Nico di Angelo

We were heading to NYU to check out campus and what not. Percy was planning on getting an apartment ASAP. But he was required to live on campus his first year. Or in a board cabin. With like 5 other guys.

Hot and or adorable guys.

But um... One of them knew Percy. It was really weird. But they knew each other as soon as they heard each other's names.

Percy Jackson

Nico has to leave like right away to meet up with Hazel. But the first person I saw there was a dude my age. He had auburn hair and carmel eyes. An inch or so shorter than me. But he looked excited to have another roommate.

"Hey, you made it!" This dude said, hyped up . "You're the last one here. The other four of us all kind of went school together so we came together. But you haven't missed much. Come in!"

Okay, so I'm already going to be left out. That's great.

He showed me which room was mine and I just dropped off my luggage in there before he brought me to the living room to introduce me to everyone.

"Is he here?" Another guy with bright green hair and green eyes asked and the dude I was shown around by nodded his head as I walked into the living. I saw the green haired kid, a kid who looked pretty gay, and then one dude that screamed depression. You could see the cutting scars.

"Yup!" He responded. "So this is Alex Weisman, his hair will probably be blue in a few weeks. He dyes it a lot. It's a miracle it hasn't fallen off. This is Micah Miranda, he's a pretty open book. If you're homophobic, keep it to yourself. And this," he motioned to the guy with cut up wrists who looked like death, "is Finn Schmidt. His parents came from Germany like right before he was born. And I'm Bohdi Peterson, going for a degree in animation. And you are...?"

Finn was... Wow. Okay. He's changed. And not for the better.

"Perseus Jackson." I introduced myself to them. "I hate Perseus, though. I go by Percy. Um... Yeah. I don't know what else to tell you."

"Where did you grow up?" Alex suggested.

And that was when I recognized Finn.

"Um... An apartment complex in the upper east end. Not the best part of the city." I explained to them, guilt rushing through me because Finn lived there, too. He was my neighbor. My best friend. I mean, Gabe and his dad drank together all the time. Abused both of us. I uh... Lucked out. He never did. "We moved when I was 12 over by Goode. A little nicer, still an apartment."

That's when he recognized me. And it was pretty obvious that his did hit him until the day he moved out. Which was today.

The life in him... It was gone. There was nothing to him anymore. And I felt like part of that was my fault. Nor directly. But maybe had I been there or stayed in contact with him for longer after we moved...

Maybe he'd be more like I am. Happier. I still feel like shit half of the time. But that's unrelated. Today's a good day. Tomorrow could be shitty for no reason. Who knows.

Without a word, Finn walked into his room.

"Sorry about him." Micah apologized on Finn's behalf. "He's been down lately, it's not you. He's not good with new people. He'll warm up to you, though! He lived in the upper east end until... Well, today. He transferred to our school in 2nd grade. It was a longer bus ride, but he liked it."

That was... Right after his dad started drinking. When he started going drinking with Gabe. I remember that year.

"Yeah." Bohdi assured me that I shouldn't overthink or worry too much about him right now. "We never went to his house, just with size and all. But yeah. He's been down lately. His depression is getting to him again. But he'll pull out of it. He always does!"

Despite what they were telling me, I worried. Because ten minutes went by and he wasn't coming out. I had taken to talking to Alex after Bohdi and Micah went for a grocery run.

"You look worried." Alex pointed out the obvious to me. "And I mean, I don't blame you. But really dude, don't sweat it. He has depression. Sometimes he wants to kill himself. We've been trying to pull together money to get him a therapist for his birthday. His dad uh... Beat him his entire life. His step mom didn't care and he really doesn't know his real mom. He's got problems. But they're not yours to worry about."

"No, I know that." I insisted because he really was scaring me. "I grew up with Finn. He was my neighbor. I know his dad beat him because​ his dad and my mom's ex liked to go drinking together. My mom's ex beat me, too. But I got lucky. He ended up dead and we moved. Finn and I barely ever talked after that. By the 7th grade we stopped talking. Life got busy."

"Oh!" Something clicked in Alex's mind. "Dude, you're Percy? I... Oh my God. After you moved, Finn didn't take that well. With how he reacted, people started calling him gay. Which I mean, he is gay. But he didn't come out to us until the 8th grade. So uh... Good luck, dude."

"I'll need it." I took what I could get as I walked over to the only shut bedroom door. Finn's room. I could hear him crying. Which broke my heart.

I knocked on the door and he said it was open. Letting me in.

"Hey, Finn." I said, closing the door behind me just in case. "What are the odds, right?"

"Oh, fuck you and your perfect life, Jackson." Finn snapped at me, and I almost had to step back because that... Kind of hurt.

Just because Gabe is gone...

I still want to kill myself half of the time.

"I..." But honestly, I was speechless. "Yeah, you're pissed off. Everyone hates me. What's new? I'm sorry. I didn't get to choose where we moved to. I didn't get to choose what happened to Gabe. I thought that maybe your dad would've stopped drinking once his drinking buddy died..but I guess not."

"Yeah, it just made him drink more." Finn snarked and I didn't know... I felt weird just standing there but I also wasn't sure how to comfort him. "Are you just going to stand there and be useless or..."

"Um..." My anxiety really didn't like this idea right now. "I mean, sure. I'm not food at this sort of stuff yet. That's what I'm going to school for."

"Comforting people?" That in itself sounded kind of dumb, yes.

"No," I corrected him. "I mean, that's the idea. But therapy and counselling. I like helping others out. It feels nice. I'm just... Not good with this sort of situation. The last time this happened the dude ran away and with how I was feeling I probably should've gone to therapy. but we still can't afford it. So... My life sucks, too, dude. I'm just not abused on a daily basis. I have... Other... Problems."

"Like what? Your mom wouldn't bake you a batch of cookies before you left?"

Okay, that was an asshole remark. That hurt.

Because he assumed that just because I moved. Just because Gabe it gone, it means my life is perfect and happy and I don't have problems aside maybe money problems here and there. Just...

Alex was obviously listening in to this. It was a given.

"You know, you don't have to be an asshole about the fact that I moved." I was almost on the verge of tears because it frustrated me that much. "I didn't have a choice. It was with my mom in another part of town or my... My dad, and I tried that. Thought my life would be perfect. But he found out some things and uh... Yeah. Just because Gabe isn't around... I still want to kill myself. I hope you know, Finn, that that hasn't changed."

When he didn't respond, I took that as my cue to go to my own room and try talking myself to not just like slit my throat ot something.

So none the less, when Nico called to see how moving in was going... It didn't take him long to show up. He just shadow traveled to my room. By then, the other two were back. I'm pretty sure Micah and Finn are together. I could hear them in the living room.

"Percy, oh my gods..." At least I knew he cared. Somebody gave a shit about me for one reason or another. "Are... Well, you aren't okay. That's why I'm here and all. But what happened?"

I told him between breaths what happened.

"I.... Finn..." It was hard to explain but it easily spilled out of me. "He uh... We grew up together. He was.. my neighbor. Best friend and all. Gabe and his dad... They, uh— they drank a lot together. His dad abused us and so did Gabe. We we're tight. And I guess when I moved he... Took it harder than I thought he would. But now he's back and I don't... He's pissed off​ with me. Said fuck you and your perfect life. I tried to apologize but he wasn't... He didn't want to believe that my life sucks, too. I've just pulled myself out of cutting and fasting or binging and... I just have to get over wanting to kill myself now. And it's not that often. Just... You know. When shit happens."

"He..." My boyfriend gave me a hug and I returned it, in tears at this point in time. "If he can't consider that other people are struggling, Percy, and he's making himself the victim, don't bother. Please. Because if you do, he will drag you back down right where you were. Okay?"

I nodded my head, relaxing as I realized how exhausted I was.

"Good." Nico remarked and gave me a small smile. "You looked exhausted."

Again I nodded.

"Yeah," I agreed with that statement. "A bit. Um... Could you stay here for the night? I know you probably had plans with your sister and—"

"Of course, I will." The son of Hades cut me off there. "All I did with Hazel was meet her for lunch. I'll just make sure she knows not to wait up for me for lights out. Don't worry about it, Percy. If you're having a hard time, that's what I'm here for. To support you. Most people don't do that anymore, but somebody fucking has to, right?"

I let off a small smile at how he said that.

"Yeah." I agreed. "Yeah they do."