Chapter Text
Nobody knew how many soulmarks someone could have, though many argued that you could continue to receive them until you ran out of skin space. Even though nobody had gotten close to figuring it out, most only had five or six outside of their family. Percy certainly wasn't.
The boy only had two marks, though he had tried numerous times to rub one off (he knew you couldn't get rid of soulmarks, they represented those that would greatly impact your life, even if you wanted the mark gone ).
The one from his mother was a light blue pencil, the mark hidden on the side of his left middle finger. He would rub it whenever he got nervous or scared, upset or angry. It would remind him to behave, to make his mom proud and prevent her from worrying. It rarely worked, but it reminded him nonetheless.
The other mark was on his stomach, an ugly turquoise can, crumpled and smushed. The skin was slashed, marks from knives, fingernails, cigarettes, anything Percy could get his hands on. When the mark had appeared, Percy hated it, but had left it alone. When he turned seven though, after Gabe had ra- , was when he began trying to get rid of it. Nothing ever worked, just scarring over, the green-blue shape morphing as the skin gained marks to keep the image.
Gabe left other marks too. Purple and red. Marring his sides and arms. Littering his neck and thighs—
While Percy was fine with his soulmark(
s
), the other kids didn't seem to like the fact. Every new school he went to, everyone found out within the week. He would have to sprint through the halls to avoid people's hands flying out to touch him, each teasing him by saying they were just trying to 'help him find his soulmate'. It was a lie, of course, they just wanted to hit him without punishment. Nothing ever happened when they
did
touch him, only the sharp sting that came with skin hitting skin.
He grumbled as he walked through the halls of Yancy Academy, dreading the start of third grade. Once classes started, he would be forced out of his room and by gym everyone would see his markless arms and legs. (He never let anyone see his torso)
Releasing a resigned sigh, Percy pushed the door to his new dorm open. This place had roommates unlike the other schools, but at least he would be going three days with only one person hitting him, so he guessed it wasn't so bad. (Gabe was only one person and he-)
The boy sitting on the bed against the right wall was startled when he walked in, almost falling off the bed. Percy froze in the doorway, hand still holding the knob.
"Uhh, hey?" He stepped in, hurrying to the other bed to drop his bag on the blankets. He tried to avoid looking at the other boy, but his soulmarks were practically glowing as they danced up his arms and neck, standing out like neon against his dark skin.
Different flowers and plants weaved across his skin, the petals ranging from an electric blue to a creamy orange. The only mark that wasn't a plant of some sort was the golden snake circling his left calf.
Percy caught himself staring, eyes darting up to the other boy. He was staring at him, a small smile on his tilted head. "What are yours?"
He stiffened. "Oh, uh a pencil. From my mom." He held his hand out, dropping his pointer finger to show off the mark. He didn't mention his other one, he had decided long ago that one didn't count. (He never stopped trying to get it off)
The kids brows furrowed but didn't comment on it. He just smiled an action that caught Percy off guard and stood, holding his hand out. Percy couldn't repress the flinch. The boy's lips pressed together but again remained silent. "I'm Grover. Nice to meet you."
Percy hastily grabbed the hand, trying and failing to recover from his mistake. "Percy, you-"
He yanked his hand back, holding his wrist to his chest like Grover had burned him. He realised he was being dramatic, the numbing tingling so alien to him that he mistook it for one of those prank buzzers people so often used.
His eyes widened as he watched Grovers wrist erupt in colour, teals and blues braiding together to form a bracelet of flowers. He had never seen a mark form before, much less a mark from him. It was magical.
Grover watched as well, though much less mystified. He smiled up at him, green-brown eyes bright as the marks on his skin. "We're soulmates! Awesome!"
Percy just stared at him, face cosplaying a fish to perfection. It was like his brain had short-circuited, scrambling to reconnect the wires.
He numbly glanced down at his own wrist. The one connected to the same hand his mom's mark was. The mark looked just like Grovers, though now he could see it in much better detail.
Leaves and petals covered his left wrist, about two inches thick. He stared at the mark, breath freezing in his lungs. He had a soulmate . A soulmate outside of his mom.
(Gabe flashed through his mind, what he said and did, where his hands went-)
Percy realised Grover was rambling, "We're soulmates! How cool is that ? What are the chances ?"
"I-uh really-really co-cool."
Percy knew he should be excited, and he was, really. But Soulbonds weren't always good . They just showed that the person would impact your life. The impact being good wasn't guaranteed. Percy had learned that the hard way.
Looking at Grover, the boy didn't seem bad or mean, but his mom had always said to never judge a book by its cover.