𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

160

Percy was grumpy.

Hadrian thought it was adorable. At least he wasn't trying to be strong and perfect all the time. He got angry, he got mad, he snapped, but he also snuck under Hadrian's covers and snuggled against him, letting him wrap his arms around his waist and go to sleep having Hadrian whispering nice things to him.

Hadrian had told him he loved him and Percy hadn't said it back, and honestly? Hadrian didn't care. He saw it in the way Percy's gaze lingered on his plate of food whenever he didn't eat enough, the way Percy would bring a magic plate to their room and convince him to eat some more. He saw it in Percy's eyes as he kissed his birthmark. He saw it in the way Percy stared as he took off his shirt and put on a record. He saw it in the way a small smile spread across his features whenever Hadrian tried to calm him down.

He could feel it in his bones.

But he also wished he didn't have to overthink.

Nevertheless, he didn't complain.

It took them three days to finish repairs. After their encounter with Kym, the Argo II limped through the Aegean, too damaged to fly, too slow to outrun monsters. They fought hungry sea serpents about every hour. They attracted schools of curious fish. At one point they got stuck on a rock, and Percy and Jason had to get out and push.

Percy and Hadrian volunteered to go ahead and scout when they finally made port at the island of Mykonos. The day was hot and windy. The water glittered a beautiful bluish green exactly like Percy's eyes and Hadrian had to look away when Percy caught him looking.

"Are you going to keep staring or?"

Hadrian just grabbed his hand and pulled him along as they went ahead to "scout". It was like a breath of fresh air to leave the ship, to be on solid land, running through the streets of this unnaturally white painted island.

The island itself, was beautiful as they had seen when they approached it. But it was something else to actually rush past the tourists and the locals, laughing, hand in hand like they had no care in the world.

Percy watched the tension leave Hadrian's shoulders, the way he sighed like every breath he was taking was making him younger again. Like pieces of him were gluing back together.

Percy wanted to live in this moment forever.

The buildings and the houses were all washed white, everywhere he looked, the only colors seemed to be white and blue accents. Percy was in heaven.

They didn't want to get too far from the ship, but they didn't see any monsters. For once, Percy let himself relax as well. He was on a perfect (expensive, but perfect) island with the boy he loved.

He could feel it in his shoulders when he breathed, he could feel it in his ribs when he watched Hadrian eat, he could feel it in his throat as the words begged to be let out. But he could never find the perfect time. Hadrian deserved something perfect, something romantic and Shakespearean.

As far as they knew, Delos wasn't much farther. But Percy wasn't ready to go there, they had come to scout. Maybe it was time he stepped back and let his friends go ahead. He could stay here on this island.

He could live here on this island.

He could love here on this island.

He could rot here on this island.

They walked the beaches until the sun was overhead, they walked past the tourist traps, the clubs that kicked them out even when Hadrian tried to charmspeak them, they walked past the coast, taking off their shoes as they walked through the sand.