Losing Games

19.

19.

The Last Time

~*~

Charles (Charlie) Beckendorf POV

"Are you sure?" Percy asked again, as we were picking our ice cream flavors.

"Yes, I'm sure I don't want to share an ice cream with you," I responded.

"But we're on a date!" Percy protested. "Couples are supposed to share ice cream!"

"Good thing we're not a couple," I snickered. 

Percy pouted before asking for a blueberry flavored ice cream and I got Cookies and Cream.

"Am I invited to your concert, Percy?" Khione, the owner asked sweetly.

Percy squirmed around uncomfortably. "Um..."

"Only his date gets to go," I butted in. "And you know, he and I are dating so... sorry!"

Khione frowned and I saw Percy stare at me, trying not to laugh as we took our ice cream and sat down at a table.

"Oh so now we're dating," Percy teased. 

I scowled. "Shut up, I was saving your butt."

"Funny thing, that happened with Grover once too," Percy recalled. "We were at Demeter's once and a girl wanted to date me and Grover was like 'no sorry cause he's dating me!' and then he went on to try to tell them about our hot make out session."

"Wait did you?" I asked curiously.

Percy elbowed me. "Bro, of course not!"

I shrugged. "Sometimes you confuse me."

"I'm amazing," Percy added.

"Amazingly confusing," I corrected.

Percy rolled his eyes, licking his ice cream. "I think Annabeth's going to be at my studio later."

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "She and I are supposed to do a collab or something." Percy sighed. "Sometimes I miss the kids we used to be, running around the park and eating ice cream. But I guess not all things are meant to be."

"One day you'll find someone who'll make you happy," I promised. "Someone who'll be worth your time."

"I don't know..."

There was a look of uncertainty on his face and he looked like he didn't know what he was doing. I guess he didn't, but he was always so good at not letting it show.

But I realized that if you really got under the tough, cold shell he put up, you'd find things about him that no one would ever know. And it was so sad to see how much he hid under that teasing facade of his. 

"You'll find someone who you'll love just as much as they'll love you. And then you'll get married and have kids and you'll be a dad. You'll have kids who'll love you as well."

"I don't want to be a dad," Percy said bitterly. 

"Why not?"

"Because... because I won't know how to raise them."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'd raise them the exact same way I was raised," he said, looking away. "I never had a dad, you know? My real dad left when I was two, my stepdad abused me, my other stepdad... he doesn't really love me. I had three dads, Charlie. Three. And none of them loved me."