WHISPERS • A PERCICO AU

• Chapter 4 •

It was him.

It was actually him!

Those green abyssopelagic eyes, fifty flares inside those ocean eyes. That windswept jet black hair, brushed by the breeze. That lean, fit body, tanned by all those days passed at the beach.

Nico di Angelo felt his heart hammering against his chest. He wasn't aware he shared some classes with the Percy Jackson, so a guilty look invaded his eyes. It seemed almost unreal he had never saw him before. Nico probably just hadn't found anything special about him at that time.

Now his whole perspective of him had metamorphosed.

Trying to get his mind off to other subjects, the brown-eyed boy glanced over Percy's shoulder. Two breathtaking girls stood behind him, entangled in their own embrace. Nico knew who they were. Annabeth Chase and Piper McLean.

The blonde teenager looked peaceful enough, her head on top of Piper's. She knew and understood him, which baffled him. Yet when she opened her eyes, a sense of dread and fear would always wash over him. Her unnerving grey eyes were always stormy with concentration. Looking straight into her irises, Nico knew she was a leader. Her honey blonde —almost golden in the light— locks fell to her shoulders, though her hair was tied back. Annabeth looked like almost every typical California tanned blonde girl there was, except her scary-looking gaze ruined the whole picture. Which just added to her uniqueness.

Leaning on her was Piper. Her brown choppy, unevenly cut hair made Nico guess she had cut it herself like that deliberately, just to prove she wasn't a diva nor a drama queen. After all, she was the daughter of the famous Tristan McLean, who's movie poster was still plastered right outside of school. Her kaleidoscope eyes swirled from green to blue, which reminded Nico slightly of Percy Jackson. Yet Piper's tomboyish style erased everybody else from his mind.

Despite thinking they were both beautiful, girls just weren't Nico's cup of tea. They had never been.

When he raised back his gaze to the green-eyed boy, his head was slightly tilted down, like a flower dropping. His bright sea turquoise eyes seemed too dim in the hall lights. Wearing a faint smile, he looked like his thoughts were elsewhere.

Snapping his fingers for attention, Nico put on a lopsided grin, beaming. Should we go to class? he signed.

Percy's distant expression wavered, replaced by a beautiful beam. The smile he gave Nico warmed the hallway about two degrees.

People seemed so at ease with him, which warmed his heart. Nico only knew that Annabeth and Percy had knowledge in sign language, assuming from Piper's curious and confused expression on her face when he hand-shaped or finger-lettered.

Interrupting him from his clouding thoughts, Percy nodded slightly, beckoning Nico to join him. He shouldered his bag onto his back, while the green-eyed boy slung it over one shoulder.

Percy smiled and stepped ahead. Walking side by side, Nico couldn't help feeling a burst of happiness. He had friends now— three in total.

Percy— who had introduced him to all the others. Such caring human beings, all aware and observant. Exactly like what he had always wished— company. Nico knew he couldn't spend his whole school year huddling with his sister Bianca or his cousin Hazel.

So glad that nobody had questioned why he was attending a 'normal' school instead one for 'special' cases like him, anticipation prickled at Nico's skin. All the times before, people would judge him and question him for anything. They didn't care about privacy. They didn't care about how uncomfortable you felt. They only had their minds on themselves, on how their knowledge thirst was going to be quenched.

Knowing that things like this wouldn't happen at a private school like Goode High School, he sighed contently, suddenly feeling lucky.

Nico smiled widely, a glint of madness sparking up his once brooding eyes.

"What are you smiling about?"

Turning his gaze to Percy, Nico's lips parted slightly. His tone wasn't rude or provoking— instead, it was curious and full of wonder. Percy's puppy eyes also added to the picture, which made Nico wonder how anyone had ever won an argument with him.

Aware of the question asked, Nico replied back quickly. Nothing. I was just thinking about something.

The brown-eyed boy could see Percy's eyes narrow slightly from the corner of his vision, but he didn't say anything. Nico knew he wasn't quite satisfied with the answer, but what else could he say? Thank you for sticking with me?

Nico mentally cursed for that. In his mind, he thought he could never say that without at least one person think he was pathetic. Despite trying to get over his anxiety, the monster still haunted the back of his mind, making him doubt his choices each time he had an opportunity.

While walking through the hallways, Nico soon realised how less and less people crowded around. The halls were gradually getting emptier and emptier, though Nico was only dimly aware of that. His eyes were sticked onto the tiled floor. If Percy wasn't starting the conversation, neither would Nico.

Soon enough, the two boys arrived in front of the Latin classroom, waiting patiently for Mr. Brunner to ask them to fill in the empty seats.

There was still some time before the bell would ring, though, which made Nico wonder why did Percy beckon him to class this early.

Setting his bag on the hook, Nico looked at the floor, studying the marble swirls on the even tiles. He was dimly aware of Percy still leaning against the wall next to the doorframe, his bag still slung over one of his shoulders.

When Nico raised his eyes back to Percy, he noticed the green-eyed teen was eyeing his lips with a slight reluctance. Nico furrowed his brows slightly. Did Percy still expect him to speak?

Percy was snapped out of his daze as Nico waved his fingers for his attention. What do you want to do now? the brown-eyed boy signed. There's still time before class starts.

He watched intently as Percy shrugged his shoulders, a look of longing in his eyes. Nico guessed he didn't want to come to school in the first place since it was the dreaded Monday, yet he couldn't blame him. He hated Mondays too.

"What do you want to do?" Percy asked, mimicking Nico's question. I don't know, Nico signed, which was pointing to his forehead with his hand with fingers together and moving his hand away from his head.

The green-eyed boy smiled faintly, nodding vaguely. Suddenly, Nico felt a wave of anger surge through him. Why was Percy being so distant, always looking elsewhere? If he didn't want to talk to him, why did he lure him in the most empty space in school, only to stare at him blankly?

Gritting his teeth, Nico was about to throw out some very colourful sentences and choice words to him —all in ASL— when Percy interrupted his thoughts.

A slightly rose tint filled the black-haired, green-eyed boy's face. Blood pumped from his heart to his face, surging by the neck. "I have a question to ask." Percy breathed out, his ear tips reddening. 

Why is he being so flustered? Nico asked himself in his mind.

"Er..."

Speak up, Nico encouraged him. He had to deal with shyness a lot of the times in the past.

"Do you want to hangout with me after school?"

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aaaaAAAAAAAA

here is another chapter now i gotta blast

its at 69 reads rn hehe

be nice and have a nice day!!!!

-drakonator