SWEET SORROWS│p. jackson

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒊.

" ANDROMEDA "

song playing: I feel it coming
𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒏𝒅

PERCY JACKSON WOKE UP. Not in the usual cold sweat, but this time with a spark of hope. Andromeda had to be on the ship. She had to. He was going to see her. Nothing was going to ruin-

"I found them, Hazel!" A voice whispered excitedly.

He frowned. Found what?

"Good, now hurry up and let's get outta there!" Another voice whispered back.

Percy's head tilted to the side, eyes blinking at the sudden brightness of the morning sun shining through the window closest to him. Just below his bed, he saw Frank roll out from underneath with a bunch of papers in his hand.

"What are you doing?"

At Percy's voice, the younger demigods' heads swiveled around.

Hazel smiled awkwardly at Frank, backing up towards the door. "I, uh, gotta go...do something...right now. See you guys later!"

"Hazel, wait!"

She zipped out of the barrack before Percy could even blink. He looked back at the remaining boy, who was glaring after the last place Hazel had been standing.

"Oh, uh, hey Percy!" Frank turned back to Percy, laughing awkwardly. "Funny seeing you here!"

Percy paused, raising a hand to rub his eye. "Funny seeing me...in my own bed?"

Frank pursed his lips, face holding a look that clearly read: uh-oh. That was when Percy caught sight of what was in his hands. "Wait..."

"Er, I gotta go." Frank stumbled back up on his feet, placing the papers behind his back. He slowly started towards the door as Percy's frown deepened. "Like now. So I guess I'll see you-"

"Frank, give me those papers."

He froze. For a second, the two boys stared at each other. Frank gulped. Then, as time around them had slowed down, Frank used inhumane super speed to turn around and yank the door open-sprinting right out.

"Shit!"

Percy threw the thin sheets off his body, scrambling out of his bed and running out after him with only a pair of boxers and socks on his feet.

"FRANK!"

His yell was probably heard across the whole campus as campers and a few Lares parted for the Zhang boy-only to be shoved by Percy as he chased after him.

Percy caught up to him, fingers grasping at the back of Frank's shirt. When he touched the fabric, the older boy yanked him back with such force, Frank tumbled to the ground. The papers flew out of his hand, and Percy scrambled to grab them all, crumpling them up in his hand while the other threateningly pointed at the terrified Frank Zhang.

"If you ever," He jammed his finger, and Frank squeaked, raising his hands in surrender. "Touch my shit again? You are dead meat, Zhang. You hear me? Dead-"

"Percy."

Both of their heads turned, and Percy's hand dropped when he realized Reyna was standing behind him. She had her arms crossed. Uh-oh.

"Hey, Reyna." He turned to face her fully, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "What are you...uh...what are you doing out here?"

"Well, I was just walking around the camp-like people do at the start of the day-when I came across a very intense argument?"

"Argument?" Frank scrambled to his feet, standing beside Percy. The older boy brought Frank into a headlock, ruffling his hair. "Nah, we were just messing around. Right, Frank?"

"Uh, yeah," Frank grunted, swatting away Percy's hand and shoving his arm off him before standing straight with his chin up to the praetor. "Just some fun, Reyna."

Reyna raised an eyebrow at the two for a moment. "Well, then I hope my fellow praetor will remember to make room in his fun schedule for our meeting at the senate building."

"Right," Percy nodded, biting back a grimace. Good leading, jackass. That's what everyone needs right now. A praetor with short-term memory loss. "I definitely have planned that event into my schedule."

"Good," Reyna nodded, her dark eyes shimmered for a moment. "And Percy?"

"Hm?"

"I would recommend a shirt when walking around campgrounds." Her eyes flickered downwards, and back up to meet his eyes for a moment. Then she turned on her heel, and walked off.

Percy swallowed nervously. In trouble twice? He was not looking too hot this morning. A slap was delivered to his arm, and he winced. "Ow! What the hell, man?"

"Dude, she was totally checking you out!" Frank said, his eyes were wide.

Percy frowned. "No she wasn't."

"Yeah, she was giving the googly eyes and everything-"

"Shut up, Zhang," He rolled his eyes. His grip tightened on his papers as he stomped back up to his barrack. Frank followed after him.

"I wasn't gonna show anyone the letters by the way," The younger boy said. "Just Hazel, Nico, Tyson, Ella, maybe Dakota if he asked-"

"So you weren't planning on showing the whole camp?" Percy glared.

"I'm kidding," Frank laughed. "I did read one, though."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Frank got quiet, and Percy glanced back at him as he began to kick small pebbles along the trail. "You think me and Hazel will have that one day?"

"Have what?"

"What you and that girl from your other camp have," Frank mumbled, as if he were afraid to even speak. "Andromeda."

Percy stopped walking, and Frank slowly followed. He turned to him, and the question that left his mouth nearly made Frank squeak like a mouse.

"You love her, Frank?"

Frank gulped. Percy had just hit him with the big 'L'. But he didn't need time to think, he just needed time to speak. "Well, I don't know. I just-when she's around I get this really warm and nice feeling and whenever she's away I feel...like sick? Maybe sad? I don't know if that means I love her or I had ice cream and it tasted good at the beginning, but then at the end it really got to me."

Percy stared at him for a moment.

"Uh, Is that weird or-"

Then he bursted into laughter. The older boy slung his arm over the kid and ruffled his hair once more. "Jeez, Frank. You really know how to word things, huh?"

Frank offered a confused smile, maybe he had explained it a little weirdly.

"Point though," Percy started, staring Frank dead in the eye after he finished laughing (which Frank felt the need to say it took quite some time). "When you're in love, you'll just know it. There's really no heads up or uncertainty, or any of that. When you know, you know."

"When did you know it was her for you?" Frank asked, attempting to soak in all the knowledge he could on the topic.

Percy snorted, letting go of his shoulder and continuing his pace. "I've been in love with the same girl for so long I can't even remember the first time."

Frank's hopeful eyes dropped. Well that was super helpful. "Thanks Percy."

The older boy turned on his heel and shot handguns at Frank. "Anytime, man."