What Kills You (Percico)

Chapter Six

Percy

I smiled down at my phone, proud of my boyfriend for coming out. I did talk to Annabeth, before he made the post just so we don't get killed when there's a photo of us on both of our accounts. She had accepted it and moved on from the relationship. She figured it was bi either way.

Thirty seconds after I saw she liked his post, I got a call.

"So," Annabeth said when I answered the call and said hi. "You and Nico, huh? I didn't even know he was gay."

"That was kind of the point of the whole coming out part of the post." I retorted and smiled. "But yeah. Me and Nico."

"So how'd you find out he was gay?" Annabeth asked me. "I mean, I'm not surprised. He took your death the worst by a long shot. But still."

"Jason was on the phone with him," I explained. "Speaker. And I was there. Jason asked if I knew and I asked if I knew what and he just told me. So I told him. He didn't read the note or anything, apparently, didn't know anything."

"Oh, yeah, he had been in a coma when Leo found it." Annabeth figured and I heard her close the door. She must've just gotten home from school. "He must've never seen it. But he knows now, right?"

"No, we're dating and he still thinks I'm straight and in love with you." I joked and we both chuckled. "Of course he knows."

"I think you guys will work out." Annabeth told me, which made me feel good about doing this. "but I just got home and have a ton of homework, so I'll talk to you later. Tell your parents I said hi."

"I will." I responded. "Tell your dad I said hi, too. And your brothers. I do miss them."

"Gods, I never told them the news, they would've been ruined."

I chuckled and said goodbye. I'm glad she took the news fine. Otherwise things would... I don't even want to know how they would be.

The next day I headed to the hospital to see Peter again. I had dance auditions and I was nervous. Normally seeing him calms me down.

I shouldn't be nervous, I know, but I am. I used to dance on a team when I was younger. Surprisingly, it was the only thing Gabe ever went to. My recitals. And then our sister ran away and then once Peter got in a coma, we couldn't afford it. I still do it. There's an abandoned building a few miles away and there's a number of impoverished or homeless kids my age or a little younger that go there to do art or sing or dance or anything like that. Things they can't do because they can't afford to do it formally. Learn off of YouTube thanks to the next door free WiFi.

I've been saving up ever since I was pulled out of classes because of costs. And I finally, this last year, got the money for the shoes and the uniform and class prices for this studio.

So this was a big deal. I haven't told anyone about it, not wanting to get the constant good lucks because that's just pressure for me. I don't need pressure for this.

I opened the door and turned the light on, as I normally do when I get here, and then he moved.

He hasn't moved in 7 years, you kind of get used to it.

And then he groaned.

Rolled onto his back— I didn't even realize he was on his side.

And then he sat up with his eyes open like he got here yesterday for like a screening or something. Not a coma for 7 years.

I just stood at the door. Not really knowing what to do. If I should yell for a nurse or not. Tenaya, his nurse, was working today. She's always been his nurse. She's nice.