The Violin That Started it All

Part 2) Chapter Thirty-One

If the previous conversation wasn't awkward enough, I just had to have a run-in with Percy's little brother, Tyson. It was as if he was going through some kind of growth spurt. The last time I ever paid attention to his height, I was pretty sure he just barely reached my waist. Now he was almost eye level to me. How old was Tyson again? Seven years-old?

Okay, now I felt pretty short.

"Nico! Nico! Nico!" Tyson chanted as he grabbed my arm and jumped up and down. My arm felt as if it would all off at this point.

"Y-yeah?" I managed to say through all of the movement.

He stopped and stared at me innocently, his hand still clutching my forearm. "What was Daddy talking 'bout? And what is Percy and Mommy talking 'bout?"

I stared at him with eyes wide, unsure of what to say. I mean, what do you say to a little seven year-old who asks you that?

"Er, adult stuff," I awkwardly replied.

"Adult stuff?" Tyson looked a bit too fascinated. "What adult stuff?!"

God, he looked way too happy about this. And me? I felt really awkward and embarrassed about all of this.

I decided to put my lying skills to use. "They wanted to talk to us about financial aid and...mortgage. You won't be able to understand until you get older."

Now Tyson looked thoroughly perplexed. "Okay. That sounds confusing."

I nodded slowly. I felt a bit guilty that I had to lie to a seven year-old sibling of my boyfriend's.

"Yeah, it is," I replied, going along with my stupid lie.

"Okay! See you around, Nico!" Tyson went back to his normal, goofy self as he laughed and skipped back into his room.

Damn, how did that kid get so fucking tall?

I shook the thought out of my mind as I made my way down the flight of stairs.

...

When I arrived at the entrance of the living room, I surveyed the scene with a raised eyebrow.

I couldn't even see Percy's face. He was sitting on the couch next to his mother, and he was hunched over. His hands hid his face, and Sally looked a thousand percent done with the conversation, but of course, as a mother, she had to do it anyway.

Sally glanced up at the entrance; she probably heard me coming. Not like, coming as in last night and this morning, but, uh, you know what I mean, right? I sure hope you do, because I am not getting into detail.

"Done with Paul?" she asked with a small smile.

"I guess." I shrugged my shoulders. My eyes flickered over to Percy. "I guess Percy isn't liking the situation."

Sally chuckled. "You think?"

"I've already told you, Mom!" Percy's voice was muffled by his hands. "We've already had this talk before!"

"Percy, 'the talk' that we had before was involving women. Now that you're with Nico, I need to give you the talk about men."

"God, I hate this so much!" Percy looked like he was falling through the pits of Hell.

Sally sighed. "You have to get through it sometime, Percy."

"I did," Percy whined.

"That was for women, Percy."

"So, I have to go through it again?"

"If you want to date Nico, then yes you have to."

"Damn it, now I have to listen to this."

Sally chuckled. She glanced up and winked at me before her gaze went back to Percy. "You really love Nico, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Mom. I'll love him forever."

There was no hesitation. No waver in Percy's voice. And, it made me so happy that I could almost cry. My heart pounded against my chest, and my palms grew sweaty. The flying pterodactyls also decided to make their appearance once again.

It made me so happy to hear Percy say that. I mean, sure Percy said it a lot to me, but it could've all been a lie. But now, Percy didn't even know that I was there, yet he still said that he loved me.

It made me smile the biggest I've ever had.

Sally smiled at that as well. "Do you really?"

Percy took his head out of his hands to stare at his mother. "Of course I do! Why wouldn't I? He's so nice and adorable. He's smart, and he always makes me laugh from his sarcasm. He says that he's not great, but I really think he's wrong. He says he doesn't deserve me, but I actually don't deserve him. Whenever he says that he's not great, I always want to prove it to him! I always wanted to make him feel better about himself, and I'll never get tired of him.

"When I first met him, I wanted him to know how special he really was, and I would've done anything just to show him. I guess my feelings just kind of became love, you know? I just," Percy sighed, "I can't explain how much I love him, how much I love Nico di Angelo. I always feel like if I say something wrong, he'll leave me. Whenever we're in bed together, I never want to let him go. Ever. I just wish Nico knew how much I loved him so he wouldn't have any doubts about our relationship. He thinks I'll leave him. He literally said this morning that everything that makes him happy never lasts. But, I want to prove to him that I'll never leave him, but I just don't know how." Percy ran a hand through his exceptionally soft, black, sea swept hair.

"And his smile, damn how sexy it makes him look. But, he never smiles all that much. He told me that he lost it. His happiness was taken away from him, so he never smiles anymore. But, whenever I see his rare smile, I always feel so...accomplished. I actually got him to feel happy! I want to return his smile back to him. I want him to feel happy again. I never, ever, want to see him sad ever again. He doesn't deserve to be sad and lonely. He pushes everyone away who tries to be his friend because he's afraid of losing them. I never want him to have doubts about us anymore. But, I don't know how to tell him that."

My breath caught in my throat. My eyes were wide, and I was frozen to the spot. A blush spread across my face once again. Was this how Percy really felt about me?

Sally chuckled. "Well, I think you've already succeeded in telling him all of that."

Percy cocked up an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I silently walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and turned around to face me, and his eyes widened. A blush formed on his face, and I already knew that there was one on my own.

"Do you really feel that way about me?' I asked for clarification, taking a seat on the couch next to him.

"Well. what do you think? I didn't even know you were there," Percy muttered, breaking eye contact with me. I could tell that he was very embarrassed, like me when I had that conversation with Paul in Percy's bedroom.

I placed a hand on Percy's cheek, and I made him look at me. I smiled and said, "You don't know how much I love you, Perseus Jackson."

Percy smiled back, and I almost melted at the sight.

"I love you so, so much, Nico di Angelo."

I didn't know when Sally left the living room, but I remember being alone with Percy when we leaned in and kissed a passionate kiss, desperate to show our love for the other.

When we pulled apart for air, Percy placed a hand on my cheek. His face was flushed, and his lips were slightly bruised from kissing. Man, he looked so fucking hot.

Percy rested his forehead against mine, and I looked up into his stunning sea-green eyes.

"I love you," we both said in unison.