Anthízo, Percy Jackson

XI. certain death of a drowned confession

KARINA TRIED TO MAKE the best of the situation.

once her, piper, and jason had gotten tired of pacing the deck, listening to coach hedge sing "old macdonald" (with weapons instead of animals), karina suggested that piper and jason go have a picnic in the park.

"but what about you?" piper asked. "why don't you come as well? it's not like we're strangers."

karina politely declined. "it's okay. you too need to have some alone time together, considering we might not get much of it with everything happening."

the couple did not seem convinced.

"are you sure, rina?" jason asked quietly, looking at her with slight concern. "you know that we won't let you feel like a third wheel. i mean, you're my bestfriend, after all."

karina smiled at the concern that the couple was giving her. "i promise, you guys, i'm fine. i want you guys to go have a good time together. i'll stay and keep coach hedge from spying on you."

piper still looked hesitant with her answer, but nonetheless nodded with a sigh. "okay," she said. "but you are more than welcome to join us if you feel like it."

karina smiled and nodded, handing her the picnic basket before she turned and began to walk off the ship.

but, before jason could leave as well, karina grabbed his hand and pulled him into a soft hug, wrapping her arms around his waist loosely.

jason felt slightly surprised at the sudden gesture, but still reciprocated it with the same energy as her, keeping his hands placed on her lower back as she relaxed his tense figure.

"happy birthday," she whispered in his ear, a soft smile adorning her face as her eyes closed, breathing in the smell of his cologne.

jason felt a smile creep onto his face, and his stomach felt warm with comfort at the fact that karina remembered his birthday. "thank you, rina," he whispered back, his head resting against hers. "thank you."

karina sighed and released herself from the hug. "i didn't get you a gift," she said, "but, i do have this— "she proceeded to reach into her pocket and reveal a necklace with a cord of black string, and a small, gold locket in the shape of a circle with vines decorating the front. "it's not much, but i figured you needed something on your sweet sixteen."

jason's smile widened at the gift, and he gingerly took it from her hands, opening the locket to see a picture of him, karina, and reyna all standing with each other on the field of mars, their faces all covered in dirt and grime, and wide grins plastered on their faces. by the looks of it, they were about fourteen years old, and they had just finished a war game, presumably winning. and, down in the bottom of the picture, you could see the faint showing of karina and jason's hands interlocked, with reyna's arms wrapped around karina.

jason felt as if he were about to cry at the gesture, this picture seeming like it were eons ago— hardly even rememberable. but, just by seeing this picture made him remember every last moment that had happened that day, and how he wished that he could go back to that day in time, where everything was normal— and times were good.

"how . . . how did you find this?" jason asked, struggling to find the words to convey how he felt.

karina smiled softly. "it was in one of my jacket pockets. i found it the other night, when i was putting it away. i figured i'd put it to something more special than sticking it in my desk drawer."

jason's smile turned into a grin, and he scooped karina up into a tight hug, and squeezing her tight against his body as she giggled into his chest, her feet dangling in the air slightly.