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It’s quiet in the Zeus cabin. Jason doesn’t remember a time it was ever this quiet. The Romans have just left camp, and Jason hasn’t had a moment to just be like this since… well, his whole life, really. It was always moving from one thing to the next.
Jason looks around the cabin. The giant statue of Zeus glares down at him. The air is cold, the floor of the cabin is solid underneath him, not rocking the way he’s grown used to on the Argo II. He half expects someone to run in screaming something like “Percy burst the pipes again!” but he’s not on the boat anymore. He’s alone.
He can’t take it.
He leaves his cabin, giving it a final cursory look before stepping outside. The difference is palpable. People are rushing around camp, even though the sun has set in the sky and there’s barely any light, save for the greek-fire patches that haven’t been put out yet. Jason sees Annabeth and Percy by the dining pavilion, and Piper flits by him with a smile and a wave as she goes to the Aphrodite cabin. He looks around for Hazel and Frank before he remembers.
He winds up at the lake. Someone else is already there, their curls managing to reflect the little light that’s around them. Leo’s sitting on the edge of the dock, his feet dangling over, his hands fiddling with something. Other than him, nothing else is moving. The naiads still haven’t emerged after the battle.
Leo looks up as Jason sets foot on the dock, twisting over his shoulder. His hands don’t stop moving.
“Hey, Jas.”
“Hey,” Jason says, but it’s almost inaudible. He feels like if he speaks loud he might disturb the water.
Leo smiles, but it’s not his normal grin. It’s tinged with something else. Loneliness.
“Couldn’t handle it?”
Jason nods and settles himself down next to Leo. He sees that he’s fiddling with a piece of string, tying and untying knots in it.
They sit in silence for a while, the only sound being the occasional shout from camp. Jason doesn’t know how this is different from sitting in the Zeus cabin except he does and the answer is sitting next to him and warming him even though they aren’t touching. Jason lets his eyes drift over the water, tracing the rare ripples in its surface.
“I feel useless,” Leo says, suddenly.
Jason turns to him. Leo’s eyes flick to him, then back to his hands. He ties another knot.
“I keep panicking when I realized I haven’t set the course for our next stop and then I realize–” Leo trails off and waves his hand. It can’t possibly capture what’s happened today.
Jason hums and draws his knees up to hug him. He imagines he looks as small as he feels. “I can’t believe we’ve… done it. We’ve won.”
Jason looks up at the stars. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Leo do the same. Something rises in him, like bile in the back of his throat, threatening to break free as he stares at the great expansive flecks of light across the navy sky.
“It’s like there isn’t any reason for us. For me,” Jason whispers.
A hand closes around his where it’s wrapped against his legs.
“Jason,” Leo says, but Jason continues to look at the sky. The heaviness at the back of his throat only grows even though he’s said it.
“Jason, there are reasons for you. You’re the ambassador between camps. You’re the Pontifex Maximus,” Leo says, and tugs Jason until he’s forced to look at him.
“You make me feel alive, Jas. For the first time–” Leo’s voice breaks, and it’s now that Jason notices that his eyes are glossy.
“For the first time ever, I feel like I can breathe,” Leo finishes. And then Jason is in a crushing hug, his nose pressed into Leo’s shoulder. His frame fits just right around Jason’s, although the angle is a little uncomfortable. Jason doesn’t mind, though, not when his mind is focused on the smell of gasoline and the feel of Leo’s curls against his face. The both of them are shaking and someone whimpers and Jason realizes it was him and oh god he’s staining Leo’s shirt now, isn’t he?
“Not more than it’s already stained, Sparky,” Leo exhales shakily, and Jason huffs a laugh that’s caught by Leo’s shirt. When they separate, Jason’s face feels hot for a reason that is probably not due to Leo’s parentage.
“Thanks, man,” Jason says. Leo smirks knowingly. He reaches out and pushes a nonexistent lock of hair past Jason’s ear. Jason’s face burns.
“Anytime, bro.”