A/N: Hi guys! This is the Graecus from Idris! This is the second chapter about how Jason copes with his best bud's death. Read and review, sit back and enjoy! ; )
Jason didn't cry. At least he tried not to. Romans weren't supposed to show severe sadness or cry, especially sons of Jupiter. But he was just a 16 year old thrust into war. He was just a boy who built his life around the fact that his mother abandoned him when he was just 2. And he was just a vulnerable teenager who just lost his best friend. He just happened to be able to wear a mask well.
He remembered the boy who joked. How he joked to hide his pain. His brokenness. How he joked to make everyone feel carefree. But he always forgot himself. How he joked to calm his friends and fix his machines. But he never fixed himself. In the end, he sacrificed himself. He was braver and more Roman than Octavian. Octavian was liar, and evil, but he was the one who survived. Why, no one knew. He was very alive and facing trial in New Rome. He should have died; Leo should have been the one who lived.
He should have survived and should be warming the camp with his flames. He should be lightening the mood of this hellhole of negativity with his silly jokes. He should be sitting among friends as a celebrated hero. He should be bantering light heartedly with his girlfriend which he finally found after so long of being lonely. He died lonely, not even a human was there to soothe him during his final hour. Jason felt he should have gone with him.
When Calypso and Festus arrived at camp, Jason was practicing swordplay, hacking apart dummies with his golden gladius. Jason was about to whoop with joy, he saw the tear streaked and grief stricken face of Calypso. The Imperial Golden weapon clattered to the grimy ground. He saw the limp body of Leo Valdez. He was petrified in shock. He crumpled to his knees, and whispered quietly, "No. Why him? Why Gaea? He deserved better."
And here he was, standing, staring grimly and blankly at the dying flicker of flame where his friend's shroud was burned. He wanted revenge. He wanted to charge to the underworld with the Argo II crew, he was certain they would approve, and demand Hades to revive Leo. But he knew it won't happen. If the Physician's Cure didn't work, nothing would.
That night, he sat at his bunk in cabin 1, running his hand across Leo's tool belt which he managed to save from the bonfire. He turned his head and saw a photo. He and Leo grinned like morons in the selfie. There was a post-it stuck on it. "Stupid mode for Chiron's game! Best bros ever! ;p" He felt his nose start to get sore. He finally let go. Tears traced ways across his face; he didn't care about stupid Roman principles anymore. He cried silently. He cried his heart out. And why not? His best friend was gone. Gone. The word echoed in his head.
"I'm sorry, Leo. I miss you."
A/N: Hope you liked the story! Next chapter: Haley's Chapter. Please favorite and follow! Bye~ : )
-the Graecus from Idris