Just Let Me Leave (Jercy AU)

Chapter 84: Would Jason Grace Burn Pancakes? Yes or No?

I've been back at school for one week and I already have so many assignments??? Like please calm down, we're in a pandemic, America is having a crisis, and everyone is sad. Let us live😭

Jason didn't care because he loved Percy.
*****

"Good morning," Jason called out as he met Thalia in the kitchen.

She gave him a brief wave, quickly noticing the absence of Percy. "No posse for you today?"

"Piper and Leo would sleep until dinner if I let them," Jason grinned at her, "and Percy's still out cold. Must've been worn out."

"Yeah, he seemed tired when you came home yesterday," Thalia tried to pretend she hadn't coaxed Percy back to bed at two in the morning.

Jason shrugged with a brief comment that Percy was probably fine. Between what Leo had told her and his attempted departure the previous night, Thalia felt that wasn't the case. She just wished there wasn't such an ache inside her every time she thought about it.

On that note, Jason grabbed some things from their cabinets without another word, only pausing when Thalia asked what he was doing.

"Making breakfast," he stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I figured we could all eat together since you don't work until later."

Some of the worries in the back of Thalia's mind washed away. Leave it to Jason to accidentally make someone feel better.

"That sounds great," she confirmed, offering a small smile.

He got back to work, pretty much neglecting Thalia's existence while he made pancakes for the five people around the house. They weren't very pretty, but at least they smelled nice. Jason asked her to round everyone up, and she happily obliged because her food was on the line.

Out in the living room, she shook both Piper and Leo awake, perhaps being a little too aggressive with the latter. There was an excess of groaning as they slowly opened their eyes to look at her. Once she guaranteed food, though, they seemed less upset and started making their way off the couch and to the kitchen.

Thalia then headed upstairs in search of Percy. She guessed one of the fools downstairs would have woken him up by the time she got there, but when she looked into Jason's room, he was still fast asleep. Even though she was aware that Jason was probably making breakfast mostly for Percy, she didn't have it in her to wake him up. For her, at least, sometimes the only way to find some peace was to sleep. Plus, knowing Percy, the extra minutes probably wouldn't do any harm.

Making sure to shut the door behind her to cancel out some noise, she returned to the kitchen to see Piper and Leo already trying to make terrible origami out of their flimsy napkins. Jason still stood at the counter, and his eyebrows scrunched together upon seeing Thalia come back alone.

"Where's Percy?" He asked the question Thalia knew was inevitable.

She patted his shoulder gently, keeping her voice quiet. "Let him sleep, Jase."

"Is he okay?" Jason's forehead creased with worry.

Thalia paused for a second too long before nodding, and she could tell Jason noticed. "Just let him sleep," she repeated.

Clearly unconvinced and slightly annoyed, Jason grabbed the plates from the counter and set them down at everyone's seat, leaving one behind.

"Oh, yes," Piper said with a huge grin, "I do love my Jason-style pancakes."

"They're not even good," Thalia joked, earning herself a shove and a glare from her brother in the seat next to her.

Leo already had half of one stuffed in his mouth. "Speak for yourself."