Chapter Two: Jason Grace Hates Looking Weak
Jason was trying to talk to his parents. Again. It's not that they were ignoring him, more that they were too busy to even realise he was there. Jason's dad, Zeus Grace, owned a multimillion dollar company, or something. Jason didn't really care, and as soon as old paps realized his son didn't want to follow in his mighty footsteps, well, Zeus didn't really care either. He knew what his father's priorities were. 1) Money. 2) Image. 3) His Mistresses. 4) His Family (on a good day).
"I don't care if making this move could cost us losing the Japan deal, if we do this, well be making triple what the Japan deal would ever get us..... mhmm....... yep... ahh, well that's interesting - hey hold up. The kid's nagging me 'bout something." Zeus had been pacing up and down in front of Jason for over ten minutes, not once looking at him. Jason had just stood there, quietly and patiently, even though the urge to rip away his phone from his ear and smash it with a hammer became almost overpowering.
"Father." Jason said respectfully, looking him straight in the eyes. He knew Zeus hated that.
"What do you want, kid? I'm busy at the moment." Was all he replied, fingers tapping impatiently on the back of his phone. Jason gritted his teeth, repressing his anger.
"About Camp Olympus, I - "
"Cannot weasel your way out of it." Zeus cut him off, brilliant blue eyes narrowing. "We've been over this, Jason. If you can not be bothered to find a little respect, then I can not be bothered having you mooch around in this house all summer."
"How do you expect me to respect you, Father, if you blatantly cheat on your wife, MY MOTHER, and don't even try pretend that you give a crap about your kids!" He yelled, striding up and down in a manner, he reluctantly realised, was quite similar to his father when he was angry.
"You're never around! And when you are its not like you spend time with us, is it! No you just go running back to your whores like we don't even exist. Do you even know when my birthday is!? Thalia's!?" Jason finally stopped, tears pricked his eyes and his jaw clenched in an effort to keep them inside. His next words were spoken softly, almost as if he'd given up.
"Why do you even bother to come back? We all know you don't want to be here, just... just stop. We don't need you. We don't need the pain you bring." He whispered, his eyes, so much like his fathers, finally shed their tears.
"Go pack your bags Jason." Zeus said coldly. "And clean yourself up." Jason felt like there was a fist punching into his gut, grabbing his insides and twisting them viciously. Is that all his father was going to say to him? After his entire soul was laid bare for him to see? Jason realised the mistake he'd made. He had shown weakness. His father hated that almost as much ad he did. Zeus couldn't even look at him, his own son.
"I hate you. I fucking hate everything about you. And when I see things in myself that resembles you. Well I hate myself as well." Jason snarled, turning and storming off, on his way out of the house, he let out a cry of rage and launched his fist straight into a wall. Almost emotionlessly, he looked at his hand, scratched and bleeding, before he wordlessly walked out the front door slamming it behind him.
He didn't look back. He didn't see his father watching him disappear down the serene picturesque street. His own weakness shined in his eyes as his son grew further and further away from him.
•••
Jason watched the world fly by, his head tilted against the window a condensation forming like a cloud as he breathed. His sister, Thalia was dead to the world, head bobbing along to whatever punk rock band had become her newest obsession. He turned his head in her direction, smirking slightly at her horrendous orange camp shirt. Camp Olympus had two different shirts to choose from, purple or orange. Jason couldn't fathom why both Thalia and Percy insisted on wearing the hideous orange choice. Actually the orange kind of suited Percy, it went well with his tanned skin and bright smile.
