One Shots: A Percy Jackson Story

Best Friends

Day Two

The crowd was thrumming with energy. Elation pulsated at its core; a burst bubble of relief and happiness that burst and doused everyone with its poison.

Jason's best friend died not twenty four hours ago, yet somehow he found himself lost in the middle of the crowd with a grin, singing along to the camp songs that echoed throughout the amphitheater.

It was like they were all trying to drown out the misery from their loses. They'd patched each other up as best as they knew how, they'd wrapped and burned their dead. But instead of mourning here they were, twenty four hours later; happy.

Greek demigods, Jason found, were different then Romans in that way.

They knew how to be happy in the hard times, more importantly they'd pushed it. Because it didn't matter if Jason had just lost his best friend, they were alive and they'd won. So even if their friends were dead, they had a victory to celebrate.

Tonight everyone was to be happy, tomorrow was another story.

Tomorrow they could be sad, tomorrow they could mourn. Tomorrow was another day dedicated to the one's they'd lost in this hard earned victory. Tomorrow was a day to mourn; today was a day to celebrate.

At some point someone had shoved Percy onto the stage, and the crowd had slowed. Still happy, but quiet and content.

From across the room, broken arms interlocked the Stoll brothers holler, "Speech!"

Percy grins, and shoved aside a sweaty mass of hair. "Anything for you guys." The crowd makes a noise somewhere between nostalgic and mocking, "Um, well, yeah." Percy laughs, "I don't have much to say, but it's great to be home again." A cheer erises from the crowd, and fists punch the air. Jason didn't think it was possible, but Percy's grin broadened and brightened, "I know we lost some... But honestly? Right now I don't think I could be happier!"

"Wanna bet, Seaweed Brain?" Everyone in the crowd swings around, and Annabeth is stood at the other end of the amphitheater, chin tilted upwards in pride.

Percy spread his arms in a challenge, "Bring it on, Wise Girl!"

From the arch of the doorway, steps a grinning satyr. He's got a worn rasta cap pulled over his curly hair and horns. A twisted ginger goatee curls from his chin, and the end barely brushes a faded T-shirt.

Jason's never met him before, but when someone shouts, "Bow to the Lord of the Wild!" While cracking up, the name immediately registers in his mind.

Grover Underwood.

"Grover's here!" Percy sounds like he's in tears as he scrambles off the stage, shoving through the parting crowd. "Grover!"

A smile tugs at Jason as Percy pushes past Annabeth, wrapping his arms around the Satyr. "Percy!" Grover bleats, his own arms right around his friend, "Your gonna give this old goat a heart attack one day!"

Percy grins, eyes shining as the two break apart. "G-Man, if you were gonna get a heart attack it would've happened long before I disappeared!"

There are several mutters of agreement.

Jason watches the two of them embrace again, tearful and happy. His smile suddenly turns bittersweet because how can he watch two best friends embrace after a year apart without thinking of his own? He misses him; the curly hair and elf ears, the bad jokes and the high pitched laugh that went with them.

Leo Valdez died twenty four hours ago. But twenty four hours later Percy Jackson's finally lost some of the fog in his eyes, finally got some joy back in his grin.

Jason Grave lost his best friend twenty four hours ago.

Percy Jackson got his back twenty four hours later.

And with all thats wrong in a demigods world, Jason thinks, he's at least glad that Percy's got his friend.