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Leo’s feet patter silently through the darkness, his eyes set upon the door at the far end of the hall. Despite the warm air outside, a chill still rustles against his sleeves; he has to hold an arm across his torso to keep out the cold. In the other hand, a cup of hot chocolate steams in the dark hallway.
When he sees the beam of gold light underneath the door, Leo sighs. He told Jason to sleep earlier tonight, but what else did he expect? He wouldn’t have made this hot chocolate if he didn’t know Jason was going to be up anyway.
Leo toes the door open. It creaks silently as it swings inward, and a wave of gentle gold light washes over him. Soft music plays in the background - some alternative pop song that he can’t name - and LED lights glimmer by the window.
Jason dozes by the desk, his blond head ducked into his arm to keep the light out. A purple sweatshirt hangs loosely off his limbs and dark sweatpants spill over his legs. The demigod’s pale feet press gently against the tiled floor.
Leo’s heart sinks at the sight of his boyfriend. Jason has barely been getting sleep recently; he’s been too busy preparing for college, along with designing the temples for Camp Jupiter. Typically it’s him telling Leo to sleep, but these days Mr. Pontifex has been taking the weight of exhaustion on himself.
Leo rolls his eyes as he steps over, grumbling, “Ever the dutiful hero.” The mug in his hand clinks as he sets it down at the corner of the desk. Running a soft hand against Jason’s blond hair, he whispers, “Wake up, Sparky.”
To his surprise, Jason rises right away. A pair of glasses balance precariously against his blue eyes and he reaches to fix them. A confused expression balances across the demigod’s face.
“Leo?” he murmurs. “Why are you up?”
Leo rolls his eyes again and covers Jason’s head with his hoodie, which pulls out a surprised, playful laugh from the latter’s chest. “I’m up because you’re up,” he responds, irritation overwhelming his voice. “Didn’t I tell you to sleep tonight?”
An exasperated sigh slips through Jason’s lips and he leans back from his work, stretching his arm behind him. “I’m almost done,” he promises. “I thought I could finish it tonight.”
“Well, you’re not getting anything done tonight if you’re already falling asleep.” Leo leans back against the table and crosses his arms across his chest. A pointed look strikes his features.
Jason shakes his head. “I wasn’t sleeping. I was just closing my eyes. They’re kinda burning.”
Leo barks a laugh. “Then that just proves my point. You need sleep . I’m sure even a Pontifex deserves a break every once in a while.” A pout pulls at his lips and he brushes his fingers against Jason’s face, tilting his pale face up. A small smile quirks at the corner of the blond’s lips. “Besides,” murmurs Leo, “we just finished high school. Don’t you think you deserve to just celebrate this momentous occasion before we go off to college?”
Jason gazes up at the curly-haired boy, a sparkle coming over his pale eyes. Even after so many years of knowing him, Leo’s heart still manages to skip a beat every time he looks at him like that. As warmth blooms under his cheeks, he smiles softly in adoration.
Then Jason offers a quiet laugh. The sound of it soothes Leo from the inside out, and his chest billows with an overwhelming admiration for the gorgeous blond before him.
My boyfriend, he thinks elatedly. After so many years, that laugh is for me.
In a moment of sudden bravery, Leo throws a leg over Jason’s body. He pulls himself over his lap, and at the sudden contact, the blond flinches. A spark of hesitation bursts between the boys; tension billows in the gap between them. Then, hesitantly, eagerly, Jason pulls his hands around Leo’s waist and presses his face against the crook of the demigod’s neck.
After a nervous moment, Jason admits his defeat; he spills his burdens into his boyfriend and pulls Leo’s body closer, so close that there’s no telling where one person begins and the other ends. His waist tingles where Leo’s thighs touch him; his chest hums where Leo’s heart presses against his. Taking advantage of this rare vulnerability, the curly-haired demigod drapes his arms around Jason’s shoulders and presses the tip of his nose against the soft, mussed hair. A citrusy scent overwhelms Leo’s senses and he closes his eyes, submerging himself into Jason’s warm, loving embrace.
A wave of intimate silence washes over them. Jason’s hands glide over Leo’s back gently, and in response, Leo takes his own fingers through the blond’s soft hair. Soft music floats around them, but Leo barely hears it over the loud drumming of his heart.
Jason’s nose twitches against his boyfriend’s neck. When he speaks, his lips gently tickle Leo’s skin and he has to bite his bottom lip to suppress his laughter.
“I’m tired,” sighs Jason, “but the deadline to the temples is almost here.”
“Oh, please,” Leo groans. “You already have most of it done now. Take the night off. Let’s just lay in bed together and watch a movie or something. I miss not falling asleep with you at the same time.”
A pillowy laugh falls from Jason’s chest, the sound of it like molten gold in Leo’s ears. “I’m almost done,” promises the exhausted demigod. “Just another few days. Then we can spend the summer together.”
Leo sighs, “Alright, fine.” Then he pulls his face away and frowns at Jason. “But you’re done for tonight. You’ve been in here for hours.” To prove his seriousness in the matter, Leo twists around, closes the files and drawings on the dark desk, and pushes them to the side. A strangled sound lurches out of Jason, but Leo simply swats his hand away as he tries to reach for his files.
An irritated frown lingers over the blond’s face for a quick second, but when Leo offers a flirtatious and elated smile, Jason’s discontent melts away and his chest echoes with a hesitant laugh of exasperation. Taking this as a sign of his own victory, Leo chuckles, too, and presses his forehead against Jason’s gently. His soft fingers haunt the blond’s neck and cheeks, and in response, he leans into Leo’s touch.
Here, in the quiet night, music floats around them, but neither boy can make sense of the lyrics. They drown out everything around them; they lose all sense of themselves in the soft silence. It’s only Jason and Leo in the light right now. No upcoming deadlines, no paperwork, no nothing. Just their love.
Gently, hesitantly, Leo trails his fingers against Jason’s jawline. He wants to run his touch against every scar, every inch of skin that he can. Pressing his thumb gently underneath Jason’s chin, Leo tilts his head up. Surprise sparks against the other boy’s pale eyes, but there’s an acceptance there, too, an admittance. A daringness.
In the dim, comforting light, Jason has never looked more beautiful. A lazy sparkle overwhelms his face and a dazed eagerness comes over his pink lips.
In a moment of passion, the two lean in closer. A quiet hunger sparks in the inches between them, but that spark turns into an electric burst of passion as their lips meet.
Quiet. All is quiet around them. They’re swimming in some kind of innocent, syrupy admiration. Leo’s fingers trail the back of Jason’s neck, his touch as gentle as a ghost, and Jason’s hands hold Leo’s waist like he’s his lifeline.
Soft lips. Soft touch. Soft hair. That’s all that Leo feels as he kisses Jason. Soft, soft, soft.
Warmth blooms in his chest, and he smiles against Jason’s lips. But that ruins the moment, because a puff of laughter bubbles from Jason’s lips and he pulls an inch away, amusement glimmering in his eyes.
“Don’t do that,” he whispers. “You’re only going to make me less tired and then I’ll go right back to working.”
Leo rolls his eyes, but an exhilarated smile lines his mouth. “This is kinda homophobic.”
“You’re homophobic.”
“Would a homophobe make out with you and enjoy it?”
“I have that kind of power, don’t I?”
A burst of laughter escapes Leo’s chest and he ruffles Jason’s hair. Then he stumbles off the blond’s warm body, but at the lack of contact, a rush of cold overwhelms his senses. He's tempted to climb back on and touch Jason, but he forces himself to tame that urge.
Instead, to make up for the loss of his boyfriend’s heat, Leo takes Jason’s hand and raises an eyebrow. “You have five minutes to come to bed, or else I’m hogging the blanket.”
“You’re going to do that anyway. I know you like it when I hug you for warmth.”
A smile lingers over Leo’s lips and a mischievous sparkle comes into his eyes. “Maybe I do.” He smiles mockingly. “But tonight I’ll turn to fire all night just so you get really hot. That way you won’t even be able to sleep in the same bed.”
Jason shakes his head. “Such a cruel boyfriend.”
Leo grins. “It’s what I do best.” He teases Jason with a kiss. “But I only do it because I love you.”
Smiling softly, Jason whispers, “I love you, too.”