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"Do you still love me?" Percy Jackson asked. He looked up at Luke with vibrant sea glass green eyes pleading for affirmations.
"Yes, I still love you," Luke Castellan answered the same as he did every time Percy asked. He leaned down and kissed Percy's cheek.
"You aren't going to leave me again, are you, Luke?" Percy asked with his arms around Luke's neck and his nails clawing at Luke's back: marking his territory.
This was Luke's fault, for leaving Percy. He'd been expecting the question, and Luke was glad that Percy couldn't see Luke's face when asked. This was by design. Luke hid his expression and rubbed his cheek against Percy's cheek while Percy wept insecurity in his ear. Not that it was unearned insecurity. It was Luke's fault.
"I won't leave you again," Luke promised. Every single time he made this promise, Luke wondered when he was going to break it. He didn't want to break it but considered it more of a when rather than an if because Luke had…no real faith in himself. Again, it was earned.
Percy was never satisfied with just that. He had to twist the knife. "Are you going to leave me for Thalia again?" The worst part about the way he asked it was the tone of voice Percy used, as casual as one would ask whether to expect rain in the forecast.
Are you going to leave me for Thalia later?
Is it going to rain later?
Like Percy saw it as this inevitably too, this thing that Luke would do to both of them that couldn't be avoided and he just wanted to know ahead of time so he could prepare this time. Luke hated it. "No, I'm not going to leave you for Thalia. Or anyone. I'm only yours, Percy," Luke promised.
"Alright, Luke," Percy said agreeably, voice still stuck in what Luke thought of as people-pleasing mode. His nails raked across Luke's spine.
Pain shot all through Luke's nerves. He tried to hide his wince but upon sitting up, Luke saw there was no need.
Percy's eyes were closed and his features scrunched up. He didn't want to watch Luke lie to him. Even though this time, it wasn't a lie.
Being on different sides in the war meant Luke would have to leave Percy again…but Luke would never betray Percy for Thalia again. That was a mistake Luke should have never made and was never going to repeat. Luke just needed to make Percy believe it.
Luke took Percy's face in his hands. "Are you good?" he asked gently, even though the claws tearing up his back told him that Percy was far from good.
"I'm good, Luke," Percy said, without opening his eyes. His furrowed brow smoothed and he unhooked his claws from Luke's skin. He ran his hands down Luke's back, fingers smearing over Luke's scratches.
It felt wet and hot and pain prickled like fireworks across Luke's back as Percy pet him. "Are we good?" Luke asked.
The crinkles around Percy's eyes smoothed and his lips curled up in a tiny smile. "We're good, Luke," Percy said. He was still using the voice but there was a hint of amusement in his tone that implied he was doing it on purpose now.
Luke couldn't bring himself to close his eyes. He hovered his hands over Percy's face, fingertips barely grazing skin, hiding for a few seconds. Luke cupped Percy's cheeks again and pressed his forehead to Percy's forehead. "I was blind and ungrateful. But my eyes are open. I see now, Percy. I see you and I see you're the only one for me. We're meant to be by each other's sides."
Percy put his hands over Luke's hands. In his peripherals, Luke saw that there was blood on Percy's fingertips. Percy opened his eyes and met Luke's gaze. "You'll stay by my side, always?"
"I'll stay by your side, always." Luke said so, so carelessly. He meant in terms of fidelity and their relationship, not literally. But the damage was done. Luke could see it in Percy's face.
"Now you have to stay," Percy said, face warming with a blush so hot that Luke could feel its heat.
Luke thought of all the reasons he had to say no - and there were many - and then he thought of the one reason he had to say yes. "Yeah, baby. Alright," Luke said, as he wrapped his arms around Percy.
"Wait, what?" Percy asked, sounding nervous and confused. He arched his back to make room for Luke's arms between his body and the mattress.
"I said I'll stay," Luke said again. Because this was what would make Percy the happiest and it turned out Luke's happiness was directly tied to Percy's.
Percy cupped Luke's face with hands still wet with Luke's own blood and kissed him.