WOAH i love you writing. anything jason angst x apollo reader? preferably the reader is on the argo II with the crew
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โน pairing + wc: ~2.8k Jason Grace x child of Apollo!reader
โน notes: set post-Son of Neptune, during Mark of Athena. Jason has a crush he doesnโt feel worthy of. Youโre a little sunbeam, but even you have problems.
JASON AVOIDS YOUR EYES when he says it.
โI think itโs better if we donโtโฆ do this. Whatever this is.โ
You blink once, then twice, like maybe the shipโs swaying got to you wrong. Like maybe you heard him wrong. But Jason Grace โ golden boy, demigod, hero of Camp Jupiter โ stands stiffly at the railing of the Argo II, arms folded like itโs the only way he wonโt unravel. His jaw is tight.
You wait for the smile. The joke. The just kidding.
โOh,โ you say softly. Your voice catches in your throat like sunlight through smoke. โRight. Yeah. Sure.โ
You manage a nod and excuse yourself before he can see the way your hands shake.
He doesnโt stop you.
Thatโs what stings.
You're not sure what hurts more the rejection, or the fact that you believed him when he looked at you like you were something.
You donโt blame him. Not really. Youโve always known your brightness could be blinding. Youโre Apolloโs child โ sunlight, poetry, prophecy โ born to stand in the light.
Jason Grace, for all his glory, lives in its absence.
You sit in the Argoโs lower deck that night, fingers resting against your temple, feeling the echo of a migraine you canโt heal. Your powers flicker when your heart hurts. You could ask someone for something, but you donโt want their pity. You donโt want anyoneโs.
And Jason doesnโt want you.
But oh if only you knew what he was thinking.
Jason punches through the training dummyโs chest with a little too much force.
The wooden torso cracks clean in half. He curses under his breath and wipes sweat off his brow, jaw clenched so tight it aches. His heart hasnโt stopped pounding since he pushed you away.
He told himself it was to protect you. That you deserved someone softer, lighter, better. But the truth is uglier: heโs scared.
Scared of being seen.
Scared of needing.
Scared of you, because you look at him like heโs worthy and heโs not.
So he lies.
To you.
To himself.
Again and again and again.
When the ship docks for the night near a sleepy hilltop town, most of the crew disembarks. You donโt. You say youโre tired.
Jason sees you sitting alone on the deck, legs folded, fingers weaving tiny beams of light between your hands. Youโre glowing. Not just from your powers โ from you.
He turns to walk away, but you catch him.
You stand, slower than usual, like your chest is heavy. You donโt smile.
โI donโt want to make anything harder,โ you say carefully, โbut I need to know the truth.โ
โWhy did you push me away?โ
He hesitates. โI told youโโ
โYeah. You said it was better. But you didnโt say why.โ
Jason looks down. At his hands. At his shoes. Anywhere but you. โBecause I donโt want to hurt you.โ
โYouโre not hurting me by being close to me,โ you say. โYouโre hurting me by acting like Iโm a burden.โ
โI know Iโm not Piper,โ you continue. โI know Iโmโฆ too much sometimes. Too bright. Too loud. I know I love too easily. But I thought you wanted that.โ
โI do,โ he says, fast, almost involuntary. His eyes shoot up. โI do. Gods, I do.โ
His shoulders shake. โYou donโt get it.โ
He runs a hand through his hair, eyes burning. โYou make me feel safe. Like maybe Iโm allowed to want things. Like maybe I could have a future and not just a mission. And that terrifies me.โ
Jasonโs voice drops. โWhen you look at me, itโs like you see someone I donโt even recognize. Someone kind. Someone whole.โ
He shakes his head. โI donโt know who I am. Half the time I feel like Iโm stitched together out of other peopleโs expectations. I was Praetor. I was a weapon. Iโm supposed to be a hero. But when Iโm with you, none of that works. You look at me like Iโm enough. And I donโt think I am.โ
The crack in his voice.
The quake under the calm.
You step toward him, barely breathing.
โI didnโt fall for the hero,โ you say gently. โI fell for the boy who reads by lamplight when no oneโs watching. The one who brings Leo extra tools and never asks for thanks.โ
Jason looks at you like heโs drowning.
โI fell for the boy who made me laugh when I thought I couldnโt anymore. You donโt have to be good for me, Jason. You just have to be you.โ
You raise a hand. Slowly. Carefully. And touch his jaw.
โYou donโt have to earn love,โ you whisper. โYou just have to let it in.โ
His arms are around you in seconds, burying his face into your shoulder, gripping your back like youโre the only thing keeping him grounded. You hold him just as tightly. You feel him exhale like itโs the first breath heโs allowed himself in weeks.
โIโm so tired of pretending I donโt need anyone,โ he whispers.
โI know,โ you say, threading your fingers through his hair. โYou donโt have to, not with me.โ
You donโt kiss. Not right away.
You just hold each other on the deck of the Argo II, as the stars burn overhead.
But eventually, as the silence softens, Jason tilts your chin. His hands are gentler now. More sure.
โIโm still scared,โ he says. โBut I think Iโd rather be scared with you than brave without you.โ
You smile, a little watery.
โThatโs the smartest thing youโve ever said, Grace.โ
He laughs quietly, and then finally he kisses you.
And you taste the truth in it.
Because light doesnโt lie.
โงโโโ I hope this was what you were looking for!! Thank you so much for the request this was so fun to write.
โงโโโ Also just realized itโs Leoโs birthday tomorrow or is it today??
for some reason i had like a thousand problems posting this so if something's off that is why!!
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