Sign {A Pernico Story AU} ✔

Nico - Beantown

I messed up everything.

If I had just stayed home like I planned, Percy never would've hurt Annabeth, his best friend of like, 7 years.

It's all my fault. I'm ruining his life.

Maybe he'd be better off without me.

I blinked tears out of my eyes as I called my dad. Then I realized how stupid that was since I can't hear my dad and hung up the phone. I didn't even get to finish my text message when Dad pulled up. 

Are you okay, caro?

That's when I broke down.

Some kids would be embarrassed, I guess, crying on their father's shoulder. I wasn't. If anything I was grateful. My dad didn't try to communicate with me like Hazel would've. He didn't try to figure out what was wrong like Reyna would've. He just let me cry. And I was alright with that. I cried myself into exhaustion. The last things I remembered before falling asleep was my dad carrying me out the carrying me out of the car.

...

"Boston?"

I woke up the next morning feeling great. Then everything that happened the night before came flooding back to me and I felt horrible all over again. Even worse, Percy left a bunch of texts:

*Yesterday 9:46 PM*

Water Boy 🌊💙: Nico, where'd you go??

Water Boy 🌊💙: Are you okay? I'm sorry about what Annabeth said to you. 

Water Boy 🌊💙: Please, talk to me when you can. Or when you want to. I just wanna know if you're okay.

*Today 8:06 AM*

Water Boy 🌊💙: Are you up? Feeling okay?

Water Boy 🌊💙: Nico, please. Is it because I hit Annabeth? I didn't mean to but even so, it wasn't your fault. It was her's. Nobody blames you!!! ❤

I couldn't bring myself to respond to any of them. I don't even know what I'd say. I made up my mind. I was making Percy's life too difficult, and if I wanted him to be happy, I'd have to take myself out of the picture.

My father nodded, stirring his coffee. "I have a business meeting there, I figured you'd want to come with. See your friends again."

I smiled a little. My dad was only doing this to help me feel better, I'm sure. But I didn't wanna pass up the chance to see my friends again. You see, my family and I used to live in Boston. When Mom and Bianca died, my dad took me to a store to find a suit for their funeral. I went to this nearby store, Blitzen's Best, where I met Hearth. Mind you, at the time I had been deaf for about a week and had no idea how do ASL or talk without hearing myself. But Hearth was also deaf. He understood. He taught me a few words in ASL and introduced me to his husband, Blitz, who owned the store. Then they introduced me to their 'adopted' son Magnus and his significant other Alex. The situation behind us meeting was sort of depressing, but I'm still super grateful for them all.

I finally nodded. "Okay. I'll come."

I didn't say this out loud, but I wanted to get away from everyone for a moment. When Hazel got home later that night, she left me a note saying to text her when I got up. I haven't yet. I know she's going to want to ask what happened at the theatre and if I tell her she'll just get mad at Annabeth and then I'll have just ruined another friendship and it'll be my fault.

A few minutes later, we were on the road to Boston, Massachusetts. But I had to make one more stop

...