𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 [Jason Grace]

36

𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 wouldn't be as bad as they'd heard. But it was almost like a commercial: You'll notice the difference immediately!

Several times an hour, something attacked the ship. A flock of flesh-eating Stymphalian birds swooped out of the night sky, and Festus torched them. Storm spirits swirled around the mast, and Jason blasted them with lightning. While Coach Hedge was having dinner on the foredeck, a wild pegasus appeared from nowhere, stampeded over the coach's enchiladas, and flew off again, leaving cheesy hoof prints all across the deck.

"What was that for?" the coach demanded.

Finally around midnight, after the ninth or tenth aerial attack, Jason turned to Percy. "How about you get some sleep? I'll keep blasting stuff out of the sky as long as I can. Then we can go by sea for a while, and you can take point."

Percy didn't seem all that happy about it but he agreed. Jason could relate. Percy, like him, felt responsible for the group. But maybe they should share the responsibility like they'd made the storm. Jason would do anything if it meant not ending up like Hercules. Bitter and all alone.

"Hey," Piper said as she joined him on the deck. Jason just didn't know what the right thing to say to her was anymore. For far too long he'd managed, but something had happened with the river and part of him didn't want to ask. Things were going well, he didn't want to jinx them.

"Hey yourself," He grinned back instead, "You don't have to wait on the deck, go have some rest. Coach and I'll take the night watch."

He was still out of breath from fighting the latest monsters that tried to attack the ship. He set his golden gladius against the railing and turned to his girlfriend. Gods he missed his sword that could turn into a coin.

"No, it's okay," Piper said, her eyes flitting to Coach who was at the other end of the ship, whistling to himself. "I want to be here."

That warmed Jason. He'd been feeling off balance recently, like Achelous with only one horn. 

Piper's choppily cut hair flew in the wind, smacking into her face every now and again. Jason just smiled and directed a small breeze at her that kept her hair flowing back instead of in her face.

She looked at him gratefully, but her expression was troubled.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You seem kind of... off since Achelous. You did what you had to Pipes—"

"It's not that," She assured him. "I was just hoping we could talk?"

Uh oh. Top three worst things to be said by your partner.

1. We need to talk.

2. If I was a worm...

3. Can I have some of your food?

The last two were easy enough fixes. Yes of course Jason would love Piper if she was a worm. And yes he would share his food always.

"Yeah, of course, go on," He said instead, plastering a fake smile.

"Things are complicated," Piper stared out at the clouds, some below them, some above. Jason loved flying through them. He wanted to take Piper with him sometime. "I mean, with the Romans and the quest and... and everything really."

"Yeah, but we'll get through them, won't we?" He brushed his hand against hers, trying to hold it, only for her to stare at their hands and pull away. His smile dropped. "Pipes? Hey? You okay?"