My Saving Grace {Leo Valdez x Jason Grace}

Chapter Fifteen

Jason's P.O.V.~

Without Nico to drive us back, Leo and I had to resort to walking him silence. It was hard seeing him so... withdrawn from the world. So angry at the world while still holding his pain in his eyes. His determination to learn about my past... Nico's past... kept me from breaking the silence between us.

I could still see Nico's face the morning after his birthday, needing a friend to help him. A friend I just couldn't be at the time.  Not when Percy worked so hard to get with Annabeth.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I watched my house get closer and closer.  My heart pounded in my chest as I pulled my keys out of my pocket.  As soon as the door unlocked, Leo pushed the door open to slip inside before me.  Without hesitation, he sat on the couch and watched me intently.

My hands clammed up as I approached the couch.  "Well," I started, collapsing onto the couch beside the Latino.  "There's really no beating around the bush here, is there?  You just want to know about my past with Nico."

"Nico's a good guy," Leo shrugged.  "I don't see how you could have hated him in the past."

I took a deep breath as I let myself relieve the last few years of my life.

"Well, it all started when Percy came to school one day, more excited than we've ever seen him..."

Flashback~

"Everyone," Percy greeted with extra eagerness in his voice as he stood at our lunch table.  A smaller boy stood at his side, smiling up at the green-eyed teen.  "This is Nico.  He just transferred into town and ran into me at the mall this past weekend.  I thought he could join our passé here so he could have some friends to talk to."

Though everyone seemed excited to let this stranger into our group, I felt weary of Nico.  He was... new.  He also seemed very attached to Percy, even as everyone around him eased into conversation.  It seemed as if Percy was the only person in the room.

Piper nudged me and snickered as she leaned on my shoulder. She whispered, "Young love. God, wait 'til he learns Percy's straight, right?"

I could only nod. He was in for heartbreak when he learned Percy was planning out his promposal to Annabeth.

~~~~~~~~

"I saw that glare, you know."

Percy and I were walking to our biology class together, leaving Nico with Reyna to go to their English course.  I felt a little guilty relishing in the fact that I didn't have to watch Nico ogle over Percy any more for the time being.

Still, I refused to show just how annoyed I was to Percy now.  "What do you mean?"

The other boy snorted and rolled his eyes, elbowing me as we walked into our class.  "I might be oblivious sometimes, but I'm not stupid.  You don't like Nico.  Why?"

"You've noticed how much he stares at you, right?" I sighed as we sat in our seats.  "I get you're the first person he knows here, but friends normally don't bite their lips when they look at each other.  At least, not like that."

Percy smirked at me, pulling out a notebook.  "What can I say?  I'm a handsome guy."  When I didn't laugh, the teen beside me snorted.  "But I wouldn't think much of it.  Nico's just gotten to know me over the past few days.  Just let him get used to you."  As the teacher walked into the room, Percy whispered, "You two have something in common.  Something you know more about than he does."