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Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count - 542


Reaching Out and Holding On


It had been a decade.

Percy stared across the ballroom, unsure if it would be acceptable for him to cross it, to shake Oliver's hand and say hello as though they hadn't had a messy breakup all those years ago.

Especially since that break up had been on Percy.

He'd made a lot of mistakes over that year and a half, but one of the worst had been arguing with Oliver when he'd stated himself firmly on Harry's side. He should have left Oliver to have his own opinions.

He should have realised how stupid he was being, standing by the Ministry instead of the family he'd grown with and the man he loved. He probably didn't deserve any of them now, though his family had forgiven him without question.

Percy thought about the last time he'd seen Oliver in person, at the battle of Hogwarts. Sure, he'd seen him on the front of papers and such since, but the battle had been the last time they'd been so close.

He'd cast a protection spell over Oliver without thinking, the "Protego" falling from his lips before he'd even thought it through. He'd hoped there would be time afterwards, to apologise for his mistakes and make things, if not right, then better, but then Fred, and Percy had fallen apart.

George had told him over the years to contact oliver, that the brunet asked about him whenever he saw George, but Percy was stubborn. He'd done Oliver wrong and that was on him to deal with the consequences.

Looking over at his long lost love, Percy sighed. It wasn't his place to interrupt Oliver's life again.

Percy turned away, and engaged one of his colleagues, counting down the seconds before he could leave while still being polite.

"Were you really going to leave without even saying hi?"

Percy froze by the apparition point. He turned around slowly to see Oliver watching him with a tilted head and a curious expression.

"You… you're wearing your house tie," Percy blurted out. "Why are you wearing your house tie?"

Oliver blushed, his cheeks turning an attractive shade of pink. "I thought it might bring back pleasant memories for you."

"Oliver, I—"

"I miss you. I still love you and I'm done waiting for you to get the courage to come back to me and admit that you made a mistake, so… here I am. Asking you if you're ready to come home, Percy?"

Percy took a tentative step forward.

"I… you shouldn't," he whispered. "I hurt you. I hurt everyone. I messed up, and… I don't deserve you, Oliver."

Oliver sighed. "You always were harder on yourself than anyone else could be. Maybe it's not about deserving, Percy. Maybe it's about knowing what makes you happy and reaching out and holding on for all your worth. It's been ten years. Don't make me wait another ten."

Percy's lips tilted up in a smile. "Reaching out and holding on, huh?" he asked, holding his hand out.

Oliver took it immediately.

"And never letting go," Oliver whispered stepping forwards.

"I'm sorry," Percy whispered against Oliver's lips.

"I love you," Oliver returned, before he pressed their lips together.

Oliver had been right, Percy thought abstractly. This was home.


Written for;

Cheese Board; Wine; Riesling - OliverPercy

Pop Figure - Steve Rogers - 1. Stubborn / 2. Protego / 3. House Tie / 4. Long lost love.

365. 16. Decade

1000. 71. Percy Weasley