It Runs in the Family

Jason

Jason had gone to visit  his mom, hoping that this brother was there as well. They really hadn't  gotten much time to hang out before Percy left for his camp for the  summer. Jason wondered if it even counted as a summer camp with the  amount of time Percy spent there during the school year.

Whatever. Most summer camps were done by this point, so Percy should be home. And Jason needed a break from Dick and Bruce arguing. With that thought in mind, Jason had asked Sally if he could visit over the weekend. She had been more than excited for it, telling him that he was completely welcome. Alfred was kind enough to drive him all the way up there.

Paul was waiting outside the apartment for when Jason got there. Jason liked Paul well enough. He was kind of boring. Then again, most of Jason's friends and family were superheroes, so most civilians were kind of boring to him. Sally and Percy were cool though. Paul smiled and gave Jason a small fist bump, a smirk barely forming on his lips. Jason raised an eyebrow,  "Something wrong?"

Paul sighed out a sad  little laugh, "Should have figured you'd notice. I'm not the best at hiding things. Percy's struggling a little bit. A friend of his died two days ago. Percy was there when it happened and, well, he blames himself. He's got a few other things weighing on him at the moment, too. He's going back to camp later tonight, but they sent him here to  process a little bit before he went back."

Jason's face fell. That sucked. Sure, he'd wanted Percy to be back from camp, but he hadn't wanted Percy back for that reason.

They reached the apartment before Jason could say anything. Paul sent Jason a bracing smile before unlocking the door and holding it open for Jason to enter  first. The hero did, looking around curiously. It was the first time he'd gone to his mom's instead of her coming to Bruce's. It was a nice place.

At least, it looked nice until he caught sight of Percy listlessly sat in an armchair. He was staring at the television, but he obviously wasn't watching it. His fingers were gripped around a pen like he was contemplating using it as a weapon. There was an expression of such terrible grief, hopelessness and impotent fury on his face that Jason felt like he'd been kicked in the chest just looking at it.

Sally bustled out of the kitchen, startling as she saw Jason, just barely managing to keep the tray of blue cookies (when Jason had asked about the color, Sally had smiled wryly and said they were blue because Gabe said they couldn't be blue. He'd been confused, but there was something dark lurking  underneath that wry smile and he hadn't been able to ask) from toppling out of her hands. She set it down in front of Percy, visibly deflating  when he didn't move. She turned to Jason and opened her arms for one of  her signature hugs, "Come here, Jason. It's so good to see you! How are you?"

"Better than him," Jason said when he finally pulled away from her hug, jerking his head to indicate Percy.

Sally glanced over at him and sighed, "I'd hope so."

Jason snorted out a laugh before walking over to Percy and kicking him on the leg, "Hey, come eat these cookies with me."

Percy turned his face away from the television and onto Jason instead, causing Jason to flinch when the horrible expression Percy had worn shifted into self-hatred. Percy mumbled, "I'm fine."

Scowling, Jason kicked his leg again (gently, of course. Percy wasn't a superhero), "Stop moping. I finally get to come up to New York and you're not at camp?  Don't waste this chance moping."

"I'm not moping," Percy snapped. It was probably the first time Percy had snapped at Jason in the time they'd known each other. Jason reared back a little bit.  Percy's lips pursed together in self-recrimination and he turned his head away again.