#grover understood

Percy trudged along the boardwalk of the beach, unfocused and alone. It felt as though all of his friends were going off in their own directions, and he was being left behind.

Annabeth was designing and leading the construction efforts on Mount Olympus. 

Grover was leading wildlife conservation efforts and spreading Pan’s dying message. 

Rachel was going to school and adjusting to being the new oracle.

Chiron was already teaching the next generation of campers. 

And Percy was just… there. 

When Chiron had offered to instate Percy as a year-round instructor, he had refused. Said he was going to go off on his own. Figure out what he was going to do now that his battles had been fought. The war was over. 

Stupid, he muttered to himself.

With no future prospects, Percy felt like he had hit a wall. What was he going to do now that his quests were completed? He hadn’t thought he would live this long. He hadn’t planned for his adult life. He had-

He had tripped.

Sand punched Percy’s face as his foot caught on the end of the wooden walkway.  

Stupid, he muttered to himself.

Turning around, he began to walk back around toward camp, gradually making his way toward the woods. Footsteps approached in the distance, Percy working to ignore them. He seriously needed to figure out what to do. He needed to be quiet with his thoughts. 

He needed quiet.

He needed space. 

And he needed to look up and see who was bothering him. 

Percy craned his head behind him, hoping to catch a glimpse of his stalker without looking too suspicious. 

Grover,

He jerked his head forward and focused on only him. Only him and his thoughts. Only him, his thoughts and the forest. He would not be bothered today. Why was he breathing so loud? Only-

All this thinking about thinking was getting pretty distracting. 

He sighed, annoyed with himself but unable to think of anything but the footsteps fast approaching. Percy knew one thing for sure: he did not want to talk to Grover. 

He lengthened his stride. 

Curiously, he glanced sidelong at the wide path. 

Grover’s hazel eyes caught his stare with a suffocating intensity. Unable to break away, Percy drew a sharp intake of breath and sped his pace slightly in an attempt to give Grover a wide berth.

Grover seemed to understand what he was doing, speeding alongside him.

Percy’s jaw tensed, the weight of the air crushing. There was only about three feet of space between them, but it could’ve been nothing given the sudden tension. 

Percy swallowed, throat dry. 

Percy felt Grover shift beside him, beginning to walk diagonally to near him. 

Percy’s left hand tensed, electricity in the air between them. 

“Are you okay?” Grover asked, voice soft. 

Percy nodded slightly, confused. Did Grover not feel the tension in the air? The uncertainty of the former silence?

“Uhh,” Percy swallowed. 

“You- you didn’t come to lunch earlier.” Grover rushed. “And I thought you might want some company.” 

“It’s really okay, I just needed some space.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No, no, it’s okay.” The care in Grover’s voice made him feel slightly guilty, “It’s okay- it’s good,” Percy stuttered. 

“If you ever need someone to talk to…” Grover began. 

Percy burst, “It just- it’s so frustrating. It’s so frustrating how everyone else seems to have everything all figured out. Everyone knows where they’re going and what they’re doing and they’re happy. They’re happy to finally have the freedom to do what they want with themselves but why does it feel like there’s literally nothing in store for me aside from the quests and trails and stupid, stupid assignments I got from gods when I was twelve years old. And I never even thought to think of what I was going to do because I never thought I would live to be an adult and now that I am-” he cut off, taking a deep breath. 

Grover turned toward Percy, slowing their angry stroll. “You don’t have to know.”

“What?”

“You don’t have to know what you’re doing. But now that you have the opportunity to do whatever you want- you don’t have to immediately accomplish anything. Go to college. Relax for once.”

“I guess you're right,” Percy grumbled, sitting beside Grover on a bench alongside the dirt path.

Grover did have a point though, as much as Percy hated to admit it. He didn’t have to immediately go on to do great things. He could just go to college and be normal. He had always wanted to be normal- hadn’t he? Maybe this was his chance. 

Tension dissipating in the air, Percy started, “Thanks for the pep talk, Grover.”

“Anytime.”

“I have a dam problem.” Percy sighed. 

“Yes, yes you do.” Grover laughed slightly, “and I want a dam T-shirt.”

Now it was Percy’s turn to laugh, the two resting in a contented silence. 

After a couple minutes, Percy started, “Thanks for everything, Grover.” 

A pause.

“-I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“No, I don’t know what I would do without you. Remember when you saved me from the sea of monsters?” Grover shuddered, “I almost got married to Polyphemus.”

“You looked spectacular in that wedding dress.”

“Hey!”

“No, really,” Percy reaffirmed, turning to get a better look at Grover on the short bench. And in the waning afternoon light, Percy couldn’t think of anything more beautiful than the soft smile on Grover’s face. The greenery framing Grover’s shimmering locks, his chestnut orbs locked on Percy’s–

“You’re just saying that,” Grover grumbled unconvincingly, attempting to mask the smile Percy loved so much. 

At that moment, Percy knew he would do anything to see Grover smile again. To make Grover happy. Seeing Grover happy made him happy, that much he knew for sure. And their many adventures were a testament to that. Because he would die if it meant Grover, or any of his friends for that matter, wouldn’t. 

Grover rested his head against Percy’s shoulder, a jolt shooting down Percy’s arm at the sudden contact. A faint citrus-y pine scent assaulted Percy’s nose, Grover’s luscious hair splaying beside Percy’s jawline. A quiet contentment surrounded them, Percy’s hand longing to wrap around Grover’s broad shoulders.

He blinked, snapping himself out of the thought. Grover was his closest friend. 

But beneath the canopy of half-blood forest, with no one else in sight, that felt like not enough to describe their relationship. They had quite literally almost died for each other on multiple occasions. That’s just what close friends do for each other: right?

Right?

Grover looked up at him, “Your eyes look really pretty from here.”

Your eyes look really pretty from here.

Your eyes look really pretty from here.

Percy’s brain short circuited. “Wh- what?” he murmured.

Grover blushed.

Grover blushed.

“Nothing,” Grover responded too quickly.

Percy looked down at Grover’s head, curls glistening in the light, cheeks flaming. Why did he have to look so- so cute? It really wasn’t fair.

Your eyes look really pretty from here.

Percy blushed alongside Grover.

My gods. What was happening to him?

Percy fought the urge to lean into Grover’s embrace. To lay his head on top of Grover’s. Body tensing, he straightened his neck.

Grover jerked up, and Percy regretted his attempt at silencing his impulsive thoughts instantly.

“Percy…. Do you want me to leave?” Grover asked for the second time that day, hazel eyes rimmed with hurt.

“No, I just-“ he broke off, “Do you understand what you do to me?”

Grover shook his head.

“I- I don’t know-“ Percy stopped, words failing him. He didn’t know what he felt. He didn’t know what to think. But how do you rationalize feelings? How do you-

Grover stood up, silencing his racing thoughts. His possible explanations. “I’m going to go, See you around, Percy.” Grover started down the path. Started to leave.

Started to leave him.

How would they fix their relationship if Grover leaves?

“No! Grover, wait!” Percy called, jogging after him. He didn’t stop. Didn’t stop. Didn’t stop. Didn’t stop when dirt kicked up against the back of his calves. Didn’t stop when he all but face-planted into the fallen leaves. 

Didn’t stop. 

Couldn’t stop. 

Couldn’t stop until he stepped in front of Grover, orange T-shirt speckled with dirt. 

Grover looked up at him, jaw dropping slightly at the regret and fear in Percy’s expression. “I didn’t mean to-“ Percy started, “ugh. I don’t know! I don’t know what I’m feeling I don’t know I don’t know-“

“Stop. Percy, stop.” Grover cut him off.

And he was there. Arms at Percy’s shoulders, steadying him even though Percy was supposed to be apologizing. “Shhhh, you don’t have to know. It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m not leaving. Just take a deep breath.”

And he did.

After a few moments, Percy’s breath slowed. Grover tentatively asked, “What was that about?”

Percy looked longingly down at Grover. The last rays of sunlight shining through the forest’s canopy, Grover’s eyes glistened beautifully in the light. They were the prettiest shade of brown, a deep hazel. Percy felt he could see so much in those eyes. Beauty. Pain. Longing. Or maybe that was just him.

“Your eyes look really pretty from here,” Percy said, brushing a loose curl out of Grover’s eyes and then he kissed him.

He kissed him. 

And it was filled with every errant thought. Every suppressed feeling. And it was-

And it was everything.

Grover kissed him back, and when they broke apart he leaned his forehead against Percy’s, relishing in their newfound closeness.

And he loved him.

And he loved him.

And he loved him.

Percy said “I love you.” and it felt so, so natural. So right. So perfect. And he was still looking at Grover’s eyes. Only his eyes. 

And it felt so natural- No, too natural, when Grover responded, “I love you too.”