Because We Can

1~ Distant

So here's my new story- this time, based on JIPER. there will be a song that I like or listened to while I wrote at the end of every chapter, like before (but i don't think anyone actually listened to them). There will NOT be chats or online things like last time, though, so yeah. happy reading!

Jason.

Piper always looked beautiful to me. When I remembered her mother's blessing, I still blushed, but only because I had called her a knock out, but she was a knock out. Still is.

That wasn't the problem, though. I kicked myself in my mind for letting my thoughts wander. I was supposed to be thinking about Percy and Annabeth. How could I get them out of Tartarus? My relationship could wait - I had to save them. It was practically my fault. I could have controlled the air and brought them to the ship. That's what I should have done.

"Jason." Even though she said my name, I kept staring at the landscape through the glass. Lately I had been coming down to the stables just to relax. It reminded me of Percy and Annabeth, and now that they were in Tartarus, I vowed to never forget them. It would be hard to, anyways.

"Yeah," I croaked, and realized how stressed out I was.

"Leo made some tacos," she said quietly. I finally looked up, and she looked terrible in the best way possible. The braids in her hair had little tufts sticking out of them, and there were small bags under her eyes. "He said that you didn't like them, but I wanted to make sure."

"Yeah, uh, no, it's fine. I'm not hungry." Right then, my stomach told the truth and growled like an angry monster. I added, "I don't like Mexican food very much."

"Right," she said, and shifted her weight to her other foot. "Something's been bothering me..."

"Something other than Percy and Annabeth being gone?" I muttered, and immediately knew I shouldn't have.

"You don't even like Percy that much," she told me, and it was true. Percy seemed like a big shot when I first met him, and at every meal we had on the Argo II, we had little staring contests over who got to sit at the head spot at the table. We always gave it up to Annabeth.

"But we need them to defeat Gaea," I said, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're trying to get me off topic, aren't you?" she asked, and I guess I couldn't really deny it. "It's about us."

"What's wrong with us?"

"You," she spat, but the covered her mouth after. Her eyes were glossy and wide. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

I scrambled up from the floor, and stood up. She looked up at me, and I said, "What is it?"

She took her hand away and rubbed her arm. "You've just been really distant." She shrugged. "Sorry for putting it this way, but you're the leader of this quest now, and even Coach Hedge is counting on you to scan the air. Gods, Leo's really trying to fix those spheres, and Hazel won't leave Nico's side, and Frank... you should see him pacing..."

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "It's the stress."

"Can you just... hug me?" she asked, and I was surprised.

I didn't say anything and just let her walk into my open arms. She was warm, and her hair smelled nice. Almost like flowers.

I heard her sniffle. "I just don't want to lose you like how Annabeth lost Percy," she whimpered into my chest. "You mean so much to me."

"We aren't going to lose each other, I promise," I told her. "We're going to close the Doors, Percy and Annabeth will be safe, and we'll go back home."

"But where is home for you, Jason?" She leaned away, and I brushed a loose strand away from her face. Her kaleidoscope eyes searched mine for an answer.

"Wherever you are," I said, and I meant it. I hoped she knew that it was the truth, but I had to admit that I had questioned where I would go after this whole Gaea-apocolypse thing was over.

"Aww, how classic, Superman," Leo said over the intercom. His voice was muffled, but still clear enough for me to hear the mocking tome. Even so, there was a hint of sadness. Maybe he was trying to cheer us up. "Now could you take a break from making out with Beauty Queen for just a second? Tacos are getting cold."

I blushed even though he couldn't see me. Piper gave a halfhearted laugh and shook her head.

"In a second!" I called out, and I heard my best friend snort. "Pipes, I'm sorry. I don't know if we'll be able to hang out as much with all this... all of these problems going on."

"Okay," she breathed out, and kissed my nose. "Lets go before he listens in on this."

"Too late!"

I kissed her back - this time on the lips - and pulled her closer. I would never let any monster hurt her again. I would always protect her, no matter how distant I seemed to her.

I hope you guys think this is a good start!

We Come Running, Youngblood Hawke.

HAPPY READING

on another note... the cover is in BLACK AND WHITE and it's not bad or anything (IT'S FREAKING PERFECT) but could any of you kindly offer to color it for me?? PLEASE because my coloring skills suck and I'll give you the link for the pic.