Story: That Stupid Red Umbrella

Requestee: Fanless

Pairing: Luke/Percy (THIS MEANS BOYXBOY PEOPLE! NO LIKEY NO READ-Y!)

Word Prompt: Five Red Umbrellas

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, I do not own these characters. There! Are you happy now, you stupid lawyers?

A small sigh escaped Percy as he watched umbrellas walk by through the window of his shabby second floor apartment. The rain was pouring, and yet no one's day seemed to end. The rain didn't stop them from going about their lives, totally oblivious to the fact that, not even a week before, a good man, a man that Percy loved, died to save them all. He rested his head against the windowpane, and sighed.

Ocean eyes scanned the crowd… and widened at the sight of a lone red umbrella. Jumping to his feet, Percy dashed down the stairs and onto the street… only to catch sight of the red haired youth beneath the red umbrella. A self-mocking laugh slipped past the black haired boys lips, and he shook his head. He wasn't the only one that would have liked those stupid red umbrellas. It was statistically impossible. Even Percy knew that. He still remembered the times that a red umbrella had given him away, though.

Percy was in pain. His ankle was throbbing, and a small hiss slipped past his lips. It was raining—it wasn't SUPPOSED to rain at Camp Half-Blood, but the gods had decided that they wanted it to rain. It figured. And because of the rain, he'd ended up falling and hurting his ankle. Damn the gods and their twisted sense of humor. Percy sat on the ground, his injured ankle in front of him as he tested it. He winced. Yeah, it hurt. Probably sprained. And he was getting soaked.

At that moment, the rain stopped pouring down on him. Percy looked up, to see a pair of concerned blue eyes and a bright red umbrella. "Alright there, Percy?" Percy grimanced, and looked to the side. You would think that the rain would make him better. But, this time it wasn't the case. Rain seemed to be different than rivers.

"I think I sprained my ankle." Luke knelt, handing Percy the umbrella without a word as he gently lifted the younger male's leg. "This hurt?" A small hiss slipped past Percy's lips, as he held that ridiculously red umbrella above them. "Well, you've definitely sprained it—I don't think it's broken, though." He smiled at Percy, and for a moment, he thought his heart would stop beating. The scar definitely didn't take away from Luke's handsomeness.

"I'll carry you." Before Percy could protest, he was lifted, bridal style, by the other male. Percy grunted, and turned his head away, before glancing up. "It's a stupid umbrella." Luke just laughed, understanding.

Percy chuckled softly to himself, his eyes closing. That stupid umbrella became their little joke. He sighed, before he started back into the apartment.

Percy leaned against the tree, watching Luke sleep. The umbrella was sitting next to him—a new one, still red. It made him think of that day, when he'd first thought of Luke in a way that was more than friendly. Percy hesitated, before he leaned down and pressed a light kiss to the other males lips.

Even after Luke had almost killed him, that Umbrella had meant something.

Percy gasped when he saw who was standing outside the window at his mother's home. His eyes narrowed, and went to the red umbrella he was holding. A moment's hesitation followed, before he let in the man that had nearly killed him. "What are you doing here?"

"Percy… I'm sorry." Blue eyes couldn't meet, wouldn't meet. It hurt Percy, to know that Luke couldn't even face what he'd almost done. Percy shoved Luke back. "Who should I for-" "You wouldn't have let me leave, otherwise." Percy blinked… before his eyes widened in realization, and he flushed. Had Luke noticed all the stolen glances, the longing looks? "… How long have you known?"

Luke shook out his umbrella. "Since the beginning. I was sure after you snuck that kiss, when you thought I was sleeping." Percy's blush only deepened. He'd been sure the other male wouldn't wake. He looked away, sure that the other male would hate him. So imagine his surprise when his head was turned, and a gentle kiss was pressed against his lips.

A small spasm of pain made his heart clench as he remembered the last time he saw a red umbrella. The day Luke ended his own life.

It was raining again. Broken statues, scattered bodies, all surrounded the group of people. They were circled around a body—the body of the young man who had been their enemy… until the last moment when he ended his own life to save theirs. Annabeth was sobbing, her body bent across the motionless chest of her long-time crush. No one noticed Percy as he stood, and walked away from Luke, tears falling silently from ocean depths.

As he raised his eyes from the ground, they widened. A few feet from him, a bright red umbrella—a beacon of light amidst the gloom—rolled away, the only witness to the sorrow that filled Poseidon's son.

Percy sighed, and pushed open the door to his apartment. His eyes were on the ground, and he as he passed the closet, a flash of red caught his eye. He gasped, the sight of the red umbrella leaning against the wall like a lightning bolt through his chest. His head snapped up at the small chuckle from down the hall. Standing there, looking more marvelous than ever before, was Luke.

With a cry, Percy threw himself into the male's arms, and buried his head into the male's chest. Strong arms wrapped around him, and for the first time since Nico told him that Hades' had given Luke a second chance at life, he felt the hope he hadn't dare examine burst inside him, and morph into that so very familiar emotion of love.

"I missed you." Luke's words were soft, sweet as he held Percy close.

Percy laughed, and looked up at Luke through teary eyes. "I missed you, and that stupid red umbrella too!"