To Love a Boy

iii

Jason Grace POV

Will had to go back to the infirmary so that left Jason and Leo to put up all the posters, signs and brochures. The two of them went all around camp setting up a sign in the ground in every new area so one could always be found no matter where you were. Then the two of them began to make their way back to the big house to go add to the information board.

"This looks really nice," Leo commented.

"Right," Jason agreed.

Jason was happy to be doing what they did. He couldn't quite explain it but he just felt like more young people should know. It's better for someone to find out sooner rather than later...

On their walk over they ran into Nico who Jason held out a fist bump to and he reluctantly agreed. That happened every time but Jason still held out a fist bump every single time.

"Where haven't you been all day? I haven't seen you. Usually you bother me right at breakfast," Nico asked.

"Leo, Will and I were making posters, signs and brochures about the LGBTQ+ so everyone knows that camp is a safe place for thé LGBTQ community," Jason explained.

"Will solace?" Nico questioned.

"Yeah! He's a great artist, look!" Jason handed him a brochure.

"Why? Did you tell him? Did you tell Will?" Nico lowered his voice to a whisper and looked at Leo. "You really shouldn't have done this."

Nico Speedily walked off.

Shit.

"Shit. I gotta go Leo. I'll be back in a- I'll be back," Jason ran after Nico.

Fucking hell. Nico probably thought it was all some ploy to make him come out or something. That was not what it was at all. Nico hadn't even crossed Jason's mind when he had thought of the Idea. He would never try to pressure someone to come out. He just wanted anyone to feel safe to.

Nico wasn't very fast so it was easy for Jason to catch up to him.

"Nico, please! Let me explain." Jason shouted out at the small boy.

Nico stopped and turned to look at his face. Nico was crying. "What was this all because you happened to be there when I had to admit something to Cupid? You want me to go parade around and tell everyone I'm gay? You don't know me, Grace." Nico turned to walk away again but Jason grabbed his arm.

"Listen, Nico. This whole thing was not about you. Did you ever decide to stop and think that maybe I'm worried about other gay kids? Or that I'm gay myself? I'm sorry that I don't want anyone else to have to through what I went through." Jason was crying too. "I came to Camp Jupiter when I was five. I didn't even know about gay people until I was twelve when I made a friend who had grown up outside of camp who was a lesbian. I didn't care. I thought it was cool that a girl liked girls. Some other kids did care. They picked a fight with her and hurt her badly and made it look like a sparring session went wrong. She died, Nico. I don't want anyone here to have beliefs like that or feel like they don't belong."

Jason took a breath. "That friend helped me figure out that I was gay before she got killed for being gay so I repressed my feelings. Then I got my memories erased and was convinced I was supposed to be in love with this girl who was supposedly my girlfriend. And I thought I was! For months! Until I got my memories back!"

Tears were streaming down Jason's face. Nico wrapped his arms around Jason and squeezed him tight. The hug lasted a long time.

"I'm sorry, Jason," Nico's words were muffled due to his head being pressed against Jason's chest.

Jason pulled away from the hug, "I'm sorry too.  I shouldn't have dumped all of that on you just because I was angry."

"If you asked me to listen I would've. Don't feel bad." Nico comforted.

Jason wasn't used to seeing the soft side of Nico. He'd seen him venerable but never willingly giving emotions to another person. It was refreshing to see.

"If you ever need anyone to talk to I'm here for you," Nico stated.

"Hey that's my line to you," Jason smiled and let out a small laugh as he wiped the thick layer of tears that had formed on his face with the sleeve of his sweater. "Emotionally available Nico needs to leave and bring back his regular distant and rude self."

"Shut up Jason," Nico hid his face in his hands.

"Oh and he's back. That didn't last long. Also I'm not trying to stress you out but Leo probably thinks you're homophobic now..." Jason made known.

"Oh gods-" Nico rubbed his forehead. "Fix this, please. Don't tell him."

Nico's eyes were filled with desperation and hope. Jason knew that Nico really needed things to be how they were before.

"Of course man," Jason smiled.

"Thanks," Nico walked off.

Jason made his way to the place where he left Leo. When he noticed that his friend wasn't there he then started walking over to the big house figuring that Leo must've gone there to put up the brochures.

"Hey stranger," Jason said as he clapped Leo on the shoulder.

"I got impatient," Leo admitted.

Jason looked at the bulletin board, "How did you get an actual plastic brochure holder."

Leo gasped, "I shit you not!" Then he reached into his tool belt. "Brochure holder." And when his hand came out he had a brochure holder.

"Why does it have brochure holders," Jason said with a laugh.

"I don't know! That's so funny!" Leo was also laughing.

"Do you wanna come to the head counceller meeting tonight? So we can tell them about the posters?" Jason asked.

"Yeah sure!" Leo happily agreed. "Do you wanna hang out afterwards? We could go to your cabin?"

"Sounds awesome," Jason smiled.

He knew exactly the activity for after the meeting.

word count: 1023