He Just Seemed So Far Away (Percy Jackson) (Percy x Grover)

Chapter Two

Nico

That night I wrote Percy a letter apologizing about my behavior towards him. I didn't say anything about what I had read because it wasn't my business to know any of that. I just said that it had been bugging me. I had to apologize.

Jason was in my cabin with Leo before I had sent him the letter. It was in an envelope with his name and what not on it.

"Oooh, Nico." Jason had to tease me about it, of course. "A letter? Cheesy bastard."

"It's not..." I shook my head. "It's about something else that's none of your business. It's none of mine, either. I just found out by accident."

"And you can't tell me?"

"No."

"What?" Leo asked us, caught in a conversation he knew absolutely nothing about.

"Stuff with Percy." I explained to them. "I found out a few things on accident. It just says sorry. He doesn't know I know anything. But it's staying that way. My mouth is shut. I'm not telling you if Percy won't."

"What wouldn't Percy tell us?" Jason questioned something he had no idea about. "He's an open book. He'll tell you anything if you ask."

"Then he can do that." I wasn't sure how else to tell them I'm not telling them. "It won't come out of my mouth. Sorry. I respect Percy more than that."

"Fair enough." Leo didn't make a big deal of it. He understood that a secret is a secret and if I thought Percy didn't want other to know, there was a reason.

Jason was the one who argued with me over it.

"It's Percy!"

"Yeah, and you barely know him." I reasoned with them. They had followed me to his place to drop off that letter. Shadow travel, they hung on. I didn't know Percy could hear us. "Look, I'm not supposed to know. I got our thinks mixed up and went to flip to a page and it was an accident. But I'm not telling you, Jason. Okay? I respect the guy more than that. You should, too. It's a secret. Maybe he'll tell everyone one day. Just give him time. Percy doesn't have to tell us anything he doesn't want us knowing."

Percy

Suddenly I heard Nico talking about me to Jason and possibly Leo. I heard Leo, too. Nico said he found out about something but he refused to tell them what it was. Which, thank gods. I don't know what it was. But with how he worded it, it was probably something I haven't told anyone.

"It's probably something stupid," Leo remarked when I heard our mail shaft open, something being out in it. "people hide stupid stuff all the time. Embarrassing things. You know how long I—"

I opened the door, stepping out of the apartment as I saw them starting to walk away. But they noticed I opened the door.

I'm not an ass, I let them in and got the mail. Nico had dropped something off. It was small. I figured maybe he forgot my birthday. We still get each other presents.

"Birthday stuff?" I asked the son of Hades after closing the door behind me.

"Uh, sure." He wasn't too certain in his answer. "Well there's a gift card in there for your birthday because I blanked on your birthday. But there's something else, too. I'd... I'd wait to open it. With Jason being nosy and all today. I hope we're not messing up your day. You didn't have plans, did you?"

I shook my head. Annabeth was going to come around but... I think I might break up with her. She's staying with her dad at some hotel for a few days. It's starting to wear me out. Having a girlfriend.