WHISPERS • A PERCICO AU

• Chapter 15 •

Percy spent the whole day trying to abstain from doing anything concerning Nico.

Needless to say he failed miserably.

Because it was Nico di Angelo, and he was in love with him.

There wasn't anything he could do about it, and deep inside him, the green-eyed boy knew he wasn't going to give up on him so easily.

Was it the fact that he was just so stubborn? Was it the fact that Nico was just so goddamn attractive, and that he couldn't keep his eyes off him?

That morning when Percy bumped into him, it took every ounce of his self-control to act like he didn't have a care in the world, to shrug Nico's pleading eyes off, to pretend that he wasn't still so hopelessly into him.

Most of all, he didn't want to admit how worried he was when Nico didn't show up during the first ten minutes of Latin class.

He remembered perfectly how he was slowly losing control of his breath, how his heart thumped so loudly he feared even Mr. Brunner would hear it, how the only thing he was hoping for at that moment was that Nico was safe and sound.

When the pale brown-eyed boy showed up in a hurry a second before Percy was ready to go searching for him, relief washed all over him. He was tempted to smile at him, but he didn't want to be utterly destroyed by Nico's probably disgusted reaction.

A week later, Percy still hadn't said anything to the black-haired angel he desperately wanted to be his so much. He tried to ignore how each time he saw Nico glance at another person but him felt like a consecutive stab in the chest, because when his eyes met his, all his worries washed away, because he was just drinking in his beauty, how much he wanted Nico in his arms.

Percy groaned, holding his head in his hands.

"Do I really have to go?"  he asked, grumbling incoherently.

Annabeth gave him a lopsided smile. "Well, come on, it'll be fun. Plus it's only the first one. If you don't like watching today, we aren't going to ask you to come anymore."

The girl beside him blinked expectantly. "Come on, Perce! It'll be fun. Besides, it's just for today."

"Piper, Annabeth, as much as I love you guys, I don't want to watch people swim with a crowd shouting in my ears." Percy struggled to explain, trying to grasp the matter as politely as possible.

"But it's the first time school has hosted a swimming competition since ten years ago! I'm sick of watching soccer or basketball matches when I'm bored, I'm glad Goode High is finally making another competition of a different sport, personally!" Piper protested, stopping to finish her lunch. After a loud gulp and several people eyeing her with a strange look in their eyes, the brunette continued. "And plus, you gave up on us by disagreeing to participate in the actual thing. So, you kind owe us, right?"

Percy sighed, knowing he couldn't deny the truth in her words. "Please, Seaweed Brain, just today!" Annabeth pleaded, which wasn't like her at all. She must really want me to come to start begging, the green-eyed boy thought, not feeling so cantankerous anymore.

He sighed, knowing he was going to regret it. "Okay, fine..." The couple erupted into cheers and started giving each other high-fives to each other. "But just for today, then!" Percy added, not wanting to give his friends the full satisfaction of his agreement. 

The blonde grey-eyed girl simply smirked as she slithered an arm around her girlfriend's waist. 

But apparently, they weren't the only one excited about the upcoming swimming competition. As Percy scanned the cafeteria, people were huddled in small groups, talking to each other in hushed voices with anticipation, often looking around nervously.