sky blue ● jason grace

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When Jason entered the Sick Bay, Daria's heart all but stopped beating.

He had every right to be angry at her; this was the biggest and maybe only thing she'd ever kept from him. Maybe he was here to yell at or her or maybe he was going to break up with her or maybe-

"Daria, calm down."

What?

Hazel, glanced between the two of them, perhaps wondering what to do. She couldn't exactly leave in the middle of bandaging Daria's wrists- turns out magical Leo fire doesn't completely go away with Ambrosia- but there was no way she wanted to be in the same room as Jason and Daria right then.

Thankfully, Jason, as usual, saved the day. He glanced sheepishly at the other girl, "Hazel, um, I can take over that if you want to..."

The young girl let out a deep breath, a placating one, pinning one last piece of cloth before standing and taking a step towards Jason threateningly. That girl was scary when she wanted to be. "Promise me you won't hurt her."

If Jason was surprised, he didn't show it. His eyes were calm and trained on Hazel's fierce ones and Daria believed the truth in whatever he was about to say. "I would never."

She hesitated for a few moments before glancing at Daria for her final approval, which she would always give, and disappeared through the doorway, taking the time to shut it behind her.

Daria really didn't know how overwhelmed she was until she didn't have to be strong anymore. The last few days, hell, the last few months had all culminated here, with her revelation. As Jason shuffled between his feet, thinking of what to say, she pulled him closer to her by his shirt; and as soon as she'd wrapped her arms around him, clutching wrinkled fabric between her fingers, she began to cry.

"You're safe here," he murmured into her skin. He seemed to be holding her with an equal amount of desperation. "I promise you it'll be okay."

The scene they found themselves in was bitter, especially for two teenagers. She knew that demigods had always been portrayed as fearless heroes following their duty to the legion but gods, they had a breaking point and whatever innocence was left in them had to be allowed to crack.

"I'm sorry," she managed to say between whatever sobs were forcing their way out.

Jason took in a deep breath, and she could tell he was trying to stay collected for her sake. "I know you are, darling." The pet name may have slipped out but it was familiar and Daria grasped onto whatever semblance of familiarity she could.

Irrationally, his statement just made her cry a little harder, the kind that was uncontrollable and would only stop once you had exhausted yourself to sobriety. But he just held her, squashing any questions he may have until she was ready to answer them, so close that she could smell his lingering scent: honey and icy air.

Then there was a knock at the door and no time before Piper poked her head in, an apologetic expression on her face. "I'm sorry but um, Jason." She composed herself a little before speaking again, "we need you to keep watch, everyone else is busy."

"Oh." Daria felt bad; it wasn't Piper's fault, she was probably just the least angry person above deck at that moment. Besides, her tears were already drying in streaks on her face, she could deal.

"Go Jace," Daria pushed him lightly in the direction of outside. "I'll see you later."

He studied her, and then kissed her reluctantly. She already missed him, but duty was duty, at least for Romans.

Piper lingered for longer than was normal after Jason slumped past her, probably trying to discern a good time to interject between Daria's sniffling. "Listen, I want to apologize."