Chapter Text
Jason wakes up to too-bright light streaming in through windows he must have forgotten to close last night. Thalia is snoring softly a couple bunks over from him, the sound of it both familiar and novel. For years, he slept in barracks with other soldiers in New Rome, making the sound of another’s breathing like white noise. However, the idea that his sister is the one sleeping ten feet from him is unfamiliar and a little disorienting. He’d wanted this so badly for so long, and having it feels strange in a way he can’t predict.
He drags himself out of bed and into the cold air at the insistence of his stomach, which feels as though it might cave in his chest with how hungry he is. Snatching a hoodie off of the post of his bunk bed, he drags it over his head and steps into a pair of already-tied tennis shoes.
He regrets the extra layer almost immediately as he steps through the doorway, enveloped by the warmer outside air. It’s disgustingly humid, even if it isn’t that hot, but getting the hoodie back over his head with his arm already situated in its sling is far more work than it’s worth.
The camp is somehow already getting back to normal, younger kids playing volleyball and a few clusters of people at tables in the dining pavilion. He spots Piper and Hazel sitting with a Greek camper he doesn’t recognize, and veers over to join them.
They exchange brief and rather awkward greetings before Jason turns his attention to his food. Hazel and the demigod he doesn’t know go back to their conversation, while Piper watches Jason carefully. The way she seems to be able to see straight through any brave face he puts on makes him both anxious and relieved.
“How’s your arm?”
Jason almost startles at the sudden question, his mouth full of food. He takes a second to swallow before answering. “’S okay. Feels like a dislocated shoulder and all that.” A thought occurs to him. “I think my painkillers wore off. Are you okay? The medics told me you were fine, but…”
“I’m good.” Piper is quick to answer. “Just tired, like the rest of us. I do have an epic bruise on my leg, but it doesn’t really hurt much.”
They lapse back into silence, the quiet prickling at Jason’s skin. He doesn’t know what to say; at this point, he’s just hoping Piper doesn’t mind his complete inability to hold a conversation.
Eventually, Hazel and her friend get up with waved goodbyes and polite smiles. Jason stays with Piper, not having finished his food yet.
“Have you gotten to see Leo yet?” Piper stares at the table as she asks, voice hesitant and laced with concern.
Jason shakes his head, willing himself not to think too hard about his injured friend. The thought of seeing him this afternoon makes his heart life and his chest constrict at the same time. “They said I could probably see him this afternoon, if he’s awake by then.” Jason says carefully, forcing his voice not to break. “I can come get you when I go to visit him, if you want?”
“Please do. I’m really worried about him.”
Jason’s heart cracks open a little more. “Me too. They said he would get better, but… The fact that they still won’t let us see him, and that explosion…” He takes a deep, shaky breath. “He died, Piper. He was dead, and if we didn’t have the physician’s cure, he’d still be dead. He was almost gone. I don’t know…”
Piper’s tracing patterns along the grain of the table, and Jason can’t see her face but he’s pretty sure she’s holding it together just as delicately as he is.
“I don’t know either. I’m…” She scrubs a hand over her face. “I’m sorry, I’m going to go back to my cabin. I’m glad you’re okay, I just can’t do this right now. Y’know?”
He does know. He’s half-tempted to flee to his own cabin, to cry in relative privacy. He doesn’t really want to cry anymore, though. It feels like he’s done a lot of that lately, so he waits for Piper to leave before dumping the rest of his food into the sacrificial fire and picking a random direction to walk in. He tells himself he’s going for a walk to clear his head, but really he just can’t stomach the idea of sitting still with his thoughts.
His feet track towards the infirmary on autopilot, and he barely registers finding his way to Percy’s bed. Suddenly, he’s slumped in that same uncomfortable chair, and someone is asking him if he’s alright.
Percy. Percy is asking if he’s okay, which is a completely valid thing to ask when Jason just stumbled into his room, staring into space and looking like a zombie. Yeah, that’s probably pretty concerning.
“Jason? What’s wrong?”
He mentally shakes himself, trying to process his surroundings. “Nothing. Well… yeah, it’s not a big deal. Sorry, I should have knocked. I’m just tired, y’know?”
Percy clearly doesn’t believe a word Jason just said, but he doesn’t call him out on it directly. “You’re sure nothing happened? No one said anything?” He sounds almost angry at the thought, and Jason can’t help but wince. He knows Percy isn’t mad at him, but it still makes anxiety rise in his chest, buzzing under his skin.
“No, no one said anything.” Jason sighs, unable to make eye contact. He already feels like an idiot and so exposed. “I was just talking to Piper, and we talked a little about Leo and… I don’t know, it’s just a lot.”
He can practically feel Percy relax. “Okay. Do you want to talk about it, or sit here and just hang out?”
“Just hang out. If I talk about it again, I’m gonna cry, and I really do not want to cry again. It’s too much work.” Jason brings his legs up, curling into a delicately balanced ball on his chair and resting his head on his knees. He stays like that for a few minutes, quiet and not really thinking, more just existing.
Percy speaks first. “I got the all-clear to leave after this IV is done. I absolutely can’t wait to take a shower, because holy shit my hair is so greasy. Also, that’ll fix like half of these cuts and things.”
Jason nods, finally bringing his eyes up to meet Percy’s. He makes a gesture that he hopes communicates to Percy to keep talking. His own mouth feels glued shut, but every sentence from Percy brings any attention off of him, allowing him to relax just a little.
Percy seems to get the message, continuing to ramble about whatever crosses his mind. “Oh, yeah. Annabeth came to visit me. We, uh… we talked. About the breakup. I guess we were both having hard conversations this morning.” He huffs a quiet laugh. “She said she was sorry. Not for breaking up with me, but for how she did it. It was kinda a shitty time and way to do it. I’m not really mad at her; to be honest, I’m kind of glad she did it so I didn’t have to. I think it was always going to happen, and I don’t think I could’ve done it.
“So, she came in and apologized and we ended up talking about it some. I don’t know if I’ll ever actually forgive her for some of the things she said… you heard it. But I think we can be friends again. Not like before we dated, just no longer actively avoiding each other. I think it went well, or as well as it could. I feel better about it, too.” Percy shrugs, looking far more indifferent than he probably feels.
“That’s good,” Jason finally manages to find his voice again. “I’m happy for you. I think I probably hold more of a grudge at this point than you do. ‘Cause she’s not my girlfriend who I scared and then she said cruel shit to me, she’s just the person who said cruel shit to you. I’m not saying I hate her or anything, just that you’re not the only person who can hold her accountable. It was a bad situation for both of you, and I’m glad it’s better now.”
Where the hell did that speech come from?
Percy nods slowly, offering Jason a half-smile. After a moment, he breaks out in laughter.
Jason frowns at him, confused.
“Sorry, it’s not funny. You just sounded kind of like a tumblr post and a TED talk got mushed together.” Percy goes back to fiddling with the hem of his shirt, but his lips stay a little turned up at the corners.
“So, wait,” Jason can’t help but ask. “What’s a TED talk? And do I even want to know what tumblr is?”
Percy’s whole face lights up as he explains.