sincerelyhecate - Tumblr blog

sincerelyhecate · 1 day

Text

you (hit me with a broom and) set my heart ablaze

Title: you (hit me with a broom and) set my heart ablaze (chapter 9)

Pairing: Jason Grace/Percy Jackson

Length: 14.6k words

You can also read this on AO3.

∘◦ ☆ ◦∘

“I miss you, Jason,” a voice, dear and familiar, echoed in the haze of Jason’s sluggish mind. The words were stricken in grief, oozing loneliness, and the pang of sadness they carried reverberated through his very bones, beckoning him to follow.

With considerable effort, he pushed his body to work. To brave through the heavy fog swirling all over his dreamscape, just to reach that voice.

“Will you ever wake up?”

It wasn’t a question as much as it was a desperate plea. At the distress laced within that familiar tone, he knew he had to go wherever it was. Though his limbs protested, he slogged through everything with renewed vigour.

It took him a while—minutes bleeding into hours as he walked on—to notice the unyielding darkness clutching tight to his vision. Oh. It was a belated realisation, but he’s now aware that he’s yet to be conscious.

There’s only one thing left to do, then; muster the will to wake up.

And so he mustered that will. Though his eyelids were as heavy as lead, his bones rusted metal, he refused to admit defeat. He’s so close to his destination, he could feel it in his veins. Sooner than he knew it, he found himself at the precipice of his dream, the door to wakefulness waiting just beyond the blurry edge. Just one final push, until he could return.

And then—

“There you are.”

With near-herculean effort, Jason cracked his eyes fully open, a little blinded by the light as his vision adjusted itself to his surroundings. A few seconds passed as he laid there in a stupor, slowly registering the arching ceiling and the greying walls of the Hospital Wing. The tickling scent of medicinal potions prodded his nose, nearly dulling his senses again…

…until he felt a hand holding his, their connected palms moist with sweat. He tilted his head, eyes flitting from those enjoined hands upwards to find Percy, sitting on a rickety stool at one side of his bed.

His boyfriend looked rather haggard, to put it simply—not that it diminished his Greek god looks any less. Fully dressed in his school robes, yet still looking rather worse for wear. Voice solemn, he greeted Jason, “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

Only then could Jason focus on Percy’s face in its entirety, slowly realising just how exhausted he looked. Eyebags hung heavily underneath his green eyes, red-rimmed from lack of sleep. There was a hint of stubble on his chin and cheeks. His tie hung crookedly around his neck, evidently thrown on haphazardly, and one of his collar leafs was creased like a dog-eared page. His hair was a storm of black waves; dishevelled more than usual, if it’s even possible.

Despite it all, his lips were curled in a small, relieved smile as soon as his eyes met Jason’s. The muscles on Jason’s face stung a little as he returned it with his own weaker one. Knowing it’d please Percy, he joked back in a whisper, “Did you manage to defeat the evil dragon?”

His throat was as scratchy as the sound of an old radio; drier than a desert. Percy fetched a glass of water from the bedside table and brought it to his lips. At the first sip, his parched throat screamed in relief. When the glass was moved away, Percy’s face was lit with his signature grin. Like the sun itself had sent him in its stead.

“That I did.”

“How long was I out for?”

“Two days. Was the dream really that nice?”

Jason’s heart stuttered at Percy’s reply. Two days? He thought he’d been out for one night at most.

He wondered what would’ve happened if Percy didn't call out to him. Would he stay entrapped in his dreams forever, floating aimlessly in the centre of the void engulfing his mind? Would he continue to wander amidst the endless emptiness, a stagnant existence for all of eternity? It didn’t feel like he’d wanted anything in particular then. Not even the will to wake up—until Percy’s voice had reached out to him.

It was nothing short of a miracle, the way Percy pierced through Jason’s unconsciousness; as always his unknowing saviour, his unaware, wonderful hero.

Shaking his head slightly, he pushed his back off the mattress to settle against the headboard. “Steady,” Percy said, hands hovering over Jason’s sides in case he’d crumple down again. It was as sweet as it was unnecessary; he already felt miles better than when he’d lost his consciousness.

“Pomfrey checked on you earlier and said you’d be waking up anytime today,” Percy informed as he warily settled down again. His voice was eerily quiet, like the calm before the storm. “She told me you’ve been putting too much strain on yourself, your body needed a longer time than usual to recuperate.”

A pause. And then, almost accusingly, “Have you been training too hard before the match?”

“No harder than my usual routine,” Jason clarified, though it was only half the truth. He’d done his routines like normal…just double the amount. Everything had stemmed from his own drive that shared very little difference with the desperation to keep his promise, one that he’d decided he had to fulfil no matter what. It’d almost been for naught because of the rain, but he managed to pull it off in the end, with a few extra injuries to show.

As par for the course with Quidditch.

Which was why it’s a little strange when Percy’s face dropped at his words. This wasn’t the reaction he’d imagined when he’d won. He’d expected a sunny celebration, not this downcast reception. A frown began to mire Percy’s lovely eyebrows at his clarification, and Jason’s heart clenched at the sight.

“Please don’t lie to me,” Percy said. “I asked Frank and he said you’ve been working your fingers to the bone for the past few weeks.” He let out a heavy sigh, as if he’s disappointed with himself. “This is what I get for not monitoring your practice sessions.”

“What for?” Jason asked gently. “I have my teammates for that. You, on the other hand, have N.E.W.T.s to worry about.”

“And your teammates failed you. Not that I blame them. You’re rather one stubborn bloke.” Before Jason could counter him, Percy cupped his cheek with a hand and stroked his skin with a gentle thumb. The stare he gave him suggested there was no room for debate, at least not at that very moment. Holding down his tongue, Jason gulped down the budding apprehension in his throat.

With a deep breath, as if he’s bracing himself, Percy said, “I know it’s pretty arrogant of me—telling another capable Seeker how they should play their game—but don’t ever play the way you did last match again. Alright?”

It turned out that there was room for debate, after all.

Jason didn’t like where this conversation was going, but he had to speak his mind. “You know as well as I do, especially with the circumstance at hand, that we both would’ve done whatever it takes to win, right?”

“But not at the expense of your life!”

Jason suppressed the urge to scoff. “Darling, that much wouldn’t finish me off.”

“I can list tens of hundreds of consequences where things could go horribly wrong last time, Jason.” Percy’s voice was gradually trembling. Jason knew it wasn’t from the hyperbole, and he felt terrible hearing it. “This isn’t something you could dismiss so—flippantly! This is you we’re talking about!”

The prickling sensation of déjà vu pricked at Jason’s skin.

“…We had this conversation once, didn’t we?” he told Percy. “We did. And if my memory serves me correctly, the situation was almost the same as now, except I was in your place and you were in mine.”

“I—” Percy was stunned into silence, staring at Jason in disbelief. It was evident that he’s unhappy with how Jason had pulled a reverse on him. Endearingly, his fingers still carried on their gentle ministrations against Jason’s skin, this time drawing shapeless patterns on his hand. “That was—”

Jason watched on quietly as his boyfriend struggled to find his words. After a while, Percy relented with a heavy sigh. “Fine. I know I sound like a hypocrite. I know I would’ve employed the exact same strategy if I were in your situation. To that, I’ve been thinking.”

A pause. Another deep breath.

“For both of our sakes, I’ve been thinking,” Percy continued, “of dropping this whole image of the trouble-loving, reckless young wizard that I somehow have going on—for Merlin knows why—if it means you’re not put in harm’s way again.” There was a pointed decisiveness in his tone. “I’m gonna turn over a new leaf for good this time.”

What? Guilt spiked in Jason’s chest. Even if he ultimately wanted Percy to heed his own advice, he never wanted him to change as a person. That wouldn’t be fair. “Why? You’re fine the way you are, Percy.”

“I’d be inclined to agree if I hadn’t been such a bad influence on you,” Percy muttered, voice laden with regret. Jason detested listening to it. He had to say something, make it stop somehow. “I thought it’d be okay to let loose around you in the beginning, since you’d always been so principled. I didn’t know the effect that I’d have on you. Having you suffer grave injuries for my sake was the furthest thing from my mind.”

“And that’s on me. You’re not responsible for something I decided on my own.”

“I’m still responsible for being a bad influence.”

Really now. “I am perfectly capable of deciding what’s good and bad for myself, alright?”

“Merlin, you’re a stubborn one!” Percy sputtered in exasperation.

“They say birds of a feather flock together,” Jason shot back. “So I could say the same to you.”

“I have to do it, Jason. I can’t depend on others to keep me in line all the time. Even Annabeth, my closest friend since I was eleven, couldn’t really manage that. It’s something that I need to do on my own.” His hand travelled upwards to card through Jason’s hair once again. It took a bit of effort for Jason to not let his eyes close and hum in pleasure at the way Percy’s nails gently raked against his scalp.

Belatedly, he had a feeling that this wasn’t really what it was. “Percy—”

“Before I knew it, we’re becoming too much like each other. It shouldn’t have been a bad thing, until things ended up this way. This has to be a lesson for me.” Percy must’ve seen the bewilderment in Jason’s face when he said it, because he pressed on, “I want to do it, baby.”

And there they were, his puppy eyes. So lethal when combined with that pet name.

“Fine,” Jason relented. “You can do anything you want. I won’t stop you.” He took a deep breath. “And I owe you an apology. I’m really sorry I made you feel that way.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“But,” Jason continued, injecting as much sincerity as he could in his voice. “I need you to understand this, at least: I fell for you because of how free you are as a person, Percy. How unapologetic you are in staying true to yourself. How unrestrained you are against everything. The last thing I ever want is to stifle you from being yourself.”

“You were never stifling, Jason,” Percy said with a shake of his head. The downward curve of his eyebrows looked so sad, Jason’s heart clenched at the sight. He reached out to smoothen the crease in between with his index finger. Thankfully, it relented rather quickly. “You’ve only been looking out for me, haven’t you? I never wanted you to stop doing that either. It’s time for me to be mindful about you too.”

“And you’ve always been. I let you push me around because I wanted you to. Because I had so much fun with you. And even if you did change back then—held yourself back from being who you were—just for my sake,” Jason decided with an air of finality, “the outcome of the match wouldn’t have been any different.”

He tried not to relish too much in the surge of pride rushing through his veins at the way Percy gawked at his reply. Really, his boyfriend had severely underestimated how far his stubbornness could go.

“That isn’t to say I’ll brush off your worries and concerns, darling,” he clarified in reassurance. “More than anybody else, I get it. It nearly killed me too, back when I crashed into you.”

“Then, how do I stop you from doing the same stupid things I do?”

“You only have to ask! Provided you listen when I ask you the same,” he offered, not wanting to drag this pointless back-and-forth any further. “More than we already do, let’s look out for each other. You said we’re becoming too much like each other, didn’t you? I refuse to think that’s a bad thing. Let’s learn how to navigate around this new change instead. Learn how to decide what’s best for us, together.”

Percy hesitated for a bit afterwards, taking the time to mull over Jason’s suggestion. His lips were pursed and bitten this way and that, the cracked skin blooming red, as he fought an internal war with himself. Jason waited on patiently. He’d wait for eternity if it’d get Percy to understand.

Much to his relief, Percy finally conceded. “Can’t say it’s a bad idea. I’ll learn to be more careful, and you’ll learn to let loose more.” He raised a warning index finger and warned, “But no more suicidal moves, alright?”

“Yep, just like that,” Jason said, nodding vigorously. He’d still jump into literal hellfire if it’d make Percy happy, but at that moment, it was enough. “Tell me what I should do, and I’ll tell you the same, without holding back from being ourselves. We’re a team, you and I.”

“A team…” Percy said carefully, as if testing the roll of it on his tongue. “I love that.”

“And I’d love it if you could return to your lessons, Mr Jackson,” Madam Pomfrey interrupted. “As healthy as communication between young couples are, the Hospital Wing is hardly the appropriate place for it.” She placed a tray of breakfast on Jason’s lap before informing him, “You may leave after eating your meal, Mr Grace. If you need more rest, I can write your Professors a note for you to take the day off.”

“I have a free period now, ma’am,” Percy said. The matron raised a suspicious eyebrow, but forwent questioning him any further. After Jason confirmed that he didn’t need anything else and thanked her for her care, she briskly left with a single nod.

As soon as she disappeared into her office, Percy took the bowl of porridge on the tray before Jason could even reach out for it. He stirred the porridge thoroughly, then blew on a spoonful, before promptly feeding Jason with a careful hand.

Jason’s heart couldn’t help but melt at the way Percy fed him. His eyebrows would furrow in concentration as he meticulously cut the diced chicken into smaller bits. He’d make sure he got all the veggies in the spoon as he scooped the porridge. He’d even wipe the corner of Jason’s mouth with a thumb when a little bit of rice would stick on it. All of it was so charming, Jason couldn’t hide his own smile.

After about five spoonfuls, Jason said a little too late, “You know I can feed myself, right?”

“Shut up, you love it,” Percy replied, not that he’d ever let him in the first place. Jason chuckled around the spoon, allowing himself to be pampered for once.

Though he’d always preferred the one at the dorm for better privacy, Jason would sometimes go for a soak at the Prefects’ Bathroom as a treat. When the stress of his many responsibilities accumulated into a throbbing headache and knots twisting painfully in his muscles, he’d make the trip to the fifth floor with the hope that the gigantic bathtub filled with scented water, cotton-soft foam and multicoloured bubbles would help.

Today was one such occasion, a week after his discharge. When he was submerged in the tub, nude and content, the tension in his shoulders slowly dissipating like the steam rising above the water, the last person he’d thought he’d be seeing was the Slytherin’s team Captain.

“Hullo,” a gruff voice greeted him. Jason cracked his eyes open and saw Nakamura clad in a bathrobe, face unreadable as he regarded the bubbly surface of the shimmering bathwater.

“Hello, Nakamura.”

“Mind if I join you?”

Out of all the possibilities that could have arisen when you put the two of them in a room together, this was the last thing Jason had expected.

“…Not at all.”

At his acquiescence, Nakamura’s bathrobe dropped in an unceremonious bundle on the tiled floor. He had a rather fit body, Jason couldn’t help but observe. Percy is fitter for sure, his mind provided unprompted, and he tamped down a silly smile at the thought. He’s so in love with his boyfriend, no other men could ever hope to compare.

He respectfully averted his gaze when Nakamura stepped into the water without bothering to cover his nether regions. Silence hung in the air for a while, barring the sounds of running water and popping bubbles. Then, just when Jason was about to climb out from the awkwardness, Nakamura asked, “Everything’s alright with Jackson?”

“Yeah.”

Sensing Jason’s slight discomfort, Nakamura said with a pointedly casual air, “They say one of the ways men could learn about each other better is when they’re naked together.”

Jason moved two steps away from him. The mermaid in the stained glass window let out a soft giggle. “Is that a proposition?”

“Merlin, no. I don’t want Jackson to murder me in my sleep.”

“Alright.”

Another bout of silence enveloped the flowery air once more. Before Jason could wonder if he should continue the stilted conversation, Nakamura spoke up once again, with a hint of determination in his tone: “Look, I’m sorry about everything that happened back then.”

“This is the second time you apologised. I’ve already forgiven you, haven’t I?”

“I know,” Nakamura said, sinking lower into the water. “Thank you for that. Something feels off inside me still…Maybe it’s because I’ve never really gotten Jackson’s forgiveness.”

“You can try harder, then,” Jason suggested.

“Not when he treats me like I’m just the passing wind every time. Besides, I’m fine with him not wanting anything to do with me anymore.”

“Are you sure?” Jason questioned. “You used to be friends, weren’t you? I never wanted to be in the way of that.”

“It makes it easier to move on,” Nakamura said, folding his arms over his chest. Jason was a little confused by the statement, but he decided to keep quiet. There was another long pause as Nakamura visibly hesitated. Then, completely out of the blue, he said, “Not that this will threaten your relationship in any way, but I’d like to confess something. Get this thing off my chest once and for all.”

To say Jason felt perplexed was putting it mildly. “Be my guest.”

“I was jealous when I acted out the other day. I knew I never had a chance, but I was so pissed with everything that I did it anyway.”

“Jealous of whom?” Jason carefully asked.

“Of you, obviously. I fancied Jackson for quite a while then.”

…Oh.

Unaware, or uncaring, of Jason’s inner turmoil, Nakamura pressed on, “I thought I could get over it, since I never had the bollocks to confess, nor the effort to pursue him seriously, but seeing how close both of you’d gotten in such a short time, how easily you talked to him, how much he smiled around you, there was this ugly feeling tearing at my chest that’d pushed me to act the way I did. It was horrible, as you’d seen it. I’m still ashamed of it, and it cost me whatever goodwill Jackson had left for me, so in the end…yeah.”

“You can still salvage it, you know?” Jason pointed out. Instead of whatever feeling he’s supposed to harbour for the bloke, Jason only felt pity. It’s a shame that Nakamura had to hurt this much over some childish squabble, and he had regretted it in the end, hadn’t he? At the very least, he didn’t deserve Percy’s endless animosity. “This is your final year together. Merlin knows when you’ll see each other again. I’ll talk to Percy later, alright?”

“You’re not threatened?”

Jason swallowed the scoff building in his throat. Percy's beyond head over heels for him. Case in point: no one had ever managed to score Percy during the long six years he'd harboured a crush on Jason. It’d take a lot more for Jason to feel the slightest bit threatened.

“Not at all,” he said, and because he’s not petty, he only smiled kindly at Nakamura. “It’s worth a shot, don’t you think?”

It took the other boy a while to respond, and when Jason was sure the rest of his stay would only be filled with the eerie, mystical sounds of the bathroom at night, he saw Nakamura give him a ghost of a nod.

The rest of the school year passed by in a blur. With the conclusion of their match against Hufflepuff, the only notable event awaiting Jason was his finals. For Percy, he still had his last match of the season against Ravenclaw, and would then dive headfirst into N.E.W.T.s.

Perhaps it’s because Ravenclaw was intrinsically such a studious bunch, having the last match so close to the final exams had ultimately spelled their doom. They were very reserved and dispirited in their play, as if wanting nothing more than to get the match over and done with so they could return to their revisions. Meanwhile, the Slytherins were being their usual slippery, cunning selves, playing with as much vigour as they did in any other matches, thus drawing the match to a close with a whopping 250-50 to their name.

N.E.W.T.s was notoriously faithful to its name, but Jason wasn’t that worried for Percy. And when his boyfriend had exited the examination hall for his final paper with a dopey grin, Jason instantly knew that things had gone swimmingly. It wasn’t at all a surprise; Percy was very smart. Had the world decided to not inhibit him with ADHD and dyslexia, he’d probably be considered one of the smartest seventh-years by the whole school (and he actually was, according to Jason’s unbiased observation. He’s just a victim of his unfair circumstance). And with Jason helping him revise past syllabi (complemented with the occasional good luck kisses), having a bona fide genius as his best friend, and the Professors sensibly accommodating his neurodivergence, Percy was confident he’d pass all of his papers.

In the end, the Inter-house Quidditch Cup was awarded to Gryffindor as the champion, followed by Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Considering the rather tame final match, you could say it was a rather anticlimactic end to the season, but Jason believed he had enough surprises, and accidents, to last a lifetime.

“And now we wait until Gryffindor wins the House Cup,” Percy sighed, feigning a bored yawn.

“You guys still have a chance,” Jason remarked courteously, even though Clarisse would’ve had his head if she heard that. “All teams sans Ravenclaw only have one loss each, so it’s all up in the air now.”

“Well, someone’s forgotten he docked a whopping 90 points from my Captain just to protect me.”

“Oh,” Jason replied, feeling a little sheepish. “That had to be done. Sorry.”

“Merlin, what a time. I was on my wits’ end when you still wouldn’t budge while Nakamura was about to hex your handsome face off.” A shudder rippled through Percy’s body as he reminisced. Fixing Jason a meaningful stare, he warned, “Don’t ever try to do that again.”

Well, Jason wouldn’t make a promise he can’t keep. “I can take a hex or two for you, darling. It’s not a big deal.”

“It would be once I committed bloody murder afterwards, wouldn’t it?”

Jason felt his eyebrows rise when Percy’s words struck a realisation within. “Piper’s right. We really are dramatic.”

“Embarrassingly so, though I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Percy replied cheerily. He took Jason’s hand and led him away from the noticeboard where the final ranking for the season was tacked onto. “Let’s go to the Hall and get you that Cup.”

In the blink of an eye, the school year came to a quiet close. Before Jason felt the slightest bit ready, he found himself sitting in the Great Hall for the End-of-Term Feast, dressed smartly in his school robes. The Hall was bedecked with decorations of red and gold to signify Gryffindor’s overall victory, and the air was electric with the students’ excitement for the summer hols, and joy over surviving yet another tough school year.

For some reason, it was mostly sombreness that filled the void in Jason’s heart. Even the usual rowdiness of his triumphant housemates, that’d been so infectious in previous years, didn’t quite manage to overpower it. Trying to find a remedy, he glanced at Percy’s usual spot at the Slytherin’s table, but his boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

“Gryffindor wins the House Cup once again. Another year, another clichéd ending.” Suddenly, before Jason could even wonder where he’d gone, Percy appeared on his other side, his words lined with a sarcastic edge. “I’d complain more if it wasn’t for my baby here.”

“There you are,” Jason sighed in relief, voice all melty. With no effort to spare, Percy’s returning grin pierced through the grimness within, replacing it with incomparable warmth. Without fail, just like the sun.

“Go back to your seat, Jackson,” Piper complained.

“Lay off me, McLean. It’s my final feast in this school,” Percy retorted with a roll of his eyes. He squeezed into the nonexistent space between Jason and Piper to invade their table, ever oblivious to the other Gryffindors’ annoyance from his presence. Jason shared none of his housemates’ sentiment, leaning against Percy when his boyfriend wrapped an arm around his waist, promptly resting his head on those soft black curls.

Drink up, his conscience said, as they dug in after the Headmistress’ lengthy speech. Relish in his wonderful presence for as long as you can, before you inevitably part ways tomorrow.

“Congratulations for winning the Cup, baby,” Percy said as he munched on a crispy drumstick. He was eating with only one hand, his other arm unwilling to part with Jason’s body. Jason had to wipe the food on the corner of Percy’s mouth more times than he could count.

“Thank you, darling. It’s our win; I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Chuckling fondly, Percy sneaked an oily kiss to his cheek. He couldn’t even find it in himself to feel disgusted, nor feel the will to wipe the grease off his cheek, too enamored by everything Percy.

“Sit on the train with me?” Percy asked when the buzzing atmosphere in the Hall slowed down to a steady murmur, as the rest of the students finished up to prepare for bed on their final night of the semester.

Jason sipped the last drops of his sparkling water. “You didn’t even have to ask.”

“Let’s celebrate your birthday together. Just the two of us, in our own private compartment. We’ll buy every single kind of sweet off the trolley for our own little birthday party, gobble them up before we reach King’s Cross, then spend the rest of the way snogging to our heart’s content.”

That sounded like a really lovely idea. Jason told him so.

“You wish, Jackson,” Piper piped up. “You can’t just have him all to yourself on his birthday! His seventeenth one at that! He’s our best friend first and foremost, and we reserve the right to throw him a birthday bash tomorrow.”

“We’ll be dropping by anytime,” Leo warned, somehow ending up dining at the Gryffindor table too. “You better be decent when we do.”

“Fine,” Percy acquiesced, grumbling. “I’ll give you lot half an hour at most, then I’m gonna start snogging him no matter what happens.”

The rest of the evening passed just like that, to the lilting of sophisticated toad music, the soft clinking of cutleries and the wonderful sounds of his friends’ bickering and laughing together. Sparing his best efforts, Jason made it a mission to commit them to memory. His best friends would still be there with him next year, sure, but Percy had added so much colour into his life as a student, he wasn’t sure if school would be quite the same in his boyfriend’s absence.

When Percy kissed him good night after walking him back to the Tower, before playfully warning him to have a good night’s sleep so they could go all out tomorrow, Jason could only pray to the stars that he could heed his advice. When the dreaded day that’d been plaguing his mind for so long would be arriving tomorrow, he’s not sure if he could sleep a wink, after all.

***

King’s Cross was as bustling with people as ever when the Hogwarts Express pulled into Platform 9 ¾. Percy used to relish in this lively atmosphere every end of the school year. It meant he was getting closer to home, and to his beloved Mum, Paul and now his loveliest baby sister Estelle.

Today was a little different.

Though he’s still excited to return to his family, there was this foreign yet familiar sensation of dread tugging at his heart all the same. Perhaps it’s because it’s the last time he’d experience all of this delightful commotion; of goodbyes with the promise of future reunions at Hogwarts. Perhaps it’s also because he’d be leaving Jason behind as he made his first foray into adulthood alone, and only Merlin knew how much he detested the very idea.

Saying his farewells to his classmates was easy. With his close friends, like Annabeth and Rachel, it was a little less so. There were some shedding of tears when they bidded each other goodbyes, but it was mostly due to pride and joy that they made it until the very end together.

With Jason, it was the most difficult.

A mere year of friendship, and barely a year of a relationship, hardly justified long periods of separation. At Hogwarts, not seeing Jason longer than a few hours was difficult, his boyfriend being the highlight of his day as it was. Now that the chapter of his life as a student had come to a close, Percy wasn’t sure if he could survive not seeing Jason for weeks, if not months.

Hence why there wasn’t a better time than this one. To say the words he’d been holding in time and time again, despite wanting nothing more than to utter it at the first instance Jason had reciprocated his feelings. The sacred three words, ones he believed he’d have a hard time saying when the time comes.

(For they meant the irreversible. For they meant forever.)

Hands jittery on the handle of his trolley, he halted on his tracks to face Jason beside him. His boyfriend followed his lead and returned his stare with a curious look, probably wondering why he’d stopped so suddenly. A tiny smile tugged at his scarred lips, always so fond at every single one of Percy’s quirks.

In the end, it’s surprising how easy it was to say it, considering everything. Though his heart pounded against his ribs, and his breathing cut itself short, the words uttered by his lips were steady and sure. Perhaps because it’s merely the truth, and Percy had never found it hard to bare his heart to Jason.

“I love you, Jason."

Upon hearing the words, a tiny gasp escaped Jason’s lips. His chest visibly hitched. His eyes widened as a rosy glow bloomed in his cheeks, like pink roses unfurling their petals at the beckoning of late spring. His mouth slightly parted in reply, his lower lip quivered, but he was silent for a few infuriating moments, only looking at Percy like he’d only seen him for the very first time.

Percy’s heart gradually inched towards the earth the longer Jason stayed still, and he was about to blurt something, anything, just to salvage the moment, when his boyfriend came to his rescue by crowding his space to kiss him deeply on the lips.

"Here I am, cowardly thinking if I could get away with saying it over a letter,” Jason said. His voice was so soft, Percy could almost physically feel the tenderness within. The knot that was suffocating his chest unravelled, and he felt like he could finally breathe. “You never failed to sweep me off my feet, darling. In the most inopportune of moments, in the way that’d always leave me breathless for more.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and then, with the most angelic smile Percy had ever seen gracing his face, said the words Percy had wanted to hear so much it had been painful: “I love you too, Percy."

Like sunflowers basking underneath the rays of the sun, warmth bloomed in his chest, spreading all over his insides in delightful tingles. The ground disappeared underneath his feet, but instead of falling, he found himself soaring in the vast sky above, its colour stolen from the very blue of Jason’s eyes. When he closed the distance between them in a fierce hug, Jason’s arms were open and waiting. Percy wasn’t sure if he could ever bear letting go.

Futilely, he begged into the crook of Jason’s neck, “Come home with me.”

Jason’s voice was gentle against his hair, placating. “I really want to, darling. But not now. I have something to settle at home once and for all, but until then, I can’t—”

“Who says you can’t do whatever you want, kiddo?”

At the sudden sound of a woman’s voice, they broke slightly apart in surprise. Percy looked toward the source, and immediately felt like he was doused in icy water. Goosebumps prickled his skin all over.

Thalia Grace was standing two metres away, hands on her hips in a languid posture. Her Auror robes were fashionably tailored to suit her tastes, which was to say artfully ripped and torn in places. She looked like she’d barely aged beyond seventeen, yet still appeared mature beyond her years; larger-than-life, cool as fuck, ostensibly dangerous. Her sharp face wore an amused expression as she regarded them, whose bodies were still tangled together in the middle of the crowded station, like a stone parting the sea of people.

“Hey, Jason. Happy birthday.”

“Thals!” Jason exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. He was still holding Percy tight, hands clasped behind the small of his back, uncaring of what his (terrifying) sister might think of the sight. “What are you doing here?”

“What?” Thalia deadpanned. “Can’t I be the one to pick up my baby brother once in a while?”

“What about Argus?” Jason asked.

“I sent the house a quick note telling them I’d be picking you up.” Her eyes met Percy’s in a piercing stare. The warmth of her tone dropped down by several degrees. “Long time no see, Perce. Heard you’ve been romancing my precious brother behind my back.”

“Hey—” Percy cleared his throat when his voice embarrassingly cracked. “Hey, Thalia! It’s good to see you again! A-And yeah.” He let go of Jason, and a surge of courage rushed through his chest when Jason sought his hand to grip it in reassurance. “As you’ve heard, I’m Jason’s boyfriend. We—l-love each other. So, er, I humbly ask for your blessings. And support.”

“Love?” Thalia questioned, eyebrows disappearing beneath her fashionably unruly bangs.

“Yes, Thals,” Jason confirmed in earnest. “I love him, and he loves me. In fact, I love him more than he loves me, so you know what that means.”

“Debatable,” Percy muttered out of the corner of his mouth. “I love you the most.”

“Shush, you.”

“Well, I wasn't planning to get in the way of you guys or anything,” Thalia said, mouth twisting like she’s holding back laughter. The boulder on Percy’s chest began to roll away, allowing him to breathe a bit easier. “Who am I to stop my beloved brother in his noble pursuit for happiness?” She approached them casually before stopping right before Percy. “Though we do have a private conversation waiting, you and I. For old time’s sake.”

"No threatening my boyfriend, Thals,” Jason warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Thalia said cheerily. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Got all your things?”

Jason gestured at his trolley in affirmative. “Yeah.”

Thalia took a step back and turned toward her brother. “Got your farewell speech ready?”

Jason’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “How do you know I’m leaving the house?”

“What?!” Percy exclaimed. Thalia ignored him, while Jason just tightened his hold on his hand.

“Really, Jason? I’ve known you since you’re a wee little baby. More often than not I feel like I’m more of a mum than a big sister for you. Kinda fucked up when you think about it, but it’s not like we had any decent adults in our household growing up. Anyway, I digress.”

She took Jason’s other hand to squeeze it tightly. Who knew Thalia was such a doting older sister? “You’re seventeen now, Jason. Practically and legally an adult already. No one has the right to stop you from spreading your wings and leaving the nest. And it’s not like the nest we grew up in was particularly homey, is it?”

Jason’s smile was wistful. “Yeah. I dunno if Dad and Juno would take it well, though. I—”

Thalia held up a placating hand. “That’s why your ever-so-reliable sister is here to back you up. Don’t you worry. Dad would agree because I have a very valuable bargaining chip in hand. An M.L.E. top secret one,” she explained, whispering the last sentence with a wink. “Juno would too, because as much as she is an ugly old bat, she’s always had a soft spot for you. Everything’s gonna be fine.”

His face glowing with gratitude, Jason let go of Percy’s hand to wrap her in a hug that she returned just as fiercely. When they released each other, Thalia said, “You still owe me two more, but that can wait. Now,” she glanced at Percy with a ghost of a smirk, “say your goodbyes.”

It took him quite some effort to toss away the terrifying feeling that separation brought. In the back of his mind, anxiety and fear were constantly clawing at his consciousness, translating themselves into embarrassing trembles evident in his fingers. Try as he might to cover his shakiness, unsurprisingly, Jason’s embrace did the trick.

“I have to drop by my parents’ for a bit, then I wager I’d be staying at Thalia’s until I get my own place,” Jason murmured against his cheek, his voice soothing as a balm.

“Which won’t be for another year, at least,” Thalia piped up from the side.

“I thought it’d take me a while to convince them to let me go—not that I wouldn’t leave if they ever tried to stop me—but I have a feeling it won't take much time at all now that I have Thalia by my side. So, I’ll see you soon, okay?” Jason continued, before planting a kiss on his lips.

“Yeah, okay,” Percy said, voice wavering, still dreading the prospect of his boyfriend leaving.

“I’ll see you very soon, darling. Next week at the earliest.” Another kiss, a touch deeper this time, like Jason wanted to sear the feel of his lips in Percy’s mind. “Okay?”

“Okay!” Percy said, eyes now watering against his will, mouth forming a shaky smile. “See you soon, baby. I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too,” Jason replied with his own watery smile, his eyes twinkling from both mirth and tears. “I’ll owl you as soon as I get the chance. I love you.”

This time, Percy’s the one who initiated the kiss. The rest of the week seemed so gloomy now when he realised he’d be Jason-deprived for days, if not weeks. Ignoring the heavy feeling in his chest, he mustered a grin when they parted. “I love you too!”

It took every ounce of his willpower to finally let go. Every single cell in his body screamed for anything but. When Jason walked away, tailing Thalia toward the exit of the station, eyes still locked onto Percy’s as if he couldn’t bear looking away, only the promise of their coming reunion had held him back from chasing after.

Despite everything, Percy’s not about to see his boyfriend off without a smile and an enthusiastic wave. This goodbye, after all, would not last forever. He waved with as much vigour as he could muster, grinning wildly like it’d only be tomorrow when they see each other again, just like back in Hogwarts. Jason waved back with the same enthusiasm, walking backwards like he couldn’t care of tripping over his feet or running into anybody, keeping at it until he finally disappeared from sight.

When the tiny precious dot disappeared around a corner, buried underneath the throngs of people going to and fro under the summery London sun, Percy swallowed the grief in his chest and took out his cellphone, now functioning outside of the castle’s magical confines.

“Hi, Mum.” He rubbed his nose to suppress a sniffle. “Yeah, I’m here.”

Crack. The familiar explosive sound of Apparition went off ten metres away from Percy. He was sitting on a bench near a park right behind the row of houses where his family home was located, waiting for Jason’s arrival exactly two weeks after their last meeting at King’s Cross. It was a little later than noon on a weekday, so the park was practically devoid of any Muggle at this time of the day.

Apparently, everything had gone smoothly on Jason’s side of things. According to his latest letter, Thalia’s bargaining chip didn’t really see much use, for Jupiter Grace hadn’t really planned on stopping his only son from his shot at independence. He couldn’t care less about keeping their façade of the ideal pure-blood family now that all his kids were adults. His stepmum had even shed a few tears and made Jason promise to have tea with her at least once every few weeks, a fate Thalia was grateful to have escaped. Most importantly, Jason had moved out of his childhood home without a hitch, and Percy was all too eager to have him in his arms again.

Glancing toward the source of the noise, he was greeted by the sight of a wobbly Jason hanging onto a steadier Thalia, his hand tightly gripping the handle of a leather suitcase. Perched on Jason’s lovely Roman nose was a brand new pair of square glasses, the metallic gold of the frames glinting underneath the sunlight. He was dressed comfortably in a simple white tee and a pair of jeans. His usually perfect hair was a little mussed in places, complementing his disoriented face from the Side-Along Apparition. When he finally noticed Percy in the periphery of his vision, his face broke into a grin so radiant it punched the air out of Percy’s lungs.

“Baby!” Percy gushed, all but leaping into Jason’s waiting arms.

“Surprise!” Jason said, laughing as Percy’s lips latched onto his like no tomorrow. “How do I look?”

You look like someone I’d marry in a heartbeat. The man I’d be with forever. In fact, I would’ve dropped down on my knee this instant if I had a ring on me. Maybe because it’d been so long since he last saw Jason’s wonderful form, even he was aware of how sickeningly besotted he sounded. “Even more beautiful than the last time I saw you. How is that possible?”

“Oh, darling,” Jason said, tucking his chin bashfully. “You just stole my line for you.”

Percy tilted his head expectantly, and Jason indulged him with another sweet kiss. Oh, how he’d missed the plushness of Jason’s lips. The delicate taste of peppermint humbugs on the tip of his tongue. The gentle warmth of his breath against Percy’s cheek. Everything about him checked the list of reasons why Percy thought Jason should never take his lips off his again, and really, he shouldn’t at all if it’s possible.

“Seriously, though,” Jason said as soon as their mouths broke apart again. The immediate sense of loss made Percy’s stomach squirm unpleasantly. “It’s great that I’m wearing glasses now. I can actually look at your pretty face without having to squint like a weirdo.”

“Damn, it’s like I’m not even here,” Thalia deadpanned.

“Thalia!” Percy greeted sheepishly. “Would you like to drop by our place for a bit? Mum can fix you a pot of tea.”

“Thanks, but it’s alright. I’m still on the clock, after all,” she said, tone a little too flippant for someone sneaking off work. Then, completely out of the blue, and absolutely expected of an overprotective sibling, she warned, “I better not see even a strand of his hair misplaced when I see him again, Jackson, lest you’ll receive the honour of rehashing my splendid work on Dylan in my seventh year.”

A flashback crossed Percy’s mind, of the bloke struggling to carry his watermelon-sized nose to the Hospital Wing after Thalia was done with him. While the prick had deserved it, Percy couldn’t imagine doing anything that’d warrant the same. Jason, as if agreeing, sighed, “Thalia, stop embarrassing me.”

“Just doing my job, kiddo,” Thalia said with a smirk. “Besides, I like having the upper hand over Percy Jackson sometimes. Watching him squirming uncomfortably for once is pretty fun.”

“You wish,” Percy said good-naturedly, throwing her a cheeky grin. “Can’t have myself looking lame in front of my boyfriend, can I?”

He chanced a glance at Jason, just to see him already looking back. A helpless, fond smile was tugging at his lips, stretching his cute scar by a tiny margin. At the receiving end of such a loving look, handling Thalia Grace, menace extraordinaire, felt like a walk in the park.

“Well, try harder,” Thalia snorted. She held out a fist expectantly, and it took Percy a second too long to realise he’s supposed to return her fist bump. After sharing one last hug with her brother, ruffling his hair (“Thals!” Jason grumbled) while she’s at it, Thalia gave them a salute before Disapparating with another ear-popping crack.

***

“Sorry to have you walk all the way to my place. Our Floo Network is private, you see, since Mum didn’t wanna risk Estelle’s safety. You never know who’d accidentally pop in these days.”

“It’s fine!” Jason reassured him. “Honestly, I’m glad I could have some alone time with you before I meet them.”

Percy nudged him playfully. “Nervous?”

“A bit,” Jason replied with a sheepish chuckle.

“Well, there’s nothing to worry about. They already love you.”

By the time Percy said that, they'd finally arrived at the Jackson-Blofis’ front gates. It was a quaint little place that seemed far more lived-in than the gigantic mansion Jason had stayed for most of his life. The front lawn was occupied by a tiny garden where flowers and herbs of every kind flourished, adding colour to the beige walls of the house. The door was of handsome teakwood, decorated with the house number on a brass plate right on its middle. When Percy unlocked the door with a tap of his wand, it gave off a satisfying click, before opening to reveal a very massive hellhound.

“Huh,” Percy said, amused. “Looks like you’re meeting Mrs O’Leary first.”

Mrs. O’Leary, despite her sheer size and resemblance to the Grim, turned out to be a really sweet girl. Jason’s face was full of affectionate drool by the time she let him go. After cleaning himself with a quick Scourgify, he was led out of the hallway and into the living room where Percy’s mum was waiting.

“Mum,” Percy greeted, arms spread in an exaggerated, grandiose gesture. His face was shining with pure, unadulterated excitement, as if he was one of those play-pretend Muggle magicians doing a grand reveal. “Meet the Boyfriend: Jason Grace.”

“Hello, Ms Jackson,” Jason said politely. His hands hung stiffly on his sides; a little too shy to keep up with Percy’s pace. “Nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Jason! Please, just call me Sally.” She pulled him into a warm hug before leaning back to cup his face in her palms. “Oh, I’ve heard so much about you. You’re even more handsome in person!”

“Thank you,” Jason said, cheeks heating up. “You’re very beautiful in person too, Sally,” he replied honestly, earning a beam of approval from Percy.

This close to her face, he could somehow pick apart the resemblance and differences between mother and son in more clarity. In terms of mere appearance, Percy must’ve taken after his dad a lot more. However, from the curve of their smiles, to the way their eyes glint, to the gentle warmth and defined resilience emitting from both of them, Jason could also recognise the one that actually raised Percy and gave him the best life there was to give.

After turning his head this way and that, Sally concluded, “I can see why Percy is so smitten. Can’t believe he scored such a stunner!”

“Mum,” Percy said, not looking at all serious. “He scored me.”

“Oh, but of course. Let’s pretend those lovesick letters and whiny Floo calls from you were nothing more than a fever dream,” Sally said, smiling knowingly at her son. Percy rolled his eyes fondly in return. “You boys go and have lunch in the kitchen. I need to do some shopping for a bit, so make yourself at home, alright?” With a flick of her wand, Jason’s luggage flew up the stairs presumably to the room he’d be staying in.

Once Sally left, Percy dragged him to the kitchen next. He was then treated to the best meal he’d ever eaten in his entire sorry life. It was a notion he’d once thought as impossible after years of partaking in Hogwarts’ feasts. Now, as he held back from literally wolfing down the food on his plate, he believed those couldn’t hold a candle to this. From the magic she created on her stove and in her oven, Sally’s hands were surely crafted by the gods.

“You’re moaning,” Percy quipped after Jason emitted a sound he’d never thought he could make while he polished off his plate of toad-in-a-hole. “Not that I was expecting any less.”

“I’m staying in this kitchen forever.”

“No, you’re not,” Percy said, so dismissively, so uncaring of Jason’s feelings, so privileged to have access to this heaven for most of his life. Jason could almost cry, ready to square off against his boyfriend if he ever dared to remove him from his seat. Miraculously, Percy somehow managed to suggest something better.

“We’re going to my room next.”

As he laid on his side on Percy’s bed, thoroughly smothered in Percy’s bewitching scent of summertime seaside, Jason’s heart was performing a complicated dance routine to reflect his nervousness-cum-excitement. Percy was facing him in the same position, sparing barely an inch between the two of them. His breath was warm against Jason’s face. His lips were in Jason’s favourite shape: a tiny, contented smile.

As it turned out, he’d be sleeping in his boyfriend’s room for the rest of his stay; a decision vetoed by Percy, who voluntarily became his mouthpiece when Sally had brought up the guest bedroom.

Percy’s bed was readily Engorged to become queen-sized to fit both of them before Jason’s arrival. Taking a quick look around before he’s pulled into the bed by his overexcited boyfriend, the room was typically that of an average young adult’s while simultaneously screaming Percy all over and in every corner. For one, the colour of his room was predominantly blue. Everything was in a homey clutter that exuded a laid-back atmosphere. The decor consisted of a miscellany of items that reflected his interests, like the poster of the Seeker for Puddlemere United, Charles Beckendorf, and the gorgeously painted aquatic life swimming across the walls.

“Rachel gave the walls a makeover when she came over, then Annabeth performed some complicated spells to make them animated,” Percy explained when Jason stared at one corner of the room a little too long, entranced by the gentle swishing of the painted seaweed. A seal pup was playing hide and seek amongst its tendrils.

“Your room is stunning. It feels like we’re underwater.”

“Sorry I couldn’t share the same enthusiasm, Jason,” Percy deadpanned. “We currently have more important things to pay attention to. Like us.”

The mattress creaked a little as Percy shifted closer until they’re nose to nose. His finger traced against the rim of Jason’s glasses, green eyes full of wonder, like to him, an average bespectacled boy was an incredible sight to behold.

“It’s our first time in bed together,” he commented, after a minute of silence.

“How do you feel?” Jason asked. Before acknowledging his own, he thought knowing Percy’s feelings would help ease the nerves buzzing underneath his skin.

“Nervous. Excited. But mostly so damn happy.”

“Yeah?” Jason said, no longer able to contain his own grin. He placed a careful hand on Percy’s arm, relishing in that familiar body heat that he could now feel so vividly seeping into his skin. “Well, I’m essentially the same.”

“Finally,” Percy sighed, like this was everything he ever wished for his entire life.

“Finally,” Jason agreed.

A pause. Then, Percy asked, a little too carefully, a lot more hopefully, “Are you perhaps, erm, amenable to do…naughty things in this bed together?”

A giggle escaped Jason’s lips. Jokingly, he asked back, “Hm…What sort of naughty things?”

“The ones that involve…” Somehow, Percy managed to shift even closer, until there’s no more space in between them. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as if he couldn’t miss Jason’s reaction when he said it. As he spoke, Jason could the flutter of his lips against his own, his voice dwindling to a whisper. “…our naughty bits.”

With that, Jason burst into laughter. It was the way Percy had said it so earnestly, so carefully—like it was the most scandalous thing that had ever come out of his mouth, despite his penchant for dirty talking—that tickled Jason’s funny bone right. As he studied Jason’s amused face, Percy’s grin grew larger and larger, before he’s also reduced into barely contained snickers.

“Y-Yeah,” Jason said once he could breathe a little easier again, in a stage whisper to imitate Percy. “I am amenable to that. But not now, sorry.” He patted his slightly bulging stomach, vaguely feeling like a pregnant person with how much he’d eaten. “I still feel so full.”

“No problem. My prick can wait.”

Another bout of giggles escaped his lips. It felt a little stupid how giddy he was about it, but he also found himself not caring less for feeling so. “Looking forward to it.”

“I think it feels the same. Can we snog now, though?”

“Pardon my sausage breath,” Jason said, before catching those chapped lips in a passionate kiss.

They spent the rest of the afternoon entangled with each other, just talking. It’s nice, sharing this moment of mundanity together after the whirlwind that was the last school year. No classes to rush to, no N.E.W.T.s to study for (yet, in Jason’s case), just taking their own time basking in each other’s delightful presence.

“Dad wasn’t easy to deal with most of the time,” Jason was saying, when Percy had asked him about his departure from his childhood home. “He’s always away for work and stuff, but I wasn’t really free to do whatever I wanted even in his absence. Things got harder when Thalia left; it was left to me to become the perfect heir. The one to carry on the Graces’ name for the rest of his life.”

“How did you convince him to let you go?”

“Well, it’s not really a matter of convincing. I just told him the truth, about who I really am and what I really want.” Which was to say, that he’s gay and has a boyfriend. Apparently, those were enough to seal the deal. “He questioned me a few things afterwards: if I’m really sure I want to cut ties with him for good, and if I’m ready to start anew without his support. Kind enough to give me a final offer too, if I ever wanted to change my mind at the last second.”

“That’s horrible, fuck,” Percy seethed.

“Well, that’s just how Dad is,” Jason said wistfully. “To him, the family’s good name comes before all. It made leaving a lot easier. When he told me to just do whatever I want, it was the best outcome I could’ve ever hoped for. I was ready to fight if he ever insisted that I stay and play the role I was given since birth. I was ready to lose everything if it meant I could be with you.”

Percy’s jaw was trembling slightly from poorly disguised indignation. “Should’ve caught the ride with you when I had the chance.”

Jason caressed that defined jawline with a careful hand, relishing the way Percy leaned into his palm. With his coaxing touch, the trembling subsided. “I know you have more guts than the average Gryffindor, but my dad’s not someone to be trifled with. The reach of his influence within our community is nearly unmatched. If he wills it, he could take anyone out without lifting a finger. The last thing I need is for him to make an enemy of you.” Chills ran down his spine as he unwittingly imagined the worst. “Besides, Thalia was there.”

“I still wish I could’ve done something,” Percy insisted. “I’m over the moon that you’re here, but I wish I could’ve done more to help.”

“You’ve done enough just by being here, darling.” And it was the simple, ultimate truth. Percy was the reason he finally had something to fight for. To be who he truly was. “This is why I’m here, and I wouldn’t trade this for anything else.”

The comfortable rhythm of their conversation carried all the way to the evening. Afterwards, Jason had the pleasure of meeting Percy’s baby half-sister, Estelle, when they ran into Mr Blofis on the way downstairs. Having just woken up from a nap, she was a bundle of pure joy comfortably nestled in her dad’s arms, eyes shining in curiosity at the sight of her big brother and the tall stranger next to him.

“A friend from your magic school?” Mr Blofis asked in greeting, already reaching out for a handshake.

Jason introduced himself as Percy’s boyfriend. The grip of Mr Blofis’ hand was firm around his own. “Nice to meet you, Mr Blofis.”

“Likewise, son. Just call me Paul.”

Not letting her presence go unnoticed, Estelled let out a high-pitched squeal. For someone who’s only a few months old, she seemed to exude infinite energy.

“Oh, hello there!” Jason greeted in a sing-song voice. Delighted, she let out another squeal as if saying hello back. Her chubby hands reached out to him, and when he offered a finger, she immediately wrapped her tiny palm around it.

“She likes you,” Percy and Paul said simultaneously.

Pleased, Jason cooed, “Awh, I like you too!” which was a little bit of a lie because he outright adored her. “I’m your big brother’s boyfriend. Nice to meet you!”

She gurgled and squeaked in reply, happy drools running down her round chin. In a squeaky voice, Percy translated, “Nice to meet you too!” and Jason thought that was the cutest thing in the world.

Dinner was a pleasant affair, though melancholy prickled at Jason’s heart all the same. After all, it’s the first time he’s having a meal with a family that treated him like their own. It was so familiar yet so alien all at once, like he’d simultaneously returned home and arrived at an entirely new world. As a result, he’s rather stiff in the beginning, struggling to find the appropriate angle from which he could insert himself into the lively conversation. The Jackson-Blofis clan, being the gracious hosts that they were, made sure he felt right at home.

“So you’re going to be a professional athlete once you finish school?” Paul asked, as the crooning voice of Celestina Warbeck warbled in the background.

“Yes. I’ll be attending a training camp this summer at Montrose.”

“That’s pretty far away,” Paul noted, though distance didn’t really mean anything when it came to magic. Just by taking a Portkey would bring Jason directly to the campsite in an instant, which was very convenient.

Estelle was on her dad’s lap, her large, round eyes barely moving away from Jason. When he would acknowledge her at times with a smile or a cooing, she would emit a bubbly laugh before resuming her staring, like he’s the most interesting thing she’d ever seen.

“She’s smitten. Like brother, like sister. One look at you and everything else disappears,” Percy commented with a pleased grin, passing Jason another slice of the carrot cake that put all other carrot cakes in the world to shame.

“Well, she does have an eye for good people,” Sally added good-naturedly. “That means we have nothing to worry about.”

“I can take care of myself, thank you.”

“I know that, love,” Sally said. “I was actually more concerned about Jason having to clean up after your mess in school.”

“We cleaned each other’s messes up,” Jason reassured her. Under the table, Percy’s knees tapped affectionately against his. “And Percy was an outstanding student, if not a little…rowdy.”

“Oh, no need to sell us on him, Jason. I know he can be a lot to handle,” Sally replied with a soft smile, prompting a chuckle from Paul. She looked at her son with shining eyes, amused at the wonder of a child she’d been bestowed with. “When he was in his first year, we’d receive a letter from school almost every other week. Had to sort a lot of things out with his Professors before we could find the common ground to accommodate his ‘troublemaking tendencies’.”

“Mum,” Percy groaned. “I’m trying to look good here.”

“I am making you look good. Who wouldn’t love a bad boy like you?”

“Right?” Jason agreed. “The whole school is infatuated with him. I’m sure lots of people will miss him now that he’s graduated.”

“None of my concern,” Percy huffed. “I only care about you.”

After dinner, Jason offered to help Sally and Percy do some late-night baking for a new batch of brownies to be sold at her shop tomorrow. Paul turned in early with Estelle now that she’d shown obvious signs of exhaustion from too much playtime. He wondered if they’d care if he scrutinised a little too hard on the recipe, trying to find what exactly made Sally’s creations so delicious, and whether he could try to recreate them later (for his own personal consumption, of course. He’s not a recipe thief).

“I was a little confused when Percy started asking me to split his cookies in two separate containers,” Sally was saying as she put the pan filled with brownie mixture in the oven. “It took quite a bit of prodding for me to find out the truth.”

“Wait…” Jason said, the gears in his brain turning. Oh, no. “Does that mean Percy had been sacrificing half of his cookie supply for me?”

“Sacrificing?” Percy repeated incredulously. “Why do you make it sound like I was forced to give them up? I was sharing them with you!”

“Still—”

“Don’t you worry, my sweet,” Sally reassured him. “I just sent him double the usual amount once he admitted they’re for his lovely boyfriend.”

Jason somehow felt even more mortified. “Oh, Merlin. Did I make you do double the baking, then?”

“It’s no big deal!” Percy said, almost at the same time as Sally’s: “Oh, I’d always end up baking more than I should anyway.”

“See?” Percy said, shoving a spoonful of excess chocolate mix into Jason’s mouth, effectively putting a stop to his protests. “In fact, you actually helped prevent excess cookies from going to waste.”

Jason faltered mid-argument once he realised he’s on the losing side of the back-and-forth. In the end, he settled for a sincere gratitude. “…I can’t thank you enough for your kindness, Sally. Personally, the cookies have really helped me go through some of my toughest days.” That, and Percy’s company, of course.

“Nothing I haven’t heard before,” Sally said kindly. “But I’m glad they did. And really, being Percy’s boyfriend already promises you a lifetime supply, so I hope you’ll get used to it.”

Later that night, dressed in a fresh pair of pants, comfortably buried in Percy’s embrace underneath a dolphin-patterned blanket, body sated in more ways than one, Jason spent his remaining wakefulness to ponder Sally��s choice of word that’d been stuck in his mind since.

Lifetime. A lifetime supply of cookies, which meant a lifetime of this relationship, which meant a lifetime to spend with this wondrous young man embracing him.

A lifetime sounded so wishful, even with how confident Sally had sounded saying it, and Jason knew better than to delude himself with flights of fancy and wishful thinking. But for some reason, right here, right now, safe and sound in his lover’s arms, it didn’t seem at all impossible. Rather, it almost seemed assured. Like as soon as he decided to become Percy’s boyfriend, it would be for as long as the world could imagine, like a voyage without a destination, or a road without an end.

Life could be cruel sometimes. Jason knew of the fact rather intimately. It would rip the most precious thing you ever possessed out of your hands without as much of a warning, because that’s just how it worked. Realistically, nothing could last forever. Even then, Jason was never the type to easily let go. If life ever dared to, Jason would simply hold on tight, even if it meant having his arms torn right off in the process. Because in the end, that’s just how he was, and the effort would be worth it.

***

It took Percy quite a while to acclimatise himself with the joys and sorrows of adulthood.

Luckily, being best friends with Annabeth meant being two steps ahead of everyone else. Ever the overachiever, she had already planned the next five years of her life in great detail, so naturally, it was a given for him to follow her example. His plan wasn’t as elaborate, mind you, and certainly didn’t extend to the next few years, but having already gone through the necessary steps before sitting for his N.E.W.T.s—surveying each establishment, corresponding with prospective employers, and weighing each plausible option—he managed to snag an internship at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures for an unfortunately productive summer.

In the end, Percy had safely acclimatised. Somewhat. Though it was almost literal hell compared to Hogwarts’ seventh year, he managed to survive his internship until the very bitter end, and left the establishment knowing more about the inner workings of the Ministry than he’d rather care to. Jason, like a fish in water, had jumped over the hurdle that was his training camp flawlessly, and returned in his arms as world-class athlete material.

As September inched closer, Jason decided to spend the rest of his summer hols at the Jackson-Blofis’, much to Percy’s delight. And on the day Percy turned eighteen, nobody could’ve ever foreseen that the owls from school would finally drop by. A telltale screech announcing their arrival echoed shrilly outside the kitchen window just when the two boys were about to have a light brunch together. Thankfully, they’re the only ones home at the time. Percy’s parents were out for some ‘quick shopping’ (that sounded suspiciously like preparing a surprise party at the nearby café they’d frequent as a family), and had brought Estelle along with them.

“Woe is me,” Percy sighed in forlorn, dramatically face-planted in the cool wood of the table, imagining the grim days that would follow Jason’s departure to Hogwarts. His skin was still buzzing from Jason’s morning surprise for him: giving him the greatest bodily pleasure he’d ever experienced in his life as soon as he’d woken up. “To be deprived of the sight of a bespectacled beauty walking down Hogwarts' ancient hallways, performing his Head Boy duties like the wonderful teacher’s pet he is, scaring off snotty first-years with his mere presence—”

In his seat from across the dining table, Jason snorted as he perused his own letters. The collar of his teal turtleneck was doing a shoddy job of hiding the red blooms scattered around his neck.

“—while I, his pitiful, yearning lover, would toil away by myself day and night, tearfully waiting for his return into my arms. Woe is me!”

Completely unsurprisingly, Hogwarts had decided to push Jason further toward the edge by piling even more responsibilities onto his broad, capable shoulders. Among his final exams’ stellar results, and the lists of textbooks and other miscellaneous items required for seventh year, was a special letter from the Headmistress. It proclaimed his appointment as the next term’s Head Boy and Quidditch Captain, like he hadn’t already had so much on his plate as Percy’s full-time boyfriend. So inconsiderate.

“Will you be able to handle it?” Percy asked worriedly. He knew Jason would—spectacularly so—but it’s his duty to become a worrywart lover, after all.

“I’ll manage. Plus, it’d look good on my résumé.”

“Assuming you’d be alive by the end of it!”

“With my best mates, the cookies from your mum, and the love letters that you’d inevitably send every three business days, I definitely would,” Jason said, waving a nonchalant hand. “Rather than that, wouldn’t you want to know what’s in your envelope?” His deep voice turned a touch softer. “Nervous?”

“On my wits’ end, more like. I’m 90% sure that’s a Howler asking me to return to school. As a first-year.”

Taking pity on him, Jason gently pried the accursed envelope off his hand. The poor thing was hideously creased from his tight grip. Belatedly, he noticed his fingers trembling just as Jason’s steady ones brushed against them.

As if he wasn’t holding the very thing that decided the ultimate fate of Percy’s foreseeable future, Jason advised, a little too calmly, “Take a deep breath, darling.”

And what do you know? Apparently, he’d been holding his breath too. He did as he's told, and his lungs heaved a sigh in relief as it was filled with much-needed air.

“Just so you know, there’s nothing to worry about.” It was a bit unfair how confident his boyfriend sounded. Percy wanted to berate him for it—Jason wasn’t the one who sat for those hellish papers, after all—but he was also too panic-stricken to exhibit any other emotions than, well, sheer panic. Lungs seizing on their own again, he watched on in mild terror as Jason carefully smoothened the envelope, nimbly pried open the flap, and extracted the unassuming piece of paper that was supposedly the results of his N.E.W.T.s.

It wasn’t a Howler, at least. Thank Merlin.

Time was truly an illusion. Everything felt painstakingly slow when Jason began unfolding the paper in his usual endearingly careful manner. Percy wished there was a fast-forward button to press, to just skip this process and straight to where he’d be in a month's time; landing himself in a cushy job, slacking off at work and pining for his faraway lover.

Before he fully unfolded the paper, Jason seemed to have second thoughts. “Don’t you want to look at it first?”

“Please do the honours. I wanna see your reaction before I could even dare to look at it.”

Wrong call. Percy forgot Jason was a master of stony faces. With only his golden lashes fluttering occasionally, his face was barely discernible from that of an expressionless marble bust as he perused the letter’s content.

“Jason Grace,” Percy said when the silence went for too long, just shy of begging. “Please. I’m dying over here.”

Like the lovable little shit he was, after what seemed like an hour, Jason announced calmly: “…No failing grades.”

That was enough for him to jump off his chair in celebration. “FUCK YEAH!”

“Do you want to look at it now?” Jason offered, already smiling from his contagious glee. Percy very resolutely refused to look down to where the contents of the paper was facing him; opting to stare into the endless azure of Jason’s eyes instead.

“Read it to me one by one.”

“Someone likes suspense, after all. Firstly, Transfiguration…” Jason dragged the end of the word, before stopping entirely. He then blinked innocently at Percy.

“Jason!”

“…A.”

“Figures.” Percy sighed in relief, body sagging against the back of his chair. He rubbed his chest to console his tremulous heart. “I’m rubbish at Transfiguration.”

“What? You’re definitely not, because you passed,” Jason argued pointedly, before he continued down the list. “Potions: E. Charms: E. Care of Magical Creatures: O.”

“No surprise there.”

“Herbology: O. Astronomy: E.”

At the mention of the subject, a fond memory came knocking on the door of Percy’s brain. “Remember our Astronomy Tower evening excursion?”

“Our evening break-in, you mean.”

“Our pre-relationship date,” Percy countered. “Good times.”

“I do remember that one,” Jason confirmed, smiling fondly in reminiscence. “I also remember dying from the anxiety of getting caught. Finally, our favourite subject. Defence Against the Dark Arts: O. Outstanding. No fails." His smile transformed into a proud grin. "You passed all of your N.E.W.T.s with flying colours, Percy Jackson. Congratulations.”

“Thank Merlin. You sure took your sweet time,” Percy grumbled. His heart sang from sheer relief. “My heart almost didn’t make it.”

Now that it’s all over and done with, Jason migrated to the seat adjacent to Percy’s. Like he’d known all along what Percy actually needed, he wrapped Percy in a tight, comforting side-hug.

“You were so confident at the end of your final paper.” His voice was so gentle, Percy could almost cry. “What happened?”

“That was just my fake bravado trying to bury my crippling self-doubt.”

“Well, the worst had subsided,” Jason said. “You did amazing, all things considered.”

“I can’t take all the credit. It’s all thanks to you lot.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Jason tapped his nose lightly with a stern index finger. “There’s no one else but you who sat for your papers. And realistically, nobody did it all on their own. Even the smartest girl in your year joined—well, hosted—a study group. Your success is all yours, darling.”

He always seemed to know what Percy wanted to hear too. They hadn’t been together for long, but Jason seemed to have developed an Inner Eye of his own to read Percy so effortlessly. Twisting his body to envelop Jason fully in his arms, he buried his nose into the elegant slope of Jason’s neck. Even in the summer, the scent of spring showers was as prevalent as ever.

In turn, Jason buried his face in Percy’s hair, breathing him in. His grip around Percy tightened snugly, and each of Percy’s five senses was then overwhelmed with everything Jason. The feel of his lips. The taste of his skin. His heady scent. His noble form. His soft edges, reserved only for Percy.

Percy wanted to drown in every single one of it. Sink into its beautiful depths. Be buried underneath its very essence, for all of eternity.

“…I don’t want you to leave.”

“I don’t want to, either.” Jason’s voice was tiny. Percy thought he could hear a slight quiver on its edge.

“I know what I want for my birthday present now.”

He felt Jason’s fond chuckle on his crown. “Oh, no. What about the one I already prepared?”

“Let’s move in together, once you’re out of Hogwarts,” he pressed on against Jason’s skin, more pleading than suggesting. It was supposed to be a throwaway comment, but as soon as he grasped the implication behind it, a new sense of purpose began to bloom in his chest.

Maybe that was the answer to all this fretful pondering: starting a new life together.

After all, this precious thing that they had was far from the end. It’s only just the foreword, the prologue, just shy before the actual first chapter of their tale. At the back of his mind, a new plan began to spin itself into existence. He’d play his part while Jason finishes his studies. He’d work hard, enough to afford a nice little flat to live with the love of his life. Maybe somewhere in London, then maybe they could migrate abroad after the next few years. Right now, his next course of action was only to prepare whatever they need for a new life together. A year seemed ample time to get to work.

“Please?”

Jason’s clever fingers carded through his hair. “You don’t even have to ask.”

A giggle, joyous and giddy, tumbled out of his mouth unwarned. “Anywhere you have in mind?”

“I’d go anywhere in the world with you.”

Time, inconsiderate as ever, kept on flowing without mercy. Before they felt even the slightest bit ready, their short summertime together came to an end as September 1st quietly arrived. As they filed out of Paul’s car at the parking lot near King’s Cross, no one ever seemed to notice the turbulent storm brewing inside Percy’s heart. His feet felt as heavy as lead, and his grip on Jason’s hand was tight as a vice. Only because it was Jason who led him would his body even muster the will to move.

“None of that, sweetheart. It was no trouble at all,” Sally said kindly to a teary-eyed Jason as he thanked the Jackson-Blofis clan profusely for coming to King’s Cross to see him off, right after they crossed over to Platform 9 3⁄4. Off the side, Thalia was regarding the scene with a wistful smile. Even without uttering a single word, Percy could tell how grateful she was for the kind gesture.

Hugs, thank-yous and well-wishes were exchanged between Jason and the others before Percy’s turn to say goodbye finally came. Kind enough to let them have a private moment before the train rolled away Scotland-bound, his family and Thalia stepped away to engage in a casual conversation. They pointedly made some distance from the two lovebirds—a smart move lest they be subjected to the most sickly sweet, soppiest good-byes imaginable to mankind.

“Your family is so wonderful,” Jason sighed, throwing them a helplessly fond gaze. “This is the first time I’ve ever known what it’s like—to have a whole family see you off to school.”

Merlin knew how badly Percy wanted to deck Jupiter Grace in the face if he ever saw the old git. Pushing off the wayward thought and unclenching his tight fist, he took a calming breath and grinned brightly at Jason.

“You’ll have more of that to come, when we see you off for championships and stuff.” Wagging his finger bossily, he reminded, “Floo Call after dinner tonight. Don’t forget.”

“You know I’d never.” Jason returned his grin with a cheeky one. He was still a little misty-eyed. The bridge of his glasses sat precariously on the tip of his nose. Percy pushed them back with an index finger, and brushed a thumb underneath Jason’s lashes to wipe away a stray teardrop.

“Just to warn you,” he added, “I’d scream ‘BABY, I MISSED YOU’ at the top of my lungs as soon as the call connects, so make sure you’re there on the other end when I do.”

“I will. Can’t have you frighten the new kids with your soppiness, can I?”

“Nope. Now,” Percy made to pull him along onboard the carriage, “let’s get to our compartment.”

“Wow,” Jason said, despite making no effort to stop him. “Already making me break the rules on my very first day as Head Boy?”

“Just kidding.” With more effort than necessary, he willed his steps to a halt. He turned around to stare into Jason’s eyes, purposeful. His hands settled on Jason’s upper arms, squeezing those shapely biceps. “But seriously, baby. I’ll miss you so much.”

“I’ll miss you too,” Jason said. His voice was tender, akin to the caress of the morning breeze. “How can I ever focus on my N.E.W.T.s now, when the thought of you would occupy my mind the whole time?” His lips brushed against the tip of Percy’s nose, reverent. “My darling Percy.”

God. Merlin. Dumbledore. Anyone who bothered to listen to his silent prayer: please don’t let him make a fool of himself and cry. Another deep breath he took sounded more like a sniffle. The dam hidden behind his lower lashes threatened to crumble. His throat stung a little when he cleared it. “I know you’ll do a fantastic job as Head Boy and Quidditch Captain. Ergo, try not to suck the fun out of people too much.”

Jason rolled his eyes fondly. “It’ll be difficult without you by my side, but I’m sure I’ll manage.”

Silence.

And then, “Don’t go.”

Jason stared into his soul, meaningful. Empathetic. “I don’t want to, either.”

It’s beyond embarrassing to be tongue-tied at this very moment, wishing so badly for Jason to know how desperately he wanted him to stay. His words were stuck at the very edge of his lips; only a pathetic keen managed to escape. Jason, kind and patient as always, took Percy’s hands in his own. His lips were pursed, pink stained in red underneath his perfect teeth, as he tried for a reassuring smile. His quivering jaw certainly didn’t help, but Percy thought he looked so precious, he already wanted to put his lips on him again.

“I’ll be back soon,” Jason said. “Sooner than you think.”

“Yeah…”

Percy felt a tap on his shoulder, sharp and impatient. He glanced sideways to find Leo, who wore an unamused expression on his face. “Really, mate? He’s only going to school.”

Piper popped up at his other side. “Do we really need to witness all this drama every time you send each other off?”

“Who’s we?” Percy managed to find his words in a grumble. In a way, he’s grateful for their timely appearance. He was so close to breaking down in the middle of this large crowd consisting mostly of kids younger than he was, and that would’ve been mighty embarrassing. “You lot will not be invited.”

“We’re gonna invite ourselves anyway, so don’t worry,” Piper shot back sweetly.

“And everything is returning to normal again this year! You’ve been hogging him for the entirety of last year and this summer, we’ve been dearly missing our best friend,” Leo added with an impish grin that was infectious to everyone present.

Like the angel he was, Jason took his side. Always. All the time. “Don’t be mean to my boyfriend. I’ve always been available for your company.”

“Yeah, while on his lap or attached to his arse,” Leo replied. “No sane person would ever want to get near that.”

Percy wanted to pepper those reddened cheeks and ears with kisses so badly, but he decided to spare the others’ eyesights. With a friendly punch to his shoulder, Leo assured, “Don’t worry, mate. We’ll take good care of him.”

“Like we do every year,” Piper continued, earning an eye-roll from Jason in return. “It’s almost eleven, so wrap it up quickly, okay? You wouldn’t want him to miss the train.”

Holding back his tongue from saying that he did, in fact, want Jason to miss the train, Percy gave her a half-hearted smile and a cursory nod in reply. With a fond pat to his head, Piper waved him goodbye before boarding. Leo followed suit with a salute and an “Adios!” And then, once again, he and Jason were left by themselves.

The softness of Jason’s lips as they met in a kiss left behind a tingling sensation that was sure to haunt him until their very next meeting. It would probably be on Christmas, or the next Hogsmeade outing when he’d Disapparate to the town for a visit, but either way, his heart would surely suffer from unstoppable longing until he could get a glimpse of his boyfriend again.

As he prayed for the awful sensation of loss to subside, Percy took a deep breath, ignored the sting in his eyes, and gave Jason the largest, dopiest grin he could muster. “Be good at school, okay? Goodbye, Jason.”

Not caring for Percy’s internal dramatics, Jason scooped him in a rib-crushing hug and whispered, almost fervently, “Goodbye, Percy. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

With obvious reluctance, Jason released him and planted a quick, final kiss in reply. Then, he smiled his loveliest yet, looking prettier than anything else in the world, before boarding the train without taking his eyes off Percy’s.

Nothing on this Earth could have explained what prompted his next action. As if having a mind of their own, his legs pulled himself towards the other end of the train, his eyes trained on Jason’s shadow swiftly walking through the compartments in search of their friends. A glimmer of azure met his eyes, and he realised Jason was also walking alongside his pace in the train. Just two young wizards in love, drawn to each other like two opposite poles, like moths to a flame, like a Seeker to a Golden Snitch.

Like fate had ordained it so, cruelly, senselessly, the train began to move just as they both came to a stop, separated by glass and metal and suffocating locomotive smoke. Not wasting any of their precious moments left, Jason scrambled towards the window as soon as he arrived in his compartment and opened the glass panel in Percy’s face. Behind him, Leo and Piper were already seated across from each other, all fond grins and exasperated shakes of their heads.

The autumn sun above held no contention to the brilliance unfolding before Percy right at that very moment. Jason, with his eyes crinkling endearingly into crescent moons, boyish grin more stunning than a thousand stars, pointed canines glinting in the morning sunlight, just a step away from flinging himself off the moving train, was a view that would forever etch itself in Percy’s memory. One that would eternally set his heart ablaze; a torch lit by their love’s undying flames.

Their hands caught each other at the very last second, a brushing of fingers with the feather-soft touch of a kiss. Percy’s heart roared victoriously, like the deafening cheers of the spectators in a stadium the very moment a Seeker grasped victory in his hand.

#jercy #jasercy #jason grace #percy jackson #heroes of olympus #pjo #hoo #key writes #14.6k

9 notes · View notes