Bewitched || P. Jackson

𝕃eo melts a bridge

Nicki had no idea how Pheobe had pitched such an impressive tent but she was thoroughly impressed. Inside was a kerosene heater keeping the occupants toasty warm and a bunch of comfy throw pillows. Piper looked back to normal, decked out in a new parka, gloves, and camo pants like a Hunter. Nicki's neck twitched involuntarily and Thalia's grip on her hand tightened impossibly tighter. Piper, Hedge, Ethan and Phoebe were kicking back, drinking hot chocolate. 

"Oh, no way," Leo said. "We've been sitting in a cave and you get the luxury tent? Somebody give me hypothermia. Iwanthot chocolate and a parka!"

Phoebe sniffed. "Boys," she said like it was the worst insult she could think of. She was right.

"Here I was thinking that we were bonding!" Ethan huffed indignantly, making Pheobe's cold demeanour crack slightly. "See!"

"If Thalia likes you, then I suppose you're alright."

Puffing out his chest, Ethan's eyes snapped to Nicki. "Hear that? I'm alright."

"Yeah, next she'll be abandoning the Hunters and asking you to marry her." Nicki sniggered. "How've you been, Pheobe?"

The ginger girl shrugged. Nicki stared jealously at her broad, wrestler-like shoulders. "No complaints." She paused. "Apart from him." Phoebe jerked her thumb in Leo's general direction.

"It's all right, Phoebe," Thalia said. "They'll need extra coats. And I think we can spare some chocolate."

Phoebe grumbled, but soon Leo, Nicki and Jason were also dressed in silvery winter clothes that were incredibly lightweight and warm. The hot chocolate was first-rate.

"Cheers!" said Coach Hedge. He crunched down his plastic thermos cup. 

"That cannot be good for your intestines," Leo said. 

Thalia patted Piper on the back. "You up for moving?"

Piper nodded. "Thanks to Phoebe, yeah. You guys are really good at this wilderness survival thing. I feel like I could run ten miles."

Thalia winked at Jason. "She's tough for a child of Aphrodite. I like this one."

"Hey, I could run ten miles too," Leo volunteered. "Tough Hephaestus kid here. Let's hit it."

Ethan groaned, burying his head in his hands. "I can't look, someone tell me when it's over."

Naturally, Thalia ignored Leo. It took Phoebe exactly six seconds to break camp, Ethan had timed her. The tent self-collapsed into a square the size of a pack of chewing gum. Thalia ran uphill through the snow, hugging a tiny little path on the side of the mountain, and soon Leo was regretting trying to look macho because the Hunters left him in the dust. Coach Hedge leapt around like a happy mountain goat, coaxing them on like he used to do on track days at school.

"Come on, Valdez! Pick up the pace! Let's chant. I've got a girl in Kalamazoo—"

"Let's not," Thalia snapped. 

So they ran in silence. Well, Nicki kept up with Thalia and the two were involved in a very heated discussion under their breath. "How are you doing, Sparky?" 

Thalia's expression was enough of an answer: Not good." Jason took it so calmly," she said. "Like it's no big deal that he appeared. I didn't know what I was expecting, but... he's not like me. He seems so much more together."

"I think you're being too hard on yourself, I bet Jason is struggling just as much as you are. He's just very good at hiding his emotions."

"Asher, that boy you and Ethan used to be friends with, you called him the son of Mars." Nicki avoided Thalia's gaze. "How many others were there?"