Cabin 13

8| The Continued Awkward Breakfast of Champions

Jason just blinked, "What do you mean 'who'?"

Percy gave Jason a concerned look, "I mean, what the heck is up with you guys? You're all staring at me like I'm crazy. And who  in Annabeth?"

This time Jason just shook his head, "Annabeth? You're girlfriend, the one who died," he choked on the word before continuing, "yesterday while on guard duty with you?!"

Percy just gave Jason a blank stare, "Okay, sure. I'll go along with whatever you guys are talking about, but only because you all are scaring me," he paused, "So, I have a girlfriend, or had  to be exact, because she died yesterday?"  

Jason gave Percy a look of tired desperation, "Please, please, tell me you're kidding."

When Percy gave him no reassurance Jason threw up his hand, "So you've just already moved on, then? Is that how it is? You take advantage of Nico's feelings for you out of your sick, selfishness? You bastard! Nico isn't just your there for you to manipulate whenever your feeling lonely!"

At this point the whole pavilion was silent. 

Percy's eyes narrowed, then he spoke darkly and coldly as he stood, "I don't know what the hell  you think you're talking about, but I can kiss whoever I damn please! I'm sorry for your loss, I really am, that sucks, but don't take it out on me, I have nothing to do with it," then he walked off, leaving Jason clenching his fists. 

Nico sat frozen, not saying a word the entire time,  not even sure what he could  say. 

Jason took a deep breath, flattening his palms on the table, before looking up at Nico, "Well, looks like you're right, Percy's lost his mind."

Nico shifted in his seat, "Did he... hit his head or something?" Nico asked, in a small, tentative tone.  

Shaking his head, Jason said, "No, but maybe you should have Will check him out anyway, but I'm pretty sure this has to do with Piper's charmspeak last night," he ran this fingers through his hair, looking the definition of stressed, "Piper tried helping calm him down last night, she used some mist and," he snorted, "Percy ended up kissing her too, though she was Annabeth, then Leo said he walked off without a care in the world." 

Nico frowned, trying to put the pieces together, "What exactly did Piper say?"

Jason sighed, "To "forget the pain"." 

"And now Percy can't remember Annabeth..." Nico hesitated, "Will it wear off?"

He shrugged, "I have no idea, I'll have to ask Piper about it. But she's already barely dealing with Annabeth's death, I can't imagine she's ready to deal with Percy."

... 

Clang, clang, clang.

Leo hammered away, forging and melding metal bits together. 

Pulling out miscellaneous tools from his belt, a bolt here, a screw there--

"Do you--"

Leo jolted back, burning his arm on the forge's surface. Quickly patting out the sparks on his sleeve, he turned, "Holy Hephaestus, are you trying to kill me?"

Calypso only rolled her eyes, "Jumpy as always," she remarked, "and already ruining the shirt I just  wove!"

She wore her new usual outfit: a white blouse with jeans. Her amber hair was pulled back and her hands were covered in dirt from the garden. 

He smirked, looking down at the burnt sleeve, "I think it needs more fireproof-ness." 

She smacked him on the arm, huffing, "What are you up to over here anyway? There's been nothing but the sound of metal on metal since last night."

Leo turned back to his worktable, "Absolutely nothing, I'm up to nothing." He picked up a piece of poorly shaped metal and threw it aside, "I can't think straight."

She pursed her lips, wrapping her hands around his waist, "That might have something to do with your sleep deprivation, you were up all last night, keeping me  up with your forging, by the way."

A small smile came to his face as he took in her familiar smell of cinnamon, "Yeah, sorry about that, babe."

She just shook her head, "Should I be worried about you?"

"No worries, Sunshine. I'm just peachy," he said, giving her a big grin.

Calypso frowned, seeing the overwhelming sadness in his eyes, but she said nothing of it. Leo would have to come to terms with his feelings on his own, she couldn't force that.

"Well, I made some stew back at the tent if you're hungry."

After arriving back at camp Leo had built Calypso her own little campsite on the outskirts of Camp Half-Blood. Leo had a miniature forge not too far away from the big canvas tent Calypso was currently weaving a waterproof cover for (after some rainfall a couple of nights ago they quickly realized their error). 

It was like their own little private world, Calypso was working on making a garden by the tent to keep her busy and Leo always had some project to work on otherwise, he was making small repairs to anything that needed fixing around the tent. 

"Boy, am I ever!" he planted a small kiss on her cheek, "This is why you're my favorite, Mamacita."

"What did I tell you about calling me that?" she crossed her arms, scowling.

"Well, until you start calling me what I told you  about nothing's changing," he said, smirking smugly. 

She frowned, "When did you... wait, are you talking about that dumb name--"

Leo grinned, "Yep, that's the one," he held his hand up to his ear, waiting.

Calypso rolled her eyes, "Hunk Muffin?"

Laughing, Leo pulled her in, "Sunshine, you just made my dreams come true."