Work Text:
PJatO || Malercy || PJatO || Malercy || Shared Family Vacation || Malercy || PJatO || Malercy || PJatO
Title: Shared Family Vacation – Writer's Month 2020
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Tags: m/m, mortal AU, fluff, pining, meet cute, m/f
Main Pairing: Malcolm/Percy
Side Pairings: Paul/Sally, Frederick/Juliet
Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Malcolm Pace, Annabeth Chase, Robert Chase, Matthew Chase, Juliet Chase, Frederick Chase, Tyson, Sally Jackson, Paul Blofis
Writer's Month Prompt: ocean
Summary: Percy and Annabeth are long-distance best friends. This year, they convinced their parents to go to the same location for the family summer vacation. What Percy didn't expect was Annabeth's hot and cute brother Malcolm.
Shared Family Vacation
Writer's Month 2020
Annabeth Chase lived in San Francisco with her family. Percy Jackson lived in New York with his family. But the two of them were best friends since childhood. They used to attend the same summer camp every summer as kids and, back in the olden days, used to write letters to each other. Nowadays, it was mails and texts and video-chats, even though they had outgrown the summer camp, because it was only for kids up to teenagers. Still, they had managed to meet relatively regularly, at least once a year. Annabeth had come to New York and stayed with Percy's family before, Percy had been all the way to San Francisco to stay with Annabeth's family too.
This year however, they had different plans. Both had convinced their parents to pick the same destination for this year's family vacation. Hawaii. More specifically, Kaua'i. It was where Percy's late father was from. He was so glad to go there, even more so to have his best friend with him. A whole three week summer vacation with his family and his best friend. It was going to be perfect.
Percy had it all planned out. Percy had a baby brother, Tyson, who was nine years old. Annabeth's brothers Bobbie and Matt were around Tyson's age – two years younger, but that wasn't going to be a problem with Ty and Tyson also could get along with practically everyone. So Percy was banking on being able to park the three little ones somewhere together to play, to free himself and Annabeth up for some quality one on one bonding time. They had so much to catch up on, after all.
Sally and Juliet were also on friendly terms. They had long since exchanged numbers, back the first time when Percy had visited San Francisco. Which meant their families would get to spend time together, like going on trips with everyone and going to restaurants together in the evening. Having their moms side together was perfect and Percy was sure Paul and Frederick would get along too.
Percy and Annabeth had planned all the activities. Museums, hiking, surfing, a boat tour between the islands. Also casual fun activities like laying on the beach and staring at pretty people, of course.
It was going to be their summer and nothing was going to disrupt their plans.
Or so Percy had thought, until he stood at the airport in Kaua'i and saw the Chases. Frederick and Juliet were walking with the twins between them, each holding one twin's hand. And behind them, Annabeth... and another blonde. A very tall, good-looking guy with curly blonde hair and the same piercing storm-gray eyes as Annabeth. It wasn't hard to guess who this was.
"Juliet! It is so nice to see you again! And oh, the twins do keep getting bigger and bigger."
"The same goes for Tyson, if he keeps growing like that, he'll be taller than you and me soon."
Their moms laughed and hugged, while their dads shook hands with a smile. Percy, he found himself being pulled into a tight hug by Annabeth, though his eyes were still on the handsome stranger. Damn. Annabeth never mentioned that her brother was this handsome.
"So... when you said 'me, my parents and my brothers', we were talking three brothers, not two."
"Did... I not say that?", asked Annabeth surprised. "Yeah. Moms thought it'd be nice if he could go on a family vacation with us for a change. Percy, you remember Malcolm. Malcolm, Percy."
Malcolm Pace was where the Chase family got modern and complicated. Annabeth was the daughter of Frederick Chase and Athena Pace, who had then gotten divorced. Athena had gotten remarried pretty soon after the divorce, to another woman and when the Paces decided they wanted a child of their own, they had asked Frederick to be the child's biological father so Annabeth and her new sibling would share their DNA. A few years later, Frederick got married to Juliet and they had the twins, Matt and Bobbie. But both sides of the family were quite close, not just because of Annabeth, also because of Malcolm, who had always gotten to be close to his biological father. Percy knew this, knew that Annabeth had her own room with the Paces and that Malcolm had his own room with the Chases. But Percy hadn't seen Malcolm since Percy had turned thirteen and got too old for summer camp – and before that, at camp, Malcolm had just been Annabeth's little kid brother. That... definitely looked different now though. He definitely looked different now.
"Nice to meet you. Annabeth spent the entire flight talking about all the plans you two made for us", chuckled Malcolm, offering Percy a hand to shake.
"I... Yes. It's a... pleasure to meet you", nodded Percy awkwardly, slowly checking Malcolm out.
"No", hissed Annabeth, pulling Percy aside, much to Malcolm's surprise.
"Wha—at. What's going on?", yelped Percy as he nearly tripped.
"I know that look", hissed Annabeth pointedly. "That awkward little shuffle, the slow checking out, the blush. That's the way you looked at our cabin counselor Luke Castellan when you had that huge crush on him. That's the way you looked at my girlfriend's best friend Jason when you started that summer-fling with him last year. You are so not going to develop a crush on my brother!"
"...You're scary, Chase", commented Percy dryly. "And hey. I resent the implications here. Besides, did I stop you when you decided to date my best non-Annabeth-or-Grover friend and ex-girlfriend Rachel? Mh? Mh? No, I didn't. Because I'm a good friend and I support your crushes."
Annabeth huffed indignantly, opening her mouth a couple of times. Because he had a point – and he knew it. Triumphantly did he puff out his chest. Percy Jackson had exactly three best friends – Annabeth, Grover and Rachel. And one summer, just as Annabeth was tentatively finding her identity as a lesbian, Rachel with her out and proud self and her artistic self, she really spoke to Annabeth just when Annabeth needed it the most. Percy wondered if the two would have ever happened under different circumstances, though he doubted it. And despite this being one of his closest friends and also ex-girlfriend, he totally supported Annabeth's choice in dating.
"He's my brother", muttered Annabeth, though she sounded defeated.
"And I'm your best friend. Show me some lo—ove. I've been a miserable single ever since things with Will broke off", sighed Percy dramatically, eyes on Malcolm. "And your brother is surprisingly hot. The way you talked about him always made him sound like a little nerd."
"He is a little nerd", argued Annabeth irritated. "And don't call my brother 'hot'."
"Children? Are you coming?", called Mrs. Chase out tentatively, looking at them.
"Yes, Juliet!", called Percy back, smiling and grabbing Annabeth's arm.
"This is going to be the worst summer ever", commented Annabeth dryly.
"Don't be mean. Just because you have your girlfriend sitting at home and not here with you doesn't mean both of us should suffer. It's summer, it's hot, we will be shirtless on the beach..."
"I will literally pay you to stop talking", groaned Annabeth. "You're the worst."
"Love you too, Annie", chimed Percy with a bright smile.
/break\
Things Malcolm had been looking forward to this summer: spending quality time with his family, especially his sister. Things Malcolm had dreaded about this summer: Annabeth's best friend.
Because Annabeth adored Percy Jackson, he was all she talked about sometimes. He was 'like a brother' to her. Well, she already had three brothers though. And two of them, she got to see every single day. But Malcolm? They saw each other so rarely. Yes, sure, more often than Annabeth and Percy saw each other, but still. And this family vacation, it was the last one before Annabeth was going to be off to college. She was two years older than Malcolm. When they were kids, their parents used to send them to the same summer camp to allow them bonding time. Even back then, Percy Jackson would always steal Annabeth away. Granted, he wasn't the only one – the two had also befriended Grover and then there was Thalia Grace. And okay, so Malcolm had made his own friends back then and maybe he had looked at Annabeth differently back then too. As a kid, those three years had seemed so enormous – Annabeth was his older, wiser big sister and he admired her for it, but to her, he was just the kid hanging off her shirt. Now, at fifteen and eighteen, the two shared many interests, watched many the same shows and movies, had interest in architecture and literature and history. Now, Malcolm and Annabeth actually spent their quality time shared.
So it was all the more annoying that during his last summer with his sister before she'd be off to college, he would have to share her attention with Percy Jackson of all people.
"You look annoyed."
"Yeah, su—uper annoyed."
"What's annoying you, big brother?"
"Yeah, what's annoying?"
"You two dweebs are", grunted Malcolm and rolled his eyes.
He reached out, ruffling Matt's hair with one hand and Bobbie's with the other. The twins squealed and ran off toward the pool to jump in and escape their brother. His eyes wandered, spotting his stepmother and Mrs. Blofis at the bar, sipping cocktails and laughing with each other. His dad and Mr. Blofis were standing in the shadow closer to the hotel building where some pool billiard tables were set. When his gaze wandered back to his brothers, he found Matt and Bobbie playing water-ball with Tyson Blofis. So great that everyone from his family and Percy's family got along so well.
Only Malcolm remained as a left-over. Which was just so very annoying. With a glare on his face did he grab the book next to himself, lifting it high in front of his face and trying to read.
"Hey, Malcolm. Jules and Fred said we ought to make sure you don't spend the entire vacation with your nose in a book. Judging by the fact that we have been here literally only half an hour, including check-in and putting our stuff away, and yet you already have your nose in a book... They're right."
Rolling his eyes, Malcolm put his book down to give Percy some snarky reply. However, then he was faced with a dripping-wet, shirtless Percy and he suddenly forgot how words worked because how did Percy Jackson get to look like this? Last time Malcolm had seen Percy at all, Percy had been twelve and Malcolm ten. Back then, Percy had just been a scrawny kid... and Malcolm hadn't had these kinds of feelings, at all. For no one, especially not in this way. Seeing Percy shirtless now definitely did things to Malcolm though, because Percy had filled out nicely. Light brown skin wrapped tightly around well-defined muscles, some very traditionally Hawaiian looking tattoos on his right biceps, shoulder and chest. Right, his father had been from this very island, Annabeth had said something like that. This wet, Percy's black hair curled slightly, but tight, little curls, not like Annabeth and Malcolm's broad wavey curls. Percy Jackson was hot.
"Go play with Annabeth. Shoo", sighed Malcolm dismissively after a moment.
"Gee. Somehow, this is very reverse from what it used to be like", chuckled Percy fondly. "Annabeth used to always tell you to 'shoo go away' when we were kids, didn't she?"
That... was true. But it was also very different from how their childhood had been. Malcolm wasn't refusing because he thought he was 'too cool' or 'too grown up' to spend time with them. He just didn't want to third-wheel the best friend duo. Glowering, he lifted his book up some more again.
"Oh no, you are so not getting out of this. C'mon. Go to the beach with us. We want to collect shells and beach-glass for Rach – my artistic friend, she asked me to bring something back for her to make art with. It's going to be fun", requested Percy. "Don't say no. You can read any time. At home."
And then he cheated, by using a very irresistible pout, like a kitten asking for salmon. This was quite ridiculous, how could anyone say no to that...? Sighing in defeat, he put his book down.
"Okay, very well. I will indulge you for one hour", compromised Malcolm after a moment.
"Su—ure", chuckled Percy, grasping Malcolm's hand to pull him along.
"Where are you going, boys?", asked Frederick when they walked past their fathers.
"We're going to the beach with Annabeth", announced Percy with a smile.
"Have fun, but be back by five – we made dinner reservations for six o'clock and you have to shower and get ready before then", called Paul Blofis after them.
Percy simply waved at his dad and dragged Malcolm along. The beach was admittedly beautiful and maybe Malcolm actually had fun searching for shells, very 'pretty rocks' and smoothed glass-shards with his sister and Percy. Just maybe, he didn't feel as much like a third wheel as he had expected he would. And just maybe, Percy was even prettier when the setting sun hit him in that angle. Damn it.
/break\
Now, Malcolm in dress-pants and a dark-gray dress-shirt? That was just unfair. Who allowed this? Percy sighed softly as he watched the handsome boy talk animatedly with Annabeth over dinner. The restaurant was nice, very nice – and yummy. Tyson right next to him was playing cards with Bobbie, Matt and... him. Percy startled a little when Tyson elbowed him.
"It's your turn, don't daydream", pouted Tyson.
"Ri—ight. Sorry", laughed Percy sheepishly and put his card down.
"You kids had a fun day today?", asked Paul, looking at Percy.
"Ye—ep, we've been looking for shells and glass for Rach", replied Percy. "She's gonna make something amazing out of it, that's for sure."
His eyes wandered over to Malcolm once more and damn it. He didn't actually mean to develop a crush on Annabeth's brother, honestly he had been mainly teasing this morning at the airport. But then he got to see Malcolm shirtless at the pool and then Mal had spent three hours at the beach with them, picking pretty, shiny things off the ground to collect. Despite claiming he would only be there for an hour at max. He was cute. Really cute. Which was definitely a problem, because Percy could not be developing a crush on his best friend's brother. That... hadn't gone so swell in the past, back when he had temporarily dated Thalia's little brother Jason – also known as the best friend of Annabeth's girlfriend Reyna. Then again, it had only been a summer-fling and meant that way. Still, was it worth it to start a summer-fling with Annabeth's brother...? Looking at the way the shirt spanned around Malcolm's biceps though...
"What do we have planned for tomorrow?", asked Juliet eagerly.
"We were planning a hike for tomorrow, the weather seems to be playing along too", replied Annabeth. "And the day after tomorrow, a boat-tour. And-"
"You... You did leave some days free, right?", asked Paul a bit mortified. "Some... free time."
"A—actually, how about we put the hike off a little more and take tomorrow to explore the city? So we can take that into account and put things that we may discover onto the plan too? Besides, we only landed today. No need to go all out on day too", suggested Percy.
"Good plan. We could go shopping together", offered Sally, looking at Juliet, who nodded eagerly.
"How about we take the boys out for ice-cream then?", suggested Paul.
"That's a wonderful idea. I'm sure the teens find something 'hip' to do", laughed Frederick.
/break\
Annabeth heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. She had been out with Percy and Malcolm for two hours now, shopping, sight-seeing, watching them throw longing glances at each other.
"Oh, look! Our mothers!", exclaimed Annabeth in feign surprise.
She had texted Juliet earlier, asking where they were and if she could tag along. Her stepmother, even though they had been getting along for years now, still always got excited when Annabeth wanted to spend time with her, which was... kind of endearing.
"Now I remember that I did want to do some... womanly shopping. I'm sure they would be of more help than you two there. How about you hang out alone for a while and I join them? Yes? Great!"
"Womanly shopping", echoed Percy as he watched his best friend run off.
Malcolm heaved a deep sigh, suspecting his sister wanted them to 'get along' or something. However, when he looked at Percy, he saw just the faintest blush on his cheeks. Which suited Percy very well, but what exactly was it doing there? And what was Malcolm supposed to do with Percy? All alone? They had nothing in common! They barely even knew each other!
"Okay, I'll be direct: Annie knows I think you're cute. And I am taking this as her giving me her blessing to... test the waters and ask you out. So, how about we... find a place to have lunch together and maybe... get to know each other? Unless I am super not your type or anything."
"Do those exist? Gays whose type you're not?", asked Malcolm doubtfully. "Look at you."
Percy's blush intensified, but he also puffed his chest out proudly at that, which was... kind of cute.
"So... I take it that's a yes then?", asked Percy after a moment, the tiniest grin on his lips.
"Yes, that's... That's a yes. Let's... get something to eat. And... And you could... tell me what you've been up to since summer camp", suggested Malcolm tentatively.
"What have I been up to in the past five years of my life. Gee."
Percy laughed, but it was a very nice sound. One Malcolm wouldn't mind hearing again.
/break\
When they went onto their hike, they kind of overestimated the stamina of the older and the younger generations. While the munchkins had the enthusiasm and energy at first, they grew sleepy and tired about half-way up. And their parents got extra exhausted from carrying the kids. The complaints from all sides were not so great. What was great, however, was the view. They stood on a cliff, looking out over the ocean how it stretched out for seemingly forever.
"It's beautiful", whispered Percy longingly.
Malcolm smiled softly to himself as he watched the other boy. His... boyfriend. Well, that may be a bit presumptuous, seeing as they had only been on one date now. Still, he liked the sound of it.
"Stop staring at Percy like that, it's gross and makes me lose my appetite."
"You set us up, don't complain now", contered Malcolm, elbowing his sister.
"Yeah, well, I didn't account for you two to be total saps about it", huffed Annabeth.
Rolling his eyes, Malcolm stepped up to Percy. Reluctantly did he lay an arm around the other, unsure if that was okay or not. But the way Percy immediately leaned into him indicated that it was.
"You really do love the ocean, don't you?", asked Malcolm after a moment.
"I mean, look at it", huffed Percy, motioning toward the vast blueness. "It is breathtaking and beyond that, it's... endless possibilities."
"How... do you mean?"
"You could get on a ship right now and just go... anywhere. Everywhere. There are entire continents and so many different cultures beyond the blue. And the treasures and animals beneath the surface? A whole different world than ours!", exclaimed Percy excitedly.
"Is... that something you wanna do? Explore the ocean?"
"Mh... I dunno. Maybe. Honestly, I haven't really... given it much thought, what I want to do after graduation. It seems still so far away, even if it's only one year."
"...Your poor mother must have gray hair from that", commented Malcolm dryly.
"You strike me as the type who has had his entire life planned out since he was five."
"Approximately, yes", confirmed Malcolm, a small smile growing on his lips. "Well, mother is an architect, my sister aspires to become an architect. I... I don't know, even before I really understood what an architect is, I liked to imagine working with them. A real family business."
"Daw, that's cute", cooed Percy. "Tiny little Mal playing with mommy's blueprints."
"It was decidedly not cute and it gave our mom many gray hair", commented Annabeth.
/break\
Malcolm smiled pleased as he laid sprawled out on a large blanket on the hot sand, soaking up the sun. The sound of the rhythmic waves washing ashore was a pleasant background noise that lulled him into a state of half sleepiness. His book was laying untouched next to him, because on his other side was a very, very pretty surfer boy. Percy had been surfing out on the ocean for about an hour, before returning to the beach all exhausted, gasping and collapsing on the blanket right next to Malcolm. Now, he had Percy tucked under one arm, Percy happily laying with his head resting on Malcolm's chest. It nearly seemed as though Percy was asleep, breathing even and body still.
"Where's Annie?", asked Percy sleepily after a moment, his nose buried in Malcolm's neck.
"She is... building sand-castles with our little brothers", noted Malcolm after checking quickly.
"...It's architecturally accurate, isn't it?", asked Percy curiously.
"Naturally so, yes", chuckled Malcolm. "It's cute. Our parents are playing water-ball. Looks like your parents are in the lead though. If I heard them correctly, then... the winning couple gets to pick the restaurant for dinner tonight."
"Aw, that's nice", hummed Percy, turning around a little.
"Yes, it is", replied Malcolm, leaning closer to meet Percy half-way for a kiss.
He could hear their brothers making playful gagging noises and wondered if their parents had anything to say about it. It didn't seem that way. And it wasn't like either of the boys was in the closet – Juliet had even gone on a pride parade with Malcolm last year, to support her stepson and Percy was also out and proud about his pansexuality.
"This family vacation was a great idea", whispered Percy.
He looked deep into Malcolm's eyes, smiling. His eyes seemed to glow when he smiled. Those eyes, blue and green, clashing like waves. Likes orbs filled with the ocean itself.
"Mhmh, it was", whispered Malcolm slowly back. "I was... not a fan at first. But that was before I knew Annabeth had invited a boyfriend for me. Which, very nice of my sister."
"Agreed", grinned Percy, leaning up to peck Malcolm's lips.
They had been dating for a week now and Malcolm was pretty much head over heels already. They had exchanged numbers and had promised each other to give the long-distance thing a try, once this vacation ended. Right now, Malcolm got to enjoy the ocean, the sun and the boyfriend smiles.
~*~ The End ~*~