Stone Walls (Jercy AU)

PERCY

Dr. Chiron's words rang through Percy's mind. As much as he wanted to let Jason in, Percy didn't have the slightest clue how to start. It never occurred to him how hard it is to actually give yourself to someone - to let them love and care for you unconditionally. However, his thoughts didn't last very long when he walked out of the building. His breath hitched, not expecting to see Jason's dark blue car parked outside the building. Jason stood there, in all his golden boy attractiveness, leaning against the hood of the car, scrolling through his phone. 

Here goes nothing, Percy thought and took a deep breath as he walked over to the blue Honda. Jason must've heard Percy approaching because he lifted his head up and walked towards Percy as well. They stopped just a few inches apart from each other. Percy was about to apologize for the way he had been acting, but Jason had a different plan.

"I've been avoiding you," he said blandly. Percy nodded. "You probably already knew that, but I'm sorry. I feel like I just blurted out something I should have been more careful with saying. I hope it didn't make you feel any sort of way or if you feel like I just pushed it onto you. I guess these feelings are new to me, too because I've never . . . I don't think I have ever, well, liked a boy before. I'm sorry, my mind has been going crazy with this."

Percy studied Jason's face. He looked distraught, like he was going crazy trying to fix whatever was between them. It made Percy feel like a jerk for making him feel that way because he never meant to. He just never expected that Jason Grace - football player, golden boy of the school, and notorious for his impression on the girls at school - would ever fall for him. Percy thought he might have just been having a very long dream of everything that has happened in the past week between him and Jason. But then when Percy looked deeper into his eyes, he realized just how lost he probably was. Liking a boy isn't something he's used to. Did Jason ever even admitted to himself that he's gay? Or maybe even bisexual? Percy wanted to jump off a cliff for making it harder on Jason, when he of all people in Jason's life should know how difficult it can be to realize your sexuality.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," Percy said softly, giving Jason a small genuine smile.

"You don't feel like I just threw my feelings in your face? Like, I know you're trying to get better and you're doing great and I don't ever want to mess that up for you so I understand -"

Percy let out a laugh and Jason started to blush, his cheeks brushed in a faint pink. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, but I . . .," Percy hesitated and looked down at his black Vans, "I feel the same."

"Really?" Jason beamed, grinning widely. Percy nodded and a gust of cool evening breeze whisked through the air, making Percy shiver.

"We should go before your mom gets worried," Percy laughed.

"Oh, she already texted four times."

The ride home was somewhere between awkward and tranquil. Percy felt relieved that Jason returned the feelings he had for him, but it was also like, what were they supposed to say now? Do they talk about why they feel the way they do? Or if they want to be together or not? Percy definitely knew they wouldn't have kissed because that would've been really rushed. He knew Jason wasn't ready, and he probably wasn't ready either.

Throughout the entire car ride, Percy found himself stealing glances at the blonde haired boy in the driver's seat. He took in his sharp jawline, the scar above his lip from when he fell years ago. He also noticed how close their hands were that Percy could practically see the sparks between them. Maybe he was overreacting, but maybe he wasn't. Maybe this is the start of something new for Jason and Percy. Maybe this was another good thing Percy could add to his blessings.

"So I was wondering," Jason said slowly, glancing over at Percy and then back at the road, "I was wondering if you would wanna watch a movie together sometime."

"You and me?" Percy asked in disbelief. Was Jason asking him on a date? Was it a date? Or was it just two friends going out together? All this overthinking is really starting to cloud Percy's mind.

"Yeah. I think it would be a nice way to, you know, figure this out together."

Together. Percy liked the sound of that.

As the two walked into the front door of the house, Beryl immediately bombarded them with questions. "Where have you two been? Jason, I texted you more than twice."

Percy opened his mouth to speak but Jason beat him to it. "I'll explain, mom. I promise."

"I'm sorry," Percy said. "Won't happen again."

"Mhm," Beryl replied, looking inquisitively between the two. "Well, you boys better wash up before dinner and wake Thalia up. She's been napping for hours. I'm trying this butter chicken curry tonight."

"Sounds good, mom," Jason laughed. He turned to Percy. "Do you want to shower first?"

"No, no. It's fine, you can go first."

Jason nodded and headed into his room to grab his towel and clothes. Percy walked into the guest room, now full with his personality radiating off the walls. The walls were blue, the bedsheets were blue with some wave designs on them. Pictures and pop culture posters were hung up and plastered to the walls. By his bed was a small bedside table with a lamp, some Vaseline, and a small framed picture.

He sighed and dropped his bag onto the floor. He sat down on the edge of his bed and picked up the picture on the table. It was a picture of him and his mom on his fourteenth birthday, the last birthday he spent with her before the leukemia progressed. She was already diagnosed then and was already on treatment. She had started losing her hair so she shaved it a few weeks before the fourteenth birthday party. She had a satin head scarf covering her head. Her eyes were weary and she had some dark circles starting to develop. Her cheekbones and jawline showed more because the treatment made her lose weight. However, despite all of that, her smile lit up the room that day. Thalia and Grover came over with their mothers to spend the day with Percy and his mother. Gabe had been off on some trip with some of this drunkard friends. They had cut a chocolate fudge cake covering in blue frosting and "Happy birthday Percy" written on it in green frosting. Percy looked like the happiest little child ever with his tousled black hair and his green eyes bright with life. For years, Percy couldn't remember who that boy was. He had dug himself so deep into this hole of depression, loneliness and self-hatred.

Percy smiled as a single tear rolled down his right cheek. How he missed his mom. The things he would do just to be in her embrace again, but he now knew everything happens for a reason. As hard as it was, he was finally doing better now and he knows his mom would be so proud of him and that was all he needed to remember. 

Percy looked up when he heard a knock at the door. "Come in," he said rubbing his eyes and sniffling slightly.

Jason's head popped in. "Shower's all yours," he beamed. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw Percy sitting there, eyes slightly red and cheeks flustered. "Everything okay?"

Percy sniffled and smiled. "Yeah, I'm alright."

"Are you sure? We can talk if-"

"I promise I'm okay," Percy smiled.