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Jason moved his hand to take Nico's; he gave Nico a cautious look, and when the other didn't react, he let himself smile a bit at the fact. It was really great to see Nico be more comfortable with soft touches like this, making Jason feel less pressure to need to get over the fact that he didn't want to kiss Nico.
It had been a while since their relationship had become this strange mix of friends that are really close but not like they are dating, but also yes? Jason wasn't too sure what they were. Reyna liked to call them "boyfriends" as a joke, and Nico was comfortable enough with the joke that Jason hadn't thought to stop her.
But, at the same time, Jason wouldn't really call what they had dating. Sure, Nico was probably one of the only people outside Reyna who really knew who Jason was outside being the Champion of Juno… Of being the son of Jupiter, but it was mostly because of how much their friendship had grown and bloomed in the couple of weeks they had known one another.
They were something. And Jason really liked whatever that something was as undefined as it was.
“Jason,” Nico called, which made Jason turn to look at him. Nico had a grimace on his face. “Your hand is full of dirt.”
“Oh… I was helping Hazel train… Sorry.” Jason tried to move to pull away, but Nico pulled him back by the wrist and then pulled out a handkerchief that had seen better days. He passed the cloth through every one of Jason's fingers with a carefulness that Jason was still getting used to receiving.
“There.” He said as he finally pulled away and took Jason's hand once more. “I swear, you were raised by animals with how you roll in the dirt sometimes.”
Jason was good at keeping from saying just what was on his mind most of the time, but Nico just kept on somehow getting through all the walls Jason thought that he had once built up.
“I was.”
Nico blinked at that, his face one of full confusion. “Excuse me?”
“I was raised by Lupa until I was like ten. Then I came into New Rome and got my proper training.”
Nico's bewilderment at that was a rare sight, and yet Jason got extremely anxious about it. That was everyone's first reaction when he told them that. Some, like Reyna, who would laugh and say that then it made sense why he was such a messy eater. Others like Octavius would hold back more than half of what he thought about him having been raised in such a unique way.
Of course, Jason was instantly reminded as to why Nico was different from everyone else.
“Cool, I was raised in a hotel… Technically.”
Jason knew in what a hotel was in theory, but he guessed that maybe it was not the most usual place to be raise in, more considering just how close to his father Nico was.
“Lord Pluto didn't give your mother and Hazel a better place to stay?” Jason inquired. It was the wrong move, as any question regarding Nico's family was bound to be.
Nico didn't seem inclined to answer as he instantly turned to look away once more. Jason wanted to let out a sigh at it as if he shouldn't have known better than to pry more, but Nico was such a mystery for both him and the whole of New Rome, and yet Jason couldn't help himself from not doing it from time to time. It was only natural considering Nico was one of Jason's closer friends apart from Dakota or Reyna.
But Nico still found ways to surprise Jason, even if just a bit.
“I mean…” He started and instantly shut up; he seemed to mull over what to say a bit more, and then he said, “My other sister and I had to keep under the radar because of a dispute our father had with certain deities.”
Jason didn't dare to ask just who Lord Pluto could hold a dispute with that would force his children to hide; what he did dare to ask was about the mysterious new daughter of Lord Pluto that no one seemed to know about! How interesting was the fact that Hazel had never brought her up even as close as Jason has gotten with her too… Perhaps it was not enough to get in what seems to be a family secret of sorts.
“Is she still in hiding?” Jason inquired, unsure if his guess would be taken as offensive.
“No,” Nico admitted with a sudden somberness. “She passed on a mission with Lady Artemis after she became one of her hunters.”
“Diana.” Jason corrected him on instinct. Perhaps whatever hotel Nico was raised in was to fault for Nico's inclination for using the Greek names for the Gods. But after a second he processed what Nico said. “Wait, she—when?”
Jason felt a sharp pain on his palm; Nico had scratched him as soon as Jason asked that, but he also started explaining the situation in detail. “I wasn't there for it; I felt it though, and it was… It wasn't the greatest thing to feel at all… Hazel has helped me with it the best way she can.” Something in Nico's voice broke as he kept explaining, but even then he didn't shed any tears.
He was far stronger than Jason ever had been.
“Sometimes I dream of having a sister,” Jason mentions as he makes sure to not lean on Nico, knowing how the other hates him to do so. Even then he started tracing stars into Nico's hands. “She is older, stronger, and more capable than I would ever be… Maybe if I had a sister she would have gotten along with your other sister.”
Nico chuckles at that. “I think your hypothetical sister would be impressed with you.” Silence lingered for a moment, and Jason thought that had been the whole extent, both of them confiding about some things even if not in their totality. But then, Nico added, not as loud as before, more personal and real than anything he had said before. “Bianca would be proud to see me be friends with you too.”
That meant a lot more than Jason ever thought it would.
“Maybe if I had a sister you two would get along really well.”
That got Nico to outright giggle, as if Jason had said the more unbelievable thing. “No, I don't think she would.”
“Well, that's better,” Jason said as he flashed the other a smile. “That means more Nico for me.” Nico smiled back, as small and unsure as any smiles he gave were.
Things really were way better with Nico. Jason really hopes the happiness at being with him to never end.