Chapter Text
"Keep moving Private!" Jason yelled. "Did I give you permission to stop running Valdez?! No! Keep running!" Jason stood on the field with his arms crossed over his chest watching as the students did their morning routines.
"Is he always this strict?" Leo panted as he jogged along side Frank, a tall and buff Asian-Canadian guy who you have to strain your ears to hear him speak half the time.
"Always." Frank grunted out as he got to the three mile mark of their five mile routinely morning run. "Ever since the day I met him."
"I don't see him running." Leo grumbled.
Frank rolled his eyes at the scrawny elfish looking Latino. "Sergeants do their own strict warm ups and work outs. Rumor has it their workouts are more intense than our warm ups."
"This is a warm up?!" Leo said in horror.
"Well of course." Frank said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You didn't actually think military school would be easy did you?"
"Well no, but I didn't think we'd have to do a 5 mile run every morning at the asscrack of dawn." Leo said.
Frank tried to stifle a smile. "If you wanna be Warrant Officer or Sergeant Major as some call it, then this is what it takes."
"I don't want to be Sergeant Major. I don't even wanna be here."
"Then you shouldn't have gotten yourself sent here." Frank sassed back.
"Oh yeah," Leo raised an eyebrow. "What did Princess Frank do to get sent here then?" Leo teased.
Frank sent Leo a glare at the nickname. "My mom was in the Army and my dad's a war enthusiast. Loves anything and everything to do with the military. It's kinda in my blood."
"Oh so yo-"
"VALDEZ! CORPORAL! Save your tea talk for your lunch break Private! Keep running!"
"I'm really gonna dislike this guy." Leo muttered.
"So I'll see you later?" Percy asked with a smile.
Percy Jackson is the one guy who has the Jason Grace; the bossy, strict, moody, temperamental, pain in everyone's ass (especially Leo's), Sergeant absolutely smitten and actually capable of showing human emotions. Percy was the previous Petty Officer of the school's Navy program but dropped out the previous year to be a marine biologist. And to be closer to his mom and his sick half brother Tyson. Now the seamen and Leading Seamen, the equivalent to the Army's privates and Corporals, are now stuck with Chrysaor, the new harsh and foul Petty Officer who makes Jason Grace look like a saint.
Leo watched from his table with his friends and fellow Privates during their lunch break as Jason smiled and nodded, giving Percy a nod goodbye and heading back to do his business.
"Did you guys just see that? He smiled. He actually smiled." Leo turned towards his friends with wide eyes.
"It's shocking really." Nico, a small Italian guy piped up.
"I didn't think he was capable of smiling." Piper said, taking a bite of her food.
"I think he's just misunderstood." Hazel Levesque said with a small smile from her boyfriend Frank Zhang's side.
"Well if he wasn't such an ass maybe we wouldn't misunderstand him." Leo rolled his eyes.
"Private Valdez, is that disrespect towards your Sergeant I hear?" Reyna asked with a "I'm-judging-you" look.
"Of course not Sergeant Arellano." Leo said innocently. "I would never disrespect my higher ranks."
Reyna, Jason's co Sergeant and girlfriend to Thalia Grace; Jason's older sister, sat down at their table and gave him a small smirk. "I would certainly hope not Private. I would hate to give you extra time on the field with Sergeant Grace. Again." Reyna said with a sneer. "I heard he works wonders."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were out to get me." Leo said.
Reyna rolled her eyes, "I'm only doing my job Private. And you guys really need to cut Sergeant Grace some slack."
"He's never nice to us." Piper sassed.
Reyna gave her a glare. "Private McLean, this is the military, we train our students to be soldiers and marines. We're not here to be nice to you and be your friend. You were either sent here to have your attitudes straightened out, which we will do, or you come here because you want to be apart of the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, or the Coast Guard. And some of us, like myself, Sergeant Grace, and Corporal Zhang were raised to be in the military. We know no other way. So I suggest before you judge your Sergeants, you get to know them and what kind of life they had before you make assumptions." And with that Reyna stood up, giving the group one last look and left to meet up with Jason.
Annabeth looked up from the book she was reading and looked towards the group. "She's right you know. You really shouldn't judge Sergeant Grace too harshly."
"Well how can we get to know him if he never speaks to us unless he's yelling in our faces?" Leo asked with an eye roll.
"And telling us what we're doing wrong." Nico added.
"He doesn't yell at that Percy guy. Why?" Hazel asked.
Annabeth sighed and put her book down. "Okay so as some of you know, Percy Jackson used to come here. Well he was the Petty Officer of the Navy program but he dropped out last year. There's many rumors as to why he dropped out ranging from abusing his power as Petty Officer to having an affair with one of the teachers, all of course started by Chrysaor to make Percy look bad but that's not true at all. Some people claim he dropped out after a really bad argument he had with Jason towards the end of last year and he left so he wouldn't have to see him or talk to him again. Again, not true."
"But they did have a really bad argument last year." Frank pointed out. "I remember them arguing last year, it was all around the school for a while."
"Yes they did argue but Percy didn't leave because of it. Percy told Jason he was leaving and Jason got really upset about it and they started arguing. Then Percy left and that's why everyone believes the rumor."
"Well why did Percy leave?" Piper asked.
"He told Jason and the school he was leaving to become a marine biologist or something in that field of work which is half true. But during the summer I went to visit him since we been friends since we were twelve and his mother Sally told me he moved back home to help take care of his sick brother Tyson. He got the job as a marine biologist so he could be closer to his family in case something were to happen to Tyson. I think it's mainly guilt though." Annabeth sighed.
"So he and Sergeant Grace were close?" Hazel asked.
"Inseparable. I always figured Jason had a little school boy crush on him since he came here. Everyone always expected so much out of him because of who his father is and when he didn't live up to their expectations, they kinda just pushed him around and they were a bit harsh towards him. Then one day during training Percy, who was the Leading Seaman at the time, witnessed what was going on and stood up for him and threatened the seamen in his section extra training with the Petty Officer at the time and Warrant Officer.
Scared them straight a bit and after that Percy kinda took him under his wing and trained with him and helped him achieve Corporal status. After that everyone kinda left him alone. And then together they achieved Sergeant and Petty Officer status. They been best friends since. But then Percy left and Jason changed. He always was a bit strict but it got a little worse after Percy left.
I guess he feel like he has no one else. Or well no one who understands him like Percy. He's nice to Reyna and they're friends, but I think Percy leaving changed him a lot." Annabeth finished and took a bite of her lunch.
"Okay well I get that, but just because your best friend doesn't want to be apart of the military anymore doesn't mean you can be an ass to everyone in lower ranks than you." Leo said finishing his lunch.
"Like Sergeant Arellano said Leo, this is military school, we're not supposed to be nice to you. If you think once you're out of here and in the real military or navy or army or where ever you're going, that your higher ranks will be nice to you, then you're sadly mistaken. They don't care about you. We're training you. We're not here to be your friend. And you also don't know what Jason's life was like before he came here." Annabeth sighed and checked the time. "Lunch is nearly over guys. We should get to our classes soon."
"And up! Come on di Angelo! You can do it! Climbing over that wall is nothing! It's one of the easiest tasks! Private Levesque! I wanna see you climb down that wall the right way this time! You're not gonna fall! Private Valdez! That was pathetic! It's just tires! Faster Valdez! Private McLean! It's just crawling! I've seen babies crawl faster than you! It's just mud! It's not gonna kill you!" Jason rolled his eyes at the privates in front of him. It didn't seem like any of them would be making Corporal status by the looks of it.
"Yeah but the barbwire might hurt a bit."
Jason turned to find Percy leaning against a tree in his uniform smirking. "Jackson. What are you doing here?"
"What? It's a crime to visit my best friend?" Percy smiled.
"Yes." Jason said with a poker face.
Percy faked hurt, "Grace. You wounded me. I'm wounded."
Jason rolled his eyes. "Why are you here Percy?" Jason sighed. "You're interrupting my training session."
"You mean the part where you stand around and yell? Ah yes that was always my favorite part about being Petty Officer." Percy smiled.
"It was your favorite part because you're lazy and you didn't have to do anything except stand there and tell people what to do." Jason said turning his back towards Percy and focusing back on the privates.
"I'll have you know I worked very hard to get to Petty Officer status so I could finally not do anything and just yell at people." Percy sassed back and stood on the side of Jason and looked over at the students. Jason snorted and shook his head, trying to hide the smile threatening to appear.
"You could've easily been Warrant Officer this year." Jason said somewhat coldly.
Percy looked over at Jason and raised an eyebrow, "Last time I checked you're not Warrant Officer either. You can easily be it. But you turned it down. Why?"
"Oh so you checked? What you're stalking me now or something?" Jason sassed back.
"You're avoiding my question. But yes. Yes I am. I have to check on my boy and make sure you're not suffering without me." Percy winked.
Jason looked away and cleared his throat. "Privates! You're dismissed. You have ten extra minutes of free time."
Everyone let out a breath of relief. Piper and Leo sent Percy smiles. "Thanks Percy! We owe you!" Percy smiled and shook his head as everyone left leaving the two of them alone.
"You never told me why you're here." Jason turned his attention back to his best friend.
Percy sighed. "I thought telling you in person would be better than over phone or letter."
"Tell me what?"
"I'm joining the military aga-"
A smile broke out on Jason's face. "Really?! That's great! Wait so you're coming back?! Percy that's amazing! We can start training again together an-"
"Jason." Percy interrupted him, looking away to avoid seeing the hurt expression on his friend's face. "In New York. Not here."
Jason's smile faded. "What?"
"I'm moving back to New York."
Jason's face became expressionless. "Why are you telling me this?"
Percy looked back at him trying to figure out how Jason was feeling. "I thought you should know."
"Why should I?" Jason looked away and back down at the students laughing and talking to their friends. "I'm not your boyfriend." A flash of hurt appeared on Percy's face but Jason ignored it. "I'm your friend, you don't need my permission to do anything."
Percy's expression turned stony. "You're right. You're not my boyfriend." Jason winced at the tone of Percy's voice. "It's not like I have to tell you that moving across the county. I guess it was silly of me to think that my best friend should know. But whatever. I'll let you get back to yelling at your privates Sergeant Grace." Percy turned and left.
Jason kept his back turned as Percy left, ignoring the hurt in his chest at his best friend's leaving. Trying to ignore the pain he was feeling, he tried to focus on anything else but couldn't help but notice Chrysaor and his seamen training across the field. A wave of nostalgia hitting him at remembering how good and fit Percy looked in that uniform and remembering all the times Jason sat back after classes and watched as Percy used to train his seamen. Damn, Percy sure did know how to work that uniform. But now Jason is stuck watching Chrysaor wear and ruin that uniform with his sour and foul attitude and watches as he uses it to intimidate his lower ranks. Disgusting.
Everyone loved Percy as Petty Officer and tried to start a petition to make him come back once he left. But unfortunately Percy refused and Chrysaor was appointed Petty Officer since he was the only eligible leading seaman to be promoted. Now everyone is trying to start another petition to overthrow and de-rank him. Jason's considering finding the seaman who started the petition and sign it himself if that means Chrysaor can't wear that uniform anymore.
"Sergeant Grace? What are you doing standing in the middle of the field?" Hazel asked hesitantly as she walked over to him.
"Considering signing that petition to overthrow Chrysaor as Petty Officer." Jason said turning to look at Hazel. "Private Levesque, what can I do for you?"
"Sergeant Arellano sent me over to tell you she would like a word with you before dinner."
Jason nodded, "Thank you private Levesque. You're dismissed." Jason and Hazel saluted each other and Hazel went to leave but turned back towards him.
"Sergeant Grace?"
Jason turned back to look at her, "Yes private Levesque?"
"I think you should go after him. It's obvious he likes you. He left slow enough as if he was waiting for you to go after him. Maybe you should."
Jason didn't say anything and Hazel sighed, taking that as her signal to leave.