jason grace changed everytime he went to camp jupiter.

he knew he changed. between the physical changes (the cropping of his hair, his expressions becoming more stoic, and his muscles becoming more toned from the extensive training), and the mental ones (steeling his emotions away, honing himself back into the praetor he was supposed to be, and trying to ignore thoughts of you).

it was hard, to return to camp half blood. he had to remember how to relax, how to pull himself out of the military persona he’d slipped in to.

beyond it all, the hardest part was leaving you. he spent countless nights awake, longing for you more than he’d longed for anything in his life.

he’d been gone for a few months, one of the longest absences that didn’t involve a quest.

he hated how much camp jupiter relied on him. how much he relied on them.

finally, he was heading back to long island. he’d missed the sounds of the camp, the laughter of the kids doing whatever they pleased, the sight of pegasi flying overhead.

when he headed down the hill and saw you, his heart jumped. camp jupiter may have his heritage, but camp half blood had you.

he lifted a hand in greeting, the first genuine smile in months creeping onto his lips.