Because We Can

9~ Too Close

A lot of you are mad (major understatement) but trust me on this one, ok?

Jason walked to the Reyna's private barrack, his heart skipping nervously. Why had he called her for a meeting? There were so many possibilities - to discuss handling Octavian, to ask him about Piper, to tell him to clean the bathrooms - his mind couldn't really grasp the idea of being in the same room with Reyna alone anymore.

Suddenly he was at her barrack, fingering his coin in his pocket. How bad could it be? he asked himself, and knocked on the door.

There were soft, barefoot footsteps, and the door swung open.

Reyna rarely wore non-Praetor clothing, but even in an over-sized purple Camp Jupiter shirt and shorts, she looked powerful.

"Hey," she said leisurely, and stepped aside. "I didn't think you'd come over so quickly."

Jason started at the space Reyna had made for him to enter. He wasn't Praetor anymore, so he couldn't speak without being given permission.

Reyna laughed a little and left the door open for him, walking deeper into her room.

Jason took a hesitant step inside, not wanting to close the door and hide himself from the rest of the camp, closed the door anyways.

"Praetor, what is the matter you would like to discuss?" he said stiffly. Her back was to him, and he couldn't help but stare at her bare shoulder.

"I don't know," he heard her say softly. She turned to him, her eyes saddened. "Please don't call me Praetor, Jason. I thought we were friends, not just Praetors together."

Jason gulped. He felt like he was sweating a sea as she stepped closer to him. She was so close... too close.

"Jason?" Reyna gently touched his face while gripping his hand with her other hand. He was so uncomfortable. He only imagined Piper holding his hand, no one else. "I know you love that other girl-"

Reyna didn't continue, but Jason had had enough. Piper wasn't just that other girl. She was everything to him, and if Reyna couldn't accept that...

Then it occurred to him.

"I'm not here to help with Octavian, am I?" he whispered. He wanted to pull away from her, to get away, but he was afraid to.

Her dark eyes, usually reserved and guarded, were soft and pleading. She smiled faintly, and her eyes closed. She moved her face closer. He could feel his heart pound in his chest, telling is brain to stop, to stop, to stop-

Her lips weren't Piper's. Too close! his mind screamed. Too cloooose-

Jason tried not to feel Reyna's lips on his. He tried pretending they was Piper's, but that just made it worse. Reyna obviously hadn't kissed anyone lately, because her tongue was all over his mouth.

"Stop," he managed to grunt. He pulled his clammy hand out of hers and pushed her shoulders away. "Reyna, stop!"

"Jason," she started. He wanted to wash his mouth out. "We had something before you disappeared, remember?"

"No!" he almost shouted, panicked, and reached for the door knob behind him. Reyna's fingers were gripping his shoulder. "I never liked you that way, Reyna," he nearly growled. "We were Praetors together, nothing more." So he pulled the door open, slamming the door behind him.

He stared into the Californian night, listening to the last campers make their way to their barracks, and leaned back on the door, rubbing his eyes. He'd already broken Piper's heart. Even if Piper never knew that he'd kissed Reyna, the guilt would still gnaw at him. He should've seen how Reyna used to look at him, the long stares, the little smiles.

There were faint sobs, but Jason couldn't believe it. Reyna wouldn't waste tears over him, would she?

"Reyna?" he whispered through the door. Her cries stopped. "I'm sorry, but I never felt that way towards you. I love Piper, and I've already hurt her enough coming back here. I need to leave."

"Well don't come back," she hissed. There was silence, terrible, awful, heart-tearing silence.

She Walks Right Through Me, Alex Day.

^^ THE BEST Jiper/Percabeth/OTP song in the history of love songs.

(maybe the song should be Too Close by Alex Clare instead... both are good songs anyways.) 

so do you guys forgive me or...?

also, give credit to JustColor. if you don't know Megan's work, you've never read a good fan fiction. like seriously. her profile's link is the dedication, so check her out and fan her or something if you haven't already!

happy reading :)