All at Sea

11: CompHet

Content Warning ➙ internalized homophobia; implied/mentioned slut-shaming

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Suddenly painted lips crashed against hers. After a moment of disorientation, Percy stepped back, pushing away Grace. Percy stared at the shorter girl, eyebrows furrowed and lips parted in surprise.

"W- what?" Grace hiccuped with a pout, her eyes welling up.

"What was that?!" Percy exclaimed loudly enough for a couple of the stoners that were sharing the porch with them to look back. She mumbled an apology and lowered her voice to continue talking to Grace, "I thought- I thought you liked Jason. What happened to your undying adoration for Jason?"

"I mean, I kind of chose him at random. He seemed unattainable, but pretty enough. But you! You're like- like prettier than Jason," a hint of pleading sat in her tone, and hope peeked through the over-lined eyes.

"You called me a slur! At least twice!" she'd been reduced to whisper shouting, hunched over on herself to meet Grace's line of sight.

"You've met Kennedy. And not to mention all the assholes who hang around this school. You- you get it, right? I'm not crazy," she claimed, closer to hysterics than earlier, mascara-tinted tears streaking her cheeks.

"Yeah! It's not hard to notice the bigoted bitches who're in the school, considering you act like one of them! Never thought you'd be gay."

"But I'm not one! I'm not either one, I can't be. I'm- I'm a cheerleader, I'm a good kid," a muffled sob punctuated her sentence.

"Then, please, explain what the fuck that was." Percy moved to rest her forearms on the railing, looking down at the torn peonies that lined the white porch.

"It was nothing! This is your fault anyway, you- you used your fucking queerness to like- brainwash me!"

"Oh! I can assure you I did no such thing. I have no interest in kissing you," she shook her head in disbelief, her hair falling over her shoulder.

"Well, you fucking should!" Grace stomped on the floor with her sparkly heels, a rhinestone or two falling off. "You slut, you can't just give me the best kiss I've had and then try and convince me that you're 'not interested.'"

"Look, I think you have some shit to reconsider, I'm in a committed relationship, thank you very much, and I'm not gonna deal with your tantrum just 'cause you don't realize that homosexuality is a thing."

"Don't act like you don't want me," She pointed towards the door to the party, "Half the people in there would get on their knees for me!"

"Lucky for you I'm good on my feet," Percy rolled her eyes as she skipped down the steps. She stopped at the bottom step and looked up towards Grace, "I'm going, now. Good luck with your little crisis, I'll tell my girlfriend you send her your regards."

Percy took off, anger festering under her skin as she traveled the paved walkway. She vaguely remembered having carpooled with one of the girls who were now drunk out of their minds, so she took to walking. She turned in a random direction, not quite ready to deal with her housemates. Her fists were clenched tightly and her blunt nails were leaving crescent-shaped indents in the heels of her palm. Her walking got faster until she was letting out heavy huffs of air that were visible in front of her. She only now realized how cold it was, the warmth of the anger fading and leaving her exposed midriff with goosebumps down it. She crossed her arms over her chest to try and regain some of the heat. 

A figure landed behind her with an inaudible thump. She noticed the shadows shifting behind her, and with a hand on Riptine'd pen-form, she called out: "What do you want?"

The figure didn't speak, but they did show themselves. Robin, the urban legend, popped out of a shadow with two bulky swords strapped to his back. He gave a glare to rival Batman's.

"Huh, you're a tiny thing," Percy said out of curiosity, almost tempted to ruffle his hair. She decided against it.

"It's cold," he said simply, his voice familiarly squeaky. He flicked his hand to signal at her attire.

"You don't say, kiddo," sarcasm came through, but it was obvious that she was tired by the wear in her voice.

"Upset," a new voice claimed from beside Robin. Percy wouldn't have noticed the newcomer had it not been for her announcing herself. "Why?"

"Nothing to worry about," Percy replied, taking note of the familiarity of these two figures. "I just have to get home."

"Walk home?"

"BB that is not part of our job description," Robin whined with a shart glare that was ignored. 

Black Bat pat his head gently. "Small."

"Robin's right. I'm fine, I can get home on my own. Uh, don't get too beat up on patrol," Percy mumbled before adding under her breath, "No wonder Dami's so crabby all the time."

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