Save You As I Save My Life (Jasico)

Chapter 24: But Recovery Is Even Worse

NIco had decided that it was too much. All of it, living as a boy, being with another boy....He hadn't left his room in days, hadn't let anyone come in save his mother, he hadn't even seen if Percy and Leo were around. He just listened to music all day and ate very little from the stash of candy from under his bed, and basically broke down completely. He sobbed into his pillow, and tore up his sheet with his knife, he got close to cutting up his shirts. All of it was simply because he was a horrible person. He was a terrible person that didn't deserve Jason, or Percy, or Leo, or even the people who took the time to bully him. The thing he deserved was all of the death that came to him. All of the pain, and all of the sorrow...

He sobbed into his pillow, his soaked pillow, and let everything out. It made him feel better and worse, better for the fact he could let it out, worse or the fact he knew it would be worse the next time it happened. 

"Nico?"

It was the same time every day. Percy would come over, and knock n his door, ask how he was, how all of it was. HE always said it was fine, he knew Percy could hear the tell tale signs of tears and pain in his voice, but he said it anyways. And Percy would nod, pick up the plate he left outside the day previous, and go away. He knew Nico used to get sad, back in New York. He wished the new boy would talk to him, he simply wanted to help...

"Kiddo. Please let me in..."

"no!"

Percy sighed and dropped his head against the door. "What's wrong, tell me that. Okay? Just tell me what's wrong and maybe I can help, maybe I can get Jason..."

Percy froze. Jason had been in college the past few days. He hadn't been home. Percy tried to get a hold of him, nothing worked. Leo was driving down right now, to go see him. The black haired man outside sighed and tried for the handle. It never worked. 

"Percy. Just go away..." 

"I'll only go away once you tell me why you're acting like this!"

"I'm acting like this because my boyfriend broke up with me and it's all your fault!"

Well there went his heart. It felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest with a icicle, and that the cold was slowly spreading down, and then up. When it reached his jaw his face went slack. "Fine."

He turned and walked away,. You would expect him to storm away, to scream and shout that it wasn't his fault. But he knew it was. So he accepted it, and he went. He walked downstairs and asked Maria if he could take the other car. She nodded and frowned a little, holding a hand out. She gently touched his cheek. He smiled sadly. "I'll be back in about three days, alright? I'm going down to the college as well. Keep Nico safe, please."

That earned him a swift smack to the face. "He's my son, idiot. Of course I'll keep him safe." Her stern face melted away, and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead. He smiled. She was like his second mother. He really did love Maria di Angelo. 

-+-

Leo was asking around. He knew he must look weird, a short Latino mechanic in cargo shorts and a way too big t-shirt bounding around campus trying to find Jason Grace, some Freshman that no one knew. He almost ran into Thanatos, and yelped, stumbling back. He stared up at him meekly. Holy shit, that guy looked like Nico!

"E-Excuse me, sir....have you s-seen Jason Gr-Grace?"

The mans lips pulled into a small, creepy looking smile. "I happen to be his roommate, actually. And who might you be, little one?"

Leo hissed. "I'm not cute!"

"Oo. Okay. Why might you  be looking for Mr. Grace, oh fearsome dragon." He chuckled and stooped down so he was level with Leo. Which meant he was basically squatting. Leo crossed his arms and pointedly looked away. 

"His boyfriend hasn't left his room all week. We dunno if he's alive or not. He misses Jason. Tell him to come home."

Thanatos made a face. Jason never said anything about a brother. The college senior sighed and ran his hands through his hair again. "Maybe I should come and visit my little sisters..."

"Sisters...?"

"Ah, yes. I forgot." Thanatos stood up straight (Leo whimpered a little at his height) and took a deep bow. 

"Thanatos di Angelo, at your service."

-+-

Percy was speeding. He had a cop about ten cars behind him and he was speeding ike a maniac. He had to get to Jason before Nico did something stupid. Again. Nicole had always over reacted to depression, anxiety....and now Nico has the scars that prove it. 

He kicked up the speed a little. Pushing eighty, he shot down the freeway. 

-+-

It was about midnight when he got to the college. He was crying as he stumbled into the students office. 

"P-Please...I need the d-dorm number for J-Jason Grace..."

Maria had called Percy. Nico had jumped out his window and run away. He was freaking out. The lady stared at him open mouthed for a second before quickly pulling up the necessary data. 

"He's in the bu;ding over by the library. Room 178." She told him, eyes twinkling with worry. "Is everything alright?"

"Family emergency." Was all he could say before he was out the door, running. He was happy he toured the campus with Jason that one time, or else he would have gotten lost immediately. 

"Jason!:" He ran through the halls, trying to find the room number. His tears were starting up again. "JASON!!!"

The door opened. He bolted through it. 

"Jas- LEO!?"

And that's where his heart dropped. Leo was  asleep on a man that looked almost exactly like Nico, maybe taller and paler. The man made a face and shushed him, petting through Leo's hair. 

"The poor kid got here, started to talk too fast and knocked himself out. Jason had explained to me everything that has happened. You are Percy, yes?"

Percy spun around and grabbed Jason by the collar, completely ignoring the man touching his boyfriend. "You. You hurt him. You made him sad. I hate you! But...He loves you. He ran away. We don't know where he is. I hope you're happy." 

"No. I didn't run away." 

Percy's head reeled. What?

"I chased after you idiots."

What!?

"Honestly, my friends all leave me alone in a house where I have a knife literally in my bedside drawer. How stupid are you all? So I thought it must be important, I should follow them. I got Reyna to drive me. We tailed Perce."

Percy's mind went haywire. And that's how they ended up spending the night in Jason's dorm room. 

"Percy..?"

He tilted his head and looked at Nico, who was supposed to be asleep on his brothers bed. 

"I'm so sorry that all of this happened."

"It's fine." HE whispered back. "It's just like camping." 

"Shut up."

They fell silent. Nico sighed and curled up with Leo. 

"I love you guys."