What we don't see (Percy Jackson & Avengers)

Chapter eleven: Fruit of the Loom underwear

Bruce stared at the phone. The screen showed that the call had ended, and the screen went black. He felt dread in his stomach.

The door opened, but Bruce didn't have the energy to turn and look at who it was. The phone felt heavy in his hand.

"Bruce?" Tony's voice came from behind him. He looked at his friend's sagged shoulders. "Everything alright?" He tilted his head.

He shook his head and closed his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked and placed a hand on his shoulder.

The doctor took a shaky breath and opened his mouth. "It's Percy...," said he. 

"What about him?"

"The school called..." He sighed and rubbed his temple. "He's been expelled."

"Oh... no worries," Tony smiled, "We'll just find another one for him!"

Bruce shook his head with a worried frown upon his face. "No. I don't think he's coming home, Tony."

"What? Why not? He wouldn't leave without at least telling you."

Bruce looked up into his friend's eyes. "They said he and Grover disappeared. They're gone, they have no idea where they are."

"Well... uhm, there's a reasonable explanation for that." Tony swallowed, "I know there is. They're probably out buying pizza or something." He shrugged it off.

"I don't know Tony... Something feels wrong." He sighed.

"Let's get you something to eat. See, soon Percy will be walking out of our elevator completely fine," Tony assured his friend and dragged him up. Bruce slowly nodded, though he didn't believe a word his friend said.

***

There's nothing like sitting in a car with your best friend while being attacked by a bull wearing boxershorts and trying to get over the fact, that earlier that day, you killed your math teacher, Mrs. Dodds, with a sword that turned her into dust.

And that was what exactly happened to Percy today. He had had a terrible day. Going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art was okay, but then Nancy was being annoying and teasing him and Grover. Mrs. Dodds hated him, and he got a pen-no, a sword-from Mr. Brunner, his Latin teacher. And now he was in a taxi with Grover, while trying to escape some crazy bull wearing boxershorts. It was having fur from about the bellybutton on up and naked except for a pair of bright white Fruit of the Loom underwear. And then it just seemed to hate Percy for no reason. Grover was sitting next to him and nervously fiddled with his hands.

The bull-man roared outside the cab and the driver shrieked then rolled down the window and yelled at the crazy man-animal. "Yo! Leave my car alone, crazy animal!"

Percy stared at the man yelling at the monster, how could he just yell at it like it was nothing? He should have peed before they left.

"Bahh!" Grover yelled as the car drove off the road and down in a ditch. Percy banged his head back in the seat and then into the passenger seat in front of him. He groaned and opened his eyes. His head spun. He looked over to Grover who was lying with his head at the bottom of the car and his legs sprawled in the air.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked and reached over to help him up.

"I'm fine, I just..." Grover struggled, and Percy widened his eyes as he realized his friend was taking off his pants.

"Grover, I... I don't think now is the time to change pants." Percy looked out the window to search for the bull-man. But it was nowhere to be seen. "Where did it go?" He muttered for himself. When Percy looked back at Grover, he had thrown his pants off. His eyes grew as big as teacups.