Chapter Text
Jason didn’t know if it would even matter if he knocked on the door. Music was blaring from inside of Nico’s cabin, shocking the younger campers passing by as they were heading back to their own identical cabins. Jason snorted as a group of young girls walked past Jason, their eyes wide. Jason knocked anyway, and Nico threw open his door, his eyes alight. He said something low, and judging by his expression it was sarcastic.
“I can’t hear you!” Jason laughed. He threw his things in its usual corner and plopped down on the floor next to the blaring speakers. Nico flopped on his bed and let the song play out before turning it down. Jason grinned at him as he sat up.
“Well, hello Nico.”
“Hi Jason,” Nico said, throwing a pillow at Jason. Jason caught it and sat on it as he usually did. “Does my intensity scare you?”
“Can’t you tell that I’m trembling in my boots? Nico.” Jason rolled his eyes. “I know who Pierce the Veil is.”
Nico raised his eyebrows. “You do?”
Jason shrugged a shoulder. “I was a little sheltered in New Rome so… I dunno, I've been trying to listen to new music. And I really like Collide with the Sky,” Jason said, holding up the empty CD case. “Classic.”
“Wow, I didn’t know you were so cultured, Jason.” Nico said, getting on the ground and taking the stack of CDs from Jason. He flipped through them. “Have you heard of Jinjer?”
Jason shook his head as Nico hopped off the bed and plopped down in front of his laptop. He said that the song's name was Vortex before it started blasting out of the speakers. Jason just took it in. Somehow, Jason didn’t think that he would like the song as much as Nico did, but he liked how well Nico knew the song. Jason decided that he actually did like the band and the song. It felt mythic. Jason got into the rhythm and started bobbing his head during the breakdown. Nico’s grin widened. Nico turned the song down.
“I'm gonna make you a mixtape,” Nico said, matter of fact. “I don't even care if you like it."
Jason laughed. “Alright, well obviously now I have to make one for you too.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Nico brushed off, shuffling through his albums and opening his laptop. “Besides, I’m so sure that my taste in music is better than yours, so--”
“I don’t doubt that,” Jason said, looking up at Nico from the floor.
“Have you heard of Lamb of God?” Nico said, turning to look at Jason from the desk.
“Nope. Have you heard of Maroon 5?”
Nico turned to Jason, alarmed. Jason burst into laughter at Nico’s expression. “Oh my gods, your face is fantastic.”
“Shut up,” Nico chuckled, a small smile curving his face. Jason loved moments like this. It had taken a while for Nico to actually open up to him, and Jason savored every small smile he could produce from the man. Over the past four years, Jason and Nico had become inseparable as friends, and they often hung out with extremely low stakes. Sometimes Nico would come over to Jason’s cabin and just sit on the floor with a book and say nothing to Jason for hours. Jason loved their friendship, even if others were perplexed by it. Jason scrolled on his spotify and realized he really didn’t have much heavy metal or screamo in his saved albums.
“Oh! I know Tool,” Jason said. Nico peeked over his shoulder and nodded.
“Of course you know Tool,” Nico murmured as he clicked away on his laptop.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re so cultured, Jason Grace.” Nico said with slight dramatics. “I like Tool too. Have you heard of Baths?”
“I mean I’ve taken a bath--”
“Shut up.”
“Is the song called Rubber Ducky? Because I might know that one. I’m a huge fan of Baths.”
Nico actually laughed this time and Jason beamed in success.
“Unless the rubber ducky is actually a plugged in toaster, I don’t think this song is gonna have much in common with the type of bath you’re describing.”
“You’re always such a ray of sunshine, do you know that? I love how upbeat and positive you are.”
“Oh yes, Jason! Have you heard of Katy Perry? Lady Gaga? I love them!” Nico waved his hands dramatically and pitched up his voice.
Jason stood, “Hey now, don’t you dare hate on Lady Gaga, she is an international treasure for the music industry and the fashion world.”
Nico blinked, then chuckled. “I didn’t know you were so attached to Stefani Germonatta.”
“And how do you know her full name?” Jason squinted, poking Nico’s shoulder “You’re a little monster, aren’t you? Admit it. Own up to it, Nico.”
“No, but Will is.” Nico chuckled, rubbing the spot where Jason poked him and turning back to the screen. “When we were together it was all Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue. I don’t know how much in common they have with this playlist. I think I’m going to put… Lorna Shore on here. This song will blow your balls off,” Nico muttered to himself.
“What’s the song called?”
“Welcome Back, O’ Sleeping Dreamer. It’s one of my favorites from this album.”
“I’m sure it’s a walk in the park.” Jason said, looking at the names of the song titles over Nico’s shoulder. He was compiling them in his spotify. "So tell me again how much you love Lady Gaga?"
It was easy like that, Jason and Nico hanging out and talking about whatever came to their minds. Jason sat there for a few more hours pestering Nico from his own bed as Nico clicked away on his computer. Leo came around sunset.
"Gods, what is that sound?" Leo said over the blaring music.
"Death Grips," Nico shouted back. Jason was sitting next to the speaker, really trying to hear the lyrics, his eyes closed. Nico turned down the song way down and Jason frowned.
“Hey, I was listening to that.”
“You were?” Leo raised an eyebrow. “Dude, I gotta get you on some Bad Bunny or something. What was he even shouting?”
“ ‘I fuck the music, I make it cum. I fuck the music with my serpent tongue.’ ” Jason smirked, glancing at Nico. Nico choked on his drink and turned away, failing to stifle his laughter.
Leo paused, looking between the pair.“...Alright then.” Leo said. He turned to Jason. “Did you forget about game night with me, Percy, and Piper? We can’t play with three people, Jason.”
“Right! Shit, sorry.” Jason said, grabbing his things that had spread across the floor and the bed. “Sorry, Nico.”
“Why’re you sorry at me for?” Nico said, tucking his knee up against his chest on the chair.
“I dunno, I’ll think of something,” Jason said, distracted, looking at the pile of CDs on the floor. He didn’t really want to go, but he knew that he would never hear the end of it from Percy. He turned to look up at Nico. “Look, you better actually make me a playlist. I loved hearing all of this.”
“I can’t believe I played Death Grips for you and you still want music recommendations.” Nico smiled a little, leaning his head against his knee.
“Your music taste is a part of you,” Jason said, sliding on his jacket. “And I like you. So I want to know.”
Nico nodded. “Well you owe me one too,” Nico said quietly.
“Yeah, by the end of my playlist you’re going to trust me and appreciate Lady Gaga.”
Nico smiled again, glancing up at Jason and then away. “I mean, miracles happen every day, Grace.”
“C’mon, Jason, if I’m gone long enough, Percy will eat my game board and all of the cards, you know that. And I can press his nose into it but the message doesn’t seem to stick in his stupid seaweed brain.”
“Feral Percy, right,” Jason sighed, glancing at Nico and rolling his eyes. Nico giggled. That did something. “See you later, Nico.”
Jason followed Leo out of Nico’s door and out into the cold December night. He was already scheming, trying to think of the songs that he would put on the playlist for Nico. He was only passively paying attention to Piper, Percy, and Leo during the game, sneaking his phone out to add a song to his Spotify playlist for Nico when he thought about it. Piper shot him confusing looks at Jason’s phone as Percy gave a monologue about how his character was going to lay siege on Leo’s battlements. Jason brushed her off with a smile, promising to tell her later.
~*~*~
It only took him about a half hour to throw like 20 or so songs together on a Spotify playlist, Jason was excited to share his music with Nico, but he had been completely booked the next couple of days and hadn't seen Nico at all. Turns out turning a small campground outside of Denver Colorado into a neutral ground for Roman and Greek demigods was more involved than Jason really liked it to be. Mostly Reyna would call Jason from New Rome to rope him into talking about shrines and how he’s coming along as pontifex. Jason had hoped that relinquishing his title as praetor would mean there would be less responsibility on his shoulders, but no such luck. It was two days before he even saw Nico again.
“Hey!” Jason said, jogging over to Nico. “Jeez, you’re a hard guy to pin down.”
“Not really,” Nico said smoothly, tucking his hands into his jacket pockets, smirking. “You just gotta know where to look.”
“Sure thing, Waldo.” Jason laughed.
“I don’t know who that is.” Nico said, deadpanned. He pulled a CD case out of his pocket. It was clearly drawn on with a sharpie, the jewel case and a little booklet inside. Jason flipped through the booklet gratefully, smiling at the playlist and the little notes Nico left next to each of them.
“You wrote all the lyrics out?” Jason said. “For fifteen songs?”
Nico shrugged, kicking the ground. “Only fourteen. The Aphex Twin song doesn't have any lyrics. You’re into lyrics, right?”
“Yeah, definitely.” Jason said, surprised. “Well now I’m going to look like an asshole, I just made you a spotify playlist.”
Nico smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t forget.”
Jason rolled his eyes and nudged Nico’s shoulder. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Here, I’m sending you the playlist now. Go and like it so you have it in your library.” Jason said, texting Nico the link.
Nico pulled out his phone and opened his own app.
“Hey, be my friend on Spotify.” Jason said. “I want to see the albums you have in your library.”
“Oh gods,” Nico grumbled. “Yeah, okay Jason. You’re like a puppy sometimes, you know that?”
“Yes, yes I do.” Jason nodded as Nico confirmed his friend request. Jason pocketed his phone and. “Now this good boy is going to go train some children for the potential of battle, alright?”
“Alright. You’re so weird.”
“Sticks and stones di Angelo. Now call me a good boy, pat me on the head, and send me on my way.”
“Fuck off, Grace!” Nico laughed. Jason mentally kicked himself for losing track of his ongoing tally of Nico’s laughter. This would’ve been such a good one to add. Jason turned and headed towards the arena, rubbing the jewel case in his jacket pocket. He hoped Nico would like it.
~*~*~
Training went well, but ran super late. He didn’t have time to eat lunch before Percy dragged him away to go ice fishing. Jason had wanted to touch base with Nico a little more, but Percy shoved a wrapped sandwich in Jason’s arms and dragged him to the frozen lake. Jason hated fishing, but enjoyed the easy conversation with Percy. He and Percy had gotten a little closer over the years. There was still a mild competitive edge that kept their friendship playful. Percy had fully gotten set up and sat back in his folding chair, cracking open a beer. Jason was still thumbing the CD in his pocket. He finally couldn’t contain his excitement and pulled out.
“Hey, check it out.” Jason pulled out the CD that Nico gave him. The case itself felt like art. Nico had scribbled in some quick doodles in the handmade booklet, but they were so expressive and dynamic. The mixtape felt really special.
“Woah, wild.” Percy said, taking the CD from Jason. Jason hesitated, not wanting to let it go. “Nico made you this?”
“Yeah, isn’t it cool? I didn’t know he could draw.”
“Yeah, he used to draw a lot when he was a kid, I know that.” Percy said, handing back the CD. Jason felt a little bit of relief mixed with a foreign sting of jealousy. Imagining Nico as a kid made him kind of sad. He knew how isolated Nico was in his childhood. Jason looked at the CD in his hands.
“Do you know any of the artists on there? I saw Death Grips.”
Jason’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “You like Death Grips?”
Percy shook his head, laughing. “They’re a bit much for me, but I like that song. I’m all over the place but lately I’ve been into like… MF DOOM, Tyler the Creator… stuff like that.”
“Oh. I’ve never heard of them.”
“You’ve never heard of MF DOOM? Maybe I should make you a playlist. Don’t expect that level of detail though,” Percy said pointing at the CD. “He really put in a lot of effort.”
“Yeah, I guess he did. Makes me feel like an asshole, I just made him a playlist on Spotify.”
“Wow, you’re a heartless bitch,” Percy nodded. Jason chuckled.
“Shut up, dude.”
“You guys are so close.” Percy said, taking his gloves off and beginning to wrap a lure. “You actually like his music?”
Jason shrugged. “I’m trying to be open to it. A lot of it was really abrasive and hard to understand at first. But usually about a minute into the song, I’m on board with whatever’s happening. And… I don’t know,” Jason murmured, watching Percy create another beautiful lure. “The music he likes is kind of like Nico in that way. A lot of it seems scary-- Hell it may actually even be scary but… I think about the passion it takes to really be yourself and to make music that others may not like at first. And then it’s really easy to find beauty.”
Percy tied off the lure with his teeth and snipped loose ends, raising his eyebrow at Jason. “Beauty?”
“Uh… yes?" Jason said, confused by Percy's expression. “Just because you don’t like something at first doesn’t mean you can’t grow to understand it and find it beautiful. Like Death Grips.”
"Okay, Jason." Percy hooked a chunk of fish to the end of the new lure and dropped it into the water. "Are you seeing anyone? That was kind of poetic."
Jason sighed. "I'm too busy to even consider that right now. Honestly, the whole thing with Piper burnt me out. Girls are… well I mean girls like me but. It's just like. I dunno. You think I should try to start dating?"
Percy shrugged, that weird expression on his face still. "I think you should open your heart to the possibility again."
"Yeah, maybe." Jason murmured. Familiar silence of fishing started to permeate the warm little hut. Jason turned the CD case in his hands thoughtfully. His stomach started to knot up. He really didn’t want to think about dating anyone. Plenty of girls showed interest in him, but he didn’t really know any of them. It felt like a daunting task. Jason sat back in the chair and sighed. “Maybe not, though,” he admitted quietly.
“Whatever man, I’m just saying.” Percy smiled up at him. “And for the record, I'm probably not going to make that mixtape. Just listen to MF DOOM, alright?"
~*~*~
Jason finally made it back to his cabin and popped in the mixtape before even taking off his jacket.
The music wasn’t nearly as intense as the music Nico played in his own cabin. Jason even recognized some of the songs. Jason smiled as he read along with the lyrics, his headphones blaring Brand New and Crystal Castles.
Jason smiled as he realized they chose some of the same artists. Jason closed his eyes and allowed the music to paint a picture of Nico’s perception of himself, of Nico’s perception of the world. Reading the lyrics in Nico’s tiny handwriting made the thing more personal. Jason felt lightness in his chest as he listened to the songs. It really was a fantastic experience. He laid back and listened to the mixtape in full. Nico was just so… interesting . There was always something new to learn about him. He was tortured, but he was healing. Jason could relate to that, and Nico knew that Jason could relate to that. They had shared just about everything with each other at this point. Jason had only known him for four years, but in those years Jason had learned so much about both himself and Nico.
Jason didn’t want to turn it off after it had finished. He removed his headphones for a moment, sat with them clutched in his hands on his chest. He took a deep breath and absorbed the silence.
“That was great, Nico.” Jason said quietly to himself. Jason stood and unplugged the headphones, turned the stereo down to a whisper and dropped back down in his bed, exhausted from the day.