Take Off Those Glasses! (Jason x Percy = Jercy)

One Last Time

"Oh, no, no, no, Percy" Jason said as Percy fell in his arms, crying like a trainwreck. "I'm sure she has a valid reason!"

Percy only ever responded with crestfallen sobs, already soaking Jason's T-shirt with salty tears and a ragged breath. He reeked of alcohol, drunk from the store of liquor Sally kept in the house, possibly out of Percy's sight. But Percy knew about it nonetheless. Jason didn't stop Percy from drinking. Only booze could help Percy recover the wounds he had.

"Maybe she has to go somewhere urgent," Jason remarked, in hope Percy would buy it, even though he knew it was not satisfactory.

"You-you think I'm stupid, Jason?" Percy said, his voice high-pitched. "Do you think I don't know what my girlfriend is thinking on the basis of her voice?"

"Percy, please-"

"No, Jason, no. She-she was not at all urgent," Percy recalled. "She only sounded... heartbroken."

Jason sighed. He held Percy tighter. This was only one of the few times he had seen Percy cry ever since they had become friends. Percy never cried. Except for the time when his girlfriend ditched him for reasons unknown.

The last time tears had smeared Percy's beautiful face was when he had become a boyfriend to Annabeth. Jason still remembered that day, from ages ago, as if it just happened yesterday.

It was late at night. A crying Percy had called Jason at 1 a.m. His voice was so uneven on the phone that Jason had no choice but to worry like a madman. He took his jacket hanging near his door and ran to Percy's house, in hope that nothing bad would have happened. He was so concerned for Percy that he couldn't even think straight. A couple of stray dogs had run behind him. But who was Jason to care? It was only the first time that Jason had heard Percy cry. There was no stopping him to figure what was wrong.

Jason entered Percy's house like it was his own, and made way for his room. There Percy lay on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, shivering like a puppy in rain. Percy's phone screen was lit up, and it was the only source of light in Percy's room. Jason took a sharp inhale. Millions of thoughts had rushed his mind. Is Percy getting bullied online? Is there someone stalking him? Did someone say something rude to him? Did they comment anything harsh on his post?

Jason neared Percy.

Percy hadn't even been aware that Jason was there. He could only see the three words in front of his eyes on the phone screen. Jason peeped from behind and was horrified from what he say.

Annabeth❤ replied: 'I like you'

Jason was stupefied. He could not believe what he say. Is Percy not going to be friends with me anymore? Little did he know that what concerned him the most wasn't this, but the fact that Percy would be getting a girlfriend. Percy would be getting a girlfriend. His ever supportive, ever nice and ever caring and ever lovely best friend was getting a girlfriend.

"Percy?" Jason is remembered to have said. "Percy, are you alright?"

Percy looked shocked. He had no idea where Jason had come from. He only ever remembered calling Jason and Jason hanging up the phone in a hurry.

"Jason..." Percy's voice faded into innumerable sobs. 

Jason did not understand why Percy would cry. He knew that Percy was in love with Annabeth.

Was it the overwhelming feeling of one's love being reciprocated?

Jason wouldn't know.

"Oh, my god, Percy," Jason sighed and wrapped his hands around Percy. He held him tight, and let Percy cry as much as he wanted. Later, Percy spoke up, his nose runny and eyes red and puffy.