Perfect Little Blue Boy (Percy Jackson)

Chapter One

Nico

"Seriously, Jason." I remarked. "I'm not five years old. What did he say?"

"I don't have the right to tell you, Nico." The son of Jupiter insisted. "You actually look up to the guy. I'm not ruining him for you. You just started getting along with the guy."

"So?" I asked as Thalia came into Cabin 1. "I doubt he'd be surprised if I stopped talking to him. I've always been that way to him. I'm an asshole, after all. What happened, Jason?"

"Yeah, Jason." Thalia backed me up on something she knew nothing about. "What happened?"

"It's not... He doesn't want people knowing."

"Well everyone else seems to know."

"And?"

"What happened?"

"It was taken care of." Jason told us. "Okay? You don't have to worry about it anymore."

"So?"

"It isn't—"

"Jason Grace, I swear to—"

"Percy was raped!"

It was silent.

And at first, that didn't process. The words Percy and Rape just didn't go together. Especially in the sense that Jason was saying.

"What?" Thalia questioned and instantly went into denial. "No, you're insane, Jason. He would've killed them before somebody ever did anything like that. And how would that work? Percys a guy and unless it was another guy I don't...?"

"I don't get it, either." Jason was honest. "But it happened. I don't know when. I don't know how. Annabeth said she was over before she came here and he was asleep and she stumbled across some videos. He didn't say anything when asked about it. So either he's keeping it in the past, or I don't know. Ask him. If you can even get it out of him. It's not like he's here. He stayed home this summer. We were trying to keep it away from Tyson, whoever he is, I've never met him, and a few others. You being one of them. It wasn't my idea not to tell you. It was Annabeth and Grover's."

I groaned.

"Of course it's their idea." I remarked. "All they do is baby me. Percy and Thalia are the only ones who don't baby me because of what happened."

"You're like 16," Thalia told me. "I ran away at 12. I ain't babying shit. Percy just doesn't baby people after like their first couple days. It's not like Luke babied him. Or anyone here."

That's true. You have to know what it is to baby in order to baby.

"Either way," Jason cut in. "They didn't think you could handle it on something. I don't know. They said to keep it away from you."

Well, I know now. And I'm.... I mean, why deny it? When there's proof in your own apartment?

That doesn't make sense to me.

So I texted Percy later, asking what he was doing the following day. And he told me that he didn't have plans and so I sort of invited him out. On a date.

Now before you freak the fuck out on me, we are both single. Will and Annabeth cheated on us with each other. We found that out a few weeks ago. I also know, through Annabeth, that Percy is bisexual. She said he doesn't realize she knows, but he has a hidden little drawer in his room. And he keeps art in there and he did a doodle of him and a friend. Pride flags by both of them. Percy had the bisexual flag.

This is how the conversation went down:

Him: I'm not doing anything tomorrow, why? Aren't you at camp?
Me: yeah, but I can sort of leave whenever. You're the only person that ever cared about that, remember?
Him: True. But still, why do you want to know? You've never cared for me.
Me: Actually, no. I'm just an asshole who hated your girlfriend. I wasn't allowed to talk to you by her threatening me. But now she's spreading bullshit about you so it doesn't matter.
Him: bullshit? Like what?
Me: ...
Me: Like you were raped

He didn't respond for a couple minutes after that. I imagine he was as surprised as I was.

Him: um
Him: I'm going to say no about that
Him: and lecture her about it later
Him: but anyways
Him: why'd you want to know what I was doing tomorrow?
Me: I don't know, it gets boring here. I like the mortal world.
Him: I get it, dude. I get that.
Him: Oh!
Him: Idea!
Me: ?
Me: what?
Him: you could spend a few days here!
Him: Like
Him: I doubt my parents would care.

At this point I was internally freaking out because of this. Both because Percy was inviting me to stay with them and I've never had a sleepover at someone else's house.

I never got that as a kid. And yes, it's sad. But my house was the cool house to all my friends. So yeah.

I also still like him, so it seemed suggestive to me. And I just went with it.

Him: I mean, as long as you like help with dinner and stuff
Him: only if you want to, of course. Sorry, I got excited.

I smiled down at my home..My gods, he's such a loveable freaking dork at times. He can be really down to earth and what not. But there are times like this where he'll get real-time excited and it's just the most adorable thing.

Sorry. If you can't tell, I still like him. Raped, abused, whatever the fuck might've happened, or not.

Then I realized replying would be a good idea.

Me: yeah! That'd be a lot of fun, actually. I could get out of here for a while and not be at my dad's. Do you want to meet up somewhere for lunch or something?
Him: Uh, sure!  We don't have a McD's around though, sorry.
Me: that's alright. You have a pizza place down the road, right?
Him: Yeah!
Me: We can meet there! I got my pay check thing yesterday from Chiron, so I can pay. Don't worry about it.
Him: Seriously?
Me: Yeah, of course.
Him: It's a date?
Me: Perseus Jackson, I swear to gods
Him: okay, when somebody else pays for you
Me: it's called being nice
Him: No. Ask anyone. It's called a date.
Me: which means you assume I like you
Him: well you're not this nice to everyone
Me: does it kill to be nice?
Him: yes
Him: it's a date
Him: admit it
Me: you're straight!
Him: so?
Him: what if I'm not?
Me: you're the straightest guy I know, Percy
Him: well sorry
Him: because I'm not
Him: so
Him: you're gonna have to find another straight guy to take that spot
Him: try Jason
Me: ;-;
Me: okay
Me: noon sound good?
Him: sure! It's a date!
Me: If that's what makes you happy, you say that.
Him: ;(
Me: did you
Me: did you just send a winky frown?
Him: ;((((;
Me: what does that even mean???
Him: see you tomorrow
Him: Nico dateAngelo
Him: ;))));

Very confused in more ways than one, I just sort of sat there for a second before Hazel looked in to see what I was doing.

"Are you okay, Nico?" My sister asked me as I pondered that question myself.

I sighed.

"I think I'm gonna go talk to Piper."