#jasercy

Of all the activities at Camp Jupiter, Jason hated lifeguard duty the most.

When he was refereeing capture the flag or leading a hike he was an engaged participant in the activity. Hell, even the time he had to take over arts and crafts for a week because Hazel had gotten poison oak all over her arms when she took a wrong turn sneaking back from Frank’s cabin in the middle of the night… Even then he was able to convince Leo to teach the campers how to build tiny robots out of springs and other scraps of metal.

But lifeguard duty?

During lifeguard duty, though he sat in a designated chair on the dock, there was no rest. He couldn’t read, he couldn’t enjoy the water himself. All he was able to do was make sure the little shits on his watch didn’t drown themselves or each other. And there was always one camper who was determined to do both.

After pulling one of the Stoll twins off the other one for the fifth time, Jason finally declared that free swim was over, and that all the campers were to head back to their cabins. It was as he was pulling in the lane lines that were supposed to prevent the campers from swimming too far away from shore that he noticed something in the water.

At first he thought it was a weird glint of light. Then a second later he thought it might be a floaty that had gotten loose. But as he pulled his sunglasses on, and squinted out over the mostly still lake and there it was again: movement in the water, and way further out than the campers or any of their gear could have gotten under his watch.

Jason knew that it was probably just a fish, or a piece of trash that had floated out into Lake Olympus, but for some reason he was compelled to investigate. Perhaps it was from the hours of just sitting there staring at the younger campers having fun, but for whatever reason, Jason found himself pushing away from the dock in the canoe that had been tethered nearby.

It look him about 10 minutes to reach the center of the lake, where an old diving platform was buoyed. Once he was out there, he felt dumb. He looked back at the flurry of activity back at camp for a moment, wondering if anyone had seen him paddle out.

He sighed and started to turn the canoe back towards the camp. That’s when he heard the splash.

Jason spun around back towards the platform and watched someone pulling themselves up out of the water.

Jason sat stunned for a moment as the boy emerged from the water and then flipped around so he was sitting on the edge, face tilted up towards the sun, feet still dangling in the lake.

“Hey!” Jason called.

The boy looked around and smiled. “Hey,” he called back.

“What are you doing out here?” Jason asked in full counselor voice.

“Just enjoying the sunshine,” he replied.

Jason paddled closer pulled up right next to the other boy. He didn’t recognize him and it was dawning on Jason that he was likely not from Camp Jupiter.

“You’re not from Camp Jupiter, are you?” Jason asked. Then his eyes narrowed as another thought occurred to him. “Camp Half-Blood campers aren’t supposed to cross the cove,” Jason said.

The boy shrugged and then gestured to the diving platform. “You should join me.”

“Uh, thanks, dude, but I should get back,” Jason said, nodding back towards the west shore. “And you probably should, too.”

The boy just shrugged again but didn’t show any sign of leaving the platform.

Jason shook his head, turned the canoe around yet again, and started to paddle back to camp. About half way there he turned back to look at the platform, but the other boy was gone.

*

A few days later Jason was once again on lifeguard duty, and while he was ostensibly reffing a chaotic version of a water polo match, his eyes kept drifting towards the greenish smudge in the center of the lake that marked the old platform. He couldn’t stop thinking about how weird it was to find someone way out in the middle of the lake, way past the bounds of either of the camps that were nestled on the east and west shores of the town of Lake Olympus.

And on top of that, the guy out there had been so carefree, and so unconcerned about Jason. And yet Jason couldn’t stop thinking about the whole encounter. It was so bizarre, he was beginning to doubt that it had even happened.  

When the camp bell signaled that it was the end of activities for the day, and the campers now had an hour of free time before dinner, Jason lingered at the dock. Usually Jason took this time for himself, rushing off as soon as the last camper was out of the water. But today he took his time making sure everything was put away, and finally when he couldn’t stop himself, he slipped into the canoe.

Now that he knew where he was headed, the trip to the center of the lake was much quicker. As he approached, it felt like his heart was thumping in anticipation with every stroke of the paddle. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to find; the odds that the other boy would be here were pretty slim, but then again, he also wanted to reassure himself that he wasn’t crazy and that he hadn’t imagined the whole thing.

It happened in the blink of an eye as he approached: one moment the diving platform was empty, and the next the sun flashed in his eyes, and when he could see again, there was the boy. Jason flailed and nearly capsized before he was able to steady himself with the paddle.

“Oh, you’re back,” the boy said, looking over his shoulder at Jason. “Are you going to actually stay this time?”

“I shouldn’t,” Jason said automatically, still in disbelief that he actually found the other boy out there again. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to disturb you.”

The boy tipped his head back and laughed. “I would’ve believed that the first time.”

Jason felt his cheeks heat up slightly. “I’m just gonna––”

“No, no,” the boy said, still laughing. “Come on, join me. Please.”

Jason looked back at Camp Jupiter one more time before pulling the canoe up to the platform and carefully climbing out, tethering the canoe to a hook on the side. He kicked his sandals off into the canoe and then crossed the platform and sat down next to the boy, letting his bare feet dip into the water.

“I’m Jason.”

“You’re from that camp?” the boy asked, looking over his shoulder back towards the shore.

“Yeah, one of the counselors at Camp Jupiter,” Jason said. “And you?”

“Percy,” he said. “Hey, why do you keep coming out here if you’re so worried about being out here?”

Jason blinked, somewhat taken aback by Percy’s straight forward question. “Why do you keep coming out here?” he asked instead of answering.

Percy shrugged and tipped his head back to look up at the sky. “I like it out here,” he said finally.

“Ok, dude,” Jason said with a slight laugh.

They sat in silence for a few moments, and Jason was surprised at how much he enjoyed just sitting there with another person, even if that other person seemed to be a little odd.

“So, where are you from originally?” Jason asked eventually.

“Hmmm? Oh, here I guess,” Percy said, brow furrowed like he was confused about the question.

“You’re a townie?” Jason asked in surprise. “I would not have pegged you for a townie. I’m from near San Francisco, so being out here is a nice change of pace, but I can’t imagine living here full time.”

Percy seemed to perk up at this. “By the coast?”

“Yeah, I’m sort of between the ocean and the bay,” Jason confirmed. “It’s nice. Different than here.”

“I’ve always wanted to visit,” Percy said, “but I’ve never left Lake Olympus.”

“Hey, look, I didn’t mean it about the townie thing,” Jason insisted. “I was just surprised. But, obviously, I come back to Lake Olympus every summer, so it can’t be that bad, can it?”

“Yeah, well, you can make it up to me by telling me about where your from,” Percy suggested.

“Sure, I can do that,” Jason said with a smile, and launched into an explanation of his life in and around the San Francisco bay area.

Percy asked a lot of questions, mostly about Jason’s time spent on the coast, and Jason found himself getting lost in the easy flow of conversation once it started. In fact, he was so absorbed, he was startled when he could hear the faint sound of the Camp Jupiter bell announcing dinner time.

“Oh shit, I gotta go,” Jason said, scrambling to his feet.

“Really?” Percy asked.

“They’ll notice if I’m not with my campers at dinner.” He pulled his sandals on and started untying his canoe. “Don’t you have to make it back for dinner as well?” Jason asked, and for the first time realized that there wasn’t another canoe or boat around.

“Maybe I’ll see you later,” Percy said instead of answering.

“Yeah, dude. Maybe,” Jason agreed, and pushed off the platform, paddling as fast as he could back towards Camp Jupiter.

When he finally reached the shore, secured the canoe, and sprinted to the dining hall, dinner had already started. Octavian, the head counselor, glared at him has he dashed past, taking his seat with the rest of his and Leo’s campers.

“Where have you been?” Leo whispered, elbowing Jason.

“There was an issue down at the lake,” Jason said carefully.

“Octavian his hella pissed, dude,” Leo said.

“Whatever,” Jason said, and grabbed a role off Leo’s plate, shoving it in his mouth and ending the conversation.

He could deal with Octavian. The owners of Camp Jupiter loved him, so who cared if the head counselor hated his guts. The worst that would happen was that Octavian would schedule him for more lifeguard duty, knowing it was Jason’s least favorite activity.

Jason smiled to himself. Maybe more lifeguard wasn’t such a bad thing.

*

Over the next few weeks, as the end of summer approached, Jason found himself returning to the old platform more and more frequently, and every time he found Percy there waiting for him.

Jason wasn’t sure why he kept returning, and why paddling out to the center of the lake at the end of the day was something he started looking forward to. Sure, Lake Olympus was beautiful, and in the summer evenings it felt fantastic to take in some quieter moments in the middle of the serine lake. But it was was beginning to dawn on Jason that it was Percy that was drawing him out to the lake.

The first few times he was out there, Jason could have rationalized it as just curiosity. The next few, he could maybe argue that he enjoyed the company and friendship––though he still considered Leo to be his best friend, the other boy was caught up in his own camp projects and his new girlfriend. Eventually, as he paddled out to the platform for the fourth time in one week, Jason realized he was attracted Percy.

This thought struck him out of nowhere, mid stroke, and he nearly dropped the paddle. Jason had never really thought about another guy like that before. He had had a few girlfriends in the past, and he and Piper had and on again, currently off again summer romance every year at camp. But when he thought about his behavior of the past few weeks, and when he realized that his heart speed up in anticipation as he approached the platform each day, the only explanation was that Jason was into Percy.

Of course, now that he had realized that about himself, he didn’t quite know how to act around the other boy. He tripped getting out of the canoe and nearly face planted into the platform, he fumbled tying up the canoe, and when he finally did sit down next to Percy, like he had been doing for the past few weeks, he had no idea what to say.

“Are you ok?” Percy asked after a few moments of silence.

Jason was staring down at his feet dangling in the water, and sitting stiff and awkward.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Jason said, keeping his eyes on the water.

Percy wasn’t wearing a shirt. Percy had never once worn a shirt during their encounters, but now Jason was incredibly aware of Percy’s chest.

Percy frowned. “Sorry. You just seem like somethings on your mind,” he said, reaching out a hand to place on Jason’s shoulder.

Jason immediately jumped up, as if he was shocked.

“You know what? I actually have something back at camp that I have to get to,” he said, scrambling back to the canoe. “I’m sorry, Percy, I just––”

And that’s when Jason’s foot missed the canoe, and he tipped backwards, arms flailing wildly, and hit his head on the side of the platform.

*

Jason’s eyes flew open and his body went into panic mode. He tried to gasp for air, but received only a mouthful of water. Bright bursts of light started to flash in his eyes before his vision started to tunnel. And right when he thought he would pass out again, Percy’s face floated into view.

Percy’s face came closer and closer, until he was the only thing Jason could see, and then he was sealing his mouth over Jason’s and exhaling deeply, pushing air into Jason’s lungs.

As Jason’s lungs filled with the air they were so desperate for, a mix of profound relief and confusion kicked in.

He wasn’t dying.

He wasn’t dying.

Percy had saved him.

He wasn’t dying.

He wasn’t dying.

Percy was breathing into his lungs again, bringing more sweet relief.

He wasn’t dying.

He wasn’t dying.

They were still underwater and Percy was still breathing for him.

He wasn’t dying.

He wasn’t dying.

Why wasn’t he dying?

Pulling away finally, Percy grabbed Jason’s from under his arms, and began swimming towards the service of the lake, pulling Jason with him. When they broke the surface, Jason gasped, and scrambled to grab on to the edge of the diving platform.

“Jason, are you ok?” Percy asked, treading water next to where Jason was clinging to the platform.

“How?” Jason said in between gulps of air. “How did you…”

“Why don’t we get you out of the water, and make sure you’re ok first.” Percy said.

“Yeah, ok,” Jason replied automatically.

“Here, let me,” Percy said, helping Jason pull himself on to the platform.

Jason flopped down on the platform, laying back and staring up into the twilight, taking deep breaths. After a few moments, he lifted his hand and gingerly touched the back of his head, wincing as his fingers brushed the welt that was already forming.

“Seriously, are you ok?” Percy asked, leaning over Jason, and once again filling all of Jason’s vision with his own face.

“You saved me,” Jason whispered. “You gave me air.”

Percy’s cheeks tinted slightly pink. “Of course I saved you. I couldn’t just let you drown.”

“How were you––” Jason began, but trailed off as he felt something solid and wet flop on to his legs. “Uhh…”

Jason struggled to sit up.

“Hey, hey, slowly,” Percy said, easing Jason into a sitting position.

“Either I hit my head harder than I thought, or you have fins,” Jason said, staring down at the place Percy’s feet should have been.

“Jason,” Percy said, slowly reaching out to hold Jason’s hand, “you know that I’m a merman, right? Like, you know I live in the lake.”

“I’m sorry, you’re a what?”

“I thought I was pretty obvious about that point,” Percy said, furrowing his brow.

“How the hell could you have been obvious about that?”

“We always met on the platform, and I was either in the water, or at least had my feet always submerged. That’s where my fins are, as you can see,” Percy said, flipping one of his long greenish fins. “I mean, you asked me where I was from, and I literally said the lake.”

“I thought you meant the town of Lake Olympus!” Jason countered. “You know, like most people mean when they say they’re from here.”

Percy shrugged and Jason laughed a bit hysterically.

“OK, I am obviously suffering from a massive head injury here,” Jason said.

“Well, if that’s the case, then how was I able to help you breath underwater?” Percy asked with a smirk.

In the shock of seeing fins, Jason seemed to have forgotten that point, because suddenly the memory of Percy’s mouth on his flashed in his mind, and his face flushed red.

“I… You…” Jason spluttered.

“You seem a little short of breath again,” Percy joked.

Their eyes locked, the air felt charged, and suddenly it wasn’t a joke anymore.

Jason swallowed and nodded, and then Percy was leaning in again, and brushing his lips against Jason’s. Jason reacted immediately and wrapped his hand behind Percy’s head, and pulled him closer, kissing the other boy as if he really was breathing through him again. It was desperate and raw and Jason tried to put all of his feelings for Percy into the kiss.

Jason began to shake slightly and Percy pulled back and leaned his forehead against Jason’s.

“You scared me,” Percy said, “The sound your head made when it hit the side… I didn’t think I would get to you in time.”

Jason surged forward again. “I’m sorry,” he said against Percy’s mouth. “I’m sorry.”

And then he proceeded to show Percy just how sorry he was, without having to say anything more.

*

Later, when they were both naked and sweaty, and wrapped around each other, staring at the stars that had risen over the lake, and the urgency of the past few hours had faded away, Jason was beginning to realize that he had no idea what would happen next. He let out a sigh, and scrubbed his hand over his face.

“What’s wrong?” Percy asked, propping himself up on one elbow to look down at Jason’s face.

“I’m just gonna be in deep shit when I get back to camp,” he said. “I’m out way past curfew at this point.”

“I thought you were a counselor-thingie at that camp?” Percy asked.

Jason laughed. “That doesn’t mean much, dude.”

Percy considered this. “I’m sorry you’ll get in trouble.”

“It won’t be that bad. They really can’t do much, since summer’s almost over…” Jason trailed off.

“What?” Percy asked.

“Summer is almost over,” Jason repeated slowly. “That’s when I have to leave.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“What if you don’t?”

“Don’t what?”

“Leave,” Percy clarified. “What if you stayed here.”

“Like at camp?”

Percy rolled his eyes. “No, I mean here. With me.”

Jason blinked. “I can’t.”

“Why not? What happens after camp?” Percy asked.

“Well, I go back to San Francisco.”

“And then what?”

Jason frowned. “I don’t really know,” he answered after a long moment. “I…uh… Well, I turned eighteen in July, so don’t technically have a home to go back to,” he continued awkwardly.

Percy looked confused so Jason pushed forward before Percy could ask any questions. “I come to camp here every summer because I don’t really have parents,” he confessed. “My foster parents send me here to get a break, but I aged out when I turned eighteen and I guess I was gonna try to get a job or start at city college, or…” he shrugged. “I guess I really don’t have much go back to.”

“Then stay,” Percy insisted. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“I mean, I do have to go back to camp,” Jason said. “Obviously, I have to go back. My cabin and my friends are there. I’d have to finish out the summer,” he finished with a laugh, surprising himself that he was actually considering staying.

“Right, but after that,” Percy persisted, “you can come here.”

Jason blinked up at the other man, taken aback with how simplistic he was making it all seem.

“You don’t really have anything to back to, I don’t want you to leave, so just stay,” Percy said again.

Jason laughed nervously. “I can’t live in the lake like you do,” he said.

Percy flopped back down on his back next to Jason and burst out laughing so hard and for so long that Jason eventually propped himself up and looked down at Percy.

“What?”

“That’s what’s holding you back?” Percy asked between fits of laughter. “I know you’re human!  But clearly I can keep you safe underwater––”

“Yeah, but––”

“But,” Percy continued ignoring the interruption, “I can also go on land,” he finished, fluttering his legs. His fins shrunk down to normal feet size, and the greenish tinge faded into the tanned skin that covered the rest of Percy’s body.

“Oh,” said Jason.

“Yeah.”

“So, you’ll stay?” Percy asked.

Jason leaned down and kissed Percy deeply before pulling back. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Yeah, I’ll stay.”

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