Male!Reader Oneshots

Percy Jackson

         There was always an aura of sadness surrounding him.  He'd crack a smile and things would seem to be fine for only one fleeting moment; instantaneous was the melancholy that swallowed his face when was in no one's view.  He had a demeanor that shrieked "tired"-- tired of waking up, tired of fighting, tired of the lack of peace.  Percy Jackson, when none spared him a glance, appeared dead inside...  almost as though he was stuck inside space and time.  It was impossible to blame him; he had been fighting since he was a child.  It was always prophecy after prophecy, battle after battle.  All he wanted was peace and quiet.  His wish came about in the form of boy.

          "I know that we're Greek demi-gods, but I actually took Latin in school."

         Percy glanced up from his place on the couch towards (M/N).  "What?"

          (M/N) laughed to himself.  "Kind of ironic, huh?  A Greek kid in Latin.  I don't remember much, but 'Caecilius est in horto' rings true to my memory."

         Percy, through some godforsaken means, knew what that meant, but why was Caecilius in the garden?  What did Caecilius have to do with a Latin course?  He could appreciate the irony of it all, though.  He audibly snorted.  "What the hell, man?"

         (M/N) didn't look away from Percy.  In fact, he hopped the back of the couch like a fence and landed next to him.  He glanced at the black-haired teenager who was now next to him.  "Hey man..." (M/N)'s face and voice simultaneously softened, "are you doing alright?  You've looked more...  tired, lately."

         Percy did not respond instantly.  He hadn't felt any better recently; he was tired of waking up, tired of fighting, tired of the lack of peace.  Even the devil needed time alone sometimes, but he didn't want to be completely alone.  His life felt like a never-ending repetition of isolation and fighting.  He just wanted to relax! ...but how could he express this?

         Percy sighed.  "I'm just... tired.  You know... it be like that sometimes."

         (M/N) left out a little 'pfft' in response to his joke.  He knew that it did, in fact, be like that sometimes, but that didn't make him feel any better.  (M/N) wrapped his arm around Percy and pulled him into a hug. 

         "I don't expect you to tell me everything--or anything, really-- but just so you  know, I'm here for you, Percy.  I'll leave alone if you want, but I'm here if you need me."

         Percy took a deep breath and sighed.  He looked at (M/N).

         "Can you just... hold me for a while?"

         (M/N) nodded, leaning backwards onto the couch.  Percy laid down on top of him; (M/N) wrapped his arms around the strong boy's waist.  (M/N) ran his hand through Percy's hair and kissed his forehead. 

         "You're safe here," he whispered into black hair.

         It was nothing perfect-- just a moment of peace.  Percy Jackson wanted peace and quiet; he wanted calm.  He knew he wouldn't achieve true domesticity in the city-- he was a demi-god and demi-gods did not get peace, quiet, and calm-- but here, on a couch in his cabin with (M/N), perhaps he could have moments of that calm he craved so often.  Perhaps he wouldn't achieve true calm, but his wish was adequately fulfilled-- calm in the form of a boy who cares about him.