Percy Jackson One Shots and Short Stories

#18 - Gold and White

Chapter 18 - Gold and White
published: Monday, 5 November 2018

<<< September >>>

"Listen, I know we've had good times. And bad times. But I'll never forget..." Frank cut himself off with a groan. "No, too cheesy."

He tried again. "What's up, guys? So, guess what? I'm moving out-" Frank covered his face with his hands. "No, that's even worse."

"You're moving out?" Percy asked from the door, his eyes wide in surprise.

Frank's head snapped back to see his friend. "Uh, um, well," Frank stammered in alarm. He hadn't meant for Percy to hear that.

He braced himself for shouts of shock.

"Dude, that's so good!" Percy rushed to join Frank on the couch.

"What?" Frank asked, offended.

"Not that I want you to move out," Percy amended. "But because I'm moving out too, and I don't know how to tell Leo and Jason!"

"I'm having the same problem!" Frank whisper-shouted. "How do I tell them without Leo breaking down and blubbering all over my shirt?"

Percy opened his mouth to reply, then paused. "Wait, you're moving out? Like, to live with Hazel?"

Frank blushed. "Yeah, I mean, we've talked about it, and since we're getting married in December, we're going to move in to a new apartment after that." He scrutinised Percy. "And you're moving in with..."

"Annabeth," Percy confirmed with a nod. "She's finishing her master's this year, so we've decided to get a place in Manhattan. We've already found a great apartment; it's only five minutes from here, and not too far from my mum's flat either."

"How should we tell Leo and Jason?" Percy repeated worriedly.

"Fortune cookie!" Frank suggested.

"Oh yeah, because 'Your two best friends are moving out. At the same time!' is a great message to deliver via cookie," Percy said sarcastically. "Besides, Leo always eats the paper by accident, so that wouldn't work."

"We could send them a letter?" Frank asked hopefully.

Percy snorted. "You really want to avoid a confrontation, don't you?"

Frank sighed and massaged his forehead. "I just don't want to disappoint them. I mean, the four of us have lived together for, like, 8 years now! That's a long time."

Percy glanced at him. "I know, it'll be weird not seeing you guys every morning." He gave Frank a side hug. "I'll miss you."

Frank chuckled sadly. "Me too."

It took a few days for Percy and Frank to finally agree on telling their friends at dinner.

It was one of those rare evenings where all four of them got to hang out without any worry of work, and Percy hated to spoil it.

"How's work?" Frank asked Jason with a mouth full of noodles. They were having Frank's Chinese specialty.

Jason shrugged, prodding his vegetables. "Pretty good, I guess. There's a new project coming up, and I keep hinting to Jeff that I want to lead it, but he doesn't seem to get it!"

He sighed in frustration and stabbed his vegetables.

"Work sucks," Leo agreed, spearing a wanton. "The guy who owns our garage space raised rent by nearly half just because he knows we can't live without it."