Stone Walls (Jercy AU)

PERCY

Percy shivered. He was only wearing a a navy blue sweater, no coat, and this December breeze was getting to him. He was sure he would go to school with a fever tomorrow. He shivered endlessly, pacing under a tall green tree that was planted right next to a brown wooden bench.

He was waiting for Thalia. He panicked and didn't really know who else to call. Annabeth was probably studying, Wise Girl. And knowing Grover, he was probably already sleeping even if it was only six in the evening.

Percy had called Thalia hoping he could tell her and she wouldn't overreact or freak out or even worse, judge and leave him. He told Thalia he was hurt and he needs someone - that he's going through a rough time and he needs someone to talk to. Thalia had started sniffling and tearing on the other end of the line when Percy said he was badly hurt, which in fact he was.

He had red scratches etched into the tan skin on his back. His left wrist was bent at a really weird angle, at least Percy was sure it wasn't supposed to look like that. And the gash at the side of his stomach was bleeding still. Percy's stomach still growled, he hadn't eaten anything since his small breakfast this morning.

Beep, Beep!

Percy turned around and saw Thalia in her black Honda. Percy ran over to the car - more like speed walked because the pain was unbearable - and jumped into the passenger seat.

He looked over at Thalia and her eyes were practically boring into his soul. Damn, she was scary when she wanted to be. She stared at Percy's condition and then her eyes glanced to the side of his sweater, the wound on the side of his stomach was starting to bleed through the sweater.

Thalia pointed at it and asked, "Are you bleeding?"

"It's ketchup," Percy replied.

Thalia stared at him for a while. "So you are bleeding."

"No."

"Shut the hell up."

Before Percy knew it, the car drove at a fast speed and Percy was sure Thalia was going over the speed limit of 25 miles per hour.

♡♡♡

At the hospital, memories flooded into Percy's mind.

He remembered visiting his mom everyday with Grover after school to see how she was doing. She wasn't doing well - leukemia was risky. He remembered getting his mom jello cups, a lot of jello cups. She just loved the jello more than anything. He remembered when he would come here by himself sometimes if Grover was too busy and he would do his homework with his mom. His mom was excellent at math and Percy? Well, Percy hated school in general. He still does.

But he also remembered coming here for the last time with Gabe.

He didn't get to visit her that day because he had state tests coming up so he had to study because school was never a priority for Percy.

Gabe had barged into his room yelling at him to get ready and Percy learned to always obey Gabe even at the age of 14 (he would slightly abuse Percy back then). When they got to the hospital, Percy had come to the sight of his mother - laying there, pale. Her heart monitor was beating rather slowly and her breathing was fatal. Minutes after, her fatal breathing was nothing and her slow heartbeat wasn't there anymore. The room was silent until Percy burst out screaming and crying. It took at least five doctors, two nurses and a security guard to get him off his mom's lifeless body.

"Percy?"

"Percy!"

Percy jumped slightly and saw Thalia sitting next to his hospital bed on one of those chairs that wheel around the hospital room.

She stared him down for a minute. Percy wasn't sure if she was staring at the hospital gown or the bandages, but she was staring at him. It made him uncomfortable. He never really liked attention.

"Are you going to tell me what happened to you?"

Thalia's question made Percy wince. He wasn't sure if he should tell her. If he told her, she would either leave him or push him to report Gabe. He can't report Gabe. As terrible as Gabe is, he provides Percy with a "legal guardian" (he's not a good guardian at all, the worst so far).

Percy hesitated before he said, "I fell."

Thalia glared at him furiously. "Are you fucking serious? You can't lie to me like that! Obviously someone - "

Did this to me, Percy finished in his mind.

Thalia would've finished but her phone interrupted her. Check Yes Juliet by We The Kings being her ringtone.

Percy criss crossed applesauce his legs on the hospital bed and waited for Thalia to get off the phone. It was a while before she finally got off the phone and turned to Percy.

"That was my brother, Jason," Thalia said, sighing a bit. "He wants me home, it's late."

Percy heart did this little flip when he hard the name Jason. Sure, he didn't know Jason that well, but from what Percy's head about him, he seems like an amazing guy. And Percy wants to know him, but he didn't want to like someone who would never like him back. He has a girlfriend and he's straight and that's all Percy has ever heard about his relationship status and sexuality. He never heard "Jason has a boyfriend" or "Jason is gay". Jason is straight. As straight as a wooden ruler.

"I expect you to tell me the truth tomorrow when I come visit," Thalia said seriously, pulling her black leather jacket back on.

Percy looked confused for a minute. "Tomorrow's Friday."

Thalia sighed and smiled a bit. "No you, idiot. Tomorrow's Saturday."

Percy's mouth formed an 'o'. Thalia knows Percy has never been so smart at even the littlest things, but he tries.

"Is it okay if I bring Jason tomorrow?"

"What." Percy asked, looking her dead in the face.

"Is it okay-"

"I heard what you said. I'm not stupid!" Percy shot his arms up in recognition and Thalia chuckled. "Well, I'm not that stupid." Thalia quirked an eyebrow at him. "Why bring Jason?"

Oh, Percy loved saying his name.

"After I visit you tomorrow, I promised Jason I would take him to see the puppies at the pet store." Thalia smiled.

"Puppies are so manly."

Thalia smirked at him. "Don't you like puppies?"

"Yes, because I'm manly."

"So you think Jason is manly too."

Without thinking, Percy said, "Yes." And he immediately regretted it. "I mean . . . No! Jason isn't manly at all! Grover likes puppies and he's not manly, but Jason is - isn't!

Thalia gave him a weird look and left a tomato red Percy sitting on a hospital bed in a weird hospital gown. Thank God Thalia didn't notice Percy thinks her younger brother is attractive.