trigger warning (Percy Jackson au)

Chapter 25: Impact

XXV

Impact

Warning: strong language.

He imagined it would be like getting hit by a truck, but he was wrong. It wasn't a collision - instead, it felt like that horrible moment right before impact, except prolonged for the entire few seconds he stood frozen in his doorway.

His visitor, though shivering and dripping rain everywhere, waited patiently for the boy to collect himself. He pulled off his soaked jacket and ran a hand through his hair, his button down underneath clinging to him with wetness. Like Percy had thought a thousand times before, he looked like a model.

Since the green eyed boy couldn't really trust his mouth to open and form coherent words, he just opened the door the rest of the way and let the taller male into the apartment, randomly noticing he left his shoes outside.

The blond hung his jacket in Percy's coat closet by the door to dry and then stood in Percy's kitchen, the only place he could drip without getting the carpet wet. "Nice place you've got here."

He still hadn't regained full control of his tongue yet. "Oh." Oh? Really? Did he just make a sound of surprise at finding out that his apartment was nice? The blond didn't seem too weird-ed out by the answer and only rolled up his sleeves. Percy remembered his courtesies. "Oh."

The stage actor had the gall to look amused while Percy and his limited vocabulary tossed him a towel from a cabinet. He went into his bedroom and mechanically pulled out clothes that would fit the bigger, taller, handsome-r blond.

When he turned around to head beck out of the room he walked right into his guest's very wet chest. He backed up, but choked back his third 'oh'. He ignored the small smile aimed at him and put the clothes in the blond's hands. "Bathroom," He pointed to the door.

"Thanks." The taller boy nodded and headed inside.

Once he was gone, Percy whipped out his phone and called the one person who most likely knew exactly what was going on.

"Thalia Grace is busy at the moment. Please leave a messa-"

Alright, next option. There were only so many contacts he had on his phone.

"Hello?"

"Annabeth,"

"Oh, Per-"

"What is going on?" Laughter bubbled on the other end of the line. "What's so funny?"

"It's just, wow. Thalia says sorry, because Jason literally just called her and asked the exact same question." Now he could hear the older Grace's voice in the background, and the younger Grace's from the bathroom. "It was all her idea, by the way."

"That's why I tried to call her first. Why is Jason freaking Grace here?"

"Did you kick him out?"

"No I didn't kick him out, I - he's changing in my bathroom."

More laughter and he could feel his neck burn from the rising blood. "Oh Percy, you're so precious."

"Are you going to answer my question?"

"Well, he wanted to come over and see Thalia. She told him she moved, but 'accidentally' gave him the wrong address." He figured it was that or something equally as stupid. "Are you going to kick him out?" He wanted to tell her 'yes', he really did. "That's good. He just needs a place to spend the night, and then we'll be by to pick him up in the morning."