Chapter 04: Our Faults

The materials Leo needed were simple enough.

What wasn't simple, though, was walking around with Leo in this godsforsaken place while the others were happily walking through the small town on the other side of the island, looking for the parts Leo had written down for them.

Percy groaned as he hacked a way through the thickly overgrown forest while Leo kept babbling and pulling jokes right next to him.

If he didn't know better, he'd say Leo was feeling awkward, for Percy never heard him talking so much bullshit nonstop.
He wasn't even bothering trying to listen. He didn't understand anything anyways.

Leo looked around uneasily once more and kept tapping his fingers against his thigh.
Another thing that annoyed him about the Latino.

Percy decided to turn his head in a way he couldn't even spot Leo out of the corner of his eyes and moved on.

"So why can't you just take some wood from these trees here and be done with it?" He interrupted Leo's speech about something with Buford and oil and Windex.

Leo frowned at him and looked around at the trees. "Well you want the ship to fly, right? To be nice and pretty and most of all WHOLE without HOLES in it – or wood that will break away beneath you, making you plummet towards your certain death when we are sailing at-..."

"Yeah, whatever. On we go then." Percy sighed and hacked around some more.

Some tree spirits checked them out but left again, seemingly not in the mood for talking.
Which suited Percy just fine. He had to admit he was feeling a bit bad.

It wasn't Leos fault Percy didn't like him. Though it kind of was, because he was so freaking close to Jason fucking Grace.

Seriously, no matter what that blonde superman had said, the way these two LOOKED at each other indicated something completely different.

Though Jason's words still rang through his head.
'Just because we did something unusual, doesn't mean I'd do it with anybody'.

He felt his skin getting hot and shook his head, nearly skewering a frightened squirrel as he cut through some half dead twigs and bushes.

They sure had done something unusual.
But where to go from here? In the training room, they had almost made out again.
What was happening to them? They were supposed to not like each other whatsoever.

Percy practically hated Jason.
He loathed him for...for pretty much everything.

For looking so damn good and being so damn kind.
For being able to actually FLY and for being so freaking strong.
For freaking smelling so nice.
For looking at Percy as if he saw all of him.
For making his insides all weird.
For making him moan and gasp and whimper like a...

Percy shook his head wildly, trying to push all the thoughts of their little adventures out of his head.

Seriously, what was happening to him? He wasn't a sex-addict or anything.
He had been completely fine before.

What was he doing, being all horny and weird now?
And by the gods why was just PICTURING that freaking offspring of Zeus causing his pants to tighten like this?
All he was doing was picturing Jason standing in front of him and tadaa~ his jeans felt awfully tight.

What the actual hell?
Did he revert into some kind of megahorny teen or something?

He hadn't been like this with Annabeth.
Sure they had had their little encounters, but he hadn't just pictured her completely dressed in front of him and popped a boner.
Especially not one like this.
What was so special about doing it with Jason anyways?

It was weird. Ok, he had to admit, it had felt hot and getting dominated by Grace had made him feel a hell lot better than he would have liked.
It was weird, yes. But kinda sorta in a good way weird.

But seriously, what now? They weren't exactly friends.
Before, they had been nothing but two poor unfortunate souls happening to having to tolerate each other's presence on the ship for the sake of the mission – which pretty much meant for the sake of the world.

Then, all of a sudden, something had changed and they had had sex or whatever they had done that fateful night. And from then on, they had pretty much continued that.
Percy had had his way with Jason and Jason had repaid the favor with doing Percy in the bathroom and then they had switched between being awkward around each other to trying to do something non-sexual while their bodies seemed to want just that.

Did that mean they were some sort of sex buddies now? Not that he was complaining, really.
But could that simply come out of nowhere?

He didn't want it to stop.
Just the thought of not being able to taste Jason's mouth or touch his well-trained body filled Percy with a feeling of dread he only knew from near-death-experiences in the past.

But could they just go on like this?

Were they really gay?

He couldn't speak for Jason of course, but Percy had never even considered the possibility before.
Maybe because he had been thrown into this whole demigod-mess and saving-the-world-bullshit before really caring about girls, boys, genders, sexuality.

But he had dated Annabeth. They had kissed, they had touched, they had had sex.
Completely normal. He had enjoyed it. She had enjoyed it. All had been well.

Then again, she had broken up with him, hadn't she? After all they had gone through, Tartarus and all, she had left him and was now in a happy relationship with Piper.

He would have never taken either of them for lesbians.
The thought had seriously never occurred to him.

But were they really?
Both of them had dated guys before, did that make them bisexual?

Did that make Jason and Percy bisexual?

And what was that bullshit Jason was saying about Leo saying about him needing a buddy?

He didn't need anybody. He had enough friends. Ok, they were back at Camp Half-Blood, or in Grovers case, gods knew where, but it wasn't like he was feeling particularly lonely or unloved or whatever.

He was fine. Ok, that one night he had gone to Jason was not exactly speaking for him right now, but meh.
That was one weak day.

He had just needed somebody to be there for him.
It didn't exactly need to be Jason.
He could have also gone to...to Annabeth. Or...

Percy sighed, admitting defeat.

Ok, maybe Jason had been the only other real option for him, so what? That didn't mean he wanted to be friends with him.

Could you be sex buddies with a person you didn't want to buddy with?

Then again, it wasn't as if he really hated Jason. Just...maybe...a tiny little bit? For being so damn perfect?

He almost hacked off Leos head as the Latino suddenly jumped in front of him into the clearing they now reached.
Seriously, Leo was still there? Ungh, and babbling still as well.

Fantastic.

"...and then we had to run through half the forest to get him back. I mean, it wasn't the first time, mind you, but Jason was seriously just coming out the bathroom when I went to pick him up and we were so short on time, I kind of didn't even look at him before pulling him out after me. So later on I was all like 'Whoa, where have you been leaving all your clothes dude?' and he gave me that look, you know and went all like 'Well it wasn't MY idea to rush out my cabin in my underwear because you lost your freaking table again!' and it was all just too funny and we cracked up and all and then, for fairness, I had to undress to my boxer shorts too and we were like, just running around like it was completely normal and all! BUT IT WAS SO FREAKING COLD I SWEAR! And the chicks all were like 'whoa look at those two, why they run around in nothing but underpants?' and i flash them my awesome smile, you know, the one they can't resist and go like 'yeah, look at all this hot stuff right here'...well...needless to say they all drooled over superman, all right..."

Percy wasn't really listening and only heard fragments.

'Bathroom'...hmm yes he liked that little outing in the bathroom.
'Running around in underwear'...he had never actually seen Jason just in underwear before.
Sadly he couldn't even remember if they at least had some sort of embarrassing design on them he could get at him for.
'Had to undress too'...wait, what?!

Percy's head shot around. "What?!"

Did that mean they had actually...wait...Jason LIED to him?!

.

Leo laughed. "Yeah, I know right? Who could resist all this awesomeness right here. I bet they all thought I was taken by the most beautiful girl in the camp and they wouldn't stand a chance to be drooling all over Jason, haha. Though he was so uncomfortable, I could tell. That's the fun thing about Jason, isn't it? He looks like a freaking hero, fights like a freaking hero, but put him with a chick or something and he goes all like awkward little schoolboy. Don't tell him I said that though."

Percy's temper disappeared again.

Oh. Girls. Whatever. Not interested.

He half turned away again when he randomly realized that Jason was nowhere near an 'awkward little schoolboy' when he was around Percy, to say the least.

"I mean, that's why he broke it off with Piper, isn't it? Because he was all weird and stuck up and she would try to advance, but he would keep holding her off. I was surprised it was him who ended it and not her. I mean, I know she had a thing for him and all, but one could clearly tell it simply didn't work for them, right?"

Now Percy was listening a tad more intently.

He had never actually heard why they had broken up.
To him, it had been some sudden thing, happening overnight.

One day they seemed to be a nice couple and all and the next morning whoosh, they were single and while Jason scowled at Percy for sneering at him, Piper looked just plain awkward and uncomfortable.

Which made sense since Jason had been the one who ended it. He remembered feeling a bit of sympathy for the girl – which disappeared when suddenly his own girlfriend up and left after 'comforting' Piper for a few days.

So Jason had broken it off because he didn't like Piper pushing herself onto him?

He sure as hell hadn't complained when Percy had pushed himself onto him.

'Ooh- the jeans, watch the jeans!' He scolded himself and waited while Leo was checking out a thick tree, still talking.

"I tried talking to him about it and all, trying to tell him like 'hey man, you got a beautiful and great girl right there, others would be the happiest men alive, why let her go?'. But you know what he said? He had this guilty expression on his face and sighed that defeated sigh as if he knew he had hurt her and all and was feeling really bad about it, but he said 'I know all that, Leo. But it simply...it simply wasn't right. She deserves better than me. Being around her felt great, but she deserves somebody to make her truly happy, somebody who can give her what she wants.' Can you believe it? There was seriously nothing I could have said to that. Which doesn't happen very often, mind you. But I was just standing there, shaking my head, when I found myself asking 'Well, what did she want that you can't give?', but he didn't reply. Only looked guilty and shook his head. I asked Pipes about it but she just looked so upset too, saying that he is too kind for his own good and what not and that she hopes he'll find the right person one day. I really don't understand those two. I mean...what could he have not given her? He has it all. The looks, the strength, the rank..."

"Maybe he's gay." Slipped out of Percy's mouth before he could stop himself.

Leo stopped working on the trunk of the tree and looked around at him frowning. "Jason? Nah, what gave you that idea? Ok, he might be a bit quiet and all, but he was serious with Pipes. I never saw him looking after guys, either. He's playing mother hen for everybody, yes, but that's because he's a nice guy."

Percy held up his hands. "Just offering some more possibilities as to why they didn't work..."

Leo seemed to consider it for a moment, looking through Percy into the distance. "You mean the sex wasn't good?"

Percy raised his eyebrows, remembering how Jason had bent him over, pounding into him.

"Who knows, maybe he was a little rough on her or something." He shrugged, now turning away from Leo again.

Leo laughed. "Nah, Pipes is a tough one, she wouldn't have complained about that. But who knows, maybe he simply sucked, haha. Can't wait to ask him."

Percy felt a twinge of annoyance. Though he didn't know what he was particularly annoyed about.

Leo thinking Jason was bad in bed or those two being so close they could discuss topics like 'hey how good do you think you are in bed'.

"You two sure seem close." He said quietly, satisfied that his voice came out normally, unlike with Jason where he had felt like skewering him with his words as well as his sword.

Leo chuckled. "Yup, we are best buddies." Then he stepped aside as the tree began to fall.

Percy watched as it hit the ground, then went to help Leo cutting it to pieces.

"He's a really great guy, Jason is. Always kind, always trying to help everybody. It's easy to get along with him. He always listens, he's always there for you...seriously, how many times have I turned up in his room in the middle of the night because there was something wrong with Buford or I needed help with anything – not that I'm saying he's much of help, really. But he's trying. Always trying. He's really a great guy."

Percy remembered how Jason had wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight and letting him sleep in his bed without protest.

Closing his eyes, he could almost feel the warmth from Jason's body pressed against his and his breath on the side of his neck.

"Yeah, I know." He sighed and found Leo blinking at him for a moment.

"Oh, do you? So...you two are like...pals too now or what?" He asked, a bit bewildered to say the least.

Percy's brain summed up their sexual encounters. Ok, not helpful.

He laughed sheepishly, trying to cover for his lack of an answer.

"Nah, I meant the part with you visiting him in the middle of the night. I mean seriously, I don't sleep that many rooms away, I can hear you when you walk to his door, alright."

Leos ears turned pink and he started fiddling around with his hands again. Oh? Interesting.

"Ah...sorry then. I just thought..."

"Me and Grace being friends? Fat chance. I'd rather be friends with some storm spirits. Seriously, the way he's pushing himself onto everybody is making me sick. I'd rather not have anything to do with that guy at all if it wasn't for the quest."

As he said it, he already regretted it. Not only did it feel wrong, it also felt like the Fates were having a horrific day today, for of course superman had to land right next to him at that particular moment, looking like a kicked puppy.

Leo made a face but then jumped over the half cut tree to greet Jason. "Hey there, we were just talking about you."

Jason looked around at Percy for a moment, then concentrated on the tree. "Yeah, I heard."

Percy's heart sank. Ok, that didn't sound very good. It sounded like he actually did hurt his feelings there.

"Aw, come on, he didn't mean it like that. We were just talking about hell loads of things. Like that one story where I dragged you through camp only in your underwear!"

"Mhm."

"Yeah, and how all those girls where practically drooling all over you."

"I see." Jason said curtly and started piling up the wood while Frank and Hazel showed up and started helping out as well.

"Yes and then we talked about why you broke up with Pipes."

"Oh, did you now." Jason said and Percy wondered faintly why Leo wasn't just shutting the hell up.

"Yeah...and Percy had this really stupid idea. You know what he said?"

Hazel was looking around at them oddly but helped piling up the wood so eagle-Frank could pick them up with his talons and fly over to the ship while Hazel mounted Arion and zoomed off.

Percy was too busy trying to show Leo to shut up to listen to the cursing of the horse.

"I bet you're going to tell me any moment." Jason said quietly and brushed his hands off, his eyes on a faraway spot.

Percy really couldn't tell what was going on with the blonde.

Was he angry? Was he hurt? Or was he simply indifferent to the whole thing? He had no idea.

Jason had seemed hurt initially and his short replies and the lack of the usual oh-yay-I'm-talking-to-Leo-sparkles clearly showed something was off, but Percy had no idea how to interpret them.

"He said you could be gay. Haha. Can you believe it?"

Now Jason did turn around to Percy, shooting him a glance that Percy could not identify whatsoever.

"Is that so? Well I can assure you both, I am not gay."

"Haha, yeah I told him that too. Told him like 'whoa, you got it wrong!' and all..."

But Percy and Jason weren't listening. They were too focused on staring at each other.

Percy completely couldn't read the expression on his face. It seemed like he was...calculating?

A lost in thought type of expression but more on the lines of 'hmm...what should I do with him...'

"Ok, time to go, Leo. Let me fly you to the ship first, so you can get started on the repairing." Jason suddenly said and tore Percy out of his wannabe-analyzing.

Before he could even say anything, Jason grabbed Leo around his midriff, pulled him close and was off.

Percy felt his insides clench.
Did he HAVE to hold Leo quite that close?!
That didn't look like 'just buddies' at all.

.

Right after his initial jealousy passed, he started wondering if Jason was actually going to come back for him.

Was he going to pick him up after Percy pretty much declaring all that rather horrible stuff?
Or was he simply going to send Frank to pick him up?
Was he even going to send Frank?

Maybe he should start walking towards the ship just in case.

But just as he started to walk out of the clearing, he heard a rustling behind him and saw Jason landing, looking at him with a stony expression.

Awkward silence.

"Uh..." Percy started.

Ok, not very helpful.

Maybe he should just walk after all. He found that the easiest solution right about now, so he started walking again.

He heard Jason moving too and instinctively grabbed for his pen, but Jason was faster.

In one fluid motion, he was behind Percy, whirling him around and pushing him against one of the trees next to the path he had created.

"Whoa..." he muttered, before suddenly feeling Jason's lips pressing against his and a warm tongue entering his mouth.

"What the..." Was all he brought out while trying to push him off him- without success.

When Jason did let go, he seemed to be fuming.

"So I'm making you feel sick, yes?"

Percy winced. The hurt was clearly audibly in Jason's voice. "I...I was just..."

"Yes? I'm listening." Jason said as he began tearing at Percy's clothes, pushing his hands under his shirt and over his bare skin.

Percy suppressed a shudder and felt his temper rising again.

What was he doing, acting like a freaking bottom here?

"I didn't know you would HEAR. And anyways, what would you have liked to hear? 'Oh yay, I so want to be friends with Jason fucking Grace'?"

Jason blinked, then claimed Percy's mouth once more.

"No, but saying it like that was just...just really mean, Percy. Even for you."

He said after letting go of Percy's lips. Percy felt guilt welling up inside him again, but his temper got the better of him.
He simply hated how Jason made him feel so bad for something so stupid.

"Yeah? Well, sorry, but you know what? It's the fucking truth!" He spat and pushed Jason away.

Jason stumbled back. Percy should have just left it as that.
Instead, his temper was still acting up, taking over any rational thought in his head. He started pushing Jason around.

"What, surprised? Oh, come on. You can't tell me you actually thought we'd be friends or anything just because we fucked."

Maybe the lack of a reaction from Jason should have shown Percy to finally stop.

He didn't.

And Jason just stood there, toppling back with every one of Percy's shoves and looked at him with so much pain in his eyes that Percy's insides seemed to freeze.

Sadly, his body didn't.

As he pushed Jason against another tree in such a bad angle he knew it must hurt, he pressed himself tightly against Jason.

"Or did you hope we could be fuck buddies or the like because you enjoyed it so much? Not gay my ass. Literally. Seriously, this whole bullshit, you know how I feel about it?"

Just, just stop. He tried to tell himself.

Jason's eyes told him the same thing.

"It's disgusting." He spat and pushed at Jason one last time, shoving him harshly against the tree while letting go off him and stepping back, turning his back on Jason.

Why had he done that? Seriously, this had gone way too far.
Everything inside him screamed to turn around and apologize, trying to fix it somehow.
But he didn't.

Instead, he heard Jason move and felt two strong arms grabbing him.
For a moment, he thought Jason was going to jump him again.
Maybe he even hoped for it.

But instead, Percy realized that they took off the ground and toward the ship. Jason wasn't holding him very tightly or anything. Really, if Percy had moved in any way, he probably would have plummeted right to his death.

Jason didn't say a word and Percy couldn't even as much as look around at him.

This was horrible.
He had to apologize.
He had to do...something.

But the ship was already so close and his mouth was like sandpaper.
No, no. He had to say something. Make up somehow. Fix it before they reached the ship.

He didn't.

Instead, they landed, with Jason putting Percy down while flying a bit further, then landing with a thud and walking off towards the rooms.

Leo just came from there and started a sentence, but he stopped halfway, staring at Jason incredulously.
But Jason didn't even stop or say anything.
He just disappeared below deck and Percy could have sworn he heard a door closing loudly.

Leo was still standing there, staring after Jason, gaping.

Then he turned to Percy. "Did you...did you two have a fight or something?" Percy felt his temper rising again.

"What makes you say that?! And what do I care about that stupid piece of- UNGH! Whatever. I don't care. Leave me alone!" He nearly yelled and stormed off, leaving Leo confused and disturbed.

He passed by Jason's door and stopped for a moment.
He was so tempted to knock.

He hadn't meant it.
Not really.

Ok, well, maybe a part of him really thought that.
It really was weird after all.
Unnatural.

But heck, it had felt so damn good at the same time.

Maybe they weren't exactly friends, but they had had something.
Even without the sex, things had changed between them somehow.

But as he started walking on to his own room, he feared that, whatever had been between them, was now over.
Broken because Percy fucking Jackson was an asshole.

Just great.