Chapter Text
Jason remembered it like it was yesterday. It was the final battle at Camp Half-Blood, Roman and Greek demigods joined to fight against Gaia. While the other half-bloods were battling the monsters on the ground, Jason was in the air. His allies were vastly outnumbered, but he had more urgent things at hand.
Jason was simultaneously keeping himself afloat while holding Piper, and blasting as much force as he could to keep Gaia at bay. Leo was riding on Festus, attacking her with fire.
Jason saw Leo’s eyes flit east, and he followed his gaze. He saw a bright blazing light, rapidly gaining speed, headed right towards them.
Leo met his eyes. “Jason. You need to go. Now.” He pleaded.
“But- what about you?” Jason protested.
“I’ll be fine,” Leo said with a pained expression on his face, “you and Piper need to get yourselves out of here.”
“Leo. Don’t do this to us.” Even the amount of charmspeak Piper put into her words now couldn’t change Leo’s mind.
Leo’s next words were accompanied by a forceful gust of wind, knocking Jason right out of the sky.
As Jason and Piper plummeted toward the ground, it was all he could do to harness the winds to make their landing softer. As soon as they hit the ground, he stumbled, then bolted towards Festus and Gaia, staring up at the sky. Piper was sprinting after him, her steps only a few yards behind his. Jason stared in horror as he watched a bright ball of flame (a comet, maybe?) streak its way in the sky - right towards Leo. Realization hit him like a train, just as the comet hit Festus and Gaia, resulting in a massive explosion. When Jason looked up again, there was nothing left but smoke.
“LEO!” Jason screamed, full of rage and grief. Next to him, Piper let out a choked sob.
Overwhelmed by the loss of their best friend, Jason and Piper both collapsed to the ground. Sitting next to each other with their heads to their knees, they stayed there and sobbed.
Jason was too stunned to notice any of the other things going on around him, the people crowding around, the cheering to celebrate the defeat of Gaia.
In all of this celebration, it was hard to believe anyone else was really grieving for Leo. In their eyes, he guessed, Leo was just another casualty in this war. But for Piper and Jason, he was much more than that. Not only was he their best friend, he was a hero.
Did anyone at this camp know that? That Leo sacrificed himself to save the camp?
“I told you I had a plan.” Leo had told them right before letting them go.
Was this his idea of a good plan? Saving the camp while getting himself fucking killed in the process? Didn’t he know how important he was?
To storm or fire, the world must fall, The prophecy had said, An oath to keep with a final breath.
Storm or fire. Jason or Leo. One of them had to die, Jason knew that. Except it wasn’t supposed to go this way. Jason was supposed to be the one. And then, of course, self-sacrificing fucking Leo “I-don’t-care-what-happens-to-me-as-long-as-you’re-okay” Valdez had to ruin it.
Jason didn’t know how long he had been there on the ground, sobbing into his hands. 5 minutes? 30? And hour? Maybe even 3?
When his vision finally cleared up, and his sobs dissipated into a violent shaking, he looked over to his right, to see Piper asleep on the grass. The sunlight was still shining, and most of the campers were talking by the cabins.
Gods, Jason thought, burying his head into his knees, please let this be a dream. Please let him be okay. Jupiter, I’ll do anything.
The shaking continued, more tears leaking from his eyes. He couldn’t stop thinking about the last thing Leo had ever said to him and Piper, the last time Jason will have ever heard his voice again.
“I told you I had a plan. When are you guys going to trust me?” Jason pictured the pained smile on Leo’s face, the tears in his eyes, making them shine in the firelight. “And by the way — I love you guys.”
Eventually, overcome by exhaustion, he passed out on the grass.
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When Jason woke up, he was no longer on the grass.
His eyes fluttered open to see he was in the infirmary, lying on a cot. Early morning sun streamed through the windows, and there was a second empty cot across the room. To his left, sitting in a chair right next to his cot, was his girlfriend, watching him with an anxious gaze. When she saw that he woke up, she gave him a small worried smile.
“Will?” Piper called across the room, “He’s awake.”
The blonde medic walked over to the cot, and Jason sat up.
“How are you feeling?” Asked Will.
Jason sat for a second to take in his surroundings. “I’m alright, I guess. A bit dizzy.” He noted.
“Yeah, I bet.” Will replied, going to the sink to fill a cup of water. “You had quite a night yesterday. We found you and Piper passed out on the grass when we were walking to the dining pavilion,” He said with concern in his eyes, handing the cup to Jason. “Drink.”
Jason took a sip of the water then set it down. He tried to clear his mind, still groggy from sleep. “What am I doing here-?” He started to ask. Then reality hit him like a fast moving truck. Leo. “Shit.” He whispered, burying his face into his hands. His breathing started getting choppy, and his eyes began to water.
He felt Piper wrap her arm around him for a hug. Where her face was pressed into his shoulder, he felt her tears wet his shirt.
“Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay.” Will reassured them in a hushed tone, “it’s all going to be okay.” Jason didn’t know how that was possible.
There was a knock on the infirmary door. Will straightened up. “Hey, I’m just going to get that. I’ll be right back.” He left the room and went out of sight down the hallway to answer the door.
Jason heard the click of the lock opening, then the door squeaked open. Then, nothing but silence for a solid 10 seconds.
“Holy shit,” Will said at last, barely loud enough to be heard from the infirmary.
Another long pause. “Piper? Jason?” Will called, louder this time, “There’s someone here to see you.”
“Not now.” Piper shot back, voice thick from crying.
“Yes, now.” Will replied, “Come here.”
Piper sighed as they slid off of the cot, and Jason rubbed his eyes, pink and puffy, and put on his glasses. Who would possibly be visiting them at this hour?
They walked toward the hallway together, and about 10 different emotions went through their heads all at once. Confusion, anger, shock, happiness.
Standing at the other end of the hall, wearing charred clothes and a sheepish grin, was none other than Leo Valdez.