Someone Worth Fighting For
By: xXxDaughteroftheKingxXx
AN: Well, this story kind of hits close to home, because I feel strangely like Piper does at the end of TLH. Like, back off before I load you into a catapult and launch you far, far away. I've been wanting to get something like this out there—Piper talking about Jason and fighting for him—so yeah, I decided to today.
I won't go into extreme details on that. I think Reyna's just a bit OOC, but she did insist on Jason and her getting together, so I think I'd be a little peeved if some girl waltzed in and stole him. But, I tried not to make her too dog-like. She seems okayish...
Well, I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own PJO/HoO.
Watching the girl—the tall, regal, dark brown-haired Roman girl—she almost wanted to quiver. She looked so confident, so determined, so… much like Jason often did. She was like Jason, only in girl form. It was like they were made for each other or something.
Her heart wrenched as she thought of that. She clung onto the railing of the Argo II; no need to jump off the ship and rip the girl's throat out. Though, she was really considering doing so. Perhaps Katoptris would come in handy with assisting her in doing so.
Jason and Annabeth approached to two teenagers in togas—the regal girl and this clumsy teenage boy with dark, messy hair. Piper guessed that he was Percy Jackson, because he looked a lot like the guy in the picture of Annabeth in Chiron's office, only a bit taller, and more muscular.
Her sisters would call him a "Grade-A Hottie."
The two representatives from the two camps faced each other, and Piper nearly began biting her finger nails in anxiousness. Would they attack? Would they cooperate? Would they turn out to be total jerks, and would the Greeks have to go to Greece—and maybe Rome—alone? She sure hoped not.
Piper's eyes continued to be glued on the four teenagers, and just a few seconds later, they bugged out of their sockets. The dark-haired boy in a blue toga—presumably Percy Jackson—had wrapped his arms around Annabeth, and they were now caught up in each others' embrace. The regal girl in the purple toga rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, but there was a slight smile on her face. Jason, too was smiling at the now reunited couple.
Now, I can only pray that Jason and that girl don't do the same. Piper thought, casting a glance at Jason.
Luckily for Piper, they didn't. Once Percy and Annabeth had separated, the girl cleared her throat, and spoke to Jason and Piper. In a matter of a few more moments, the two representatives from Camp Half-Blood were running back to the ship, excited grins on their faces.
"We're allowed in," Jason explained breathlessly just as he and Annabeth stepped foot on the Argo II. The campers swarmed around the pair, excited mutterings rising. [1]
Leo grinned. "Good," he said with a nod. "Let's go meet even more of the gods' messed up kids!" Most of the campers, even Annabeth, took off for the Roman camp, and began mingling with the campers, but Jason and Piper stayed behind, leaning against the railing and staring at Camp Jupiter.
"Glad to be home?" she asked finally in an attempt to break the awkward silence.
Jason nodded, a small, somewhat sad smile on his handsome face. He always looked like that—never completely happy. There was always something on his mind.
"I missed this place," he said wistfully. "I love Camp Half-Blood and all, but this… this is my home, Piper."
The way he said it… it was like he didn't want to hurt her feelings. That made Piper slightly disappointed, but she couldn't really blame him. He was from this place. He belonged here, just like how she belonged at Camp Half-Blood.
"You sure seem famous here," she teased lightly. "Don't let it get to your head, okay?"
Jason smiled, but once again, it wasn't a very happy smile. "I'll tried not to."
An awkward silence settled over the two of them, and Piper couldn't help but stare at Jason. He looked absolutely amazing; his dazzling blue eyes sparkled; his somewhat longer blonde hair looked golden in the setting sun. He looked like a god.
Finally, after a few moments of silence, Piper put her arm around Jason's shoulder reassuringly. He looked up, and she smiled at him warmly. "It'll be fine, Jas," she reassured. "Everything will work out just fine."
Jason smiled slightly. "Thanks Piper," he murmured. "Thanks for… being there for me."
Piper smiled warmly at him once again as she released his arm. "Any time, Jason," she said, "any time."
It wasn't until later that Piper realized that the regal girl from before had been watching them the entire time.
It was later that night when the girl—Reyna, Piper had learned her name was—approached her.
"Hi," she said curtly. The girl had changed out of her toga, which made her less intimidating, and was now wearing jeans and a purple t-shirt identical to Jason's shirt from the first day Piper met him. "Popper, is it?"
Piper had a strange feeling that this Reyna girl was just calling her that to annoy her, much like Dionysus, but she forced a smile on her face anyway and shook her head. "Piper, actually," she corrected. "Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite."
Reyna raised a queer eyebrow, and she looked Piper over critically. There was a smile on her face, but it wasn't kind, it was more of a cold, calculating smile. "A daughter of Venus, hm? That's… interesting."
Piper fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Actually, Aphrodite," she corrected, once again. "Greek, remember?"
That little smirk appeared again. "Oh, of course," Reyna said, her voice filled with fake guilt. "My bad."
A silence settled over the two demigods for a few moments, until Reyna finally spoke up once more.
"So, you like Jason Grace, I see?"
Piper was taken aback. She had expected confrontation from Reyna sooner or later, but she hadn't expected her to be this blunt with it. She wasn't really sure how to answer the other girl's question without making her angry.
"Maybe," Piper said slowly, suspicion filling her voice. "Why do you want to know?"
Reyna smiled again. "No need to lie about it, Piper," she said calmly. "Let's be honest. You like him. I like him. Who does he like? Well, that's what we don't know, and what we want to find out.
"Where are you going with this?" Piper asked warily, after a few moments of letting that soak in.
"We'll be friends," Reyna said, that little smirk of hers still resting on her face, "but when it comes to Jason Grace, the line is drawn. Whoever he chooses, the other will leave it at that. No hissy fits, no getting angry, no nothing. Agreed?"
Slowly, Piper nodded. "Agreed," she said, still somewhat cautious. "Why bring this up?"
The Roman demigod shrugged nonchalantly. "Might as well be up-front about this, McLean. We both obviously care about Jason, so whoever he chooses, we'll let it be, whether we like his decision or not. But, let me tell you this. Don't think for one second that since we're friends that I'll make it easy for you. I'm going to fight for Jason Grace, and I'm going to fight hard. This won't be easy for you at all, McLean."
A small, confident grin formed on Piper's face. "The feeling's mutual, Reyna," she replied.
Reyna smiled. "And may the best girl win his heart," she said, before turning and walking away.
Piper merely stood there for a few moments, trying to digest the conversation with Reyna. The Roman girl, who'd probably known Jason for years compared to Piper's mere months, was ready to fight for his love. She wasn't joking, and Piper had a feeling that she was going to be a hard rival to beat.
Still, Piper could sense possibilities. If Jason chose her over Reyna… well, she was pretty sure that it would only go up from there. It was going to be a difficult battle—as if she didn't have enough of those going on—but Piper knew in her heart that Jason was definitely someone worth fighting for.
As she walked away, a smile spread to Piper's face. Reyna's last words echoed through her mind like a broken record.
"Reyna, watch out." Piper said softly. "Because I intend to." [2]
[1]: I'm not sure if the campers would be there... Let's pretend the counselors at least are. I mean, what if the Romans attacked? If it was just the four—Jason, Piper, Leo, and Annabeth—they'd kind of be screwed.
[2]: In response to Reyna's "And may the best girl win his heart," line. So, Piper's pretty much saying that she's the best girl, and she's going to win Jason over.
I'm warming up to Piper right now, because she and I can relate kind of. But I'm still most like Annabeth. :]
I hope you all enjoyed it!