Yeah, I don't own Percy Jackson. Sad but true.
Okay, I was working on a series of A-B-C one-shots in my story From Askew to Zeal, and the chapters for C, E, and J were all different parts of this. So I put them together, and made them thier own one-shot! Hope you all enjoy! (and if you do, please check out From Askew to Zeal!)
SSS
Reyna felt everyone aboard the Argo II go tense as Percy and Jason locked eyes. They held eachother's gaze steadily, as though to look away would be to show weakness. Around them, the campers of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter shifted warily from foot to foot, as though they were afraid that the staring contest would explode into a full-on brawl.
A blonde girl in Camp Half-Blood orange appeared to be torn as she gazed at Percy, looking as if she were trying to decide whether or not to approach him and interrupt the battle of wills that he and Jason were playing out before her eyes. Reyna was pleased when she, the self-same girl who had helped Percy to destroy Reyna's former home, stayed where she was, watching the mute war critically; some things were best left uninterrupted.
Everyone else on board was silent on board the dragon-headed vessel, save for the dark-haired girl who stood just behind Jason's shoulder, trying and failing not to scuff her shoes as she fixed Reyna with a wary stare, as though debating whether or not she was worth attacking.
Reyna did her best to ignore both girls, though the dark-haired one's stare felt like it was burning a hole through her armor, and the blonde girl's attention on Percy made her want to step between them, block the Greek girl's view of Poseidon's son.
With an effort, she turned her attention back to the boys.
Looking at them both, Reyna found Jason difficult to compare to Percy. They were very close in height, if not exactly the same, and in a test of power Reyna wasn't sure there would be a clear winner. They were both strong, respected leaders, both loyal, honorable friends.
It would be much easier to contrast them, place them side-by-side and point out their differences, to reveal that each was a different side of the coin, heads and tails, dark and fair, water and sky.
Jason was steady, careful, constant as the sky arcing above and fair as the morning light; Percy, meanwhile, was unpredictable, rash, and changable as the sea, dark as it's deepest depths.
The two hero's blinked at the same time, breaking off their informal staring competition, and it was then that Jason noticed what he had missed on first coming face-to-face with Percy Jackson. His jaw clenched as his gaze came to rest on the regal purple cape swaying from Percy's shoulders, the Roman tattoo branded into his forearm, and for a split second, Reyna wondered if she'd made a critical error in supporting Poseidon's son as praetor. Then she looked at Percy, and her doubts vanished. He deserved the honor the legion had conferred on him just as much as Jason ever had. He had saved thier camp, returned their eagle when no one else could.
It was time to intervene.
She stepped to Percy's side and placed a hand on his shoulder, facing Jason in a display of unity that caused the legionaires behind them to relax a fraction from their battle-ready stances.
"Percy, meet Jason Grace," she announced evenly. "Jason, meet Percy Jackson, praetor of the twelfth legion."
For a second, Jason looked as though she'd slapped him. She lifted her chin. Then the pain in his face was gone, replaced by a cloud of uneasiness fogging his blue eyes. Percy kept his emotions masked as he held out his hand. Jason took it warily.
It was another test, fingers crushing bone as each tried the other's strength against their own. Then they released eachother abruptly, neither giving away the winner of their game, and their hands fell back to their sides, fingers flexing experimentally to ensure that they all still worked.
Jason caught Reyna's eye then, and gave a nod of acceptance, in an unhappy one, as though in testing himself against Percy he had found in him an equal, worthy of taking his place.
Reyna returned his nod, eyes scanning over the orange-clad demigods, pausing on the blonde girl, who looked mildly surprised, and on the thoughtful expression now gracing the face of the dark-haired girl behind Jason. Then her eyes flicked back to Jason's face. She was pleased that he approved of his replacement, especially since, judging by their behavior, the Camp Half-Blood group certainly approved of theirs.
Percy tilted his head, grinning slightly.
"I've heard a lot about you. Good to meet you finally."
Jason returned the slight smile.
"Yeah, you too."
As if on cue, the campers all relaxed, grinning in relief as though a bomb had just been defused. Reyna squeezed Percy's shoulder, felt him roll his shoulders slightly in response.
She smiled.
SSS
Review! Lemme know what you think! No flames! Thanx so much! ~Seeker