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There was a place, a beautiful, peaceful place where Percy and Apollo would always meet when they wanted to be together. When the stresses of their lives and responsibilities would get to be too much, and they just wanted to be alone with one another.
It was a part of the forest in camp half-blood but it was outside of the magical borders. A clearing just beyond all of the trees, though it didn't go on far past that since it dropped off to a cliff, giving the most amazing view of the glittering ocean water and the sun seeming to meet in the horizon.
Originally, Percy was the only one who knew of this place. He had found it one day when he was tired of everything and just wanted to get away. To find some peace from the hectic and dangerous life he led. And ever since then, Percy would come here whenever he had a bad day or when he woke up from a particularly bad nightmare about Tartarus (which he had a lot of). Being here, where the only thing he could see was the vast ocean, his father's domain and, where all could hear was the crash of the waves on the jagged rocks below, it calmed him.
He felt lighter here, relaxed. When he was here, nobody was here to expect anything of him. He didn't have to worry about the next war he might have to face. He didn't have to put on a brave face and play the role of "Savior of Olympus" that was forced upon him when he was younger. Here, he could yell, scream, cry all he wanted and no one would know.
And no one did know for a long time, until a certain sun god had found the same clearing and decided to go there himself one very early morning. While he was resting in the clearing, laying on the soft grass and enjoying the soothing sounds of the sea, a crying son of Poseidon came walking into the meadow, looking shaken to his core by what Apollo later found out to be a nightmare.
At first it was a bit awkward. Percy would just look at Apollo suspiciously without a word; like he was trying to determine if the sun god was just here to mess with him. But, after a couple weeks they started actually talking just about general stuff. It was a surprisingly nice distraction for Percy when he had been dealing with nightmares the night before. Then, talking about random things became getting to actually know each other and then it led to a connection forming between them. And, after about a year, a connection led to developing feelings for one another. Deep, genuine feelings of pure love.
Now, a couple years later, Apollo looked back on the day that Percy Jackson and he had met in this meadow, as the most important day of his immortal life. He had finally found who he felt was meant to be his one lasting love in this world. After so much heartbreak, he felt as if the fates had finally given him a chance at true happiness.
Not too long ago, Apollo had asked Percy to reconsider taking up the offer of being granted immortality and, much to Apollo's surprise, Percy had agreed. They planned on going through with the ceremony on Percy's 21st birthday. Giving him time to spend with his parents and friends before being granted God hood and, before officially becoming Apollo's consort.
It was all going well, going as planned but, the fates of course had to throw in one last challenge, one last test.
Rumor of another child of the big three being discovered had been confirmed. It was too high risk to send just a satyr to collect the new demigod, they thought it would be best to send another powerful demigod to help accompany the new half blood to camp. With Chiron in a bind and other campers spread thin, out on other quests, Percy volunteered.
That's what led to now. Apollo and Percy at their favorite spot in the world, just spending a bit more time with each other before Percy would have to leave for the mission.
Apollo sat down on the grass, his love laying down beside him, his arms behind his head and his eyes closed. Apollo watched as the wind lightly rustled Percy's dark hair, making it messier than usual. He appreciated the way the rays of the sun seemed to make his tanned skin glow.
"You're staring at me like a creep again," Percy hummed teasingly, opening one eye to look at Apollo.
"I don't think you should go on this quest. I'm sure that Chiron can find someone else-"
Percy sat up slowly, raising an eyebrow and giving his boyfriend an unimpressed look. "What? You think I can't do it?"
"No, no! Of course not, my love! I just... I have a bad feeling about this. I feel like you should just stay. If you're really adamant about doing this; maybe just wait. Wait a little bit until you're a god and-."
Percy leaned in to place a soft, chaste kiss on Apollo's lips as a way to stop his rambling (even if he found it cute). "Apollo, that kid might be in danger. Monsters have been starting to look for them and, if one of them does anything to the new half blood while I just wait, that would be terrible. I won't sacrifice the life of an innocent kid just to save my own. Besides, this is nothing I haven't done before! I've faced hundreds if not thousands of monsters in my time and I'm still right here. I'll be ok."
Apollo looked into those stunning, honest eyes that looked as deep as the ocean itself. Those eyes that had captivated him from the very start, that pulled him into the raging waters that were Percy's love, before he had any idea what was even happening. Those eyes would never lie to him.
Apollo cupped Percy's cheek and kissed his forehead. "Please return back to me, my little ocean. I don't know what I would do without you."
Percy looked deep into Apollo's eyes, unshed tears threatening to fall. He took his thumb and wiped gently under one of Apollo's deep blue eyes. "We'll meet back here, I promise you, my light."
Soon after, Percy left for his quest. And everyday after, Apollo would go to their special place just in the hopes that Percy would be back quickly.
After a week went by with no sign of Percy, Apollo told himself not to worry, that it was just taking a bit longer to complete the quest.
After 2 weeks, Apollo had to reassure himself that everything was fine, they just had to take a detour. These things happened.
After a month, on the day of Percy's birthday, Apollo brought a birthday cake for his love, decorated in his favorite shades of blue because he just knew that Percy would come back by his birthday. Come back to him. He just knew it.
After 2 months, Apollo began to lose hope of ever seeing his love, his precious little ocean, ever again.
After 3 months, Apollo finally had learned that Percy Jackson had died a true hero's death. Dying while fighting off a manticore and saving a younger half blood. His sacrifice saved not just one but multiple lives.
After 5 years, Apollo still came to the place where he and his true love used to meet everyday. And everyday, he would look out at the beautiful, sparkling ocean below. He would listen to the soothing yet heartbreaking sound of the waves crashing against the jagged rocks at the foot of the cliff.
Here, he would sit and think about his love. Think about the way he had fit perfectly in his arms, think about the endless depths of his eyes. Here, he would sit and long for his lover to come back to him so much that it would ache. Here, he would wish that he could see his love just one last time.
Here, where the Sun meets the sea.