Stone Walls (Jercy AU)

JASON

Jason couldn't even begin to fathom how Percy was feeling right now. It was like Percy couldn't even catch a break and Jason felt helpless in this whole situation. Jason knew he couldn't just make it all go away and make it all better, but if he could, he wouldn't hesitate to do it.

It's been hours since Percy stormed out of the house and Thalia was ready to go after him and find him, but Jason's mother said not to. Jason could not imagine why his mother would say to leave Percy out in the cold like that. He fought his mother and tried to leave, but she was stern on her position. Never in his life had Jason yelled at his mom, until tonight when he accused her of not caring about Percy. Jason could not forget the look on her face, like she was on the verge of tears but too shocked to let a tear drop.

Jason had resorted to his room and laid in bed, worried about Percy and worried he may have just hurt his mother. Jason was laying there feeling more hopeless than ever, but didn't know what to do about it. He knew he should apologize to his mom, but he couldn't figure out the right words he would say to her. 

Jason's room door creaked open. "You awake, Jase?" Thalia asked, as she closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of Jason's bed.

Jason sighed. "How could I even think about sleeping?"

"Jase, you shouldn't have yelled at mom like that. You didn't even give her a chance to say why." Jason listened, but his heart started beating in his chest. "It's not that she doesn't care. She just thinks Percy needs the space to think about what's happening right now. I know you know it hasn't been easy on him."

Jason sat up, refusing to make eye contact with his sister. "I know, it's just . . . I don't feel like he should be dealing with it on his own. He ran out the house into like 20 degree weather. Doesn't seem very responsible or even safe!"

Thalia shook her head. "You're missing the point here, Jason."

Jason stood up, feeling overwhelmed and angered. "What point, Thalia? Mom knows he needs our help and she won't let us go. Don't you want to go? Don't you want to know if he's okay? Or do you not care about him either?!"

"Jason, you are so out of line right now. You're not-"

"Oh, so you don't care either? That's just great."

"My point is that you can't help everyone. That is what mom was trying to tell you too. You can't just jump to someone's rescue. You could be overstepping."

"Overstepping by caring?"

"It is amazing how much you care about everyone, including Percy. But sometimes, people need to figure their shit out on their own. Sometimes their shit is so much that they can't process it. How can they ask for help if they don't understand what they're dealing with?"

"But he can't do this alone, Thalia."

"No, he can't. But he was never alone to begin with. You can have all the people in the world that love you to the very end, but space is not a bad thing. Time alone is not a bad thing." She sighed. "Do you remember when dad died?"

"Of course I do."

"Remember when we wouldn't see mom for days? Remember we would have a house full of people, but mom was never there? She would run everyone out of her room because she didn't understand dad was gone. She couldn't wrap herself around that."

I know," Jason replied quietly.

"Percy's dad isn't dead, but Percy thought he was for years and now he's a breathing in this very house in front of all of us. Do you think you could process that? If dad magically came walking through the front door after believing he was dead, do you think you could handle that right away?"

Jason never felt like such an idiot. He cared so much about being there that he never stopped to realize if him being there was hurting more than it was helping.

"Do you think I'm too much, Thals?" Jason asked, feeling out of place.

"Of course not." She smiled. "You care so much and you take care of people. We love that about you. But sometimes you need to think about what the other person would want. Sometimes they just want to be alone."

"Is mom still out there?"

"She's been in the living room with Percy's dad. They've been talking. He's not who you think he is."

"He's not a deadbeat?" 

Thalia laughed softly. "No, no. He's just a man that missed his son."

After his talk with Thalia, Jason walked into the living room to find his mom and Poseidon looking through an album together. Jason took a seat in front of the two and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"I'm sorry for the way I talked to you, mom." Jason sighed. "I didn't -"

"It's okay, Jase," she smiled. "I understand. It's been a bit overwhelming tonight for all of us."

"Have you heard from Percy?" Poseidon asked hopefully.

"No, sir," Jason replied. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't be. It's not your fault." Poseidon sighed and closed the album. "What did Percy mean when he said what Gabe did to him?"

"I think that's something he has to tell you himself, Mr. Jackson," Thalia said as she walked into the room.

The front door opened and a gust of cold breeze coursed through the house. The door closed, footsteps coming down the hallway. Jason's mom got up and peeked down the hallway.

"Percy, honey," she said softly. When Percy approached her, she wrapped her arms around him. Jason wanted to get up and hug him, too, but he remembered what Thalia said. When Percy was ready, he would come to Jason.  

"I think I'm ready to talk," Percy said looking at Poseidon.

Poseidon stood up. "Yes, of course. Whenever you're ready."

"Do you want me to stay?" Jason's mother asked, looking between Percy and Poseidon.

"No, I'll be okay," Percy said first. 

"We're right here if you need us," Jason's mother assured.

Percy made eye contact with Thalia and then Jason, giving them a small smile. "I know."