Percy had been rather awkward with Luke after that. And it was very obvious.

Luke noticed it the most. Whenever the two had practiced together, Percy would look at him strangely. There were times where he could read the usually unreadable looks. He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but sometimes Percy would look like he was looking at him in longing…sometimes sadly…sometimes confusion…or sometimes there would be this odd look of fondness that Luke tried to brush off as admiration for an older mentor, and yet couldn’t quite succeed in doing so.

There were instances where Luke would be flirting a bit with some of the Aphrodite girls, though these days it seemed hollow and somehow unsatisfying, and he’d see Percy passing by. On the days the younger boy would pause and look over to him, Percy would freeze and look like he was in pain and slightly angry. And then a look of bitterness would cross his face and he’d walk away.

On the days that Percy kept walking on, Luke would frown and for some reason become irritable and stop paying attention to the girls. He’d politely excuse himself and sulk on his bed in the Hermes cabin for awhile after that.

He could not understand what had happened or what was wrong…or understand what the hell was wrong with himself while he was at it.

There were times where Percy would almost seem like he was eager to be near Luke and kind of clung to him in a way. And then there were times where the younger boy would cringe away from him, making Luke self-conscious and wonder what was so wrong with him to bother Percy so. Worse still was when Percy would flinch away, looking oddly wounded at him (he could not understand this), and looking like he’d rather be anywhere but there and wanting to avoid Luke very much –to the point where Percy almost always, at these times, looked like he wished he could get as far away from Luke and as fast as he could.

It was kind of depressing.

Like now.

“Hey, Percy. You seemed kind of down lately, so I thought I’d bring over some blueberries to snack on together,” Luke found Percy moodily staring into the lake.

The other demigod glanced at him in surprise before smiling hesitantly.

“I thought you liked raspberries,” Percy murmured to himself.

Luke’s eyebrows flew upwards, confusion stewing inwardly. “Where’d you heard that? I think I’ve always liked blueberries…”

There it was again, the cringing away. He was starting to wonder if Percy somehow knew about his plans with Kronos or something, which was why he was shying away all of a sudden. Though, Luke seemed more obsessed nowadays with finding out why Percy was acting this way with him and acting odd himself, to really remember or place importance on the upcoming godly war and solstice deadline. He found that even more odd and was wondering if perhaps he should see if he was sick or something.

Without another word, Percy plucked a blueberry from his bowl and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly as he gazed back at the waters.

“Like the waters much?” Luke asked teasingly. “I guess you’re still hopelessly believing you’re Poseidon’s kid, right?”

Percy’s lips reluctantly quirked upwards, but for some reason it made him feel a little more relaxed that Percy didn’t totally hate his guts.

“How’d you like yesterday’s sword training? Plus, it’s been what? Three, four days since your first day at camp and waking up?” Luke asked, trying to get a conversation going.

“It was…cool,” Percy almost shrugged, but stopped midway. “Things are still a little awkward and I still miss my mom. Plus, people all keep staring and watching me like they’re expecting something.”

Luke inwardly frowned at the lack of a real comment and the ‘almost shrug’ at sword training, considering he was the teacher and it was his favorite pastime.

“Don’t pay any mind to them. Anyways, looking forward to tonight’s Capture the Flag? It’ll be your first time too. Excited?”

“Yeah,” but it sounded halfhearted and Luke was starting to get confused.

“I was just talking to Grover,” Percy suddenly said. “He told me about the Pact and all, between the Big Three.”

“Disappointed that there’s definitely no way you can be Poseidon’s kid now?” Luke started teasing again.

“And he also talked about Thalia,” Percy continued, brushing off the tease easily and subtly indifferently. He also didn’t mention to the sandy-haired demigod that Grover hadn’t exactly mentioned Thalia by name and that he already knew about the Pact and Thalia from Hades.

Luke stiffened up, not really willing or happy to talk about Thalia. He forced a smile on his face.

“Did he?” the blond asked, forcing a nonchalant smile.

“Yeah. Sad that. I think I really would have liked her, even with an initial clash,” Percy ended wistfully, not bothering to start questioning the other male about the whole thing –though Luke had been anticipating and not looking forward to it. Percy had already gotten what he’d needed to know through Luke’s body language and overall reactions, and other subtle clues he’d managed to pick up. He didn’t need to directly question Luke, which would have been too suspicious, in his opinion, anyway.

Since Percy didn’t continue with the line of questioning about the topic as Luke thought he would, the blond demigod gradually started relaxing again.

“Try the raspberries. You might like them better,” Percy was back to being wistful.

The younger male stood up and started to walk away, leaving Luke rather out of sorts about the whole confrontation.

Later that night, they were beginning Capture the Flag at last. The long-awaited ‘game’ Percy had heard about. So far, it’s just been a bunch of running around. He yawned and continued his lazy walk, glancing around in boredom. He was by the creek, remembering he was supposed to guard the blue flag. He heard some loud bumbling along and glanced to the side to watch Clarisse and her brothers trample into the clearing, smug smirks on their faces as they thought they had him cornered and outnumbered.

“Well, this is starting to be a little more interesting now,” Percy hummed in satisfaction.

“Listen here, Jackson,” Clarisse’s smirk grew wider. “Just because I like you doesn’t mean we’re not going to kick your ass and get that flag.”

Percy just tilted his head and smiled, even more amused than earlier.

“Are you sure about that?”

Before he’d even finished the sentence, he had disappeared and a gust of wind went through their group, their clothing rustling frantically as they tried to keep armor and helmets on. And then Clarisse’s brothers were on the ground a second later, groaning in pain and Percy was right in front of her face, smiling playfully as he tapped her nose teasingly.

“You’d have to catch me first ~!” he sing-songed just as teasingly.

Clarisse’s jaw dropped at him, gaping in shock at her fallen brothers and then back at the mischievously grinning Percy. At that moment, she wouldn’t be surprised if that jerk was a Hermes kid after all –just from the look on his face.

“You…you…” she twitched.

“Catch me if you can!” and then he was off, running into the creek and waiting for them to chase after him. But then there was a loud roar that freaked out the Ares kids and made Percy inwardly frowned, facing towards where he knew he’d heard the roar coming from.

“Maa, maa,” Percy muttered, rubbing the back of his head in exasperation. “So troublesome.”

After the time he spent in the Underworld, he’d recognized that roar anywhere, especially having spent special ‘one-on-one’ training with the creatures. A hellhound, a damn hellhound.

‘Really, Uncle? So obvious,’ Percy thought, convinced that Hades was having fun going along with making everyone actually believe he was the ‘big suspect’ in the Lightning Bolt case.

He leaned back, folding his arms behind his head as he stared down at the now visible hellhound. Then he huffed and with only the slightest of movement, he’d disappeared from that spot and appeared right next to the hellhound, swinging his blade downwards and beheading the thing…well, if it didn’t burst into golden dust once Percy had managed to hit it, it would’ve been beheaded. He looked up to see Clarisse’s brothers gaping dumbly at him, while the rest of the camp had apparently made it there and were currently staring at him in shock.

Luke was looking at him in amazement and curiosity, but Clarisse had a suspicious look in her eyes. Percy inwardly frowned at that, outwardly grinning widely.

“Huh, must be some real magic water, eh?” he laughed off his skill and ‘blaming’ the creek he was standing in, playing clueless at the same time.

Abruptly, he blinked and looked up, seeing a slight glowing from above his peripherals. He saw the green hologram of a trident floating above his head before disappearing, and knew that the other 50 percent of why they were giving him looks had been because of that.

Everyone’s looks intensified and he laughed nervously. Seeing Clarisse as the immediate threat, he smirked and winked at her in distraction, causing her to huff and yet lightly blush and avert her eyes. He missed Luke being the only one to have caught the exchange, and a scowl coming unbidden to the older male’s lips as he for some reason felt unhappy.

Later, Percy escaped from the many prying eyes and nonchalantly took refuge in the Ares cabin, curiously looking through their weapons stash as he was stared at in disbelief by the members of the cabin.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” Mark asked bluntly from his place on his bed, finally speaking up after Percy had been there for like half an hour already.

“‘Cause everyone else is being a pain and a brownnose. I’m here to take a break from the bombardment of stares,” Percy yawned and hefted a spear out of its place and twirled it experimentally.

“But why are you here?” Sherman deadpanned.

The demigod shinigami shrugged. “I don’t have any other place to go to for refuge.”

“You get along with everyone and yet you choose here to be with us,” Clarisse huffed. “Why aren’t you with Princess or that satyr friend of yours? Or even that troublemaker.”

Percy put a finger to his lips thoughtfully. “Annabeth is a nice girl and all, as I’ve said…but she rubs me the wrong way for some reason. Grover is busy with the Council and Dionysus, and Luke…”

He gave a strained smile that only Clarisse noted and shrugged again.

“So here I am. Besides, I like you, Clarisse ~! You’re so adorable! You remind me of an old friend…Don’t you like me too, Ru –Clarisse dearest?” he amended at the end, almost saying another name he thought he would never utter again.

“Che, shut up, you jerk,” Clarisse frowned, though she had a light blush again.

Percy just laughed and spent the rest of his time there teasing the cabin members until they were all red in the face but still unwilling to admit to their embarrassment due to pride.

The next day, Percy was moved to Cabin Three and glad he didn’t have to participate in chores because he had sided with the winning team in the Capture the Flag game. Irritably, he spent the day reorganizing his cabin the way he wanted and moving things again and again. He also was sure to avoid the hassle of going outside to be stared at like a zoo animal on display.

As night neared, he was surprised to have a sudden visit from Luke, who looked around his cabin with approval.

“Nice. So I guess your intuition about your godly parent was right, after all?” though Luke had a questioning look on his face that Percy ignored with practiced ease.

“Guess so,” Percy answered back indifferently. “What are you doing here, Luke? You need something?”

“I can’t just visit a friend? Especially when he’s moved on from the old cabin we shared and into his own? It’s a big moment, you know. You’re also going out on your own…becoming independent and becoming a man; I feel like I’m losing my only child already to the world,” Luke teased, wiping a tear from his eye playfully.

Percy snickered and shook his head. “Haha. Be quiet and spill.”

“Why are you acting weird with me?” Luke asked frankly, going straight into business and taking his words to heart.

Percy inwardly winced and wondered how he was going to resolve this without giving away anything. But it was Luke…it was Miyako.

And no matter what anyone said…no matter what was reality…he couldn’t stop his thoughts from thinking of that. He wasn’t Kaien anymore, but the instinctive feeling of loving and protecting his wife was still there and couldn’t seem to dissipate, despite how hard he tried. Because at the same time, it was Luke and he was male and he wasn’t really Miyako anymore, even if Percy wanted him to be, even if he couldn’t stop thinking of the older male as her.

Reincarnation really is a bitch.

“I’m acting weird because…because…because…” and he couldn’t get the words out, more so as Luke came closer in anticipation for his answer and frustration that built from the past days. Then he was too close and Percy started panicking.

So Percy leaned up and kissed him.

 ~*~*~

“Nejibana, what should I do? I wasn’t thinking and I just kissed him. And he doesn’t even know why!” Percy grabbed at his hair in frustration.

The avatar of his zanpakuto smiled gently at him, tugging his hands away from his hair and holding them tentatively.

“Percy, I know you’re in panic mode right now. Calm yourself. While I can’t guarantee things will be alright, I advise you to be calm and patient. He ran away straight after, remember? Be patient for I foresee that he will come to you for answers. I believe, since the two of you did not have the time to discuss what had happened, that he will come back for the truth once he had calmed down himself.”

Percy frowned, but sighed. He nodded in agreement to her words, smiling at her gratefully.

“Thank you, Nejibana. I really needed that.”

Luke had run away after the kiss, without waiting for an explanation or demanding one. Though Percy understood it was probably an instinctive reaction, he frowned in disappointment. He hadn’t been thinking himself when he’d kissed Luke, but he still wished that Luke would’ve made an overture by now.

Because Luke still hadn’t approached him and it’s been three days.

Aside from someone being immature and leaving an article about his and his mom’s disappearances on the front door of his cabin –lookie, boys, my mom’s safe with Hades and I’m in on the plot, so hah! –and the rest of the camp being like children and avoiding him like he had the plague, Percy was contently living by himself and cruising through the days. And then there was the Luke problem, though he liked to not think about that.

Which was kind of hard to do nowadays, since his sword lessons had become one on one with the older male.

And then, on the eighth of June, he had been in the middle of a sword lesson with Luke when the blond stopped and stared at him. Unnerved, Percy had just been about to speak when Luke interrupted and forcefully took his sword and tossed both of them to the side.

“Percy, why did you kiss me? Do you…do you like me or something?” Luke had a light dusting of red on his cheeks when he finished. “Which is flattering, Percy, but I don’t swing that way…”

“I like you as a friend, but I don’t think I like you in that way,” Percy said. ‘At least I think so.’ “It’s because…because you’re my wife!” he blurted out.

Luke looked at him blankly. “What?”

Percy winced, inwardly berating himself. Then he hesitantly began explaining, unable to help himself with Luke, who deserved to understand. Luke was Miyako’s reincarnation and he couldn’t forget that, couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never been able to deny Miyako anything and Luke seemed to have the same effect on him.

Luke frowned, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. Percy scuffed his shoes around, glancing at him every once and a while, and wondering what the blond was thinking about or going to say.

“I’m not Miyako.”

Percy froze and nearly snapped his head to face Luke, refraining at last minute. He didn’t know why he hadn’t been expecting that response, when it was so obvious that it would be coming. But somewhere deep inside of him, he’d hoped to have his Miyako back, even when he realistically knew that it was impossible and that Luke was not her.

Luke tentatively came closer. “Percy, I’m not her. Even if I am her reincarnation, I’m not her because I’m Luke now. Just like you aren’t Kaien.”

“I know I’m not Kaien,” Percy snapped irritably. “I’ve understood that from the beginning and like being just Percy and knowing the difference.”

The blond held up his hands. “Okay, okay. I get it. But even though you firmly know you aren’t Kaien, though maybe your understanding is a little shaky at certain times, I don’t think you quite understand –no, I don’t think you’ve accepted I’m not Miyako. I’m not your wife, Percy. But I am your friend and this won’t change I care and like you for who you are, and that I’ll be here for you.”

Percy looked down in embarrassment and shame, knowing that the blond was right and grateful that the other was still so nice to him after everything. He was also upset that he’d forced Luke into this image of someone who the other demigod wasn’t, just because he was desperate for a ghost of the past.

“Sorry, Luke. I’m just…it’s hard to stop mixing things up,” Percy ran a hand down his face wearily, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“It’s okay, Percy,” Luke smiled gently. “I get it. I don’t mind. Just remember I’m Luke.”

But gods, why did Luke had to have Miyako’s smile?

“But, uh…can you –can you tell me a little more about this Hollows and shinigami stuff?” Luke asked, a light of curiosity and interest in his eyes.

Percy smiled faintly and began telling his not-wife about a world he used to be a part of.

And that was how the days passed, Luke listening and asking questions, Percy explaining and even showing Luke some of his own self-training, sword lessons that turned into sword spars now that Percy was allowed to use his own style of sword fighting and didn’t have to hold back either, and even Percy teaching and training Luke in like-minded training. He’d started with getting Luke’s spiritual awareness even higher than it was and then showing him how to have it manifest first, before the first of a series of events would land him heading straight into his mission for Hades.

First, he was called up to the Big House by Grover, who looked extremely nervous and upset. Then he talked to Dionysus, who he inwardly felt was getting suspicious. That wasn’t good at all and he might have to cut back on the smart-alecky comments, maybe keep a lower profile…

Then he found out the Quest he’s been waiting for is finally his and then he’d had to go see the Oracle. Afterwards, he went back down from the Attic to see both Grover and Chiron there, where the centaur started to explain everything; the Quest, the prophecy for it, and Percy going along with implicating Hades as the main (and only to everyone else) culprit. He was given Riptide and he awkwardly accepted it, feeling his zanpakuto’s energy burn hot for a second before being left with just feelings of jealousy and indignation.

Now he was being asked to choose who to bring with him.

“Grover can’t be chosen as he is in the middle of something, and can’t be spared,” Chiron explained and it clarified Grover’s unhappy expression.

He had a feeling Hades had something to do with it and mentally thanked the god, as Percy hadn’t wanted to bring Grover along, even though he really liked Grover and was his friend. He just had someone else in mind.

“Luke and Clarisse,” Percy announced with a note of finality, looking completely serious.

Though the choices were a surprise, the two nodded and uncertainly accepted it. Grover glanced anxiously to a corner and Percy caught it, looking over to see a faint shimmer there. Percy concentrated a little more, and the invisibility melted away from his sight and he saw Annabeth standing there in shock, before steadily going into silent crying.

“I think I should go inform the two now,” Percy said, turning away and pretending he hadn’t seen anything. He felt bad for her, really, but he couldn’t understand how she could even think of him picking her when he hardly knew her and he was closer to the two he’d mentioned.

He walked out and as he closed the front door, heard the faint sounds of soft sobbing behind it.

When he’d finally returned to Luke, after he’d visited Clarisse with the news and ended up with a whole cabin gaping at him (he had a feeling he was going to enjoy teasing them endlessly), he saw that the blond was still in the middle of the exercise he’d given him right before he had to leave to get his Quest.

“This is hard,” Luke grumbled.

“You have a high spiritual pressure though. You had problems earlier too, uh…Miyako did,” Percy mumbled, feeling things turn sort of awkward after he’d said that.

Luke gave a just as awkward smile. “Uh right. I used to, huh?” he gave a laugh that sounded kind of fake and Percy winced at the sound of it.

“Sorry,” Percy averted his eyes.

Percy kept doing that. He didn’t mean to, but he couldn’t help making little comments like that that either put Luke off or made him uncomfortable. He could differentiate his new and past lives easily, but Miyako seemed to be the only thing he couldn’t separate from either life. He felt like such a jerk each time because Luke was his own person and wanted to be seen as that, and yet Percy continuously put someone else’s image on top of him.

“Hey, didn’t you like pork to chicken?” Percy asked in confusion, seeing Luke cutting into a piece of chicken. Luke looked confused for a second as well before realization crossed his face and he grimaced quickly, turning it into a gentle smile that had Percy inwardly wincing again.

“Percy…I think you mean Miyako preferred pork. I…kind of like chicken more,” Luke ended up muttering.

Percy’s eyes widened and he apologized profusely.

It was a frequent mistake he kept making, and he didn’t want Luke to think he didn’t like him for himself. He was a good guy as himself…it was just that Percy couldn’t seem to let go, just like Kaien couldn’t let go even unto both of their deaths.

“I got news for you,” Percy smirked, changing the subject and pretending that that whole thing hadn’t happened. He was good at that… “I got a Quest. You want to come?”

Luke lightly gaped, before grinning widely. “Seriously, you picked me to come along with you?”

“Of course. Who else? I hardly care for many in here, though mostly because I haven’t spent much time with anyone but you, and a little of Clarisse. Though I haven’t been in camp for long either.”

The older male’s grin faltered. “Hey Percy, you’re not doing this because I’m…I was Miyako, are you?”

“What? Well, no. I like you as you too, you know. Out of anyone here, I am closest to you, which is aside the Miyako factor,” Percy had been caught off guard. Still, he caught the satisfied expression on Luke’s face that disappeared just like that. He just shrugged it off, not thinking much about it.

“So you coming?”

“Duh, hell yeah,” Luke rolled his eyes.

“Great, get packing and then we can go back to training!” Percy said cheerily.

Luke groaned, mindless of Percy’s snickering at his reaction.