Since We Met (Percy Jackson Fanfiction) AU

Ch. 43- Reminder

~Mumford and Sons

Friday February 1, 2013

Lately, Percy always looked upset when Nico was about to leave. The reason was obvious. But he hated seeing it.

He hated seeing the light leave Percy's eyes and his smile fade away. He hated the flat, tired tone of his voice.

"What time will you be back?" Percy asked.

"Around nine," Nico answered. He nodded. There was so much tension anytime this happened. There was nothing Nico could do. He'd already rain-checked his date last week to stay with Percy. If he did it again, Rosemary would get suspicious.

Percy scrolled through his newsfeed as Nico finished getting ready. When he turned around he saw Percy staring at a picture Rosemary had uploaded.

He remembered that picture. Nico was waiting for her to get picked up so he could go back inside and wait for Percy's chemistry tutoring to end. She sat in his lap as he leaned against a tree.

His arm was draped over her shoulder. Nico wouldn't look into the camera, he hated pictures. But he was laughing because Rosemary kept poking his side, trying to get him to smile. Meanwhile she was smiling at the camera, her long, wavy hair whipping in her face due to the icy wind.

The caption read, My baby is camera shy, but isn't he precious? The best boyfriend I could ever ask for!

Taking a deep breath, Nico reached over and closed the laptop. "Percy?"

"I'm going home. You're about to leave anyway."

As he started for the door, Nico pulled him by the arm and turned to him. "Wait a second," he said. "I'm not leaving yet."

"But you will," Percy snapped. "And I'll be at my house, just waiting on you to get back like a pathetic loyal little puppy." He snatched his arm away and Nico raced ahead of him to shut the door.

"Stop," he said. "Wait. I don't want you to leave if you're angry with me. Is it because of that picture?" Percy scoffed. "Because she was tickling me, I wasn't-"

"It's not the fucking picture," Percy yelled. He shut his eyes and covered his mouth. He knew Nico's sister and father were downstairs. "It's not the picture," he repeated with a softer voice.

Nico raised his hands to cup Percy's face and looked at him in anguish. As he rubbed the pad of his thumbs across his cheeks, he whispered, "Then what is it, love? Tell me, talk to me."

Percy shoved his hands away. "Don't," he growled. "Don't go all soft on me and try to sweet talk me." He walked away from Nico and sat on the bed. Nico remained where he was for fear of Percy trying to bolt whenever he moved. "I'm tired," he whispered suddenly. "I'm sick and tired of sharing you. Of seeing you with her in school, pretending so easily. Of listening to your stupid jokes about 'faggots' so that nobody will think you're one. You're a fucking hypocrite for that, you know? You beat Luke up for saying it but you've been saying it a lot more lately. I'm sick of waiting around at home while you're at the mall, the movies, the zoo, the museum, or some fucking restaurant with her. I'm sick of the fucking statuses and pictures. All of it."

A knot formed in Nico's stomach. He didn't like where this was going. "What are you trying to say, Percy?" he asked quietly.

Percy ran a hand through unruly hair, making it stick up in odd places. "You need to break up with her."

"Percy, I can't do that, and you know it."

He stood up and strode over to Nico angrily. "Why not?" he growled. "You know, I'm starting to think you actually like her. It's so easy for you to act like a real boyfriend for her. Remember me? I'm your boyfriend. And I'm fucking tired of getting cheated on."