sky blue ● jason grace

the

 "Yo, Grace!" Percy Jackson's voice rang out in the hallway. Jason was walking to the Engine Room with Piper and Leo on either side. He figured that they looked like his cronies rather than his best friends, the way they were in a perfect formation. Especially when Jason motioned for the other two to pause for a second.

Jason turned, wondering what Percy could possibly want after the quest he had just had. They were on their way to Charleston (like Daria, he had shuddered at the name), and Jason figured the guy would want some rest. He himself, after apologizing to Hazel, could use a nap.

But the black-haired Son of Poseidon looked as calm and confident as ever. Jason really did respect the guy, the Romans had raised him as praetor for a reason after all. Maybe one day, after all the showing off was done and away with, the two of them could even be friends.

But the look in Percy's eyes said that making nice wasn't the objective right then.

"Hey Piper, Leo, I'll catch up with you two," Jason said, trying not to sound like Captain America. Piper nodded, already picking up a new topic with Leo and heading to the machinery. He fixed his gaze on Percy again, waiting for him to speak.

The other boy glanced around the lower deck, as if someone was about to pop out of the sickbay. He and Annabeth had that in common, Jason noticed, and he wondered if things like that had happened often at Camp Half-Blood...or whether the two of them had just gotten very good at covering their bases.

"Not here," Percy said as if it should be obvious. As if he was about to tell Jason a grand secret and he was worried the armor in next door would suddenly come to life and eavesdrop. "Let's go to the stables."

He led the way, into a large, empty room that smelled like hay and well, horses. Jason had been in the stables all of two times as he helped Leo build the ship. Maybe Percy had brought him here because of the very convenient bay doors that tended to open and close without any notice.

Percy laughed. Jason's expression must have been one of terror. This was Percy Jackson after all, something told him that if the girls hadn't been there to save them in Kansas, Fish Boy over here would have no problem killing him. "Listen, we're just chatting about Daria. You don't have to look like I'm gonna drown you or something."

Yeah, the fact that he wanted to "just chat about Daria" didn't really make Jason feel any better.

"What about her?" Jason asked. The thing was, as many concerns as Percy may have, Jason knew Daria ten times better. So even if she was upset with him, Jason didn't think Percy had any credentials to lecture Jason on his girlfriend.

"Just," he leaned against the door of a stall, probably getting ready to say something comically sarcastic, he was a lot like Leo in that regard. "I don't know man. Daria's still a mystery to me, but gods, if you hurt her..."

He shook his head. "I know she doesn't need protecting. Believe me, I know. But she's my little sister, and call me biased because of my fatal flaw, everyone else does. Anyway, I don't know much about her, but I figure it'd be easier for all of our sakes if we didn't, you know."

Jason could feel his mouth twitch upward, "pretend to hate each other?"

"Yeah that."

Jason relaxed lightly. This was so not where he thought this conversation was going. "So what, we're like friends now?"

Percy snorted. "Something like that. But you better not get all sappy on me, Grace."

"Do I look like I'm getting sappy?" Although there was a small glimmer of hope in his chest that was beginning to almost show itself. "We're doing this for Daria."