Jɪɴx ➪ 𝙡. 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙯

a ghostly smile

chapter seven; a ghostly smile

"STOP BITING YOUR NAILS." Piper scolded Jinx.

Jinx immediately put her hand down. "Sorry."

She turned to look at the rest of the crew and found Leo first. He was analyzing the ship's predicament. He muttered words to himself and wandered along the deck, occasionally he'd throw glances toward the mountains. Jinx to the goat next to him, who was doing coach-like stuff and bothering Leo about blowing up the turtle now while they had the chance.

Frank's eyes were glued to Hazel's back. The big man didn't budge at all. Piper, on the other hand, would stare at them for a few minutes and then pace (that made Jinx more nervous than the thief did). Nico was the only one who seemed the most at ease.

Jinx decided she should take a page out of his book and relax. It was the most she could do at the moment. She grabbed her glasses and hastily wiped them clean.

"They'll be fine." Piper looked at her.

"Well yeah. I know that."

She raised a brow, "Really? You're doing that thing when you get nervous you clean your glasses. There's not a single speck on them. They're squeaky clean."

Jinx's hands stopped moving and she inspected the lenses.

"Well, that's because I just cleaned them." She narrowed her eyes at Piper. "You're not doing any better. You'll make a dent on the deck from all the back and forth you've been doing."

Piper opened her mouth to retort back but the noise of gunfire stopped them both in their tracks. The first was shot right down the cliff, but the second? The second shot had Jinx almost pissing her pants.

"Fuck! Frank, are you alright?" He stayed in his spot, staring down at the bullet hole in between his feet.

Leo rushed to inspect the damage, looking up at his friend. "Shit. Frank, can you move a little?"

Piper's eyes widened and Nico shifted slightly. If they weren't put off before they certainly were now.

"Um. Do we have Uno?"

Everyone glared at her. Even Frank. "Right, sorry. Wrong timing. I know, I'm working on it. I swear." Jinx glanced at Leo, "I'm working on it."

He nodded, "it's true. This is a lot better than the beginning where she would've told us to fuck off."

"Okay, now that we've established that Jinx is changing for the better, can we talk about what the hell that was?"

"We were shot at," Jinx told Piper.

"No shit."

"Aren't you like ten?"

Nico rolled his eyes and sank back into the shadows.

"Do you think Jason and Hazel are okay?"

"Piper," Leo sighed, forcing his hands to stay still for a few seconds, "I'm sure they both have it covered. Jason and Hazel are both total badasses, there's no way they would lose easily. They'd put up a good fight." He looked at Frank, "and the fact that none of us are dead right now is a good thing. That means that they're handling it. So let them handle it."

Jinx wondered if Leo struggled to believe what he had just said. She knew he wasn't the most confident person in the world and at this moment, he was the only one feeding hope to them all. In a totally normal way, Jinx wanted to be like him. Leo was probably just as freaked as they were but he was doing his best to reassure Piper and Frank. She admired that about him, it almost made her love-

Jinx snapped herself out of her thoughts. There was no way she was falling for him. Not like that. Jinx was well-versed in the crushing phase, but she's never gotten to the next one. She's never been looked at like Percy looks at Annabeth. Never's experienced the complete trust a couple gives each other like Frank and Hazel, or how Piper and Jason think highly of each other. It's just never happened.

She slapped herself, "snap out of it." But she could already feel the heat rushing to her cheeks.

Thoughts of roaming New York with Leo ran through her mind. She wanted nothing but to shut them down, but her brain was too quick. Jinx never thought she would curse her ability to create vivid daydreams.

"Jinx?" Leo asked.

"What?" She almost shouted.

He raised his hands and gave her a goofy smile. "Nothing. You were just being weirder than usual..."

"Ugh. Stop doing that!"

Jinx stomped to the other side of the deck and sat down.

"Guys! Hey guys, look!" Piper yelled gleefully, pointing to the thief who was now flailing around in the air.

Jinx hurriedly stood, "oh my gods. They did it!" She looked down at Nico, "Nico, they did it!"

If she had looked away she would've missed the ghostly smile that graced his lips.

"This is amazing! We aren't getting robbed anymore!" Jinx high-fived Frank, who had just gotten over his shock, and replaced it with joy. She was sure he would've started crying if they weren't there.

Piper and Leo hugged and cheered loudly for them.

"Now we wait for them to get back." Nico stared up at the mountain.

He won't show it easily, but he was just as relieved as the rest of them were, if not more. 

***

piper and jinx bickering is what i live for. they are literally sailor moon and mars but istg they love each other, just cause i dont liker her doesn't mean jinx has to ifyk what i mean