"Oh," is all Percy said. I was still calming down. I wasn't angry at Percy instead at myself. The way he defended us at the door instead of accusing us made me feel guilty. Then he was walking away I freaked out. I wanted answers so I shadow traveled.
We didn't hold a conversation, we stood there staring until the Hades door closed. I went to grab his hand. He flinched back, but I went to grab his other hand and he caved. Shadow traveling back into the room.
I needed to make sure he stayed. Since Percy couldn't travel like me handcuffs would be hard to get out of. The room was surprising quiet, Percy look down right disappointed at the books.
"Percy." Will began, "Can you be honest with us? We notice you do in fact have a layer of mist over you arm. "
Percy stiffened. Hazel did however cut in. "I can feel the mist, now that I'm concentrating I feel it all over your body, Percy."
Annabeth went over and lifted Percy's shirt a little bit. Peeking underneath, Percy only stiffened more still staring at the books. Relaxing at Annabeth's touch. "Percy there's no scars, all I can see is stitches from your injury."
"Percy is it okay if I take a way the mist on your wrist?" Hazel asked gently. Percy moved only a little bit to bring a pair of handcuffs into view. They were off his wrist and off the bed post. Percy didn't even glace up to are surprised faces still staring at the notebooks.
"Percy how did you do that?" Jason asks. I walk forward and grab the handcuffs again, handcuffing him again.
"Stay." I say, Percy just gives me a lopsided smile. Annabeth grabs the notebook and scrapbook and moves then. Percy's eyes follow something that doesn't go unnoticed.
"Percy who are Natasha and Yelena?" Annabeth asks. Moving the books closer to Percy. Percy reaches out for them and Annabeth gives them to him.
"There not dead." Percy replies holding the notebooks in one hand he holds the handcuffs in the others. Smiling over at me, I role my eyes.
"Really Percy?" I asked. But before he replies, Percy closes his eyes and disappears from the room. "What were did he go?" I ask scanning the room.
To my surprise the room spelled of the sea, the handcuffs fell to the ground as soon as Percy disappeared. The notebook and Scrapbook gone. I grab the handcuffs in disbelief, looking around I notice a small bent bobby pin that was close to the bedpost that I handcuffed Percy to.
"That was like shadow travel, did Percy just teleport?" Frank asked.
"Percy can unpick locks? Since when?" Hazel asked.
"I think were all tired, lets double check Percy's in his cabin and is safe and then we will get answers tomorrow." Everyone was really confused, Annabeth went and promised she would double check to make sure Percy was in his cabin while the rest of us fell asleep.
The next morning I woke up early because I knew Percy would be up early. He always was, before breakfast he would train so he would have time to teach the younger campers how to fight. I woke up early not to happy about it. But I went to the arena to find Percy. He didn't turn around when I first entered.
"Good morning Nico, you are up early." I didn't see his face but I knew he was smiling. Why is he so happy, its so early.
"Hey Percy you want to spar?" I asked, knowing if we spar I could get answers out of him cause he couldn't run.
"Yeah, sure" He finished hitting the dummy and grabbed his water bottle. Drinking some before he met me in the middle of the arena. "Ready?" I asked. He nodded.
"Go!" He yelled. We circled each other, I knew Percy's tactics he never hit first. So I went for the first blow.
"So Percy?" I ask as he brought his sword to hit my left side. "What are you calling the new form of travel?"
He doesn't answer for a second as he catches his breath. "I'm calling it mist travel, cause I travel through the mist."
"Interesting, how long have you been able mist travel?" I drop to my knees to miss a sword swipe above my head.
"Didn't know I could do it till yesterday. I was just so tired and pictured my cabin. I suddenly felt all the tiny molecules of water in the air. I closed my eyes and picture the tiny molecules caring me to my cabin."
"Wait so you didn't end up in like Mexico or some crazy place the first time you traveled, that's so not fair." I whine about as I kick his leg out from under him.
Percy laughs, "Nope." Percy then gets his sword underneath my bone dagger and twists. My dagger goes flying and he puts the sword underneath my chin.
"I yield" I say rolling my eyes. Dang I should have seen it coming, he always uses that move. You have to be ready for it at all times or your sword is going to go flying.
Percy went over to get some more water, "Hey, I just wanted to apologize for last night. It was uncool of us to go through your room and take stuff."
Percy smiled, "All is forgiven, just don't do it again." Percy then threw a towel at my face. I thanked him wiping the sweat off my face.
I didn't have much time before breakfast and I needed more answers. I should have asked him this while we were sparing because he would have faltered and I would have won.
"Percy are you suicidal? It's okay if you are." Percy again stiffened and tried to put on the best smile he could.
"Nope, what would make you think that." It hurt me how fake his smile was. But if I didn't look into his eyes, you wouldn't have noticed if the smile was fake or not. I'm not really a huger but I went up to Percy anyways and hugged him.
"What's this for?" He asked confused. Why do hugs have to be for something?
"I know Percy your in pain, don't try to hide it. I won't force you to reveal yourself. But it helps if you talk about it."
Percy hesitated before he spoke each word, "You can't tell my mom."
I pulled away a little to quickly, to see tears running down Percy's face. "Percy." I began.
"I'm sorry Nico. I started cutting when I was younger and now I can't stop." Percy tried to wipe away the tears but more kept falling.
"No, you shouldn't be sorry. This is not your fault. We can get through this together. But first I need to see how bad it is." I tried not to let my own feelings get involved. It was hard trying to be strong for Percy. Percy shook his head.
"I can't, I've never shown anyone. I have to head to breakfast meet up with Annabeth. I can't do this right now."
"Right now? Okay but when? Percy it's the same thing from you. When ever you open up you leave. Why is that? Do you think running away from your problems make them go away?"
"You know what is good about my life? My mom, Paul, the few days in between war. I need a break, but I can't get one. I can't have the luxury because the younger campers need me. Do you know I have hang out sessions with the younger campers. We go by the creek and talk with soda. Like Luke used to do with me. I give them the opportunity to tell me there horror stories. When they wake up shaking from nightmare's I leave my cabin unlocked so they can come in and chill without waking there entire cabin."
Percy took a deep breath, "You are right Nico, I am suicidal. You want me to go talk to Will about it? Cause talking about your problems only goes so far. You will be left with the past unable to move forward. That is exactly what I'm trying to do. Ignore the pain, ignore the issues, ignore the past and move on!" Percy sat down, drinking more water.
"Please Percy, how bad is it?" I whispered unable to take in the huge amount of information. Percy whispered under his breath and waved his hand over his arm. Hundreds of tiny white cuts in all directions adorned Percy's entire arm. I gasp a little bit and Percy quickly hides his arm again muttering.
"Sorry, I didn't mean. I know it looks bad but some of the scars are from monsters not me." Percy muttered. When I looked at his arm again I couldn't see the scars anymore. The mist was so strong you couldn't tell there was anything there. But where Percy's wrist was it was more blurry trying to hide more scars.
"I got to go, please Nico. Please don't tell anyone." Percy stood up and left the arena.
I ran off to follow, okay maybe I can't tell anyone but that won't stop me from stalking Percy the entire day. Percy went to his cabin. Since I was near the cabins, I quickly showered assuming Percy would do the same after training. Percy takes longer then average showers. Many saying it was a son of Poseidon thing but with no other sons of Poseidon we can't compare.
After my shower I quickly went to find Will. I wanted to tell him that I was stalking Percy for the day. After a long chat of too many questions, Will let me go to stalk Percy some more. I got outside Percy's cabin just in time to see him leave. Scratch that some other person was leaving that is definitely not Percy. It was the Stoll brothers.
The Stoll brothers turned back to the door to yell something inside. I ran up behind them. When they shut the door and turned around they jumped. "Nico are you sure you're not a son of Hermes? That was pretty sneaky. Gave me a heart attack." Conner or Travis said I can't tell the difference between them. Honestly there not twins they shouldn't look so much a like.
"What are you doing with Percy?"
"Oh you know the usual, stealing things from his cabin, measuring stuff out for are next prank on him the usual." Travis said. No maybe it was Conner. I need someone to point out who each twin is. Ah not twin I meant brother!
"See I don't believe you." Raising an eyebrow I stepped closer.
"Man you're scary! Fine you can't tell Chiron!"
"Go on." I said nodding. I can't get caught outside Percy's cabin. I need things to hurry along.
"We are Percy's secret intel. We get him what he needs from the camp store or infirmary and drop it off at his cabin. In return he helps us plan some the greatest pranks in history. He also doesn't tell Chiron of are pranks. It's a sweet deal."
"Why would Percy need you both the steal stuff, the camp store already gives campers what they need. The infirmary probably also just gives campers supplies. Why the need to steal it?"
"We don't know but its too sweet of a deal to care. We don't ask questions we only get the stuff." Okay seriously I need to be pointed out which brother is which.
"What stuff do you usually get him?"
"A lot of things really. One time he asked us to steal some tampons. It was so funny, we died, still have no idea why he needed them. Each time he just grabs the bag full of the items and puts them under his bed. The next time we usually come in with more supplies the old supplies are gone. He goes through the stuff like candy." Both the brothers started laughing.
"Nice talking to you Nico, come on Travis!" Conner said.
Okay so Conner is the younger brother, he is taller then Travis. Travis is older and is shorter then Conner. Not confusing or anything. But what really got me thinking is why Percy would need supplies. That's when Percy came out with multiple bags of stuff.
"Hey Nico what are you doing here?" He asked shoving some smaller bags into a bigger bag.
"Nothing just saw the Stolls and they tried to prank me this morning so I wanted to scare them a little." Percy full on laughed.
"I should probably let you know I'm leaving camp for a while. Will you let the rest of the gang know?"
"Yeah, of course. Where you going?" I asked.
"My mom's house." Percy was acting really different and I don't think it was from the talk we had this morning.
"What's wrong? What happened?" I ask him.
"Nothing I'm fine! Just need a break from camp."
"You need a break for a while."
"Okay you got me. Annabeth broke up with me. She needed a break from the relationship. I'm fine I just also need a break." Percy finished walking off. I didn't follow. I just had an ache to wanting to go into the Poseidon cabin. So once Percy was out of sight I went in.
A piece of paper on the bed drew my attention first. "You know the rules, I'll be back one day. Food and supplies are where they usually are.-Percy J" Other than that the room was clean. I checked under Percy's bed and didn't find the scrapbook.