Wow I'm alive??? It's literally been forever since I've published a chapter, so sorry 'bout that. I also had an idea for this story, but then I went to D.C. and forgot it so now we're here. Enjoy this? It kind of sucks, but have fun, I guess.

Jason was, indeed, quite the friend.
*****

When Jason came to visit Percy the following day, he was almost immediately recruited to help Percy try to stand. The doctor had said he was recovering well and wanted to see if walking was something he was ready for. His mother didn't have the physical strength to catch him if he fell, so they'd been waiting for Jason. As Percy pried himself off the wrinkled white hospital sheets, he grabbed onto to Jason's arms for dear life as he wobbled. He hadn't stood up in what seemed like forever.

"People kept asking me where you were today at school," Jason told him as he continued to stabilize himself.

Percy sighed, mostly out of relief that he wasn't invisible. Reyna had already texted him during her lunch, however, that the stories about what happened were already being sent around. It was probably why people showed any kind of sympathy to him, the boy whose name most of them didn't know the day before. He shook it off, though, not particularly caring about what the kids at school were saying. It wouldn't bother him until he returned, after all.

The blonde offered a sad attempt at a smile before continuing to tell Percy about his day as he guided the green eyed boy slowly around the room. In his peripheral, Jason thought he could see Sally smiling at the two from the corner as she went through paperwork with the nurse.

Once Percy started stumbling a bit, Jason returned him to the bed as per the nurse's request. Sally and the nurse spoke about things like potential medications, estimated discharge dates, and Jason thought he heard something about financial aid. Percy seemed to be aware Jason had heard and looked uneasy, but the blonde knew he'd be relying on financial aid until he paid off his parents' debts with Thalia and starting actually saving enough money for things like Jason's college and a new car for Thalia because hers was moments away from falling apart.

In other words, Jason couldn't really judge.

The blonde attempted to help Percy with his physics work he had yet to complete, but the boy's eyes kept fluttering as he spoke. Eventually, Jason gave up with a sigh, "Just rest, Perce, I'll get Piper to forge your handwriting or something."

Traces of a smile appeared on Percy's face before his eyes closed and his muscles slacked. Jason stood and turned to see the nurse walking out.

He turned to Sally, "I think I gotta head out now, I'll give him time to sleep."

On his way out the door, Sally stopped him and asked if she could talk with him in the hallway for just a moment. Jason nodded, suddenly quite anxious for some reason, and held the door open for her as they left the room. The white door clicked behind Jason, and the blonde turned to Percy's mother.

"Sorry for keeping you, honey, I'm sure you have somewhere to be," she said warmly, "but I just want to thank you for everything you've done."

Jason shook his head. "No, it's...it's no big deal, really. I'd always help if he needed me to."

She smiled at him. "Percy's been happier than I've seen him in a long time since he met you, Jason. I'm one hundred percent sure he hasn't let you know, but you're one of the best things in his life right now. So thank you, is all."

Jason swallowed, not exactly knowing how he was supposed to respond. Should he say you're welcome? Oh, it's nothing? The blonde settled on a nod and a smile.

Sally then bid him goodbye with a, "Tell your sister and your friend I say hello. Thalia, right? And Piper?"

"Uh, yeah," Jason said intelligently, internally grinning. Percy must've told her about them. "I'm sure I'll see you soon, Miss Jackson."

He had turned and walked a few feet away when he heard her call, "Call me Sally, Jason!" from behind him. He turned and shot a thumbs-up and a chuckle at her, at which she smiled, waved, and walked back into Percy's room.

The blonde walked into the elevator at the end of the hall, pushing the button for the ground floor and pulling out his phone as the doors closed. He tapped Thalia's name in his contacts and held it up to his ear.

She picked up on the second ring. "What?" She greeted as pleasantly as Thalia Grace could when it came to her brother.

"Just letting you know I'm heading home now," he said, waving to the receptionists as he left, "I'll be back in like fifteen minutes."

"How is he?" Thalia asked, knowing where Jason had been.

Jason shrugged. "He's better, I think. They got him out of bed today, so I'm assuming that's a good sign. Knowing Percy, he'll be ready to come back to school in no time."

No words came from the other side of the line for a few moments, creating an unsettling silence. Thalia finally spoke after sighing, "Hopefully he recovers fast like you think he will. Are you ever gonna tell me what happened to him?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jason said, "when he gets out I'll talk to him about it and let you know what he tells me. I just know who it was, but that's the one piece of information I think you can't handle."

"Why? Is it someone you're friends with?" She asked concernedly.

Jason shook his head. "No, you'd just go after their head for hurting one of my friends. You're more overprotective of them than you are of me."

"Okay, you're not wrong," she admitted, "but if I swear I won't do anything, will you tell me?"

"Later," Jason assured, merging onto the highway, "I'm gonna let you go so I don't crash, alright?"

"Uh, yeah, don't do that," Thalia sighed at her brother, hanging up. Jason laughed quietly, shaking his head.

He probably wasn't going to tell her.

(January 31st) Hi y'all, I'm starting to get one of the diseases floating around. The flu, strep, and a virus all circulated through my family members within two weeks so I'm surprised it didn't come sooner. Also the Midwest is currently COLD and GROSS, and I was almost late to school on a late start day.

(Hi it's February 7th now) I'm still sick please send help. My voice is not thriving which is not good for me, a singer and a volleyball player, and I'm just having a great time.

See y'all hopefully not in twenty years like it was this time. Have a nice weekend, everyone!