Nightmares (Jercy Oneshot(s)) ✳️

Everyone but You

Jercy - Oneshot #102

Requested by queenlinhcinder

Percy was used to people judging him. He was used to the stares from his old classmates when he cut off his hair so it barely touched the tips of his ears. He was used to the stares from the Hermes cabin when they realized their youngest member was wearing several tank tops as a makeshift binder in the hot summer days of camp. 

He was used to Annabeth staring at his body when he came to the infirmary. He was used to her mindlessly calling her "sea princess" and giving him jewelry for his birthday. 

But all because Percy was used to it, doesn't mean he hadn't wished for it to stop. 

No matter how many times he flinched at his dead name, Andromeda, or corrected people over his correct pronouns, the constant reminder of his femininity that he was born with never went away. His mother tried her best, giving him blue shirts and burning every skirt Percy had been forced into once he came out to her. Sally, however, could only do so much.

So, yet again, Percy found himself breaking down. His nose was runny, and tears clouded his vision. They burned his eyes like salt on an open wound. His chest vibrated with sobs and his mouth was covered with his hand to avoid attention to himself. A tear escaped his eye and ran down his cheek, the hot tear leaving a sticky trail on his face. 

His back was to the door, his binder felt like it was choking him. Well, more than it did. It constricted his chest like it always did, but in his mental breakdown it felt like it was engraving itself onto his skin. Squeezing his ribs until they snapped. 

Percy let out jagged breaths as his tears increased. He was in the Argo 2, and during dinner Leo had learned of his dead name. It was an accident on Annabeth's part.

 Usually she called him Percy, out of respect or something (despite refusing to properly acknowledge he was a boy, and was in fact a guy with masculine taste). However, during dinner she called him Andi. It wasn't a large mess up, had Leo not pestered the daughter of Athena over why she called Percy by any other name.

"Percy's real name is Andromeda. It's a bit strange how she prefers Percy, but I don't question it. I knew a girl who went by Lizzie when her name was Sara. Made no sense to me but it's none of my business."

Percy's heart shattered over Annabeth's words. The word "she" ringing in Percy's head like a scratched record. Up until then, Annabeth had referred to Percy using they/them pronouns. Which was, in Percy's opinion, much better than she and her (but not as good as he/him was).

His knees crashed together as he lowered himself to the floor. His back was still pressed against the door and he curved his spine so he was in a fetal position. He tried to ignore how Annabeth had explained the nickname. He tried to ignore the rest of the conversation, which buy the end of it, everyone but Jason had switched to she/her pronouns and referred to Percy as a variation of Andromeda (Leo chose Anne, Piper decided on Med, and Hazel shyly called Percy a "dashing young woman."). 

Percy had to step out, it was too much.

His head hurt as he cried openly. His heart feeling as if it had been ripped out and hastily sewn together again. 

There was a knock on the door. Percy bit the inside of his cheek to dull his cries.

"W-Who is it?" He asked and silently cursed as his voice cracked.

"It's Jason, can I come in, Percy?"

"It's open," Percy replied as he whimpered. Jason opened the door shortly after Percy shifted his position to where his back was next to the door. His knees were pulled up to his chest and his chest still ached. His whole body was trembling as Jason knelt next to him.

Wordlessly, he pulled Percy into his arms. Percy wrapped his arms around Jason's forearm and sobbed. His hand was no longer muffling any cries and Jason continued hugging the teenage boy.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Jason murmured to him as he rocked Percy softly. Percy sobbed in his arms and let snot dampen Jason's skin. Jason didn't seem to care, the blond focused on holding Percy until he smiled.

"Every-everyone but yu-you." Percy cried, Jason nodded sadly.

"Everyone b-buh-but you called me a g-girl without a tho-thought." Jason nodded as Percy stammered out his sentence.

"I figured unless you were all for the idea of going by Andi as well as the pronoun changes, you'd, uh, you'd tell all of us before we spent weeks on a ship together." Jason remarked with a small blush. Percy smiled through tears. He nodded and his tear stained cheeks shone in the weak lighting of his bedroom.

"And no matter what, dude, you are no less of a man to me than you were yesterday." Jason finished.

Percy's breathing was evening out, and he looked up to Jason. Trying not to overthink on anything, he kissed the son of Jupiter's cheek. His eyes were still glassy, and his voice still wavered every now and then, but he said two words that meant the world to Jason that night.

"Thank you."