-x-
Chapter IV: The Best Friend, cont'd
-x-
An hour later, Jason woke up to the sound of a paper bag settle on his overbed table. He peered up from his pillow sleepily, taking in the sight of Nico shutting the blinds on his window.
The boy shuffled back and forth—quite, while Jason traced his path—before turning to meet him. "Good nap?"
"Yeah." He felt sluggish from over a week of inactivity. The blood in his veins was replaced with sand from days of disuse, and all Jason did was sleepand tucker himself out from too much unused energy. So far all the hospital taught him was that he didn't want to come back to one any time soon. "I'm going crazy here, Neeks."
Nico snorted softly, with a humming laughter that knew how to twist all of Jason's whines and moans into the most amazing symphony in the world. "That's part of why you can't stay in one place, Jason."
Jason was willing to complain a thousand more times just to watch the amusement spark across the other boy's face because of his own idiocy. "Then ground me."
The younger teen froze—his body tense at the words echoed across the room.
Pressing his cheek against the pillow, blue eyes locked onto Nico's tense stature while Jason's heart somersaulted in his chest. Was that too forward? Something like that was a bold move even for Jason—but it felt like the right words. The right rhythm.
But—regardless of Jason's impulse, he would never forgive himself if he lost Nico's trust.
A nervous silence suddenly hung in the air.
"You're not ridiculously sick anymore, you moron." Nico rolled his eyes, a gentle refute beneath his breath, and turned to unroll the paper bag. "It'd be….wrong, if I hopped onto your bed right now."
"Wrong because you feel like you can't," Jason responded without missing a beat, "or because you don't want to?" His tone was patient, but on the inside, the blonde couldn't help but demand for Nico to just say yes already.
Instead, Nico did none of that. He stood his ground with both hands coiled into fists and lips pressed together. Tight. Scared.
Oh.
Jason berated himself—and realized the subtext of his words. The shock hit like a cold shower.
Crap.
"You don't have to, Nico—I. Sorry. I don't know what came over me."
Holy Cerberus.
"I—am so sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Wow. Just. Wow. Jason sat up, suddenly more aware of what he'd just done. He'd just…crossed a very sacred line in their friendship by propositioning the other teen.
"It's fine, Jason."
There was no way in Hades that it was. Jason felt worse than scum.
Across from him, Nico's shoulders settled. Yet his expression was still suspicious and wary—like that for the first time since their friendship formed. "I brought brownies."
It was an empty attempt to change the subject. Jason was never more grateful in his life. Still—his heart raced with shame and he wanted to crawl under a rock.
"You said the ambrosia squares tasted like brownies from your favorite bakery in New Rome." Nico pulled the said desert out of the little brown bag. "I figured you'd like to have the real thing instead of through a needle in your arm."
Wow. Feeling his heart ache, Jason took the brownies out of the Son of Hades' hand and broke it apart with the tips of his fingers. "Thanks, Nico."
He could see Nico's fingers curl inward toward himself the moment Jason took the delicacy from him, and bore the scrutiny of Nico's tired eyes as he nibbled at a chocolate chip.
Crap. Just…Crap.
They sat in silence, with Jason throwing brownie bits in his mouth and Nico nipping at the edge of his. They used to carry a warm taste in Jason's mouth—like home. During the war, Roman brownies felt like they didn't fit the mouth of a Greek Son of Jupiter—and now, Jason felt like he was choking them down with shame.
Suddenly Nico stopped chewing—and instead looked up to Jason with speculative eyes. "We're okay. Right?"
Cocking his head, Jason took in the sight of the Son of Hades once more—reluctant, confused, and frightened. Jason was the only relationship Nico had apart from Hazel that could be considered close. Frank's moot point earlier—how distraught Nico was while they waited for news about Jason's condition—rang in his head like an alarm. How privileged he was to have Nico's respect and his trust. Nothing would change how Jason felt honored that he was one of those people—but he knew that he was walking on thin ice. Flirting earlier when they were in the garden was bad too.
Plus…just what he was doing made everything worse too. Why hurt the boy who you couldn't love?
And—argh. That love word.
None of this would make Jason question their relationship if it wasn't for that word.
"—son," said the other boy quietly, and Nico was less sure of himself. His tone melted tensely—coating in fragile armor. "We're okay. Right…?"
"Yeah," Jason muttered—and he looked the younger teen in the eye. "Yeah, yeah. We're okay. I'm just…maybe I'm still delusional. No—uh." Breathing between his teeth, Jason reached over and placed a hand against the other teen's jacket. He locked gazes with Nico firmly, eyebrows furrowed. "We're okay, only if you're okay with this. If not, we…we can talk about this."
Hesitation fluttered across Nico's expression as he scrutinized Jason once more. His lips swelled with a twitch, and he looked away aversely like Jason was unworthy of his gaze. "Yeah. We're okay."
-x-
"Here."
"What—is…is this my gladius?" Jason's eyebrows raised above his hairline as the imperial gold was placed in his hand. Disbelief flickered in blue orbs as he inspected it—but sure enough, that was his sword. The tip of the blade was singed from use as a conduit for lightning. His fingers molded into the hilt of the sword, turning it into his well-known extended limb, and Jason held his breath. From the corner of his eye, he saw Nico smile. "Where did you find this?"
"Sticking out of a ledge in the Rockies." Nico leaned back against his chair and nudged his head in the direction of Camp Jupiter. "I took Hazel out there with me. She pointed her fingers and then it came flying into her hand like it belonged with her."
He had a sword. Nico brought his sword back. Jason had his sword again. "Did I ever mention that you're my best friend?"
Nico's nose scrunched, with little wrinkles at the bridge of his nose between his eyes. "You don't really mean that."
"Of course I do." Jason flipped the blade to inspect it—recognizing every blunt scathe that remained like battle scars. Looking up, blue eyes shone against astonished dark grey, and the corner of Jason's lips curled into a smile. "You've been taking care of me since September, man. Not only that, but you saved my sister and me and sat with her for seventeen long hours while I was getting a spear out of my chest. I know that killed you. And then…this, all of this."
Red fluttered across Nico's cheeks and he looked away—causing a pang of sadness to shoot up Jason's heart. Ever since the incident a few days ago, the boy had a hard time Jason in the eye. The Son of Hades wanted to say something, but something inside Nico wouldn't allow him to do so.
Jason knew what that really meant was that he lost part of Nico's trust.
Still—he tried what he could to remind Nico he was there. That being said, Jason reached over to curl a hand over the younger boy's lap. "You're my friend, Nico. My best friend." He thought of the incident again—how Jason needed someone to ground him because he couldn't land. If he took the romance possibility out of the equation, then—yes. In some perfect way, Nico was what Jason needed. "I couldn't do this without you."
Since the touch, the Son of Hades' eyes had narrowed to the placement of Jason's fingers. When the words left the blonde's mouth, the wary gaze returned to blue eyes—and after some debate, a more self-assuring smile graced the lips of one Nico di Angelo. "Then you're my best friend too."
The Son of Jupiter's heart hammered happily in his chest.
A knock on the door caught both of their attentions. Followed by a—"Hey, Superman, you up for another visitor?"
"Leo?"
Sure enough, the door popped open and the curly mop of the Latino Santa's Elf peered through the cracks. A mischievous grin decorated Leo's face as he looked to the Son of Jupiter, and Jason mimicked it.
"Leo! Hey, man!"
"No, no, don't get up—let me inspect you. Gotta figure out how badly your kryptonite poisoning is." Leo rubbed his chin thoughtfully and inspected the blond—the smile never once leaving his face.
"Erggh." Behind him, Percy slowly appeared at his side—green in the face from airsickness. Sea green eyes inspected Jason themselves as Percy oriented himself with the room, and then he plopped onto the hospital bed. "Hey man. Sickness. Hate the air. Gross."
"Good to see you too, man." Jason split into a grin and bumped fists with the Son of Hephaestus. Amusement teemed in Jason's smile as he looked over to the Son of Poseidon—and he leaned forward so only Leo could hear. "What happened to him?"
"Airsickness. You know your dad hates him. Promised to shoot him out of the sky the next time Percy dared to be in his domain and stuff. Yada, yada." Leo batted a hand casually like it was no big deal—his hands moving twenty places in one gesture. Still, his pupils flickered worriedly to his co-inhabitant back at New York. That was probably why Leo was nervously fidgeting to begin with. Not only that—but this was the first time Jason and he had seen each other in four months.
"You were in the air fifty percent of the time during the war," Jason pointed out. Sometimes he thought Percy could be a real baby over his fear. If Jason's gladius was a second limb, then the wind was Jason's essence. Nico mused once that Jason was probably a cloud in his past life.
Percy Jackson—the only known Son of Neptune, the once-Praetor to the Twelfth Legion, slayer of Kronos, survivor of Tartarus—and contributor to the ultimate downfall of Gaea—only groaned, like a wounded puppy. "That doesn't count. You were on the Argo II, too. Shooting me down meant you were coming with me."
In some roundabout way it was like saying Jupiter actually cared for his son. Sort of.
Since before Thanksgiving, Jason and Leo kept contact with each other at least twice a week. A few days after Jason came to, someone finally had the common sense to contact Percy and Leo. Nico—surprisingly, had come up with the suggestion.
That being said, Jason's eyes fell to the boy—who looked queasy and uncomfortable with the current situation.
Right. Percy.
Suddenly Jason's stomach knotted with jealousy—but he couldn't figure out why. The past few months, Jason was so caught up with coaxing Nico into a comfortable position with himself that he forgot about why being gay frustrated the younger boy so much. It was the only other day that Nico confided in Jason about his feelings—why liking guys—liking Percy pained him so much.
If you and Jackson died, the miser in the back of his head hummed, who do you think Nico would mourn for?
Shaking the thought out of his head, Jason tapped Nico with his own leg and smiled when the young teen looked up. "I think Hazel needed help with something. You should go see her."
He was so used to Nico's soft smiles and airy sarcasm that seeing a cynical, discomforted demeanor on the younger boy's face made Jason wonder if this was the same person. However, there was a spout of relief in dark orbs meant just for Jason. Nico opened his mouth to speak—and Jason finished the sentence for him.
"I'll see you later." Probably in an hour. Longer, depending when Leo and Percy left.
Standing to his feet, Nico nodded quietly and made his way toward the door. Only to be stopped by Leo.
"Hey." They stood parallel to each other—with Leo's hands placed over Nico's shoulders—for roughly two seconds before Nico slapped them away. Still, Leo continued with wild gestures in the air. His gaze narrowed—from one mad genius to the other—and his expression sobered. "Thank you, for saving him. I can't thank you enough for doing that."
Nico's lips twitched into something unreadable—with the words You're welcome at them. His cheeks tinged the softest shade of pink—hidden beneath the layers of his hair.
Oh my gods.
Jason couldn't believe what he was seeing. In retrospect, all the interaction everyone had with Nico was on the Argo II. Grouchy Nico, angry Nico. Frustrated Nico, brotherly Nico. He spoke when spoken to and when he had new information that would help them in the war effort—otherwise, he amused himself by the fact everyone on the ship feared him. This—however, with all of the temperamental insecurities beaten out of him—proved to have no motive for him to speak.
Leo didn't seem to notice. Instead, he slapped Nico wholeheartedly on the shoulders and grinned in Jason's direction. "You owe him big time, you know."
"He has my life." The corner of Jason's lip rose as he looked up to Nico—who rolled his eyes.
"Erghh." Nico's voice was too soft for Leo to hear. Instead, he disappeared out the door and the Son of Hephaestus planted himself in the chair next to his longtime best friend.
Once the door shut, Leo's eccentricity faded away. His gaze hardened—lips tight, hand tinkering Morse Code nervously into the table, and the other making circles with his finger. "Can I…see it?"
Jason obliged with ease. He pulled off the sleeve of his hospital gown, where the wound was nothing more than a round scar front and back. Leo's eyes flickered with heat—anger boiling like wildfire. For a moment, Jason saw the gaze of the boy he woke up to on an August morning—caring and powerful.
The shorter teen let out a low whistle and reached out to rub a thumb over the wound. "You feel like Swiss cheese?"
"Without the holes," Jason assured. "I felt holier last week."
"Holier. Oh, gods, you are the cheesiest person I know, Superman." Leo wiped a fake tear out of his eyes and sniffled. "I'm so proud of you."
A quiet laugh passed between them.
Jason's eyes fell back to Percy, who'd placed a hand over his eyes to control motion sickness. The same Son of Poseidon finally sat up, green in the face. He crossed his arms over his chest with a tired look—and narrowed his sights to both Leo and Jason.
"You…want me to get Will over?" Jason asked inquisitively. The knots in his stomach coiled tighter—especially since he knew the look on Percy's face.
A gesture of surrender—at least for that moment—passed between them and Percy bowed his head. "I think I need a walk. Or to go jump in a bucket of water."
"How long do you guys plan on staying?"
"Hopefully just the weekend." Leo patted Jason's wound with meticulous fingers—then stuffed them in his pockets. "We've got finals coming up soon. Sally won't let us—"
"Who's Sally?"
"Percy's Mom." "My mom."
Leo and Jason both looked back to the brunet, whose hands were currently stuffed in the pockets of his pants. Percy's attention turned to the window—to the lights, to the suns painted on the walls—anything other than Leo and Jason themselves.
Which was kind of annoying.
Jason didn't say it often—because most of Percy's ill-mannered humor usually went without care—but Percy was kind of being a jerk. While he suppressed his own irritation against the Greek demigod, it was getting hard to do when Percy didn't find Jason worthy of his time.
Percy scrunched his nose and pushed wavy bangs out of his eyes. "I think I'll go visit camp grounds. I'll…meet up with you later, Leo."
"You sure?" Jason asked—if only to get a rise out of the other teen. The tone of voice he took was better met for the battlefield—with clever taunts that let you know what you were up against. He didn't have it in him to be a smartass—that was up Annabeth, Percy's, or even Leo's level. (The latter two usually got themselves into deep shit because of it.) But he knew how to hold his ground when need be.
"I'm sure." Percy took a harsh breath—either from lasting airsickness or from irritation. Regardless, his eyes met Jason's, challenging every bit of the blonde's tone.
Hey. Percy had no reason to be mad here. Just looking at the guy reminded Jason of Nico's hurt face—and the words Nico spoke. Percy went with everything and he still didn't trust a boy that'd literally given up everything for him.
It just made Jason angry.
"We should spar before you leave," Jason suggested in a steady tone. His arms crossed over his chest.
The corner of Percy's lip twitched, eyes never wavering. "We should."
As soon as the door shut behind him, Jason turned to his friend with a disapproving look. Leo had long busied himself by examining the walls and fiddling with the pockets of his jacket—which only made Jason a little more annoyed. "Is there a reason for him being a jerk?"
"He's airsick."
"That's no excuse, man."
"Oh please, Jay. You were egging him on, not calling him out." Leo snorted and sagged in his seat with both hands jingling in his pockets. Fluid brown eyes looked up to Jason—with a sliver of mirth burning in his orbs. "Excuse me, I didn't realize I had to whip my dick out for this conversation. Let me know next time so we can measure."
Jason's cheeks stained red and he frowned. Leo, on the other hand, simply looked at him with the joy mischief in his gaze.
They sat in contemplative silence, where Jason examined his old best friend—who he hadn't seen in almost four months. Leo must have grown a few inches, with his jaw becoming more defined under his mane of curly hair. His shoulders were more prominent, with a bit of taut muscle peeking out from under his light hoodie. If Jason didn't know any better, then he would have thought that Percy'd given Leo some sword fighting lessons.
The look in Leo's eyes still remained—morphing from his frenzied sarcasm to the same demeanor that it held back at Zeus's Cabin. They hadn't actually talked about that stuff since then. Not face-to-face.
"So," Jason started quietly, "you're living with Percy now?"
Leo bit the inside of his mouth and tapped his fingers against his knees. "Yeah."
The whole story unfolded from there. Chiron found Leo busying himself in Bunker 9 since Jason's departure. Normally campers were allowed to come or go as they pleased—and most usually did, with their mortal parent. However, Leo's mother had already passed away a long time ago—leaving the boy an orphan. Usually there were a handful of campers that stayed year-round to begin with—but Leo had literally spent the beginning of his stay up to the present preparing the Argo II and helping out in the war effort. Not only that, but his two closest best friends decided to stay on the other side of the United States for two very different reasons.
Chiron's whole intention was to have Leo feeling like himself. Thus—as dangerous as it was, Leo was sent to Goode High School where Percy happened to run into him. Through Percy, an expecting Mrs. Jackson-Blofis offered a home to one orphaned Leo Valdez—and refused to let the half-Latino boy go anywhere else.
Thus—Leo had a home he wouldn't dare run away from and a mother figure for the first time in eight years. He adored it. The words never left his mouth—but Jason picked up on how much Leo must have treasured the woman.
"She never lets me get away with anything. I wash the dishes twice a week and help her do some house chores since she can't lift anymore. We spent two hours yesterday figuring out baby names." The corner of Leo's lip raised with an excited smile—which split into an ecstatic, satisfied grin. "How do you like the name, Leona?"
He was doing a lot better than Jason could have hoped for.
It was almost enough for Jason to almost feel bad. After all, he did ask for Percy to take care of his best friend for him.
"How does she?" Jason counteracted with amusement teeming in his voice.
"She loves it." Another smile curling against his lips, Leo tapped his fingers against the table—and Jason automatically knew the summation. "Well—either Leona or Ariel. Personally I could go for either. Or both. Ariel Leona Blofis."
"Blowfish?"
"Blofis." Tilting his head back with snickers, Leo shook his head with delight. "I love it."
He was definitely in better hands.
Jason wondered if he should push his luck and ask about what he'd seen a few weeks ago. The Iris Message where Percy was awfully happy cuddling with Leo. They didn't mention it then—instead passing over the subject like they were talking about the weather. But now—Jason could only wonder.
"So what does that make you and Percy then?"
Leo froze at the sudden inquiry.
The blonde only took it as a sign to egg on his question. "Leo, I—saw what happened in one of the Iris Messages. But…do you see yourselves as brothers, or…you know. More?"
Red simmered in Leo's cheeks and his hair caught fire. He batted it away with a curse under his breath and sat straighter in his chair. Twitching and spazzing, Jason wouldn't have compared this boy to the one he knew on his last day of camp.
"He," Leo started with a subtle sputter, "just got out of his relationship with Annabeth. A long one. I don't know if…it's…my place to suggest it." He looked to his fingers thoughtfully and continued—deflated. "I don't know how I'd feel to be sloppy seconds, Jay."
Ah. Swallowing hard, Jay couldn't help but think those words were directed at him. They both agreed it would only be one night—but if that were the case, then it shouldn't have taken three months for them to start talking again. "About…what happened back in August, man…"
"Hey." Leo looked to the ceiling suns and batted his hand around easily. "One night, right?"
One night and four months where they lost contact with each other. "Leo, I…don't want to go this long again without seeing you. You're one of my best friends."
Behind that nonchalant mask, Leo shrugged—but he continued tapping his fingers against the table. "Jay, we didn't even do much. We made out and had a few days of bliss and couple-y stuff where you used your magical Jupiteran powers to alter my sexuality."
"Leo, please stop joking." Jason seethed softly, with his hands on both knees. He reached out to touch the other teen's knee and watched Leo's expression morph once more—unreadable. "Four months is a long time without seeing each other. That entire night shouldn't have happened."
A flame burned in Leo's eyes—subtle, but glowing against the nervousness in his gaze. Jason could only wince. "Okay, Jay. I get it. You need redemption."
"That's putting it a little overdramatically—but. Yeah." Jason's eyebrows furrowed together and he curled his hand firmly over Leo's knee. It was met with Leo's own hand.
"If I was mad at you," Leo murmured quietly—and he took effort to examine Jason this time, "then I wouldn't have come all the way across the country to make sure you're alright. We're okay, Superman. Okay?"
Silence.
Jason bit the inside of his mouth and took in the sight of Leo's smoldering chocolate brown eyes. They were warm and sweet—faintly reminding him of the hot cocoa Jason could summon in the chalices back at the Dining Pavilionl or Forum.
"Tell you what," the Son of Hephaestus continued, and an impish grin adorned his lips. "You get out today, right? Come to New York sometime next weekend and we'll catch up. Something about hospitals and Will Solace running around telling me not to mess with medical equipment makes me lose my mind."
"Next Saturday?"
"It'll be the start of our winter break. Kind of the anniversary of when we technically met." Leo crossed his arms and continued to smile at his best friend. "I'll get Aqualad to stop being a pain in the butt by the time you come. He and I will be prepping to go to Camp Halfblood for the rest of break."
Aqualad, huh? It certainly had a more affectionate ring to it. More than Superman.
"Sounds good." Jason squeezed Leo's knee carefully and smiled coyly to the other teen. "Just…make sure you're happy. You deserve it."
Leo looked to him, eyes catching with subtle amusement. He crossed his arms over his chest, shoulders turned inward, and a wistful smile spread across his lips. "The other night I got home from work and she was waiting up for me. Sally spent her time bustling around the kitchen to make me hot cocoa and some lasagna even though she could've been asleep. Then in the morning, Paul said something about teaching me how to drive when the snow cleared up."
"You have control over every manmade machine."
"Yeah—I told him that. But it's the thought of it that counts." Leo shook his head in disbelief—literally steaming in his seat like Jason's own personal heater. "I've been running away fo so long that I forgot what it was like to have a family, man. I think I like it."
A pang of envy hit Jason's chest, but it was quickly overcome by pride and satisfaction for his best friend. Leo really was enjoying himself.
"Okay," the blond responded after a heartbeat. "I believe you. That's all that matters."
"Yeah." A grin laced against Leo's lips—satisfied and absolutely incredible—before Leo propped his legs over the table and rested his arms behind his head. "So. You finally gonna tell me what the Hades you're doing not in San Francisco on a regular basis, and why you and di Angelo were looking so chummy earlier?"
Um.
"Let's not forget that you snapped at anyone who said anything about him on the ship. Mostly at me. And at Percy. A lot at Percy. And at me." Leo stroked his chin and eyed the other teen carefully. "To the point where even Hazel was concerned and we just stopped mentioning him. Is he the reason why you're not at camp?"
"I can't tell you."
"What—why you're not at camp?"
"No, I just can't tell you."
"Because…?" Leo's demeanor flexed—then morphed into worry and surprise. It wasn't often that Jason wouldn't tell him a secret—not unless it wasn't directly addressed. If anything, Jason was more surprised that Leo wasn't angry about being lied to. "Did he make you swear on the river of-you-know-what?"
Actually, Jason forgot about that. Regardless, he shook his head and tapped his fingers against the table—clicking his fingers in a familiar summation. He missed Leo's eyes bulging. "Because he trusts me the same way I've never told Piper about Calypso."
Leo fell silent. For like—two seconds. Jason knew the Son of Hephaestus would never forget about Ogygia—and not only that, but Leo'd harbored some anger over Percy for what the other Greek demigod had done to Calypso. He clearly got over it, if Percy and he were on speaking terms. And again—Leo only fell silent for two seconds before giving Jason a weird look. "You're telling me Jack Skellington's in love?"
"I'm saying you should probably shut up."
"Yeah, but Jay—we're talking about di Angelo here. You've got dirt on him and—okay. Shutting up." Regardless of super close best friend status or not, Leo knew Jason wasn't going to tolerate hearing Nico getting ragged on at that moment. He grew silent, with his hands crossed over his chest. "Well he did save your life, so he can't be that bad."
"He's not bad at all, Leo."
"You must really care about him."
Jason stumbled before his growing irritation could bite Leo's head off. While he wasn't proud of hurting his friends, what Leo said about Jason's behavior during the war was true. Jason jumped on anyone who badmouthed the Son of Hades before Nico and he ever formed their bond. What the blonde saw now was a contemplative look over Leo's face on a downturned mouth—and wavering eyes that went from wanting information to not.
Jason thought back to their conversations on warm summer nights, when he was still distraught about Piper and why it didn't last like she wished.
It fell along the lines of what Apollo said. Piper breaking up with him wasn't in his control—but he knew he wasn't upset because she left him. He was upset because he couldn't make himself love her.
"Say no more, Superman. I can tell you don't want to." Leo's feet planted to the ground and he reached out to shake Jason's hand. "Just…come. Next week, alright? I don't get to see enough of you."
"I can agree to that," Jason murmured. He took Leo's hand and they ended with a fist bump.
Just a glimmer in Leo's eyes and Jason knew the shorter teen didn't want to mention Nico again. Which was fine—because Jason couldn't be bothered to ask more about Percy.
Instead, they caught up on current things. There was a sense of formality between them that bothered Jason—too civil to be considered friends, but still informal enough that they were laughing at each others' jokes. They were avoiding certain subjects, which only made it worse.
What good was having a best friend if you were more worried about pissing him off than making conversation?
Eventually, Percy came back with Piper in tow.
"Beauty Queen!" Leo exclaimed.
"Leo! Oh my gods, you're almost tall now!" Piper threw her arms over her friend and pulled him into a bear hug. Ironically, Leo was trying to do the same thing.
"We'll stay in the Fifth Cohort barracks for the night and then leave in the morning. Blackjack's having too much fun in the stables with Arion," Percy said quietly as the pair exchanged words. He was definitely a lot calmer than before.
And looked more contemplative, with the SPQR tattoo glowing against his skin. Jason's guess was Reyna and he had a quiet discussion.
"People in the Fifth Cohort treating you like a praetor?" Jason asked cryptically.
The quick glimpse at Percy's eyes and Jason realized maybe Percy hadn't settled back at Camp Halfblood as comfortably as he earlier assumed. Percy used to shyly ramble on the Argo II about building homes, going to college, and starting a family in New Rome with Annabeth before she feared him because of his powers. Once the war was over, all of those ideas were likely thrown out the window.
Not all of them, apparenty.
That being said, sea green eyes hardened and looked sideways to Jason. "I'd like to work my way up to that title."
"But…?"
"Can't jump in headfirst. Can't even get my feet wet yet." Percy shrugged and offered a halfhearted smile. Definitely less jerkish than an hour before. "From my experience, it usually leads to drowning."
"I can't…exactly follow all of those metaphors, Perce."
"What's a metaphor?"
"Uh…never mind."
Shaking his head with dismay, Percy unrolled his sleeves and stuffed both hands in his pockets. He caught the other teen's eyes and they remained firm.
Four months ago they stood in Zeus's Cabin, alone—staring each other down and sizing each other up to get a feel of the other Big Three demigod. They worked mercilessly as comrades—which only made spar sessions between them all the better. Jason couldn't believe the tension he was feeling over Percy's immature jealousy. It only made him feel worse thinking about Nico.
However here they were—treading thin lines, but treading nonetheless.
"You plan on staying the extra day for us at least?" Percy pondered curiously. "Or you gonna go back to LA and do weird Cali things?"
"Coming from someone who won't eat something unless it's blue," Jason responded wryly. Shaking his head, he refused. Nico wouldn't be comfortable staying an extra night just to appease Percy. "No. I need to get back to the swing of things down in LA. I'll just have to…"
"Dive in?" The Son of Poseidon guessed.
"Again. Good metaphor."
"Sure." Percy kicked his feet against the tiled floors and bit the inside of his mouth. "So you're really not coming back to the camps any time soon?"
"Not unless I need it." Jason shook his head. He saw a glimpse of disbelief in Percy's eyes, but didn't think to question it. For the most part, the resident smartass of their crew was...in his head. Surprisingly. "It doesn't mean I turned my back on everything."
Still the skeptic, Percy eyed the younger teen—and said nothing. Instead, he let his shoulders sag in defeat and tilted his head. "You need help moving anything?"
"No. Nico's going to help me out with that."
Something else caught in those sea green eyes—not that Jason could put his finger on it. Percy's expression made the blonde think back to a few weeks before his accident happened, when he was caught off guard at finding his old best friend and Percy spooning in bed together. If Percy had something to say (and he almost always did) he definitely chose to leave it out this time.
Good. Jason didn't have the energy to deal with the crap his friends would say about Nico.
Instead, Piper and Leo finished their adieus. They gathered in the room together, promising to meet up in Camp Halfblood for Christmas—and then Percy, Leo, and Piper spun a story about their academics.
Weird. That was definitely the word to describe it. It was hard to think of these people as the comrades Jason fought aside in a war—and then imagine them in a classroom in cramped desks studying the mortal version of American History.
Everyone was coping with the aftermath of the war. So of course it made sense.
Piper was now homeschooled to be closer to her father. Hazel rose in the ranks as a centurion to the Fifth Cohort, with rumors amongst them all that she would one day be praetor, and Frank worked with Reyna to restore what was lost of the Twelfth Legion—along with integrating Greek demigods who were interested in serving ten years.
Annabeth didn't want to admit it, but she was relieved now that she didn't have to think about the extent of Percy's powers on a daily basis. They were actually on good terms with each other, apparently—there were just too many secrets that should have stayed in the dark. Instead she worked as an advisor for Reyna alongside attending school in New Rome to become an architect, and they spun an eloquent (and pretty weird) dance around each other.
That left him, living in LA and trying to figure out his life. With Nico.
Well—that was definitely one way to cope. Jason didn't regret it once.
"You sure you don't want to stay, Jason?" Piper's voice brought him out of his thoughts a little while later, after Jason received the seal of approval from Will to leave.
Pulling out of his ministrations, Jason glanced over to his ex-girlfriend. She was finally able to look at him with a whole-hearted smile. "No, uh. Nico should be back soon. I really just want to…" Get out of New Rome. For now, at least. Staying too long reminded Jason what he left behind.
"Okay," Piper said. Then, she obliviously took Leo by the hand and walked over to give Jason a big hug.
He hugged her back.
"Next time I see you," she mused quietly beneath her breath, "don't let it be in a hospital room. Okay?"
Oh, gods. "Trust me, I'm going to try and avoid this place."
"Right," Piper said cryptically. The tone of her voice caught Jason's ears. He thought better not to ask. "I'll see you eventually. Right?"
Warmth ignited in Jason's chest as he looked at her. Smiling at the stunning daughter of Aphrodite and Tristan McLean, Jason nodded. "Soon."
They said their goodbyes outside the hospital, where Jason waited with his gladius strapped tightly to his pants. Grateful to be out of hospital smocks for the first time in nearly two weeks, he decided that yes—Jason was never coming back to the hospital if he could help it.
Nico and he were only one shadowtravel away from going home.
Except—as hours passed—Nico never showed up.
-x-
Author's Note:
So everything that Leo was explaining to Jason in the story is actually a set up for a side story/sequel to this one focusing on Percy and Leo after the war while Jason and Nico are dealing with their own things. I hope you all had happy holidays (Christmas or otherwise) and enjoyed this chapter! (:
