Percy Jackson

About a month after Jason died, a boy died in the infirmary. It was unrelated to everything going on, he had cancer. He lived at camp, his mom had the same fate years ago. He was good kid, Sam.

When he died... I mean, it's a death. People grieve, others are empathetic. It's something that happens a lot at camp.

Too much, probably.

But when Sam died, Will went off the deep end and that was it.

Nico went to get him for breakfast because it's their thing, from what I heard from Leo. They go on a walk before breakfast. I've never been there in the morning since they've gotten together, so I wouldn't know.

And I never will know. Because an hour or so after Nico got to the cabin, Chiron called to tell me that the counselor of cabin 7 was dead. Will was dead.

He killed himself, he couldn't handle the sheer amount of death anymore.

So he slit his throat, and now Nico's on watch in the Big House because he ran away the last time somebody close to him died, Chiron didn't want that happening right now. He ran away and... Lost himself.

Nico was right there. He could have reached out and been happy again.

But Will killed himself.

And it's not my fault, but when I asked how Nico was doing and Chiron told me he was cutting but it could be worse, I felt guilty. I genuinely felt like it was my fault.

To make it better, I got this call at a swim meet sitting next to my mortal best friend. One of my only friends at this school. One of my only friends who don't know about my dad and about my life.

"You're joking," I said to Chiron as we're sitting in the stands, my heat was already over, I got first, whatever. "Chiron, you have to be joking. Nico wouldn't... He didn't even do that last time."

I could see Micah look at me weird because who the hell names their kid Chiron, right?

Kronos and Philrya, that's who.

"Percy, I would never joke about such matters, you know that," Chiron insisted, and I knew he was right. "Nico... Was he close with Jason? I could never tell if they hung around with each other because they were friends or because they were both friends with Leo."

"I... Think so?" I figured, shrugging. "him and Jason were weird, I never asked because Nico stopped talking to me for the most part. He said he was going to tell me something once before I left to go home but he never tracked me down and he hasn't really called or anything. I suppose stuff isn't working, but... I don't know. Leo would know more. Is he still there, or is he in California?"

"He's on his way back, according to Reyna and the others at Camp Jupiter," Chiron assured me. "but I shouldn't keep you long, it's a Wednesday, I'm sure you're swimming. He'll be here if you want to visit."

"Yeah, I might." I assured him. "Thanks for letting me know, Chiron, I'll see you later."

"Any time, Percy."

I hung up and stuffed the burner phone in my pocket. It's the only way to not get tracked by monsters right now. Typically they're for emergencies, I guess this qualifies.

"What happened?" Micah asked. "you seem pretty bummed."

I shrugged because it's not like I can tell him.

"It's nothing."

I'm supposed to tell Naomi, Will's mom. She lives in the city, in Upper Manhattan. Unless Grover gets back from California tonight, I have to tell her.

It's the last thing I wanted to do. I can't even imagine how...

Apollo won't know for a while. I'm not sure there's even a way to get ahold of him right now. He's gods know where in California, maybe, with Meg and yeah.

That's his son.

And I can't even call Annabeth and talk to her about it. I can call, but she won't want to speak to me after I did something (I wish I knew what) or another for her to call in anger and end the relationship.

Yeah, it's been an amazing month. My friend died and my girlfriend of over a year broke up with me.

"Oh, bullshit," Micah called me on my shit, of course. That's his job as my friend. "You're not like this unless something happened."

I shrugged.

"Nothing serious," I lied, but I didn't want to get him too involved. "It'll wash over in a day, don't worry. Family friend weird stuff."

So he believed it. Our school did good with the meet, we took some photos, the bus ride home was fine. I was bummed for most of the night, externally.

Internally, I wanted to cry. I wanted to go back and tell Nico to get to Will's cabin early. To tell Will to wait ten minutes.

It was bullshit.

This life is bullshit.

We got to the school and I was standing outside of my car door. Most people had left. It was like my coach, Micah, and two other people.

I got in my car, and I started to cry.

And then I couldn't stop.

•••

Micah Anderson

"What's going on with Percy tonight?" Tyler asked me as we walked towards our car after saying goodbye to the others. "he seems... Off."

I shrugged.

"He got a call after he got done swimming," I told Tyler as we got to his car. "He seemed bummed about what was said, but wouldn't give up what it was, said it was nothing and it would blow over. I figured if he's still down tomorrow, I'd ask him again. Why?"

"Well I mean... He's just standing at his car." Tyler said. "Looking out of it."

I looked over and he was right. Percy was standing there, looking at nothing for a good 30 seconds before he got in his car and he was going to grab his keys and I don't know what happened.

We saw him wipe his face, but whatever, right?

And then he was sobbing within another you know, 30 seconds and there's four other people in the parking lot who don't know how to handle it because he's in his car and losing his shit.

But if we ask, he'll insist that he's fine and that it's stupid because that's just who he is. I hate that he's like that, but he is.

He's the heroic type.

Coach walked over to us after Anders drove off and asked if we knew anything. I told him what I knew, which wasn't much, so he called Mr. Blofis and told him that Percy might want a ride home. He's not in shape to drive or walk home any time within the next half hour, and it's late.

So Blofis came and got him and we went home. I didn't worry about it. He was school the next day.

He looked like shit.

"Hey, you made it!" I remarked as he sat by Anders, Jacob, and me. It's the same every morning. "Where were you this morning? You missed morning practice. It's build up, man."

"Yeah, I have to talk to coach," Percy said, putting his travel mug down. He doesn't drink coffee, so I don't really know what he puts in that thing. "I won't be in classes, I just have to get work for today and tomorrow. Sorry I missed practice, I had to visit someone, it was last minute. Somebody else was supposed to but they're sick, so."

We all shared a look, because Percy's never like this. He's never this out of it. He can be tired, but he's never exhausted.

Shit, he didn't look like he slept at all last night.

"You alright, man?" Anders asked. "You're never this out of it."

"Yeah," Percy insisted, lying straight through his teeth. "I'll be fine."

"I don't give a shit if you will be fine, I know you'll be fine in the future," Anders tried to explain to him. "right now, Percy. I'm asking about right now."

"I'm fine, Anders."

Anders should have left it there, and he did.

Jacob didn't see him last night, though. He's newer, he doesn't know Percy as well.

"Dude, if something's going on, it's alright," Jacob reminded him. "You can tell us, we won't—"

"What do you want me to tell you!?" Percy snapped at me, which made the three of us jump. Percy's a super cool guy, it'd be a lie to say that I didn't kind of like him (gay). When he's frustrated or upset or mad, though... It's best to stay out of his way and let him calm down because he can rip someone's head off. I don't doubt that he could murder someone, but I know he wouldn't. "do you really to want to hear that my friend slit his throat yesterday? Because something tells me that nobody wants to hear it because you didn't know him and it doesn't effect you and it'll never effect you because I doubt you'll have to deal with death until your grandma dies or some bullshit thing like that and it won't even be as bad as it could be because I've met your grandma and she's healthy so when she died you'll know it's coming because it'll be old age or some sort of weird sickness or something predictable. Because you'll have that crutch, you won't—"

He stopped himself.

"Sorry," Percy apologized, almost instantly composing himself. How he could do that, I don't know. "That was rude."

And after I registered what he said, I didn't know how to respond.

He got through almost an entire meet yesterday without crying after being told his friend killed himself.

Percy told me it was nothing when I asked him what was going on. And his friend committed suicide.

"You... It's okay, I uh... I understand." Jacob assured him. "Are... Well that's a stupid question, what... If you don't mind me asking, do you know why?"

Percy nodded his head.

"He was a doctor in training through a youth program," Percy explained. "dealt with a lot of people. Patients. And quite a few lived. But some don't and I guess he lost a little kid to cancer and... It was too much for him and it happened in the middle of the night and his boyfriend found him dead yesterday morning. They were going to go on a walk before breakfast and he was dead in his room."

"How did his mom or dad not...."

"Didn't live with them," Percy clarified. "he lives at a sort of camp for kids who don't have parents, it's a weird situation. The others in his cabin were asleep when he did it and he was quiet. He had his own room. He worked medical, so he knew how to do it, but..."

Percy shrugged.

"It's done now. He's not coming back."

The 7:45 bell went off to excuse us from the cafeteria and the others wished him well and he sat there for a second, trying to just stay calm so he can do what he has to do and go home. Probably sleep.

That's what I do when I'm sad. Watch Netflix, eat some food, and sleep.

"You gonna be alright?" I asked Percy, giving him a small rub on the back. This month hasn't been his month. I know he went to a funeral out in California about a month ago and while he was out there he was able to hang out with his of the time girlfriend, Annabeth, and they had a good time.

Until he got back here and she called him a few days later and broke up with him.

Now his other friend committed suicide.

"Yeah," Percy told me, still sounding a bit bummed. "I always am, it'll just take a week or two. I'm more worried about his boyfriend, he doesn't have much family. It was just Will and than his sister, really, and his sister lives in California. And they're not close. But I'll be fine, don't worry about it."

"I suppose," I remarked. "but we don't have school tomorrow, so you're only really missing today. Do you want me to stop by after practice and we can hang out and watch movies like we did after the uh, the breakup?"

"I'm over the breakup, Micah," Percy assured me, which was good to hear. That was one good thing. "It's okay. If you want to stop in, go for it. The funerals tomorrow afternoon, though, and I don't think you want to go to a funeral for somebody you don't know when I'll be the only person you know there."

I shrugged.

"So I'll go home beforehand," I reasoned with him. "But I'll be at your place around 5, alright?"

"Sounds like a plan."

•••

I'm back!!! It's been a fat minute since I've published anything on here, for a few reasons.

1. I don't feel comfortable just taking drawings like I used to for covers, so I had to make my own.
2. I've been doing A LOT of work on my other profile (BlackBeltBeck) with my story 'Truth or Dare' ! It'd mean A LOT if you guys popped over and checked if out, I've been kicking my ass on it, it's at over 40 chapters and ALMOST done!
3. I'm moving into our new house and these last few weeks have been really chaotic with painting / packing / moving, but we're almost in! I'm sad to leave my friends place, but I'm finally living with my parents again and it'll be nice.
4. I just work a lot man, it's summer.