Falling for You

Jason: III

Jason: III

It was midnight, the stars shining unnervingly bright over the camp.

Jason rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, not out of paranoia but still on guard. He stood by the burning fire pit on the edge of the camp, smaller fires dotted around the other edges, with the black shadows of his fellow sentries milling around in front of them. He listened to the gentle roar of the waves on the beach, a few feet away. The smell of salt was strong.

Smaller hands snaked over his eyes.

Had it not been for the whispered "Guess who?", Jason would have pulled out his sword on the spot.

Instead, he smiled softly.

"Not here, Leo,” he said, “Piper could see us."

The hands on his face slid off, and he turned round to see Piper grinning with her hands on her hips.

"That's how it is, is it?" she mocked him.

Jason took her hand. She looked beautiful in the fire light. Every curve in the plaits in her hair was illuminated in bronze, and her eyes took the dancing flames and moulded them into a tango of their own. Jason felt his chest fill up with love for her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, still grinning.

"This is how I always look at you." Jason remarked.

"Yeah, but you look like you've got a concussion. Believe me- I know the expression by now."

"I just..." Jason trailed off, catching sight of her dagger, and smiled, remembering how she fought, all sharp spins and stabs. She didn't fight like a Roman, but they would welcome her in an instant. "I love you, you know?"

Piper's gaze turned soft and deep. She stepped into his embrace, tucking her head into his neck, her voice slightly muffled.

"Of course. And I love you more than anything. Why?" She pushed back suddenly, worry lining her face. "What's brought this on?"

"Nothing, nothing." Jason assured her quickly. "It's just... With everything Percy and Annabeth have gone through, what they've lost and how they keep missing each other. They don't get to say things like this. And- and I don't want that to be us. Whatever-"

Piper shook her head instantly in denial, but Jason carried on with emphasis.

"-Whatever happens in the next few days, or weeks, I just want you to know that, just in case."

Jason had been thinking about this for a while, ever since he had seen Percy react to Annabeth's dead body. There had been so much pain, and so much anger, Jason could feel it pulsing through the air in waves, could see it in the raw tears brimming in Percy's haunted eyes. So much loss and grief. He didn't even seem to have felt his hand going through that window. Jason never wanted to feel that way, or for Piper to feel that way.

"No." Piper's voice shook. "I'm stopping you right now. You're not gonna die. And neither am I. You hear me?"

Jason stopped her with a kiss, unable to assure her. He knew too well that nothing was set in stone.