When Worlds Collide

47) Four Almost Adults Could Totally All Fit in One Bed

A/N: slightly shorter chapter, but I make up for it by making it super precious 

Nico watched as Jason stepped into his room, the familiar case in his hand. The demigod stared at it for a long moment before shaking himself out of it and furrowing his eyebrows as he stared at his hands.

He didn't need it. He kept telling himself that. He didn't need it. Over and over again in his head, he just kept repeating it, but it didn't change the fact that he desperately wanted  it.

"Hey Neeks," Jason said, his voice betraying his neutral face and revealing his internalized feelings. "Do you..." his voice trailed off as he half-heartedly gestured with the small case.

Nico wanted to say yes, he really did, but instead he shook his head. He wasn't looking at Jason, but he saw the teen looking surprised in his peripheral vison.

"I need to stop," Nico said quietly. He twisted his ring as he glanced up at Jason.

The older teen gave him a small smile as he sat down on the foot of Nico's bed, the demigod  pressed into the corner across from him at the head of the bed. "That's good, but what made you decide you were done with it?"

Nico was silent for a moment. He didn't want to say, but he knew that he owed Jason an explanation. "Yesterday, when I fell. It wasn't because I was unbalanced or something..."

"You forgot about your leg, didn't you," Jason finished for him.

Nico nodded, still not looking at his brother. "I thought it was still there. I realized that if I was anywhere but Gotham, I probably would have been killed already."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

"I'm a son of Hades, monsters can sense me a lot easier than other demigods. Children of the big three have stronger scents, so a monster probably would have found me and I can't really do much right now."

"You've been off the meds for over 24 hours," Jason said, slightly confused.

Nico shrugged. "I still feel hazy. Pain meds go away fast for demigods, but the side effects last a lot longer. I don't know why, but they just have a grip on us."

Jason nodded. "How long do you think it'll last?"

Nico didn't know what to say. He had no idea. No demigod he knew had ever taken more than a small dose of pain meds, so he had no real reference. "Will would probably know, but I haven't really talked to him much since... since before."

Jason moved so he was sitting next to Nico, leaning against the headboard. He left a good amount of space between them, probably not wanting to push Nico. "Why?"

Nico shrugged. "I didn't want to tell him how I was, and I didn't want to lie. I knew you guys were keeping him updated, but I felt like it would be too much to actually say it myself."

Jason nodded. "You gonna invite him to Gotham soon? I know you told Dick you would, but..."

The demigod shrank slightly in his spot, pulling his legs to his chest and resting he head on his knees. "I don't want him to see me like this."

The elder brother looked at him with a sad smile. "Nico, he isn't gonna care if you have a few more scars or if your senses are dulled right now."

"I  care," Nico said quietly. "Will has saved my life so many times. He's lost so much sleep over me, worrying if I would make it through the night or if I was going to just disappear again because I got too overwhelmed. He doesn't deserve to keep going through that. I put him through enough. He deserves a boyfriend who he doesn't have to worry about, not a scarred mess that's constantly on the verge of breaking."

Jason stared at him for a long moment... and then he punched Nico in the shoulder. "You're a dumbass."

Nico held his shoulder and glared at Jason, but he knew he looked more confused than angry. "Well, you're a shitty listener."

Jason rolled his eyes. "People don't date others because they are uncomplicated and easy to be in a relationship with. They do it because they love each other. Will loves you, and I know you love him too. Yeah, he probably looses sleep over you, but that isn't changing just because you aren't talking to him. He is probably loosing sleep because you aren't talking to him."

Nico sighed. "I know."

"Good. Tomorrow, you're going to call him. I don't care if I have to sit on you and dial him up myself, you're doing it."

"Fine," the demigod said with a sigh.

Jason smiled at him softly. "So, was this what you wanted to talk about, or is there another reason you asked Timbo to get me?"

Nico stiffened slightly and looked away from Jason, going back to staring at his ring while he spun it. "It's nothing."

"Just tell me cause I'm not leaving until you do."

"That's fine," Nico muttered. "You can stay."

Jason looked at him, eyes analytical until something seemed to dawn on him and a look of understand crossed his face as he smirked and pulled back the blankets, getting under them and making himself comfortable. "Guess we're having a sleepover then."

Nico smiled lightly as he blushed. He was glad Jason wasn't making him say it, but he really just didn't want to be alone. "Thank you," he mumbled.

Jason smiled and shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, obviously lying.

Nico hesitated before shifting to lean against Jason, his head resting against the older teen's shoulder.

There was a knock at the door and Jason looked to him for approval before calling for the person to come in. Dick's head popped in, looking surprised.

"Oh sorry, I just talked to Tim and thought..." his voice trailed off, though it was obvious that he thought Nico had taken more meds and was planning to check on Jason.

Nico pursed his lips awkwardly before shyly gesturing for Dick to join them if he wanted.

Dick smiled widely before crossing the room and hopping onto the bed, leaning against the wall towards the foot of the bed. "It's been a while since any of us have had a sleepover."

Nico smiled and enjoyed their presents. The two older boys chatted quietly while Nico just listened, allowing their voices to drown out his own mind. It had been around a half hour before another knock sounded at the door.

Once again Jason looked to him for approval before calling for them to come in. This time it was Damian who walked in, about to open his mouth to say something before freezing as soon as he noticed Jason and Dick.

"I was unaware you were in here," he said, looking a little wide eyed. "I can return another time."

"You can stay... if you want," Nico said quietly.

Damian hesitantly walked over to the bed, taking the corner that Nico had been in before he had shifted over towards Jason. The youngest seemed unsure of what was going on, but still held a small smile as the other began chatting again.

Nico's eyes slowly got heavier and before long, they were fully closed. He wasn't fully asleep, but it was the closest he had been to it without medication since the incident.

Another knock sounded and Nico just nodded before Jason could even ask. He heard Jason called the person in and then before long, another weight added to the bed, this time taking up the other half of the foot of the bed across from Dick. Nico tucked his feet towards his chest to give, who he assumed was Tim, more room and he leaned fully on Jason. He could feel himself slowly slipping away from consciousness as he felt Jason shift, putting his arm around Nico.

"Sleep well, Neeks," he heard Jason whisper before he was out. 

A/N: AWWWWWWWWWWWW cuties

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