Chapter 4: Just Checking In

- LukasMalachi -

Author's Note: Hey guys! Here's part 2/4 from the catch-up section I mentioned last chapter. Let me know what you think by way of review or DM, and send in suggestions/ideas that you'd like to see (again, disclaimer: not all will be accepted). Happy reading!

Percy POV:

"Thanks for your concern Percy. I'm okay though. Will bandaged me up and Jason already came over. I'm just a little tired."

"You sure?" I asked.

"I'm sure."

"Okay. Well, I'll see you later Piper."

"Goodbye Percy."

As I left, all I could think about was what Nico might say in the next few days. I would understand if he didn't like me anymore. It would still feel like shit, but he had… has every right to be over me by now.

As I walked towards Cabin Two, my cabin, I saw them… Gods…

Jason POV:

I pulled away, waiting to see his reaction. My chest was on fire and my mind was a blur. I felt like I could only process each moment as it came.

"Um…"

"Yeah?" I replied timidly.

"Percy." My heart sank and the warmth became frigid cold.

"Huh?"

"Percy…" Nico ran off. I watched him run off, expecting to see him go towards his own cabin, but he was actually running after Percy. Now I felt like shit and Percy didn't look like he was faring too well either. I didn't… I thought Nico was single…

I ran after the two of them, but really after Nico. "Hey, wait. Nico, I'm-"

He quickly turned around. "Not now." He looked really distressed for a split second before he continued to run after Percy.

Nico POV:

When I found Percy, he was by the canoe lake crying on the docks. He was sitting right at the edge, his head on his knees and his hands on his head like an earthquake drill. His slight rocking occasionally caused his tears to fall into the water, causing little ripples.

"Hey…" I whispered, trying to calmly get his attention. He didn't take any notice. "Percy," I began.

"Don't worry about it," he remarked sharply. "I get it. It's been months now. Well, years, but months since I found out. I get that you're-"

"I'm what?"
"Over it… me."

I reached out, trying to get us face to face. "Percy…"
"No," he twisted away as I touched his shoulder. "Please… don't. I get-"

"There's nothing to get, Percy…"

"What do you me-"

"Jason kissed me. You knew I liked him, but apparently he likes me back." Percy shrank. "Sorry, not helping. Look, I didn't lie to you earlier."

Percy muttered something under his breath.

"What?"
"Nothing… Keep going."

"Okay… Like I said, I didn't lie to you earlier." Percy only began to sob more. "No, Percy, really."

"What do you mean you didn't lie to me?" he asked, finally turning around with tears in his eyes. "If you didn't- don't- like me anymore, than you could have just told me. But to just…"

"Just what?"

"Kiss him-"

"Percy, he kissed me." He let out an exasperated sigh. "Hey, I know that doesn't change the fact that we kissed, but it wasn't because I went behind your back. He kissed me. I really was planning on really just taking time and thinking for a few days."

"But now?"

"What?"

"But now, you've made up your mind?"

"No! No, not at all." Shit, this whole thing was making me upset. A whole whirlpool of emotions was running through my head with sadness, anger, confusion, and more swirling around chaotically while happiness just sank down. "You said it yourself, I do like Jason."

Percy only hunched over more into the fetal position. The hands that were on his head had shifted to his knees while we talked. Now, they wrapped around his legs and he curled inwards.

"Stop." I said, more rudely than I meant to. "I get you're upset, but let me finish. Just hear me out to the end before you decide what emotion or mixture to settle on, okay?"

He relaxed, and his hands went back to his knees. "Okay," he said with a sigh.

"I do like Jason," he shifted his glance downwards," but… gods, I still like you too." He looked up at me, tears still in his eyes, but more confused than downtrodden. "I understand if you don't completely get it. It… It's hard for me too. Still, I'm going to keep to my promise. Just give me some time, and I'll tell you- talk to you- you know…" I realized my breath was all sorts of crazy and I slightly recomposed myself. "I'll talk to you in the next few days. The same applies to Jason. I need to talk to him tonight and just let him know what happened and what will happen, but as of right now, there is just as little going on between us as there was this morning. Is that okay?"

"Okay," he sighed.

"I'm sorry about what just happened… I just wanted to make sure you're okay. At least, for the time being."

"For the time being…"

In a rare sign of affection, I let myself hug him, trying to be careful with how I presented myself to him. It became more awkward than comforting, but it got the message across.

"I'll talk to you in the next few days." I said as I ran off to Cabin One.