𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 [Jason Grace]

37

"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭," Dante bit into his breakfast sandwich, walking up the stairs onto the deck.

Jason tried to subtly wipe his tears and clear his throat. For once, he didn't want to look at Dante.

"You're holding onto your end of the promise, I see," Dante sighed. It was four in the morning, far too early. Coach had gone down to his room leaving Jason alone on deck. Admittedly, there had been some kicking of masts. Then Jason's foot hurt so he stopped. "No laugh, that's good."

Jason didn't reply to that, instead he asked. "You're gay, real or not real?"

Dante's footsteps paused on the wooden deck and he let out an offended scoff. "What the fuck kind of a question is that?"

"You said you'd help with my memories right? And I won't laugh at your attempts at insults."

"They're not attempts," Dante sounded even more offended. "They're insults. Excuse you, I mean them from the bottom of my heart."

Jason wanted to laugh, he didn't. Dante's insults, if you could call them that, were just so... juvenile. Or the way he said them was funny. Just something about the whole thing made Jason want to laugh. He just couldn't take them seriously.

"Are you though? Gay, I mean?"

"If this is some homophobic change of heart you've had, I want you to know I could take you in a fight."

Now that made Jason raise an eyebrow as he turned to Dante who had his eyes narrowed at him.

"I will punch you in the dick, do not underestimate me."

"I believe you," Jason said, because he did. The glare Dante gave him wasn't just for fun. "And I'm not homophobic."

"Then yes, I'm gay."

"You choked on spaghetti when you came out to me the first time," Jason couldn't help the way that memory made him smile. They'd been kids, just twelve. Jason hadn't even known what it meant.

"You're sad," Dante observed with a slightly disgusted look.

Jason snorted, "Well, yeah, my girlfriend just broke up with me, I think."

"You think?"

"No, I mean we definitely broke up."

"Damn."

Jason frowned, "Is that all you're going to say?"

"What else is there to say? I think you're the most repulsive person on the planet. Your misery brings me joy, but breakups are tough. Ergo— damn. That's the most I can offer you."

Jason wasn't sure why it stung so much more. Dante just knew how to get under his skin.

"Real or not real, you choked on spaghetti the first time you came out to me?" He repeated instead.

"Real," Dante shrugged. "I was terrified. I thought you'd stop being my friend."

There were these little pockets of truth with Dante that took Jason completely by surprise. There was an actual nice person inside Dante? Shocker.

"How'd I take it? I don't remember what I said."

"You asked me what it meant and when I explained you said, Oh, do you want more pudding?"

"Real or not real, we went on a quest together?"

"Real. We went on two together."

"Real or not real, I killed the Trojan sea monster?"