#au_gust

Rosa Diaz is late to a friend's surprise party and she was supposed to bring the flowers. In a moment of panic, she rushes into the first flower shop she sees. Your flower shop.

You calmly ask her what kind of flowers her friend likes and, as you arrange the bouquet, Rosa can't help but notice how beautiful you are. But she's still late and the others might not be able to stall her friend for much longer. She leaves with her flowers and you think that will be the last you see of her.

But she comes back again. She can't help it. She makes up some excuse about needing more flowers for an office party. She does this several more times, just looking for a reason to see you again.

And everyday you hope to hear the roaring of her motorbike as she parks outside. You always love it when she comes into your shop. She makes you laugh when she tells stories about her co-workers at the police department.

But you're both too shy to make a move, until Rosa's co-workers decide to take matters into their own hands ...

‘Well I’m going to walk with you anyway, since my classroom is down that way as well.’ The two men began walking down the left side hallway.

‘So what was your name again?’ the man asked.

‘Lityerses Green.’ He answered. The man let out a laugh at this.

‘Mr Green the biology teacher. Well weren’t you made for this job.’

‘I’m only a TA.’

‘Still you never know. Anyway my names Apollo. Say Lit you wouldn’t happen to know the teacher you’ll be working with? Ms Green.’

‘She’s my mother.’ Lityerses admitted shifting a little. He hoped Apollo wouldn’t ask why he had his mothers last name. Truth was he’d changed it after a particularly bad falling out with his father, which had ended in him being disowned and fired from the family company. To prideful to ask for help from his mother or any of his friends he’d found a job as security for a man his father often did business with. Or at least that’s what they called it on his contract. Truth was something had never felt right about that job from the first pay cheque, or should that be first wad of cash, but by the time he’d realised what exactly he’d gotten himself in for it was too late to bail out. Not without his boss securing his silence. He’d only gotten out because the police got involved, and the only reason he wasn’t in jail was because his mother had threatened his father until he agreed to let Lit use his lawyer. The lawyer had hammed up his naivety to the whole situation, playing the sheltered little rich kid angle to its full potential. He would have cracked up at this if he hadn’t been so scared. He’d spent most of his highschool and all of his college years street fighting, as well as selling a few bags from his, secret, garden.

‘So you got this job through nepotism. Same here though mine goes all the way to the top.’ Lityerses stared at him.

‘So you’re dad’s the…’

‘The principal that’s right.’

‘So I’m guessing you also went to school here?’ Apollo shook his head.

‘Nope I was sent to boarding school along with my sister. You’ll see her around, she’s a gym teacher as well as the coach for several of the girls sports teams.’ With that he stopped outside a door and turned to face Lityerses.

‘Well this is my classroom so this is where we part ways.’ He began to push the door open before turning around again. ‘Oh I just remembered I’m going to get drinks with a few of our co workers after work on friday, would you like to come? It’ll be a great way for you to get to know everyone. Well everyone who wouldn’t have taught you that is.’ Lityerses blinked at him but then smiled.

‘Yeah I’d like that. If you have room for one more.’ Apollo nodded, his smile somehow managing to brighten, and disappeared into the room that from what Lityerses could see was an English classroom.

***

As he approached the front door Lityerses could here the clanging sounds that could have only come from his youngest sisters attempts to play the piano. Either that or someone had gotten sick of her attempts to play the piano and had pushed it down a flight of stairs. Deciding there was no way the door bell would be heard over that racket he raised his fist and pounded on the door instead. It was soon opened by a haggard looking young woman who was casually tugging on her dreadlocks.

‘Hey Persephone.’ He said giving his sister a quick one armed hug.

‘Hey yourself.’ She replied giving his arm a squeeze in return. She was wearing a lacy top which showed most of her back and midriff, Lit couldn’t help but to think she’d done so to annoy their mother, and there was a fairly new tattoo on her arm of a skull sitting in a bed of flowers.

‘Do you like it? Hades paid for it as a wedding anniversary gift.’ Lityerses smiled and said he did, though he was also dreading the fifty times their mother would bring it up to complain. He was about to mention this when he heard a familiar voice coming from the living room.

‘Lit? How nice to see you.’ He turned to find Apollo standing there grinning from ear to ear. Lityerses stared at him mouth agape. He’d never seen him in his casual clothes before and it certainly wasn’t what he’d been expecting. He wore skinny jeans and a t-shirt that was even skinnier that showed a faint outline of his muscles every time he breathed in. His hair was tied back in a messy bun and draped over his arm was a bomber jacket as well as a hoodie that was too small to be his. Lityerses suddenly became very aware of the small stain on the sleeve of his hoodie, and had to fight back the urge to fix his hair.

‘Uh yeah you to. Um what are you doing here?’ he asked. Shit why did he have to say it like that? Apollo however seemed unfazed.

‘I was giving little Meg her piano lessons.’

‘You teach piano?’

‘I teach a few instruments. As well as archery. Teaching in a school doesn’t pay as much as you’d like and I have five mouths to feed. Talking of which, Lee hurry up.’ He yelled this last part into the living room. There was a sound of the old armchair creaking and shuffling footsteps. Lityerses stared as a boy around ten appeared in the doorway. He stared up at Lityerses with round blue eyes that seemed almost too big for his small face.

‘What happened to you?’ he asked pointing at Lityerses. Without really thinking about it he reached up and touched the scars that ran along his entire face.

‘Lee that’s rude.’ Apollo scolded. ‘I’m sorry about him, he’s a good kid but he has no filter when it comes to his curiosity.’

‘You can say that again.’ Lityerses turned to see his mother walking out of the kitchen. ‘Though I’m more than happy to let you bring him again.’ She added as she handed Apollo his money for the days lesson.

‘Thank you. But hopefully after this test we won’t have anymore hospital visits.’ He gave Lee’s shoulder a quick squeeze. ‘Well we’d better go or we’ll be late.’

‘Aren’t you going to give your auntie Persephone a hug?’ Lit’s sister teased. Laughing Apollo gave her a quick squeeze and Persephone bent down to let Lee give her a kiss on the cheek. Lityerses watched the two leave until his sister closed the door, before turning to look at her.

‘Auntie Persephone?’ he asked.

‘I’m married to his uncle, which makes me his aunt.’

‘And the kids great aunt.’

‘Oh shut it.’ She snapped giving him a light shove.

***

He wasn’t sure what made him approach Apollo’s classroom but for some reason Lityerses found himself standing in the doorway watching as he looked over the papers on his desk.

‘I swear they’re so stupid.’ Apollo muttered to himself. ‘I mean who describes as persons face as being “Like a drawing but in 3D?’ Lityerses couldn’t help but let out a snort at that. Startled Apollo spun round his face breaking out into a smile when he saw who was standing there.

‘Lit. Please come in.’ He pushed the papers to one side and stood up. Lit closed the door behind him and approached the desk his heart pounding. This is ridiculous he thought, I shouldn’t be doing this, not here.  

‘Is there anything I can help you with?’ Apollo asked his smile faltering as a look of concern crossed his eyes. Lit swallowed and took a deep breath.

‘Would you like to go for dinner with me? Tomorrow night that is? Just the two of us…’ shit he felt like he was going as red as his Corn Huskers sweater. Apollo blinked at him.

‘Oh uh well I’d have to see if I can get a babysitter for the kids.’ Lit felt his heart sink. ‘But if not I can do Saturday. My moms having them all round for tea anyway.’ Feeling his face split into a smile Lit nodded.

‘Saturday’s good.’

‘So it’s a date.’ Apollo nodded.

‘Yeah a date. That is I mean if you want it to be. I don’t mind if we just…’ he stopped when he realised Apollo had one hand resting on his hip and the other cupping his chin.

‘Oh but I do want it to be a date.’ He said as he lowered his face so that his lips were touching Lityerses’s. For a second Lit was surprised, but this quickly wore off and he was soon kissing him back. Not really thinking about what he was doing he found one hand reaching for the back of Apollo’s head and the other for the small of his back. For a moment he wondered of this would make him pull away but instead he found himself being lifted on to the desk as Apollo moved his lips away from his own and down to his neck. As he did so his hand made its way up Lit’s shirt making him shudder in pleasure. He wanted more so much more. And he told Apollo as much whispering the words into his ear. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the other man’s eyes light up as he took Lit’s hand and lead it to his belt. Realising what he wanted him to do he began to fumble with the buckle as Apollo eased his own pants down.

‘So do you want to go first or shall I?’ he asked.

‘You’d better go first. Since I’m already sat down.’ Lityerses replied. Apollo gave a chuckle at that and kissed his lips again, then his neck, his chest and his stomach before kissing his inner thigh. Taking a deep breath Lit leaned back and closed his eyes as he felt the other man’s fingers stroke along his cock. The anticipation was enough to make him cry out but he didn’t have to wait for long. A feeling of extasy ripped through him and a smile plastered itself upon his face as he grasped at the back of Apollo’s head. When he was finished Apollo gave his thigh one last kiss before standing up.

‘So what did you think. Not bad huh?’ Lit grinned at him.

Percy wouldn’t normally consider himself an artist. An inventor, yes, and a brilliant one at that. The word artist, however, holds certain connotations that he doesn’t feel are accurate. Art isn’t meant to be purely functional, which his inventions are. Even his drawings are more meant to document than to perform.

It doesn’t bother him. He’s far more suited to a practical life. Always has been, even as a royal child. So, no, it doesn’t bother him that he's not an artist.

Most of the time, at least.

Vex’ahlia, though, always seems to make him break his own rules. Like right now, as she eyes the pricy piece of jewelry from across the boutique, envy swirling in those mesmerizing hazel eyes. For her credit, the set of earrings are beautiful, dazzling blue gems embedded into glittering gold. They would suit her perfectly.

Of course, she won’t buy them, not with that price tag. Even her bargaining skills wouldn’t be able to bring them down to a reasonable cost. So Vex settles for letting her gaze linger every time she gets a moment.

Percy doesn’t like it, the pucker between her brows as she walks out of the shop. He could, of course, buy it with his own funds as a gift, but Vex might never forgive him for paying such an atrocious price, so he tries to push it out of his mind as he trails behind the rest of the party.

That proves to be a challenge. He can’t stop thinking about how beautiful she would look in them, in large part due to the smile she’d no doubt wear. It makes his fingers itch.

“I’ll be right back,” he announces to the party, taking a sharp right at the next turn. “I have a few errands to run.”

“Oh,” Vex says, looking at him curiously. She’s too good at picking up on subtleties. “Anything interesting?”

Percy shakes his head. “Unfortunately not. I need to get a few parts for my Pepperbox.”

Keen eyes stare into his soul, definitely aware that the gunslinger is lying through his teeth. Vex doesn’t push, though, and he thanks the gods for it. “Have fun, Darling,” she simply says, throwing in a sly wink.

A red hot blush rises in Percy’s face, but he walks away before Vex can catch sight of it.

His errands don’t take long, and he arrives at Greyskull keep before the rest of his party is done with their shopping. Good, that allows him to slip into his workshop without interruption. Pulling out the items he’d purchased, Percy gets to work.

It’s harder than he expected, crafting jewelry from scratch. Perhaps Percy should have done some prior research. After his sixth or so failed attempt, he’s almost ready to throw in the towel, suck it up and just buy Vex the goddamn earrings. Surely she won’t mind that much if he uses his own funds?

Percy rubs his chin thoughtfully, feeling the growing stubble under his calloused fingers. This is all foolish. Vex has probably already forgotten about the damn earrings.

But, fuck, Percy wants to make her smile.

“Percy, Darling, are you alright? You’ve been down there all day,” Vex herself calls from outside the door to his workshop, startling him so much his knee jerks up and hits his work table. “Won’t you come get some food?”

“In a minute, Vex,” he responds, grabbing some more supply. Surely one more attempt won’t hurt.

But Vex isn’t done, apparently. “For someone who prides himself on being polite, you don’t tell the truth very often.”

He snorts. “Being polite is the opposite of telling the truth.”

“Seriously, dear, you can’t hole yourself up forever.” Curse her and her persistence. “If you’re not up in ten minutes, I’m coming back down,” she announces, followed by the sound of her retreating footsteps.

Ten minutes. Percy can get a lot done in ten minutes. Surely he won’t lose track of time.

Except it only feels like it’s been seconds of crafting the earrings when the door to his workshop slams open, Vex not even bothering to knock. “You’re so stubborn, Percy. It’s really quite a flaw.”

Trying to hide his current project by hunching over his workbench, Percy scoffs. “You’re not exactly one to talk, Vex.”

“Hush,” the archer demands, stepping around his workbench and wiping away a spot for her to sit on the opposite side. Two plates are set down. “Now, because you’re such a loner and refuse to eat with the group, I have to make sure that you actually do get enough nutrients to keep yourself alive. Eat up.” One plate full of steaming food is passed in his direction.

Percy blinks. It’s such a small thing, one that he might have found offensive if anyone else did it. He does not need a babysitter. With Vex, though, he feels flattered that she cares enough to make sure he’s taking care of himself. “Well, thank you.”

She softens, eyes crinkling around the edges with her smile. “Of course, Darling.” Leaning back in her chair, she throws her legs up onto his workbench and begins eating.

“Did everything go smoothly today? I do apologize for not being there to try and tame the lot, somewhat,” Percy says in between bites of food.

Vex laughs. “Percy, you are a man of many skills, but I do not believe even you can tame them. On the bright side, we only got kicked out of one pub.”

“That’s certainly an improvement.” Their last outing without Percy had resulted in three bar fights and one permanent ban from the nearest tavern. Perhaps next time, they'll manage to get through the whole night without issue.

Probably not, but Percy can dream.

“You know, you provide much better dinner company than Grog. Or Scanlan,” Vex says.

“I’d imagine so, yes,” Percy says through a chuckle. “You’re not half bad, yourself.” A pause hangs heavy in the air, making his throat dry up. Was that the wrong thing to say?

When he finds the courage to glance at Vex for a better gauge of her reaction, she’s observing him with a considering look, eyes trained on him in a way that makes him feel like her prey. He wants to ask if everything’s alright, if he had offended her in some way, but all the letters and words jumble around in his brain.

“Perhaps,” Vex murmurs, finally looking away and letting Percy breathe again, “we could make a habit of it, then.”

Oh.

Percy’s smile is nearly boyish. “Yes, I think that would be lovely.” The soft and saccharine tone he uses is a rare thing, the novelty of it causing a light blush to brighten Vex’s face.

“Alright then. Tomorrow, six o’clock. Meet me at The Oaken Tavern,” she demands, stretching her sore muscles before standing. “Don’t be late.”

“I’ll be right on time,” Percy assures her, collecting their plates. His back is turned towards the half elf, so he doesn’t see her approach behind him, but he does feel her lips, soft and plush, brush against his cheek in a barely-there kiss.

Every muscle in his body goes taunt, eyes growing to the size of the plates in his hand. Vex chuckles behind him. “Have a good night, Percy,” she hums, turning and walking up towards the main room as if she hadn’t just rendered him useless and flustered.

It takes almost a minute for Percy to remember how to use his body, and another after that to actually follow through and sit back down at his work bench.

The broken earrings stare up at him, glittering in the dim lighting.

He sets his face in determination and gets back to work.

Four hours and several cups of coffee later, Percy surveys his work. He’d had to go out and get more supplies, after ruining all his own, and he’s pretty sure that he’s now spent more on materials than the original earrings cost. At last, though, he has a set that looks good. Not perfect, not identical to the ones in the store. But passable.

If he weren’t worried about sleeping through his date (holy shit his date) then he might stay up and try until he’s created better. As it is, he wants to be well rested and completely attentive tomorrow, so he quickly flops down into his bed, not even bothering to change out of his daytime attire.

*LINEBREAK*

Percy checks his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. He’s still got a bit to go, but it was better to be early than late, he’d decided. Vex’s earrings are in a small golden box that he can’t help fiddling with relentlessly.

Maybe he shouldn’t have made them. Too late now, though. Besides, she’ll surely like them more than a bouquet of flowers, which was his other idea.

Perhaps a bouquet of enchanted arrows would work best. Unfortunately, Percy doesn’t have time to procure those at this point. The earrings will have to do.

“Hello, Percy,” Vex greets from behind him. He doesn’t jump, but it’s a close thing as she takes his hand in hers. Turning to look at his date, Percy’s remark dies on his tongue. Oh, dear Gods, she’s going to kill him .

Her dress clings to the curves of her body, the navy material accentuating every little dip. Golden gemstones sparkle in the lamp light of the street, creating the illusion of a starry galaxy, contained in her dress. Red-painted lips smile sharply at him.

Percy, for all his training and refinement, lets out an undignified choking noise. “Vex, you look-- stunning,” he breathes, suddenly feeling very inadequate, despite the effort he’d put into dressing up. How can his plain suit compare to the beauty that stands before him? It clearly can’t.

Vex smiles, all too pleased with herself, and does a little twirl. The golden gemstones shimmer and flicker with the movement . “You like it?”

“It’s beautiful.” He wants, so badly, to reach out and grab her hips, pull her in close and press their lips together. A proper kiss. If he did that, though, Percy wouldn’t be able to make it through the date, and would surely try and drag her back to the keep for an early night in, one spent deliciously alone together.

“Percival? You’re staring, dear. Is everything alright?” Vex asks, all faux innocence and concern as she steps closer and cups his face in one hand. Her calloused fingers stroke comforting circles into his skin.

“Everything is fine, darling,” he assures her, but when he tries to focus on taking deep, calming breaths, all he can do is smell her spicy perfume and that just makes everything worse.

Vex grins, slowly letting her hand drop from his face and gripping his arm, instead. “Well then, shall we eat?” It’s almost comical, how she has to almost drag him into the restaurant as he tries to remember how his muscles work.

Somehow, they end up sitting at a table in the corner, ordering off a menu. Percy comes back to himself just as the waiter asks, “And your order, Sir?”

Swallowing, he forces himself to look at the menu and rattles off the first appealing dish; a shrimp and garlic pasta. All throughout, Vex is just grinning deviously, especially when he catches her eye and blushes deeper.

When the waiter finally leaves, Vex leans across the table so she’s closer to Percy. “You seem a little distracted, Darling. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

He laughs, looking at the ceiling. “This is going straight to your head, isn’t it?”

“I can’t say I don’t enjoy it,” she admits in turn, hand reaching out to take his, which, he notices, is still clutching the golden box. “What’s this?”

Percy forces himself to stay calm. “Ah, that would be a gift. Something to celebrate our first date.”

Curiously, she takes the small box, inspecting it closely. “First of many, I would hope.”

“That is-- yes, I hope so, too.” Gods, where did his charisma go? He’d grown up as royalty, learning how to speak to others with dignity and grace and charm, yet here he is, nervous and stuttering like a lovestruck teenager.

Vex seems pleased at her effect on him, though, so he can’t be too upset.

Carefully, she begins to open the gift. The cocky, suave smile is wiped off her face when she sees what’s inside, but before Percy has time to worry about her reaction, she’s looking back at him with awe. “Percy, did you make these?”

He adjusts his glasses. “Well, yes. I do hope you like them?”

She doesn’t break out into a grin, or thank him profusely, or overdo her reaction. Instead, Vex just stares at him with a gratitude that makes his chest flutter. “Thank you, Percy. They’re very beautiful,” she murmurs, taking one out of the packaging to further inspect it.

“Ah, it was nothing.”

“Don’t be modest, you dick. They’re a great gift. Own it,” she demands, unhooking her current golden studs to put in the new pair. Percy thanks his lucky stars that they match her dress so well.

Looking down to hide his proud grin, Percy says, “You deserve it, Vex. I’ll have to make you more, sometime.”

She smiles again, but it’s nothing like the sharp, seductive grins she’d sported just earlier this evening. This one is soft and gentle and Percy wants to look at it forever. “That would be lovely.”