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Reconciliation

Jason's POV

I paced the room quietly as I sat down to think. Did I do the right thing? Was it the right choice to make?

The shower felt like sheets of ice cascading down on me. I guess Percy never really noticed how frigid the water was.

#JustJacksonThings

I turned the shower knob to the right and was grateful for the warm water that greeted me. With soap lathered all over me, I glanced at my phone again.

The message was still fresh in my head, but I had to check one more time to be certain that I was not dreaming.

"Hey Sparky, wanna grab lunch and then watch a movie? -Pipes"

The first time I had read it, my hands literally trembled. Percy was still at work so I could not get his opinion on the matter. Was it just a friendly meetup as friends? Or was it a date?

I wrapped a towel around my waist and headed to the wardrobe. I scanned through the different t-shirts that were folded neatly into piles on the shelves.

I picked out one that I felt would suit me. It was a plain, azure blue t-shirt and lacked any design, save for a small dolphin in the place of where the shirt pocket would be. It was made from polyester; my favourite material.

When I was still with Piper, we would go shopping all the time. I slowly began to learn the different fabrics present in clothes. Polyester appealed to me because it reminded me of myself. It was prone to static buildup, which affected others a lot more than it did to me. 

After a cool breeze blew in through the open window, I put on a black cardigan that I brought along with me. I threw it in the laundry basket a few days ago and now, it smelled like lemon instead of my body odour.

I gelled my hair back and applied some deodorant to my armpits. Sweating was a big no-no on a date. Unfortunately, there was no cologne to be found. I guess Percy didn't need any since he was single nor looking for a girl.

I checked myself in the mirror as I put on my blue Nike Air Max 270s. It felt comfortable and fit me snugly. I walked out of the building into the cool, crisp air.

With earphones plugged in, I played "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down. Leo recommended it to me since he called me Blond Superman. It was meant as a joke, but I actually liked the song.

My feet tapped against the pavement as I walked towards Green Symphony on 43rd Street. It was a vegetarian restaurant that served sandwiches and some killer tofu. I always wanted to bring Piper there on a date, but the opportunity never arose until now. The Regal Theatre was just one street down so we would most likely make it in time for the Avengers 3 movie which was screening in two hours.

As I waited at the rendezvous point, I used the time to soak in the surroundings. New York really was stunning. Not only were there tall skyscrapers, but also humble parks where people could meet. In fact, I was standing at the entrance of one.

Bryant Park was breathtaking. There was a large water fountain surrounded by multiple cute shrubs bearing colourful flowers. The perimeter of the park was outlined by multiple symmetrically grown London plane trees. Multiple tents were set up to hold different events that engaged parkgoers. The fresh smell of bread permeated the air due to the multiple food kiosks placed in the park. Surrounding the park, skyscrapers loomed over, providing a contrasting view to the serene-looking place. Right next to the park was the New York Public Library. I never liked reading though, and my dyslexia certainly added to the distaste.

I glanced at my Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner 1608/8. It was a gift from Jupiter himself, costing over $16,000. However, as the father of Midas, it was pretty easy to obtain it. It was purple and gold, reminding me of my time spent in the Legion. The watch read eleven-thirty, which meant that Piper would arrive at any moment now.