"Did you hear?" A girl asked.

Jason gritted his teeth. If he got a drachma for every stupid rumor that had spread over the past couple of days, he'd be rich.

"He's a spy working for the other side."

"No way!"

"Hades send him to gather information, to sabotage us," she continued.

The small group of Aphrodite-kids huddled closer. Not that they were trying to be particularly subtle. They didn't even bother to lower their voices.

"I never trusted him," one of them agreed.

The former praetor balled his fist, accidentally drowning his pancakes in syrup.

"What did you expect? Just look at him. He's a creep."

Jason took a deep breath while his knife cut through his innocent breakfast. The ceramic plate screeched pitiful under the pressure he used, it was a wonder it didn't break.

"His necromancy is pretty weird."

"Right!?" A nod followed.

Your face is pretty weird, he thought and squinted his eyes before stabbing a piece of his meal with his fork and chewed on it.

"I heard he uses blood rituals. Murders cats and stuff."

A couple of campers gasped appalled.

"I heard he kills them just for fun."

The food in Jason's mouth turned sour and his hands were shaking. How dare! There were barely visible sparks emitting from his skin.

"He also eats human flesh," Travis Stoll leaned in from behind and evoked a couple of nervous shrieks in the increasing circle.

The son of Jupiter rolled his eyes. Now that was downright ridiculous. He was pretty sure Nico preferred a bagel over the taste of his fellow demigods any day.

"He eats campers," Connor chimed in.

"Only the stupid ones though," Travis added seriously.

"Oh no!" As theatrically as can be the younger brother's face morphed into a grimace of pure horror. "No survivors among you donkeys!"

Jason smirked.

"Get out of my face Connor," an older girl complained.

"You know," Travis's voice was suddenly low and strangely serious. In combination with the payoff from their recent prank -courtesy to Jason and Percy- he looked rather intimidating. "Nico is not the only dangerous person around. I can eat campers too."

Silence. 3. 2. 1.

Connor burst into laughter. "Oh gosh, that sounded so wrong!"

Travis simply shrugged. "You know what I mean." He smiled tight-lipped and gave each member of the group a final warning glare. "No takebacks." With that, the tricksters returned to their table.

Jason relaxed. Maybe -

"Did you hear?" Another wave of ill-founded rumors came from a different corner. He couldn't take it anymore. Slamming his cup of water down, he left.

.

.

.

"What the heck is wrong with those people!" Jason vented.

He and Percy were on their way to the infirmary to pick up Nico and Jason couldn't wait to get there. Thank gods' Will did not allow any gossip whatsoever. At least not on his watch. The head counselor even kicked an Ares-kid out that was about to badmouth the son of Hades in front of them.

"It's not that big of a deal," Percy tried to calm his friend. "Just don't listen to them. Everyone knows it's bullshit," he said which earned him a disbelieving look from Jason.