It's okay to be saved once in a while too.

Percy and Peter were in the park. Estelle was a few months old, school was good, Percy briefly helped Apollo, but other than that, life was good. He still couldn't explain his feelings for Pete, he was hopeless in that department, but all he knew was that those feelings kept growing.

Percy was currently practicing his skateboard. It was something he had started to get better at in the last few months. He remembered back when he was 12-13 and he had begged him mom for one. He and Tyson were going to go to this one shop, then... that was a crazy summer.

But Percy had taken up a lot of hobbies in the past year. Swim team, skateboarding, even piano. That last one had been an accident though. He and Peter had been chilling at Pete's house one afternoon and Percy had sat at the piano stool. Peter got invested in his homework for a moment and Percy just let his fingers glide across the keys. He just started tapping notes, but got some rhythm after a few bars. It was therapeutic. He only stopped when he heard a clatter. Miss Parker, May, had dropped her spatula. Even Peter was watching him, in awe.

He landed poorly on his last jump and was thrown forward onto the pavement. Peter was chilling on a wall with his backpack and a sandwich, he laughed at Percy's fail, knowing the other boy would be alright. They had faced monsters and villains together. They were a team.

Percy got up, dusting himself off. His hands were scrapped up a bit, but other than that, he was fine. Peter watched with a smile as he chewed a bite. Percy frowned, trying his hardest not to smile because of Peter's cute face, and took a bite of the sandwich since Peter wasn't expecting that.

Peter leaned backwards and almost fell off the wall, "Hey! You have your own sandwich!" he yelled.

Percy just swallowed the bite and smirked, "But taking yours is so much more fun, it makes it tastier,"

"I don't think that's been scientifically proven," Peter quipped.

"I think it has. Or if it hasn't.... hmm, that should be my next science fair project."

"You know science fair projects aren't mandatory once you get into high school- depending on the teacher. Or school, my school still has them, Midtown high, home of genius prodigy children,"

Percy smirked, "So, what you're saying is that it should be your next science fair project,"

Peter laughed, and continued to eat his sandwich, after swallowing, he answered, "Maybe, if I can figure out an actual way to test that, but you would have to come up with a hypothesis. You know, an If-then-statement,"

"I know what a hypothesis is," Percy sassed.

"Just checking," -Peter's smirk was enough to make Percy look away- "Shall we walk around a bit more? That's your 23rd failed attempt at whatever it was you were attempting. You can eat and walk." Peter jumped off the wall, it was about 5 feet tall.

Percy picked up his skateboard and Peter passed him a plastic wrapped sandwich. Percy opened the wrapping and started taking ginormous bites. Peter rolled his eyes, "Don't cough yourself to death when you find out you can't swallow,"

They started walking down a path. It was nice and peaceful. Of course there was background noise, but that's because this is New York, the city that never sleeps.

Soon the noises of the the skatepark faded. No more yelling and cussing when someone failed.

They passed a few joggers, walkers, and people in general. The whole time they kept up their usual playful banter. Except for when Percy had to take a huge bite. Peter was only halfway done with his sandwich when Percy shoved his last bite in his mouth. Peter was in the process of wrapping his back in the plastic wrap.

They were footlongs, Peter ate about half, he was going to save the rest for later in the evening, like dinner.

Percy didn't judge him though, he knew that May and Peter were a little tighter on money than his family was.

But he also made sure to buy their food as often as he could when they were hanging out. Peter may not admit it, but his spider-metabolism needed more food than a normal joe.

Percy rested his hands in his pockets and stared as Peter, very animatedly, told him a story of one of his battles.

Peter was 10% certain he was head over heels for Percy, not that he would ever admit it. He had been friends with this boy for about a year and didn't want to ruin what they had.

But at the same time, it was getting harder and harder to keep his feelings inside his head. He had so many opportunities- opportunities to reveal he was gay for Percy Jackson. Gay in general, but mostly for Percy.

They were making it to the treeline. At least an hour had passed. This area, it just smelled good. Nature and a little slice of the wild in the heart of New York City. Percy was so caught up he forgot about the nymphs inhabiting the plants and trees.

Slowly they began to see less and less people. They settled into a stroll. Percy mentioned something, a bad joke. Peter stop walking, he turned to look at him.

"What?"

Percy turned, "What do you mean what?"

"Do you hear that?" There was a noise, a bit farther off, near the path a ways up.

Percy shoved Peter off the path, they were both silent. Percy's arm rested against Peter's collar.

They waited in silence for a couple of minutes. Finally a group of people emerged in Percy and Peter's line of sight. They had been the disturbance.

Percy sighed and looked back at Peter. He didn't seem to realize that he had the other boy pinned against a tree.

They weren't visible from the path. They were probably 10 feet away from it. They were too invested to notice though.

Peter was staring, transfixed on Percy's face, taking in all the little details. His gaze shifted to Percy's mouth. Slightly chapped lips, contorted in a sweet smile.

He felt all his willpower go out the window and became aware that there was a 100% chance he wouldn't be able to restrain himself. He didn't think he would be able to stop himself from kissing him.

He couldn't stop himself.

Just one kiss, he would be satisfied. He was just so curious to find out what Percy's lips tasted like.

Too bad Peter was too busy staring at Percy's mouth to see the look Percy was giving him.

As Peter was having his little internal struggle, Percy solved his problem.

Percy kissed him.

Peter was shocked, but didn't pull away. He couldn't really go anywhere, he was 'sandwiched' between a tree and Percy Jackson.

But at least he got his answer. Percy's lips were salty and reminded Peter of the ocean. He went once when he was a kid.

Finally Percy pulled away, "I'm so sorry," He was blustering and nervous. Suddenly seeming to realize what he just did.

"What?"

"I- I just had to see what that would be like."

"And?"

"What do you mean and?"

"And what was it like?" Peter was filled with an ecstasy.

".......Everything I thought it would be and more,"

"Oh,"

"Is that a good 'oh' or a bad 'oh?'" Percy was biting his lip.

"Good one..."

***

As expected, the walk back to their apartment was interesting. Mostly silence. Extremely awkward. Horrifically awkward.

The boys needed to talk about what it was they had just done and where that left them, but instead they decided to point out the damn weather.

"It's kinda cloudy today,"

"Yep, almost chilly,"

"Yep,"

It was bad, to say the least. Good thing Peter is Spider-Man and can step up when it counts though.

"Percy, will you be my boyfriend?"

"I-" Percy took a moment to stare at Peter. Peter, this boy who had become a part of his life and who he was already weirdly intimate with. Peter, who, if he said yes to, he could kiss whenever he felt like. Peter, who was currently his favourite fucking person, other than Estelle.

"Only if that means you're my boyfriend Pete,"

Peter smiled and kissed Percy, who was just so annoyingly a few inches taller, "Boyfriends," He had the largest smile, but it melted into a look of realization, "Holy shit, my boyfriend is Percy-Freaking-Jackson!"

Percy wrapped his arms around Peter and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "And my boyfriend is Spider-Man, but he's also Peter Parker, my best friend,"