You were never mine | Percy Jackson

FINNICK (2012)

"What are you doing this summer?" Finnick asked as he sat down next to the black-haired sea-green-eyed boy. He had called Percy's mother just a couple of hours ago wondering whether the boy was free to meet up with him or not. Fortunately for him, Percy had been available.

"I am probably going to this summer camp I started going to last year. Why?" Percy answered. The ash-blonde boy glanced at the other boy with a strained smile.

He usually wasn't the jealous type, but knowing that the summers with the Jackson boy were basically being taken away from him due to the other boy's now almost obligatory summers at this mysterious summer camp, Finnick couldn't help himself but be slightly bitter about it.

"Nothing special, just wondered. You know. I miss our summer times spent together." Finnick answered as he jokingly bumped his side onto Percy. "Do you think your mom will allow you to travel to Texas this November?" He asked. Finnick held out the bag of candies for Percy to grab.

Percy let out a laugh before he grabbed the bag.

"What would you possibly want me to do with you in November? Isn't that like the most boring month too?"

Finnick snorted at that. Oh, he could just imagine all the insulted looks from the people who actually liked November if they heard about what his friend just said.

"There has been a new race added to the Formula One calendar this year that will take place in Texas. And my father got VIP tickets for the race. They're special invites from the Ferrari team." He responded. Finnick played nervously with his fingers. He wouldn't lie when he said that he truly didn't wish for Percy to say no without even thinking about it. "And I was wondering whether you wanted to attend the race with me." He continued.

Finnick could feel Percy's glance at him as if contemplating what to say. And if you asked him, that usually either means Percy would say yes I'll think about it, or he would try and find the best way to say no. However, he also knew that his younger friend had no brain-to-mouth filter, so really, Finnick didn't know whether he would get a hurtful truth or a bittersweet lie.

"I'll be honest with you Finn, I don't know yet if I am able to attend a race with you that is all the way in Texas, but I'll try and ask my mother for permission," Percy answered after a few minutes of silence. Finnick just nodded. It was a reasonable answer, especially since Percy was only thirteen years old and Finnick himself was only fifteen.

"How's your mom? I haven't really asked how it must feel to finally be able to be free from that pig." He wondered. Finnick was many things, but blind and stupid was not one of them. He knew from the very beginning of his friendship with the black-haired boy that Percy's stepfather was far from being a nice person.

Despite all the times, Gabriel had tried to appear decent and like a civilised person, Finnick would always feel like he was going to puke his intestines out whenever he spent time around that whale. That man had reeked like moulded garlic and not even his mother's hours-long spa days would clean his nostrils away from that stank.

That day when he had found out that Ms. Jackson, or Sally as she always tells him to call her, had managed to get rid of that stinkin' beetle, Finnick almost jumped in joy and had even considered buying them a cake that said: "congrats on becoming free like Dobby." Unfortunately both his mother and father quickly put a stop to that idea.

Percy shrugged. "She's doing fine. She started going to writing classes and we also moved to a new apartment. I've been doing quite well too."

"That's good. I wish for you both to be happy and healthy, you know." Finnick muttered. He didn't know what else to say. His time with Percy was almost up, especially since he had to return soon to his home and Percy would need to head back to his mom too.

"So, I won't be able to spend more time with you this summer then?" He wondered out loud. Finnick didn't know why he felt so down about that fact. What had made Percy so special to him?

"Unfortunately not."

"Then I wish you a good summer, Perce." Finnick pulled the other boy into a gentle hug. The scent from Percy was something he wished he could have made into a perfume. The other boy smelled like a sunny day on the beach with a nice scent of saltwater, Amyris, and driftwood and somehow it smelled great on Percy.

"Oh God." Finnick thought quietly to himself as he pulled himself away from the hug. "Don't tell me I am slowly catching feelings for my friend."

"I'll have my mother either text you or call you on whether I am allowed to come with you to Texas," Percy said as he gave Finnick a small wave as a goodbye.