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Piper approached Jason, wringing her hands nervously, anxiety and fear swirling uncomfortably in her chest. He was lounging on a bench, drenched in sweat, evidently having been playing basketball. His hair looked gold-brushed in the sunlight, and his exposed muscles probably should have been distracting, but, well, that was the whole reason she was here, wasn’t it?
She sat down next to him stiffly, a careful distance between them, hands still clasped together in her lap. She could see a group of Aphrodite kids watching them, and she almost thought she saw bets exchanging hands. Almost-hysterical laughter bubbled up in her chest, but she tamped it down. They were going to be disappointed. She focussed her attention on Jason, who was staring at her questioningly, brow furrowed.
“What’s up, Pipes?” he asked, head tilted to the side.
She smiled weakly at him. “I need to- talk to you. It’s important.”
There was a note of something other than concern in his face and his voice, something she couldn’t identify, when he heard those words. “Oh. I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you,” he swallowed almost— nervously?, “too.”
Piper’s dad had made sure to drill good manners into her from a young age, so the words were out before she could think; “You go first.” It was probably better, anyways. She was practically on the verge of a nervous breakdown, her eyes welling with tears no matter how hard she blinked, her leg bouncing up and down unconsciously. And anyway, if she was maybe-probably-breaking-his-heart than it would be better to save that for last, right? Oh gods, but what if he was going to tell her that he loved her?! Surely the Fates weren’t that cruel, and it’s not like she wanted- Her rapidly spiralling thoughts were cut off by Jason speaking.
“Al-alright.” He exhaled shakily, staring at his hands. “Look, Pipes, I- I didn’t want to lie to you. I never meant to… I don’t know, lead you on, or whatever, and I’m sorry for that, I really am.” He looked up suddenly, and his face was so heartbreakingly earnest that Piper felt the need to hug him, despite having no idea what the fuck he was on about. He sighed and looked back down to his palms, as if they could help him get the words out. “It’s just- I’ve been getting my memories back, you know that, and there’s some things about myself I’ve had to- y’know, learn again, that’ve been erased, for some reason,” he added, frowning up at the sky briefly, before his eyes landed on Piper’s face. “Piper, I’m- I’m gay.” His voice was practically a whisper as he said it.
And Piper’s world imploded.
Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic, but that had really not what direction she had expected this conversation to go in. She let out something between a sigh of relief and a laugh, and gave into her previous urges, burying her face in his shoulder as she crushed him into a hug. He returned the hug warmly, and when they finally pulled apart both of their faces were a little wet, but neither seemed to mind.
“So… you don’t mind?” He smiled as he said it, but his voice betrayed an edge of fear.
“No, no, of course not. Actually,” she grinned sheepishly, “that’s- sort of what I came to talk to you about.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Jason, I’m a lesbian.” Piper fiddled with a bracelet on her wrist subconsciously as she said it, willing to admit to herself that she had still been a little apprehensive to say the words out loud. The words she’d never told anyone ever. She supposed it kind of fit, though, that Jason would be the first one she told. Their memories together may have been fake, and their feelings for each other may never have been real, could never have been real, but he was still her best friend. More than that, he had become her best friend. Even though they technically barely knew each other, she could feel it in her bones that that was true. They just fit, the three of them. Piper, Jason, Leo. She was sure of it, as sure as it was written in the stars. They were her friends, her family, and it was almost comical how much those words lifted a weight from her shoulders, a weight she was so used to it was like an old friend. But she didn’t regret that it was gone. How could she, as Jason, smiling brilliantly, hauled her in for another hug?
When they broke apart a second time, still grinning like idiots, he nudged her side with his elbow. “What are the odds, that they put the two of us together? I mean, how was that supposed to work? Aren’t the gods supposed to be all-knowing?”
Piper snorted. “My mother is literally the goddess of love, I mean, come on. It’s starting to feel homophobic at this point.” That comment sent Jason into a fit of giggles, which in turn set Piper off, until they were clutching each other and wiping at their eyes with mirth. When their laughter finally subsided, Piper leaned back, watching the Apollo kids idly. “Seriously, I’m glad that you told me. Like, that felt you could. You’re one of my best friends, Jason. I know that you probably have heaps of back at wherever you came from, but. I just thought you should know.”
He studied her almost warily. “I’m happy you told me too, Pipes. And, despite the confidence you seem to have in my social skills, you’re my best friend, too.”
She smiled, as she seemed to be doing a lot lately. She was mostly just relieved- and happy- that Jason was still her friend, that they weren’t awkward and uncomfortable like they were before, and even that they were still alive. “Well, someone seems to be in a good mood now.” He tilted his head to the side. “Aren’t you worried about the quest, or any of it?”
Piper shrugged, gaze still latched onto the basketball players. “I know things are going to be okay, because I know you’re going to lead us. I would follow you anywhere.”
He was quiet for a moment, as if weighing his next words. “I don’t know how you have so much faith in me. That’s a dangerous thing to say.” But when she looked over at him she could see that he was smiling.
“I’m a dangerous girl.”
“That, I can believe.” He laughed and got up, brushing himself off, before offering her his hand. “Leo says he’s got something to show us out in the woods. You coming?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” She took his hand and stood up.
Across the green, her cabinmates looked disappointed that they hadn’t witnessed a kiss. They started cashing in their bets.
But that was all right. Piper was patient, and she could see lots of good possibilities.
“Let’s go,” she told Jason. “We’ve got adventures to plan.”