Chapter Text
“we casually hook up at parties sometimes but this time you got so drunk you couldn’t make it all the way back to your dorm so i let you crash in my room because it was closer and it turns out you’re really cute when you wake up in the morning, fuck”
Jason Grace, despite the ever-turning gossip mill at his university, is not as much of a follow-the-rules type of guy as previously thought. Jason Grace, in his third year of university and all his football-playing glory, begins the mess of his life on a nondescript Friday night.
It began like this: Jason was invited to a party. Percy was the start of it all. Percy is always the start of it all. Percy had convinced him that the party in his apartment would be nice and quiet. It would be a joyous juxtaposition to his tense days and stressful nights spent studying.
Jason should have known that it was a lie.
So Jason began this by being stuck at a party with people he didn’t know. All the friends he did know were either flirting with people or busy getting drunk to forget spending 23,000 dollars or more on a tuition they couldn’t afford. Jason understood the underaged drinking for some of them. Jason was lounging against the wall, drinking his beer, letting the bass of the loud music vibrate through his skin, when he saw him.
Across the room, leaning in the casted shadows of the makeshift dance floor of Percy’s apartment, was a guy looking on the scene of dancing and gyrating college students with a look of disdain. He wore tight black jeans, a belt, a white shirt, and a shiny leather jacket. The lights flashing in the apartment reflected off his skin as it created a glow on his skin. Before he knew what he was doing or even really thought about it at all, Jason was making his way over. He leaned against the wall right next to the guy with the undercut and intimidating air.
“I’m Jason.” He tried to say over the speakers. Although it mostly came out muffled and muted.
The guy nodded, scanning the area. “Nico.”
Nico. He hadn't yelled it over the speakers the way Jason had. It felt as though he'd whispered it right into his ear. Jason mulled over the name. It was nice. He stood there for a while just watching Nico and allowing his third beer to warm him and let a slight haze run over the things he saw. There were so many people in the one apartment.
Nico leaned over. “Wanna get out of here?”
Jason smiled at him. “Sure.”
Nico pulled him through the throng of people until they were out in the cool hallway. Nico turned to look towards the ends of the hallway before his lips came into contact with Jason’s. It felt nice. Jason could feel his haze slowly receding, but enjoyed the kiss with the buzz in the back of his head. Nico tasted like orange juice and alcohol, something Jason didn’t mind too much as Nico ran his tongue over Jason’s lips, seeking entrance into his mouth. Jason opened his mouth in a breathy gasp and Nico kissed him with fervor. Maybee Percy hadn’t been so wrong after all.
Nico dropped to his knees and Jason’s eyes widened at the insinuation.
“Whoa, whoa, I-”
Nico spread his palm over Jason’s chest and looked up at him. “Relax. You’ll enjoy it. Is it okay if I. . .?”
Nico trailed off, inclining a finger at Jason’s groin. Jason nodded and gulped. He never did this. Jason waited until his relationships had developed. Jason was practical and reasonable and he was known as the goody-two-shoes. Jason prided himself on being the only one, or one of the only ones, within his group of friends who thought practically and did things in calculated measure. Jason had never done anything like this before. It was uncouth, not that Jason cared much about things like that, but it was thoughtless, it was dangerous with anybody being able to come by at any time to see a guy on his knees, sucking Jason off. But as soon as Nico’s mouth was on him and he reached down, gathering Nico’s hair in his hands, Jason wasn’t really focused on what he did and did not too. When they both came in the silent hallways with the walls vibrating from the bass of the music on the other side they both stared at each other for a moment.
Jason was speechless.
Nico looked at him and smirked. “Nice to meet you, Superman. See ya around.”
He slipped into the apartment, letting the shadows and flashing lights carry him away before Jason could get a good look at him. Jason slumped down to the floor and promptly passed out.
Jason woke up with a throbbing headache and a name in the back of his mind. Percy was also staring down at him.
“Well if it isn’t our resident nerd. Whatcha doing out here?”
Jason groaned as he rose to his feet.
Percy grinned at him. “Let me guess, you’re hungover?”
Jason gave him a withering look. “You’re lucky I don’t have classes today.”
Percy chuckled. “Lucky me. So, seriously, what are you doing out here?”
Jason blushed, recalling the guy named Nico who had exchanged sex with him and disappeared. He made something up on the fly.
“I fell asleep out here because the music was too loud.”
Percy sighed and opened their apartment door. “Sorry about that. Parties always tend to get out of hand for some reason.”
“It’s because you can’t say no to a good time, even if some of us have work the next day.” Annabeth said as she made her way to the kitchen. She gave Percy a kiss as she did so.
Percy scoffed. “Please, you were the one who started beer pong. You’re not fooling anyone, Wise Girl.”
Annabeth grinned and set coffee to brew. “That you are right about.”
Jason was sure it was the first time Percy had ever been right about anything ever involving Annabeth.
Annabeth gave him a sympathetic look. “Sorry about the noise, Jason.”
Jason shrugged and sat at their small dining room. “It’s fine,” he thought about the way Nico looked sucking him off, it had been dark, sure, but Jason was allowed to fill in the blanks, “it was worth it.”
A few days went by and Jason couldn’t forget Nico. Nico, Nico. Nico. The name rang like a mantra in his head. It was the name he whispered at night when he was awakened from a wet dream and the name and face he imagined when he thought back to the party. Jason had been surprised by the spontaneity. He never did unpredictable and filthy things like that. Jason had never really done anything spontaneous or unexpected in his life.
Days turned into weeks and Piper was holding a party for her birthday. He was sitting at home at the time she told him about it.
“So you’ll come?” She asked with a hopeful smiled.
He nodded and sighed. “Like I would miss your birthday.”
Piper smiled at him. “Knew you wouldn’t. Thanks, Jason. See you there.”
Jason gave her a hug and she went to tell Percy and Annabeth about it. The party was on a Saturday. It was held in Piper’s stylishly decorated and well-sized apartment bought by her father when she had told him she had wanted to stay in New York with her friends. When Jason, Percy, and Annabeth walked in there were already a good few people and the music, unlike the last party he’d been to, was playing loud, but quiet enough that people didn’t need to shout to hear each other. Annabeth left Percy and Jason alone when she spotted Piper, saying she had things to discuss.
Percy turned to Jason. “See anyone you’re interested in?”
Jason nodded. “No. Percy, we talked about this.”
Percy put his hands up in surrender. “Hey man, I’m just looking out for my best bro.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “You can barely look after yourself.”
Percy scoffed. “I resent that, Grace!”
Jason laughed and they both were met with Leo joining them.
“Hey guys.”
Percy waved and smiled at him happily. Jason greeted him.
“Hey, how’s the mechanics scholarship, man?”
Leo grinned. “Oh, it’s wicked! Totally amazing. I’ve made this toaster. . .”
And the night went on, slowly more people came, and slowly the music got louder until it was throbbing through Jason’s skull.
It was two in the morning when Jason saw him. He should have wondered how he kept showing up suddenly to all the parties he was attending, but there were a lot of people. Jason wouldn’t be surprised if Piper had invited everyone she knew and their friends to watch her get spectacularly drunk for her twenty first birthday. Jason was not drunk, being the designated driver tended to stave those urges off. Nico looked over at him and something in his eyes flashed mischievously. Just like the previous time, Nico was bathed in black light and the flashing of colored lights. He made a motion with his finger as if beckoning for Jason to come closer. Jason nearly tripped over himself crossing the room.
He stood close to Nico and Nico leaned into his ear. “Wanna get out of here?”
Jason nodded his head rapidly. Nico led him down the hall as if he knew the halls by heart, something even Jason didn’t know. Nico opened a door and he was taken into a room with a simple bed, simple drawer, and a clear desk. Jason assumed this was the guest room in Piper’s apartment that he had used over and over again on days when he just decided to crash here after school or a study session. Nico pushed him into the bed and without the haze of alcohol Jason could feel the warmth of Nico’s hands even more acutely. The loud music was muted, muffled and the only light that lit up the room was the one of the street lamps from the street outside. Their skin held a slightly orange tint from the light and most of Nico’s features were shadowed.
Nico straddled him and Jason let out a breath.
“Someone might barge in.” In an attempt to get Nico to reconsider what they were about to do. Jason didn’t do things like this, he really didn’t. But apparently this stranger with features he couldn’t quite make out brought out the worst in him.
Nico latched onto his neck and bit him softly. Jason bit back a moan.
“Let them.” Nico said softly.
Dear christ that voice was soft but rough at the same time and his brain nearly short-circuited from the sound of it.
Nico began to grind against him, letting out moans every now and then and Jason let out a groan. Nico smirked at him and slid off him. He was on his knees in front of Jason, who sat at the edge of the bed, and suddenly it was the other night happening all over again. Jason was scared he was making a habit of it. Although, when he was climaxing harder than he had ever before, he couldn’t bring himself to care.
They lay back on the bed, spent, with their clothes in a pile on the floor.
Jason was attempting to get his breathing and heart rate back in order before he said anything when he heard a voice call out beyond the door.
“Jason! Where are you?” Percy yelled drunkenly.
Jason shot up and before he knew it he was pulling on his clothes. He turned to Nico who didn’t stare at him the way he had when he had first seen him that night. He looked closed off, cold.
“Go. He’s waiting.” Nico said softly, with a mildly disinterested look on his face.
Jason hesitated for a moment before he was out of the door and face to face with a very drunk Percy. Percy cheered when he saw him.
“Hey man! You ran off! Was lookin’ all o’er for you!” His words slurred and tripped over themselves.
“Found me. Ready to go home?”
Percy nodded rapidly. “Oh yeah. Anna- Annie- Annabeth, she says it’s time for slep. Sleep. Sleepy. I’m sleepy, Jason.”
Jason chuckled and led him to the door where Annabeth was already waiting. She stared at him with a mixture of disgust and fondness. People who knew Percy generally became very familiar with this look.
“Come on, man. You can sleep in the car.”
Percy smiled lazily at him. “Sleep sounds s’ good right now.”
Jason carefully lay him in the back seat while Annabeth buckled herself in and Jason began to drive them home. Annabeth single-handedly took him up the stairs, changed him into his pajamas, and lay him in bed. Jason took a shower, washing off the feeling of Nico’s sweat and other bodily fluids from his body. No matter how hard he scrubbed his skin still burned with the warmth of ghost fingers and what they had been doing hours before. Jason washed himself off, dried himself off, and lay under the covers, trying to imagine what his one night stand looked like.
When Percy woke up the next morning and made his way into the kitchen where Jason was making pancakes he groaned.
“I can’t believe I got trashed last night.”
“Better believe it, Seaweed Brain.” Annabeth said as she made her way into the kitchen.
Percy spared a look at Jason. “Please tell me those are blue pancakes.”
Jason showed him the contents of the bowl to show a bowl filled with aquamarine colored pancake mix.
Percy gave him a grateful smile. “Grace, you are the best friend a guy could ask for.”
Jason snorted and rolled his eyes. “Don’t I know it.”
Annabeth looked at him as she sat down with a cup of coffee in her hands. “Anything interesting happen to you last night?”
Jason looked at the batter in the pan and tried to forget the burning sensations on his skin.
“No. Not really.”
It began with a party. And it continued with a party. Two weeks after the incident in Piper’s guest room Jason agreed to go to Leo’s party to celebrate his being given a grant to work on mechanics for the airplane industry. Leo was beyond excited and Jason had been steadily keeping up with all his work, although it certainly was difficult. This party, like all their parties tended to be, was on a weekend. This time it was a Saturday again.
Jason arrived by himself, Annabeth and Percy having arrived earlier to make sure that Leo didn’t burn his couch decorating. (That happened once and Leo never hears the end of it.) Reyna was the one who opened the door when he knocked, clad in his usual attire of jeans, a plain colored t-shirt, and the plain letterman jacket he had grabbed on the fly because he didn’t want to be late.
Reyna smirked at him. “Nice to see you, Jason.”
She looked at him as though she knew something she didn’t. Jason had been used to that look when they dated and the entirety of their friendship.
“Hey there.” He greeted cordially.
He walked in and Reyna walked beside him. “So, I’ve heard that you’ve been seen leaving with a dark stranger every once in awhile lately.”
Jason scanned the room and turned to her, trying his best to look at innocent as possible.
“If by dark stranger, you mean carrying Percy’s drunk body home, then yes.”
Reyna chuckled and leaned into his ear. “He’s in the hallway.”
Then she was gone Jason turned the corner of the living room to find that Nico was indeed right there, standing next to a couple who was making out, and he was staring at them once in awhile with disdain.
Jason stood on his other side.
“Liking the party?”
Nico turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow, and turned to stare at the wall opposite them. “My friend made me come.”
Before Jason could say anything, build a conversation beyond that, Nico had his mouth on his. Jason wanted to push him away, wanted to talk more, get to know him better, but his mouth tasted like some cherry flavored drink and his hands were roaming under Jason’s shirt and Jason knew those weren’t the rules. It wasn’t part of the rules to want to get to know your occasional fling’s name, or his interests, or if he’d like to have coffee with you. Jason settled with orgasms in the bathroom and decided that it had to be good enough.
Jason woke up in bed the next morning. He stared at the ceiling. Nico. Why had he never seen him around? Surely in their campus, as big as it was, he could find a guy who knew him on an intimate level. But Jason knew it wasn't that easy, because he barely knew what Nico looked like, he didn’t even know his exact skin tone for fuck sake. Jason got up, padded to the kitchen, and he turned to see Annabeth smiling, with Percy’s arms around her waist as she cooked. Jason, at that exact moment, kind of hated them. Perfect couple with their stupid and cute couple-y things.
Annabeth turned to him, wrenching Percy free from around her waist. “Hey, we lost you last night when you got to the party.”
Jason nodded silently as he sipped the coffee that had been set out for him.
Percy grinned him. “Reyna told me you were hanging out with Nico.”
Jason gulped down the hot liquid, effectively burning his tongue in the process. They knew him. how had they known him and never introduced them in the light of day.
“Yep.” He said, quietly.
Percy waggled his eyebrows. “How is that going?”
Jason rolled his eyes, trying to deflect the question. “Like you need to worry about it.”
Annabeth turned her gray eyes on him and something in them always unsettled him, because it was like he could tell if she knew he was lying.
“Are you guys serious?”
Jason nodded his eyes, keeping the eye contact he couldn’t look away from. “No, we’re not.”
The next time Jason saw Nico (and Jason would like the records to show that he tried very hard to find Nico, went to every party his friends mentioned for two months, with no avail) it was three months later. It also happened to be the party Percy would propose to Annabeth at. Jason was holding the pressure Percy was feeling along with the anxiety that Nico would show up, and juggling those two was difficult at best.
Annabeth was scheduled to come back at six and Percy and Jason were setting things up with Reyna.
“Guys, she could say no. Like, in her Annabeth way where she makes it super embarrassing for me.”
Reyna rolled her eyes and Jason sighed. “You’ll do fine. She’ll say yes and you’ll be fine, man.”
Percy wrung his hands once he set down all the food on the table in the kitchen. “She’s totally too good for me, man.”
Reyna snorted. “Certainly. But she still decided to stay with you.”
Percy seemed to like that answer and nodded as he ran his fingers through his hair nervously.
When six o’clock came and Annabeth was surprised by the party, Jason wondered how she’d take the proposal.
It was eight o’clock and Nico was nowhere to be seen and Jason knew it was time for Percy to finally do it. Jason settled for supporting his friend.
Percy was pacing in the kitchen.
Jason put both hands on Percy’s shoulders. “Come on, man, you can do this.”
Percy nodded and made his way to the living room quickly. Jason followed behind him. Percy turned down the speakers and everyone turned to him. He turned to Jason who nodded his encouragement.
He walked over to where Annabeth was talking to Jason’s sister, Thalia. He pulled her silently by her hand to the center of the room. He turned to the entire crowd before he turned to Annabeth.
Thalia saddled up next to him. “Five bucks he throws up.”
Jason nodded. “No, he did that five minutes ago.”
Thalia grinned and looked at the couple. “Oh, you’re on.”
Percy turned to Annabeth, his eyes wide, from where Jason could see them.
Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows but she had a smirk and her eyes looked playful. “What are you doing, Seaweed Brain?”
Percy dropped to one knee and looked up at her. Annabeth’s face was blank and unreadable, most likely from shock, if Jason had any guesses.
Percy gulped. “We’ve been best friends since middle school, when you beat up Clarisse LaRue for almost giving me a swirly.” The people in the room laughed.
He looked at her, taking her hands in his and Annabeth still looked in shock. “You are always right, you are definitely too good for me,” he pulled out a ring with one hand, “and I want to spend the rest of my life proving that I'm good enough for you. Will you marry me?”
The air seemed to be sucked from the room as Percy looked up for Annabeth’s answer.
She blinked and suddenly her eyes were swimming with tears. Jason saw the way they shimmered regardless and he understood how Percy had been able to go on and on about her when they first met. She threw her arms around and him.
“You’re an idiot, of course I’ll marry you. Did you have to ask?”
And the crowd was cheering and they were surrounded by family and friends and cheering.
Jason grinned and turned to Thalia. “Pay up.”
She sighed and reached for her wallet. “I swear he did not have this strong a stomach when we were in high school.”
Jason pocketed the money as Percy made his way over, hand in hand with Annabeth. They were both grinning madly.
“Have you seen my FIANCE? This is my fiance, Annabeth Chase.”
Annabeth rolled her eyes affectionately and Jason grinned at them. “Good job, man! I knew it would work out.”
Percy smiled widely. “Yeah. Yeah it did.”
And suddenly the music was blaring loudly, the lights were dimmed and everyone was dancing. Jason got a beer, and began dancing with his friends in the throng of people. It was an amazing night and as he walked away from his dancing friends, sweating slightly, with his shirt sticking to him, he saw Nico against the wall.
He went over, grinning. “Hey.”
Nico looked past him at Annabeth and Percy and he made an inclination with his hand, which had a cup in it. Whatever was in it, it was strong.
“See th’m. Can’t have somethin’ like that. Queer people can’t get married. Stupid laws.”
Jason smiled at him in amusement. He was drunk. Nico di Angelo was shitfaced and talking to Jason and he had never been more happy and slightly sober.
Nico continued. “An’ you. You with the cheekbones and that bella faccia*.”
Jason was sure that was another language all together. Nico muttered some more but soon he was launching himself forward and trying to kiss Jason.
Jason held back by his shoulders. “Whoa, man. You are very obviously drunk.”
Nico nodded and leaned forward, but Jason held him back still. “Not when you’re drunk. I’m not that kind of guy.”
Nico leaned into his ear somehow and whispered, “I know what type of guy you are.”
Jason shivered, but still held him at arm's length. He turned to see the party was winding down and he led him to his room.
“Come on, I think you should head to bed.”
Nico smiled at him lazily. “Yeah, bed, and then we’re going to fare una cosa di sesso**.”
Jason wasn’t sure what he said, but the way the words rolled out of his mouth made Jason’s nerves stand on end.
Jason laid him down. “Right. Definitely. How about after you sleep?”
Nico sighed sleepily, already seeming lethargic. “Sleep. I never stay for long. Don’t do things like this.” He muttered and Jason snorted. That made two of them then.
Jason wasn’t sure how it happened but he ended up sleeping right next to Nico. When he woke up the next morning it was because of the sun streaming in through the windows and he turned to find Nico still snoring lightly beside him.
Jason nearly gasped at the sight.
Nico’s skin was a deep tanned olive color, his clothes, though old, fit him like gloves, and his hair, the undercut Jason had seen in so many of his dreams, wet or otherwise, was a dark black, but looked silky and soft as it was splayed across Jason’s pillow. Oh, Jason was in deep shit now.
He must have gasped a little because the next thing he knew Nico was stirring. Nico turned a bit and when he realized what happened last night his eyes shot open and he turned to Jason quickly.
Jason was sitting against the headboard, arms behind his head and smiled. “Hey.”
Nico groaned. “Oh great.”
Jason sat up beside him. “What’s up?”
Nico stared at him warily before he turned and began to pull his shoes on. “You’re perfect.”
“I am?” Jason asked, not expecting the comment.
Nico scoffed. “Please, I’m sure you knew that. Don’t football players usually have a narcissistic streak?”
Jason shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”
Nico stood, lingering a bit. “Right, well, thanks for letting me sleep here, sorry for throwing myself at you, and see ya around.”
Jason doubted that, but before he could say anything Nico was out his door and already making his way out of the apartment.
Annabeth and Percy peaked their heads out from their room.
“Was that Nico?”
Jason nodded. “It’s not like you think.”
Percy gave him a wink. “Right, man, totally. I totally get it. Not at all like I think.”
Jason didn’t see him for a while. Jason couldn’t get him out of his head. Nico’s brown eyes that looked dark but he remembered looking at when they had passionate sex. Seeing him in the daylight, with sun bathing his skin and covering him in golden light had changed Jason.
It was a month since the morning after incident, when Jason saw a flash of him at his university. Nico was rushing by and Jason might have missed him if it hadn’t been for the fact that Jason was daydreaming about him. He quickly got up from his chair in the library and followed after Nico in a rush. Nico made his way to the art wing of the school, slipping into one of the studios.
Jason peered through, watching Nico set down his bag uncover a canvas. Nico had his paints set on a table right beside the huge canvas and Jason watched in rapt attention as Nico made stroke after stroke as though every color was meant to be there and they came together beautiful.
“Wow.” He whispered.
Nico jumped.
Nico turned to him quickly, before he could even consider running away and hiding from him. “What are you doing here?”
That rough yet smooth voice sounded even better when they were both sober, even if it was said in a clipping tone.
Jason shrugged, coming up with an excuse. “I got lost, saw you painting and decided I’d stick around.”
“My sessions are private.” Nico said in that clipped tone. Jason noticed the tattoos on his arms and wondered if he’d drawn those himself.
“Sorry I bothered you.” And Jason continued to stand there.
“Are you going to leave?” Nico said impatiently.
Jason nodded.
“Sure, if you tell me why you left in such a hurry.”
Nico’s aggressive stance fell and his hard features turned to confusion.
“That’s how those things work. I leave before anyone can say too much or embarrass themselves.”
Jason would have no doubt embarrassed himself telling Nico how beautiful he looked.
Jason looked at him. “I didn’t want you to leave.”
Nico stared at him, saying nothing. His brown eyes were unreadable and Jason took a few steps forward.
“Who was it that would kick you out of their bed?”
Nico looked down, chipping paint off his fingers. “Lots. That’s kind of how college works. Sex with no attachments.”
Jason stepped closer. “No attachments. That’s what you wanted from me?”
Nico held up his head but looked everywhere but Jason. He shrugged.
Jason took one last step forward and they were standing a hair away from each other. “Do you want that now?”
Nico hesitated, looking into his eyes.
“Be honest.” Jason said.
Nico shook his head. “No.”
And Jason was kissing him within an inch of his life. They kissed, mouths joined and it was languid, Jason wanted to take time here. There weren’t any flashing lights or dark rooms or pounding bass, and Jason wanted to remember how Nico’s mouth felt on his under the fluorescent lights of the studio.
Jason pulled away eventually and smiled at him.
It began like this: Jason asked the boy for coffee and to no one’s surprise, he said yes.
*Bella faccia: pretty face
**fare una cossa di sesso: do a sex thing