Hi guys, so it's me. This is just a little one-shot I've literally just come up with...I was plotting ideas for other things I could write and ended up getting carried away with my first point. It's not amazing. It's not detailed. It's just a little thought I had and decided to write up. I tried a different style - making it more quick-paced and brief and stuff. I've not even proof-read it, since it's such a small little thing.
I'm hoping to get more one-shots out there at some point. To those who read my other story, consider this my very, very late thank you for so many reviews. I've always loved the relationship between Jason and Percy - the bromance, at least, and I've been trying to think of something good to write about it for a while. I had no incredible inspiration, thus why this oneshot is rather sucky and lacking in detail. Hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave any prompts if you review :)
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON.
"Seriously?!" Percy exclaimed, throwing his hands out as he raced over to the interactive shooting game. "Dude, do you have any idea how long it took me to set up the high score?!"
The blonde-haired boy who looked around the same age as Percy was staring smugly at the leader board before he turned to grin at him, blue plastic gun resting slanted against his shoulder. "Sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all. "I got a little carried away. I never knew video games were this fun. You must be 'Percy', huh?"
"And you're Jason," Percy sighed, reading off the name above his on the board and grabbing the other gun. "Never mind. That score isn't very good anyway,"
"You just said it took you ages to set your last one," Jason pointed out.
"I've changed my mind. I can beat that," he slammed his hand into the 'start' button and raised his gun, taking out three enemies in the first second and quickly. Jason leant against the wall next to him, watching the round. Percy ignored his presence and focused his eyes, staring intently at the screen as his hands worked automatically in taking down the computerised enemies. Three minutes passed before, once again, 'Percy' appeared at the top of the board.
"Boom!" Percy yelled, dropping his gun and raising his hands in celebration. "That is how it's done!"
"Not bad," Jason said, coming to stand next to him again. "But I think I can do better,"
Percy grinned, motioning for him to step up. "Be my guest,"
Nodding, Jason stepped up. He raised the gun and started firing flawless shots at the enemies on the screen. Similar to Percy, he was fast. Alert. Most like ADHD, judging by the way his eyes darted around, never staying in just one place. At the end of the round, Jason had beaten him – but this time Percy didn't freak. He whistled appreciatively. "You're a worthy opponent, Blondie,
"Blondie?" Jason repeated. "Gee, thanks,"
Percy just grinned. "Wanna go race on the games over there?"
Jason's blue eyes darted over in the direction of said game and he nodded. "Sure. Winner chooses next game,"
"Deal,"
"So, how'd you get here?" Jason asked, biting down on a hamburger. Percy sat opposite him, feasting on a hot dog – challenging each other on just about every competitive game in the casino had been tiring.
"Just dropping in for the night. Tight schedule," Percy answered, swallowing his food. "My uncle stole something of my other uncle's and my dad's being accused of stealing it so I have to go get it before…before stuff happens,"
"Huh. That's cool,"
"I guess. You here on your own?"
"Nah, my best friends are here helping me. Last I saw one of them was rebuilding New York and the other was blasting the head off people who don't care about the environment. What about you?"
"My dad's upset. His brother's done something or whatever. I'm off to New York with two friends to see if I can cool him down before he blows his top,"
"Weird, I've just come from New York,"
"Really?"
"Yep,"
"Where are you headed now?"
"San Francisco,"
"That's where I'm coming from!"
Percy leant back, sighing. "I think our families just like messing with us, don't they?"
"Totally,"
"I don't get it," Percy said, successfully scoring himself another stuffed bear on the grabbing machine. "How can someone just take a kid and leave them in the middle of nowhere?! What the heck was going through your mom's mind, huh?!"
"I don't know. It's a good thing that she did though, I suppose," Jason shrugged, swiping the teddy from the opening of the machine.
"That doesn't excuse it!" Percy protested.
Jason rolled his eyes slightly before changing the subject. "And what about your dad, anyway? He knew you and your mom were in a bad place and he walked out without even getting to meet you-,"
"He sort of had to go-,"
"That doesn't excuse it,"
"Don't mimic me,"
"I've never been to school," Jason mused as they waited in line for the water slide. "Not technically. The place I live in is like a cross between a camp and a school. You get taught both the things you would and wouldn't be talk in a regular school,"
"I've been kicked out of every school I've been to," Percy sighed. "It's not as though I don't try to get through the school year, trouble just-,"
"Comes to you?"
"Yeah!"
"I feel you. Luckily everyone I live with have the same troubles so the…teachers don't expel us for any accidental trouble,"
"Are there any open places in this school because I wanna go,"
"Dude, my summer camp, though," Percy exclaimed, marching over to the bumper cars with Jason in tow behind him. "It's awesome. I mean, I was only there for a few days before coming here but I loved it. There's a climbing wall and a canoe lake and a forest for capture the flag-,"
"We play capture the flag," Jason said. "We have this massive field next to the grounds. Every week some students build a new battleground on it and we split into two teams and literally declare war. People get hurt pretty badly, but it's awesome,"
"I nearly got sliced open last time we played,"
"Someone was in the infirmary for three days last time we played,"
"Yeah…well…I got sliced open,"
"So you've mentioned. Admit it; my capture the flag is way more violent than yours,"
"We'll see about that. Think there are any rubber swords in this place?"
"I don't know, Jackson. I wouldn't want to hurt you,"
"Hurt me? Grace, I've handled…well, it doesn't matter what I've handled, but I know that I can take you,"
"Sure you can. Loser buys the other hot chocolate and candy later, then,"
Jason grumbled as he handed Percy over his hot chocolate. "It was a tie," he growled. "We tied! You only won because you cheated-,"
"I did not cheat. I did this thing called feinting. Thanks for the hot chocolate, dearie," Percy took a long, obnoxious sip of his warm chocolate beverage, waving a bar of Hershey's with the other hand in the blonde's face – who scowled unappreciatively.
"I hate you,"
"Um, no you don't,"
"I call for a rematch on everything in the morning,"
"Ah, don't be a sore loser,"
"I'm not being a sore loser. I'm regaining my dignity. Whoever loses most of the games tomorrow has to run around the casino naked until they're literally tackled by the security guards, no forfeits,"
"Run around the casino naked! I didn't know you had that sort of thing in you, Grace. Can we spice it up some more, though? Loser also has to sing Wrecking Ball whilst they run around with an XXL bra on their head – stolen from the dirty laundry bin,"
"Alright, deal,"
"You must be pretty confident that you're going to win,"
"I am. We'll start with the shooting games and finish with the rubber sword-fighting again,"
"Dude, I'm totally going to beat you,"
"Jason! Dude, dude, dude, dude!" Percy ran up to Jason, panting heavily as he laid a hand on his newfound friend's shoulder. "Jason, we have to get out of here, alright? Like, now! You don't understand, this place is evil! It's manipulative! God knows what-,"
"What are you talking about, Percy?" Jason asked, laughing. "Seriously, you go to bed and come back-,"
"I'm not kidding about this, Jason. I know you're smart. Snap out of this," grabbing his shoulders, Percy shook Jason roughly. "You have something important to do. Somewhere to be. You don't have time to be here yet the longer you wait and the more games you play, they more time passes! I just spoke to some dude from the freaking 70's!"
"Percy, you're going insane. Did you sneak into the bar last night?"
"No! Jason! Listen to me, please! I need to find my friends and you need to find yours and your dad is going to blow his top, remember?!"
Jason blinked. "Huh? What…no, no we have plenty of time. We don't have to leave until this afternoon, and really why would I want to leave? C'mon, let's go to the shooting range and get this competition started-,"
Percy slapped Jason across the cheek, turning him around to face the nearest game. A boy and a girl were playing on some sort of simulating game; their clothes were old-fashioned and they were talking about WW2 which they was apparently 'so close to ending'. "Look at those kids, Jason! Do they look like kids we see every day?"
"No…" Jason muttered, rubbing his cheek. Slowly, his expression morphed into horror and realisation. "No. Oh my god. No way. No way, right?"
"Please tell me you've snapped out of it?"
Jason nodded jerkily. "I've snapped out of it. Crap. Percy, how long…how long have we been in here?"
"I don't know. But we should go. You go with your friends and I'll go with mine. Maybe we'll meet again one day and finish off this competition, yeah?"
"Yeah…" Jason looked down-trodden, just as Percy felt. "Yeah, definitely. It was nice meeting you, Percy,"
"You too, Jason. Keep your skills sharp. I want this competition to be fair, whenever it is," Percy grinned, and Jason grinned back.
"Good luck on whatever you're doing,"
"Thanks. Good luck to you too,"
They stuck out their fists, bumped them together, before turning and sprinting away in different directions.
"Percy Jackson,"
Jason frowned at the name, which instantly brought a splitting pain to the back of his eyes. He rubbed his forehead slowly, thinking. He'd heard that name once. Probably a long time ago. Like all of his other memories, all it brought was fragmented pieces that made little sense to Jason. An arcade of sort. Something about running around naked wearing an XXL bra whilst singing Wrecking Ball.
Had he said that? It felt like it had been his voice, but he couldn't picture himself saying it…then again, it wasn't as though he knew much about himself anymore anyway.
Shrugging, Jason brushed it off. It was probably something small and stupid.
"Jason Grace,"
"Wait, what was that?" Percy asked, head snapping up. Pain shot through his skull. "Jason Grace?"
Reyna stared at him, nodding slowly. "That is my fellow Praetor's name, yes. Why?"
Percy's shoulders slumped slowly, brain whirring madly as it fought to remember. His memories were jumbled and broken and scattered everywhere across his mind. He remembered blonde hair and a fist bump and a leader board with 'Jason' on top, and 'Percy' underneath it. He knitted his brows, trying to recall more, but that was all. Shaking his head, Percy sighed. "Never mind,"
Jason and Percy faced each other, grins slowly dawning on each of their faces. "Long time no see, Blondie," Percy said.
"I've been keeping my skills sharp," retorted Jason, cracking his knuckles. "In case you're still on for that rematch. Hope you still know the lyrics to Wrecking Ball,"
"Actually, I think it's the opposite way around,"
Annabeth looked between the two, clearly confused. "Are we missing something?" she asked, motioning to herself, the other Greeks and just about the entire Roman camp.
"Jason and I have met," Percy explained, smiling at her. "I remember now – no wonder I thought I recognised your name! But I never knew you were a Demigod,"
"I didn't know you were a Demigod either," Jason replied.
"You're a Roman,"
"And you're a Greek,"
"You've gotten taller,"
"That tends to happen when you grow up,"
Percy simply laughed, sticking out his fist. "It's good to see you again, dude. We've got a lot of catching up to do, huh?"
"Same here," Jason chuckled, connecting his fist with Percy's. "Update, I have a girlfriend,"
"You scored? No way. So did I,"
"Oh my god," Piper muttered, shaking her head along with everyone else within earshot of the two's conversation.
So, like I said. Nothing amazing. For those who squinted there was a little cameo of Bianca and Nico in the casino - I've always wondered where they were when Percy, Annabeth and Grover were there. Anyway, hope this was okay. It was short and snappy and just a little something...yeah, if you liked it and would like me to write more, then please leave me a review with any ideas. If I like the idea I'll have a go at writing it.
Yep. Have a nice day, then :)
(PS. I was going to post this on my tumblr but I made the mistake of telling some of my friends my tumblr name and now they follow me and I just couldn't face it if they read it. If you'd like to follow me, I'm hedgehodgy)
