it was well known that quests weren’t given out at random. only the best of the best got the privilege that came with representing the gods, and even then they were sometimes set up for failure in the grand scheme of things.

the worst of people - demigods and gods - were brought out when it came to quests.

everyone wanted to be sent out. getting the chance to represent your godly parent alongside getting the glory of either succeeding or dying a hero was an opportunity that almost any demigod would kill to receive.

dying a heroic death was almost better than coming back alive, just on the pretense of potentially being sent to elysium instead of the fields of asphodel.

but for jason? the idea of coming back to the people he loved - to the people that loved him - that was the thing that mattered in the end. the idea of those people never gaining real closure was an idea that he didn’t like whatsoever.

but then there was you. the one person that he cherished above all else.

leaving you behind was something that he refused to entertain. it often led to him going above and beyond when sent out questing. it led to him doing the utmost to make sure that he made it home safe and sound.

currently, he was making his way back into camp half blood, having come back from a particularly grueling quest. but he was almost unharmed, only having a few scratches here and there - just so that you wouldn’t worry.

he had been away for three months.

jason hadn’t contacted camp because he wanted this to be a surprise.

he wanted to see the look on your face as he made his way down to the dining pavilion - he had made sure that he timed his arrival correctly, so that he knew where you would be.

so slowly, he made his way toward said pavilion. even from a distance, he could see the throngs of demigods making their way to their respective tables for the evening mean and subsequent nightly announcements.

and then he spotted you. a few campers had spotted him - it was kind of hard to remain unseen considering the fact that he towered over the majority of them - yet they had the sense to keep their mouths shut as he slowly approached, stopping a few steps from you.

“{{user}},” jason spoke up, his voice gravelly from disuse. even here, he could see how your frame tensed up once you had registered that it was him speaking.

“long time no see huh?” his eyes were glued to you. gods, it felt so good to see you - his boyfriend after so long.