Chapter Text
Piper cocked her head to the side, examining her face in the mirror. She grimaced, working a brush through the rat’s nest that was her hair. The chaos with the eidolons had left her sweaty and exhausted to the point of passing out the second she touched her bed. Unfortunately, that meant she was now battling against the world’s worst bedhead. She groaned out loud as the brush caught again, snapping strands in its wake. Aphrodite would balk if she could see her daughter now.
Piper’s sleep schedule was a mess. Looking outside, she could see only the blackness of the night. She’d fallen asleep just after dinner, but the nightmares had woken her up as they always did. For once, they weren’t prophetic – like demigod dreams tended to be. Instead, they’d homed in on the past. The very recent past.
Jason had taken centre stage. Nothing new there. But this time all she could dream about was his prone, unconscious form while the golden-eyed Percy approached.
“I don’t need an ocean.” He’d said. In the moment she’d thought it was bravado, but recalling the steely determination on his face as he approached the still form of her boyfriend she couldn’t help but wonder if he had meant it. She’d heard the stories at camp. Percy had blown up Mount Saint Helens. Nobody knew how, and it didn’t seem like he’d ever divulged the information. There were rumours, of course. Son of the Earthshaker… maybe he had just as much power on land as he did at sea. She’d heard of the hurricane that was Percy Jackson at war. She’d thought Grover was exaggerating. He was Percy’s best friend after all. But after Frank and Hazel had recounted the story of Polybotes and Percy’s near single-handed defeat of the giant just before they’d made it to Camp Jupiter, Piper couldn’t help but wonder just how strong Percy was.
He was so relaxed, so easy going. He tossed sea monsters back into the sea like it was nothing. He sparred like he could fight – and win – with his eyes closed. Maybe she’d been blinded by Jason. He was literally Superman. He could fly. He could summon lightning. He was the best fighter she’d ever seen. Until that fight. She wasn’t an expert, but she could see they were both incredible swordsmen, despite their differing styles. She could see that Jason had been doing well holding his own and even landing a few blows. The fight had been on Jason’s turf. In the windiest state of the lower 48. Yet… Jason had lost.
Percy would have killed Jason.
She knew it.
Jason knew it.
Worst of all, Percy knew it.
The thought was unimaginable. She hadn’t known Percy for as long as she’d known Jason and, while they weren’t particularly close, she knew him well enough to know that he would never have been able to forgive himself if a friend died by his hand. Knowing what he’d been capable of, what he’d nearly done, had been enough to send the boy sprinting off to his cabin as soon as the eidolon had been vanquished. Even Annabeth couldn’t lure him out with the promise of blue chocolate chip cookies. Hell, the suggestion of a kiss better hadn’t even worked.
She could scarcely admit it to herself, but she was afraid of what this would mean for the crew – for the whole ‘down with Gaea’ mission. Jason was a proud soldier. Since his memories had returned, Piper could see the Roman side of him more clearly. He stood up straighter. He was neat, regimented, orderly, honourable, but also prideful. She knew he and Percy had an undercurrent of rivalry. That was exactly what the spirits had latched onto. Sometimes she caught him watching Percy as he used his powers. He’d deny it, but Jason was easy to read. She didn’t need any powers to help her with that. Sure, Jason could fly, he could summon lightning, he was the son of the King of Olympus. To be bested in combat by the son of Poseidon – Neptune – whatever… it had to have bruised his ego as well as his skull.
Percy, on the other hand, Percy she’d never been able to read. It seemed that only Annabeth was fluent in Percy-ese. Still, maybe it was just too soon, maybe she just hadn’t known him long enough. Percy and Annabeth had fought side by side since they were 12. Piper had barely known him five minutes.
When he’d turned tail and sequestered himself in his cabin, he hadn’t seemed bitter, he’d seemed afraid. If Piper – well, Blackjack – hadn’t stopped him… Jason would have been history. She did feel a pinch of guilt about the concussion he was no doubt battling, but she’d had to do what was necessary to save both boys. She just had to hope they’d be able to go back to normal, that the damage could be undone.
She wanted to go to Jason. She wanted to curl up in his arms and daydream about being anywhere but here. She hadn’t wanted to bother him, and so had ended up back in her cabin, with a bird’s nest for a hairdo.
She frowned as the hairbrush reached a knot, tugging at it repeatedly until she heard the rip of her hair. Ugh. She launched the hairbrush back onto the bad and glowered at her reflection.
Pull yourself together, Piper. She needed some air, she decided, and turned away from the mirror before drifting silently up to the deck of the ship.
Jason.
He was stood by Festus, one hand on the railing and the other on the dragon, staring out at the stars. His shoulders seemed tensed, his muscles tight. Was he waiting there for her?
“Jason?” she called out as she approached, “You okay?” she asked, hesitantly.
He snapped back into awareness, “Oh, Pipes. Sorry, I was just looking at… I was just thinking about… I was just keeping watch.” He spoke softly, drawing his attention from the night sky back to her.
“Sorry.” She smiled shyly, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You could never.” his smile glowed, filling her chest with warmth, “You just walk so damn quietly sometimes.” He added, with almost a laugh.
“Hey. You didn’t answer my question.” She probed, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Jason shook his head, “Head hurts a bit but, honestly, I’m fine. You did good. Percy… one or both of us would be dead without you. You’re a hero. You know that, right?”
“I don’t know about that.” She shook her head bashfully, “I just told a Pegasus to kick his best friend in the head. I mean, that could have killed Percy. I wasn’t even thinking. I just…” she flashed back to the image of him face-down in the dirt.
“If it’s any consolation, I don’t think Percy is going to hold that against you. Plus, I think Blackjack knows his own strength.”
“Still…”
“Look, Pipes.” He took her by the shoulders, rubbing gentle circles with his thumbs, “We nearly killed each other.” His jaw stiffened as he spoke. He still didn’t want to admit that he’d lost the fight. It hadn’t really been him though, they’d been possessed.
“You didn’t.” she pressed herself closer to him, letting her palm find its way to his chest. She could feel his heart thrumming beneath her fingertips.
“But we could have. We nearly went from seven to five. Letting ourselves get possessed like that…” Jason shook his head, “The war would have been over before it had even started.”
Piper pressed her hand against his chest, pushing Jason against the railing, “And what a shame that would be. I love a good war.”
Jason’s brow furrowed, confusion spreading across his features, “Piper, what are you –”
She cut him off and met his faltering smile with a gleaming one of her own, “You wouldn’t both have died, you know.” Piper corrected, “You would have died. Jackson would have killed you if Piper hadn’t stopped him. Sorry, if I hadn’t stopped him. We know now who is stronger.”
Jason stepped back, the air around him crackling with static, “Piper, what…”
It wasn’t Piper. Her eyes always seemed to change colour depending on the light. They were beautiful like sunlight peeking through the trees, dappling the forest floor. Her eyes were always warm and full of life. The eyes that looked up at him were no longer Piper’s. Instead of warmth he was met with the cool gaze of gold. “It is only natural that the blood of the Earthshaker should water the ground for my mistress’s rise.”
“Piper.” Jason’s hand was on his sword, but he was pressed up against the rail of the ship. He didn’t have enough space to move back and raise his weapon without hurting Piper. Correction. The eidolon. “Get out of Piper.”
She tutted, placing a warm palm on his sword hand and guiding it away from the hilt, “Jason, sweetie. You don’t want to do that.”
And suddenly, Jason didn’t. His hand fell away from his sword and hung limply by his side. His eyes met hers, but they were foggy and unfocused. Her lips curled in a smile.
“What you want, Jason, my darling daring hero, is revenge. Poseidon isn’t King of the Gods. Your father is. The Prince of the Seas should bow down to you – Jason – the Prince of the Skies. You were Hera’s first move in this war. Not Percy. You were the one to reckon with, not him.” The Eidolon grinned through Piper’s perfect white teeth, watching her words wash over the demigod and take hold, “Come on… Perseus, Son of Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer and… your friend? Don’t be ridiculous. The storm and the sea do not mix. He embarrassed you. You want him to pay. You want to show him who the real victor is. Don’t you?”
Jason’s eyes darkened, his head tilted down to meet Piper’s golden eyes.
“I want to win.”
“And you will.” She caressed his arm with a gentle hand, “Bring him to me without anyone else seeing. Fly us to Athens. And you will have the honour of spilling his blood for Gaea.”
For a moment, Jason seemed to hesitate, but the Eidolon dug Piper’s nails into his chest, hissing through bared teeth, “Fetch him for me, dear.” She patted Jason lightly on the cheek, sending him on his way.