Hiya everyone! Glad you are all liking it so far. I have no idea how long this story is going to be, so you know, just hang in there. Back to Percy's POV
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Percy's POV
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"Sorry to hear that Jay," I said when Jason told me about his and Leo's break up. I didn't think he'd actually do it, although it seemed that Leo wasn't as sweet and lovable as everyone thought. "You're better off without him anyway. Do you want me to get Piper to launch ham sandwiches at a hundred miles an hour at him?" He cracked a small smile and Nico gave him a hug.
"Again, I'm really sorry about the necklace Nico," he said, wiping his eyes. I didn't even notice he'd begun to cry, but I did notice the tear tracks on his cheeks. "It was stupid of me to go along with it."
"It's okay Jay Jay," he said, giving Jason a new nickname. "You didn't know about it till the last minute anyway." He crawled onto Jason's lap and smiled. "Now smile. Big heroes like you don't cry." He gently wiped away Jason's tears, and Jason squeezed him close. I moved forward to take Nico back, but my little shadow prince shook his head and squeezed Jason back. Nico thinking of other people's feelings? He really had changed.
"Thanks for the hug Nico," Jason said, letting him go. Nico scampered over to me and climbed onto my back, resting his head on my shoulder. I felt him pull out his necklace again. Ever since he got it back, he'd take it out at random intervals and look at it, touch it, and basically just enjoy having it back. I saw Jason crack a smile out of the corner of my eye. It seems Nico could make anyone smile.
"Prince," Nico asked, playing with my hair. "Can Jason come with us on our shopping trip this afternoon? Some time away from camp, and Leo, would do him so good. Nothing gets you over a breakup faster than friends anyway." I smiled over my shoulder at him, captured his hand, and kissed his fingertips.
"That's a wonderful idea sweetie," I said, and Nico giggled and blushed down to his collar. "What do you say, Jay? Wanna come hang out with your pals in the city? We can go to Central Park and go shopping on Fifth Ave and just wander the city. It'll be fun." Jason wrinkled his nose like he was thinking about it, and Nico pouted at him.
"Please Jay Jay?" he asked. "It'll keep your mind off Leo for a few hours. Besides, maybe you'll find something you really like." Jason shrugged and stood up, smiling at him. He came over and Nico jumped into his arms. While I felt a surge of protectiveness, I also felt happy Nico was helping Jason try and get over Leo by turning on the cute. Who could resist cute Nico?
"Alright, alright," he said, laughing and ruffling Nico's hair. "I'll go with you guys. It'll be fun, after all." Nico cheered and smiled at him, and he smiled back at my shadow prince. I smiled at them both. Now that Jason apologized for the little stunt he had a part it, I could turn the other cheek with him. After all, he's suffering enough anyway.
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"Thank you!" Nico told the pretzel vendor, handing him some bills. "Keep the change." He wandered back over to where Jason and I were sitting. "Eat up Jay Jay," he said, perching on my lap and tearing bits of pretzel off and dunking them in cheese sauce. Jason scowled at his pretzel and pushed it aside. Nico stopped eating and stared at him, his eyes watering. "Don't you like it?" he asked. Jason sighed and began eating it slowly. Nico went back to happily dunking pretzel bits in cheese. I chuckled softly and took a sip of my coke.
"Where to first Jason?" I asked him. He frowned. I don't think he was used to choosing where he wanted to go.
"Prada," he replied at last. "They've got awesome clothes. I want some new things that Leo hasn't picked out for me in advance. Percy, you could probably find something there." He looked at Nico. "You too Nico." Just then, Nico looked over and squealed.
"Percy, carriage rides!" he cried, pointing. Both Jason and I looked over and I noticed the horse-drawn carriages. Nico had a fascination with them, which is weird because they didn't really like Nico.
Hey guys, I thought. One of the horses let out a loud whinny and shook his mane. Nico laughed and clapped. Think you'd be willing to pull us around? It'd be me, Nico, and Jason.
One smells like death, the horse replied. But yes, we shall. I stood up and walked over to the horses, and Jason and Nico followed me. I handed the man some money, and he tipped his hat to us, climbed up, and looked at us expectantly. I helped Nico up, but Jason hesitated.
"It's okay Jason," I whispered, offering him my hand. He took it and I pulled him up. He sat across from Nico and I, and looked vaguely uncomfortable. I knew he was hurting from his breakup with Leo, and doing something like this must be hard. "Jay," I said, resting my hand on his knee. He looked at me, and I saw traces of tears in his eyes. "Jay, it's going to be okay. Leo's just an idiot. He's obviously not the guy you thought he was. Try and enjoy this day, okay? After we're done with Nico's carriage ride we'll hit up Prada and anywhere else you want to go."
"Tiffany's," he replied quickly. "I want a ring. Not exactly that," he added, pointing at Nico's skull ring, which he covered with his other hand. "Something nice. For myself." He grinned. "I'm single and ready to mingle after all. I gotta look the part." I smiled and slapped him on the back.
"That's the spirit Jay," I said. "That's the spirit."
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"Sharp looking suit Jason," I said as he emerged from the dressing room. He twirled around in his two piece grey suit, examining himself in the mirror. "Guys will be drooling all over you if you show up in that."
"You think?" he asked, looking unsure. Nico let out a low whistle, and I shot him a look, squeezing his hand. "Thanks Nico," Jason said with a smile, disappearing back inside. "It's definitely something to think about. Can we head to Tiffany's now?" Nico grinned up at me and shook his head. This might've started out as an outing meant for just Nico and I, but it quickly turned into a cheer Jason up day. It seemed to be working. He smiled more often, and he'd begun to joke with us again. In other words, he acted more like himself.
"Sure Jay Jay," Nico replied, looking at me for objections. I shrugged. I didn't care one way or another. "We can. I have something I want to look at anyway." He slung the straps of his backpack over his shoulders and stood up. Jason came out of the dressing room and set the stuff he'd had on the small desk, smiling at the man typing away at the computer. He smiled back and whisked away the clothes.
"What do you want to look for?" Jason asked, slipping his jacket back on. I noticed it was an old army jacket that he seemed to wear everywhere, no matter the weather. Then I realized who's it was. I didn't say anything, for his sake, but he'd most likely have to give Leo his jacket back at some point.
"Nothing in particular," he replied, looking at me. "Just, something I ordered special a few days back. When your dad is my dad, you get things." He smiled at both of us and skipped ahead. Jason rolled his eyes to the heavens and chuckled. "Come one guys! Tiffany's isn't too far." When we both emerged outside, Nico pulled us into the shadows of a building and closed his eyes. We reappeared in front of Tiffany's. Jason stumbled forward and I caught his arm while he regained his composure. He straightened and gave me a weak smile, still looking a little paler than normal, but otherwise okay.
"I'm glad we're here," he said as we entered the building. He immediately went to rings while Nico talked intently with the man behind the counter. I kept a close eye on him as I joined Jason. "Look Perce," he said, pointing at the gold bands. "That's what I want. They're simple yet elegant." He kept examining them while Nico joined us, pressing a small, black box into my hand.
"What's this sweetie?" I asked, looking down at it. He looked at me anxiously, and I noticed how nervous he looked. "Sweetie, you shouldn't have," I continued, giving him a hug and kiss. I gently opened the box, and gasped. I wasn't a ring person by any means, but this was no ordinary ring. It was real gold, that much I could tell, and it had one dark blue diamond in the shape of a heart on the top, and around the band was a series of smaller dark blue diamonds. "Sweetie, it's beautiful," I said, taking it out of its box.
"Persephone helped me pick it out for you," he admitted, and he smiled nervously. "Truth be told, I wasn't sure if you would like it." I embraced him, slipping the ring on. A perfect fit. Thank you Persephone.
"It's perfect Nico," I replied, trailing kisses down his neck. "Thank you so much." He smiled at me and took my hand to examine it. "It's beautiful Nico. I didn't know they made dark blue diamonds."
"They don't. It's a custom order," he replied. "Persephone herself delivered them to this store. My darling Prince of the Sea deserves only the best." He stood on his tiptoes and began to kiss me with earnest. I don't think Nico's ever started a kiss before, but holy Zeus did it feel right.
"People are looking," Jason said, surprising us both. We pulled away quickly and Nico turned red. Jason began to laugh and held up his hand to show us his new ring.
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"Thanks guys," Jason said, depositing his bags in his cabin. He was decked out in new threads, with a black wife beater, that accursed army jacket, dark blue jeans, and white sneakers. He looked refreshed and ready for a new ending to his book. "This has been a great day." He looked down at mine and Nico's twined fingers. "Hey, nice ring," he said, motioning to my new piece of jewelry.
"Nico custom ordered it," I replied, kissing his temple. "Didn't you sweetie?" Nico giggled and skipped off, humming to himself. I smiled and shook my head, turning back to Jason. "Did you have a good day, Jay?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said, grinning. "It was great. Nico's so lucky he has you. You're a really great guy." Jason's praise caught me off guard. I looked at my hands and twisted my ring.
"Thanks," I mumbled. Suddenly, Jason lurched forward and pecked my cheek. We stared at each other in shock, and he quickly backpedaled. "Jason… may I ask what that was?"
"I don't know," he replied, looking stumped. "Oh, I know. I like you Percy. A lot. In fact… I think I love you."
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Ending there! Kill me if you want! I know in the earlier chapters they didn't work out but Jason needs someone to lean on. Apparently Percy is that person. Just don't tell Nico!
