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Percy would follow Annabeth to the ends of the Earth and beyond without a moment’s hesitation. Such ends included Tartarus and, apparently, a random house party.
He took a sip out of the can Annabeth had given him, wincing a bit at the taste. It was better than beer, but not by much.
“I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to drink that,” a voice said.
Percy turned toward it with a glare. “What’s it to you?”
Apollo grinned down at him, peering over a pair of dark sunglasses he definitely did not need. “Just checking up on my favorite hero,” he said. “But, seriously, you don’t look like you’re enjoying that.”
He shrugged, fiddling with the tab of the can for a moment. “Why does it matter?”
“Because I can get you something better?” Apollo asked.
“Why are you here?” Percy asked instead of taking Apollo up on his offer. He wasn’t sure he wanted to trust anything the God would give him. “Shouldn’t you be off terrorizing a tree?”
Apollo dramatically winced. “Damn,” he said. “Hit me where it hurts, why don’t you? But no, I’ll have you know I should be wherever I want to. Perks of being a God and all.”
“I don’t think that’s how that works.” Percy took another sip of his drink, wincing again. Apollo snorted. “Do you miss Lester that much already?”
“Sure,” Apollo said, gesturing with his hand. “Why’d you think I’m here? I miss you demigods. There’s something about the illusion of being part of a group. I can fool myself for just a minute or two. It never lasts long, but hey, many a poem is born of a fleeting thought.”
Percy blinked. He didn’t think he had expected any sort of insight from Apollo, not when the God was known for flirting, crying, and bad haikus.
“But that doesn’t matter!” Apollo said, grinning widely. “We’re here to have fun, and you are not properly outfitted for such a grand occasion!” Before Percy could try to figure out what that meant, Apollo had replaced his hard seltzer with a glass bottle full of something blue. He took a sniff. Blue and very fruity and very, very sugary. “Try that!”
He did. It didn’t taste like alcohol at all. Much better, in his books. He hummed.
“Victory!” Apollo said. “I think I deserve a laurel crown for this momentous occasion. What say you?”
Percy snorted. “No.”
Apollo pouted.
“Percy!” Annabeth shouted. “There you are! I was looking for you!”
He turned toward her and rolled his eyes. “I’m exactly where you left me.”
Annabeth turned to Apollo with burning eyes. “You’re new.”
“On the contrary,” Apollo said, eyes flashing gold. “I’m rather old.”
Annabeth did not seem impressed.
“But no matter,” Apollo said. “It is time for me to take my leave.” He turned to Percy and winked. Before Percy new it, hot lips were pressed against the corner of his mouth for the shortest second. “Good bye, Percy. I’ll see you around.”
Percy turned the corner, keeping his eyes ahead to not meet anyone’s eye as he walked along the path on campus. Years of living in New York had perfected the skill, and far too many people in New Rome seemed to want to talk to him about everything and nothing.
But he guessed Gods didn’t play by the normal rules because at his next turn, Apollo fell into step beside him. “Percy Jackson!” Apollo greeted. “Just the man I was looking for!”
“Why?” Percy asked, frowning.
“I told you I’d see you around,” Apollo answered, grinning. Percy tried not to look. He’d spent far too much time thinking about the God recently, and he did not need the reminder that Apollo was impossibly attractive.
“Do I get any say in this?”
Apollo’s grin widened. “No. I am blessing you with my presence, actually.”
Percy hated the warm fuzzy feeling he got; he wasn’t supposed to actually like Apollo.
“If you say so.” He glanced down at the dive watch Annabeth had gotten him for his birthday. “Gods dammit, I need to go.”
Apollo raised a perfectly manicured brow. “That’s awfully bold of you to order us around like that,” he said. “Why?”
“I’m late,” Percy bit out, rolling his eyes at Apollo’s dramatics. “The professor has a three times and you’re out policy. I’ve already been late twice.”
“I could help,” Apollo offered, stepping close. Very close.
Percy was too suspicious to take it at face value, not even from Apollo. “Nothing comes for free,” he said. “What do you want?”
“Oh,” Apollo said. The smirk pulling at his lips was in direct contrast to the casual shrug. “Nothing much, just a kiss.”
It took a moment for the words to process, but when they did, the only thing he could do was gape. “A what?!”
“A kiss,” Apollo said, stepping even closer. Percy could feel the heat radiating from him, it felt like sunshine on a summer day, beating down on his skin. Which, of course it did. “Just one.”
Percy’s face was hotter than the sun, which, looking at Apollo like this, was really saying something. He looked back down at his watch. He really couldn’t afford to be late.
“Fine,” he said.
Apollo’s eyes widened. “Really?”
Before he could second-guess himself, Percy went up on his toes and pursed his lips. He couldn’t quite bring himself to close the gap, but that’s what Apollo was for. It was a quick kiss, barely a kiss, really. It was over before he could register the feeling, but his lips were burning when Apollo pulled away.
“There,” he said, meeting Apollo’s eyes challengingly. “Let’s go.”
“You, Perseus, are a marvel,” Apollo said, looking him up and down. “I look forward to what more surprises you’ll bring. But, for now, you have a class to get to.”
Percy was still blushing when he took his seat and did his very best to ignore the professor’s side-eye as class started.
He didn’t get to spend much time at Camp anymore, but he missed it. New Rome was great in a lot of ways, but it wasn’t home.
Yan spotted him first. “Percy!” she cried. “You’ll never believe it! Our cabin got a new camper!”
“Oh?” Percy asked. “Who?”
“Her name’s Sienna! She’s younger than me and has red hair!” Yan answered. “And she likes music!”
He offered Yan his hand. “You like her?”
She took it. “Yeah!” she said. “She’s nice, just shy.” Yan pulled him toward her cabin. “Come on! She wants to meet you!”
Sienna, it turned out, was adorable. She was clutching Yan’s hand and half-hiding behind her, staring up at him with wide eyes.
Percy crouched down so he was at eye level. “Hey, my name’s Percy.”
“I’m Sienna,” she said. “Is it true you killed the Minotaur twice?”
He blinked, not expecting that, but kids were weird. “Yep,” he said. “Hopefully he’ll stay dead this time.”
Sienna nodded. “Good, I don’t like lies.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “I don’t either.”
She nodded again. “Good.”
He didn’t get the chance to ask another question because Apollo appeared, bright smile making Percy blush despite himself.
“Hello hello!” Apollo greeted. “If it’s not all my favorite people!”
Sienna darted further behind Yan.
Percy stood up with a smile. “Have fun with your dad,” he said. “I’ll see you later!”
“Aw,” Apollo pouted. “You’re not just going to leave us like that, are you?”
Percy raised a brow, unimpressed. “I’m not?”
“At least give us a kiss?” Apollo asked, taking off his sunglasses to look at him with wide, pleading eyes.
Percy was torn between frustration at this becoming a trend and the small part of him that was flattered despite it all.
Yan stared between him and Apollo like she was putting pieces together he very much did not want her to.
“A kiss?” he asked. “What’s with you and kisses?”
Apollo just shrugged. “What isn’t there with me and kisses?”
In another life, where Percy wasn’t starting to get some sort of warm feeling in his chest when it came to the God of the Sun, he’d leave without a word and rely on his father’s anger if Apollo dared to hurt him for the disrespect. But that wasn’t this life.
Percy turned away from Apollo with burning cheeks and bent down to press a kiss to the top of Yan’s hair. “I’ll see you later.”
“Really?” she asked, eyes still impossibly wide.
He nodded and turned to Sienna with a brow raised in question. She nodded, so he pressed a kiss to the top of her head as well. “Bye guys, have fun!”
He took in a deep breath and turned to Apollo and stuck his hands in his pockets with a shrug. “You’re too tall.”
“That sounds like an excuse, but no matter.” Apollo’s lips were just as warm against his forehead as they had been against his lips. “See you around, Perseus.”
Percy was going on hour four and he didn’t know how much more he could take, but he needed to finish this essay. “Whatever God is in charge of this, I hope you’re rotting somewhere no one can find.”
“That’s awfully harsh,” Apollo said suddenly from behind him. Percy jumped, hand jumping to his chest in a gesture he knew he had stolen from his mother. “I don’t know if I deserve that.”
He glared up at the God. “It’s always you, isn’t it?” he asked. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were punishing me specifically.”
“I wouldn’t call it punishment,” Apollo said, leaning in close with a grin. “But, there might be something.”
Suspicion rose. “Something,” Percy repeated. “I don’t know if I like the sound of it.”
“I think you should,” Apollo said, smiling even wider to reveal perfect teeth. “But maybe I’m biased. How about this, let’s make a deal.”
“You’ve become awfully fond of those,” he said.
Apollo just shrugged. “Nothing comes for free, least of all for me.”
Percy hummed. “Let’s hear it then.”
Apollo was very close, and very warm. It had him melting the slightest bit into the hard-backed wooden chair he’d purposefully chosen for its discomfort to keep him awake.
“I’ll help you with the paper,” Apollo offered. “If—”
“Let me guess,” Percy interrupted with a frown. “Another kiss?”
“No,” Apollo answered. “But I’ll never turn one down if you’re offering.”
Percy’s cheeks warmed. “I’m definitely not offering anything.”
“Sad,” Apollo chided. “But no, I’m not asking for a kiss. In fact, if you take me up on this offer and it doesn’t work out, I’ll even leave you alone.”
The suspicion grew further. “I don’t know if I believe that.”
“You don’t need to believe me,” Apollo said. “The scary blonde got to me. She made me swear an oath and everything.”
Percy’s brows shot up toward his hairline. “Annabeth?”
Apollo nodded. “Yes,” he confirmed. “So hear me out?”
“Fine.”
The God reached down for his hand. “Let me take you out on a date,” he said. “Just one. I already promised your self-designated protector to leave you be if it doesn’t go well.”
That was…not what Percy had been expecting. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He needed to finish the essay, he wasn’t exactly sure what he thought about Apollo right now but it wasn’t all bad. If it didn’t work out Apollo had sworn an oath to leave him alone. He’d have to double check with Annabeth, but…
“Help me finish my essay,” Percy said. “And then you can take me on a date.”
If he’d found Apollo’s smiles distracting before, he didn’t have a word for how the look on Apollo’s face made him feel now.
“Beautiful,” Apollo breathed out, like he could hardly believe it. “You won’t regret it.”
Apollo pressed a quick kiss to the back of his hand, as burning as ever. “Let’s work on this paper then, shall we?”
The date went well. Too well.
Apollo had shown up at his door with a bouquet of flowers in hand. Apollo had said something about the meaning, but Percy had been too overwhelmed by the very thought that someone had brought him flowers to absorb a single word.
Apollo had taken him ice skating, held his hand as he’d struggled and then laughed as he’d scarfed down one too many pieces of pizza.
From there they’d walked and talked down the city streets. Percy hadn’t expected New York, but the familiarity of the hustle and bustle of the city made him feel warm. They’d spent hours walking, exchanging stories about Meg and Annabeth, Sally and Leto. A whispered confession or two about fearing what he could become and seeing nothing but understanding reflected in gold-blue eyes.
It hadn’t been what he’d expected.
They were back at his apartment now, standing in front of his door and staring the other down.
“Did I do a good job?” Apollo asked.
“Better than I expected,” Percy admitted. “I was half convinced you’d take me somewhere I’d never want to leave, steal me away to somewhere with nothing but sun and sea.”
Apollo’s eyes flashed. “I was tempted. I want to. But I’m trying to court you, Perseus, not steal you.”
Someone could fry eggs on Percy’s face right now, he was sure of it.
Apollo brought sunshine-warm hands up to the sides of his face, thumbs skimming over his cheekbones. Percy felt like he was close to being overwhelmed. Maybe this was why the mortal parents of demigods never seemed quite right afterward. If this was what it was like to give a God a chance when he knew what he’d be getting into, he couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to be clueless.
“Perseus,” Apollo breathed out, looking down at him through eyes showing a solar system. “May I kiss you?”
He licked his lips. He thought he wanted to say yes, but he couldn’t quite get the word out. It was tempting, but it also felt like giving in.
“Can I?” Apollo asked. “Please?”
Percy nodded with only a half-second of hesitation.
If he’d thought the past times Apollo’s lips had brushed against his skin had burned, he’d been a fool. Apollo’s hands crept up the side of his face to tangle into his hair and it felt like he was being devoured and the only thing he could do was hold on for dear life.
Apollo deepened the kiss and Percy let him, moaning quietly.
When Apollo pulled away, Percy was left panting and feeling like the universe was melting away around him.
“I’ll give you time,” Apollo said. “It’s up to you where we go from here. Just tell me the word and I’ll never bother you again.”
The very thought had something in Percy’s chest crying out in rejection, but he nodded.
“Goodbye, Perseus,” Apollo whispered. “Sleep well.”
And then Percy was alone with endless thoughts circling in his head.
A week passed with almost every waking moment spent trying to push down the memories of Apollo’s fingers laced with his and Apollo’s lips on his and the way Apollo looked at him like he understood.
He could tell Annabeth wanted to ask about it. She was the only one who officially knew, which meant that it was the top subject of gossip all throughout New Rome. But Annabeth chose this to be one of the rare times to exhibit tact, and he wasn’t going to bring it up if she didn’t, so Percy was left to stew on his own.
And Gods dammit, but he couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss in front of his apartment. Every time he walked in or out it was like he was physically slapped with the memory and his lips were left tingling and his hands reached for a body that wasn’t there.
Percy had had enough. Apollo might not let him go once he had him, but Percy didn’t know if he particularly cared. He’d faced worse odds, had gotten out of worse situations, and any fight would be worth it if he got to feel like that again. If he could talk to someone about what it felt like to face the thinning boundary between mortality and divinity.
Annabeth had been there every step of the way and he loved her for it, but even she couldn’t understand that. Apollo could.
He had no way of knowing if Apollo was listening, but he figured it was worth a try.
“Apollo,” he said to his empty living room. “Apollo!”
Within moments, Apollo was there, smiling with something hesitant pulling at the edges. “You rang?”
Percy swallowed and stood up. “I did, yes.”
He wanted to say Apollo looked hopeful, that the God knew he wouldn’t call him here for a rejection. Maybe he was assigning mortal concerns to a being far beyond them, maybe he wasn’t. He wanted to get to learn Apollo well enough to know.
“You said it’s up to me what we end up doing?” he asked.
Apollo nodded. Percy stepped closer and reached for Apollo’s hand. It sent something warm shooting down his arm.
Percy took in a deep breath and let it out. “I think I want to give it a try,” he said. “You. Us. This.”
“Are you sure?” Apollo asked. A part of Percy thought this was his last chance to back out, that once he gave his final confirmation Apollo would drag him into his clutches and never let him go. He was okay with that.
“I am.”
Apollo closed the distance between them and grabbed his other hand. He was held in place now with nowhere to run. “Prove it.”
He’d never been one to back down from a challenge. Percy went up on his toes and kissed Apollo. It was the first kiss he’d initiated and, as electricity shot down his spine, he knew it wouldn’t be his last.