Nico was practically bouncing in his seat, he was so excited. Jason laughed softly and ruffled Nico's hair.

"I'm glad you're so happy, Nic. Seriously... I've been waiting to see you this happy for years."

Nico blushed a little and punched Jason lightly in the arm. "Hey, don't get all sappy on me now."

Jason just continued to smile as he pulled Nico into a tight hug and tickled him until he begged for mercy.

"So," Jason said once he'd let the son of Hades free. "When am I going to meet your new boo?"

Nico rolled his eyes as he straightened his hair and clothes which had been rumpled in the attack. "This Tuesday. He's coming to camp. It's all worked out with Chiron and Mr. D."

Jason grinned and nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now, in the mean time, I'm going to get all the kisses and cuddles out of you that I can because you're a taken man now."

He lunged at Nico, grabbing him around the waist when Nico yelped and attempted to squirm out of the way. He wiggled and laughed as Jason cuddled him and rained kisses down on him. Nico placed a hand firmly on Jason's face and pushed him back. He was laying on his back, wiggling to get away from Jason's hold around his waist. The son of Jupiter's chin was pressing painfully into Nico's rib cage and he was pouting hard behind the hand on his face.

That, of course, was when the door opened.

The two boys froze and looked at Piper who was standing in the doorway, an unimpressed look on her face. She sighed loudly and turned on her heels, walking back down the steps.

"Call me when you're done, eh lovebirds?"

Jason grinned and shouted a quick 'love you' after her before continuing his mission to annoy the living daylights out of Nico.