Escaping our Shadow - Percabeth AU

CHAPTER ONE

hiraeth
(n.) the feeling of being homesick for a home one is not able to return to;
homesickness pertaining to a home that never was.

——— Percy's PoV / 1st November, 2023

"Do we really have to do this?" Piper growled annoyed as she picked up a wet tissue from the ground looking like she was about to throw up. I couldn't blame her.

"Yes! It's the least we can do." Grover said enthusiastically, he is such an earth nerd I swear to hade- I feel something wet touching my face, ew.

"Piper, you-" I yelp as I throw the wet tissue in the trash.

"mEMeMe! Don't insult my girlfriend, Perseus." Jason puts his hand around Piper's shoulders as he smiles at her like she wasn't covered in trash. That's love y'all, totally disgusting.

"Don't call me that, Sparky."

"Okay, Perseus." I glared at him annoyed, but he didn't even see it, he was too busy making out with his gIrLfRiEnd.

Nah, just kidding, I'm a hundred percent team Jiper. Just gotta act annoyed so that I can annoy them.

"Less talking, more cleaning." Rachel said as she walked out of the bush, her hair looked even puffier than usual, and that has to mean something.

"Listen to Mommy." Said my not so dear cousin Thalia, that hasn't moved a finger since we got here. She's been sitting there drinking her coke, watching us like we are her minions.

I picked up a... I think it's a condom, although it looks like whoever used it needs to see a doctor. And might as well buy a pregnancy test, these are a lot of holes.

"People are disgusting." I heard Grover mutter, we all nod in agreement as we get back to work.

Once a month, Grover makes us clean up the park near our school. Obviously we can't get all the trash, but we do our best.

I think it's nice, not the cleaning, that sucks. But the way Grover cares for nature, I don't know, but it's just nice seeing him care so much for something.

I felt something hit my head...AGAIN, it wasn't hard but still. "Can we agree to stop throwing things at me?" I say annoyed, ugh, I hate these kids.

"But it's so fun." Thalia grinned.

"Glad to hear that you are having fun, but maybe we could perhaps change the victim from well me to...Jason."

"I would love to throw things against his head!" I heard Rachel yelp, her head in some bush.

"Noo! He would faint immediately." Thalia says, a little disappointed.

"I would no-" Jason tries to reason, but Piper doesn't let him finish, "Yes, you would, I'm sorry babe. You are just weakly built."

Grover and I tried to hold back our laughter, Thalia and Rachel didn't, not surprising. "Hey! I'm very strong built."

"Sure." I say, getting eyed.

Piper tries to save herself but really, it's a fail "I'm just kidding. Jason is built veryyy stro-"

"PIPER!" Both Jason and his sister screamed, and she shrugged her shoulders innocently.