DH: Yay! New chapter!

OW: And we're sorry for making Jason a dick in the last one.

DH: We don't own Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus.

-DDLDHoW-

"You're a gay emo; a freak from the forties." Even as Jason said these words, he could hardly believe they were coming out of his mouth. His eyes widened and he turned to apologise. "Nico, I-"

Then he stopped. There was no way that he could take back those words. He couldn't apologise.

Because there's no use in apologising if no one is there to hear it.

"Shit," Jason cursed, running after Nico as he saw the fourteen year old dart around a corner of the ship. He quickly caught up to him, but just as he was about to grab Nico's wrist, the son of Hades shadow travelled.

Jason stopped dead, staring at the spot Nico had been in for a moment. Then he worked things out in his head. Nico wouldn't have left the  Argo II if only for the reason that Hazel was there.

What were the few places that people rarely went? The stables, the crow's nest, Nico's room and... that was it. Jason decided to take his chances with the stables first.

When he went in, no one was there. The stall doors were all open and the room was too brightly lit to miss Nico in it.

Jason sighed and walked back upstairs. He must be in his cabin then...

As quickly as possible, Jason made his way to the son of Hades' cabin. He quietly pushed open the door to find it in the exact same state that he had left it in this morning; perfectly clean, except for the blanket - which had been messily thrown off the bed - and dark.

"Nico?" Jason glanced around. Nothing twitched, nothing moved. Jason frowned and opened the wardrobe. A few black t-shirts, black jeans, a pair of shoes... and nothing else.

That just left the crow's nest. Why Nico would go up there, Jason didn't know. It was in plain sight, there was probably a ladder to get up and he would be easily seen if anyone decided to look up there.

Which is why no one would, Jason realised, almost hitting himself. It was the last place most people would look for him.

Jason ran back out to the main deck and looked up at the crow's nest. Immediately, he spotted Nico's black mop of hair contrasting the light grey of the dreary morning sky.

He hesitated briefly. Should he even bother trying to apologise? After what he said to Nico, he wouldn't be surprised if the Italian boy didn't forgive him.

He would deserve it.

But then again... if he didn't apologise, he would still be in the wrong and his choice would hang over his head for a long time to come. He had blamed Nico for Piper breaking up with him, called him a freak and an emo and used his sexuality against him when Jason was the one person that Nico had told.

Not that he had told him willingly, but it had to count for something that he had told him more than he had to.

Jason hesitated for another second before flying up to the crow's nest and landing beside Nico in a sitting position on the railing. "Hey."

Nico's head shot up and he glared at Jason. For the first time in a while, Jason actually felt quite intimidated by the glare. "Leave me alone, Grace. You've already proven your point; I'm a gay, freakish emo, right?" He looked away again, his chin resting on his knees.

"Nico, that's not true," Jason began only to be cut off.

"If it's not true then why did you say it?" Nico stood up, his glare intensifying. Jason could tell by the twitch in his right hand that he was fighting the urge to draw his sword. "Why would you intentionally say something like that for absolutely no fucking reason if it's not true?!"

Jason took a deep breath and looked away. "You know the scar on my lip?" Nico blinked, looking completely and total confused. "How do you think I got it?"

Nico shook his head. "What does this have to do with-?"

"Just tell me how you think I got it."

Nico hesitated. "I don't know... some war game at Camp Jupiter?"

Jason smirked. "Not even close." Nico scowled and Jason could tell that he was seriously pushing the younger boy. "I tried to eat a stapler when I was a toddler. You know when we were in the House of Hades? When Frank said something about his rank, I thought he meant that he stank."

"What-?"

"Just let me talk," Jason cut him off. "Please." Nico slowly nodded, a guarded expression on his face. "I've done so many stupid things in my life that it's not even funny. I nearly killed Percy in Topeka. I agreed to go out with Reyna because people kept throwing traditions about praetors dating in my face. I joined the Fifth  Cohort just because people advised me not to rather than actually thinking the decision through first." He took a deep breath and looked down. "Do you know what the most stupid thing that I did in my life was though?"

Nico paused for a moment. "Trying to eat the stapler?" He guessed dryly.

Jason shook his head and met Nico's gaze. "Calling you things like I did for no reason when they weren't true."

And he meant it.

-DDLDHoW-

DH: Not going to do a long commentary this time because a bowl of ramon and an episode of Prison Break is awaiting us, followed by reading more Blood of Oympus.

OW: Reviews and it's DH's turn.

Reviews:

@Daughter-OfPoseidon: Eheh... sorry, my fault. I hope you liked the end of this chapter more than the end of the last one. Please don't send hellhounds after me.