foreshadow || a percico story

• Chapter 17 •

Wherever he went, from a small distance, he felt cold shivers radiating from almost everything.

It always reminded him of that other boy, that beautiful creature of the night.

Even though the memory still clawed at his heart, it couldn't help bringing good memories too, which he felt a pang of remorse from.

*   *   *

Percy was walking down the alleyways, back to his house. It had been a fairly action-packed Monday, which was unlikely, but he wasn't sure what to make of it. Was it positive or negative?

Jason had saw his sinister expression and sour movements, immediately knowing he was holding a grudge. Against him, of the worst.

Sometimes, it even bothered him immensely that Jason could seem to read Percy's mind from time to time. And most of the time, it was when the problem was Nico!  Nico, that unfairly attractive boy...

Question flooded his mind about his sexuality. He had came to recognise his feelings for Nico di Angelo because of Jason. Still, was he only attracted to guys? It didn't seem like it. He remembered very well falling hard for Annabeth. Her curly locks of honey blonde hair, her stormy grey troubling eyes, her typical California girl tan...

"So..." Percy thought, barely paying attention to his surroundings. "Am I... bisexual? Or pansexual?" He didn't even recognise himself anymore

Percy took the question about love very seriously. Love could start as a mourning candle and finish as a wild forest fire. To a lot of people, it didn't seem very appealing.

But he was sure of one thing. He loved Nico di Angelo. He loved Nico di Angelo with his brooding dark brown eyes that seemed to swirl in the midnight mist. He loved Nico di Angelo and his thin lips that parted slightly when he laughed. He loved Nico di Angelo with his dangling bangs of raven black hair, so tousled it resembled a crow's nest.

As Percy crossed the road, inching his way closer to his dwelling, his might wandered off to another subject. His dreams of Nico's lips on his were coming to him more often now. It was sort of troubling, since the feeling felt even more real since Percy's lips had actually touched Nico's once.

Percy wasn't complaining, but he wished it his dreams would visit him less often in such unlucky circumstances. He was fairly sure Nico disliked him, even maybe hated him. The odds were not on his side.

Sighing, Percy reached his house. He took out his keys and twisted the door lock open. Entering the dark home, he scanned his surroundings. Nobody seemed to be there. Perhaps Estelle was still at kindergarten scribbling another drawing, and their parents out again. It didn't seem very convincing.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Assuming it was his mother Sally with his stepdad Paul, Percy hurried to the door, opening it swiftly. 

His jaw fell open as he saw who was standing on his front porch. There stood a lean athletic feminine figure with broad shoulders and nimble fingers. Curls of honey blonde hair dangled to chest length, matching her orange shirt. Her deep intensive tan signalled how often she went outdoors. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Yet her stormy grey eyes warned people in her vicinity to not approach her.

"Annabeth."

She tilted her head slightly to one side, her eyes narrowing and her brows furrowing. "What, Seaweed Brain? You're just gonna stand there gaping the whole day? What are you waiting for? Christmas?" Annabeth snapped, her unnerving eyes seeming to penetrate Percy's soul.

Gulping, Percy moved aside to welcome her in. Closing the door behind her, he quickly turned on the lights. "Hi. So, why are you here? You don't come often." Percy asked, trying his best to keep his cool down.

"Yeah, about that." Annabeth turned towards her past lover, snapping her head towards him. "What's up with you lately? You went to school moping around, looking like somebody stabbed your best friend or something."

Percy's eyes widened in surprise. "W-what?"

The blonde teen sighed, pinching her nose bridge. "Do you like a guy, Percy?"

Taken aback, he took a step back, mouth gaping. 

Annabeth slumped her shoulders, but a small smile played around the corners of her lips. "Percy. The real reason why I decided to break up with you was because I had a suspicion you were more attracted to your own gender.  Towards the end of our relationship, I could always see you sneaking glances to guys, unlike at the start, when you would look at girls. Me too, actually, started to have eyes for women. It was clear we weren't made for each other, even though deep down I wanted us to be. But it's fine now. I started liking somebody else. And I have a feeling you have too." she breathed out.

Shocked, Percy gazed into Annabeth's unnerving eyes. He could feel the sincerity behind her words. He looked at his feet. "I guess you're right, then."

Annabeth smiled.

She was beaming, the intensity of her eyes leaving for once, replaced by mirth. "I'm so happy for you, Seaweed Brain. Despite yourself looking not so hot lately, I hope things turn out better for you. I really do." she said in a sort of wistful way, ruffling Percy's hair a little.

The grey-eyed teenager made her way towards the door again, not casting a glance back. "Treat him good, Percy." she said, before getting out.

Percy stood there, silently, not budging, watching her exit slowly.

"A few weeks." Percy told himself, aloud. "A few weeks, and I'll be able to see him again."

He turned around, looking at a picture of his strikingly beautiful mother hanging on the blue wall.  "But first, I'm going to have to start planning my coming out party."

As on cue, Percy heard the door lock opening, making such a sound that resembled a small 'click!'. Sally stepped inside, holding hands with Estelle Blofis, her husband at her heels.

"Hello, dear!" she greeted her son, nodding towards him. Despite his lack of confidence, Percy stood his ground. "Mom, Dad. I have to tell you something."

His mother's gaze immediately turned nervously sorrowful, as if waiting for bad news. On the other hand, Percy's stepdad's expression was unreadable.

"What am I doing?" Percy muttered under his breath. He wasn't even sure about his sexual orientation. But confiding his anxiety to others seemed like the best way to get rid of it.

"Honey, why won't you go to take a nap while I prepare dinner?" Sally crouched down, addressing in a reassuring tone to Percy's little sister.

Estelle climbed up the stairs quickly enough for her age, soon disappearing from sight.

Percy stood, immobile, not daring to take a breath.

He looked into his mother's comforting eyes that told him she was always going to love him, no matter what. Even his stepdad looked even kinder than usual, his eyes beaming with reassurance that reminded Percy everything would be okay.

Percy inhaled sharply, taking a deep breath.

"Mom. Dad. I think I'm bisexual."

eeeeWwOOOOO

oh gods that chapter gave me the chills to write.

i didn't reread this, oops.

amazing art by nathvods

-drakonator