Hello, I'm back! Sorry for the late updates, but I had a school trip to DC this week and I have exams next week, so I will try to update, but I apologize if they're a little slower than usual.
And also, if you want to find out when I'm updating some of my other stories, I update in the order I published them. For example, I update Fiery Hero after His Skeleton and before Freedom Fighters. Just sort by published order and you can predict when a story will be updated. One shots are not included.
Jason is somewhat OOC, but in my defense, his characters kind of all over the place in the books. He could be a right Jerk at times, but mostly, he was the great friend and hero we all adored!
WARNINGS: SUICIDE ATTEMPT, HINTS OF BULLYING AND ABUSE, BUT VERY VAGUE, LANGUAGE
Disclaimer: I own nothing
After saying something he didn't mean, Jason needs to find a way to swallow his pride and apologize to Leo. Preferably before he... walks over the edge. Suicide attempt, language
"A problem is never solved without a solution. Better sooner than later!" -Demi Lovato
He didn't mean it. He really didn't. It was the heat of the moment, and it just... slipped out.
"That's no excuse, Jason!"
Piper was right. There was no excuse for what he'd said; hell, even if he'd been possessed by an eidolon, it'd be no excuse.
"I've never seen Leo that hurt..."
Hazel was right. Jason had never seen Leo so... broken. So close to crying, as if Jason had slapped him across the face before telling him he was worthless. The second part, he practically had, and he'd never regretted anything more.
"Jason, you should know better."
Annabeth was right. Jason had been hurt before, really hurt. He'd been insulted, abandoned, lonely, betrayed... he should know better than to break someone else down like so many people had done to him. Because that pain... it never goes away.
"Jason, what the hell, man?! Leo didn't deserve that, and you know it."
Percy was right. Leo deserved so much more than Jason or anyone else gave him, and deep down, Jason knew that, but sometimes, things are stronger than logic. Fear is one of them. Anger is another.
"Jason... Leo may be insensitive, but he's not a bully. And you're not either. So... why?"
Frank was right. Jason wasn't a bully; he wasn't cruel. So why the fuck had he let his anger get the better of him? He hadn't done that in a long time.
"Damn it, Leo! You can't do anything right! No wonder no one wants you!"
Jason hadn't been right. Not at all. Because he couldn't live without his best friend. Neither could Piper. And even though Leo had hurt them before, he knew that the others had a special place in their hearts for Leo Valdez. Even Coach Hedge was very protective of Leo, scarily so.
"Leo," he called, quietly, as he stepped out onto the deck. "Can we talk?"
No answer.
"Come on, man. I came to apologize. Here me out?"
Nothing.
"Leo, pl... LEO!"
Jason dove forward and grabbed Leo's arm just as he stepped off of the ship. His best friend slammed against the ship and dangled like a rag doll; one wrong move and he'd plunge into the water several feet below. And die.
"Jason... just let me go," Leo stammered, looking into his eyes with his own broken ones.
"What? No way am I letting you die. Not now. Not when I can stop it," Jason said, his voice breaking.
"But you said-"
"I don't care what I said. I don't want you dead, and you shouldn't want that either," Jason whispered.
"What's going on?" A voice questioned from behind Jason.
"Percy, help!" Jason called, struggling to pull Leo up. He wasn't that heavy, but Jason couldn't pull him up alone.
The son of Poseidon rushed over and reached over the railing, grappling for Leo's arm. Then, together, the children of the Big Three yanked their friend over the railing, causing all of them to sprawl across the floor.
For a moment, no one said anything. Then, Jason completely broke down, embracing the fire user and sitting there for several minutes. He didn't even notice when Percy left, sensing that the friends needed a moment alone.
"Leo, I-I didn't mean what I said. You know I didn't, so why?"
Leo shrugged. "Why not?"
That caught Jason off guard. "W-What?" He stammered.
"Look, Jason, you don't understand. I messed up so many times, causing more problems than I solved. J-Jason, I killed my own mom."
Jason shook his head, defianitely. "No, you didn't. Gaea killed her, not you."
"But I started-"
"The fire, I know. But for all you know, your mom could've already been gone, Leo. Gaea could've killed her immediately, then made you use your powers to make you blame yourself."
"But I heard her..."
"What do you mean?"
"I heard her screaming. As I was going in and out of unconsciousness, I heard her screaming for help, for me. She was apologizing, but I never found out to who because she died. I killed her, Jason. The fire killed her."
Jason didn't know what to say to that, so he opted not to say anything. He just hugged Leo tighter.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean what I said. None of it was true. We do want you, Leo; we need you."
"No one needs me," Leo whispered. "They said so."
"Who?"
"Everyone. My foster parents, my foster siblings, my aunt, my cousins, the kids at school. Even some of my so called friends. You were 100% right."
"No, I wasn't. And none of those other people were. We need you. Who's going to lighten the mood when we need it? Who's going to be our funny, witty Repair Boy? Who's going to be our loyal friend, who's always there when we need him? Leo, please..."
Leo met his gaze. "If you didn't mean it, why did you say it?"
"Because I was an idiot and I was stressed. There's no excuse for what I said, but please, just... can you try to forgive me?"
Leo nodded. "I can forgive you, but... I can't forget about it."
"I don't expect you too," Jason muttered. "I wouldn't forget about it either. In fact, forgiveness would be the last thing on my mind, so you're being more lenient than I would be."
Leo smiled, sadly. "Jason... I'm sorry about what I said in Medea's shop all those months ago."
Jason hesitated. "Were you telling the truth?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you said that you were jealous of me. Were you telling the truth?"
"I'll answer if you tell me if you were telling the truth."
"Alright. I guess a part of me felt that way, but it was due to confusion and being an angsty teenager with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Nothing more, nothing less. Leo, you've done so much for me, and I never told you thank you. I returned to Camp Jupiter because you built that ship; I learned how to relax and let loose a little; I learned what a true friend is because of you. Not Piper or any of the others. Thank you."
Leo smiled. "You're welcome. But... I was also telling the truth. You were just so perfect that you didn't need me, and that inferiority turned to jealousy because maybe if I had everything you did, I wouldn't need to feel that way."
"You still don't. Inferiority is complicated, Leo; it doesn't just go away. And trying to fight it off is difficult. Trust me, I know; being a child of Jupiter, I have quite a few enemies, as well as friends."
Leo shrugged. "It's even harder when you've felt that way your whole life."
Jason nodded. "Well, don't worry. You're not gonna feel that way for long. I'll make sure of it."
Leo smiled, clearly not believing him. "Jason, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."
"Leo, like I said, you taught me what a true friend is. A true friend would do anything for the other... anything, even if it's hard or hurts them in the process. And this is important; it's worth the hard work if I can make that mask you wear the real you and not something you use to hide the pain."
Leo chuckled. "Thanks, Jason, but can you do me a favor and not tell the others about this? Maybe after the war, but right now, we can't afford to get distracted."
Jason nodded. "Alright, but... what are we going to tell Percy? He's not as stupid as he acts. Saying you fell off the ship... he won't be fooled."
Leo sighed. "We tell him the truth. He's loyal; if we ask him to keep a secret, he will."
Jason nodded. "Or we may not have to... Percy, come out from behind that barrel."
A blushing and sheepish Percy crawled out from behind a wooden barrel, smiling awkwardly.
"Uh, hi?" He said.
Leo smiled. "At least I don't have to go through that explanation again."
Percy nodded. "But don't worry, I won't tell. Not even Annabeth, but you have to promise me that after all this is over, you'll tell them."
Leo nodded. "I will. I promise."
"Good," Percy told him. "Now, the others are all worried about you, so come on, before one of them storms up here and demands to know what the hell happened."
Leo laughed. "Yeah, we'd better get going."
Jason stood and followed them downstairs, mentally preparing his story for the crew.
They'd solved a problem together, a problem that had been present for longer than Jason may ever know.
He just wished that they'd come up with a solution sooner, before all of this happened.
Note to self, he told himself. Stop putting off problems because solutions are truly better discovered sooner rather than later.
I know I haven't written all that much, but I just want to remind you that I do elaborate on one shots upon request. They'll be posted near the end of the month, if I do any.
Bye!
