Gethe – Exactly. That's the point that I wanna get across—Jason keeps ogling Leo, but he can't fathom the reason why he keeps doing it. xD Glad you took notice. C': Leo could be more aggressive, but in all honesty? He isn't pursuing Jason. xD It'll be explained later.

Thankful Person—there are actually more than me? I WANT LINK. Hehe. And I actually like Piper as a character; but yes. She is that of which keeps Leo and Jason from their destined bromance.

Chapter X: How Jason Breaks It Down

JPOV

"So, yeah. That's what happened." I plop onto Percy's couch, despite the fact both Annabeth and Percy are giving me glares, ready to send me to hell. I-I hadn't meant to visit them, but I couldn't call Piper. Leo never gets legitimately upset, but when he's close to blowing a gasket as he did, he…he goes to me or Piper. I had done something wrong—done something to make him crack, and Piper is the only choice.

But if I tell Piper about the problem, then she'll end up mad at me or confused. I've thought about a lot of reasons why Leo could be angry—the fact we insisted he needed a date (that was a low blow to his pride, most likely), the dates we chose out (in our defense, they seemed to have a lot in common), and…the fact that it sounded like I was accusing him of wanting Piper again. It had been a careful observation, and there seemed to be no other reason, but I was sure I had it pegged.

Coming to Percy's room and apparently interrupting a heated make out session with his fiancé wouldn't get them on my good side. Annabeth lifts from the bed, tying her hair in a manner she always does when she starts to think, and Percy sits behind her with a pout clear across his face.

"So," she starts, "Leo came home from a crappy date and you said something hurtful, which drove Leo out for the night?"

"And apparently drove Thalia's kid brother into our makeout session." Percy rolls his eyes before giving me a pointed look. "Dude, seriously? You know how hard it is to pull Wise Girl away from that damn semester project—"

"Percy. Shut up." I'd crack a laugh from Annabeth's sternness to her boyfriend, but she simply looks at me, smoothing out any possible wrinkle in her t-shirt. Honestly she could be covered head-to-toe in mud and I still think Annabeth was one of the prettiest girls I know. Her hair arches in precise curls, and every time she has a plan, her gray eyes flicker with a brighter light. Annabeth holds her head high and sighs. "I'm surprised you're just now noticing it."

Immediately Percy's pout disappears. He slides off the bed, running a hand through his hair and stands next to his girlfriend, height difference not acknowledged. Annabeth only goes up to his shoulder. "She has a point, you know."

"Does she?" I look to him, eyebrows furrowed. Percy holds the title as one of the most inattentive halfbloods known to mankind. We both share the title of leader because there are only a handful of Big Three kids fluttering around. Any that Neptune, Pluto, or Jupiter have had since the war years ago probably aren't even up to my knee. For Percy and Annabeth though, to notice something that I haven't yet—when Leo's supposed to be my best friend, makes me a horrible friend. I didn't know he was bi. I didn't know that he was in a relationship with Travis. I didn't know he was this angry.

"What, we seriously gonna play the role of Mom and Dad for you, dude?" Percy arches a playful brow, hands shoved in his pockets before he nudges Annabeth gently in the arm. "Mom and I have been looking out for your wellbeing, son, and oh, that nice boy who you live with now—you know, the one who likes to invent things wearing nothing but his birthday suit—is upset because you're playing with that Piper girl from across the street."

"I—I got that." Maybe it wasn't something I could understand. It was another thing between Percy and I—an enviable difference I always wished I had. Percy may have been considered the leader to the Greeks, but the Senate of the Romans was worse. Maybe it was just a trait through most of the boys that were Greek Halfbloods—being lighthearted. I grew up in the shadow of Jupiter, the Leader of the Gods. Cracking jokes, making friends—it came second to the line of duty. Plus, Percy's remark wasn't all that funny.

"No. You didn't." Annabeth plops down next to me, not once having blinked in our discussion. Instead, she gestures to Percy and rolls her eyes. "Do you remember when I started dating Percy?"

"Yeah." I had lived with their family in California during the months where I had to go to school. Percy and Annabeth started dating when I was fourteen and they were sixteen, but I'd never been jealous. Percy and Annabeth suited each other well. "That's different, though."

"How's it different, son?" Percy occupies the other side of his couch and casually pets me on the head, sarcasm dripping in his tone. Apparently the heated make out session was more important than I'm perceiving it. "Hate to break it to you, but you did act like the third wheel before you met Reyna. I was like, your half-mentor and Annie was practically your sister. That's how Leo sees Piper."

"But why would he get defensive then, when I asked him a simple question?" It didn't make sense. Leo has always been straightforward with his answers, and never did a single word cling to his conscience. There were times, on quests, even, where his big mouth practically got us killed, but he always knew what the right thing to say. Leo is tactless. I've had the emotion beat out of me so many times that…I can't be.

"Can you honestly tell me you've been hanging out with Leo lately, Jace?" Annabeth reaches for what appears to be a blueprint, and her eyes darken. I can't understand it either—it's written in English. Leo can actually read English.

"No," I confess. I gesture to Percy. "The first Capture the Flag game between Romans and Greeks is coming up soon. Percy and I have been sparring and training for it."

"Obviously this is the only competition we'll have since there are only two other schools out there." Percy leans over as if to give his girlfriend a better explanation. He shakes his head, looking at the schematics and grumbles something about dyslexia. "Damn, I don't get how he can understand this."

"Actually I think it goes along with the fact he's one of the most powerful Hephaestus kids of our generation." Annabeth shakes her head and neatly folds the paper. "Never mind that. But that blueprint is one of the many half-attempts Leo has made lately. His head's up in the clouds—and he's lucky we're both good students, otherwise I'd kick his butt if I get anything less than an A on the project when the semester's over."

"We're only in October, Annie." Percy smirks, then shakes his head with quick concern. "I guess it isn't a surprise that you came to us. Look, I don't know the details as well as she does—" Percy gestures to his fiancé. "—but Leo's not Roman, Jase. I spent an entire summer there, and it's hard as hell to shield your emotions. Battle first, sentiments later."

"I know. Leo's not like that." I shift uncomfortably as Percy shrugs.

"Athena has told me on more than one occasion that I'm too loyal," he persists. Pushing off the couch, I see a small frown spread across Percy's face as he stands parallel to me. "That's my fatal flaw. She says that I trust too easily—that all I see when I look at a person is the good, and even when I know they're not, I still try to see them as that. I know I say all the time we're Children of the Big Three, but even I falter when it comes to the Father of the Gods."

I hate that title. Trying hard to not let him see me glare, Annabeth puts a hand on my shoulder instead, expression gentle.

"Thalia hated the fact that Zeus was her father, too. You and I both know that when you're the child of a god, people expect certain things to come from you." She shifts closer, sharing eye contact with Percy before continuing. "You two had it worse. More worse than Percy or Bianca or Nico. Trust me, you've lived up to those expectations—"

"But you're seriously like a turtle with a fuck-hard shell. And you think a lot!" Percy throws his arms into the air to exaggerate his point. Annabeth kicks him. "Ow! Anyway, you get our points?"

"…no." Maybe getting advice from Percy was a bad idea. Especially um, since he was about to consummate with his girlfriend.

"Sorry, I don't think we're much help." Annabeth glares at Percy, then squeezes my shoulder gently. "But…Percy relates to you because you're both leaders, you're like one of my brothers, Piper is your girlfriend—and Leo is your best friend."

Percy nods obediently, but I think it's so he doesn't get hit again. "I'm serious, dude. You think too much—but can you kind of understand this from Leo's perspective? He's like, totally in love with you, and knows you better than anyone. He knows he doesn't stand a chance."

"He…does know me better than—did you just say he's in love with me?" I look back and forth between the couple and find Annabeth's eyes three times their normal size. Leo had told me countless times that I was his best friend. Nothing would…change the fact that we're best friends, and—and Annabeth wasn't helping.

"Seaweed Brain, did you seriously figure it out on your own?"

"Did you just say he was in love with me?" My brain is stuck on repeat.

"What's so hard to figure out about it?" Percy's sea green eyes look to me, suddenly turning uncomfortable, and then he shrugs. "Okay, yeah, the really strange thing is, I'm not freaking out about the fact he's gay for you—I'm freaking out about the fact I'm not freaking out about it. But—come on, Annie. You see the looks they give each other, and Leo always looks at Jason a bit longer than he needs to and—oh, wow." Percy pauses and stares directly to me. "You didn't know, did you?"

Annabeth smacks her face.

Rewind. "Did you…just say he was in love with me?"

"Oops." Percy gets a punch in the arm again, and I can only stare at him, awaiting an explanation. He hesitates, eyes narrowing carefully to my form before tossing his head in the air and loudly sighing. It…it makes me think of Leo, actually. "We were supposed to go with the subtle approach, weren't we?"

"That we were." Annabeth rolls her eyes, pulling away from me too, and stands next to Percy. If I'd…grown up with parents, I think I now have a strong hint as to how they would have acted like. "Look, don't freak out, alright?"

"Who's freaking out?" The fact I have total control of my voice right now is kind of surprising. I had just gotten used to the idea Leo liked boys a week ago. The fact he and Travis were…once an item was another part of the equation, and—Oh, Gods. This had to be a lie.

"Honestly, I don't know when it started," she says gently. Her expression softens, and then she looks to Percy. "But he does have feelings for you. For a long time. Remember that Leo knows you more than Percy, me, and your sister combined."

"But he—" He told me that I was just me. That was it. This couldn't possibly be happening.

"He puts your feelings and Piper's feelings first." Annabeth's right. "Jason, you have a way of being blunt with things that I couldn't even begin to imagine telling Percy."

"Exactly." Percy looks at me, then freezes. "Wait, what don't you tell me?"

"Shut up, Percy." Her eyes narrow. "So don't freak out. Leo got you two together, remember? And he's helped the both of you try to sort out your feelings for one another. He isn't going to press his feelings on you, because he's sure that's not what you want."

Leo's…always put our feelings first. He's told me countless times that Piper was a sister to him, and insists that I don't hurt her. He…makes cracks about us, teases us, and…apparently is helping with our almost sex-life.

"Son," Percy says, hand on my shoulder. "Go to bed. You've had a long night."

"B…But…" I don't know what to say. I…I'm kind of confused.

"We'll talk about it in the morning. Your mother will make bacon. Or I'll make bacon. Maybe we'll just go Jewish and order kosher food." Percy drops his joking tone before smiling. "You've got a lot on your mind, and we've all got class in the morning. Think about it—and do us all a favor. Don't pull a Me and bring it up the next time you see Leo."

"It would crush him if you told him you knew," Annabeth agrees. She pokes me lightly and gestures toward the door, small smile spreading across her face. Obviously she's a bit more rational than I am about this. "Just go think about it. Make up with Leo as soon as possible. I'm sure it'll make him happy."

Right. Yeah. Okay.

I nod, unsure of what else to say, and the door is slammed in my face before I have the chance to say goodbye. Seeing as there's nothing else to do, I make my way to the elevator and back to my room. When I get back, there's still no sign of Leo—he was serious about going over to the Stoll apartment.

It gives me time to do what I do best: think. Changing into a pair of pajamas, I collapse onto bed, noting I still haven't called Piper, but…I can't. Leo's still on my mind.

And oddly enough, Percy's right. I'm not freaking out about Leo possibly being in love with me—I'm…I'm freaking out because I don't know why I'm not freaking out.

Author's Note:

So like. This chapter was a bit more my fault than it is that I didn't have time to write it. xD I've got all the time available now, honestly—but I put it off to write because I was lazy. But now, Jason knows—so what is he gonna do with that information? Eh? Eh? Now, I've put them in a college setting and this story is pretty simplistic (and at the same time, not really), but I've gotten tugs from both end and have tried to make it as neutral as possible. Tell me: who do you think is going to top? Why?

I hope Percy isn't a little…out there, but I can kind of imagine him being this relaxed by his college years. Like I said; the difference between Jason and Percy is that Jason thinks a lot. Very much. Percy's just stupid. In a cute way. :'D