It's ten minutes to two in the afternoon and Percy carefully parked his sportscar in front of the Aphros Café. He killed off the engine and Luke got out from the passenger's side, running around and opening the door for the driver. Percy only shook his head at the gesture, leaning up for a quick kiss as he locked the car.
Silena greeted them at the front door, red-painted lips set in a smile. "Afternoon, dears."
"Afternoon, ma'am," Luke grinned back, walking hand-in-hand with Percy into the shop. Days flew by easily and Percy seamlessly wove his way into Luke's life.
"Hi," Percy received a hug from the café owner as Luke went ahead to the staff room to change into his uniform.
When Luke returned to the main room, Percy was on his phone. The few sentences he caught as he came near brought worry into his mind.
"– not busy, no… R-Right now?" Percy's hand tapped an anxious beat against his legs. "I'm at a café – no! I mean, I could meet you somewhere else. Anywhere else – the Italian place down James Road? Yeah, okay, I-I'll meet you there in fifteen. Okay. Bye."
The call terminated and Percy's green eyes turned to Luke. "My dad wants to see me."
Luke tried to tone down his shock. It's been eight days since Percy came to live in his apartment and all those times Percy's dad never made contact. Luke kept optimistic thoughts regarding the matter – maybe this Paul Jackson guy was really taking his time to come to terms with things, but now that the guy was going to actually make contact with Percy again Luke couldn't help the teeny tiny bit of pessimism that seeped in. Still, he knew that Percy needed him to be supportive right now more than anything else.
He stepped closer and gave the teen a confident smile. "Go, then. I'm sure things will work out." Percy tried to smile and Luke pulled him into a hug. "You'll be fine. Call me afterwards, okay?"
Percy nodded as they stepped apart. "I will."
"You alright honey?" Silena appeared beside them having assisted a few customers for a moment, her pretty face showed great concern. She'd been in on the whole situation regarding Percy coming out and she'd been ecstatic about Luke getting together with the guy.
"My dad wants to talk," Percy told her. "I should get going."
"Good luck," Silena squeezed Percy's shoulder as the young man went past her, out of the café and into his car.
As Percy drove away, Luke offhandedly asked the store owner. "Personal question, Silena, how'd you know that Charles was the one?"
The dark-haired woman shot her employee a curious gaze before turning her eyes to the gold engagement ring on her left hand. "There's no sure way to say… It's different for everyone but you'll just know it when you've found your match…" Her light-colored eyes settled back on Luke. "Do you think Percy's the one?"
"I wish," Luke replied. "I don't think I can take it if he finds someone else."
Silena smiled and gave the tall blond a pat on the shoulder. "Then don't give him a reason to."
-o-o-o-
It's seven in the evening and Luke's shouting for his boyfriend to hurry up. "Percy come on, I'm logging in!"
"I'm trying to look decent, geez, wait a sec!" It took another minute before the green-eyed man got out from the bedroom, heading over to the living room couch where Luke had set up his laptop. He settled down just as the video call connected.
On the screen, with lacy cream curtains as a background were an old couple with gray streaks in their hair and softly-lined faces. The woman had faded blond hair just like Luke's and the man had shining blue eyes just like Luke's.
"Hi, dad. Happy birthday, mom," Luke greeted, wrapping an arm around Percy's waist and pulling him over.
"Thank you, dear," the old woman smiled. "How're you doing? And who's that with you? Is that Percy?"
Luke grinned in return, catching the blush on Percy's cheeks. "Mom, Dad, this is Percy Jackson, my handsome, incredible, dashing, adorable, lovely, –
"Luke, shut up," Percy attempted to push the older man away but Luke only held onto him tighter, pressing a kiss to the side of his head as a sort of apology.
"My boyfriend," Luke summarized. "Percy, meet my folks – May and Herman Castellan all the way from dear old Connecticut."
"It's nice to meet you," Percy said, meeting the couple's gaze through the web cam. "I would just like to apologize for your son not being there right now."
"Oh come on, not this again," Luke rolled his eyes. "I already explained it to them, Percy."
"Still, it makes me feel bad and I won't feel better unless I get it off my chest."
May Castellan's laugh rang clear through the speakers. "Oh boys … As I understand, Percy has his year-end finals coming up…"
"Yes," the green-eyed man confirmed. "I told Luke I'd be fine – I could spend the weekend at my parent's house but your son is really stubborn, ma'am."
"That just means we raised him right, then," a playful grin was on old Mr. Castellan's face. "He does have a pretty good reason for staying. Great to finally see you, Percy – even if it is just through the internet."
"Thank you, sir," Percy managed a smile.
"I don't know, honey, my birthday isn't complete without my baby boy around," May feigned a bit of hurt, looking from her husband to the screen. "No offense, Percy…"
"I promise I'll make it up to you, next year," Luke said. "And I did send my gift – Percy helped me choose, by the way."
"That's sweet, darling, but still," May Castellan's eyes glinted with something like mischief through the screen. "You have to promise to bring Percy next year when you visit. Is that clear?"
"Yes, mom."
-o-o-o-
They're down to the last couple of seconds of December 22nd but Thalia's birthday party showed no signs of stopping just yet. Friends, co-workers, and friends of friends were gathered at the DJ's spacious condo suite where rock music blasted from the stereos and free-flowing drinks poured from the tables which also carried a lot of snacks.
In one corner of the room, Juniper was clutching Bianca and both teens were crying their heart out at a movie on TV – how they heard the dialogue over the music, nobody knew. Not far from them was Grover, passed out and snoring with his face covered with marker doodles. The (un)guilty parties were rolling on the floor in laughter, Nico di Angelo was banned from alcohol but the Stoll brothers showed him that he could have wicked fun without being inebriated.
Out at the veranda of the twenty-second storey condo unit, Clarisse found herself in the company of Chris the bartender. Their conversation was a quiet one, sheltered as they were from the rest of raucous party by great glass doors.
The main event was happening at the island counter at the center of the room where more than a dozen party-goers were gathered around the birthday celebrant who was currently lying on the tabletop in her bra and leather jeans.
"Come on, Zoë!" Thalia was shouting from her position, electric blue eyes wild with intoxication. "It's my goddamn birthday – you do as I fucking say!"
"This is absurd!" Zoë protested, her tan cheeks colored bright pink.
"Just one shot, baby girl!" Thalia's drunken wheedling was somehow audible over the chanting of the crowd. "Do it or I send those dorm pics to your dad!"
The deep set eyes of the hesitant woman widened like the moon. "You told me you deleted those!" She grabbed Thalia by the shoulders and hoisted her up. "We had a deal!"
"Whoopsie," the half-naked celebrant smirked with no remorse whatsoever, she brushed off Zoë's hands and laid back down. "Just do the body shot and we'll forget about everything." She turned her gaze towards the other bartender present. "Kelli lay it on me!"
The brunette complied, smearing salt on Thalia's flat stomach, a two-inch stripe above the belly button piercing. Kelli set a slice of lemon between Thalia's teeth and then filled up a shot glass with tequila.
Zoë defeatedly took the glass from Kelli and leaned over the island counter, supporting herself with one hand gripping the edge. The crowd erupted to chants of her name as she licked up the line of salt, downed the shot and took the slice of citrus from Thalia's lips.
"That's more like it!" The birthday girl applauded, sitting up. "Boo yeah!" A slice of lemon hit her on the face.
"Why am I even friends with you?" Zoë asked amidst laughter, giving back the empty shot glass.
Thalia picked off the citrus and proceeded to suck on it. "Because we are secretly in lesbians with each other, that's why."
Zoë just rolled her eyes and helped her friend off the table. "Whatever."
"Love you, too, pumpkin," Thalia winked, throwing the lemon wedge onto a nearby trash bin. She turned to her other guests who all had a drink in hand. "Alright, who's next?"
There were a lot of pointing and hiding. Luke pulled Percy's hand up. "Percy volunteers!"
"Fuck no," the green-eyed college student yanked his hand away, nearly spilling his glass of gin.
"Percy!" Thalia squealed, parting the crowd and grabbing the young man by the shoulder.
"But I don't want to!" Percy protested, pulling his jacket a bit tighter around himself as the celebrant dragged him towards the island counter.
"Don't worry, Luke's not gonna let you do it alone," Silena added, pushing the blond forward.
"Alright," Thalia's free hand latched onto Luke's shoulder. "So who's gonna do the drinking and who's gonna lie half-naked?"
Percy was completely red in the face and Luke was sure it wasn't just because of the alcohol. "I think I'm gonna have to take this one lying down," Luke said, a private smirk directed at his boyfriend as he loosened the skinny tie around his neck. He handed his beer bottle to Kelli and started undoing the buttons on his shirt, eliciting boisterous clapping from the other party goers.
"Oh my god," Percy covered his face with one hand and turned away, possibly intending to run but Thalia's grip on his shoulder was vice-like.
Luke hefted himself onto the tabletop, making a 'come closer' gesture at Percy with his pointing finger as he settled onto his back.
"I'll hold your drink for you," Silena said, suddenly appearing beside Percy. The guy gave up the glass with a wry smile and stepped towards the center with yowls of approval backing him up.
Kelli's red lips were poised in a smirk as she dabbed the same line of salt on Luke's muscled abdomen, setting a new slice of lemon between Luke's teeth.
Light blue eyes caught Thalia whispering into Percy's ear but Luke couldn't hear it properly over the wild cheering going around.
Finally, Percy had the shot glass in his hand and he went to stand beside Luke, irises a mere band of green around blown out pupils. Luke shivered, meeting that heated gaze as he set both hands under his head. On the sidelines, he saw Thalia smirking but his attention zeroed back in on his boyfriend when Percy laid wet lips on his stomach.
If it wasn't for the fruit in his mouth, Luke would've let out an embarrassingly loud moan. Percy wasn't an exhibitionist as far as he knew but damn that tongue on his skin was a fucking tease and – oh shit Percy's sucking his way up that stripe of – fuck. Luke had to close his eyes, trying vainly to stop the rush of heat to his crotch. His eyes snapped open not a second later and Luke found Percy straddling his waist. On top of an island counter. Holy – He grabbed his boyfriend by the hips, attempting to steady the guy's risky position.
Luke wanted to ask how the hell Percy got up there but then Percy downed his shot of tequila and arched over him, pulling off the wedge of lemon from Luke's mouth and replacing them with his lips.
A deafening roar of catcalls and wolf-whistles came from their audience but Luke could only focus on Percy's body on top of him, Percy's tongue in his mouth, Percy. His arms wrapped themselves around the warm body over his, pulling the teen flush against him as he kissed back. Percy moaned into him, hands tangling into Luke's hair as the man slid his hands down his back right to his jean-clad ass. Luke's large hands followed the perfect curve of Percy's ass and squeezed.
The kiss broke with a gasp that was barely audible over the cheers of the crowd that surrounded them.
"You okay?" Luke asked, carefully sitting up and maneuvering Percy onto his lap
"I – yeah, I'm," Percy tore his gaze away from Luke's exposed chest and kiss-swollen lips, bashfully meeting light blue eyes. "I'm good."
Luke searched Percy's face but before he could comment Thalia popped up beside them.
"Holy shit, guys!" the DJ cried, she had Percy's (now empty) glass of gin in one hand and a hundred dollar bill in the other. She slapped the bill onto Percy's hand, "I think its worth double the original wager!"
"You did that for a dare?" Luke grinned a little, raising his brows as he cupped Percy's face.
The teenager gave a small shrug, his pretty face covered with a sheepish expression. "It was fifty bucks."
Luke leaned in but Percy moved back, nearly falling off the countertop if not for the strong arm around his waist.
"S-Sorry," the dark-haired teen said, flushing an even deeper shade of red. "Can you help me down?"
Confusion lasted for only a moment on the blond's face when he saw the self-consciousness that had crept into his boyfriend's posture. "Yeah, alright." Luke held Percy by the hand as the younger man climbed off of him.
"Don't we get an encore?" Silena's voice came from the crowd.
"Sorry, ma'am," Luke shouted as Thalia began to pull random people towards the island counter for another round of body shots.
Luke fixed up his clothes and went through the dozen or so people that were packed around the table. His eyes hastily scanned the area, zoning in on the flutter of the edge of a familiar jacket that just went into the kitchen. He composed himself and then followed in.
A glass of water clinked as it hit the chrome tabletop, the shadow of a twenty-year-old man cast over it.
"I overdid it earlier," Luke said as he stepped into the room. "Sorry."
Percy looked up, a hint of a smile on his lips. "That makes two of us, then…" He extended his hand and Luke took it, moving closer. They stood face to face, both hands clasped together. Percy lifted his chin and closed his eyes.
It was an invitation and Luke didn't hesitate in taking it. Softly, he pressed their lips together, tasting an almost nauseous mixture of alcohol between the two of them but with Percy's warmth seeping into him, he felt calm. He saw a familiar hunger in his lover's green eyes when they parted.
"I'm ready, Luke," Percy whispered, entwining their fingers. "I want you tonight, all of me – it's yours."
Chest to chest, Luke felt the wild beating of the teen's heart, his own heart not far behind. They've been taking things slow, Luke himself wanted to take things slow for Percy's sake, but with those words leaving those red-kissed lips now…
"Tonight?" Luke asked for a lack of anything more substantial to say.
Percy nodded, biting at his lower lip.
"Thalia's got three spare bedrooms in this place," a voice says from beside them. Both men turned to find Zoë standing in the doorway.
"We're you eavesdropping on us, Miss Ivy League?" Luke quirked a brow, admittedly a little embarrassed that someone had walked in on their discussion.
"I'm just saying," Zoë shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips. "It's not unusual for couples to get in the mood during parties like this, why'd you think Thalia got this big ass place all to herself anyway?"
Percy rested his head against Luke's chest. "You sure Thalia won't mind if we borrow a room for the night?"
Zoë laughed. "She'd be offended if you didn't. I suggest the third room; the first two don't have proper locks on their doors."
It was with a bit of sneaking around that Luke and Percy made their way towards the said guest rooms, everyone was busy but they were pretty sure one or two sets of eyes followed them with knowing gleams. They got to the third door and Percy pulled off Luke's tie, to his boyfriend's amused chuckling Percy re-tied the garment around the doorknob. Luke wrapped an arm around the teen's slim waist and opened the door – they went inside just as a loud wave of cheers came from the group doing body shots.
With the door locked behind them, Luke had Percy against the wall, lips and tongues engaged in a heated dance. Fingers busied themselves with undoing buttons and zips, hands pushing off anything and everything that blocked the contact of skin on skin. Discarded clothes trailed the path towards the bed, its red covers bathed in shadows and moonlight.
Percy pushed Luke onto his back, lying on top of bedsheets soft enough to sink in. He climbed the older man, settling over him in a position mimicking their places at the island counter earlier. Chests rose and fell in a hastened rhythm, eyes locked together with a sense of finality.
Luke reached out and cupped Percy's cheek, pulling the teen to him. Percy arched low, meeting hungry kisses, his own hands exploring their way to familiar territory down south. A hot moan came from Luke as Percy gripped his shaft in a tight circle, hand moving up and down with clear purpose. Feverish whispers assaulted his ears as he returned the gesture.
Their positions were soon reversed, Luke rolling them over until Percy lay at the center of the bed, ebony hair messy and smooth sweat-covered skin near-glimmering under the moonlight – a breath-taking sight in its own right, even more so with the rose red sheets surrounding it now.
"Percy…" Luke breathed reverently. He would never be not in awe of this beautiful man.
Green eyes met his a little belatedly; Percy's smile never lost its shy quality that made Luke's heart beat a little faster. The tip of a pink tongue peeked between his parted lips as Percy stared up at Luke. "Let's do this, Luke…"
"Okay…" Luke kissed those inviting lips. "Okay." He climbed off the bed, went straight for his discarded pants, pulling out two packets from his wallet.
Percy caught the items thrown at him, opening the first one without hesitation. Luke sidled up beside him, melding their mouths together in a deep kiss as Percy slipped the condom onto him. Luke sat back, hoisting Percy's legs onto his shoulders, ripping open the sachet of lube – squeezing it onto his fingers and coating his dick.
Their breaths sounded unnaturally loud in the privacy of their room – the rowdy party outside notwithstanding.
When Luke pushed inside, it was like being reborn anew. Like he'd become a whole new person entirely. Looking into Percy's half-lidded eyes, he knew the teen felt the same; like they'd become one.
Leaning over, Luke found his face captive between Percy's hands, nimble fingers carding through his blond hair as Percy pulled him into a deep kiss.
"Does it hurt?" Luke asked once they parted, admittedly a bit cautious about his movements.
"It's fine," Percy smiled wide. "You're fine. God, Luke, the feel of you inside…" He surged up and kissed the man on top of him.
Luke took his cue, one hand on Percy's leg on his shoulder and the other on Percy's hip; he slowly rocked in and out.
Slow turned to fast turned to desperate turned to stock still.
Percy gasped out something that vaguely sounded like Luke's name, clutching the man closer as he shot his load.
Luke's vision turned white, the fire that burned in his veins exploding like fireworks to rival the fourth of July's. He squeezed his eyes shut, biting down on Percy's neck as he lost control of himself, climaxing deep within his lover.
They're both sweaty and sated, lying side by side attached at the lips, limbs entwined. Red sheets cover them and everything was perfect.
-o-o-o-
It's fifteen minutes past eight, too early for Luke to be up on a Thursday but he needed to buy groceries since his fridge was all out. He wore his hoodie up, hands in its pockets as he waited for the stoplight to change.
Now, Luke wouldn't deny that he was still maybe a little groggy – he did work up to four in the morning, but if there was something Luke was definite of no matter how out of it he was, it was the face of his boyfriend.
The face of his boyfriend cruising past in an unfamiliar car with a guy who looked like a male model behind the wheels certainly brought Luke to attention. His light blue eyes narrowed, Luke stared at the fire-red Mustang driving away.
Luke, wide awake now, could hear his heart pounding louder and louder in his ears because Percy wouldn't. Percy wasn't like that.
He took out his phone and speed-dialed one.
Percy was at his University. Just like he always was on weekdays – going to his classes, studying to be a marine biologist, maintaining his 3.5 GPA.
"Hey, Luke," Percy's chipper voice came from the other end. "It's a bit too early for you to be up, isn't it?"
"I'm out of Lucky Charms," Luke replied. "And I thought your class doesn't start until one? Get that library book yet?"
"The book's out 'til tomorrow. I'm–" Percy paused and Luke started praying "I'm with a friend; we're on our way back to the campus. Morning coffee run."
"Oh." Luke squashed down the nagging instinct in his gut. "I'll see you on the weekend, then. I love you, Percy."
Percy made a kissing noise from his end. "Love you, too. Oh! And buy me some of that fruit yogurt you got last week – I liked them. Okay?"
"No problem," Luke managed.
"You are the best! I'll see you, Saturday, bye!"
"Bye…" Luke ended the call, eyes staring up the road that the Mustang took.
The University went the other way.
They've been together three years. This wasn't happening right now.