Chapter Text
The icy waters of Montauk rolled over his feet, pulling the shells and sand with it as it left. No on else was on the beach. He could see the large swells of water crash against the beach south of his. The whistling winds were almost deafening, but he could still hear the occasional squak of a gull. His bright green eyes stared out into the choppy waters. Normally surfers would have been crowding this portion of the beach to catch the best waves, however not today. A hurricane was brewing out at sea, he could feel it. The sky was dark and a solid sheet of clouds.
Percy leaned down to roll up the hem of his pants, not that he needed to, it was just a thing of habit.
One of the ones he never could break no matter how hard he tried.
He thanked the gods above that this stretch of beach was secluded thanks to the high bluffs that surrounded him.
He stared up into the sky, the grey, bleak sky.
A sad smile perched itself on his lips. It reminded him of her eyes. The sharp grey, they used to never be bleak.
After they got back, it was different. Her eyes were always blocked by the same unrest that sat in his own. Neither of their eyes held any shine anymore.
Hers were just grey.
His were just green.
Percy used to think hers were silver and she'd say his matched the same kelp in his head.
They were just grey.
His were just green.
He inhaled sharply as he could feel the familiar burn in the back of his throat. It spread to his chest, his nose, and finally behind his eyes.
He didn't fight them. The tears rolled down his face without any resistance. They cut tracks in the dirt that always clung to him. His shoulders shook as he sobbed.
It hurt.
It hurt so much.
He felt his knees go weak as he collapsed.
He was the furthest thing from okay. He had stopped being okay since they came back two years ago. Percy never knew if he was really back. A voice that scratched and whispered in the back of his mind said he was still trapped. The fears and doubts shadowed his reality and it caused him to cast others aside and him to want to crawl out of his own skin.
His fingers dug into the sand and rock, it felt so real. His tanned hands grasped at the sharp feeling shells to try and get a grip. Whether it was a grip on reality or the shell itself he didn't know.
Gods, he hoped it was real.
However a sick twisted part of him wished it wasn't.
-
Percy had expected to wake up still on the Rocky beach, not on a couch. He tightened his grip on the soft blanket, looking around. He had stilled and glared to his left, before almost recoiling once he was hit with the shock of recognition.
He hadn't expected to see Nico di'Angelo asleep next to the couch. His skin was pale however the olive undertone was still there, and he could see the strongly defined collar bone peering out from his loose black shirt. His shaggy black hair fell down past his shoulders now. Curling around his neck and collar bones. The purplish bags that hung under his eyes added years to his appearance.
Nico di'Angelo didn't seem like such a kid anymore.
Percy shifted slightly and Nico was awake in an instant. His dark brown eyes staring intently in Percy's direction.
"You're awake." He stated simply.
Percy swallowed before forcing a response past his lips. "Yeah, I think so." His throat was dry- how long had he been asleep?
"I found you on the beach- not really sure why you decided that was the best place to sleep." Nico supplied as Percy looked around.
"So someone sent you-?" He asked, almost getting defensive. He hadn't seen anyone in about three months. Not even his mom and Paul.
"No, no one sent me. I was just worried. You haven't been into the camp in two years."
Percy sighed and looked down at his hands. He picked at one of the string bracelets around his wrist.
"Annabeth-" Nico began.
"Don't say her name. I don't want to think about her." Percy blurted out before taking in a deep breath.
"I'm sorry for pulling at an open wound Percy-" He did sound genuinely sorry, "but she wouldn't want you throwing everything you worked for away. She isn't dead, she's just in California."
Percy rolled his eyes and scoffed. "She doesn't give a shit about me. Not anymore. She said I couldn't move on. It was code for she didn't want to be held back, and I was the lump that couldn't cope the same way."
"Percy..." Nico trailed off. He didn't know how to reply. It wasn't uncommon for people who know about Percy and Ann- her, they were supposed to get married and have 2.5 kids together. Not have a messy breakdown (not breakup, most certainly a breakdown) that resulted in screaming and her moving across the country; and Percy deciding to be more or less homeless.
"Don't say anything. Please." Percy said, he sat upright finally and moved the blanket to his side.
Nico nodded and they sat in silence for what seemed like forever.