When Worlds Collide

19) Lore Drop

A/N: this one is kinda short, but I didn't wanna combine it with the next one so...

-Jason POV-

Jason had been nervous to introduce his partners to Nico. He knew that Nico would be fine with Roy, but Artemis made him nervous. Nico tended to react poorly to Amazons, but they seemed to get along fine. After about an hour, Roy and Artemis had to leave, so Jason and his brother began making food.

"You suck at this," Nico said from his spot by the stove in the base's kitchenette.

Jason rolled his eyes. "I'll have you know that I used to help Alfred cook all the time when I was Robin."

"Ah yes, you had a skill like five years ago. I hate to tell you, but it's gone."

Jason set down the knife and turned to look at Nico. "Oh yeah? I'd like to see you do any better."

Nico handed him the spatula he was holding and took up the knife before masterfully chopping the vegetables.

"Show off," Jason muttered, while suppressing a smile. It was nice to see Nico so relaxed. He watched as his brother poured the chopped ingredients into the pan and took the spatula back. "When did you learn to cook like that?"

Nico shrugged, but Jason saw the slight tension that filled his shoulders. "I don't really remember. It's mostly just muscle memory now. I assume I cooked with my Mamma or Nonno back in Italy, but I can't fully be sure."

Jason nodded and he moved to sit on the counter. "I forget sometimes that you can't remember anything from before you were like 10."

Nico nodded, eyes never leaving the stove as he pushed around the ingredients in the pan. "I remember some things, they just usually aren't the best."

"What do you mean? I thought the river thing wiped all of it."

"It started coming back a bit after the wars; not much, just flashes or small memories." Nico set down the spatula and picked at his nail beds as he continued. "I remember my Nonna's funeral, I remember Bianca and I running from the police when we were out after curfew, the explosion that killed my Mamma. I remember people talking about the war and the death of Guiesppe Jona."

Jason searched his brain for the name, but came up empty. "Who?"

"He was a doctor. When the Nazis became an occupying force, they demanded that he hand over the list he had of all the Jewish people in Venice. He knew what would happen if he refused, or even worse, if he gave it to them, so he burnt all the documents and killed himself... He's in Elysium now."

Jason nodded, not sure was to say. They had all faced more tragedy than anyone their age ever should, but Nico's was different. How can you relate to a kid who lived through WWII?

"Food's done." Nico portioned the food out and handed Jason a plate before moving to their small table.

Jason opened his mouth to say something when his phone began to ring. He looked at it and groaned. "I think the old man is onto us."

Nico sighed, but gestured for him to pick up.

"Hey Bruce," Jason said, trying to be causal. "What's up?"

"You kidnapped Nico... again."

"Whaaaaaaaat? No. I would never. Education is important and I would never stand between our sweet little Nicodemo and his schooling."

"I'm in the school's parking lot with Dick right now, and he isn't here."

"Wait what? Why did you go to the school?" Jason asked, Nico immediately sitting up in his seat.

Bruce let out a sigh. "I... I wanted to talk to him, ask him to come home."

"Oh," Jason said lamely before glancing at his little brother. "Just... can I put you on hold?"

He could imagine Bruce pinching the bridge of his nose before he let out a sigh. "Sure."

Jason clicked a button to put Bruce on hold, also muting his mic just in case, before lowering the phone and looking at Nico.

"Why was he at GA?"

Jason ran a hand down his face. "He wanted to talk to you. He said he wanted to ask you to come back to the manor."

Nico was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "I can't, not yet."

"What?" Jason asked, not expecting that response. "Look, I don't want to pressure you or anything, but if you don't even talk-"

"We can't talk, not in the way he wants to. I know this probably makes no sense, but right now he wants to talk to his son and ask him to come home. That's great, but the issue isn't between him and I as father and son. I made a decision, as a vigilante, that I stand by. He made a decision, as my superior, that I ignored... and then publicly fought him over. I know that vigilantism is basically weaved into every aspect of our family dynamic, but this isn't just about me."

"What do you mean, 'not just about you'?"

Nico sighed, seeming to debate how to explain it. "I'm a demigod-"

"Holy shit, really?" Jason said in mock surprise.

"Oh shut up," Nico said with a laugh despite the serious tone they had been speaking in before. "I was saying that this about more than just vigilante stuff. What's going on is effecting the demigod world, which means I can't  just act like a vigilante. Yes, the League and Team are at work to stop the abductions, but they are limited in what they can do."

"You think you can do more as a solo agent."

Nico nodded, looking at his ring. "I just... I used to want to be a part of it— the Team, the League, the Bats— but if that means that I can't do what I need to do... then I can't."

"Okay, so no judgement, but I feel like I should ask: by 'do what you need to do', are you talking about like how you raided the base without permission, or like... Slade?"

Nico chuckled slightly. "The first one. Leo already talked to me about the whole 'maybe don't just kill people who might  be a threat' thing. I don't regret what I did to Slade, but I can't just take people out. It's a last resort, not a go to solution."

Jason smirked at his little brother. It was crazy to him how mature he acted for his age... well, physical age at least. "I'm glad to hear it. If I'm being honest, I wouldn't really care if you chose the other path, but I know Bruce was worried. If you ever need some help, our brothers and I are more than willing to do whatever we can. It's hard to be completely on your own as a vigilante."

Nico nodded before he hesitantly glanced at Jason. "About that..."

A/N: once again, I am sneakily teaching you about fascist Italy through this fic. I know too much about the subject and this gives me a place to put all of it.

Vote. Comment. Tell me if you knew who Guiesppe Jona was before reading this chapter (I did, but I also wrote it so... obvi).