The Sun and The Sea. ✖️❣️💫

3rd Person POV

Percy woke up to an anxious god's face hovering over him, blue eyes searching for his own sea-green ones.

The demigod blinked. "Hi, again."

Apollo groaned and leaned back, disappearing from his line of sight. "Hey."

"Nectar? Please."

"You've already had loads."

"But my wrists hurt," the son of Poseidon complained.

The blonde sighed in frustration. "Duh."

"Nectar."

"No."

"Please?" Percy tried his infamous baby seal eyes, the desperation clear in his expression.

"You'll burn up."

"And?"

"I thought we moved past this. No, you're not having nectar. You can have pain killers, if you want."

Percy sighed. "Okay. Painkillers it is then. In nectar form, preferably."

Apollo groaned loudly.

The demigod smirked.

"No. That's final. Now, wanna tell me why you felt the urge to do this to yourself?"

Now it was Percy's turn to refuse. "Not really."

"That wasn't a question, and you know it, Seashell."

"Oh? Well, it sure sounded like a question to me."

"Perce.."

"Yeah, yeah, fine."

The god looked expectantly at him.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I don't know. I was feeling guilty about Piper, and then you started ignoring me, and I just kind of.. gave in, I guess."

"You guess?"

"...Yeah."

Apollo sighed and grasped Percy's hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"Yes, it is."

"Not."

"I was a large factor of it. Stop lying to me Seashell. I am literally the god of truth. You can't lie to me."

The son of Poseidon stifled a laugh.

"Percy! This is not something to laugh about, goddamnit!"

"Right, right. Sorry."

The god groaned.

"Now, about that kiss you promised?" Percy asked hopefully, trying to change the subject with a face the picture of innocence.

Feigning nonchalance, Apollo leaned down and pressed their lips together, being gentle.

The demigod kissed back, unafraid of taking the opportunity.

"Seriously, Fish-food? You always tell me and Will off for "snogging" in public, and now look at you." Nico snorted. "You're doing it, but 10 times worse."

Percy wordlessly held the middle finger up to the son of Hades, still lip-locked with the blonde.

He rolled his eyes. "Alright, I'm gonna come back in 15 minutes, and pray to everyone holy that I don't walk in on you two fucking. Yes, that includes Zeus."

The son of Poseidon gave a thumbs up, and Nico walked out.

Apollo pulled away and smirked down at him.

The demigod took in a grateful gasp of air, then let his head fall back down on the pillow.

"Seashell?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you won't do something like this again."

"What, kiss you?"

"No, you dumbass," The god muttered, then gripped Percy's hand again. "Don't try to send yourself to Hades again. And even if you do, he'll probably pop you right back up here. You gave him PTSD, you know that?"

"I did?" Percy's face lit up in a gleeful smile.

Apollo groaned. "Yep. He still shudders at the mention of your name after the, uh, Jason situation."

The son of Poseidon grinned wider, if possible. "I'm mentally clapping my hands right now, just know that. This is possibly my greatest achievement of all time."

He blinked in confusion. "You almost faded a primordial and a titan about a month ago."

"Yeah, but, I traumatised a god."

"No need to sound so proud," the blonde muttered.

Nico burst in again, Will in tow. "-nd so I told them I'd be back in a quarter of an hour and pray that they weren't fucking- oh good, you two aren't making out on an infirmary bed this time. Lovely."

Will stared at Apollo.

Apollo stared back.

"Dad, can you not, um, kiss my patients?"

"I won't. Only this one."

Percy went red.

Nico sighed loudly. "Look, I love watching you two flirt - I don't, by the way - but you need to rest, Percy, so I can strangle you properly tomorrow. Or punch you. Maybe both."

"Ah.. thank you?"

"You're welcome."

Then the couple left, the blonde demigod being dragged by the son of Hades.

Apollo poked Percy's face. "Budge up, Seashell."

"No."

"Budge."

"Nuh-uh."

The god frowned and shifted Percy across, making space for himself before crawling under the covers to hug him.

The son of Poseidon relaxed into the embrace, his eyes locking with Apollo's.

"Perce?"

"Hmm?"

"Be my boyfriend?"

He froze for a moment, blinking in surprise.

A god wanted to date him.

A god who he had had a crush on for months wanted to date him.

"Uh.. yes?"

"Thank you."

And that's how they fell asleep.

Wrapped in each others arms, dreaming without being attacked by nightmares, and a small, content smile on both of their lips.

A/N: aaaaaaand there's the second to last chapter of story! Now there's just the epilogue to go, and then a vote for what my next story should be!

Unedited.