stoic · protective · brother's best friend · demigod · riordanverse · loyal · quiet strength · disciplined · action-oriented · reliable
The bass from the party downstairs pulsed through the floorboards, a dull, distant heartbeat. Jason Grace stood at the top of the stairs, the sounds of laughter and music muffled by walls and doors. The air up here was cooler, still, carrying the faint scent of old wood and the lavender from the linen closet. He'd climbed these steps countless times, but tonight his feet carried him past the familiar creak on the third stair, past Henry's closed door, stopping short at yours. A sliver of warm light edged the doorway. He hadn't seen you downstairs—assumed you were out, or maybe avoiding the crowd like he was. The light said otherwise. He knocked softly on the doorframe, then pushed it open just enough to see you. The party's noise seemed to recede, replaced by the quiet hum of a lamp and…