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"Let's enjoy our time here while we can," Percy said. "It's a cruise ship."
He didn't expect Annabeth to agree with him but she nodded. "At the very least we should refuel while we look for an opportunity to take one of those life boats." Annabeth gestured to the suite they were in. "There's no way Hermes meant for us to take the whole ship."
For a split second, Percy wondered if that was exactly what Hermes meant for them to do and if Percy was able to do that with his powers, and he felt something brush against his consciousness, but then it was gone. "Great. I'm going to scope out the buffet."
"I will check the pool," Tyson said from the bathroom he was changing in. He emerged from the bathroom in his boxers and t-shirt. His jeans hung over the shower stall.
Annabeth made a sour face at the two of them then sighed deeply. "I'm going to sunbathe before the storm hits. Tyson, don't splash me."
"Alright, Annabeth," Tyson said.
They left the room and walked down the hallway in silence, broken only by Tyson's comment of: "Lots of scents here."
Percy sniffed the air.
Demigods had enhanced senses of smell, especially when it came to identifying monsters and other demigods. Tyson was right: there were a lot of overlapping scents here. A lot of different demigods and monsters walked this hallway daily.
Percy's nose twitched. One scent in particular stood out to him; a combination of hot candle wax and leather. The reason that Hermes sent Percy to this yacht in the first place. Fine. Percy said he would try.
On deck the trio split up.
Tyson wadded into the pool and joined a game of volleyball. He was a big hit because he was so tall and strong he turned the tide for his team. He looked like he was having fun.
Annabeth found an empty lounge chair and a magazine. The cover showed a girl dressed in silver furs with a bow and arrow.
The girl next to Annabeth had what looked like the same magazine but with a different cover and struck up a conversation with Annabeth.
Amazingly, Annabeth didn't bite the girl's head off or ice her out. They seemed to be actually getting along.
In the not-so-far distance the storm clouds were black and the ocean choppy. A storm was rolling in.
Percy observed all this from the buffet table. He was parked in front of the crab legs, cracking them open with his hands and pulling the meat out. He dipped it in melted butter and popped it into his mouth. It was delicious and as fresh as could be; their chefs must have caught it this morning.
"Hi, Percy Jackson," said a voice to Percy's left and slightly behind him.
Percy whipped around to see who snuck up on him. His only weapon was a crab leg, which wasn't that threatening. His fingers were probably too buttery to hang onto Riptide and Percy wasn't about to embarrass himself that way. "Who the heck are you?"
"I'm Aidan, son of Aphrodite. I'm a big fan of yours, Percy. We should talk sometime." Aidan smiled like he wanted to eat Percy. His eyes sparkled when he looked at Percy. "Your boyfriend sent me to get you."
Percy frowned. What was Luke telling these people? "Luke is not my boyfriend."
Aidan's smile turned smug. "Oh really? Then why don't you be my boyfriend, pretty boy?" He closed the distance between them in one step, face inches from Percy's face. Aidan's demigod scent was mountain laurel and poppies. "It was sexy watching you devour that crab," Aidan said, voice low. "I'd like to see how you devour me."
Percy's face went red. He's never been flirted with so aggressively and Luke's version of flirting involved swords. "Fiancé," Percy blurted out. "Luke's actually my fiancé. Not my boyfriend. So, um, I'm not…going to…do anything with you." His face felt like it was fire.
Aidan looked momentarily stunned. Then his grin returned, showing all of his perfect pearly white teeth. "Ha!" Aidan stepped back, ready to go now that he wasn't trying to seduce Percy. "I want to be in the room when you two reunite and you tell Luke that. This way, Percy."
Percy couldn't tell if Aidan believed the fiancé lie or not but it got him to back off and they were going to see Luke now so he wasn't sure it mattered. They stopped by the bathroom so Percy could clean up - and for some reason he brought the last crab leg with him but he was too anxious to eat it so Percy was just holding it like an idiot and Aidan politely suggested that he throw it away because it was probably cold by now (it was) and informed Percy that fresh ones could be brought to the room if he and Luke so desired - then it was time to see Luke.
Aidan opened the door and announced, "Luke, I've acquired your fiancé, Percy Jackson." He gestured for Percy to go in.
Percy did, chin raised and back straight.
Luke stood in front of the open french windows with his back to them so Percy couldn't see his face, which was a shame. When he turned, he was smiling that familiar warm smile at Percy. "Thank you, Aidan," Luke said, dismissing him without looking at him.
Percy couldn't see Aidan's face from where he stood but he could imagine the pout. Aidan closed the door, leaving Luke and Percy alone. At the same time, the clouds covered the sun.
"Hermes sent me," Percy said before Luke could say anything, "To bring you home."
All the warmth left Luke like a light flicking out though he didn't stop smiling. It was scary how Luke did that. It was scarier how fast Luke closed the distance between them, how suddenly he had Percy held fast in both hands, body to body. "Sounds like all Hermes sent me was a bride," Luke said, a growl in his voice.
Did Luke see the wedding dress? Could Luke spy on Percy in his dreams like Percy could spy on Luke in his? It never occurred to Percy that the power might flow both ways. "I only said that because Aidan was hitting on me."
"Ah," Luke said. Now that he knew it was a mistake, Luke should have been more inclined to let go. He wasn't.
Luke had been clingy at Camp too, but to be fair, Percy encouraged it as much as possible. He clung back just as hard. Things ending the way they did last summer, and then spending the winter apart, and coming back to all of this…it was a lot. It was hard. Percy's heart was in pieces but he was hiding it from everyone…sometimes even trying to hide it from himself.
It felt so good to have Luke touching him again, holding him again that Percy could have cried. Outside, came the faint sound of rain hitting the yacht.
"Aidan's usually good about taking no for an answer," Luke said and there was a question in his voice.
"He did take no for an answer," Percy agreed. He really wanted to lay his head on Luke's shoulder and most of his focus was going to not doing that. "He's just…intense."
Luke hummed agreement. He showed no sign of letting go of Percy.
"I felt like my no needed to match his intensity," Percy admitted. He felt weird about not hugging Luke back, so he settled his hands at the small of Luke's back. Percy held a fistful of Luke's sweater.
"So now we're engaged," Luke said, as if this was a logical conclusion to jump to. As if it was real and not a lie. His shoulder was looking really good. The perfect place for Percy to lay his head.
Percy continued to resist the temptation. He debated saying yes, but if he was being honest with himself, Percy didn't think Luke would come back with him just to get married. This was bigger than them.
As if he sensed Percy's thoughts, Luke said, "I'm not going back."
"Yeah, I know," Percy said like Luke's words weren't blows to his heart. He finally gave in and rested his head against Luke's shoulder. This was exactly as comfortable as Percy thought it would be. "I can't stay. I've got to find Grover."
"I know. But you can rest for a while before you keep going." Luke drew them over to a couch. Reclining to embrace was even better than standing, meant that Percy could relax on top of Luke. If he minded being pinned by Percy, Luke didn't show it. He was probably that confident in his own strength. Luke nuzzled Percy. "Stay for a while, Percy."
Percy shouldn't be tempted by Luke, but it was hard not to be. Luke was being brainwashed by an angry titan and that was making him make bad choices, and he'd broken Percy's heart after confessing his feelings to Percy, but Percy was the one who said no. But to be fair, Percy was mostly saying no to Kronos, not to Luke. If Luke wasn't brainwashed by their crazy grandpa, Percy would have run away with Luke. Or, like, maybe invited Luke home with him. Although Percy loved Mom, he really liked the idea of living with Luke…just the two of them…in an apartment of their own...
"It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding," Percy mumbled. Luke was warm and comfortable. His body fit against Percy's like they were made to go together.
"I'll be sure to keep my eyes closed."
Percy peeked and saw that Luke did have his eyes closed. He thought about how nice it would be to wake up in Luke's arms like this every morning and tears immediately filled Percy's eyes. He laid his head back down before Luke saw him crying. "I want a ring."
Luke stroked the length of Percy's back. "There's a jewelry store downstairs."
If Luke thought that Percy was going to get up anytime soon, he was sorely mistaken. Luke made a good couch and Percy liked being pet.
"Whenever you're ready," Luke added.
Percy hummed acknowledgement. His tears fell against the collar of Luke's sweater, but he didn't think that Luke noticed.
"Maybe when the rain stops?" Luke suggested.
The soft patter of rain had only grown heavier. It was a real downpour outside. The yacht was steady but Percy felt the ocean moving around it with the force of the storm. It was going to rain for a while yet.
Percy nodded. "Yeah. We'll go when the rain stops." He agreed and then prayed that the rain wouldn't stop. I want us to stay like this forever. No one between us. Just us.