reflection ● jason grace

Daria gets a talking to

 When Daria woke up, she couldn't feel the ground.

Her focus came into view, though not by much. Someone had taken her contacts out – which was kind of disgusting when Daria considered it, so she tried not to.

"Well, you're awake before Jason," Clara shrugged with pursed lips. Daria knew she was in trouble, she was just hoping the lecture could wait until she could use her brain to form coherent thoughts. "And Daniel, and Nathan."

Normally, Daria would quip something about girls being better than boys, but her head pounded. "What?" She sat up and immediately groaned. "Where...?"

"Back on the ship," Clara said, getting up and sifting through her knapsack of medicine-y things. "Michael and Dakota are steering us back to California."

Daria shivered. Her entire body was sore. "And we're still alive?"

Clara ignored her. "You burned your feet too," she mixed together some white stuff. Daria took it as a sign that the healer had already given her too much ambrosia.

Daria cocked her head. She couldn't really feel where the pain was coming from when it was so overwhelming. Shakily, she tried to stand. "Burned my-?"

Before she could finish her sentence, Clara put a stern hand on her shoulder. "Sit down."

"But I want to get up." Daria hissed as Clara dug her palm into her shoulder and raised her eyebrows. Still think that's a good idea?

"There's really no getting you to do what's smart, is there?" Clara huffed. Daria was reminded of the incredulous tone her friend had only days earlier. She really didn't want to argue with Clara of all people, especially in this state, when she would probably lose.

"Please don't get mad at me," she whined. "I know it was stupid. But in my defense, I don't think it went that badly."

"When it comes to you, you don't think about anything," Clara grumbled. She shoved the bowl at her. "Here, drink this."

Daria's stupid hands trembled as she held it, squinting. "Clara, this literally looks like poison."

"I didn't ask," she sniped back. "Drink."

Daria bit back a retort. She took a sip and fought the urge to gag. The only way this would go down was if she downed it in one go. She pinched the bridge of her nose, wondering if Clara had made it extra bitter on purpose.

"Water." Clara shoved a bottle into her hands, anticipating her next question. It seemed like she was set on not allowing Daria to speak. The daughter of Asclepius sank into the chair beside her. Guiltily, Daria noticed how exhausted she was.

"Clara," she started uncertainly. There were a hundred things she wanted to talk about, but this question hadn't left her mind since she woke up. "How did I get here? Onto the boat, I mean."

"Nathan had 'a feeling'," Clara made air quotes around the words. "You know, before he passed out. We found you collapsed half a mile out from the base of the mountain. Daniel magicked everyone back here."

Daria's expression must have shown something concerning because Clara put a hand on her knee. "Why?"

Daria thought about the feeling of something grabbing her wrist to help her up. There was no way she would've survived otherwise. Though, with the smoke, the panic, she could be imagining it.

But it felt so real...

Daria shook her head. She figured mentioning a stranger that saved her would open a can of worms that they didn't need. Who knew? Maybe Dakota was right and it was some sort of god. "Nothing," Daria decided finally. "You should get some rest."

Clara scoffed. "Oh please. So you can wander around the ship and collapse again?"

Daria felt heat rise to her face. She hated being scolded. "I won't!"

"Won't what? Wander or collapse?"

"Clara," Daria said seriously. She looked at her friend who was both better and kinder than Daria could ever hope to be. "I hate to do this to you, you know that. But it's going to happen again. I gave Michael a plan this time," her tone grew argumentative. "I did what you asked."

"Barely," Clara snapped back. "I had to get smoke out of your lungs, heal burns on your legs, fix whatever was wrong with Nathan, and worry about Daniel and Jason. Can't you at least make it easier on me?"

"We're at war," Daria said incredulously, straining to tie her hair out of her face. "What do you want me to do? Hide under Hannibal?"

"I never said that."

"Clara-"

"No, listen to me," she interrupted. A determined gleam in her eyes. "Because I swear to god, Daria, if you keep this up you'll be dead long before Krios is."

There was a harsh silence. There were some people that Daria just didn't argue with. Clara was one of them, so this was uncharted territory for both of them. Daria missed the days where they would hang out in her bedroom and talk about how attractive Michael was. She didn't envision that happening anytime soon.

But at the end of the day, Daria couldn't do what Clara asked, and they both knew that. Daria would always sacrifice herself for her friends without a second of hesitation. Usually, she just prayed that she would come out the other side.

So you could make the point that she was overdue. The gods had never answered any of her other prayers anyway, if Atticus was anything to go by.

"I love you, you know that?" Clara asked quietly. She sat by her on the bed, which begged the question, where had her other three patients ended up?

Daria sighed, suddenly tired. Maybe Clara had a point about getting some rest. "I know, Clara." She wrapped her in a hug, even though her ribs hurt from the effort. "I love you too." She pulled away looking over the girl. "You're okay though, right? You and the others? How long has it been?"

"Less than a day," Clara said. "So we're fine. Nathan will probably wake up in a few hours..."

"And Jason?" Daria demanded. "Daniel?"

Clara hesitated and Daria's stomach dropped. That couldn't be good. "Daniel was awake for a while," she started. "I think he'll be fine. He's more exhausted than anything."

That wasn't who Daria was concerned about and Clara knew it. "Jason's burns are more severe; they're on his chest and legs, like Atticus was taking his anger out on him," she paused, "which I wouldn't put past him."

Even more reason to hate the guy. Daria inhaled. "But he'll live, and he'll be okay, right?"

"Oh, he'll live," Clara reassured her. "But Dars, people don't just come back from things like this. I have a feeling that quiet Jason from after the siege might be here to stay."

Daria thought about it. That was okay in her book. As long as he didn't push her away again, and she didn't let him, they would be okay.

"But let's not worry about that now," Clara huffed. "Your meds are in that cup over there. You literally nearly died so will you please get some rest?"

"Promise to wake me if Daniel or Jason wake up?" Daria asked, reaching over. "I need to talk to them."

Clara's lip twitched. "I'm sure." Which was neither a yes or no. But she closed the door, so all Daria could do was lay back and try not to think about all the ways she could mess this war up.

Thank you for 1k! 

Leave some comments, guys! What you think of the characters, who's your favorite? Maybe a prompt idea for these guys you have and I'll respond with a paragraph or two, lol

-M