Love, Jason thought, was a complicated thing.


He watched Percy and Annabeth together. The way they couldn't, at least tonight, take their eyes off each other; one could infer they had missed the other every single second they were apart. They didn't really speak, not really, but it actually felt like they were talking. The two were lying on a blue love seat together. They were tangled up, and simply gazed at each other. Nothing more, nothing less.


They fought. Hard. The room was full of yelling. The tears dripping onto the floor, the angry shouts, the flailing arms. "-because I love you, damn it! Don't you get it? I love you and I'd die for you!" "I don't deserve that!" "Annabeth..." Percy tilted her chin up to look at him. Her eyes looked down, then eye contact was established. and suddenly they were kissing. He turned and walked out of the room.


Annabeth and Percy both were drenched in sweat. Clang! The two Celestial Bronze weapons met in the air. They both drew back and met again. It almost seemed that there were sparks flying through the air, falling around them in a curtain of light. Yet he could see them clearly, every detail; a crease in Annabeth's shirt, Percy's chest rising up and down, every shift of a limb, a cap sticking out of Annabeth's pocket, water that made Percy's hair damp and dripped off the ends. They moved so gracefully; circling in an intricate dance with the music of blades. The others stood next to him, but he was focused on the two swirling in the training room who was focused on the fight. The movement ended as two flashes of bronze stopped, one held to a neck, the other aimed at the heart. For a second everything was frozen except for them. Percy's chest rose and fell, as did Annabeth's. The blades were aimed so the other couldn't get out. Then, suddenly, they turned their backs to each other, slightly bending, and swore in Ancient Greek. He swore he ghosts of smiles on both faces.


Walking in, he froze. It was Percy and Annabeth. Again. This time in the stables. A pure, raven-black pegasus stood over them. The pegasus looked at me, his head dipping into a nod of acknowledgement. He realized the pegasus was standing vigil over them, protecting them. He bared his teeth, just warning Jason not to bother the peacefully sleeping teens. As he stepped closer, light washed over their faces. He could see them clearly now. He noted that they both had dark rings under their eyes. A thick quilt had been drawn over their bodies, keeping them warm. Annabeth was snoring lightly; Percy had drool pooling in the corner of his mouth. This was probably the first good sleep they'd had since...they'd had in a while. He smiled at the sleeping couple.


It was awkward, watching them swap saliva. In other words, it was uncomfortable watching them kiss. Sort-of. They didn't seem to notice Jason, or the rest of them for that matter. Leo cleared his throat. They ignored him. They didn't look embarrassed when they pulled apart. They didn't look like they cared. There was no embarrassment, no nothing. Just the longing for another.


They were falling. He didn't see; didn't get there in time, just saw the flash of blonde and the glint of a sword. He felt sick. Did they love each other so much as to fall together? They did. To die? They did. The love was so strong, they'd go to hell for one another. It scared him.


Love was complicated. That he knew. It was a ruthless game, almost like chess, but if you played it just right, it was fair. Love and war. He could see the war. He coud see the love. Love did things to you.

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I hope you enjoyed it. I worked hard on this. Hopefully people read this. Thank you guys! I think this is my favorite one-shot I've done, and that's saying something!

-AE-