I love my little naive boys in this story. Take care, have fun. I enjoyed this chapter, personally.

"Thanks for taking care of my brother."
*****

"I'll destroy everyone you love, Jackson."

Percy rolled his eyes, unamused with Piper's Mario Kart-induced rage. It wasn't his fault he just happened to be superior.

Thalia sat in the armchair eating a bowl of ice cream, fairly entertained by the two teens. She'd been discharged a mere three days after her surgery with several instructions for both her and Jason to help her recover. Mainly, she was told to rest as much as she could, and currently that involved sitting in her living room and watching her brother's friends sabotage each other in their video games. Jason and Leo were working on some project upstairs, but Piper was in no mood to sit around and do nothing. Thus, Percy had been invited over to hang out with the girl.

"Thals," Piper addressed the older girl sitting across the room, "I think I need to skip school this week to improve my skills."

Thalia scoffed at the idea. "If you're skipping for anything, it's to go to work for me. Boss is pissed I'm out for a couple weeks."

"What did he want you to do?" Piper asked, her tone annoyed, "It's not like you wanted to crash your brother's car and break your spine."

"I don't know," Thalia responded lightheartedly, "Jason's been much nicer to me since."

The comment earned a small chuckle from Percy, a feat that Thalia looked rather proud of. Piper also laughed, vocalizing her agreements about Jason's recent kindness. Percy listened to the two girls chat, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere (even if they did happen to be poking fun at Jason) they set in the room. He'd always liked being in the Grace home. His apartment held too many memories of Gabe and everything he'd done to the boy. Peace was an alien topic in Percy's "home" as a child. At the Graces', though, he felt safe. There was a visible connection between everyone that came through the house, and Percy loved it. As cheesy as it sounded, was an actual home, rather than just a place to live.

"Percy," Piper addressed the boy after getting second in yet another race, "do you and Jason want to go on a double date some time?"

Thalia grunted in confusion, mid-spoonful of her ice cream, "What the hell, Pipes? Who are you taking?"

Piper offered a bright but sheepish smile. "Well, it wouldn't be soon. Ideally, though, Annabeth."

"Does she like girls?" Thalia asked curiously. She always got the updates on Piper's love life because she was basically the girl's older sister.

"No clue," Piper shrugged, "that's step one. Anyways, Percy?"

For Piper's and Jason's sakes, Percy gave a hesitant nod. Piper seemed very pleased with the answer and went back to chatting with Thalia about the blonde girl she apparently had her eyes on. He wasn't particularly sure how he felt about the idea himself, though. First of all, presenting himself with Jason as a couple was an odd concept, although it didn't sound terrible when Percy really thought about it. Then there was Percy's speech, which had been improving drastically with the amount of talking he did with Jason. He wasn't a big fan of sitting around while the other three talked to each other about gods-know-what.

He knew that Jason would probably love the idea, though. The boy adored his friends, so sharing part of his life with them on things like double dates were probably right up his alley. He was willing to suffer through some awkwardness for Jason, he decided.

He was willing to suffer through a lot for Jason.

*****

"This is the first thing in a long time that your sister and I agree on, man. That's gotta mean something," Leo told Jason, who was obviously fed up and just trying to work on their physics project.

Jason tapped his pencil against his thigh as he sat cross-legged on the ground, doing calculations. "Can you quiet down? He's right in the living room."

"I just don't get why you don't want to ask him," Leo sighed, abiding by Jason's request to speak more quietly but staying on topic.

Jason set his work done and looked up at his friend. "I want to, Leo, trust me. But he's been through a lot recently, and I don't want to rush him into something he isn't ready for."

"Piper's supposed to be asking him about it now," Leo informed Jason, stifling a laugh at the sheer fear that overcame his face.

"Were you two scheming?" Jason asked with a hint of anger. Why couldn't they just leave Percy alone?

Leo cautiously stood up, detecting the change in tone. He gave an apologetic smile before making a run for it through the hallway and down the stairs, Jason hot on his trail. When they reached the living room, Leo scurried begins the chair Thalia was sitting in, earning a confused glare from the girl.

"If I end up back in a hospital after whatever the hell this is," Thalia warned her brother and his friend, "I'll kill both of you."

With that, Jason turned to the other two on the couch. "Percy, do you want to go somewhere with me?"

Percy looked taken aback, momentarily forgetting there were other people in the room and barely stopping himself from asking, "What?" His face conveyed the same message, though.

"I'll explain later," Jason promised, almost smiling when he saw Percy begin to stand up and walk over. Percy seemed to accept that response and gave him a nod.

Percy turned to Leo, holding out his controller and waiting for the shorter boy to come grab it. He did so reluctantly, sending a half-serious but somehow half-proud glare in Jason's direction.

"We have a project to do," Leo complained, but his eyes told Jason he couldn't care less about their project. Jason rolled his eyes, saying nothing else but a goodbye as he pulled his shoes on and left with Percy. Unfortunately, they were walking that day. With Jason's car completely totaled in Thalia's accident and the Jacksons' car being used by Sally, they were stuck on their feet.

Once they were far enough away from the house that Jason thought his friends wouldn't be stalking them through the windows, he linked his hand with Percy's at his side, silently intertwining their fingers. He saw Percy's eyes flick to their hands, a small smile brushing over his features.

Soon, they found an empty little park at sit at with each other. They both took seats on the swings next to each other, and Percy gave Jason an expectant glance.

"Why are you upset?" Percy asked, carefully rocking the swing.

The blonde sighed heavily, thinking about his response for a few moments. "I'm just frustrated. The other three want me to...do this thing, but I'm scared because there's a chance that I lose something really important."

Percy nodded, staring forward as he listened intently. "Can I ask what they want you to do?"

"Nothing," Jason muttered instinctively before looking up at the boy, second guessing himself. The two had been so honest with each other once they'd gotten closer, something that Jason really valued with Percy. He could tell the boy everything, and the thought never once crossed Jason's mind that Percy might make fun of him or stop being his friend. Percy always listened to him fully, taking Jason's cues to stop or avoid a subject. Even now, Percy seemed okay with ending the discussion there, realizing that maybe Jason wasn't ready to tell him.

"Actually, it isn't nothing," Jason paused, telling himself it was too late to turn back now. "You're the important person I could lose, though."

Percy smiled comfortingly at him. "I think it'd take a lot for you to get rid of me."

Jason let out a breathy laugh as Percy stopped swinging, turning himself towards the other boy and placing a soft hand on his cheek. He figured Jason could use some encouragement. He leaned forward, having to stand just a little because of the distance between the swings, and placed a short kiss on Jason's lips before returning to his seat.

Jason took a deep breath, some of his anxiety lifted through the reminder that Percy didn't hate him. "I really like you, Percy," he said, continuing after the boy nodded in agreement, "and I don't want you to think you have to agree or anything. I don't want to rush this thing between us because I've...I've never felt this way before. I do want to tell you what's bothering me, but I don't want to ruin what we have."

"Jason," Percy said, waiting for the blonde to meet his eyes and only speaking again once he was looking into the pools of electric blue, "I don't know what it is that you have to tell me, but I'm not going to destroy our entire relationship over it."

"Okay," Jason said, hesitant as he continued, "I was wondering...I thought that maybe...Percy, will you...will you be my boyfriend?"

"Yeah, of course," Percy responded without missing a beat.

"Piper and Leo have just been bothering me about it a lot, but I wasn't sure if you'd agree and I didn't want to hurt anybody," Jason rambled with clear panic in his voice, "But I really liked the idea of being with you, and my head kept nagging about it every time I looked at you. And you—wait, did...did you say yes?"

Percy's smile as bright and wide, and Jason was ready to melt after seeing it. "Why wouldn't I have?"

Jason opened his mouth to respond but quickly stopped himself. The idea of conveying his concerns to Percy felt stupid, and he wondered why he ever thought Percy couldn't handle himself in the first place. Instead, Jason shook his head with a shrug, laughing a bit at himself and basking in the sound of Percy's own laugh that followed.

Jason pulled himself to his feet, turning to Percy and offering a hand. "Did this earn me another kiss?"

Percy raised his eyebrows, grabbing Jason's outstretched hand and standing to face the boy. "I think I deserve the kiss after listening to you ramble nonsense like that."

"Whatever," Jason laughed, his grin betraying his fake annoyance as he wrapped an arm around Percy's waist and pulled him close, locking their lips together.

He could practically feel Percy's smile against his lips as the green-eyed boy draped his arms behind Jason's neck, deepening the kiss and making Jason's heart rush. Kissing Percy never got old, and this one even held a trace of something new, something exciting.

Eventually, they broke apart and Percy rested his head on Jason's shoulder, the blonde still clutching onto him. Gently, Jason twisted his head to plant another kiss on Percy's exposed neck.

"Stop," Percy laughed, shrugging his shoulder to push Jason's face away.

With that, a dangerous idea popped into Jason's head as he pulled Percy away from his chest. "Are you...ticklish?"

"Absolutely not," Percy said, already backing away slowly before taking off into a sprint away from Jason.

Jason wasted no in following him, and the two had a full man-hunt throughout the park with a lot of teasing and embarrassing tripping on tree roots. Eventually, Jason reigned victorious as he snatched up Percy by the waist with both his arms.

"Nice try," Jason said through his heavy breathing before his hands flitted to the boy's side and practically attacked the boy with tickles, relishing in Percy's bright laughter. If he would've known about this secret weakness earlier, he definitely would've utilized it more. He loved listening to the boy laugh.

Percy made several attempts to push Jason off, but they were always refuted by either the blonde himself or by Percy's own body betraying him. He hadn't been tickled since he was a toddler, before his mother married Gabe and even longer before he stopped speaking. It felt foreign, and he'd almost forgotten just how helpless he was every time his mother, or in this case Jason, attempted it.

Finally, after seemingly satisfied with how much he'd made Percy suffer, Jason stopped but continued holding Percy in his arms.

Percy could barely breathe, after running away from Jason and then being tortured by the boy. Jason gently kissed Percy's neck again, resting his chin on Percy's shoulder. Percy stayed still that time, refusing to give Jason another reaction to provoke him.

"That was cute," Jason muttered, smiling at the newfound knowledge he'd acquired.

Percy's face flushed, and he scoffed playfully at the comment. "I hate you."

Jason hummed in response, burying his face in Percy's shoulder. Percy watched him with a faint but genuine smile painting over his face. Percy reached up to ruffle his blonde hair, just something to mildly annoy the boy as revenge.

"We really have to walk back into my house after this and tell the other three we're dating, aren't we?" Jason whispered, close enough to Percy's ear for him to hear regardless.

Percy chuckled, imagining the reactions they'd get from mostly Piper and Leo, although he wasn't sure Thalia would be an exception this time. "I'll be right there."

"That's the only reason I'll be able to deal with them," Jason responded, raising his head and kissing near Percy's jaw.

Despite the fact that Percy was definitely a fan of the spontaneous kisses, he decided to comment, "My face must be very kissable today, huh, Grace?"

He didn't like the smug look on Jason's face. "Yeah, it's beautiful."

Percy couldn't stop the blood from rushing to his cheeks, even if he realized immediately that he'd be walking into that one. "I can't stand you," he decided on in retaliation, a statement that only earned a laugh from Jason as he reached out his hand again for Percy to accept.

"You ready to face the fools back home?" Jason asked with a sigh. Smiling, Percy nodded.

He was ready to face the world with Jason.

Percy got a boyfriend for his birthday, I guess.

Also, I fucking hated writing the word tickle so many times LMAO. Who decided that was gonna be the word????

Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! See you soon!