The guilt swelling up inside his chest made his breathing harder forcefully.

It took all his willpower to not dash through the door, follow the boy who had taken even more of him now, and beg for forgiveness.

They both needed time alone, reassured by the emptiness that beheld them.

Percy didn't want to face it.

*   *   *

Curled up in a ball on the rough carpet, Percy wept silently, his only company being the eerie quiet embracing him. As more tears stained his arms which he kept on his knees, the front door creaked open.

Not knowing how long he had been sobbing nor who was at the door, Percy didn't even bother raising his head to greet the visitors.

Too grief-stricken and guilty to care, he just sat there, still, hugging his legs, shaking at every quiet cry.

"Percy?"

That melodious voice that knew just how to lull him to sleep, that graceful sound that convinced him of everything in the world. Percy looked up for once, his eyes adjusting to the darkness.

Sally Jackson stood at the entrance, her brown locks dangling around her head, cupping her face in such an elegant way. Her kaleidoscope blue-green eyes were the only things illuminating the dark house apart from the TV screen still playing Home Alone.

Beside her, shifting uncomfortably, was his stepdad, Paul Blofis. His salt-and-pepper hair was unusually messed up, like he had just rolled out of bed to prepare breakfast for his beloved children. "Mom? Dad?" Percy called out faintly, more tears welling up at the ridges of his eyes.

"My baby!" his mother replied immediately, rushing to her son's rescue. She embraced him tightly, wrapping her arms around him. In other circumstances, Percy would have been embarrassed, but he was so ashamed of his actions that the only thing that mattered in the world right now was Nico's well-being. Nico, Nico, Nico...

Percy's stepdad hurried after his wife, kneeling down on the carpeted floor beside her to put his hand on his stepson's shoulder in a reassuring manner. "Hey, it's okay."

Once his vision adapted to the darkness enveloping them, Percy realized that his mother Sally had tears in her eyes too. Yet she blinked them away and wiped her eye corners with her nimble fingers that seemed to dance gracefully around her face. 

Trying to stand up, Percy stumbled before his stepdad caught him and helped him back on his feet. "Woah, there. What happened?" he asked, anxious by seeing Percy in a such a disheveled state.

"Weren't you hanging out with a friend? His name... Noah? Nicholas? Nick?" Sally inquired, even more stressed seeing her son weeping, which she had not seen him do often lately. "Right... Where's Nico?" she continued, scanning around the living room.

At the mention of his name, Percy's knees buckled down again. Breaking down crying, he inexplicably started hiccuping. Paul sheepishly tried to hoist him back up. 

Once they had finally settled down on the couch, TV turned off and blue popcorn eaten, Percy regained his composure. Straightening his back, he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. "N-Nico, he, I-"

Hearing his voice tremble like an autumn leaf, Percy coughed out more sobs, shaking violently. His parents shared a look of wisdom. They had to leave him alone for a while. Percy was definitely and obviously in shock, and in no state to explain events.

With much difficulty, they managed to get him up the stairs and lie him down on his bed. Percy's sobbing had died down a bit, but he would still be crying for what would feel like hours. Sally draped his blanket over him and tucked him into bed.

"Sleep tight." she said comfortingly in a sing-song voice, before kissing her son on the forehead. Paul stood at the doorframe, leaning. "Good night." he finished, his tone betraying his anxiety. Holding hands with his wife, they walked out, closing the door behind them, letting one last longing look at Percy, who looked still pretty shaken up.

Dreams would not find him that night.

*   *   *

It was dawn when Percy woke up.

Awoken, he scanned around the room, blinking. Rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes, he yawned and stretched, before laying back down on his soft bed that welcomed his contact with open arms.

When Percy tried to remember what had happened the day before, last night's events came flooding back in. Guilt washed over him as a surge of shame almost overwhelmed him.

Questions flooded his mind. How was he on his bed?  Who had carried him upstairs? At what time had he slept last night?

That part of the memory was fuzzy, and trying to remember it was even harder, making him dizzy and giving him a pounding headache. Percy did not want that on a Sunday morning.

As the autumn sunshine filled in the room after Percy retracted his curtains, the soft breeze rippled them. Determined to do the best of his day, Percy threw on a plain grey shirt, blue jeans with rips at knee level, a turquoise jacket and black ankle socks. He had learned a long time ago that the shorter your socks were, the cooler you are.

Without rushing, Percy scrambled to his feet and trotted downstairs. The clock read 10 AM.

Peeking his head in the kitchen, he scanned around the room. 

His mother, the beloved Sally Jackson, stood at the kitchen stove, making what seemed like blue pancakes. She was facing her back to him, so Percy couldn't appreciate the beauty of her swirling turquoise eyes. Yet her chestnut brown hair were as dazzling. The few streaks of grey showed her years of experience, but Percy could never see his mother as old. The tie-dye dress she was wearing even made her seem younger.

Beside her on the kitchen counter were scattered all the necessary ingredients to making a delicious breakfast. At the sight of the blue food dye beside a large mixing bowl, Percy's bottom lip quivered in anticipation. Blue pancakes drowned in overly sweet maple syrup was simply the best. He had almost forgotten about all his worries, before his mother noticed him standing in the doorframe, his eyes glued on the unprepared pancake mix.

"Percy! Good morning, sweetheart." she welcomed him, turning around. Percy grinned and looked around the room, not finding the sight of his kind stepdad.

"Where's Paul? And Estelle?" he questioned, his voice still thick and heavy with drowsiness. Sally Jackson shifted uncomfortably, as if her velvety soft slippers were filled with dangerous quicksand and squirming insects.

"Your little sister isn't home yet. And about your stepdad... he left to the office early." Percy's mother replied, fiddling with her fingers, similarly to when she is stressed or ready to deliver bad news. Why does she look so anxious? , Percy thought to himself.

"Percy... before leaving, your stepfather wanted to ask you a question. He asked me to deliver the message, but I have the same uncertainties." she continued uncertainly, still fidgeting with her hands.

An uncomfortable silence followed. Percy's heart sank. The only sounds he was hearing were hi mother Sally's quickened breathing, his unsteady heartbeat, the clock ticking reminding him of the little time he had and the pan's soft pancake grilling.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice trembling the slightest bit, breaking the quietness. His mother sighed hollowly. "Percy... what happened last night?"

Percy took a step back. "W-what do you mean-n?" he trembled out, his lips quivering.

His mother's eyes were filled with sorrow. Percy instantly felt worse. "We found you crying in the living room last night, dear. Your friend Nico wasn't there. What happened?" she inquired, trying to get something out of her son, without putting on any pressure.

The green-eyed boy shifted uncertainly. This was his mother. He had never kept anything from her. Not even his deepest, darkest secrets.

Yet here he was, standing, refusing to meet his mother's eyes. Since Nico, he had been more distant. The poor woman believed Nico was a classmate, nothing more, and from her knowledge, still thought Annabeth and her son were dating.

"Mom, I-"

Taking in a deep breath, Percy recounted every of the past weeks' events. From his heart sickening breakup with Annabeth to last night's movie fiasco, Percy didn't spare one single detail. Crying through the whole explanation, he couldn't help feeling incredibly guilty.

After finishing explaining, Percy refused to meet his mother's gaze. He didn't know what to expect. A slap? Her wrath? Homophobic insults?

Instead, surprisingly enough, Sally Jackson wrapped her arms tenderly around her son's trembling figure, embracing him in a tight reassuring hug.

"It's completely okay, darling. Shh, don't cry... Here, here..." she said soothingly, rubbing comforting circles on Percy's back.

His mother didn't hate him for hiding secrets from her. His mother didn't loathe him for being distant. His mother didn't insult him for having mixed feelings about his emotions. His mother didn't disown him for kissing a boy.

His mother was the best.

And at that moment, nobody could prove him wrong, now or ever. The only thing that mattered right now in his mother's embrace was that he was loved.

*    *    *

Doors closed.

A distant voice called out goodbyes that couldn't be heard anymore.

Percy stood alone in his house's corridor, immobile.

He had the house to himself. His mother had just left to visit a retired printer.

Slipping his phone out of his pocket, he opened his messages.

Nico hadn't texted him. As unfortunate at it felt, Percy felt like he deserved it.

As he typed in a message, hoping that he'd reply, it felt hopeless.

The irresistible boy had taken his heart away with him as he left the strangely empty house last night.

Yet with all the hope left, he delivered the message.

to nico💙

percy: i'm so so sorry for last night. can we meet up again to explain?

It felt like a hopeless try.

And he was right.

Read, 11:04 AM

ello!!

so i hope u liked this chapter :D

art by viria

UvU thank u so much for the support! votes and comments mean a lot <3

beyeyeyye

-drakonator