PJatO || Jercy || PJatO || Jercy || Blue as the Ocean, Blue as the Sky || Jercy || PJatO || Jercy || PJatO

Title: Blue as the Ocean, Blue as the Sky – The Very Obvious Pining of Jason Grace

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: m/m, fluff, pining

Main Pairing: Jason/Percy

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Jason Grace, Piper McLean, Leo Valdez

Summary: Jason had moved in with Leo for college. Slowly, their room turns bluer. More and more. Jason claims it's because it's 'blue as the sky', but Leo knows exactly why Jason is so into blue...

Blue as the Ocean, Blue as the Sky

The Very Obvious Pining of Jason Grace

Jason had found an elegant solution to building the temples for all the gods. With major help from Annabeth and the other demigods, because they decided to build a modern form of temples; a skyscraper, holding multiple temples on every level. And with that, he got to lead a normal life while overseeing the construction of the tall skyscraper. He got to finish high school and then, he got to go to college. Like a normal kid. He was rooming at the dorms with Leo, after all his best friend was back from the dead, thankfully enough.

Their shared room at New Rome's college dorm was not overly big, but it was enough. It was home now. Jason loved living with Leo, he loved having his own space like that, loved going to college.

"Wait. I thought you were sharing a room with Jason, not with Percy?"

Jason glared pointedly as Piper made her way into the room, looking around curiously. She had only a few days ago returned from traveling Europe. She had gone on a hiking trip for a year after high school graduation, to clear her head and to find what she wanted to do with her life.

"Ha, ha, ha", grunted Jason dryly. "Really? This is sky blue. Not ocean blue. It's my room."

"Su—ure", drawled Leo out where he was sprawled out on his own bed.

"Shut up, Valdez", growled Jason and threw a pillow at Leo.

Piper and Leo were snickering as Piper collapsed next to Leo on his bed, both of them facing Jason's side of the room. Okay, so maybe there was a lot of blue stuff in the room. Jason's curtain, the ocean-posters on the wall – it was about the sunset, not the ocean, okay – and his pillows and sheets. Other stuff too. A blue dolphin figurine, a light-blue text-marker, other small blue trinkets.

"He started buying anything that's blue", stated Leo. "I haven't eaten a single blue skittle or M&M in weeks. He sorts them all into a separate bowl so he has something to offer to Pe—ercy when he comes over for study-sessions, you know?"

"I just like the blue ones the best and he does too, so of course I share", grumbled Jason.

"Yeah, sure", snorted Leo and rolled his eyes. "I swear, he can't walk past anything blue without buying it. And if it's like... ocean-themed, he'd buy it and give it to Percy. He is literally buying him 'I saw this and had to think of you' stuff."

"So they actually started dating while I was gone?", asked Piper surprised.

"No. That's the problem", grunted Leo and rolled his eyes. "I swear, Jason is super bad at this. This room could only scream it more if he'd write it in bold letters on the wall – I love Percy Jackson."

"I am not in love with Percy!", exclaimed Jason irritated. "I swear, Leo's been getting on my nerves with that for months. I just like blue. It's a damn color, don't act like it means anything. And I buy you stuff too all the time! Look at your dragon-collection! You got a third of them from me!"

"Sure. But... it's different", sighed Leo fondly. "And you're totally oblivious to it."

"That's a mess", muttered Piper and shook her head, pointing at Jason. "You're a mess."

"I'm not a mess. Perce and I are friends", argued Jason annoyed. "Nothing more."

/break\

"Thanks for giving me a place to crash", sighed Piper as she carried in the last box.

"No problem. I got the room. Mike dropped out of college, had to move back to his dad, because he had a surfing accident", shrugged Percy with a frown. "He texted me, said it'll be okay. They just need help at the family business. But yeah, with that I need a new roommate. So your timing is absolutely excellent, because I definitely can't pay rent for this place alone."

"You have a lot of dolphins and horses, you know...?", observed Piper a bit disturbed.

Everywhere around the living room stood unicorns, hippocami, pegasi, dolphins and other blue water-themed animals. Percy blushed and ducked his head with the smallest grin.

"If they bother you, I can put them in my room. It's a... Jason-thing", shrugged Percy. "I don't know. Every time we meet, he gives me one. Saw them in a shop or something and just... bought them. I dunno. He just... He's super weird and adorable? It's cute."

"So is there... anything going on between the two of you?", asked Piper, elbowing Percy. "I mean getting random gifts is not exactly... casual, right?"

"I have no idea", sighed Percy and shook his head. "We've become like... best friends over the past year. We're super close. And I'd... I'd like to be... more. But whenever I flirt with him, he deflects, so I guess he's either not interested, or really straight."

"You're actually flirting with him?", asked Piper surprised. "And you're interested in him?"

"A lot", huffed Percy, cheeks red as they started unpacking Piper's stuff. "He's super cute and dorky. We have the same taste in music and we've been sparring and training together a lot."

Piper raised her eyebrows in surprise. She had not expected that. Seemed that Jason really needed a kick in the butt, because Percy was definitely a catch and Jason was super into him too.

/break\

Piper was sitting at the beach with her toes in the sand. She was catching a tan and eating an ice. Leo was next to her, with his head in her lap, napping. This was nice, a day at the beach together with her friends. With a happy yelp did Percy collapse on Piper's other side, a giant, happy grin on his face. He looked like a wet cat, a very happy wet cat.

"Having fun, Perce?", asked Piper with a grin, reaching out to play with his hair.

Over the past two weeks of living with Percy, Piper and Percy had grown really close. She had never expected to find such a good friend in him, but somehow the two of them just clicked.

"Ye—es. Ocean. Food. Ice-cream. Friends. Perfect", groaned Percy happily. "Good day."

"Very eloquent. So many words", chuckled Piper, flipping Percy's nose.

"Shaddap", grumbled Percy with a pout. "I'm exhausted."

"You've been swimming for the past two hours straight", yawned Leo. "Of course you are."

"I would love an ice now", sighed Percy, staring longingly up at Piper's ice.

"Oh no. No, don't even try the begging-kitten eyes. That is mine", huffed Piper.

"Bu—ut", whined Percy, just to stop when an ice was held out for him.

"Here. I saw you get out of the ocean finally and I was just getting myself a soda, so I figured you might want an ice or something", offered Jason with a smile.

Blinking slowly, Percy sat up and took the blue bubblegum ice from Jason. "...Thanks..."

Jason was still smiling as he sat down next to Percy. Blushing lightly, Percy decidedly made eye-contact with the blonde as he very daringly wrapped his lips around the ice. He had been trying subtle for months now. Pick-up lines, compliments, open leering. Maybe it was time for less subtle.

"You wanna go and pick shells with me later?", asked Percy, slowly licking his lips.

No reaction. Percy very slowly liked a stripe up the ice and wrapped his lips around the head again. Jason was still not answering, he just stared at Percy's mouth, with his own mouth hanging a little open, eyes large as he watched how Percy bobbed his head a little.

"Yo, Earth to Grace. Percy just asked you a question", grunted Leo, poking Jason.

"...Huh?", grunted Jason, shaking his head.

"Shells", offered Percy with a smile. "I wanted to pick some to decorate a picture-frame for mom. She says Paul's taking all the pictures he can of Laura, because every little thing she does amazes him. Figured it'd be nice to have a particularly pretty picture in a pretty frame."

"That's cute of you", grinned Piper. "You know! You should take a photo of yourself with Laura. I'm sure Sally and Paul would appreciate a photo of both their kids."

"That's a good idea", agreed Percy. "Especially since I moved away for college, mom's been missing me even more. And I wouldn't want my awesome sister to forget me."

"It's impossible to forget you, Perce. And I saw the last time Paul, Sally and Laura were over. She was giggling and screaming 'Pewcy!' at the top of her lungs when she saw you", huffed Leo.

Percy looked very pleased at that and ducked his head. "So? Jay? Shells?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds awesome, Perce", nodded Jason.

"Picking shells during the sunset is so romantic", sighed Piper pointedly.

"A slow walk on the beach, just two people...", sighed Leo in agreement.

"Urgh. Don't mind the peanut gallery", sighed Jason embarrassed. "They don't know what they're talking about because they're idiots. Come on. Let's go."

Percy heaved a sigh as he and Jason made their way. After a while, Percy gave up. This was romantic, should be romantic, Leo and Piper went out of their way to point it out.

"Are you... really not interested in me in that way?", asked Percy softly.

"In what way? What?", asked Jason confused, picking up a shell.

Percy sighed and straightened up. "Remember when I asked you if it hurt when you fell from Olympus? And you answered by laughing and asking if I was a real siren with a really over-the-top wink? Or when I asked if you wanted to come over for dinner and I made tagliatelle from scratch and it was literally a candlelight dinner... and you brought Reyna and Frank with you because you thought I just wanted to 'hang out'. Or that time I made you chocolate for Valentine's Day. And you said I was the 'best bro ever'. It was literally heart-shaped. It wasn't bro-colate, it was—it was boyfriend-chocolate, damn it! Urgh. I am so frustrated with you."

"...Boyfriend-chocolate?", whispered Jason stunned, dropping the shell in his hand. "Candlelight dinner? I... I thought, I don't know, you were just trying something different. A—And that was an actual pick-up line? And not the set-up for a joke?"

"Ye—es. To all of this", groaned Percy frustrated. "I like you. A lot. And with... with all the gifts you've been giving me and all the blue stuff in your room and the ocean-theme, I thought it might be a sign that maybe... maybe you would... like me back. But guess it is all 'sky-blue' after all."

"No!", blurted Jason out, eyes large. "It's not. It... It is... ocean-blue... b—because it makes me think of you and I like thinking of you because I like you. But I didn't think you liked me like that. I thought, you know, it was just... friends-stuff. But... But I do like you."

Percy grinned broadly and grabbed Jason by the collar, pulling him down into a kiss. Jason sighed happily into the kiss, pulling Percy closer as they shared their first kiss at the beach, during sunset.

~*~ The End ~*~

Author's note: This was a lot of fun! Someone being oblivious to Percy's flirting is always a nice change of pace! *grins*