"Dude!"

Just Breathe

Jason Grace was never one for running in 100 degree heat, but that Percy Jackson kid was going to make it all worth it. He hoped.

Jason never really was one for exercise really, He wasn't out of shape- not at all, but he was pretty limited in what extent he could do. Besides, who wants to run around with an inhaler bouncing around your neck every footstep?

That's why he didn't tell Percy when he asked if he wanted to join him on his runs.

"I need a running buddy, cmon." He smiled. And that's when Jason knew he was done for. He smiled.

 Jason knew it was a big mistake to agree, but who knows if he would regret not hanging out with Percy later in his life? It also might've been a slight mistake to not tell him that he had asthma... but that was something they could talk about later. Now, Jason was relishing in the last cool air he would feel before he stepped outside. His knee tapped nervously in the old car (c mon dad I'm fifteen can I get that new one?  lol no) And waited not so patiently for his da-running "buddy" to appear. His chest tightened in a non asthma like way when he saw the beat up Prius pull into the lot and a black haired boy step out. He slid his inhaler inside the console. Out of sight, out of mind. He closed his eyes for one last second, feeling the cold hum run through his hair and on his face before shutting off the car and stepping onto the black pavement.

It was hot. Sweltering hot. He vaguely remembered the forecast saying it would be 102 degrees.

Who in their right mind runs every day in heat like this? Me, apparently.

He walked up to Percy who was stretching one leg and hopping on the other. He had a big grin on his face. "Sorry, this probably looks weird. I forgot to stretch."

Jasons face relaxed into a smile. He didn't think it would be hard to talk to him. Well, he had before. But they were always brief. Now he would be running with him for an hour. "It's fine. Do I need to?" His face reddened.

"Nah, we can go slow on this run. I'm sore from my swim practice last night. Coach has no mercy."

"Is it coach hedge, the one at your school? Everyone knows him. Well, the athletic ones do."

"You don't know him?"

"Ah-no, not really. I don't do any sports." He felt like he was digging himself deeper and deeper. Mostly, he felt like a fool. It wasn't his fault, he knew that, but reasoning tends to escape the mind in the face of embarrassment. He knew that for sure. 

Luckily, Percy didn't seem too concerned about his lack of exercise and just shrugged his shoulders. "Youre lucky then. He's not to bad off the swim property. But once youre in, he trains us like we are going to swim through hell itself. You still look like you do sports, youre fit."

"I try," Jason laughed."Glad I don't know him."

Percy smiled again before turning towards the path. Thankfully it was the path under the trees where they would hopefully not suffer from heat stroke. At least not immediately. Jason's heart sank. He really wasn't looking forward to this surely painful run.

The first part of the run wasn't too bad considering all the horrible scenarios that Jason dreamt up in his head prior. It was going great actually. He didn't really run much and the strain actually felt good for once. He didn't even wheeze once while talking to Percy. Percy remained chipper throughout the whole run. Constantly babbling or jogging backwards to face Jason.  Surprisingly they had much more in common than he had initially thought.