The second time Jason met Nico, Jason had been walking out from his therapist's appointment and into the near winter Gotham air. The cold nipped at him, and he had to pull his think jacket tighter around himself as he stepped down to the sidewalk.
“No, mom, I don’t like him. He’s weird, and he’s one of dad’s friends- No, no mommy you’re not listening!” Jason breathed into his hands, rubbing them together to try and warm them up before he shoved them into his pockets. The person sitting on the stoop just behind him sounded on the verge of tears.
Swallowing, Jason checked his phone again for the time. Dick had offered to pick him up from the appointment- hopefully he hadn’t forgotten. Again.
“Yes, he is one of dad’s friends! He was- he was fuc-freakin’ telling me that it’s all in my head! No it’s not. I told you they don’t work- Why aren’t you listening to me?” Their voice broke, and they inhaled sharply. Jason ducked his head down. He wasn’t snooping, not if it was a conversation on a public sidewalk.
He did feel for them though, they sounded miserable. Each time they spoke their voice hitched, just on the verge. Jason knew the feeling well, that precarious tightrope where one desperately tried to keep themselves composed when you could feel yourself about to snap thin.
“No. No. Fine. Okay… yeah I love you too. Bye.” Jason shifted on the sidewalk. For the nicer part of Gotham, it was uncharacteristically empty. They took a shuddering inhale, and then exhaled to try and get their emotions under control. Jason tapped out a text to Dick as he listened to them breathe.
It’s not weird, he told himself. They were both on a public sidewalk, he couldn’t help but overhear.
His phone pinged with Dick’s response.
hey where are you?
wdym?
Of course. Jason stepped back, letting himself sit on the cold stone steps that led up into the building. Jason saw the person shift slightly when he sat down out of his peripheral.
said youd give me a ride after the appointment?
A little gray balloon appeared, before disappearing and reappearing again. Jason bit his cheek as he glared at the screen. His hands tensed up, like he was ready to crack the phone in half. Instead, Jason closed his eyes to try and measure his breathing. His phone pinged, and Jason glanced back at the screen.
srry omw!!!!!!
Typical.
dont bother. ill get a ride
Jason scowled, and shoved the phone back into his pocket, ignoring how it vibrated. Dick was just busy. Jason knew this. His plate was filled over, from making sure Tim was being looked after, to all the board meetings with WE, to Bruce’s last case. He had enough to worry about.
Though would it have hurt to just keep Jason in mind, just this once? He tried not to let that little bit of hurt and anger flare up in him. He didn’t need a reason to be angry at Dick, didn’t want one. Already Jason knew logically that Dick would feel bad about it.
That knowledge didn’t stop him from getting upset.
“You okay?” Their voice was soft, a hand just hovering over his arm. Jason let out an exhake he wasn’t aware of holding, and unclenched his hands.
Their nails were painted black, already chipping. A little pink, blue, and white pin was stuck onto the oversized green jacket they wore, he/they printed in black onto it. Soft green eyes stared into his from beneath heavy lashes. The liner around their eyes was smudged, and their cheeks were speckled with freckles.
The same thought came back unbidden with the familiarity of their face.
Cute. Nico was really cute.
“Yeah,” Jason felt the tension creep out of him all at once. It wasn’t Dick’s fault. Therapy just made him feel high strung. He had wanted… Jason clenched and unclenched his fist again. It didn’t really matter what he wanted in the end.
“Just a little disappointed.”
Nico’s smile was far too understanding.
“I getcha.” They folded their arms in front of them, hugging their knees to their chest. “I’m tired of being disappointed too.”
“It’s not his fault.” Jason leaned back against the steps. The cold stone dug into his back. It was uncomfortable, already old injuries were beginning to flare up because of the colder weather. He ignored it. “He’s got other stuff to worry about.”
Nico opened their mouth to speak, but the clearing of a throat stopped them. With a groan, Jason stilted his head back to see a very irate woman standing just behind him.
“Yeah?”
“You’re blocking the steps.”
“Well go around, there’s enough room.” The woman huffed, brows pinching together as she stepped around the two of them.
“I’m going to call the cops. It’s illegal to loiter.”
Jason rolled his eyes, moving so that he faced Nico again.
“So you were saying?”
Nico’s lips quirked into a smile, a soft giggle escaping from them. There was an offended gasp from the woman, and Jason listened as her heels clicked against the sidewalk as she walked away.
“You’re braver than me, that’s for sure.”
“What?” Jason huffed out a laugh. He could feel his own smile tugging at his lips. “That wasn’t brave. Just me being stubborn.”
“Still,” They brushed their bangs off to the side. “I’d have just apologized and probably trip trying to get outta her way.” They gave a little bit of a nervous laugh, and instead focused down on their hand rather than looking Jason’s way. They picked at their fingers, and Jason could see how dry and red their hands were.
“Hey.” He moved from where he sat, elbow nudging into theirs. Nico looked up, green eyes blinking owlishly at him. “That just means you’re a nicer person than I am.”
“Oh.” They ducked their head, trying to hide the blush. “Thank you… But I think you’re plenty nice too…” They trailed off, brows pinching together.
“I just realized I didn’t even ask your name.”
“It’s Jason.”
“Well, Jason.” Nico said, pushing themselves up to stand. They held a hand out towards him, and Jason took it, Nico giving him a firm shake.
oooh i thought i didnt have anything done but i do have this lil blurb of a thing for anon. lil oc fic with nico n jason under the cut
“Let’s get breakfast!” Nico says, grinning at Jason wildly. They’re the only two in the hallway, Nico leaning out from the apartment as Jason scrambles to unlock his door.
“Breakfast?” He raises a brow, and Jason can feel the frown making his way onto his face. “It’s ten pm.”
“Ugh, not now.” They roll their eyes, pushing themselves away from the door and towards Jason. Without asking, Nico takes the bag of takeout from Jason’s arms, freeing him to unlock his door. “Tomorrow! Or maybe Saturday- or you know, Sunday is a good breakfast day.”
Jason watches as Nico lets themselves into his apartment, a smile tugging at his lips. He tries to school it into something else, but he can’t help it. Not around them.
“What’d you get?” They’re already asking, digging through the bag.
“Nothing for you.” He slaps their hand away, and Nico pouts, pulling themself up and onto the counter.
“No fair.”
“Absolutely fair, you’re a pig.” He busies himself, portioning his chinese food out onto a plate before grabbing two forks. One for him, one for them.
