HOME IS WITH YOU | PERCY JACKSON

Twenty Nine•Be Okay

Once entering the infirmary, Ajax was overwhelmed by the flood of people. Coming in and out, bouncing from bed to bed and helping out, it was chaotic.

"Natalie." Ajax caught her arm as she passed, lifting her head to see who it was, breaking out into a smile and pulling him into a hug. He hugged her back and pulled away, "What can I do to help?"

She sighed, brushing hair out of her face as she looked around. "There's not much we can do. The severe cases are being taken care of, minor are in the process and the rest..."

She didn't need to finish her sentence for Ajax to understand. He nodded along, letting her know she didn't need to say anything. He swallowed a lump building in his throat as he gazed around at all the people.

"Is it anyone we know...?" He asked, trying to hide how anxious that thought actually made him. Ajax didn't know of anyone who didn't make it, only know a few that had been sent to the infirmary.

Natalie hesitated before gesturing over to a closed curtain around a bed. "It's Jason." She said quietly, "Piper's been sitting with him. We haven't wanted to bother her, giving her time with him."

Ajax felt his heart drop into his stomach, feeling dizzy as he blinked repeatedly. "Jas-no. That's not possible." He shook his head, momentarily forgetting about his injury, resulting in another wave of lightheadedness and an ache forming.

"I'm so sorry, P." She said even quieter, "You can go see your brother now, he should still be awake. He's been waiting for you."

Ajax nodded, needing to sit down. "How's Leo." He asked before he left, receiving a look he didn't like.

"He hasn't woken up yet." Natalie told him, "And....he lost it." She told him, confirming what they all thought would happen to his leg. "Now we just have to hope and pray that he recovers."

"He will." Ajax said confidently, Natalie smiling at him.

"I hope so."

Leaving her to her work, he ventured off in search of where he remembers his brothers bed was, finding him struggling to drag himself into a sitting position.

"Hey, hey!" Ajax rushed over, helping him as Parked huffed in frustration.

"Look at me! Can't even sit up on my own." He complained, Ajax laughing as he took the seat by his bed.

"How you doin, Parks?"

His brother shrugged, remembering what Will Solace told him earlier. "I'm good, ya know. Hanging in there." Parker sighed, looking up at his brothers nervous face with a smile. "I'll be fine. Don't need to worry. How's everyone else?"

"We lost Jason." Ajax told him after a moment, getting wide eyes from Parker.

"Shit." He breathed out. "Poor Piper." Ajax nodded in agreement. "Have you gone to see her?"

Ajax shook his head no. "She's with him right now, I figured I'd give her a bit of time with him."

Parker nodded in understanding, holding out his hand to his brother. Ajax chuckled, placing his palm on top of Parker's own, both holding on tight.

"We're going to be okay." Ajax told him, only feeling his brother squeeze his hand tighter in reply.

They sat like that for awhile, in silence (save for the noise of the infirmary around them). It wasn't necessarily peaceful, but it was nice for them both to sit there and just be.