Chapter 3 - Diagon Alley
Percy
Percy watched as the children left the kitchen like their pants were on fire. Children, he used that word as if he wasn't only a few years older than them. Physically, sure, but mentally, that was a whole 'nother story. Playing pivotal roles in two separate wars that put the fate of the entire world in the balance… yeah, that'll make you mature real quick. Seeing your friends perish, helpless to do anything but watch, it forever changes a man.
Percy tried to put on a brave face for the campers, he really did. To show the younger generation that it was possible to live a full life, not constantly fighting for your life, running from unimaginable horrors. With the cooperation of both camps, he supposed that was a possibility now, with the Greeks being given access to New Rome. He was happy for them, wished them a better life than he ever had… a chance to go to school, a chance to form relationships, grow old with the one you love…
Percy had that plan once, a lifetime ago. He and Annabeth had talked during the Giant War, the chance for Annabeth to learn without worrying about monster attacks ruining the school, live happily with their friends, start a family…
That was before Tartarus, before that hellhole. Before his Wise Girl sacrificed herself so he could ride the elevator to the world above. Go save the world… I love you, Seaweed Brain, she told him, her beautiful face disappearing with the slam of the doors of death, never to be seen again. The memory was oh so vivid in his brain. How could he forget? He only lived it every night, the cold sweat on his back becoming as much of a friend as Grover. He did what she asked, saved the world, again. But at what cost?
Percy knows she would yell at him if she could see him now. She would tell him to quit moping and move on, live his life… he could almost hear her voice in his ear. He tried to move on. He and Reyna had a brief fling, hoping the spark they had during his time in Camp Jupiter would return, and it did, for a short time. It was nice to have someone to lean on, to talk to… Reyna was great, once you peeled back the hard shell. He had enjoyed their time together, but Percy knew he wouldn't be able to give Reyna all that she deserved, and she deserved a lot. They had decided to end it, remaining close friends made sense for the both of them.
Percy ended up drifting through life, going through the motions day in and day out. His time with Reyna helped immensely with his issues, his outlook on life improving day after day. Regardless, he was still aimless, unsure of what to do with his time. So when Chiron got a call from an old friend, requesting help with a war, he threw himself into the quest, hoping to find his purpose. When he received word about a kid, stuck in the middle of a prophecy, his life being decided for him, he was invested. Hoping to prevent another version of himself, Percy packed his things and traveled to the United Kingdom. His friends had seen him off, extracting a promise to call them if he ever needed help.
Percy was broken out of his memories as Molly whirled on SIrius, her face red as the children had retreated out of the kitchen. "You have some nerve, trying to drag those kids into a war!" She stomped back to the kitchen, the rattling of the fine china accompanying each footstep.
"You'll never change her mind, Sirius."
He slumped in his chair, dragging his hand down his shallow face, sighing in defeat. "It's just frustrating. Harry is going to be in the middle of this war, whether Molly likes it or not, Voldemort saw to that fifteen years ago." Sirius placed his elbows on the table, as if trying to emphasize his point to Percy. "He deserves to be in the know, especially after what he's seen already."
"Believe me, Sirius, I'm on your side with this. If it was my decision, I would lay it all on the table. War is unforgiving, you need to know what you're up against, or you get caught off guard." Percy took a deep breath. "And getting caught off guard does not end well… for anyone."
"How do you know so much about war at your age?" Lupin asked from across the table.
"It's not a fun story." Percy replied. He felt a slim hand rest on his shoulder, he turned to find Tonks' concerned eyes staring into his. He offered her a smile of reassurance that most certainly did not reach his eyes. Tonks did not look convinced, but it was all Percy could do at the moment, it was late and he was tired. He stood from the table, intent on retreating to the house Hecate had arranged for him on the insistence of his father, thanks Dad. "I'm gonna head home, guys. It's late. Gotta swing by Diagon Alley in the morning, errands and all."
"Can I go with you? I uh… have some errands too." Tonks rushed out, a slight blush coloring her cheeks while her eyes darted everywhere but Percy.
"Uh sure, guess I could use the company. Noon at the Leaky Cauldron work?"
Tonks nodded, her pink hair bobbing with her head. "Works for me." She smiled. Sirius caught Percy's eye, a smirk on his face, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. He rolled his eyes. He knew Tonks was harboring a crush on him, he wasn't completely clueless, contrary to what the myriad of nicknames he has acquired would lead you to believe. Seaweed brain, Kelp head… he was rather observant when he wanted to be. It helped that Tonks wasn't necessarily as subtle as she thought.
Tonks was a good friend, he thoroughly enjoyed interacting with her bubbly personality, but a relationship…he was not ready… not after Annabeth.
"Thank you for the delicious food, Molly." He said as he left the kitchen and exited the front door. He imagined that fireplace travel would be much quicker, but honestly, he didn't trust fireplaces to deliver him to the correct address. He let loose his best New York taxi cab whistle and a dark shape began its descent from the clouds. He trusted Blackjack a lot more.
The Leaky Cauldron was not a very inspiring place. It was just kind of… there. Wooden tables scattered across the room, hosting people draped in blankets - sorry, robes. They must really get in the way during a fight.
Dark shadows occupied the corners of the room, severe lack of natural light contributed to that problem. Percy desperately looked for Tonks, his tolerance for the bar already maxed out. Nico would love the place, Percy… not so much.
Scanning the room, he finally caught sight of Tonks, sitting at a round table, spooning something into her mouth. His desperation was conveyed in each step as he hurried across the room, dodging drunk patrons along the way. "Tonksy, good to see you."
She flinched as he sat down, whipping the spoon out of her mouth. Apparently she was too focused on her soup to notice his approach. "Good soup, huh."
She quickly wiped her sleeve across her mouth, initiating a small coughing fit in the process. "Oh - wotcher, Pe - Perce." She finally got herself under control as she placed the spoon back into the bowl. "It's not that good, but I'm hungry." She shrugged and raised another spoonful to her mouth.
"Hurry up and finish, this place gives me the creeps.": Percy egged her on. "My cousin would love it though. Tonks paused her hand, the spoon halfway to her mouth, a question in her eyes. Percy just shook his head and waved off her unasked question.
"If you want me to finish my soup, stop shaking your leg. It's distracting." A small apology let his mouth, his knee bouncing on its own accord. Percy had to make a conscious effort to keep it settled. A few agonizing moments later, what felt like a lifetime, Tonks finished her soup. She thanked the bartender and the two made their way out the backdoor and into the alley behind the building.
"There's light! Thank the gods!" Percy made a huge show of raising his hands to the air, his voice echoing along the narrow brick walls. Tonks shoved him slightly in the shoulder with a small chuckle.
"Shut up, it's not that bad."
"Whatever you say, Tonksy."
A few more steps brought them to the brick barrier, Tonks whipping her wand out of her robes in a dramatic flick, tapping the bricks in the correct order - Percy could never remember it - revealing the entrance to the bustling shopping district. A bustling cobblestone street greeted the pair, families running amok preparing for the upcoming school year, owls flying every which way, letters carried in their beaks.
The sound of hundreds of voices attempting to speak over one another reached his ears, the sound that would never give you a moment of peace. The crowd, the noise, the lack of personal space; some would call it despicable, Percy felt right at home - he was born in New York City after all.
"Ugh, I hate when it's crowded."
"Oh, Tonksy, this is nothing." Percy joked. "First stop Gringotts, if that's good with you."
"Huh?.. Oh yeah that's fine, Perce."
Percy took the first steps down the street, making a beeline for the grandiose marble building that towered over the insignificant buildings that lined the alley. He darted into the crowd, his New Yorker instincts kicking in, dodging and ducking through arms and bodies. Picking the pockets of these wizards would be a piece of cake, he thought to himself… blue cake. He glanced behind, finding a certain witch absent from his side. He rose to his full height, sharpening his gaze through the throng of shifting bodies. He caught a glimpse of pink hair in the crowd, thank the gods for Tonks' unique style or else he never would have found her.
He weaved towards the girl, startling her as he appeared from the sea of people. "C'mon, ya slowpoke. Try and keep up." His hand reached out for hers, not a thought spared as he wrapped his calloused fingers around her much smaller digits, warmth spreading up his arm at the intimate contact. Tonks' delicate painted fingernails sat in his rough hands, scarred from years of turmoil - fighting for his life. Percy knew that Tonks was no pushover, she could handle herself in a fight, she dedicated her life to tracking down bad guys. But, how she kept her hands so soft, he will never know.
"Uh, Perce." He tore his gaze away from their interlocked grip to meet her eyes. A blush adorned her cheeks, slightly darker than her hair. "Don't we have to go to the bank?"
"Oh, um yeah… let's go." Percy gestured with his head towards the grand building as he took off through the crowd, dragging the gasping witch behind him. They made record time, zigzagging through the masses, shooting gaps like their lives depended on it - one half of their conga line not as gracefully as the other. Soon enough, they found themselves standing, heads tilted back as they eyed the top of the gigantic, ornate door as people passed them by.
"Why does it have to be so big?"
"Reckon the goblins are trying to compensate for something, Perce?"
"Hey, you said it, not me." He took a step through the boundary as Tonks rolled her eyes, following him up to the counter. The goblin behind the counter refused to acknowledge their presence, keeping his eyes down on the parchment on which he was currently writing. Percy waited patiently, or he tried to. It wasn't his fault his ADHD started to act up, forcing him to whistle a small tune to pass the time.
The goblin sighed as he placed the quill on the desk, still not raising his eyes. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, good morning." Percy put on his best charming smile. "I just have to pick something up from my vault, if you don't mind." The goblin picked up the quill once again, beginning to write on the same parchment from before.
"Name?"
"Perseus Jackson." The goblin ceased his movement immediately, the quill falling onto the parchment. He slowly raised his head, his beady eyes staring at Percy over the impossibly long nose protruding from the scrunched face.
"Mr. Jackson, it is truly an honor." Percy could feel a pair of feminie eyes boring holes into the back of his head.
"Thank you." Percy said, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "I would just like to go to my vault, please."
The goblin hurriedly nodded his head, hopping down from the tall chair he had been perched on. "Yes, yes of course, sir." He waddled around the counter, holding out his hand to Percy. "Do you have your key?"
"Oh, yes I do." He reached into the pocket of his jeans - he absolutely refused to wear a blanket - and withdrew a small key, placing it into the grizzled hand of the goblin. He glanced at Tonks, who seemed rooted to the spot, an incredulous look stuck on her face. "You coming, Tonksy?" His question shook her out of the trance she found herself in. Shaking her head, she followed him and the goblin towards the cart. They stepped into the tunnels beneath the bank, darkness overtaking them, torches along the tracks providing intermittent respite from the shadows.
He took his seat, the goblin assuming his position at the front of the cart. He gripped the sides of the cart, his knuckles turning white. He only trusted Blackjack at the speeds that this cart achieved, not some metal cart a hundred feet underground.
"Nervous?" Tonks teased him, noticing the death grip he held on the bar.
"You bet I am!" He responded snarky. "There is next to zero safety precautions in this thing, It's a metal coffin whizzing down the track at terminal velocity." Percy shut his eyes tight as the goblin began the trek to the vault that Percy knew was in the deepest parts of the cave. His heart leapt into his throat as the cart began a steep downhill trajectory, wind blowing in his face, probably messing up his hair even more than normal. Tonks whooped in joy, her laughter never ceasing until the cart came to a halt five minutes later.
"Perce, we're done. You can stop trying to bend the handles." Percy relaxed as Tonks placed her hand on his forearm, releasing his hands and a breath simultaneously. He clambered out of the cart and onto the platform.
"Here we are, sir. Vault number three." The goblin said from his seat.
"Thank you…um, do you mind telling me your name?"
"Griphook, sir." He looked taken aback by the question, not that Percy was an expert in goblin expressions.
"Thank you, Griphook. It'll only be a few moments." Percy approached the door, a steel color with sea green accents and the outline of a trident carved in the center. Tonks moved to stand behind him, her eyes wide, eyebrows disappearing into her bangs. He approached the door, placing his hand in the center of the door, where the three prongs of the weapon converged. The door shook, rumbling the rock around the vault as it slid open, splitting the trident in half, each side shifting towards opposite walls. Mountains upon mountains of wizarding coins littered the floor of the vault, a bright shine exiting the vault from the reflection.
"Percy, do you mind if I go inside with you?" Tonks asked from the cart.
"Yeah, no problem. I don't really care." He hoped his dad wouldn't either. She came to stand beside him, gasping at the sight of the stacks of money sitting in the vault.
"Merlin's beard…are those weapons!?" Tonks asked, gaping at the rows and rows of swords, axes and shields hanging on the wall.
Percy, however, did not have eyes for the money, or the weapons. His father had come to him in a dream a few days ago, telling him of a gift he had left in the vault; that did not surprise him - Poseidon was a good father, as far as Greek gods were concerned. What did surprise him was that his father had mentioned that Athena had also wished to leave something, and so he was intrigued.
"Perce, where are you going? The money is right here."
"I don't need the money, Tonksy. I'm looking for something else… here it is." He found a small package sitting on a shelf, a note attached to the side. He ripped the paper off, opening it and getting hit with the smell of a sea breeze.
Percy,
I had hoped you wouldn't take this quest, your uncle knows you've already done enough for one lifetime. I knew once you heard of the kid, you'd be on the first plane to the U.K. Headstrong, loyal, reckless to a fault… you're just like your old man, eh? Anyway, I wanted to wish you luck, and hopefully you'll find that purpose you've been lacking ever since… well, you know. Wandering through life, lost, it pains me to see you like that, son. I know you have a great future, Percy, you were always the best of us.
Find that reason, son, and don't let go.
I extracted a favor with your uncle from down under, that bag will provide an unlimited supply of drachma, so you'll always have contact with us. Tyson insisted I include the new shield he made, said you lost your last one in Rome.
Anyway, good luck Percy. Maybe teach those wizards a little something about fishing.
I love you, son.
Your Father.
Percy wiped a tear from his eye as he finished the letter, his father's words tugging on his feelings. To hear those words, from one of the big three no less, it was really touching that he took the time. He unwrapped the parcel, two packages separating themselves without the constraint of paper. He opened the first package, the bag his father told him about laying on the bottom of the box, alongside a bronze watch. This must have been the gift from Tyson, a replacement for his old shield. He had no zero doubts about the integrity of the metal if Tyson made it.
The other package had no markings, no note, no indication of who it was from. If what his father told him was true, this would be that 'gift' from Athena. Like Athena would ever give him a gift. He unwrapped it anyway, and his breath caught in his throat. Inside, neatly packaged, was an old, ratty Yankees ballcap. Percy picked it up with shaking hands, bringing it to rest on his forehead. Percy felt a tear travel down his cheek as the memories came roaring back.
He stood there, motionless for who knows how long.
So you'll always have a piece of her with you. A strong feminine voice rang out in his mind.
He smiled, his first genuine smile in a long time. Thank you, Lady Athena.
"Watcha got there?" Tonks walked up behind him, pointing at the hat in his hands.
"A memory, Tonksy, a memory." He stood, spinning around to face the witch. She must have noticed his eyes, red from the spilled tears. She shot him a concerned look.
"You okay?."
He took a deep breath before responding to his friend. "Yeah…" he smiled, a certain weight absent from his shoulders, "yeah, I'm good." She nodded as they turned to leave the vault.
"Hey, if you don't want any of that money, could I have some?"
"Wouldn't recommend it, Tonksy. My father is pretty… unpredictable at times."
"What do you mean?" Tonks looked like she was afraid of the answer.
"You might, possibly, maybe, be a little lucky you left the vault alive."
"What!" Tonks rounded on him. "You let me go in there when I could've died?!"
"Oh you were fine as long as you were with me." Percy explained sheepishly. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you."
Tonks' anger seemed to dissipate at his words, her shoulders relaxing. "I can't stay mad at you." She said as they reached the cart.
"Thank you, Griphook. We're all set here." The goblin nodded as he readied the cart to bring them back to the surface.
"Hey Perce. How would your father even know I was in the vault."
"You don't want to know." His last words came out as the cart shot forward into the darkness, the surface in its sights.
Percy stood on the pedestal, Madame Mallon poking and prodding him as she adjusted the robes. Percy was determined not to be wearing robes for his stay in Britain, and he intended to hold to that. Dumbledore, however, had different plans.
He insisted Percy at least own a few robes, just to fit in. To hopefully not stick out like a sore thumb, not that his American accent didn't already do that. His tan skin as well, some of these witches and wizards seemed adverse to sunlight.
Anyway, that's why he found himself in this uncomfortable position, being scrutinized under the gaze of madame Malkin as she adjusted him like an art exhibit.
"Alright, deary. I think this will do, what do you think?" Malkin asked him.
Looking in the mirror, he had no earthly idea how robes were supposed to look, naturally he asked Tonks for help. "Tonksy, what do you think?"
"You look amazing…" she replied from her seat in the corner of the room. He turned back towards the mirror.
"…as always."
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Percy turned back to the seamstress. "I suppose I'll take five of them, then."
"All black, dear?"
"Yes, that soun- actually can I have one in blue?" He changed his mind halfway through his sentence.
"Of course, of course." Malkin replied. "Now if you follow me, we'll get it paid for."
Percy paid for his robes, Malkin giving him the timeframe of one week for completion of his order. He thanked the woman, following his companion out the front door. "Well, that was the last thing on my list. How do you feel about some ice cream, Tonksy?"
"I could go for some, lead the way, Perce."
They made their way to the ice cream parlor, joining the back of the short line. It didn't take long for them to get to the window. Tonks ordered a vanilla cone, while he went for the blueberry chocolate chip. Tonks reached her hand into her robe, intent on pulling, what Percy assumed, money out. He placed his hand on her wrist, stopping her movement.
"I got it. My treat." She thanked him as the older man returned with their ice cream, accepting the payment from Percy. He smiled as he exchanged the goods, "you two look great together."
"Oh, we're n-"
"Thank you!" Tonks cut off Percy, pulling him away from the window and towards a table. He stumbled behind her, his ice cream dangerously close to dashing his hopes and dreams with a meeting on the cobblestone. He managed to keep the frozen treat on top of the cone, a miracle in itself.
"You know…" Percy began, sitting on the bench, "you of all people, I would not expect to get vanilla."
"It's nice and simple, I enjoy it."
"It's boring." Percy deadpanned.
"So? What about your blueberry and… whatever." Tonks finished with an elegant flourish of her hand in his general direction.
"Everything's better when it's blue." He said it like it was the most solid, grounded in fact statement of all time, and he thoroughly believed it. He and his Mother had this inside joke, she put blue food coloring in the food ever since his revolting step-father said it was impossible. Logically, he knew blue food coloring had no taste, you could not convince his taste buds of it. Logically? Annabeth really rubbed off on over the years.
"I gotta ask, who is your family?" Tonks' question pried him from the thoughts in his head.
"That answer is quite complicated, and for another time, maybe."
"Okay, then. I thought your family was from America."
"My family is from America."
Tonks threw her hands out, her vanilla ice cream sitting all but forgotten on the table. "Then how is your vault NUMBER THREE in Gringotts? And you have an absolute boatload of money sitting down there."
"You think that's a lot, you should see my Uncle H's vault." Tonks raised an eyebrow, staring him down until she got the answer that he wanted, not falling for his deflection attempt.
"My family, uhh." His hand found the back of his neck, rubbing the base of his head, "My family is quite old, I guess you could say."
"I guess you could say that! Do you know how old that bank is!?"
"No."
Tonks sputtered at his simple, one word response. "Well… it's old!" A sigh escaped her lips, pinching the bridge of her nose as he leaned away from the table. "I hope you don't mind my asking, I'm just curious about your blood status…" she asked, uncertainty seeped in her tone. "Not that it matters, or anything like that." She added almost immediately.
Percy adopted a confused look on his face. "Blood status?"
"Yeah, you know. Pureblood, Half-blood, muggleborn… that sort of thing."
"Well I'd be a half-blood then, in that case. We don't really care about that in America." Tonks nodded as the pair fell into an awkwards silence, Percy crunching on his cone and Tonks slurping up the remains of her vanilla, the majority having melted ages ago.
"By the way, how were you so good at getting through the crowd?"
"Oh, that? That's child's play Tonksy. I'm a born and bred New Yorker, I see crowds three times this size on a daily basis… not as friendly about it either."
"Well, maybe I'll have to come visit and see these giant crowds sometime. Maybe I can meet your father, too, I'm curious about him now." Tonks muttered, her eyes cast to the sky, seemingly lost in her own world,
"Good luck trying to see my father, he doesn't show up that often." He hurriedly continued, seeing Tonks' face begin to take on a sour expression. "Don't get me wrong, he's a good dad, just extremely busy."
"What does he look like?"
"Looks just like me, or I look like him. 'Cept he's got this bushy, black beard, somehow keeps it neat." Percy shrugged.
"Even the little line of gray hair?"
"Percy chuckled, he had forgotten about that particular trait. "Nah, that's just me, not a family trait."
Percy knew he had to talk to her about the elephant in the room - well, street, he just wasn't sure how. She began to get up from the bench, her legs just ascending off the metal when he decided to go for broke. "Tonks-"
She froze in her squat position, "Uh-oh, that's not good.." Percy heard her mutter under her breath.
"What do you mean?"
"You never leave the -y off the end of my name." Her legs regained their contact with the metal bench, her bottom lip pinched between her two rows of white teeth.
"Tonks… why don't you come to my house for a minute, we need to talk." Percy hoped he conveyed his intentions correctly with his words, never the best with these sorts of things. Tonks cast her eyes downwards, taking fascination in the metal table, stains where melted ice cream had landed were the only things there. She eventually nodded, the two standing from the table. Percy just hoped she wouldn't freak out too much when she met their mode of transport.
"Perce… where in the bloody hell are we?!" Tonks yelled to the open field, not a building in sight. "We've been walking for half a bloody hour!" A frustrated grunt escaped her mouth as she kicked her foot at a tuft of grass, nearly tripping in the process. "We could have taken the floo!"
"I don't trust those fireplaces."
She spun in a circle, her arms extended to the trees that surrounded them. "Perce, this is ridiculous. We could have alread-" Percy's incredibly loud taxi cab whistle cut her off, her hands whipping to her ears, desperate to block out the noise of Percy's practiced call.
"Apparition?"
"No can do." Percy shook his head slowly, eyes towards the sky.
"And why the bloody hell not?"
"Hate the feeling…" he paused, a black dot appearing in his vision, moving across the afternoon sky. He pointed his finger in the dot's direction, turning towards his companion with a trademark smirk on his lips. "Besides, I thought you liked flying." A loud neigh echoed from the sky as the dot became more clear, and Percy watched as the anger that had consumed her face dispelled in an instant. Her eyes lit up in wonder and her jaw dropped as Blackjack touched down in the field.
"You better close your mouth, Tonksy. Don't think flies taste as good as ice cream." She instantly closed her jaw, sending a glare his way. It might have been scary, if he had not been on the receiving end of glares from half of the Olympian council at some point.
"You have a Pegasus? No wizard has seen one in over a millenia."
"Oh yeah, I saved his life a few years back and now he won't leave me alone." His head was thrown towards the woman, Blackjack having shoved his shoulder with his nose. Yo boss, introduce me to her.
Percy rubbed his shoulder where Blackjack hit him, a bruise probably already forming. "Blackjack, this is Tonksy. Tonksy, this is Blackjack." Hello there, pretty lady. His wings furled out, spread as far as they could go as he tilted his black head to the side.
"Perce, is he posing?"
Percy glanced over his shoulder, waving a dismissing hand in the pegasus' direction. "Yeah, he tends to show off a bit… just ignore him." Wouldn't you show off if you looked as good as me?
Ignoring Blackjack, he looked back towards Tonks, the amazed expression stuck on her pretty face. "Ready to go?"
She whipped her head towards him, eyelids blinking rapidly. "We're going to ride a pegasus?" He simply nodded. "The other aurors are going to be so jealous…"
"Good luck getting them to believe you." Percy snorted.
"Eh, doesn't really matter, they didn't ride a pegasus." Tonks decided as they approached the all black winged horse.
You got a donut for me, boss? Percy reached into the bag at this hip, withdrawing a powdered ring of dough. "Here ya go, bud." Oh man, you're the best boss!
"That's why we stopped at the bakery? I thought you were just hungry!"
Blackjack finished the donut in one swift chomp, satiated for the flight ahead. "Nope, Blackjack likes his powdered donuts. Now come on." He gestured towards the black horse, encouraging Tonks to step up. He offered his hand for her to step on, Tonks using it like a step to swing her leg over Blackjack's back. She settled in with an amazed whoa as Percy mounted the pegasus in front of her. He rested his hands on the side of the pegasus' neck, careful not to yank on his mane. "Alright buddy, we're all set back here."
You got it, boss. You'll be home in no time.
"Better grab onto something, Tonksy. He can get going pretty fast." She quickly shook off her reverie, wrapping her arms around Percy's abs, pressing her front directly into his back, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. Blackjack entered a sprint, the trees beginning to blur past as he picked up speed. As he spread his wings and took to the sky, Tonks pressed herself even closer to Percy's back, clinging onto him with her life. It only took a few seconds for Blackjack to reach his cruising altitude and he leveled out, the beat of his wings becoming much smoother.
Percy supposed he should tell Tonks, so she could enjoy the view and all. He found himself hesitating. Even though he wasn't looking for a relationship, per se, he was still a warm-blooded male, and Tonks was a beautiful witch. She was pressed so tightly against his body, maybe a little tighter than necessary, he could feel every inch of her front against his back - namely the two ample breasts squashed against his ribcage. Something was stirring below his belt, and Percy quickly alerted Tonks to the view, the sky probably not a good place for that.
Tonks didn't speak the whole ride, save for a few gasps every now and again. She made a disappointed noise when Blackjack's legs touched down in front of his simple home. They both dismounted, Percy catching Tonks as her leg on gods know what as it swung over the pegasus' back.
"Thank you, Blackjack."
Anytime, boss. Just give me a holler and I'll always be there. Blackjack neighed as he turned, sprinting into the backyards and taking off into the sky. They watched as the black dot disappeared into the clouds.
"Thank you, Percy." Her smile was blinding as he turned to face her.
"And you wanted to take the floo." Percy teased. She pushed his shoulder, a chuckle coming from her throat. They moved towards the front door, his house painted a light blue color. The house was about two thousand square feet, Percy didn't know the specifics. Two beds and two bathrooms was enough for him, and a spacious backyard for his animal friends, all two of them - well, Blackjack did bring some of his own friends occasionally.
They crossed the threshold of the house, entering into the spacious living room, a couch and a chair occupying the space opposite a moderately sized television. Tonks shed her cloak, hanging it on a hook next to the front door., leaving her in a purple tank top and tight black pants that accentuated her,uh, toned legs… yeah that's it. Percy swallowed, following the woman into the house. He did not expect Tonks to be wearing something like that under her cloak - was it hot in here? Maybe he should turn on the air conditioning.
"You live here alone, Perce?"
"Yeah, my father insisted I have a house if I was to live overseas."
"Your dad bought this for you?"
"Couldn't really say 'no'. Besides, he originally wanted to buy me a mansion, but I got him to settle on this. It's plenty big enough for me, myself and I."
"I really want to meet your dad, he seems like a good person… despite the whole killing-people-who-enter-his-vault business." She collapsed onto the chair, sinking into the plush cushions. Percy took the couch opposite her, hesitant about the conversation.
"It's a nice place, cozy." She mused, swiveling her head, scanning the house. "Could use a feminine touch, don't you think?" She finished in a questioning tone, her voice an octave higher than the beginning of the sentence.
Percy sighed, it was now or never. "That's actually what I wanted to talk about." Percy hated how her face lit up, the hope radiating from her smile.
"I notice the way you look at me, you're not as incognito as you might think." He leaned forwards, elbows resting on his knees. "You're a beautiful woman Tonksy, truly. You're funny, witty and a joy to be around, I mean it."
Tonks' joyful expression continued to fall, despite Percy's myriad of compliments. He sincerely meant what he said, and he wished things were different, he really did.
"I can see this 'but' coming a mile off."
"It's not that big, is it?" Percy exaggerated his movements, craning his neck behind him. Tonks managed a small chuckle at his antics, a win in Percy's book.
"I've been through a lot of shit in my life. Watched a lot of people pass on, friends, family, and … more." He was staring past the woman sitting across from him, caught up in his memories. "Lot of bad memories."
He shook himself back to the present, trying to leave the past behind. "I'm not trying to get your pity, Tonks. I'm trying to get you to understand. You're a great person, a great friend." She visibly deflated at the dreaded 'f' word, her shoulder slumping in the chair. "I enjoy spending time with you, but a relationship? It's not something I can do right now… I'm sorry, Tonksy."
They both sat there, a long time passing, each drowning in their own thoughts, the minutes ticking by like a metronome. Tonks was the first to move, leaning forward in her chair. "Well, Perce. I'm not going to pretend that doesn't suck, quite disappointed, actually." She pondered her next words, head bobbing from side to side. "However, I'd much rather be friends than not… and if you ever change your mind, I'll be here." She stood from the chair, smiling in his direction.
"Thanks, Tonksy. It mea-"
"Actually, Perce." She cut him off, an expression unfamiliar to Percy aimed towards him. "You're a good looking bloke, I just want to say. Most women would say 'hot', me included." Percy was not sure where she was going, he was positive that was clear on his face. "I am a woman, you know."
"Umm, yeah?" She slowly walked towards the couch. Was she purposefully swaying her hips like that? That could not be natural, he would have noticed, right?
She leaned in close to his ear, startling him. When did she get so close? "Women have needs, Perseus." Percy normally hated his full name, but the way it came out of her mouth, smooth and husky, it sent a chill down his spine. Percy was not brand new to this, experimenting briefly with both Annabeth and Reyna, seperate times, of course. But, he was far from an expert.
Tonks placed her legs on either side of his lap, every movement precisely coordinated. Subtlety far from over, her firm posterior plopped down on his, uh, groin area, pressing further into the cushions that lined the couch. Her hands braced themselves on the back of the couch, either side of his head, positioning herself so she looked down on him, a hungry gaze in her darker than usual eyes.
"I'm no expert, but it sounds like you could use a little… stress relief yourself." She cocked her eyebrow, her tongue darting out to lickr her top lip quickly. "Whaddaya say?" She stared down at him, eagerly awaiting a response.
Could he do this? Just have fun with Tonks, his best friend over here. What if he ruined it? Hurt her? He doesn't know how long he'd actually be over here, probably just until the mission is done. He thought back to the words he used to explain to Tonks. He has been through a lot of shit… maybe it was time to just relax and be a teenager for once, something he's never gotten to experience.
You know what, screw it. He liked Tonks, if she was okay with it, he was okay with it. Maybe dad is right, it's time to stop going through the motions, live a little…
Apparently, he was thinking for too long. Tonks wriggled her but on his lap, eliciting a groan from his mouth at the feeling. "C'mon, Perce." She leaned forward, her breath hot on his ear as she whispered. "Did you forget I'm a metamorphmagus… I can look however you want..." she nibbled on his earlobe before pulling away, her eyes shining in mirth.
"Tonksy…" he managed to get out between the shakes of her booty. He snuck his hands under her shirt, resting them just over her hip bones, her warm skin soft and smooth under the rough surface of his hands. He heard a sharp inhale above him as he moved his hands up her sides.
They locked eyes, her bottom lip pulled into her mouth as she waited, her offer on the table. "If we're going to do this, I just want you to be yourself, no changing. Deal?"
A smile exploded on her face which would have reached ear to ear, if not for mortal constraints. She swooped down, her full lips capturing his rougher ones. Their mouths moved together in a searing kiss, the desperation present in her lips, movements hurried, needy. The faint taste of vanilla ice cream washed over his taste buds. Tonks pulled away when she ran out of oxygen, biting his bottom lip on her way out. Her chest was heaving slightly with her deep breaths, very noticeable with the tank top she had decided on.
"That's what I like to hear, Perseus." She gave him a sultry smile as she bent down, reaching for his belt.
Nobody left the blue house on the corner that night, not a soul.
