Hearing words in the silence

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I am not a paid author. I make no money from this story or these characters. Rick Riordan makes money off these characters, though. Unfortunately, I am not him, and I don't own Percy Jackson and his friends. Enjoy

Chapter 4

Percy feels uneasy as he walks through the foyer. He's on his own this time; his mother kindly dropped him off and continued on her way, explaining that she felt uncomfortable in such a place.

Thanks for the confidence booster, Mom, Percy thinks dryly, shoving his hand in his pockets as he sidles up to the woman at the reception desk. She peers at him through her glasses, and Percy can tell that she is evaluating, analyzing, trying to discern why he needs to see a therapist. Percy feels like flipping her off, but he settles for shooting her a look that clearly says, 'It's none of your fucking business.'

"What's your name?"

Percy draws his hand out of his pocket, handing over the slip of paper with the details of his appointment on it. She glances at it briefly, makes a small sound of realization and nods.

"You're the one who doesn't talk."

She waits, and Percy stares at her incredulously. She has just informed him that she knows he doesn't talk, and yet she sits there, as if she's expecting an answer. Finally, she sighs, long and hard, before she gestures back to the foyer.

"Take a seat then."

Percy does as he is told, shuffling over and sitting himself down, shifting a little to try and get comfortable in the plastic chair.

He's been waiting maybe five, ten minutes when the door swings open and a pair of feet enters Percy's view, pulling with them the rest of the person's body. He recognizes the boy he had seen the day before, and Percy can't help but smile, drinking in the boy's appearance greedily.

He is wearing tight jeans and Percy grins wider, loving the way they cling to the boy's legs seductively, showing off every curve of his calves and thighs. They're complemented by a black t-shirt with skulls, somewhat matching the dark hair that hangs a little messily around his face. He's wearing a skull ring, but Percy decides that all the darkness suits him, rather than make him look depressed. No, it makes this boy look mysterious, and intelligent, and Percy finds himself leaning forward a little in his seat to follow they boy with his eyes as the stranger walks up to the receptionist.

"Oh, hello Nico," the receptionist greets him warmly, and Percy wonders if the boy, Nico, is a regular. Percy hopes so; maybe he won't be so reluctant to come to these sessions after all.

"And how are you this afternoon, Hazel?"

Nico gives a small wink to the receptionist, and Percy stifles a giggle at the way the strange boy is so obviously sweet talking her. Percy decides that he's the one of those boys, the one that all the women want their daughters to date.

Percy has never been one of those boys, but he never wanted to be.

Percy is entirely comfortable with his sexuality. Sometimes he wonders why so many gay guys find it hard to fit in and make people accept them, but then Percy realizes that it's an entirely different matter for him. This because well, it's not like anybody knows he's gay, and even if they did, they've already ostracized him enough, that they couldn't possibly avoid him any more than they already do.

He's never actually been with a boy before, and Percy wonders what it would be like to have someone to kiss, hold-he cuts off that thought sharply; it's no use to him.

"Just have a seat Nico and she'll be with you shortly."

Nico nods, giving the receptionist another winning smile before he turns on his heel and heads back to the foyer. They make eye contact, and Percy gives a tiny smile, the corners of his mouth just barely lifting. To his surprise, Nico comes and sits beside him, and Percy almost topples out of his own seat in shock.

"Hey. I'm Nico," the boy introduces himself, holding out his hand. Percy shakes it shyly, embarrassment threatening to make him blush after his unfortunate chair episode. Nico frowns, his eyebrows wrinkling as he lets go of Percy's hand and stares at him.

"This is normally the part where you introduce yourself," he says with a teasing smile, and for the first time Percy is almost ashamed of himself.

His eyes move to the linoleum floor beneath them, his hands fidgeting in his la, unsure of how he's supposed to explain this without the use of words. He really doesn't want to come off as rude or unwelcoming, but that's slowly the conclusion that Nico is beginning to draw.

"Alright, I get it. Not a social one. I'll just-"

Percy snaps his head up, staring at Nico desperately pleading with his eyes for him not to move.

Stay here. Keep talking to me. Please, he wants to say.

"Are you... Are you okay?" Nico asks, the first traces of worry creeping into his eyes. Percy hears the receptionist give a long, exasperated sigh.

"He doesn't talk, Nico!" she yells out, and Percy can't help but blush this time, wishing that the chair would swallow him whole once Nico turns his gaze back on him.

There's a calculating look to his gaze, and he's silent for a moment, looking Percy over as if trying to see inside his head. Percy sits, frozen, unable to move as Nico's eyes linger on him, and he begins to wish that something, anything would interrupt Nico's analysis and allow him to get away from such a stare.

"Huh," Nico sits back a little, crossing his arms over his chest. "You really don't talk, do you?"

Percy thinks it's a fairly stupid question, but he gives a tiny shake of his head, indicating that no, he doesn't talk, and yes, the stupid receptionist was dead on the nail.

"Kind of puts a damper on conversation, doesn't it?" Nico grins, and Percy can't help his own smile in response.

"So why don't you talk, huh? Oh, wait, stupid question. You won't answer me."

Percy finds Nico's forgetfulness something rather to be adored, and his smile widens before suddenly a door is opening and his name is being called.

"Perseus Ugliano?"

Percy stands up, and Nico grins in triumph.

"Aha! So your name's Perseus, then." He stands up, and Percy shudders a little, shaking his head.

Percy. My name's Percy.

Nico laughs, his smile not faltering. "Alright then, whatever you say. You're an odd one, Perce. I like it."

Percy shrugs, unsure of how he's supposed to respond to such a statement before his name is being called out and he takes a step away from Nico and towards the therapist.

He pauses, turns back, and gives Nico a pointed look.

I don't want to leave. If I leave you'll be gone and you'll never come back. Just like everyone else.

"See you tomorrow?" Nico asks, and Percy grins a little lopsidedly, nodding his head in the affirmative.

"Good."

Percy moves to walk away before Nico speaks again.

"Oh, and Perce?"

He turns around, questioning.

"Bring paper and pen next time, yeah?"

Percy gives another non-committal shrug. He doesn't normally like to converse in the written word, either. His pen and his paper are saved for more important things... Like the papers his parents are intent on finding every last one of.

He doesn't give Nico time to question him again, hurrying into the therapist's office. She sits him down and begins to talk, but Percy's brain barely registers a word she says. He's far too busy picturing deep brown eyes and tight jeans...

Ok so I've uploaded 4 chapters and I'll see how well they go I'm putting the finishing touches on the rest of the chapters so I'll have more up soon.
Jesslou out!