Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Luke found out, wasn't half-bad. She was a very easy person to talk to, even though she was prone to babbling off-topic. She took Luke and Percy to a restaurant that had an amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean; their seafood paella was supposedly (quote, unquote) to die for.
"So how long have you two been together, if you don't mind me asking," Rachel sipped on her glass of red wine. She had forgone her blazer and had wiped off most of the make-up she'd worn during the day; she looked utterly relaxed in just her white shirt and bright yellow ascot tie.
"Seven," Percy answered with the sweetest smile on his lips as he met Luke's eyes. "Seven years."
"That's funny, he wouldn't have been a part of that two-timing gig you did, would he?" said Rachel in a joking manner but Luke detected a bit of hurt in her words.
Percy looked sad as he apologized. "He didn't have a part in that, Rachel. It was all me and I'm still very sorry about what happened."
"Oh, Percy, it's seriously alright, I'm over it." The redhead sat back. "Oh, but what about what's-her-name? Annie Belle?"
"Annabeth," Percy corrected. "I ran into her a few times. She's taking up a master's degree in architecture in Berlin as far as I know." His eyes travelled to the placard that hung at the corner of the room, leading off into a hallway. "Um, would you guys mind if I leave for a moment? I have to use the bathroom."
"Go right ahead," Luke smiled, leaning in to capture Percy's lips in a quick kiss as the latter stood up.
"I'll be right back." And with that, Percy went off, leaving his partner and his ex sitting together at a table.
"How come I've never heard of you before?" Rachel asked as a waiter refilled her wine glass.
"Percy and I got together the summer before he went to University," Luke answered, emptying his own glass and handing it over to their server.
"Did he tell you about me? About that gig?" Rachel's green eyes bore into him.
"He came crying to me when you and Annabeth dumped him," said Luke, leveling a most neutral expression on the woman before him. "I'm not saying what he did was excusable – it was wrong of him to do that to you girls – but the way you reacted wasn't very exemplary either."
"Yes, well, I'm sorry about it but that's all in the past now – I'm over it."
"You're not."
Eyes green like poison ivy narrowed at Luke. "Excuse me?"
"It doesn't take a Ph. D. to see that you're not 'over it'," Luke stated, keeping his calm tone. "If you'd really put it behind you, you wouldn't be grilling me about it right now. Percy's moved on, Rachel."
"He was my first boyfriend."
"He's moved on."
Rachel was first to break eye contact, staring down at the remains of her paella. She worried her glossy pink lips before she found the courage to speak. "Seeing him with you – I can't help but notice how obviously happy he is. He's almost radiating from it… He was never like that with me."
Her tone was subdued and Luke never could stand seeing a pretty girl cry. He placed his hand over Rachel's, a comforting gesture to show that there was no animosity between them in spite of the situation. "That isn't something you should beat yourself over for. What happened before between you two wasn't ideal but Percy would never want to see you like this – he'd want to see you happy."
The well-manicured hand turned to return Luke's hold. "Of course."
"Did I miss anything?" Percy pulled his chair and sat back down, bright eyes finding Luke and Rachel's clasped hands on top of the table.
"Not much," Rachel said, drawing back her hand and giving him her first real smile of the night. "I was just saying how glad I was to have run into you guys on my last night here."
"What?"
"I've been in Uruguay for a month now," Rachel explained. "The feasibility report I'm working on is looking great – putting up a resort here will be a good investment for Dare Enterprises."
"A month? Really?" Percy shuddered, possibly dreading the idea of having to be away from his own home for so long.
"It's not all boardroom meetings, you know," a grinning Rachel sipped more wine. "I got to try out lots of recreational activities – the country's big on nature, the beaches and underwater sights especially."
Luke folded his hands together on the table, leaning in as he asked. "Can you recommend a good place to go scuba diving, then? Percy had the both of us get our licenses last year and I haven't had much use of it yet."
Percy pouted at him. "That's why we're here isn't it?"
Rachel laughed. "Well, Punta del Este's is the place to go if that's what you're after."
-o-o-o-
"It's just a wetsuit, Luke, you can stop checking me out," Percy teased as he straightened up, holding up two pairs of fins in his hands.
"I'm sorry." Luke lifted up the younger man's chin and kissed him lightly. "But didn't the guidelines say to enjoy the view – isn't that the point of it?"
"They were talking about the coral reefs and fishes when they wrote that," Percy grinned, cupping Luke's face with one hand, caressing the day-old stubble that roughened the man's strong jawline. He passed one pair of flippers to Luke. "Now come on, that boat's gonna be ready to go soon."
"Yes, sir," Luke winked, picking out his face mask from the travel bag they'd brought, pulling it on to hang around his neck.
Percy put on a hood to keep his messy hair out of his face, he'd been foregoing getting his hair cut for the past month and it now reached his nape. Luke handed his partner another face mask.
Their open circuit regulators were provided by the resort's scuba diving club and were waiting for them at the front desk.
"You got everything?" Luke asked to which Percy answered the affirmative. Luke zipped up their bag, now containing their casual clothes since all the scuba equipment had been taken out. He walked over to their designated locker and carefully put the travel bag inside. He got out a dry bag that would be attached to his thigh by a Velcro strap; he carefully slipped a plastic case inside along with the padlock key – keeping the latter inside a waterproof bag.
Prinsesa Andromeda was the name of the boat that would take them to their diving point. Their helmsman was an athletic woman by the name of Hazel. She had wild curls of dark hair and her eyes shone under the noonday sun. Hazel stopped the motorboat far away from the shoreline, here the waters were crystal clear and the sight of lush underwater life brought out gasps from the couple on board.
"Now, remember," Hazel said as she helped the two men strap on their breathing equipment. "These tanks can afford you guys around forty-five minutes. Don't try to go too far since I'll be picking you guys up at this very same spot. Who's got a watch?"
"Me," Percy said, waving his right arm to show the professional diver's watch Luke got him last Christmas.
"Okay, then, Percy," Hazel clapped one hand onto the man's shoulder. "Forty-five minutes."
"Got it." Percy gave her a smile before slipping on his face mask and putting on the mouthpiece.
Luke got a similar encouraging slap on the shoulder from Hazel as he stood beside Percy and adjusted the tubes that attached his mouthpiece to the cylinder on his back.
"Good luck guys," Hazel waved as Luke and Percy dove backwards and sunk into the Atlantic Ocean.
It was glorious.
Schools of fishes of peaceably went by as the two of them swam deeper, going for the coral formations that sloped down to the sea floor. It was a whole different kind of sight-seeing and Luke was happy to let Percy lead the way. Even under water, Percy's eyes shone bright green… or maybe it's just the excitement that's pumping through Luke's own veins that's making everything look so magnificent.
Percy swam past clumps of seaweed, heading over to the anemones, sponges, sea cucumbers, and a lot of other colorful formations that Luke can't be bothered to name right now. Everything was vividly colored, it was full of life; Percy looked perfectly in his element. Percy's fin-covered feet touched down on the sedimentary ground and he motioned for Luke to come over.
The blond immediately followed.
If he could talk out loud, Luke knew Percy would've been classifying every single creature that surrounded them. Luke also knew that he wouldn't mind just listening to Percy for however long that task would take if it had been possible. As it was, Percy had their point-and-shoot camera in a waterproof pouch and was giddily taking pictures of everything.
They swam around, going through rock formations, following a great school of blue-scaled fishes, picking up starfishes from their perches on rocks, chasing each other around – anything at all.
Soon, too soon, Percy signaled him over, showing that they were down to their last ten minutes. Luke felt his heart pounding ever louder now but he wasn't afraid, he wasn't hesitant, he was ready. He took Percy's hand, nodding toward the spot where they first landed.
Luke pulled Percy towards the center of the coral reef formation, various colored plants swayed in the light current around them and a group of tiny silver fishes milled about. Their feet touched the sand-and-algae covered floor. Percy looked confused, possibly wanting to explore a bit more, but Luke held both of the younger man's hands and stared steadily into those green eyes that had could raise his spirit in a single glance.
A large cloud of bubbles came from Luke's mouthpiece as he breathed deeply. Without breaking eye contact, Luke dropped to one knee. He felt for the bag strapped against his thigh and pulled out a clear airtight case.
Percy's grip fell slack; Luke could see his green eyes widen with shock behind the facemask.
Luke raised the case, letting the ocean-filtered blue-ish sunlight reveal the open box and ring inside it.
There was nothing more than the swish of water around them and the gurgling of bubbles – speaking of, Percy didn't look like he was breathing.
Minute circles of air escaped through the man's mouthpiece and Luke was starting to get concerned.
He pulled slightly at Percy's hand, rubbing his thumb against the cold skin of its back. Percy seemed to come out of his shock at that, bubbles spewing out from him again. He stared between Luke and the ring, it was a slow back and forth motion when suddenly, Percy gripped Luke's hand tight – the kind of tight that actually hurt.
Percy took control then, pushing off the ocean floor and dragging Luke up with him. It was a slow ascent since they had to be careful about the pressure in their air tanks but they eventually broke to the surface and found the Prinsesa Andromeda close by with Hazel calling for them.
Hazel helped the men up and the moment Percy got his facemask and mouthpiece off, he started shouting even as he was pulling off the cylinder from his back.
"What the hell was that?" Percy demanded, an incredulous expression on him. He had pulled off the hood of his wetsuit and his ebony hair fell wet and messy about his face. "Did you want me to drown or something?"
Luke pulled down his facemask, slipping his feet out from the fins and carefully setting down the borrowed breathing apparatus to the floor. His light blue eyes shone bright but not without a hint of trepidation. "Can I try again?" he asked, opening up the airtight case and plucking out the velvet box, the golden ring gleamed under the clear sunlight.
"Oh my god," Hazel whispered, frozen in place at the event playing out before her.
Percy's face blotched red as Luke stepped toward him and took hold of his hand. He colored ever deeper with every succeeding motion that his partner made – Luke got down on one knee, held up the box, raised his eyes to Percy and spoke.
"Perseus Jackson," Luke's voice was clear, steady, calm, a total opposite to the riot that his heart was making inside his chest. The wind whipped around them, it made him shiver but his will was solid, his gaze unwavering. "Will you marry me?"
"Yes," Percy breathed out in an instant, mouth hanging open and tears stinging his eyes. "Yes," he repeated, hand shaking as Luke got the ring out and slipped in onto the ring finger of his left hand. "Yes," he said as he held onto Luke's hand, the gold band a warm and secure weight on him. "Damn it, Luke," he laughed, cheeks wet with saltwater and tears. "Yes."
Luke caught Percy when the younger man fell to his knees. Their lips met and it felt nothing like anything ever before.
-o-o-o-
Percy held onto Luke's hand all the way back to the cabin they rented. They'd checked out of the hotel two days ago and had been staying at the resort ever since.
Every time their eyes met, both of them would look away with private smiles tugging on the corners of their lips. They'd been playing a game whose single rule was not get caught staring – it was utterly childish, it made them look crazy to passersby, it made their hearts flutter wildly in their chest.
They locked the door behind them, flipping on the light switch and revealing the cozy little cabin. A palpable tension became apparent between them.
"Are you hungry?" Percy asked, hand slipping out of Luke's, he took a few steps back towards the kitchenette. "I can make us some snacks – or we could go out, find a bistro somewhere, um…"
"I'd rather stay in," Luke said, putting down the travel bag containing their scuba equipment onto a chair. "But if you want to check out some place, I wouldn't mind–"
"No, it's alright," Percy quickly refuted. "Staying here's fine."
"You sure?" There's a slight crease between Luke's brows as he stood on the opposite side of the square dining table from Percy.
The younger man absently licked his lips. "Positive." When he moved to start cooking, the gold band around his finger caught the sunlight streaming in from the windows and he froze for a second. Percy's breath hitched slightly, eyes inexplicably drawn to his left hand, the soft sound of his breath was strangely loud in the otherwise silent area.
"I love you."
Green eyes found Luke who wore a simple smile. Percy found himself smiling back.
"Dinner with our parents tomorrow?" Luke suggested, walking over to his fiancé. His fiancé. Percy was actually his fiancé now. Wow.
"Okay," Percy nodded, blushing beet red when Luke pulled him into his arms.
"You're really cute when you blush," Luke whispered, laying a soft kiss to Percy's temple.
"You're blushing, too," Percy pointed out and Luke realized just then how warm his cheeks felt.
Oh.
"Let's just go to bed," Luke whispered, slowly steering Percy out of the kitchen while they were still entwined.
Percy smirked, leaning his head back against Luke's shoulder as they made their way to the bedroom. "But I'm saving myself for marriage."
Luke chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't do anything to spoil your virtue."
They reached the bed, still unmade from this morning. Percy lay down over the covers with a laugh in his eyes and Luke fitted his form beside him. Both of them were still wet from the dive but neither one spared much thought about it. Their hands were laced together over Percy's heart, the gold ring acting like an anchor, and Luke closed the gap between their lips.
Languid kisses filled the rest of the afternoon.
-o-o-o-
"Hi, mom, sorry I'm calling in late."
"Dad? Is Mom there? Can you put this on loudspeaker?"
"Uruguay's beautiful."
"It's amazing."
"The beaches especially!"
"Food's good but I think I've had enough paellas to last me a lifetime."
"I've taken photos, mom, I'll upload them later."
"Everything's been great but I can't wait to get home."
"How's your new novel coming along?"
"Yes, yes, tomorrow's our departure."
"That's great but, um, do you think you can spare some time tomorrow night?"
"No, you don't have to pick us up at the airport but I was wondering whether you could meet me at a later time…"
"Do you know if dad has a lecture that night? I kind of need the both of you."
"Maybe around seven? I'll meet you at the train station."
"There's nothing wrong – everything's – mom, you're over reacting. I'm fine – perfect actually."
"Just trust me on this."
"I'll pick you guys up at home."
"It's important – very important."
"We've got something to tell you."
-o-o-o-
The news was taken with many tears – happy ones, and it didn't take long for it to spread to everyone important.
With all the congratulatory remarks they got, Luke and Percy found it near-impossible to wipe the smile off their faces.
All of a sudden, every single one of their friends and family became expert wedding planners but all the couple wanted was a simple ceremony – nothing big or fancy, just a quaint chapel and then a nice little reception.
What they got was exactly that. Though it did take a lot of convincing to get their excitable friends and family to tone down the grand scheme they'd initially planned – it wasn't everyday that the only children of two families got married to each other.
It was a January wedding.
-o-o-o-
A wet nose pressed against his cheek, whiny noises accompanied the tug on the blanket that covered him. He blindly pushed the furry face aside but the ministrations only became even more insistent. Luke got up as soon as the chorus of high-pitched barks started.
"Alright, alright," he groaned, getting out of his warm bed – the cold air of early morning rain made him shiver. His bleary vision was enough to get him to the bedroom door and unlock it. Bessie ran out followed by her two pups.
Luke treaded the familiar path towards the kitchen – mechanically going about setting up his dogs' breakfast. The four-month old puppies chased each other around but quickly settled down when Luke called them over. He scratched their furry heads, Bessie returned the affection with a lick to Luke's palm, and then he returned to the bedroom.
The moment he crawled back under the blanket strong arms wrapped around him and soft lips trailed kisses from his shoulder to his nape. Luke hummed, turning around and catching Percy's lips with his own. He pulled the other man's body against him, one hand going past the waistband of white boxers to grasp the erection that had been pressed against his thigh.
Percy ended the kiss with a moan, pushing down his underwear with one hand and spreading his legs wider. He then placed his lips on the strong line of Luke's jaw, peppering kisses down to his chin and then meeting his lips again.
The blanket was thrown off as Luke rolled them over, settling on top of the dark-haired man and completely pulling off his boxers. Percy shivered against him, legs wrapping around Luke's waist pulling him flush against his body in an attempt to get some heat.
"You really know how to get someone in the mood, don't you?" Luke smirked, brushing away dark locks of hair from mischievous green eyes.
"Well, it's a pretty easy job considering," Percy dropped his gaze to Luke's tented boxers. He wiggled his brows suggestively, a juvenile gesture for a guy who had a few months left before hitting thirty.
A deep chuckle passed from Luke's lips. "I should get with the program, then." His tongue slipped into Percy's mouth and the younger man moaned in content at the same time busying himself with undressing Luke.
As his tongue licked a path down Percy's neck, down his chest, down to his hard-on, Luke was considering which position they haven't tried in a while. He took Percy's member in his mouth, suckling on the head and drawing out mewls that egged him on. He sat back and Percy handed him the bottle of lube that sat on their nightstand.
"Thank you," Luke smiled, kissing down Percy's inner thigh, leaving soft bite marks going towards the man's entrance. He licked around the puckered hole, Percy's legs spread wider to accommodate him. Lips sealed around the pale flesh and Luke thrust his tongue inside.
Percy didn't hold back his moans, toes curling into the sheets as he shallowly pushed back against Luke's tongue. Luke curled the tip of his tongue, breathing out hot puffs of air into the saliva-slick hole.
Fingers soon replaced Luke's tongue as the blond went to a low-kneeling position, throwing off his own boxers and coating his erection with lube. Light blue eyes met the heated gaze sent his way. "Lie on your side," Luke instructed, pulling his fingers out of Percy with a final teasing stroke against his prostate.
A red flush covered Percy's face down to his chest as he complied; Luke pulled his right leg up and set it on his shoulder. Percy bit down on his lip, both hands cushioning his head, dark bangs falling into his eyes once again.
Luke positioned himself, pressing a kiss on Percy's thigh and gasping as he slowly slid all the way inside. His position gave him a whole different angle to work with and it sent a thrill through every nerve in his body.
Broken gasps, breathless moans, heated flesh slapped together creating a synchronized rhythm that was underlined with heady sensation. Luke's grip tightened on Percy's leg, fingernails digging into the sweaty skin as he moved faster, every slam wringing out a whimper from the younger man.
Percy's eyes squeezed shut as he reached down and stroked himself in time to Luke's pace. The angled thrusts hit that sweet spot inside him repeatedly, Luke's husky voice grunting out breaths that sounded much like his name, the cotton sheets left creases on his cheek as he found himself pushed deeper into the mattress – everything came together so perfectly.
Rain fell again outside as sharp cries echoed in the room. For a moment both men were frozen in place, air rushing out of their lungs as they lost all feeling and regained them in the same millisecond.
The air was damp around them, a sticky humidity stuck to their skin.
Luke pulled out, carefully setting down Percy's leg and then pasting himself on top of him. Arms and legs wrapped around him, the squelchy feel of semen rubbed against his abdomen as Percy arched up and covered his mouth with an exploring tongue. Vaguely, he heard the bottle of lube thump as it fell to the floor but he was enjoying the feel of Percy against him far too much to care. He reached down, the pads of his fingers skirting around Percy's hole and smearing the cum that leaked out of it all around. A keening noise came from Percy and he greedily swallowed it down.
"How do you do that?" Percy asked, his tone low, eyes half-lidded as he pushed back blond spikes of hair that stuck to Luke's forehead. Luke's body covered his completely, pressed together so tight with their legs tangled together.
"Well, you can thank Thalia for that Kama Sutra she gave us on our wedding day," Luke replied, sniggering against the side of Percy's jaw.
Percy threaded his fingers through Luke's blond hair – an amused chuckle leaving his red lips but his eyes were serious. "I wasn't talking about sex," he murmured, coaxing Luke's face towards him and kissing the older man softly. "How do you get me falling for you over and over again each day?"
Luke licked his lips, trying to get his brain working again because Percy – his beautiful husband – just made his heart melt and pump warmth all through his veins. Green eyes stared up at him expectantly and, not for the first time, Luke lost himself in that loving gaze – he let the words flow out of him without a stopper or any second thoughts.
"I could ask you the same question," he breathed out, tracing the flushed cheeks of the man beneath him with careful fingers. "But neither one of us could answer that. What I do know–" he kissed the corner of Percy's lips "is that whoever put you up to that dare – whatever force of nature assigned me to that dressing room that day – all those things, those random instances that I kept seeing you everywhere… It led to this, to you and me and eleven great years with more to come. I just know that I wouldn't have had this any other way."
Arms wrapped around Luke's neck as Percy embraced him tightly, nose buried in the blond's shoulder. "You're doing it again," Percy accused, lips quirked in a smile against Luke's skin.
"I should tell you that I'm not the least bit sorry about that," Luke grinned, trying to raise himself but Percy's hold was unrelenting.
"I know," Percy said. "I wouldn't have you any other way either."
After a couple of minutes, Luke spoke up. "I have to go to work." He felt puffed up cheeks and puckered lips pressed onto his shoulder. "Come on, Percy… "
"But it's raining."
"I still have to go to work."
"I'm gonna be cold if you leave."
"Percy…"
"…"
"I'm going to carry you with me into the showers if you don't let go right now."
"…"
"You really want me to do just that, don't you?"
Percy loosened his hold, facing Luke with a playful glint in his green eyes. "Pretty much."
"Fine."
A squeal of delight erupted from the dark-haired man as Luke rolled onto his back, holding Percy close to him. Luke then sat up, his arms clasped together forming a seat to hold up his husband. Percy's arms circled his neck tighter when he finally stood up.
"Oh my God," Percy laughed as Luke proceeded to carry him across the room.
"Can you open the door?" Luke asked with a smirk. "My hands are kind of full." To emphasize, he squeezed one of Percy's buttcheeks.
Percy yelped, slapping Luke's shoulder and giving him a look that was supposed to be annoyed but was more adorable than anything else. He opened the door anyway.
Bessie came running up to them as they headed for the bathroom across the hall. Two balls of fur were on her heels, yapping and barking hyperactively.
"Morning, Bessie," Percy said brightly, scratching between the collie's ears with one foot. "And Blackjack and Leary, too."
The puppies yipped, jumping up trying to reach Percy's foot which he instantly raised, moving it up in down like a prize before his pets. Bessie went ahead, rubbing her wet nose against Luke's leg as though apologizing for her children's behavior.
Luke smiled down at the old dog. "Your other father's being a child, too. I understand your pain."
"Hey!" Percy reared back, showing an indignant face to Luke. "I'm not–"
Luke promptly kissed him. "Shut up, Percy."
Bessie hoarded her pups away once they reached the bathroom and Luke got inside, setting Percy down onto the soft rug that lay just past the door.
"I've got a lecture to make at the University from six to eight," Percy said, holding onto Luke's hand consequently pulling him towards the shower stall. "Pick me up?"
"Sure," Luke pulled the glass door closed behind him and placed a kiss onto Percy's lips. "I'll have to bribe the dogsitter with cupcakes again to get her to work overtime, but sure, why not?"
-o-o-o-
"Here's the medium sized shirt you ordered, sir," a freckly young man said, handing over the light blue t-shirt decorated with the logotype of a rock band on the front.
"Thanks."
A few aisles over, a dark-haired man was crouched in front of a little boy. A huge stuffed teddy bear was hugged tightly against the boy's chest and he peered over it's head with a displeased look on him.
Green eyes looked up as he approached, the dark-haired man stood up and placed one hand on the little boy's neatly combed blond head. His pursed lips surrounded by day-old stubble communicated the feeling of dry amusement.
"What's the matter?" Luke asked, dropping the brand new shirt into their shopping basket which was loaded with a bunch more clothes and a box for a floatation device.
Percy rolled his eyes, gently nudging the little boy forward. "Talk to your son."
"Hey, you signed those papers, too," Luke chuckled but turned towards the seven-year-old anyway, looking down fondly through rectangular glasses. "Yes, Octavian?"
Wide blue eyes looked up at him, reflecting his own aged face bright and clear as little Octavian stopped hugging his teddy bear for a moment and spoke.
"I want cookies for lunch."
-FIN-