Hey hey Percy/Marcus fans! Here is number nine! It's kinda long...but you'll like it. There's a treat for you at the end of the page...well, not the m-rated kind...that's later! XD Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter Nine-Long Awaited Kiss
Once lunch ended, Percy and Marcus fled upstairs to the safety of his bedroom. Bill and Charlie stood and removed themselves from the table. Everyone else went their separate ways. Before Ron could go outside, Ginny pulled him back.
"What you want?"
"Mum needs you to help me."
"Let me guess, you're going after Marcus?"
"Naturally. He's the prince, why the hell would I not?"
"You normally handle this on your own. Why do you need me?"
"As Marcus keeps coming to visit, I'll need you to lure Percy away so I can move in. I tried earlier but that blasted scarecrow rudely interrupted."
Ron snorted "How do you expect me to do that?"
"I dunno...think of something. You've watched Fred and George over the years, you must have learned something from them by now."
"I may know a thing or two..but what else is in it for me? As much as I love ruining Percy's day, I need more compensation."
"How does being the future brother-in-law of the prince sound? Think about it...you'll be inside Marcus's inner circle, you'll have access to all royal privileges and the notoriety that comes along with it. Think of all the Chudley Cannons games you can attend and the next Quidditch World Cup. Once he and I start dating, you can have the same perks as I will soon have. Has any man ever been able to deny me?"
"No.."
"Then I'm sure you understand. Just like Mum said, we need to work together. Our family name depends on it."
Ron's eyes glazed over at the thought-he'll be even more popular, he'll impress Hermione further and the Weasleys will go down in history by being one of the only known middle-class families to wed into the Flint line. And the Quidditch matches...oh...the quidditch matches. It didn't take long for him to answer.
"I'm in."
"Good, tell Mum later." Ginny turned on her low heels and met her girls outside.
Meanwhile, up in Percy's room, the boys were relaxing from their healthy lunch. Marcus couldn't help but want to ask. He still can't get Percy's stormy expression to leave his mind.
"Percy...I know you were pissed. What did Ginny say to you? It had to be of some magnitude to get you fired up like that."
"I really dunno if I should..." a few firm raps sounded on his bedroom door.
"Who is it?"
"Me and Charlie. We need to talk."
Opening the door, the eldest Weasley boys walked in, locking and silencing the door behind them.
"What do you guys need to say?"
Bill let his ponytail down and crossed his arms. "I know something happened earlier and don't try to lie, you know exactly what I'm referring to, now what did she say?"
'Straight forward as always..' Percy sighed, seeing as he was cornered. "Alright. Earlier, I saw Ginny hitting on Marcus. She touched him, got in his ear, all that. I was there in time to break it up. But before you jump, let it be known that Marcus tried to nicely reject her advances."
Bill and Charlie gazed at the prince before returning to Percy.
''I told her he wasn't interested but she insisted that he was 'a little shy' and that 'it takes a while for guys like him to warm up to girls like her', and 'once she breaks the ice and the boys get a little taste...they always come back for more. Always. The prince is no different.'.."
Marcus raised a dark eyebrow at that and loudly snorted.
"My thoughts exactly, and when I said Marcus would not fall for that, she condescendingly said that I 'was naive' and 'I truly underestimate her', she 'knows how to play the game and I obviously lack in that department, so if I were smart...I'd step back before I get hurt'. For the finisher, she also said that I 'know she has never failed at ensnaring any man into her web and she surely will not fail with this one. She has dated around but this time she may just keep him'. So I 'should treasure whatever friendship I have left with Marcus because when he is hers, I could kiss all that goodbye.'
Within seconds, Marcus burst into laughter.
"Oh..my god...are you...who is she..who is she kidding?! Me..and...haha..her?! Yeah fuckin' right! And they say 'pretty girls can't be funny'!''
Percy was astonished at his reaction. It was that hilarious. He vaguely wondered if it was only the situation itself that was comical or if there was something lying underneath that added to it.
Charlie shook his head "Where does she get the nerve? Wait...that was a stupid question. We know whom gets it from."
"Mother." All three Weasleys chorused.
After his fit, Marcus became serious "Percy, I want you to know here and now that I have absolutely no intention of dating your sister. She is far from what I consider desirable...no offense." he remembered her two eldest brothers were in the room.
Bill responded "None taken, Flint. She may be beautiful, but her actions speak otherwise."
"Yeah and don't think we didn't see the way she ate her food and winked at you. She did that a lot with the other guys she's fooled around with...there's Michael Corner, Dean Thomas, Andrew Kirke...that's when she decided to shoot for someone older...uh..didn't she try something with that Bulgarian noble, Viktor Krum, that one time back in May?'' Charlie queried Bill.
"That is the word..'tried'. Apparently she lied about snogging him in a closet. I know exactly whom he snogged and it wasn't her...not even a female for that matter. It was Cedric Diggory. He's actually bisexual. Not many know, so keep that on the down low."
Percy's eyes widened "Hm..I had a feeling something was up with Diggory that one time I saw him in town with Cho Chang, clearly not paying her attention. I think he leans more towards blokes...just a theory."
"You'd be correct." Flint commented casually.
Bill interjected "Regardless of that fact, Ginny has succeeded in her pursuits of single and taken men. I'm surprised she hasn't tried a grown man yet though I think she'll be there quickly if she moves at this rate. Anyway, I don't think she went at this alone. Mum definitely had something to do with it.''
Percy sighed "I think so too, and given her track record, she has yet to fail in her endeavors. How else you think she's climbed this far up the social ladder? She couldn't have without 'breaking a few fingers' along the way."
"Well, little bro...I dunno how we can totally stop Ginny. We can't be here all the time. Unfortunately, this is something you'll have to handle on your own, mostly. Marcus can take care of himself...if he denies her long enough, she's bound to get impatient and leave him alone. I mean, you've seen how's she with a different guy nearly every week or two and occasionally there's a repeat from those who haven't learned the first time around." Charlie did have a point, there was a pattern.
"I suggest you give it a little while and when the spark fades, you're fine. We're going to let you and Marcus have fun and Percy, just enjoy it and forget her." Bill added with a certain look that gave the curly-top an inkling he knew something. They left, leaving them alone.
Percy readministered the charms and sat upon his bed.
Marcus decided to join him. "Really, Percy. You don't have to worry about me. I won't desert you for her. What kind of man would I be if betrayed my friend?"
"A terrible one."
"Right...and since there's no chance of that happening, I still want us to hang out. I really enjoy your company."
Percy smiled "I do too, Marcus. I know this sounds weird, but you're really my best friend. Well, the only friend I have...that doesn't have wings."
Flint returned the smile "I consider you a best friend already."
"Marcus? I can't help but wonder, the way you laughed at Ginny's assertions...was it really all that funny? or..."
"Or what?"
"It's silly but somewhere deep down, I think there's more behind it."
Marcus nodded. "I see. Since we've been hanging out a while...maybe it's ok.."
"Ok for what?"
He hesitated for a brief moment "To tell you...to tell you I'm...I'm gay."
Percy was stunned. 'The prince is gay...the only son of King Aurelius and Queen Seraphine...is into men. Holy shit..'
"Percy? You're not saying anything." Marcus sounded uneasy, almost regretful.
Noticing this immediately, Percy responded "That's great! I...I mean, that's fine with me. I have no problem with it. If I did, I...I'd be a complete hypocrite."
Flint's eyes brightened "Really? You too?"
Percy nodded.
"Whew...I'm glad I have nothing to worry about."
"Me too...I would never consider making my friend uncomfortable. Um, who else knows?"
"All my friends...well, the ones I told you about anyway. The parents-hell no. They...they're very traditional. They're very accepting of homosexuals, but it won't do if their only child is one...you know..the whole 'heir' thing."
Unfortunately, Percy did know and that made any flicker of hope fizzle out. "Yeah...I do."
Deep inside, Percy had grown an attachment to Marcus, whether he'd like to admit it or not. Hearing how Percy's response sounded, Flint felt his heart ache as well for he too, grew attached.
But as soon as that happened, a crazy idea formed at the back of his mind 'I'm the only heir of this kingdom...and like it or not, I have the final say in who I can spend the rest of my life with. It's my life. Mum and Dad have ran it for too long. If I want a chance at happiness, I need to seize it.'
Before he could speak, Percy timidly asked "Can I ask you? If you did have the chance, would you take it...even if it was for a little while?"
"I would, most definitely." "Is there...is there anyone in the kingdom you fancy or at least have an eye on?"
"There is..." Marcus gently laid his hand upon Percy's, interlocking their fingers. Percy blushed furiously, gazing up at Flint under his long eyelashes behind those horrid frames.
"Percy, I like you."
"I like you too, Marcus. I never thought I'd say it out loud..but I do. I like you." It was as if a huge weight suddenly lifted off his bony shoulders, he's finally admitted his feelings.
"Me either, Percy. Um, do you think...we can go out? As an item?"
Percy's grin was so wide it could have split his face. "Yes! I mean..yes. I'd love that."
"Wonderful.." Marcus grabbed the redhead into a tight hug. Upon pulling back, their eyes met...their lips were mere centimeters apart. Percy slightly turned his head away. He's never kissed anyone before and he didn't want to mess it up. Marcus gently guided Percy's face to his and slowly captured his lips. Believe it or not, this was his first kiss, too. His friends offered to snog him for practice but he kindly declined. He wanted it to be with someone who mutually fancied him.
Percy felt the exact spark he felt that day in the library when their hands touched for the first time. Only now, it became more intense. His heart beat rapidly, he felt as if his body was melting. For an inexperienced first kiss, it was pretty damn satisfying. A minute later, their tender kiss ended. Marcus had a little blush upon his lightly-tanned cheeks as well.
"That was amazing...did I do ok?"
"O-Of course you did. You were brilliant."
"Thanks. I was hoping I wouldn't fare too badly with my first kiss."
"This was your first?"
"Yeah, it was." he smiled, gently stroking Percy's cheek.
"Me too, as you know. Um, what do you uh, wanna do until dinner? We have a while."
Marcus looked thoughful "Hm, we could go outside with everyone else...or..."
"Or what?"
A cheeky grin took over "We could stay here and get in a little more practice?"
"I..I wouldn't mind. Practice makes perfect."
"Indeed it does. On your bed or mine?"
"I think we're fine where we're at."
*Squeals* A kiss! Yay! I hope that satisfied your Marcus/Percy love for the time being! And yes...that scheming Ginny and Molly are going to take it up a notch. What'll happen next? Stay tuned for Chapter ten! :)