Sign {A Pernico Story AU} ✔

Percy - Out(ed)

Sorry about the later than usual upload 🥲. The reason is explained more at the end + a random shower thought I had lol

...

I can do this.

I can do this.

"That Nico boy was so polite." Paul said with a smile as he took a bit of his taco. 'I'm so glad you're making more friends, Percy."

I can do this

I smiled weakly at my stepdad. "Yeah. Nico's great but... he's not my friend. He's..."

Both of my parents eyes were on me. And suddenly I couldn't speak anymore. Any confidence I had simply evaporated.

I can't do this.

"He's probably my best friend." I finished.

Paul smiled some more, but my mom looked mildly disappointed. I was never good at hiding things from her. If I didn't crack and tell on myself, she'd end up finding out somehow anyway. That's what happened last year, anyway, when she found out I've been skipping classes. The school hadn't even called yet. She just... knew.

The thought that she might already know about this too made me want to throw up my taco.

I was quite the rest of dinner, mom and Paul doing most of the talking. Then there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." Paul said, leaving the table. My mom turned to me. "I nearly forgot. Your volleyball couch calls earlier. Couch Hedge? He said practice is cancelled tomorrow so I figured I'd pick you up from school. We could spend the day together!"

I smiled. My attempt to come out tonight had been a bust, but maybe I'd have better luck with just my mom. Don't get me wrong, I love Paul too. He's the best step-dad ever. But before it was Paul, Sally, and Percy, it was Sally and Percy. Maybe then he'd have the strength to tell Paul too.

"I'd like that." I said. Paul returned to the table, frowning. I wondered what took him so long. He was holding something in his hand, and in the other, a crumpled up envelope addressed 'Mr. and Mrs. Jackson'. Must've just been the mailman, then.

"What's that, Sweetie? Junk mail?" Mom asked.

Paul's frowned deepened. "Depends. Percy, do you have something to tell us?

I took a bigger bite of my taco. "What do you mean? If it's my grade from that last calculus test, everyone failed so I don't think it should count-"

"I mean something about Nico."

I stiffened, my taco suddenly tasting like sandpaper in my mouth. My mother frowned too. "What's going on, Paul. What about Nico?"

Paul eyed me for a moment too long. I've seen him do this with his students. It was a look that meant he was trying to give you time to come clean and be honest with him. I avoided his glance. Maybe it wasn't what I thought it was.

"Percy are you and Nico... seeing each other, by any chance?"

"We're just friends." I said quickly. Too quickly.

"Oh. I'm sorry then." Paul laughed, except there was no humor behind it. "I wasn't aware that 'friends' kiss each other now."

"Paul!" My mom yelled. "Leave him alone!"

"Sally, he's lying to us right now!"

"How would you even know?"

Paul slide whatever was in his hand towards my end of the table. "That's how. How do you explain that, Percy?"

I looked down. It was a photo. A photo of me. And Nico. Kissing. At the theatre. I turned the picture around and saw a handwritten note:

Dear Sally and Paul,