I Hate You.. (A jercy AU)

How she found out

•this Is how Esperanza figured out Percy was gay•

I watched the small ten year old boy sitting on the couch goofing around with my son Leo and their other friend Grover. Leo started to talk about some girl he thought was cute and I noticed how Percys good mood started to wilt.

It hurt me to see his smile disappear. His mom had died about a year ago and he had been here almost every day since.

"Hey boys! Want to go to the store with me? You can each pick out one toy." I announced.

They jumped up bouncing around at the mention of toys. They ran to the door stumbling into their shoes. I opened the door for them and they sprinted out pushing past each other. They hopped in the car waiting anxiously for me to get in.

I got in and turned up the music for them driving towards the store.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ok boys! Meet back at the juices in no more than twenty minutes ok?" I told them.

"And don't talk to strangers!" I called after them.

I chuckled to myself wandering around the store picking up odds and ends.

I was walking past the clothes section when I heard a set of familar voices. I made my way through the racks of clothes to see Grover and Leo pushing each other. And then there was Percy.

Staring lovingly at a light blue dress with a ruffly skirt.

I looked between him and the dress a few times.

"Want to try it on?"

He looked back at me nodding timidly his cheeks tinted pink.

I rustled through the rack finding the right size and leading Percy to the dressing room.

I handed him the dress and he walked into one of the stalls. I held the door shut for him, he insisted even though I made sure it was locked.

He came out a few minutes later his features laced with panic.

"You look very pretty Percy." I assured him.

He smiled shyly at me and walked over to the mirror.

His breath caught as he looked at his reflection.

"Can this be my one toy?.." he whispered.

"Of course."

The other boys walked in silencing immediately.

"Hey if Percy gets a dress I want one to!" Leo said breaking the tense silence.

"Me three!" Grover piped in.

My eyes gleamed, I was so scared they would tease Percy.

"Ok, go pick out the one you want." I chuckled.

They raced out coming back a few minutes later.

Grover was holding a soft green sundress and Leo was holding a bright pink dress with poofy sleeves and was covered in sparkles.

Of course Leo would pick the loudest dress in the place.

"Ok boys try them on." I said smiling.

They went in the stalls coming out moments later standing proudly in their new found clothes.

"You all look so beautiful." I said as a tear slid down my cheek. If this is who they were then I was more than proud to stand by them.

"Why are you crying Ms.Valdez?" Grover asked worridly.

"We're just to pretty." Leo joked causing the three to break out into fits of giggles.

"Ok boys. Time to check out." I announced walking out of the dressing room.

Leo walked out strutting his stuff proudly. Grover and Percy walked behind him a little more shy.

We walked to the self checkout so the boys could stay in their dresses. We ignored the glances we got and the whisperes that seemed to follow us. I scanned the tag on each of their dresses. I handed each boy a bag of groceries holding three myself.

Once we loaded the groceries into the car and got in ourselves, Leo spoke up.

"Mommy, I like boys and girls."

"Me to.." Grover said fiddling with his hands.

"Me to..But I dont think I like girls.." Percy added.

"And thats ok. I love you for who you are. Its ok to love another boy, it's ok to love a girl to. Just don't ever think that loving the people you choose to Love is wrong." I said my voice full of love. I had been expecting this, I had seen the signs.

Of course as the boys got older they showed less and less of their femininity. By highschool they completly hid their true colors. Though if you looked closely you could still see a very light shade of lipstick on leo. An anklet on Grover. And the occasional barette in Percys hair.

And even though they would never admit it they all watched Riverdale. And completly fell in love with Jughead. And their love for Jughead Jones turned into an obsession with Cole sprouse.

And every mothers day they get together to pick out a dress for me like the day I got dresses for them.

Which is why I stand here crying today looking at my three teenage boys dressed in the same dresses they wore that day, only bigger sizes.

"Thankyou for helping us figure out who we were Mom." Percy said a genuine smile gracing his face.

I gasped a little.

Sure he had accidentally called me Mom a number of times over the years. This was the first time he ever actually adressed me as mom.

I burst out crying running forward to hug them.

"You all look very Pretty." I said mimicking the words I had told Percy as a young, confused, and innocent little boy.

I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Word count:925

This is my favorite chapter out of all of them. I have a friend who will not be named because of privacy reasons who loves to wear dresses. I remember when he first came out to me all I could say was how pretty I thought he was. The look on his face was priceless. He said it was the first time anybody had called him pretty. I will never forget how happy he had sounded when he found out that somebody accepted him. Im currently in a very confused state myself about my own sexuality. The way Ms.V reacted is very much based on how I hope my mom would react if I ever did come out as Bi.

Sorry about rambling!