A fruit of love. Percy Jackson

Chapter 39

As the night wore on, Percy's bad mood lingered, casting a shadow over his thoughts. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy and possessiveness towards Nico. He knew it was irrational, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he wanted Nico all to himself, away from the prying eyes and distractions of others.

The room was quiet, the only sound being the soft breaths of the two boys. Percy turned to face Nico, who was peacefully asleep, his features relaxed and angelic. The sight softened Percy's heart, reminding him of the deep affection he felt for the younger demigod.

Percy's thoughts shifted from his frustration to a more introspective state. He realized that his insecurities were getting in the way of his happiness. He understood that Nico had his own life and friendships, and it was unfair of Percy to expect him to revolve solely around him.

Gently, Percy reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from Nico's face, his touch light and tender. He couldn't help but smile at the peaceful expression on Nico's sleeping face.

"I'm being an idiot," Percy murmured to himself, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. "Nico deserves to have other people in his life, and I should be happy for him."

He leaned in and secretly pressed a soft kiss on Nico's forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before pulling away. Percy knew he needed to let go of his possessiveness and let Nico have his own life, heck even though he greatly yearned for a relationship with Nico, the two weren't even together, but he just couldn't. This unnerving want just didn't let him out of its clutches.

Percy then closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing, and finally, after quite some time he slowly successfully drifted off to sleep.

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As Percy woke up the next morning, his feelings of jealousy persisted, weighing heavily on his mind. He couldn't shake the negativity that lurked in his mind, even though he knew it was irrational.

Percy forced a smile as he greeted Nico, pretending everything was fine. He didn't want to burden his beloved with his internal struggles. Throughout the day, he maintained a facade of normalcy, engaging in conversations and activities as if nothing troubled him. But inside, it was eating him alive.

Nightfall brought no relief. As Percy lay in bed, his mind raced with thoughts of Nico being close to someone else, someone who might understand him better or make him happier. Jealousy and other negative emotions grew like a storm, tormenting his thoughts and hindering his ability to sleep. He scolded himself internally, berating his own irrationality and possessiveness.

Percy tossed and turned, his mind filled with imagined scenarios and fears of losing Nico and himself along the way. He felt the weight of the burden he carried, unable to find solace or peace of mind. The sleepless nights only worsened his mood and deepened his frustration.

Despite his internal scolding, Percy found himself unable to let go of his weird thoughts and sudden changes in his personality. He felt like he was slowly losing himself to something.

Day after day, Percy continued to put on a brave face, hiding his internal struggle from Nico and their friends. He grew increasingly isolated, trapped in his own emotional turmoil. The burden of his concern and fear became an overwhelming force that he couldn't escape.

Nico quickly noticed Percy's haggard appearance and sensed that something was deeply troubling him. Concerned, he approached Percy and gently asked if everything was alright. Percy hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to express his internal torment.

 Finally, Percy mustered the courage to open up to Nico, albeit with some hesitation. He admitted that he had been tormented by his own thoughts, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions that he couldn't fully understand or express. He didn't delve into the specifics, but he made it clear that it was eating away at him.