Chapter Text
If you're not careful and noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you'll end up in the Backrooms, where it's nothing but the stink of old moist carpet, the madness of mono-yellow, the endless background noise of fluorescent lights at maximum hum-buzz, and approximately six hundred million square miles of randomly segmented empty rooms to be trapped in.
Gods save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you.
A wise person had once said: Adrenaline rush is the best way to get the work done.
Which means to say, Percy’s gotta finish all of his homeworks in the day of the deadline because he crammed all of his work. The reason? He just doesn’t feel like doing all of it if he were being honest.
His friends were right about one thing, he needed a break. A long one, for sure, because heck his brain doesn’t work properly and his dyslexia isn’t any help, his body can’t function well and wouldn’t function because of how tired he is. Emotionally and Physically. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to finish all of his homeworks or else he would repeat this session again and he doesn’t want that to happen. He needed to finish college soon because the sooner the better. Percy made an exasperated sigh and got up from his comfy bed and went to his desk to finish his work, opening the laptop to start when suddenly his phone— made by Leo by the way, to not get tracked by monsters— buzzed beside the nightstand. Frowning, he got up to check who it was.
Wise Girl : Hey, Seaweed Brain. Just wanted to check up on you if you’re still alive. Also, Rachel said we're gonna go out to a cafe she found just 5 blocks away from our apartment tomorrow after class.
Percy smiled, glad that she and Rachel had got over their rivalry since they were teens. Well, to be fair, they were teenagers doing teenage stuff, so it’s normal to get hit by puberty and mature enough to realize that they’re fighting over stupid stuff. He quickly reacted heart to her message and went back to his desk to finish his work before he gets distracted again on his phone.
He and Annabeth were together for three and a half years, yet broke up because they never really worked out and both realized they wanted different things in their lives, albeit, they remained close and Percy was grateful for that. He can’t even imagine if Annabeth disappeared in his life after they went through together, been together, and went together in literal hell. Both Percy and Annabeth, together with Grover, are now living in peace as they want to be. Well, partially, because Annabeth and Percy needed to finish college while Grover was out there doing some Lord of the Wild duties and also guiding young demigods to camp for safety. Everyone’s doing well— assuming that it’s everyone. Percy hasn’t yet contained the ‘doing well’ , considering the situation he’s in now.
After the Giant War, he wanted to rest, and wanted to take a break from what happened. But, oh, he was so, so wrong when Apollo— or Lester in his case— decided to show up on his porch with a daughter of Demeter, Meg McCaffrey, on his side asking for help. At first, he wanted to slam the door to his face then go to his room and scream why is this happening to him. Why just him in particular? The gods are really having fun taking turns on how to make him suffer— ahem, to give him quests. He settled on telling them he couldn’t help them due to wanting to stay by his mother’s side before his little sister was born, but he let them in to wash up and eat because they look like they haven't eaten in days.
Although, after hearing that Apollo regained his godhood months later, the god visited him and gave him blue cookies as a thanks and also gave some gifts for his mom, and Estelle some toys. She’s turning 4 this year, and Percy is 21. Not that the ages are accurate because Uncle Rick confirmed that he wouldn’t age unless the book says so—
Anyway, Percy was almost done with his work™️, and right now all he could think of is to eat something and then rest for the whole day after doing all of this abomination of research. He submitted his work for today, now done with one work, he needs coffee to keep going. Percy stood up and stretched as he went to his kitchen to prepare his drug for tonight’s menu; i.e. Coffee.
Checking the time, the clock hands are at 6:46pm, making it 2 and a half hours of doing a single homework earlier. Great, he’s gonna pull an all-nighter tonight and to top it all that he has classes tomorrow. Well, looks like his plans of sleeping all day are off his list.
Or was it?
He heard a knock from his apartment door as he prepared for his coffee. “Just a second!” He yelled, scrambling to get his shirt because he wasn’t wearing anything aside from his bottom navy blue pajama.
When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sun. Quite literally. Apollo gave him his familiar blinding smile, but quickly deflated as he studied Percy, his handsome feature plastered with worry.
“Hey, your mother wanted to deliver you this,” he says a moment later, smiling slightly, voice equally soft as if he doesn’t want to startle Percy with his loud and cheerful voice whenever he visits the demigod.
Percy returned the smile, but not quite reaching his eyes but, regardless, delighted inside when he took the beautifully wrapped in blue packaging, with a yellow ribbon sealing it— Apollo made a habit of wrapping it with yellow ribbon because he ‘wanted Percy to remind it of him’ as he put it— knowing inside were his favorite mother’s baked blue cookies.
“Thanks. Um, come in?” he offered.
Apollo beamed and slid inside. He sat on the couch carefree while Percy closed the door, placed the small gift on the table, and went back towards the kitchen to prepare his coffee.
The demigod heard the tv turned on, immediately smiling as he knew Apollo would rewatch “The Backrooms (Found Footage)” by KanePixels again for the umpteenth time. It was rather peculiar yet intriguing, as Apollo would say to him whenever Percy asks why, probably because the film director was awespiring to make such intricate moving pictures out of fiction, and Apollo is nothing if not amazed by art.
The son of Poseidon all knew too well of him now, even now, automatically preparing a coffee for the god as usual whenever he visits. This was probably his twentieth or twenty-first visit, not that he was counting of course. Although, he wasn’t complaining. He appreciated the Sun god’s presence, surprisingly. At first, he was a bit skeptical when Apollo visited him the second time, thinking that the god wanted something in return or to make him do some stupid quest. Now he was just glad Apollo was accompanying him, sometimes even helping him with his homeworks, or laughing about random stuff that happened between their lives, or just talking in general.
Percy returned with two cups of coffee in his hands, offering one for the god, who’s slouched on the couch. Apollo smiled and thanked him, and made a room for Percy to sit. They both sat there watching Youtube, in a comfortable silence, Percy leaned head against Apollo’s chest and the god automatically wrapped his arm around Percy’s shoulder and leaned against him as well, relishing the warmth the demigod was feeling. Percy is satiated, completely forgetting about his tasks for tomorrow’s deadline.
After a while, the god spoke, voice still soft but with a hint of worry, “Rough day?” he asked, nuzzling his nose against Percy’s hair. Percy leaned back, sighing in resignation.
“It’s not that. Just,” Percy paused, “too much work and I crammed it in one day because…” he trailed off, not wanting to admit he wasn’t feeling like doing so. It’s such a lame excuse to not do his homeworks in time when he had a week to make it.
Apollo rubbed his thumb in a soothing manner on Percy’s hip, encouraging him to go on, “Because?”
“Because I don’t feel like it. It’s a lame excuse I know.”
There, he said it. And now he has to face Apollo mocking him, or perhaps tell him he’s being incredulous and laugh at him for just being stupid or whatnot.
But when he dared to look up, Apollo just smiled at him, deep understanding written in his sky blue eyes. It was unexpected, Percy wouldn’t lie, despite the knowing look Apollo is giving him. He wasn’t surprised, to say the least, it was just unexpected.
“That’s valid. Sometimes I feel like not doing anything at all, whether that’ll be writing haikus, practice archery, or just doing something in general,” he explained patiently, “But there are some times that I’m obligated to do my jobs that I cannot just ignore; rising and setting the sun, blessing my children on any occasion had they prayed to me. You too, had done that.”
“How so?” Percy tilted his head, scrunching his nose in an adorable way.
“Because,” the god slightly shifted to gaze at the sea-green eyes, as if he’s taking it all in, drowning, “You always put your life first when it comes to protecting someone, despite me and your dad telling you to not do it you still do it anyway because you think it's your job to do so. You protect younger demigods, and as the protector of youth, I approve of your actions.” He says, grinning, head held high. Percy only snorted and smacked his chest lightly. “What?” Apollo chuckled, “It’s true! You may have not done your homework because you don’t feel like it, and that’s okay. You don’t need to work too hard on yourself.”
“But I need to finish it before the deadline.”
“Well, you have me. I can help you so you can go to rest early for tomorrow’s classes.”
Percy could only look at him in awe. How could he receive such compassion from a god? Let alone from Apollo, himself? A god of education, not mocking him for not doing his homework and all, blessing him with attention— well, Apollo would say something like ‘no, I’m blessed with your attention', or somewhere along those lines.
“And it's not a lame excuse, Perseus. You just happened to be tired after all what happened to you. And I think I approve of that as well,” Apollo said, a few moments later, still looking at him with utter awe.
“But—”
“No. You deserve to take a break, Percy. You know that, I know that, your mother knows that, your friends know that, everyone does,” he said, cutting him off with a gentle peck on his temple.
Percy flushed at the act and averted his gaze. Apollo, he knew, is a flirt, but in this case Percy is going to die, not from monsters nor quests, but from the affection Apollo is always showing towards him. Despite the nagging voice at the back of his mind that this is a bad idea, that it’s stupid, but he couldn’t help it.
He couldn’t help but fall for the sun.
He knew he was doomed. He knew he couldn’t. But here he was, blushing just from a stupid peck on the forehead like a hopeless idiot.
“It’s getting late,” Apollo spoke after a while, his breath tickling Percy’s face. Percy checked the time, it was 11:30 pm. Oh no, he’s screwed. He didn’t do the assignments because he got distracted again . “I’ll do your remaining homeworks.”
“You don’t need to,” Percy frowned, barely a whisper.
“Like I said, I will help you and I want to. Considering this is the first time you actually rested for a long time. C’mon, seashell, I’m a god and I make the rules,” said the god that gave him the tone leaving no room for an argument.
“Apollo—” Percy started before blushing at the nickname. He’s used to it, but it doesn’t mean it doesn't make his heart flutter.
Apollo raised both of his eyebrows, giving him the look before carrying Percy on his arms, bridal style, to his room. With a blink of an eye, all the lights turned off and the tv as well. The door swung open and Percy was changed into fresh pajamas— the god was showing off, he knew that but he didn't mind— and tucked in his bed.
“You’re staying?” Percy half-asked, half-pleaded. Weirdly enough, he found himself wanting the god’s warmth. Granted, he’s the sun god. But he wanted something not even he can name, idly wondering how he ended up like this.
“For as long as you want me. Now sleep,” he ordered, “I’ll watch over you,” he continued, reassuring him as he sat down next to Percy.
The son of Poseidon wanted to protest, that he wanted to come closer, but the god started to hum a rather soothing lullaby, massaging his scalp with his hand, his blue eyes mirroring the sky staring at him with such gentleness that would forever sear in his mind and that he knew Percy couldn’t sleep without this— without him. His eyes started drooping, then he knew no more.
If that was the last time he would ever see the sun— would see Apollo— then he should’ve never flown too close in the first place.