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Jason sprints inside the building, narrowly missing the couple linking arms as they step out into the cold miserable day. Winter, he decides, has gone on for far too long and he is about sick of the sludgy rain and all his clothes being at least slightly damp at any given point in the day.
He shakes his hair out in the lobby, swiping his rain-splattered glasses against his sweater, and trying very hard to ignore the streaks that remain. It makes his vision…….colourful.
He doesn’t necessarily hate Valentine’s Day— in fact he enjoys the acts of love and the endless chocolates and the smell of fresh flowers that seem to imbue in everything— he just wishes he was also coupley with someone. A very specific someone. But three years down the line, an entire degree later, and grad school looming around the corner, his hope for that certain someone although stalwart has stuck there as only a hope.
Speaking of special someone’s, before a group of giggling teenagers can crash into him he moves towards the elevators, pressing the button to head up. His shoes squelch unpleasantly and it takes everything in him not to cringe with each step. Gods he can’t wait to get out of wet clothes, and wet shoes, and worst of all, wet socks.
The elevator dings on the eighth floor and then he’s shuffling off to apartment #081. The spare key is cold against his fingers as he inserts into the lock and turns. His hand twitches at the uncomfortable feeling and then he’s pushing down the handle and stepping into a quiet apartment.
Quickly his shoes are discarded near the door, and then immediate the gods-awful socks. His feet are wet but when they touch the wooden floors his heart-rate immediately starts to calm. He hadn’t realised how anxious the feeling was making him till he got rid of it.
Shrugging off the unnecessary amount of jackets, sweaters, and scarves he has on, he makes his way through the entry and into the open plan space of the apartment. Eyes are focused on unbuckling his belt, thoughts muddled with needing to get clothes off and get warm again. Maybe a hot showe—
“Percy!” He screeches, “Why the fuck are you naked?”
Percy Jackson stops dead still in the middle of the lounge. Mouth hanging open. Green eyes wide and glittering with shock.
“Wha– what are you doing here?” He mutters, still unmoving.
“I said I was coming over. I assumed you’d be ready for me.” As soon as Jason says it he wants to take it back. Before Percy can even react a blush as red as crushed cherries blooms across his cheeks.
“Ready for you Grace?” His friend smirks, “I didn’t know you thought about me that way.”
“Percy,” Jason is finding it difficult to breathe. “Please can you put some clothes on.”
“I thought this was the direction you wanted us to go in pretty boy?” He is still teasing, and it is making the room spin.
“At least put a towel on,” He manages to strangle out.
A smile, wide and brilliant glitters over Percy’s face. “I don’t own one.”
“What?” It really is getting very hard to breathe. There is so much glorious skin and body and muscle and eyes and skin and muscle and—
“I don’t own a towel.” He repeats.
“Wha-why?” That snaps the blond out of it. How does one not own a towel?
“I’ve just never needed one.” He shrugs. “Son of Poseidon and all.”
“You don’t own a single towel?” This cannot be real. They’re almost twenty-five. He doesn’t know a single twenty year old that doesn’t own a towel never mind twenty-five. “What about when you have guests over?”
“Well I’ve only ever had you, Annabeth, and my mom over.” He is still so naked, so comfortable in it too. “Mom and Annie always bring their own towels, and you’ve never actually stayed so?”
“Gods,” Jason knows his face is comical. Picture perfect disbelief.
“So…” Percy is back to smirking, “Wanna pick up where we left off? I am ready for you, you know.”
That teasing troublemaker smile is infectious. Jason can’t help but burst into laughter. “Put some clothes on Jackson. We can discuss your readiness later.”
With a wink Percy disappears into his bedroom and Jason flops down on the couch, wet clothes momentarily forgotten. Amusement running rivers across his mind.
A few weak rays of sun start to break through the heavy grey clouds. He makes a mental note to get Percy a set of towels.