young god • percy jackson

09: Percy Likes Boys!

xx

"THE GODS DENIED you power?" Nico asked in confusion, eating his breakfast sandwich.

I shrugged. "Apparently."

Percy was gone. He'd left to buy train tickets. The train would be easier, he'd said. It'd be a long trip to Colorado. Even once we got there I wasn't entirely sure where we'd be going. The longer the trip, the more time fo figure it out.

Besides, Zeus our Percy on his personal no fly list. And as someone who was raised underground...air travel wasn't enticing.

"Did you...Ever find my dad? I know my mom said not to contact him--"

"I'm sorry Nix," Nico said quietly. "The name Lucas and the state you were born in is not that much to go off."

I shook my head. I really just wanted to know where he was buried. I wanted to know his last name so I could visit him while we were in Colorado. I may never get to go back.

I finished off my sandwich. "So how is Will?" I asked, eager to change the subject.

Nico glared at me across the small table in our room. "Seriously?"

I shrugged. "Last I heard you were crushing on Percy helplessly and then I come back and you have a boyfriend that isn't Percy? I'm curious."

"Like your crush on Percy?" Nico countered, setting his food down.

The smirk fell off my face, cheeks burning. I hated Nico, but he was also the closest thing to a friend that I had. And he was right.

I hated to admit it but everything in my head that I thought about Percy pointed to me having a crush. But who wouldn't have a crush on him? Green eyes, dark hair? He's a dreamboat.

(Pretend I never said any of that.)

I tried not to give myself away and said: "I do not—"

"I liked him too. I recognize the look you give him," Nico said.

"If you say anything—"

"I'm not an asshole," he said, crossing his arms.

Percy walked in a moment later,
as if we summoned him. He threw open the door suddenly, scaring the shit out of both Nico and I. I jumped, heart beating unnaturally fast in my chest.

"Gods..." I muttered, lowering my head to the table. My heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

Nico and I's discussion ended there.

xx

Nico shadowtraveled back to camp to visit Will and to get us some supplies. I suspected it was to get away from Percy and I, and give us space to...work things out. I resented it. The train ride to Colorado was not a short one, either.

I sat looking out the window, the silence killing me. I felt a little bit queasy but it was better than traveling by car. There had been no monsters the whole ride. It was suspicious, even with my magic shielding our scent. I had a suspicion the gods were helping us along the way. No one wanted Hades and Demeter to go nuclear.

Percy was equally as unsettled, shifting around uncomfortably. He kept looking over at me like he wanted to say something and then he'd change his mind and glare out the window.

"Percy," I said quietly as the sun sets.

His green eyes met mine across the car. Damn, those eyes.

I could feel the anxiety rolling off him.

"Is that why you agreed to come on the quest?"

"What?" he asked, face turning red.

I tilted my head, forcing him to meet my eyes now. My stomach filled with butterflies. He swallowed hard, shifting in his seat. He opened his mouth, for a moment, he couldn't make himself speak.

"I needed to know," he finally managed.

"Know what?"

"If I was into guys. I remembered you from the Titan war. We fought...I tried to block it out. That  I was...attracted to you when you fought me. I was so caught up in Annabeth. Thinking I was straight," Percy whispered, voice breaking. "Thinking I had to be straight. I never considered that I was into yo—guys."

"Did you figure it out," I asked, leaning forward against my knees.

"I'm way into guys," he said with a laugh.

I laughed. "And girls?"

He nodded, looking over at me. His eyes fell to my lips then back up. He opened his mouth to say something as the hair on my neck stood up on my neck. Percy looked at me uneasily. He sensed it too. I pulled my sword from the pocket dimension.

Percy pulled Riptide out of his pocket, looking out into the aisles.

"Do you know what it is?" he asked quietly.

"I can't detect specifics. I...from the Underworld maybe?" I said feeling ill. Hades was after me, I had to keep that in mind. I exhaled slowly, dread filling my stomach.

I closed my eyes, trying to find their...emotions. Who was here, looking. Who was desperate?

I found it. No...three its. My heart sunk, eyes snapping open.

"The Kindly Ones. They are here for me," I said in a low voice.

xx

Percy and I sat in the abandoned dining hall cart on the train. I sat on the ground panting, covered in golden powder. He looked over at me, both of us hyped up on adrenaline. Then in a flash he was crossing the room to me.

He dropped to his knees, sword dropping to the floor. I jumped slightly, but I stared up at him dumbfounded. I wasn't thinking straight. Neither was Percy.

(Ahaha! Because we're not straight...get it?)

He kissed me hard on the mouth. I fell back onto my elbows from the force of it all. One hand reached up to cup his face as he kissed me, lips parting against mine. He straddle me, kissing me relentlessly. He didn't hold back.

I wanted to kiss him from the moment I met him during the war. The moment he visited me in the infirmary.

I felt dizzy from the admission to myself, but it was true. Those green eyes made me melt. The way he didn't care what I'd done. The way he wanted to understand me. I pulled him closer.

I fought for dominance in the kiss for a moment but Percy pushed me down as he kissed me. We were lost in the kiss. It was so desperate and hungry. He wanted more, I know. But we had bigger issues.

"Percy, we need to get off the train," I said quietly, holding his face in my hands. "We were seen...We need to go."

He stared at me for a moment. I could feel his heart racing even faster. I could feel it this close. He jumped up off me, spewing apologies.

"No, no, it's okay. Percy. Percy!" I said, getting up. I put my sword away and grabbed his arm gently. "I liked it. It's okay."

"Is this what Nico meant when he said to just go for it?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

[i cannot write fight scenes so i will be avoiding that at all costs lol anyway, hope u enjoyed]