Parent Stories (A Percy Jackson Fanfic)

Chapter 20: Jason and Beryll Grace and Lupa

Jason's POV, varrying ages, and third person limited

Jason's first memory of his mother isn't of her at all. It's of Thalia, pulling him away from their mother, who is clearly in a drunken rage again. She managed to pull him from their Mother's chipped red nail polish hand, and promptly runs out the door, through the neighborhood. Later, when he's too many years older to be asking his sister these sort of things, she'll tell him that she picked up the stroller she always hid behind a tree, three houses down. Then, they went to the dog park at the end of the road, where there was a kiddy playground too, and stay until Papa came, saying it's safe now, and he's sorry he wasn't there. It's not great, but it's something.

Jason's first memory of Lupa seemed silly now, but looking back, it must have been terrifying. He's alone in the Wolf House, crying for Tha-li-a (and he's so proud he's managed to say it right this time). Suddenly, a big "doggy" comes out, and he claps his hands. He likes doggies, and he holds put a fist first, just like Thalia told him.

"Always put your fist first, Jason. That way, if it's a mean doggie, he can't bite your fingers. You gotta let 'em smell you, like when you're trying to smell dinner." She told him, and he dramatically reenacted that, which made her laugh.

But the big doggie now does not sniff his hand, but his head. He laughs, as the big breathes ruffle his hair.

"You're quite young to be sent here, pup. What are you named?" The big doggie asks. Jason doesn't remember yet, but he will in a few hours, doggies don't talk.

"Jason Grace, do you know where Tha-li-a and Mommy and Daddy are?" He asks. The doggie shakes his head.

"I am afraid not, young one. I am Lupa." The doggie says.

"Tha-li-a says I'm not 'posed to talk to strangers. She says I'm only 'posed to say my name, and Mommy's phone number, but I can't remember it." Jason tells Lupa.

"I am not a stranger. I am here to take you to your new family." Lupa says, and picks him up, surprisingly gently, with her mouth, and plops him on another doggie's back.

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Jason's first word to his biological family was "Tha-la", followed by "make me a sanwit". Thalia's mouth dropped open, as she scooped him, saying that she'd make him any sandwich he wanted. Even their Mother burst into a smile, when Thalia begrudgingly told her. Jupiter announced he was taking the family to Applebees. It's a happy moment for an unhappy family.

Jason's first words to his Roman family were "Do it again!". After a week and a half of not talking, one of the older boys of his cohort reared Hannibal the elephant, accidentally sent a faun in a rainbow afro flying into a plate of spaghetti. It's the beginning of a giggle filled evening, and a happy set of years, before legion training would officially begin, and for Jason to hide that side of himself.

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When Jason tried eating the stapler in Papa's office, he screamed and cried his head off. Thalia, Mother, and all came rushing in, and assessed the situation. Thalia held him close, bouncing him, and humming the music from Hercules, while Mother handed Papa supplies to extract the still open staple, and clean the wound. When the wound hadn't stopped bleeding an hour later, they all went to the ER. Jason got three stitches and too many popcycles that night.

"Tha-li-a?" He asked quietly as Mother and Papa worked on the paperwork. Thalia turned to him.

"Yeah Jase?" She asked, read to get anything he needed.

"Was I brave wike Hercules, when Hades had Meg? An' when he goes and gets her out of the bad river?" He asked, serious. Thalia smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Even braver." She told him. Even though he couldn't feel half his mouth, and the half he could feel hurt badly, he smiled the biggest he could.

When Jason nearly sliced his finger off with a stray dagger left in the barracks, he made no noise, and barely even cried, because he's a big boy now, and big boys don't cry in the legion. He simply went to the first aid kit in the bathroom, and put three butterfly bandaids, and a Spiderman bandaid on. It was only when he bled through them at dinner that he asked if he could have some help. A wide eyed son of Vulcan called Mathew scooped up the six year old, and took him to Kerri, the daughter of Apollo who had healed everything.

"So when you do this, you put a little tiny amount of this on the cut," Kerri said, producing a canteen of nectar. "But only enough that it stings a little. If it starts burning, stop it, and come see me. If you use too much you'll burn up, like when the fauns tried to make pizza."

"Will it make me super duper strong and awesome, like Hercules?" Jason asked, still wanting to become his hero. Kerri laughed.

"Almost, but not quite. C'mon kiddo, that deserves a sticker, don'tcha think?" She told him, and scooped him up.

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Jason's memories with his biological family may be happy, but they have sad tinges to them, like a filter is on them.

Jason's memories with his Roman family are happy, but stiff. Formal as a fancy dinner, which is fun for one night, but not an entire childhood. 

I feel like that's kinda sad, but I always think of Jason's character as lowkey tragic. It takes him until he's 16 to fit in, and I wanna wrap him up in a blanket