When We Saw What You'd Done (Percy Jackson)

Chapter Two: Being Next To You

Percy Jackson

So if common sense couldn't tell you, getting your brain out of quest/battle mode is not easy and not a one night sort of thing. It takes like a couple weeks to mostly be out of it. Usually I'm good by the time classes actually start.

But after practice Rome came over and my parents were ecstatic to see him but also to see us and because my mom's a team player she doesn't care about us being in a room alone with the door closed because she knows that I'm anxious and also would never do that when other people are home.

The four of us had dinner together and afterwards Mom ran to the store while Paul was doing some cleaning around the apartment, which left Rome and I in my room to watch a movie together that he insisted we watch because it came out recently and we both fell asleep like... I fell asleep during the credits because he's a human furnace and between that and the way he was playing with my hair just...

If I wasn't so tired from the lingering exhaustion, I'd probably be turned on but it's also a soft moment so maybe not.

I was just happy to be with him again and to be home so I felt safe and comfortable and luckily I was already in what I sleep in so it wasn't a big deal.

After sleeping, I didn't have any dreams but I didn't have nightmares so that was good for my standards. I just slept and then I heard my window close.

Did not open it the night before.

So naturally, I wake up because who the fuck is closing my window at such an early hour on-

"Oh, shit, sorry," but of course it was Nico. "Did I wake you up? I didn't mean to, sorry again. Um..."

Literally who else would ever consider coming in through my window. He put his hands out, though, to reveal a small bag.

"Happy birthday," the younger demigod said. "I thought you said you had morning practice so I figured now was an okay time but... Maybe I should've like, sent an IM before.*

"It's fine, it's not that early," I responded, accepting the bag. "and thanks. I kind of forgot about it in light of like, how busy it's been this week. I have practice this afternoon."

"Got it," Nico said and then noticed the whole other person who was still dead to the world. "Percy?"

"Huh?" But I didn't think about it.

"Are you..." And I could see him toss around a few follow ups to that starter but he really went strong with the one he chose. "Cheating on Annabeth?"

And then I realized that while I have a shirt on, I'm wearing boxers and Rome doesn't sleep with a shirt on and also he still has like, an arm over my legs.

"I-" I started off and closed my mouth because fuck me, man. What a way to come out. "so um, funny story, actually um... Annabeth and I aren't dating."

But naturally he looked at me like I was fucking crazy.

"Yes you are, did you get amnesia again?"

"Wh- no, my memory is fine," I reassured the son of Hades. "We're 'dating' but we're not like... We don't like each other and it's a fake relationship. It... Always has been."

"What?"

I nodded my head.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "Um, never liked each other. Her grandparents always pressure her about dating so I told her I'd be her fake boyfriend so we took some photos and... Clarisse saw us taking photos of like holding hands or whatever because her family is incriminating as all hell and then Clarisse assumed and... Well then I went missing so... Yeah. We're pretending to be a couple until she gets an actual boyfriend."