𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

13

Hadrian wasn't sure when exactly everything went wrong. It all happened so quickly. One moment he was sitting with the roman demigod girls and the next, he was trying not to die.

He distinctly remembered Jason and Percy looking at each other and then him awkwardly. At that point, Hazel and Frank- the roman demigods had politely excused themselves to a corner where they were talking in hushed tones. Percy looked desperate to join them, but continued to shove food in his mouth. 

If nothing else, Hadrian admired people who ate wholeheartedly. 

One of the girls giggled and put a hand on Hadrian's thigh. He was overcome with a sudden urge to throw up. He hadn't even said anything funny. And it felt too much like that one night when he woke up on the streets to someone's hand trying to get in his pants. 

He looked at Jason, his expression clearly saying help. He tried to level his breathing, tried to look away, shrug the hand off. 

"Uh, guys, don't you have like swords to sharpen or...?" Hadrian looked at the two girls. They just shook their heads. "I'll be fine, I just want to eat my food. You guys should go with your Roman friends."

They wouldn't budge. Surely Hadrian's powers weren't that strong?

"I'm gay!" He blurted in a last ditch attempt, "Sorry"

This was just starting to feel wrong. They shouldn't have their feelings toyed with like this. Hadrian didn't intend for this to happen when he flirted with them at first. They seemed fully competent warriors with muscles and determined expressions. There was nothing wrong with being boy crazy, but Hadrian couldn't breathe. 

Finally, they left him alone. He almost sighed with relief, ignoring the looks Jason and Percy were giving him. 

"What? Got a problem?" He rolled his eyes, "I'm pan, by the way. Not that I owe you guys an explanation. But geez, sometimes my powers go haywire"

Jason shifted in his seat but didn't say anything, just turned to his food. Percy however nodded with appreciation and narrowed his eyes at Hadrian like he couldn't place where he'd seen him before. 

Hadrian swallowed. Percy was everything he remembered to be and more, looking every bit the warrior. 

He looked different from the last time Hadrian had seen him. His shoulders were wider, muscles clearly seen, Hadrian saw his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed his food. Hadrian wanted to shoot an arrow through his skull. Unfortunately, his bow was on board the Argo II.

That's when everything turned to shit. An explosion had rocked the earth, fire licking the buildings. He was vaguely aware it was the Argo II's weaponry, but it didn't make any sense. They had all scattered everywhere.

If weapons had been allowed in the city, the Greeks would have already been dead. The Roman demigods in the forum had coalesced into an angry mob. Some threw plates, food, and rocks at the Argo II, which was pointless, as most of the stuff fell back into the crowd.

Several dozen Romans had surrounded Hadrian and Jason, who were trying to calm them without much luck. Hadrian's charmspeak was useless against so many screaming, angry demigods. Jason had a red bruise on his cheek from when an angry roman threw something at him (No Hadrian hadn't laughed... okay maybe a little). His purple cloak had been ripped to shreds. He kept pleading, "I'm on your side!" but his orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt didn't help matters—nor did the warship overhead, firing flaming spears into New Rome. One landed nearby and blasted a toga shop to rubble.

Hadrian tried to reach out into the crowd to use his charm touch, but it was hard since he didn't want to lose an arm.

As if the angry Romans, burning couches, and exploding buildings weren't confusing enough, hundreds of purple ghosts drifted through the forum, passing straight through the demigods' bodies and wailing incoherently.