𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀𝘿; heroes of olympus

earthen shells

JASPER ELIANO
WHILE REYNA SAT MOODY, Jasper brought out three paper plates and scanned the area. "Are there sticks nearby?"

Reyna looked at him as if he was mad. "I don't think so. Why would you need sticks?"

He sighed. "Unfortunate. We'll have to do this the old-fashioned way, then." He dug through the pack Erith had given him.

Reyna raised her eyebrows. "I'm not going to bother questioning you. Instead, I think I'll go find a bathroom. I would ask you to join me, but you seem rather busy."

Jasper flashed a smile without looking up. "Yeah. I don't wanna leave Nico, either. Be safe." He brought out a matchbox and looked up at her with a grin. "Man, I love Erith."

Reyna stared at the matches. "With our luck, you're going to burn the Parthenos down."

Jasper waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, I'm great at this. I hope you liked charred waffles! Now, go."

Reyna rolled her eyes and left without another word.

―

She was gone a while. Long enough for Jasper's stomach to start turning. 

He tried to focus on making breakfast for all of them. He brought out six waffles from one of the Eggo boxes Erith had packed and set two each on a plate, then lit a match and let it hover near the waffles.

It was rotten work. He burned through four matches quick, and he eventually stopped, because he figured they'd need the rest of the matches at some point, and there was only one other box. He could've used the lighter Erith had given him, but he knew from experience it would make the waffles taste weird, so instead he let them sit out in the sun while he unpacked a mixed carton of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. 

When he was finished setting out the plates, and the waffles were pretty much un-melted (they had already been like that, anyway, as the backpack wasn't a refrigerator), Jasper could no longer ignore the fact that Reyna was still gone. 

He scanned the area for her. Nothing. He let out a quick huff, then called out to Reyna's dogs. They came rushing over.

He pointed at Nico. "Protect Nico di Angelo. And our food." He gestured at the waffles. "I'm going to go find Reyna. Don't follow me. I'll be back. Return to your places." The only indication that the dogs had understood was them running back to where they had been, but Jasper had faith. They had never failed him or Reyna yet.

Then he stood. He did a double-check on his personal inventory: knife in his boot, yeah. Double-sided spear hidden against his jeans, yep. Knife in his shirt, right again! 

He took one last glance at Nico, then slipped away from their encampment and melted into the tourist crowds.

―

He found her outside an exhibit of corpses.

"Reyna!" he called, his relief exiting him in one single shout. 

She whirled, her expression startingly haunted, her hand on the hilt of her blade, but relaxed when she saw him. "Jasper."

"Hey," he said, trying not to sound like a fool. "You were gone for a while. Sorry. I got worried."

She glanced up at the sky, her mouth tightening. "Sorry. I didn't realize..." she turned away from the exhibit. "I've been fine."

Jasper studied her. "Are you sure?" He could tell she definitely wasn't fine. It was obvious from the square set of her shoulders and the thinness of her mouth and the tense way she stood.