Nico
AN: Is Jason acting a little OCC? R&R
Okay. I'll admit. I was caught off guard by how angry Lucky looked. Probably practiced that mean snarl of his.
"What are you looking at, Sweethearts?" the son of Iris drawled, "Can't a guy work in peace?" He hung his gloves up on the rack and glared at us. Didn't bother to fix the punching bag before moping off to do whatever it was he normally did. I turned to Phoenyx, who had a comical look on her face.
"Well," she sighed. "That was . . . interesting."
"Lucky fits that description," I muttered. "Do you think we could fix it?" Wondering about the bag on the ground, I inquired. She chewed on her lip and scrutinized the equipment.
"Most likely. Looks like the chain link just opened too wide." Her hand waved me over. "I'll lift, you close the link with the rest of the chain. I saw some pliers on the ground over there." I searched the grass and my fingers ran over something cold and hard. I pick it up and stuck it in my belt loop. Phoenyx cracked her back and fingers, and I jumped up to grab hold of the beam above my head, swinging my legs up to turn myself rightside up. I gave Phoenyx the thumbs up. She grunted and righted the bag so it stood on its bottom, and heaved upward. Reaching down, I took the end of the chain and placed it through the open end of the link. I strained to pull the metal ring together again. Just when I thought I had it, a familiar voice called out. Phoenyx cursed.
"Nico!" Jason called. My sister dropped the bag and barely managed to avoid being crushed by its weight by stumbling backwards and landing on her butt. Jason appeared smiling. "Hey. Need a little help?" The grin died when his eyes met Phoenyx, who bristled and stood up nervously. I slid down off my perch onto the ground. Phoenyx scowled at Jason.
"Praetor."
"Its actually Pontifex Maximus now," he replied coldly, meeting her steely gaze with his electric blue eyes.
"Demoted?" she snorted.
"Technically, pro-moted."
"Whatever. Sucks to be under you." My eyes flicked nervously back and forth during the exchange and a bad feeling crept over me.
Jason folded his arms. "We thought you died in the explosion." I stepped between the son of Jupiter and my sister.
"How do you know each other?" I asked, watching both of them warily. Pheonyx fingered a throwing knife, her eyes never leaving Jason, whose glasses were annoyingly crooked. For the umpteenth time I had to resist righting them.
"Unfortunately." He cleared his throat. "This person caused quite a ruckus at Camp Jupiter two years ago." His voice was icy. "She was an enemy of Rome, presumed to be dead." I scowled at the ground.
"Well, 'this person' is my sister, and I expect you two will be civil to each other." Phoenyx's eyes flashed angrily.
"I wouldn't expect civility from him," she pointed at Jason. It was his turn to bristle.
His voice was a low growl I had never heard come from him. "Oh, really? You think so? I'll show you civility, you barbarus!" He took the coin from his pocket and flipped it. The coin morphed into a Imperial Gold gladius. Phoenyx brandished her Stygian Iron sword, and summoned a skeleton.
"Stop! Right now!"
