Only Olivia
Hello everyone! I wrote this for character development and Lemonquill's SYOT, because Percy is my tribute! You should go check it out, it's really awesome! :)
Percy was mad -which wasn't really remarkable. He was mad about a lot of things these days. The Hunger Games, general idiocy, moving from District 4 to District 2. He was personality was usually just mad now.
Because Percy was the firstborn his parents wanted him to have the best training possible. Which meant, since 2's training academy was of a higher quality than 4's, relocating to somewhere he didn't want to go. And at the age of thirteen, moving was hard.
Now, being fourteen, things hadn't gotten any better. Being white as a sheet with black, messy hair and fiery contacts didn't exactly help him fit in, either. Plus his voice was changing, too. Joy.
Instead of just shrugging off his irritation Percy went to the training center to practice, because he couldn't do much else.
Talk to his sisters?
Nope.
Seek out friends?
What friends?
Take a walk?
Peacekeepers were a suspicious folk, and there was a training center for a reason.
So Percy was attempting to shoot arrows. Alone. With no instructor to instruct. Needless to say, he wasn't doing that well.
People avoided him, too, so he couldn't very well just trot up to someone and ask how to shoot, could he?
Percy imagined the targets as things that got on his nerves.
Parents: miss.
Parents: miss.
Parents: HIT.
But not by him.
Percy tensed, waiting for a snarky remark to follow this mysterious person's success.
"Lucky shot, I guess," and a chuckle was all that he got. Did Percy mention the voice was distinctly feminine? Odd, most certainly odd...
A sneaking glance was shot from the corner of his eyes.
Purple ringlets. Neon green eyes; obviously contacts, there was a ring of something not vibrant or black in her eyes. Slender, obnoxiously short figure, just like Percy.
He huffed, but said nothing. He continued attempting archery, only to by stood up every time.
Sisters: miss.
Sisters: miss.
Sisters: HIT.
A sigh. "It was only yesterday I was sucking so badly. Huh, maybe it was the nasally voice making me fail to epically."
The Hunger Games: miss.
The Hunger Games: miss.
The Hunger Games: HIT.
"It must have been the voice! I'm doing better than I thought I would."
At this Percy smirked. Yes, he silently agreed. The instructors were very bothersome.
Idiots: miss.
Idiots: miss.
Idiots: HIT.
"Maybe I should actually-"
"Would you shut up? I know I'm terrible, I don't need some... some... human with a simple mind showing off to me!" Percy snarled.
He stormed off, leaving the poor girl confused and hurt.
"I was just trying to-"
She was cut off by the very rude hand gesture Percy made.
Percy was lucky the girl with the purple hair was stubborn.
For the next week the raven-haired boy was left to sulk.
Then, she joined him. Which was much more impressive than the arrow-shooting.
The ropes course had varying difficulties and instead of using the ropes, Percy decided it would be much more effective if he used the metal beams supporting the course.
So Percy had shimmied all the way through the course, then climbed his way up to the rafters, where he took to tip-toeing around.
It was when he was cart-wheeling across one such precarious beam that he felt a tingling at the base of his neck and turned around to see neon grew irises floating in midair.
Rather dryly and articulately he said: "I noticed you watching me."
"And I noticed you noticing. Really, you probably didn't even realize you itched your neck." She smiled -genuinely smiled.
Percy was speechless. Since when did people smile at him?
"Um... I didn't realize, actually," he admitted shamefully.
Violet-hair laughed. "I thought not." She reaches out her arm for a handshake. "Olivia Larson. I'm fourteen, though not many people can tell."
It was true. This "Olivia" had a youthfulness to her very rare even for a five-year-old in Panem, but she had a mature presence. Life was surely turning unpredictable.
"Perseus Zermellious. I'm fourteen too. Though I'm not sure anyone would care." Percy caustiously mumbled his reply, gingerly reaching his arm up. At the contact he flinched but did not let go.
"Oh, trust me," she said, "-or don't, but you seem interesting. Plus I may or may not think you're cute."
His eyes widened. Cute? When did that happen?
"That's uh... that's great." Percy's voice cracked and dropped obnoxiously. But what was he supposed to do? Flirt back?
Olivia giggled. "Tell me about yourself. I'll start though." A breath in, then back out. "I am the youngest of five children, and my parents are absolute crazy people who adore the Hunger Games. But I don't really like them." She whispered the last part. No point in ending up dead, right?
Percy wasn't sure whether or not to glower, and so for once in his life, he chose to put on a neutral expression.
"I am heavily cynical and basically everyone in this country is brainwashed -at least, Districts 1, 2, and 4, not to even mention the Capitol."
"Now I'm categorized as some brainwashed idiot, am I?" She giggled again. "Maybe I should leave, then?"
"Oh, no!" Percy's eyes widened in alarm. "Please stay!"
"Alrighty." Olivia seemed surprise by the fervor in which Percy wanted her to stay. "My favorite color is purple: in case you can't tell." She motioned towards her bright hair, although one couldn't see it well in the lighting the duo were conversing in.
"Er, yeah…" He snorted. "Mine are the earthy greens. Like, found naturally on earth…"
They talked up on the rafters until closing time, in which Percy invited Olivia over for dinner and more time to chat.
"Really?" Olivia's eyes lit up. "Of course, I'd love to go; I haven't been over to someone's house since… since I was seven, I think."
Percy's face molded into a kind smile. One which would quickly become reserved for only Olivia.
"Let's get going, then."
As Percy arrived home, his parents came out of the kitchen to greet him.
"Oh, hello Perseus, it's nice to see you home so early…" his mother trailed off, looking at the strange girl behind him in obvious confusion. "And you've brought a child home, too! Do you know where-"
"I'm fourteen too, thank you," Olivia cut in, her tone icy, yet somehow respectful and weedling. "I'm just small. Like your son."
Percy's mom smiled. "Pardon me, dear. And your name would be?"
"Olivia."
"Olivia. Well then, Olivia, why don't you and Perseus go eat dinner with his sisters. Then Perseus can show you the piano he has, hmm?"
Olivia offered a minute smile. "That's fine."
Percy's father Jerome watched the pain as they went into the kitchen. He then turned to his wife.
"You do realise this friendship is doomed to fail, right? Perseus just hasn't even talked to someone since about the end of fifth grade."
"I know." Mrs. Zermellious pursed her lips. "But we'll let it crumble by itself. I'd give it six months."
"So who's your girlfriend, Perseus? Hmm?" His younger sister June asked mockingly.
"Perseus's got a girlfriend! Perseus's got a girlfriend!" his other sister, Kelli, chanted loudly.
Olivia's voice came out quietly and dangerous. "My name is Olivia, and we just met today, so shut up. We are not dating."
June smirked. "It's not my fault you're weird. Neon green eyes and purple hair. Not to mention being shorter and bonier the PERSEUS. Geeze, who fits that description, anyhow?"
"Me, idiot."
"Here," Percy suggested, "why don't we take the food up to my room. Then we can stay up there until you need to go."
"That sounds great."
He grabbed two bottles of cola soda and his plate off the table, silently hopping up stairs to get to his room.
Before going up to the stairs, Olivia turned back to the snobby sisters. "You'd be surprised by how kind he is, you know." She then followed him.
As soon as Olivia stepped in his room, Percy closed the door. Olivia was greeted by a very exuberant Bernese mountain dog.
"Whoa, calm down there Franz!" Percy exclaimed. He turned to her. "He's excited to see someone other than me."
"Doesn't your family know you have him?"
"No. They'd never allow pets."
Olivia's delicate features shaped into a grimace. "That's rather unfortunate."
"Isn't it, though?
A long peaceful silence ensued while Percy and his purple haired friend ate their dinners.
Not to disturb the dozing Olivia, Percy sat up slowly on his bed and moved towards his polished black grand piano.
He carefully flipped up the key cover to reveal shining black and white keys. He began to play.
The song he played was sad and eerie, many accidentals present in the tune.
Percy sensed Olivia's waking, but did not stop his dramatic yet heartfelt playing.
At the end of the song he gave an unfitting flourish.
A one person applause sounded within the bedroom walls. "What song was that?"
"Something old from way before the Dark Days. Called the Moonlight Sonata. By this guy named Beethoven, I believe. I like his work."
Olivia frowned and cocked her head, masses of violet ringlets toppling to one side of her person. "Did you ever think of joining the school orchestra or something? You'd get so many big parts. No joke."
"It's not my cup of tea. I like playing for fun. I don't want anything else to be taken away from me. Everything else has been ripped away quite violently, I'm afraid."
"My life is a shred of heart. Let's make the best of it together."
The rest of the night Percy and Olivia talked about anything and everything until Olivia started nodding off on Percy's shoulder, when Percy then mentioned that Olivia should probably go home and get some sleep. It was only barely 10 o'clock pm, but they had school and wicked training.
Percy lead Olivia downstairs, mumbling about fun and how it would be nice to see her again.
Jerome, Helen, Kelli, and Juniper and were all still up, despite both sisters being significantly younger than the black-haired fourteen-year-old.
Percy awkwardly said goodbye and Olivia was about to step outside when Helena cut in.
"Olivia, dear, it's freezing outside! You're only wearing a t-shirt! Did you not bring a hoodie of coat?"
"Oh! No, but I'll be fine."
"No, Olivia, you can take my pullover. I'll be fine." Percy pulled his black pullover off to reveal a pale, pale thin torso with a hint of muscle and the smallest trail of hair growing near his waist.
By now all four Zermelliouses who weren't Percy were highly surprised.
Olivia smiled. "So maybe chivalry isn't dead. Thank you, Percy!"
A scarlet blush streaked across Percy's white skin. When he leaned in and gave Olivia a kiss on the cheek the color only got brighter.
"I'll, um..." he tried to speak, clearing his throat. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
A pearly smile was shot his way, along with a "You bet!" that sent tingling throughout Percy's entire body. With that, the small teen bounded out the door, leaving four shocked Zermelliouses and a flushed scarlet one without a shirt.
"I'm, ah, I'm just going to go to bed..." Percy leapt up the stairs, two taunts of "Perseus's got a girlfriend! Perseus's got a girlfriend!" following him the entire way up.
And about six months later it was true: Perseus Romulus Zermellious did, in fact, have a girlfriend, and he was happier than he'd ever been.
If you could drop a quick review that'd be great. Depending on the feedback and depending on how much inspiration I get I may upload more one shots about Percy's life as a person before the Games.
~Sorceress