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Knock. Knock. Knock.
I felt my heart in my throat, nervous butterflies flying around my stomach. I breathe out, it’s just a date, with Percy, the guy you’ve been obsessed with for the past six months of living next to each other and it’s definitely not the first time that he’s been in your apartment. But it’s the first time he’s been in your apartment as a date. It doesn’t matter! He’s been in your apartment so many times before this so what if this is a date. And even then you’ve been on so many dates with each other it was bound to happen at some point. Asking him to be your boyfriend is also bound to happen at some point. What if he says no?
Everything has to be perfect. I survey the room one last time before heading to the door and pulling it open. “Percy! Hi.” My voice comes out a little strangled and a flush fills my face as I look at him.
He’s gorgeous. His hair has fallen around the sides of his face, framing eyes. His face had a slight blush and he was shifting from side-to-side his hands fiddling with the stack of containers he had in his hands. His shirt is a dark blue, which accented his eyes even more.
I stutter for a second and his face lights up into a crooked grin. “Can I… come in?”
I fumble for a moment, “Ah, oh, yes yes you can just go right over into the kitchen and you can set your stuff right by the door.” He smiles, stepping closer to me to walk inside, and I quickly step back trying to control the blush fighting to cover my face.
He toes off his shoes, revealing bright blue Finding Nemo socks, that are clearly from the same pack of socks but are mismatched nonetheless. Weirdly enough the socks bring me back into reality for a moment, and I offer my hand to take the shoes.
He stares confusedly at my hand for a moment before hesitantly placing his hand in it. Heat runs through my hand past my arm and into my face. I cough out, “Oh- I was- I mean, your shoes, I just have a place but-” woow, Jason really smooth.
“Oh! Sorry I didn’t- I was-” He pulls his hand back and as cliche as it might be my hand felt colder without it. Well no wonder, Jason it’s literally someone else's body heat. I shake the voice out - weirdly enough it sounded an awful lot like Leo.
He sheepishly offers me the shoes, and I take them, placing them in my shoe closet - dude! Do you have a shoe closet? I laugh ‘It’s just a fancy name for shelves for shoes, Percy’ he whistles ‘Dang someone grew up rich’ -
I see a fleeting blush pass over Percy’s face once more before he’s turned in the other direction. God, why do I have to be so awkward, get it together. We already did the hard parts, now it’s just the lovey dovey coupley things.
Oh my God, what if I end up dating Percy Jackson.
I turn to follow him into the kitchen, gently brushing the door closed with my foot - a habit since I lived with Thalia. I take a deep breath in, smelling the candles that I had set out earlier in an attempt to… to what? Make my apartment smell good, what is wrong with me he must think I’m so weird oh my-
“I brought cookies? We said we were doing dessert and a show? And I know that you said you’d have stuff, I just thought that it might be good to also have something baked, I mean if you baked something that’s completely fine! I just… “ He trailed off, he turned to face me, “I also brought brownies?” I love when he rambles. I could listen to him talk all day
I walk closer to him, my sock feet padding from carpet to tile, “That’s lovely, I just bought some ice cream and a veggie tray.”
There was a soft laugh behind me as I ventured further into the kitchen, “A veggie tray? You didn’t strike me as someone who ate carrots for dessert.”
I flush - again? What is wrong with you pulling yourself together? Wipe that blush off your face. - I turn to face him and awkwardly scratch the back of my neck. “I remembered you said you get sick if you eat too much sugar without something healthy, so I thought it might make the night more enjoyable?” My sentence trailed off into a slight question and I took in the sight of him leaning against my kitchen counter.
Suddenly my lungs stop working, as Percy beams in my direction. “Thank you. I-” He cuts off, meeting my gaze, “I appreciate it, thanks.”
“Anytime.” Silence ghosted around us for a moment, but before it could turn awkward Percy started forward and grabbed my arm.
“But we can eat later, first we have to pick a show!” I let him pull me along watching as he steps into the living room, and finds the couch. Sitting almost too politely for the chaotic force that Percy is, he motions at the TV with a slightly embarrassed look.
Realizing the opportunity that I had I brace myself with one knee on the couch and lean over Percy. His breath catches for a second, his eyes flickering all over my face. Until I lean past him grabbing the remote on the side table beside the couch.
I smile, dropping down on the couch next to him, leaving a small amount of distance, so he can choose whether he wants to come closer, consent is key.
Beside me Percy shifts against the couch, and settles slightly closer to me. Is this him saying he’s giving me space? What if we’re both trying to be polite? My stomach twirled with indecision, and the burn I felt from my face let me know that I was undoubtedly letting him know that I was fazed by this.
C’mon Jason, you’ve done way more difficult things than sitting next to the love of your life on a date. I breath out huffing at myself, before scooting closer and pulling my arm around- Psych not doing that woww smooth. And instead I pull my hand into my lap to grab the remote I had dropped earlier. Phew, they saved it? You can honestly just kill me now. Why am I so awkward?
With our sides pressed up against each other I tense waiting for Percy to pull away, instead he settles against my shoulder. Resting his chin on my shoulder and turning to ask, “So, any particular show in mind?” His face is so close to mine GET IT TOGETHER JASON.
The sound of me clearing my throat bounces through the room, “ehum, nothing in mind. Did you have something you wanted to see?” He hums, turning his face back to the television, and instead of trying to find something and hopelessly embarrassing myself I offer the remote in his direction.
His fingers brush mine as he grabs it, Goodness Gracious Jason, it’s just his fingers barely touching yours. What will you do when you kiss? His hand is so soft. I snap my attention back to the blank TV screen as he turns it on, ignoring the tingling emanating from my fingertips.
Percy flipped through the different shows and movies, I said nothing. My heart beating rapidly in my chest calm down. This is like your tenth date, you’ve basically done this so many times not in my house.
He settles on some cop show or the other and relaxes against my side once again, I breathe fully out trying to relax with the feeling of him resting against me. I think I love him . After a moment his head fully comes down on my shoulder, his swirling blue and green eyes reflecting the scene.
My heart warms and for a moment I wonder if this is what Elysium feels like. My body fully relaxes against his and I rest my head on his, gently reaching my hand out for his. Peripherally I see a smile form on his face.
~ ~ ~
Episodes go by, drowsiness pulling us both into each other. I feel my eyes slip closed for a moment before Percy’s weight is suddenly off my side. “-what?” I flounder for a moment rubbing my eyes to look at him, “What’s wrong?” My voice was gravel and I blush before taking a moment to clear it. Blinking, I stare up at him standing above me.
His hair was a chaotic mess, the perfectly staged strands now resuming their natural form. HIs face was pulled into a tired grin, “The cookies, the brownies they need to be eaten!” His hands grabbed onto my arm and attempted to drag me up and into the kitchen.
I let him drag me, keeping a slight tension so he has the feel of dragging me without the effort, wooow Jason so courteous. God, he’s so pretty.
Once we’re both in the kitchen I step around him to grab some plates and bowls, I hear the tupperware being opened behind me and I slide two plates in front of him before grabbing the ice cream out of the freezer. I wouldn’t mind being this domestic forever
I step behind him reaching around to place the bowls and ice cream. My arms brush past his waist. I hesitated, but obviously my tired brain won out in the end and I slid my arms around him. In a half hug, and I gently squeeze once before dishing up ice cream for the both of us.
He hands me a plate and we eat in a comfortable silence, eventually Percy ends up on the counter sitting cross-legged on the surface. I love him
The brownies and the cookies are both even more delicious than the last time I had them and I break the silence to tell him as much, “Your desserts get better every time I eat them.” He smiles, I love his smile .
Gather the plates and place the ice cream back into the freezer. There was a padding of feet behind me before I’m pushed out of the way of the sink. I gasp in fake outrage, he just laughs.
I wrap my arms around him once he’s done spinning him around to the counter, where he begins to package up the rest of the baked goods. I keep my arms around him and bury my face between his neck and his shoulder, he smells so nice.
He hesitates for a moment before plating up the desserts for us. “Thank you Percy.” he hums in agreement and I can see a flush creeping down his neck. I shifted so my chin was resting on him. Watching his hands.
When he finishes he turns around with his arms coming around me, I relax against him making sure not to press him into the counter too hard, “mmhm you smell nice.” my brain registered what I said a moment too late and I flush.
Feeling the burning on my face I make to move backwards and Percy stops me once I can see his face. A determined and almost shy expression painting over his eyes and into his eyebrows.
“You think I would taste better?” My brain shortcircuits and for a moment all I can think of is kissing him. I close my eyes, breathing out through my nose, before leaning towards him once more.
I gathered up my remaining courage, “If only I had a boyfriend that I could taste.” He splutters for a moment and I just search his face. A flush coming over all his features and once again creeping down his neck. “Would you Perseus Jackson be my boyfriend?” For a moment he looks overwhelmed.
His eyes flickering through too many emotions to count, his hands come up to my cheeks and I search his eyes as I lean closer to him. When his lips press against mine I’m convinced this is my happy ending.
He pulls back and for a moment I panic, but all he does is whisper, “Better than my baking?” Confused, I searched his face. Taste better than your baking? Oh my-
“You taste ten times better than your baking Percy.” He laughs and I lean against him to feel his laugh shaking the both of us.
His hand comes, sliding into my hair, “Thought so.”