What Kills You (Percico)

Chapter Nine

Nico

His arms were covered in fresh scars when I got back. Kind the ones you get from water healing or Chiron's magic healing.

They were definitely from cutting

"I'm sorry." Percy apologized as soon as he saw me. "Chiron already took away Riptide so I can't..."

I pulled him into a hug, just happy that he was alive.

"It's okay," I assured my boyfriend, knowing better than to give him a squeeze after his mom's beating him. He definitely had bruises this morning when I woke up. "You're alive, Percy. That's what matters."

He nodded his head as I pulled out of the hug, not wanting to accidentally bump a bruise or accidentally hurt anything in general.

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked him, holding his hands as we sat on my bed. He still looked tired.

"Eh," Percy responded, shrugging. "Not really better but it's not like I can do much, so... I do want to go to service today, though. Late service is in an hour, then I won't have to deal with Mom. I promise, my pastor is nicer than my mom. He's actually cool, his daughter is bi and he's chill. You don't have to go if you don't want, but like..."

"No, I'll go." I insisted, figuring then maybe I could get some insight to what all of this means. "I mean, I went to church when I was little. I remember a little of it. It can't hurt to learn about another religion."

"I mean, if you really want to go, I won't stop you." My boyfriend figured, shrugging. "It is different than like, a Catholic church, though. Being I like, start training for my mission."

"Your... What are you going to do?" I questioned, having never heard of a church mission before. "Find Jesus? Take him down here?"

That got him to laugh.

"No," my boyfriend said, still getting over laughing. "That's... No. When I turn twenty I'll be sent off somewhere for six months to recruit Mormons. I'll find out where at service today. And then when I get back, I'm supposed to get married, but that... We'll have to pull a few strings for that one. It'll work, though."

"Oh..." I remarked. "That sounds cool. But what am I supposed to wear to church?"

Percy sighed and we went to his wardrobe, where he pulled out a white button up that was definitely too small for him, probably my size, and then he grabbed a tie and said my pants were fine. Black jeans, they were new.

Fun fact: I don't know how to tie a tie. I've never had to before, so like... I messed up.

His smile was cute when he saw how messed up it was, though. And he just walked over, his tie perfect.

"That's not how you tie a tie, honey."

"Honey?" I questioned. "What are we? 30?"

He chucked and grabbed my tie, giving me a kiss before starting to work on my tie.

At least he knows how to tie a tie.

"Well if you're 30 and can't tie a tie..." He remarked and I scoffed.

"I'm sorry," I apologized defensively, slightly offended. "I've never had to tie my own. My mom always did for church. I haven't worn anything that nice since."

Percy just chuckled and gave me a kiss on the cheek before we left.

Percy

I was actually excited to go, being I didn't have to go with my mom. It made me feel kind of grown up. Like I go to church on my own. That's wild.