Beautiful

The ceremony they hold in the heroes' honor does not feel like a ceremony at all, at least for Piper.

Grim faces are everywhere while eyes dart around, skittish. They are trying not to see, not to remember the blood of the lost ones that had seeped on that very ground. The wind itself is cold and harsh, beating against hunched bodies and figures as mercilessly as the enemy's army not too long ago.

Banners are burnt and prayers are said, but consolation is yet to be found.

All the while Piper holds the hand of a white-faced Jason. Her numb fingers squeeze his, and her worried gaze meets his.

"I am so very sorry, Jason." Her words are soft, a lover's whisper. Piper observes Jason carefully and is surprised when she sees tears threatening to fall.

He holds her to his shaking body and buries his face in her hair. She can feel the wet trail his tears leave on her neck, but she says nothing. Her own eyes are beginning to sting as she feels Jason's body being racked by sobs.

"I know I didn't even know her that much," Jason exhales. "But she was my sister."

Piper wishes she could find the words to console him, but she is at a loss, so she just nods numbly and whispers into his ear. She stares grimly as the dying embers slowly consume Thalia's shroud.

At last, Jason sobers up enough. He tries to move away from her to give her more space, but Piper won't let him. Instead, she tiptoes and plants a soft kiss on his frozen, quivering lips, which he returns.

A throat is cleared somewhere, and Jason and Piper separate.

Reyna is sitting on a spare chair next to the podium, unable to stand with her broken leg but still managing to look strong and regal.

"... and Jason Grace," she continues her (mostly unheard) speech. "Former praetor of Rome. There's still a vacant place as praetor. Will you take it, or go back to the Greeks?" The words roll of her tongue with apparent difficulty, as if they composed the last words of a dead language.

Piper stares up at Jason. She can feel the air go out of her lungs when she sees he's considering Reyna's offer.

Piper's head turns to Reyna. She notices her staring and tilts her chin up ever so slightly, ready to take any challenge.

Piper sets her jaw and stares back just as intensely, hoping that her façade will hold.

Jason shifts his weight next to her, and much to Piper's dismay, she can feel his fingers brushing away from hers. An immense urge to grab onto him overwhelms her, but no. She must not act: the decision is entirely his to make.

Piper can feel her eyes sting, but not from the cold. Jason lets go of her hand and he takes three steps forward.

"I will go back," Jason announces.

Reyna's lips begin to curl upwards, but then Jason turns his head back to look at Piper.

"But only if Piper comes, too."

He smiles his wide grin, gives his back to a now frowning Reyna and wraps both arms around his girlfriend.

"Very well," Reyna says, her eyebrows arched up so high it seems they are trying to touch her hairline. "You are free to go," she dismisses.

"You idiot," Piper hisses between her teeth, her heart just beginning to slow down. "You almost had me there!"

Jason feigns hurt. "Do you seriously doubt me that much, Pipes?"

Piper pretends to ponder about his question, and a genuine look of disbelief crosses Jason's features. She can't help but laugh at that.

The corners of his lips twitch up before he gets serious again.

"Piper," he begins. His hands slide down from her back to her arms and down to her hands. He runs a thumb over each one of her digits, takes his time. "Back there at the cave... when you-, you know, when you said-"

His brow furrows in concentration, tries to find the words, opens and closes his mouth. Nothing.

"I said I loved you," Piper ventures, and she can feel her face beginning to get hot despite of the cold.

"Past tense?" Jason teases, but she can see that he is nervous.

"Why, present tense, of course."

Jason exhales a breath he did not know he had been holding. Relief sweeps over him in one swift wave.

"Well, I love you, too."

"Took you a while, Sparky," she winks, teasing, but her eyes are shining with affection, kaleidoscopic, beautiful.