𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

67

Percy pelted him with fruit loops.

"You- stupid- Idiotic- You call me stupid? Gods you're infuriating"

"Are you done?" Hadrian asked, keeping his face neutral as a yellow fruit loop narrowly missed his eye.

"No" Percy continued to throw fruitloops. One hit Hadrian on the nose, another one on his cheek, one, he caught in his mouth.

His throat hurt. He couldn't even swallow without wanting ambrosia. He settled for some water. He waited and waited for the explosion to come, waited for them to be infuriated, to all try to kill him together.

That's the way his mother was- unpredictable. Just when you thought you were in the clear, she'd strike. Hadrian thought that's what was going to happen.

Instead, Hazel put a hand on his knee. Hadrian almost cried again, but he didn't feel like he had any tears left.

"Why?" was all Annabeth said. "Why are you telling us now? Why not betray us still?"

Her voice was cold, her eyes betrayed no emotion. As scary as Percy and Jason were with their powers, Annabeth's dangerous voice alone reduced Hadrian to ashes. But he forced himself to speak.

"Because I love you guys and I'm fucking stupid"

He'd known all of them for less than a month. He'd kill for every single one of them.

Percy continued to launch fruitloops.

"We trusted you" Annabeth said. "We all trusted you"

Trusted. Past tense.

Hadrian knew it was coming, but it still felt like being sucker punched.

"Well then, you can't really blame me can you?" He blurted, "Your mistake"

"Is it your goal to have everyone hate you?" Frank raised his eyebrows, though he looked terrified and hurt.

"Better bitter truths and kind lies" Hadrian mumbled, "I'd rather you hate me now than pretend everything is fine"

"Hads-"

"Annabeth" Hadrian swallowed whatever emotion was bubbling in his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make it right. If you let me"

No one said anything.

"And I know, I've done nothing to deserve it, and you have every right to throw me off the ship and-"

Jason was hugging him.

Why was Jason hugging him? Percy stopped launching fruit loops.

Hadrian went completely still. Jason was familiar, the same warmth, the same pulse under his skin, the same blond hair, the same pink lips. Hadrian sank into his touch.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that" Jason said, "I'm sorry about Kira"

"Everyone here has lost people" Hadrian huffed, "You guys didn't go join the bad side"

"Uh- no offense, but are you defending yourself or are you trying to get us to be madder?" Leo raised an eyebrow. His fingers drummed on the table, Hadrian knew his leg was probably bouncing.

"I don't know" He shrugged, "Be madder, drown me, blast me, turn into a bear and crush me, light me on fire or something..."

"Why do you want to get hurt?" Percy narrowed his eyes.

"This doesn't feel... normal" Hadrian blurted, "I'm an asshole, I don't deserve.. This"

He looked down at Jason's arms encircling him.