"Jason?"
The man stared, dark chocolate eyes blown wide in surprise, and didn't answer Ignis' enquiry at first. Understandable. The dude had been through a lot. But more importantly than that!
Oh my gods naked man in our tent oh my gods–
Prompto swore, if he could blush any harder, his FACE would explode. As it was, he kept his eyes solidly on Jason's, because, oh gods, this is awkward. I mean, how long has he been sleeping like that next to–
"Noct!" Prompto scrambled forward, ignoring the stunned man and launching himself at his best friend. Taking his shoulders roughly, he shook the raven until he was quite certain he might snap his spine. Noctis came awake with a startled jerk and a gasp. Unclouded blue eyes opened and Prompto could already feel his heart soaring with relief. Yes! His bud was back!
"Prom–ow, what the hell, let go!" Noctis scowled, brow still drooping with sleep and just as grumpy as always to be awoken. Well. Prompto practically shaking his brains out might have something to do with that, but that wasn't important because–
"It is you!" Prompto latched onto the drowsy prince, sending them both crashing back to the tent floor. Noct grunted when he hit the stone ground a little too hard as wired arms squeezed the life out of him.
"Of course it's me, who else would I be?" Noctis wheezed. "Prompto–can't–breathe! Gladio, a little help?!"
A deep chuckle, and then Prompto found himself pried from his prince's form, strong hands practically lifting him from the tent floor before he found himself trapped in a teasing headlock against Gladio's chest. "Try not to suffocate him after we just got him back, yeah?" The larger man's amused voice vibrated through his back, and Prompto found himself grinning sheepishly with a shrug, not at all sorry.
Ignis shuffled forward and helped Noctis prop himself into a seated position. While Noct struggled to wake himself, the spectacled man not-so-subtly scanned him from head to toe. "Highness, are you feeling well?" Gladio snorted, clearly amused by Ignis' fussing, and Prompto shared the sentiment. Ignis might have been acting reserved the night before, but worry shone plainly on his face in the bright light of dawn. He was protective of them all, as was his worrisome nature, but Noctis held a particular soft spot in his regard. They had a long history, after all. Even though Noctis was already well past the age of needing to be taken care of, the instinct, it seemed, would never leave the royal advisor.
Noctis only huffed in response, slapping weakly at questioning hands. "I'm fine, Specs. What's gotten into you guys?"
Ignis frowned. "Don't you remember?"
"Remember wha–" Noctis froze as he and Jason finally locked eyes. Jason still looked completely dazed, having watched the whole conversation with a look of detachment, as if he couldn't quite process what was going on. But once their eyes met, the dark man flinched, a look of wariness leaching into his slack expression. Noctis, for his part, was gaping at the stranger looking all the world like someone just slapped him in the face with a dead fish. And then, like stormclouds obscuring the sun, his expression closed off, a low growl building in the back of his throat. "You."
Jason tensed visibly, hands planted on the floor and shoulders bunched, as if ready to leap into action at any second. Prompto nearly squeaked as Gladio immediately locked up in response to the threat, gripping onto the blond's shoulder hard as if prepared to throw him out of the way and launch forward at the slightest provocation.
But there was no need. Noctis did not move from his position behind Ignis, who had subtly shifted forward the moment things became tense, and Jason froze like a cornered animal when he seemed to realize that he did something that could be perceived as aggressive. "What are you doing here?"
"I wish I knew," Jason said slowly, speaking for the first time. His voice was a pleasant medium pitch, somewhere between Promptos' light timbre and Ignis' smooth drawl. His accent, as well, was one that Prompto had never heard before, and couldn't for the life of him place. Prompto thought it suited him, what with his rather strange appearance. If the blond hadn't thought he was being honest about being from another world before, he believed it now.
Prompto gulped nervously as the tension seemed to ratchet up a couple more notches. He laughed shakily. "Um, guys, maybe we can all calm down a little? And, um, maybe get Jason some clothes?" His eyes flickered downward before pointedly staring to some random corner of the green fabric above them. Catching the look, Jason seemed to just realize his predicament, face darkening alarmingly.
"Uh," he said, promptly sitting back into a more modest position.
A pause, and then Ignis pushed up his glasses, clearing his throat pointedly. "Yes, why don't we all move outside so we can talk properly. You three–out."
For a split second, none of them moved. Prompto shifted nervously, wanting to leave but afraid of what might happen if he did, what with the way Noctis was glaring at their unexpected guest. Jason was looking terribly uncomfortable, avoiding all of their gazes.
"You sure, Iggy?" Gladio said finally. Ignis gave him no more than an irritated twitch of his lips, probably not appreciating the implication that he couldn't handle one rogue man.
"Quite."
"...Okay. C'mon, you two. Out." Then he used Prompto's back to lever himself up, unzipping the tent and climbing out into the sunlight.
Prompto grunted, and ignoring the almost irresistible urge to respond, 'yes, dad,' followed the older man into fresh air. When he turned back, Noctis was still glaring daggers at Jason, but with a sharp look from Ignis, exited the tent as well. It closed behind them with a swift zip.
With an imperious flick of his finger, the disgruntled prince stalked to the far side of the haven, Gladio and Prompto following on his heels. He rounded on them. "What the hell is going on? Who is that guy?" He hissed. Then he looked around, confused. "And how did we even get here? Weren't we on our way to Hammerhead?" He looked between Prompto, who was biting his nails nervously at a loss of what to say, and Gladio, who kept a steady gaze on the tent as if prepared to launch into shield mode the second he was needed to fight naked strangers off his long-time lover.
"Name's Jason," Gladiolus said bluntly, not taking his eyes off the quiet tent. "Says he's a Messenger of the Gods. You apparently summoned him last night and he took over your body."
"What!?"
"Ah, um," Prompto interjected before Noctis could act on those violent thoughts painted clearly on his face, "Jason didn't do it on purpose!" Both men looked to him curiously and Prompto bit his lip. Oh geez, what to say? Ignis and Gladio seemed utterly convinced that Jason was some Messenger, and whatever thing was preventing them from hearing what he was actually saying was no doubt still in full effect. Better play along for now then. "Yeah, he told me last night that, uh, the summoning went wrong somehow and it would take him a while to generate his body!" What. "But now he's got it back, so it's all good!" That didn't make any sense. Back from where? Prompto blamed his utter lack of lying skills on it being before breakfast. A guy couldn't be expected make stuff up properly without food in his belly!
It seemed to make some sense though, because Noctis looked slightly less suspicious. He frowned deeply. "I don't remember summoning a Messenger. I didn't even know I could."
"Yeah, well," Gladiolus said, smirking. "Try not to do it again, yeah? The last thing we need is for our prince to keep spawning naked dudes in the middle of the night. What would your father think?"
Noctis turned crimson. "Ass," he muttered. Prompto laughed nervously. Crisis averted. For the moment.
Wait, why was he even trying to go along with this anyway? It was complete bull. But at least this way his friends didn't think he was crazy anymore. And Jason was still alive, not smited by Noctis' early morning rage! That was a good thing! Right?
Noctis was still frowning, looking vaguely murderous. He stared at Prompto and opened his mouth to say something, but they were interrupted by the tent unzipping.
Jason stepped out, pushing black, waved hair from his eyes as he straightened. He wore some of Ignis' slacks and one of his shirts, but not nearly as properly as Ignis himself preferred. The pinstriped shirt was untucked, unbuttoned at the collar and clung a little tightly to Jason's slightly larger frame. The pants were similarly tight, but seemed to fit well enough, Jason and Ignis about the same height. He stepped out and Ignis followed closely behind.
He locked eyes with Noctis.
Electricity seemed to snap between the two, Noctis angered and Jason defensive. Ignis stepped between them. "Now, now. Let's all take a seat and discuss this like civilized men, shall we?"
Noctis glared, then with a jerk, moved towards his usual chair. He hissed sharply between his teeth as Jason moved as well in the same direction, moving towards the chair he had occupied last night. Which happened to be Noctis'. Jason froze.
"Aaaah, you can take my seat!" Prompto interjected quickly, placing both hands on Jason's tense shoulders and steering him towards his usual chair. Prompto could sit on the ground, no problem! Just don't kill each other, m'kay?
"You don't have to give up your seat for this jerk," Noctis snarled. Jason stopped dead, heedless of the hands still trying to push him forward. A bead of sweat slipped down Prompto's brow.
"I don't mind, dude, really." And he was starting to get annoyed with Noctis as well. Jason so didn't deserve the third degree he was getting.
"It's fine, Prompto," Jason said tightly. "I'll stand if it's all the same to you." He looked half way to just throwing up his hands and leaving, actually. Prompto couldn't say he blamed him. He frowned.
"Nuh-uh, sit." Prompto pushed harder and Jason didn't resist this time, allowing himself to be placed into a sling chair by the long dead fire. He pouted at Noctis until the man sat as well–even if Noctis did so petulantly. With a satisfied smile, Prompto crouched down and made himself comfortable between them.
Ignis and Gladio had already long taken their seats, the larger watching the scene with hooded eyes.
"So," Noctis started, breaking the stoney silence, "Jason, was it? You wanna tell me what you were doing mucking around in my dreams?"
Jason scowled in return, lifting his hands in a gesture of irritation. "I don't know! Like I told these guys last night, I have no idea how I ended up in your body. It wasn't like I could just turn it off or something! If I could, I wouldn't be here at all!"
Noctis' frown hardly eased, but he did lean back slightly. "You say you're a Messenger of the Astrals? I've never heard of another besides Gentiana, and as far as I know, she wasn't summoned or anything."
Jason slumped in his seat and ran his fingers through his long hair. "I–ugh, this is annoying." He looked to Prompto, as if he had any idea what to say either. Prompto shrugged helplessly, gesturing for him to try. Maybe it would be different with Noctis? He did have the most powerful bloodline on Eos, after all. Favored by the Gods and all that. Jason sighed. "Okay look, I'm not actually from this world, okay? In my world, this is all just a videogame, and none of you guys are even real! Or maybe some guy got a glimpse into another reality and decided to make a videogame about it and somehow the worlds connected or–whatever. All I know is, I was just playing on my day off and Prompto saw me somehow and pulled me in." Noctis was watching Jason closely, eyes narrowed in concentration. Or suspicion. Prompto thought that might be a good thing. Maybe? "I didn't mean to take over your body, or see any of your embarrassing memories about your girlfriend, okay? I just want to go home!"
"She's not my girlfriend," Noctis muttered, crossing his arms.
"Whatever, fiance then. I always thought your romance with her was a little contrived anyway."
Okay, that was rude, Prompto thought with a slight frown. Noctis might be a little overwhelmed by the thought of marrying Lunafreya but...okay, yeah, he'd been bitching about it since it happened. But that didn't mean he wasn't totally in love with her!
Prompto decided to ignore the pained expression on Noctis' face. Gladio snorted loudly.
"So anyway," Noctis said, obviously changing the subject. His face became grave then, tone lowering in seriousness. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and trust that what you say is true, even though it sounds like complete bullshit–"
"Noct," Ignis said like someone long used to reprimanding the prince for improperness but resigned to the fact that none of it ever sank in. But he was ignored as usual. Prompto, for his part, grinned at Jason, who gave a tentative smile back. That sounded promising! He knew that Noctis, of all people wouldn't be fooled by some reality-manipulating-mystery-force!
Noctis leaned forward. "This event you were talking about that would throw the whole world into darkness...does it have anything to do with the peace treaty signing in Insomnia?"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Jason leapt from his seat, positively seething. In a flash, the other four men were on their feet as well, chairs toppling and weapons pulled from the arsenal.
"Whoa, guys, calm down," Prompto tried, shifting from foot to foot with nerves. This was not helping his stress levels, here!
But Jason didn't even flinch when three deadly blades pointed in his direction. With a snarl he spun on the heel of his borrowed shoes and stalked off the side of camp, cussing out loud frequently as he made his hurried way into the heat of Liede on his own.
"Lovely," Ignis said, lowering his weapons with a heavy sigh, sarcasm thick. "I don't think you could have made a worse impression if you tried, and that's saying something."
"Me?!" Noctis shouted. "He was the one who took over my body and watched my memories like some–some–"
"Regardless," Ignis reprimanded, "If what that man says is true, we could have a very serious problem on our hands–"
"Um, guys," Prompto tried.
"How do we even know that what he says is the truth?" Gladio interrupted, dismissing his weapon with a huff. "Could be lying through his teeth."
"Yes," Ignis said patiently. "But the timing is too convenient. The treaty signing is only days away and you can't tell me you don't have at least some suspicions that it is a trap." Noctis scowled, looking off into the distance.
"I never should have left Insomnia…"
"Be that as it may, you were given a duty to perform. We will just have to trust the King knows what he is doing." Ignis looked back to Gladio. "Besides, I don't think just anyone can possess a prince of Lucius. If not a Messenger, who have been thought to be akin to spirits in the past, then what?"
"Guys," Prompto said a little louder, glancing back and forth between the desert– and the retreating man in the distance–and his three friends. Still, he was ignored.
"I don't trust him," Gladio growled.
"Well, that's the understatement of the century," Noctis grumbled. "Those places in his memories didn't look like the realm of the Gods to me."
"So after all that fuss, you saw his memories too?" Ignis shook his head, but Noctis shrugged, unrepentant. "Regardless, you shouldn't judge him by his background. Messengers aren't always born so. About five generations ago, there was one–"
"GUYS!" Prompto shouted loudly, at the end of his patience. All three startled as if they forgot he was there. He grit his teeth in aggravation. "Hello! Jason just walked off into the desert! Alone! Shouldn't we, I don't know, make sure he doesn't get killed?"
"Let him figure it out," Gladiolus said dismissively. "His fault for storming off like that." Noctis nodded in taciturn agreement.
"That's because–Ugh! Fine, stay here! But I'm going after him!"
"Prompto, I don't think that's wise–"
"And I can't believe you, Ignis," Prompto said hotly, taking Ignis aback. "Jason didn't ask for this any more than Noctis did being a prince! And in case you've already forgotten, Jason saved your life!"
Noctis froze. "What?"
Ignis' brow dropped in confusion. "I thought that was the phoenix down you gave me, Prompto."
Prompto shook his head rapidly. "No! It was all Jason! He somehow stopped time. If it wasn't for him, we would all be dead!"
"What?!"
"Anyway, I'm going after him. You guys stay here and–cool off!" Without waiting for input from any of them, Prompto drew his gun and took off into the desert. A commotion started behind him, but he didn't stick around to find out what was going on.
By the time Prompto caught up with Jason, the man had made it half a mile. He was sitting in the shade of a short tree, fuming, when Prompto pulled to a stop, huffing already in the rising heat. Jason didn't acknowledge him.
"Dude, you can't just go running off like that, it's dangerous out here!" Prompto sat heavily in the dust next to the hunched man and peered into his hard face. "You okay?"
"No," Jason answered immediately. "I feel like I'm dancing to someone's tune, I have no control over my life all of a sudden and I'm pretty sure I've gone effing crazy and I'm so not okay, okay?" By the time he finished, Jason was nearly shouting, eyes blazing.
"Okay, okay, I get it," Prompto shouted back. "But I'm already getting the third degree from the guys and I so don't need it from you too, alright?!"
Jason opened his mouth. Closed it. Then sat back with a deep breath, slumping into the rough bark behind him. "Sorry," he muttered. "I don't blame you for this." He narrowed his eyes. "Even though this has something to do with you."
"Got me," Prompto shrugged, gesturing idly out into the desert with his gun. "My life was already messed up long before you showed up."
Jason frowned. Prompto decided it wasn't a very good look on him. He looked much better when he smiled. "How are you not more freaked out by this?" he said slowly. "I basically told you that you don't exist. Doesn't that bother you at all?"
Prompto tilted his chin, thinking about it. Did it bother him? It should by all accounts. If what Jason said was true, his life was merely a fabrication of someone's imagination. All of his past, present and future were already decided and written by a person who faced no real consequences of his fate. But if he thought of it that way, wasn't that what they said about the Gods? Was the idea really so different? And really, did it matter? He still suffered, laughed, cried and loved just the same. If someone said it wasn't real, so what? It was real to him.
And that was all that really mattered, in the end.
Besides that….The wrist holding onto Prompto's gun twitched, the sweat beneath his ever present armband causing his skin to itch slightly. He thought about what lied beneath with a grimace. It wasn't like he was a real person anyway…
The blond forced a smile, not quite meeting the eyes that watched him intently. "Oh, you know. It's kind of cool, right? I always wanted to be in a videogame…" Even if he was an escapist in that regard. He had wanted to jump into some other video game to escape his own life when he was a kid, not actually have his life turn into one. But, meh. Semantics.
Jason didn't answer for a long time, just observing the blond. Prompto could feel his gaze on him, but he didn't dare return it. This guy...he said he played the 'game' all the way through. Which meant he was probably looking at Prompto with a lot more knowledge about him than Prompto was strictly comfortable with.
He really didn't want to know what was going through the foreigner's head.
Eventually, Jason sighed, releasing Prompto from his intense gaze. Prompto may or may not have shuddered in relief. "So anyway. What are we going to do? Those guys clearly aren't hearing what I'm saying and if this is going where I think it's going…"
Prompto looked at him curiously as he trailed off. "What do you mean?"
"Well you heard 'em, right? I'm the 'Messenger of the Astrals' come to guide the prince," he waved his hands in the air sarcastically, "through an upcoming event that might plunge the world in darkness. It sounds to me like someone didn't like the way the game ended and wants me to change it."
That...actually kind of made sense. Wait. "...How did the game end?"
Jason looked at him seriously for a long moment. Prompto shifted uncomfortably, a pit forming in his stomach. "You don't want to know," he said after a while.
Prompto let out the breath he was holding. No. He really didn't think he did. After all, how could his life end in anything but tragedy, considering his origins? He had always felt, ever since he met Noctis and became his friend against all odds, that his unexpected happiness hung on a spiderweb thin thread, ready to snap at the gentlest breath of wind. Whether it be Noctis finding out his secret and rejecting him, or worse, executing him as so often happened in his nightmares, or finding out that this was all some elaborate dream and he was still that depressed fat kid, lying on his bed in his empty house with no hope, no one to care whether he lived or died. Alone.
Prompto shivered, despite the heat.
Whatever the case, he didn't want anything to do with it if that was the reason for the dark look on his new acquaintance's face.
"Well," Prompto said slowly, thinking it through. "You know what's going to happen, right?"
"...Yeah. More or less."
"And we have no idea how to get you back home?"
"Yeah?" Jason furrowed his brow, clearly not seeing where Prompto was going with this.
"Well, maybe you can. You know. Change the ending."
"You mean, like...hack the game?" He grimaced, then exclaimed, "You're kidding, right?! This is Final Fantasy, those games always end in tragedy! If I stay here, I'll be lucky to make it out alive, much less–" he cut himself off abruptly. "...Oh, shit, Prompto, I didn't mean…Ah, geez."
And that, right there, was exactly what Prompto didn't want to hear. So his story does end in tragedy. He gulped, looking down at the ground. Oh well. N-not like it wasn't something he already knew. But to have it confirmed... "N-no, it's okay," he said faintly. "You don't know me, not really. I can't ask you to…" Tears pricked at Prompto's eyes as anxiety stabbed him sharply in the gut.
"Look, I–shit! You're just–a fictional character!" He floundered over his words, and every one of them seemed to cut into Prompto like a knife. "I have a life, a home! I don't want to die for some–some–"
"Some what?" Prompto whispered. "Is it because I'm not real? Because I'm not like you?" Jason's eyes flickered down to Prompto's wrist. So. So, he did know after all. For some reason, that only made Prompto angrier. He stood, shaking the dust from his seat almost casually. "It's fine. Whatever. You–" He shook his head. Nothing more to say, Prompto left, Jason's eyes burning into his back.
-o0o-
Prompto's thoughts raced as he made his way slowly back to camp. Sweat dripped down his back and into his eyes, but he paid it no mind. Some nameless threat loomed above him like a dark cloud, lightning about to strike at any minute and no shelter to weather it. As far as omens went, he supposed it could have been worse. But...not by much.
The camp came into sight, and his three friends shouted worried greetings, Noctis actually jumping from the platform to meet him halfway when he came into sight.
"Prompto! Where have you been?" Noctis practically yelled when he reached his friend. He scanned him quickly, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Prompto's heart warmed just a little, happy that Noctis had worried. It didn't help all that much really, but it felt nice all the same. "Where's that guy?"
Prompto looked back. Seeing nothing but empty crags behind him, he faced resolutely forward and chuckled derisively. "Ah, dunno. I think he left."
Noctis' hand was a warm presence on his shoulder, and Prompto allowed the small touch to comfort him. "Tch, some help he is. C'mon, Iggy says we need to get a move on."
"Are we still heading to Altissia? Even after what he told us?" The hand tightened, and Prompto looked up into Noct's pinched expression. Blue eyes drifted to the ground and Noctis nodded.
"Yeah. Ignis thinks dad wouldn't send us out here if he thought something was going to happen…" But he didn't sound so sure.
"Well, hey," Prompto said with forced cheer, placing his hand over Noct's. "We'll be with you all the way, so don't worry so much! You're not going it alone, okay?"
And then he was looking into Prompto's eyes with that aching vulnerability the blond had gotten to know so well, a small flicker of hope and affection lighting those sapphires for those who knew how to look for it. Yes, Noctis was a hard one to read on most days–surly at the best of times– but for those who knew him, he was an open book with his heart right out on his sleeve. The prince smiled a little, and it felt like Prompto's world just got a little bit better. "I can always count on you to cheer me up."
Prompto's heart clenched. How could anyone say Noctis was fake, that any of them were? Not when anyone could so clearly see the soul behind that gaze. Right. Screw Jason. Prompto might not know what was coming, but he was going to do his damndest to make sure that that tragedy never came to pass, whatever it might be.
"Come on, buddy, let's go! We might even get to stay in a hotel tonight!"
"Uuugh, that sounds amazing. I'm all sticky and gross, ick."
"Woohoo, bath time!"
Prompto swung his arm over his prince, sweat and all, and steered him back to the others, the two older men waiting impatiently at an already packed camp.
"Get a move on, you two," Gladio shouted when they were in earshot. "Sun's a-wastin'! Let's get the hell out of dodge before the garage closes again."
"You got it, Gladdy-Daddy," Prompto sing-songed so that only Noctis could hear. Noctis snorted loudly into his hand, shoulders shaking with mirth, and Prompto couldn't help but grin back.
"I am so telling him you said that!"
Prompto gasped. "You wouldn't dare."
With a mischievous smile, the prince threw off Prompto's arm and burst forward into a dead sprint. "Gladio! You won't believe what Prompto just–"
"Noct! Get back here! If you tell Gladio, I'm telling Ignis about that one time–" Noctis about faced abruptly and Prompto ran right into him, both of them tumbling to the ground. Noct tried to cover the blond's mouth during the scuffle, but Prompto could still get a word in or two through both the muzzle and his laughter. "–the frying pan–nhmnh–red boxer shorts–Ah, watch the face! The couch cushion was never the same–!"
"Prompto, shut up!"
Yeah. There was nothing more that Prompto loved in this world than spending time with his best friends. He would give anything to protect them, and there was nothing in this world –not the Gods, not Niflheim, not daemons, and definitely not self absorbed gamers–that could stop him.
-o0o-
Jason didn't move for a long time. The sun moved slowly across the sky, eventually stealing his shade and burning his skin, but still he sat and watched. And felt.
He watched as herds of strange beasts prowled the land. Watched as old fashioned cars passed on the road several miles away, filled with people going from one place or another. Felt the wind through his hair and the grit of desert dust on his skin.
No matter how he willed it, this reality did not disappear.
And maybe worse than that, guilt clawed at his insides. He didn't have any reason to do anything for anyone in this world, and yet...dismissing Prompto's existence like that, and basically dismissing everything that he knew would happen to the guy and his family...his world. Yeah, that was cold. And unfair.
Hell, Jason didn't know if he could actually do anything. But Prompto had a point. He didn't have any way home that he could see, and he just let his best bet of finding it walk away. Besides that, some unknown will was forcing him to play the role they assigned, and the pressure just wasn't letting up. Maybe it was the Astrals; real gods deciding his fate. Or maybe it was just some crazed up fruitloop writing out a sick fantasy in some other dimension with an unholy power over his reality. Who even cared at this point?
Aw, hell. Who was Jason kidding? He had to try. Besides, he just had to make sure they never ran out of convenient magical potions, so even if he gets mauled, he'll be fine. No big.
With a grunt, he levered himself to his feet, stretching his sore limbs and wrinkling his nose at the pain of disturbing his burned skin. But meh, he was Mexican. It would just turn into a tan anyway.
He took one step. Stopped. Turned around.
Which way was Hammerhead again?
-o0o-
AN:
Aw, it's so cute how they are trying to rationalize Jason's existence by Eos' rules. I swear, they're making my job easier. And Prompto is unexpectedly wise. Good for you, sunshine!
Don't look at me like that! Of course Jason is going to do what I want him to. Wouldn't be much of a story if he jumped off a cliff or something. And you can bet he won't be following anyone's will but his own, least of all mine. Should be fun.