Cliché (Percabeth AU)

Chapter 8

Music could be heard even across the street. With the belongings he needed for today's sleepover inside his bag, Percy rang the doorbell to Shel's house, which was buzzing with life.

Nico, Will, Tyson, and Grover were behind him, each of them except Nico having smiles on their faces. Nico was more unnerved by the no. of voices coming from within.

The door opened revealing Shel who grinned as she spotted them.

"Percy! You made it!" She exclaimed and embraced him. Percy shifted, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Yeah, yeah," Grover muttered. "Ignore us. It's not like we are important beings anyway."

Shel backed away from Percy and turned to the groaning half-goat who wasn't a half-goat. At all. Not in this universe.

"Aw, come on, Groovy. You know I love you." Shel placed a soft kiss on Grover's back and he blushed, momentarily forgetting that Shel was a lesbian. 

"I'm not a discord bot," Grover commented. 

Shel ignored him and turned to Nico, Will, and Tyson. Nico immediately raised his hands, not wanting any physical contact.

Shel noticed.

"You know, Nico," she said softly, "We have a theatre room upstairs that you can visit if you want."

Will smiled brightly and his teeth shone. No pun intended. "Thank you, Shel!"

Shel grinned. "Anytime, sunshine."

Suddenly, a huge noise of something breaking sounded from inside the living room. Shel's face went horror-struck. "Di Immortals." 

She glanced inside the door and then at the four visitors.

"We will make ourselves comfortable," Tyson comforted. He wrapped Shel in an embrace and then pointed towards the door. "Go." The others nodded.

Shel ran inside as if her life depended on it because it probably did. Nico turned to Percy.

"You are here to have fun, water boy," he said in a stiff voice. "Don't keep thinking about her." Percy opened his mouth to protest but Nico continued. "Percy, this is what she wants. You can't just let go of your life."

He and Will walked away leaving Percy to his thoughts.

Tyson walked inside as well.

Grover turned towards Percy to say something but then a small and petite girl, with wispy hair the colour of amber, and a pretty elfish face walked outside. She appeared angry - like Percy does when someone steals his syrup while he is eating pancakes. 

She surveyed Grover - from top to bottom - and said, "You're the adult Shel hired to help clean up messes, am I right?"

Grover turned speechless. "What? I-"

The girl stomped her foot and glared even angrily. She was... very frustrated.

"You're late, boy."

"But-"

"Someone vomited inside. I need you to clean that up."

Grover frowned, disgusted. "Ew, n-"

"I know. What's your name?"

"Wh-" He paused, feeling threatened by the look the angry girl gave him. "Grover."

"Well, hello, Grover. I'm Juniper. Nice to make your acquaintance. NOW COME ON!"

Juniper gripped Grover's arm and pulled him inside. Grover looked back at Percy for help but the raven-haired boy was having the time of his life, watching his brother being taken hostage. 

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Percy immediately ran into Jason. 

Everyone was partying in the living room, which was huge. There was a DJ playing songs - currently playing Blackbear's 'Hot Girl Bummer'. There were kids dancing around, enjoying themselves. Some had drinks in their hands. Some stayed in the corners, watching the scene from afar. Percy spotted Annabeth in the crowd, hanging out with Hazel who seemed to be intently watching something. He followed Hazel's eyes to find Frank vibing with a cup. He was about to go say hi - no ulterior motive - when Jason walked over.

"Bro!" Jason yelled over the loud music, throwing his hands over Percy's shoulder. "You came?"

"Yes, bro. Nico convinced me," Percy grinned back, remembering Nico's words. He was here to have fun, not worry about her. He was here to have fun. He     was here to             have fun. This is what she wants.

"I'm so happy for you and me, bro!"

"Me too, bro!"

Leo chose that moment to make a very dramatic entrance. He ran towards them screaming as if he was on fire and jumped on the two bros, who extended their hands to catch the elf. 

"PERCY! JASON! I FOUND YOU!" 

He jumped off and pulled Jason to dance around. Jason laughed before gripping Percy's arm to pull him as well. Percy shook his head and pointed at the bags he was carrying behind his back. The bag that had his sleepover belongings.

"Do me upstairs!" Jason yelled, his voice barely audible over the sound of loud music.

"What?" Percy blinked, momentarily confused. 

"Put. This. Upstairs." Jason said, concentrating on every word, pointing at the bags, doing hand gestures along. 

"Ok, ok yeah."

The love songs were messing with his head is all. 

Percy walked up the stairs. The stairs were round (or is it a circle?). The type that you put when there is very little space. Uh, twirling stairs? Circle stairs? Percy left the thinking to the professionals. 

The second floor was as huge as the first. There was a room which connected to a hallway which - Percy guessed - connected to various other rooms. The walls were bright sky blue and one side of the room was made of glass which gave a beautiful view of the outside. 

Percy didn't know where the room belonged to Shel. 

It was hella confusing. 

He decided to walk through the hallway towards his right. 

Nevermind.

He saw a door across the corner and immediately knew it was Shel's. It had signs saying 'urs beetifluly' and 'go away. What really caught his eye was the sign saying 'I talk to myself' and underneath that, written with a sharpie saying 'and piper'. At least that's what Percy thought it said. He was dyslexic. The only word he really understood without any doubt was Piper and that was enough.

He walked over, opened the door, and looked around.

Percy wasn't a sucker for details. But if you ask him how Shel's room is, he would say, "It's blue. Cool. Neat. Though I'm not sure if that was because she had guests around. It's huge as well. So... did you know that I can kill monsters...?"

And yep.

Percy threw his bag with the other bags lying around. He was about to leave when he spotted a photograph on the table. His eyes slid over it before he could stop them. There were two kids in the photo. He saw a younger Shel smiling at the camera with another young boy.

He stared at it for a while wondering if the boy looked familiar. At least, as long as he could without his ADHD self making an appearance. 

He walked down without a second thought and rejoined the party. 

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am just gonna stop apologizing for the late updates...

i should be studying rn. what am i doing with my life?

| Where did Leo, Piper, and Jason meet King Midas? Like location? |