Breathing Next To You (Percy Jackson)

Chapter Two

Percy

"Thanks," Nico told me as he put another paper on the pile of signed off papers," he never listens to me when I ask for some personal space anymore. "

"Seriously?" I asked the younger demigod," do you tell him you don't appreciate it?"

"Yeah I do and he always makes up some bullshit excuse that it's for medical reasons," the son of Hades answered," which there is none anymore. 6 months ago I understood it but now it's just..."

"Annoying?" I suggested.

"Very much so. I don't want to sound rude about it, but he needs to move on and learn there are campers that need help and it's not me. I got my helping and now I'm fine for the most part. Do I still have some issues? Yes, but it's nothing that can be helped with outside of me just accepting it on my own terms. On my own. Because if he's not questioning me on how I am with the powers and if I've used them, which I'm not allowed to, he's asking about my mom, he's asking about Bianca, he's asking about everyone that's dead."

For a moment it was silent as I debated if I should bring it up.

"Yeah, I get that one," I went with it," being asked either about things you don't want to hear about or things you would love to move on from entirely with no in-between. I get that from my mom constantly and I love her to death, she's an amazing mom. But some days it's just like I'd love to leave the past in the past where it belongs."

"Well my gods what happened to you?" Nico asked me.

"So much," I explained," but it was before Camp and so I moved on from it and left it behind. Mom hasn't and that makes things tough between us and between her and Paul."

For a while after that it was silent between us until it just came in my mind and I had no filter.

"Nico, are you gay?"

He looks up and looked concerned for a moment.

"Sorry," I said right away, embarrassed, " um... It just popped in my head and our my mouth before I realized I was even saying it. You don't have to answer that question. "

I know I'd hate to. I can barely even admit it to myself that I'm into guys. I won't say the word. I'm just into guys is all.

Gods I'm an idiot.

And of course I ask the straightest guy at Camp, too. The most homophobic there is here. There's reasons he's so annoyed with Will and it's not because he's always around him it's because he's gay and proud of it.

"It was a stupid question anyways," I added on.

For a moment it was silent as I tried to read the paper I had sitting in front of me. My Dyslexia just acting up more and more the more frustrated with myself I got.

"Yeah, um..." Nico remarked," well I have to meet up with Jason... You good to finish what's left?"

"Fine."

Nico

He was upset for some reason, I felt bad leaving. But I could ditch Jason, Leo, and Frank just on a hunch. Percy was supposed to come with, it was supposed to be a guys thing. But I guess not.

"Hey dude," Jason said," do you know where Percy is?"

"Doing paperwork in the Big House," I answered," he's not coming."

"You sure he's not just pissy about the whole Annabeth thing and could use a fun guys day?"

"I don't know, he seemed a little upset," I was honest," not long before I left. I don't know what it was about, though. If you really want to you can ask."