#soft percy

Camp Half-Blood was finally quiet.

The bonfires had burned down to glowing embers, music had faded into the night, and most of the campers had stumbled back toward their cabins, exhausted from another celebration that had somehow involved grape juice, dancing, sing-alongs, and one very enthusiastic satyr attempting to crowd surf.

You, however...

Were pleasantly tipsy.

Not drunk.

Just enough that everything seemed a little brighter, a little funnier, and your feet refused to walk in straight lines.

Percy had volunteered—well, more accurately, Annabeth had volunteered him—to make sure you actually made it back to Cabin Twelve.

He was beginning to regret agreeing.

"You know," Percy said as he reached out to steady you for what had to be the fifth time in as many minutes, "most people walk toward the cabin."

"I am."

"You just tried to follow a rabbit."

"It looked trustworthy."

"It was a squirrel."

You squinted back toward the trees.

"...Traitor."

Percy laughed, shaking his head as you continued down the path.

"You okay?"

"Mhm."

"Liar."

"I'm walking."

"Barely."

You gasped dramatically.

"I am graceful."

"You almost hugged a tree."

"It looked lonely."

The first raindrop landed on your nose.

Then another.

Within seconds, the skies opened.

A summer storm.

Warm.

Heavy.

The kind that soaked everything almost instantly.

Percy looked up with a groan.

"Oh, come on..."

The rain came down harder, drumming against the dirt paths and rooftops around camp.

He reached for your hand.

"C'mon. Let's run."

You didn't move.

Instead, you stood in the middle of the path, face tilted toward the sky, eyes closed as the rain splashed against your cheeks.

"...Y/N?"

You smiled.

"It's nice."

"It is wet."

"It's rain."

"Exactly."

You slowly opened one eye before turning to look at him.

"Dance with me, Jackson."

Percy blinked.

"...What?"

"Dance."

"Right now?"

You spread your arms as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yes."

"We're in the middle of a storm."

"So?"

"We're going to look like rain-soaked rats."

A grin spread across your face.

"You scared of a little water, Fish Boy?"

Percy let out an offended laugh.

"I'm literally the son of Poseidon."

"Mhm."

"You know... the sea god?"

"So I've heard."

"I can't exactly be scared of water."

You raised an eyebrow.

"Then prove it."

He sighed the sigh of a man who already knew he'd lost.

"You are impossible."

"And yet..."

You held out your hand.

"...You're still standing here."

Percy looked at your outstretched hand for all of two seconds before taking it.

Your face lit up immediately.

"There he is."

"You are so lucky you're cute."

"I know."

"I didn't say you were cute."

"You thought it."

"I absolutely did not."

"You smiled."

"I smile all the time."

"Not like that."

He rolled his eyes, but he couldn't stop smiling.

The rain plastered his dark hair against his forehead as he gently pulled you closer.

"I should warn you..."

"I don't know how to dance."

You laughed.

"Neither do I."

"So what's the plan?"

"We make it up."

"That... actually explains a lot about you."

There wasn't any music.

Only rain.

The steady rhythm of water against leaves.

The distant rumble of thunder.

The sound of your laughter.

You rested your head against Percy's shoulder as the two of you swayed in lazy circles in the middle of the empty path.

Neither of you cared how ridiculous you looked.

Your shoes squished with every step.

Percy's Camp Half-Blood shirt was completely soaked.

Your hair clung to your face.

Somewhere, one of the harpies yelled at the two of you to get inside.

Neither of you listened.

You looked up at Percy with sleepy eyes and a crooked smile.

"I like rain."

"I noticed."

"It smells good."

"It does."

"It makes everything quieter."

Percy looked around.

She was right.

The rain muffled the sounds of camp until it felt like the two of you were the only people in the world.

"You know..." you murmured, absentmindedly tracing circles against the sleeve of his shirt, "you're really pretty."

Percy nearly tripped over his own feet.

"...What?"

"You have nice eyes."

He blinked.

"And..."

You poked his cheek.

"...You're warm."

"I thought you were tipsy."

"I am."

"So you're saying things you don't mean."

You frowned.

"No."

The answer came so quickly it caught him off guard.

"I always mean nice things."

His heart did something embarrassing.

A clap of thunder rolled overhead.

You jumped instinctively.

Before you even realized what you were doing, you had stepped closer, your hands bunching lightly in the front of Percy's shirt.

He didn't tease you.

Didn't laugh.

He simply rested a hand against the small of your back.

"You okay?"

"Mhm."

"You sure?"

"I don't like thunder."

"I've got you."

Three simple words.

Spoken so casually.

Yet somehow they settled every anxious thought buzzing through your head.

You looked up at him.

"You always do."

Percy wasn't sure if you even realized what you'd said.

Judging by the soft smile on your face...

Probably not.

By the time the rain finally eased, the two of you were absolutely drenched.

Percy wrung out the bottom of his shirt with a sigh.

"I was right."

You looked at him innocently.

"About what?"

"We look like rain-soaked rats."

You took a step back, looking him up and down with exaggerated seriousness.

"...You know..."

"What?"

"I think you're more of an otter."

Percy laughed so hard he had to bend over.

"An otter?"

"Mhm."

"And what are you?"

You considered the question.

Then smiled proudly.

"A raccoon."

"A raccoon?"

"The fancy kind."

"There are fancy raccoons?"

"There are now."

Percy shook his head, still laughing as he reached over to brush a rain-soaked curl away from your face.

"You are unbelievable."

You leaned into his hand without thinking.

"So I've been told."

For a moment, neither of you moved.

Rainwater dripped from the ends of your hair.

The storm had passed.

The stars were beginning to peek through the clouds.

Percy smiled—softly this time.

"Let's get you back to your cabin before you catch a cold."

You slipped your hand into his without hesitation.

"Only if we race."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You've been walking sideways for the last ten minutes."

"So you're saying I get a head start."

Before he could answer, you took off toward Cabin Twelve, laughing the entire way.

Percy watched you for half a second before chasing after you.

"You cheated!"

"You agreed to the race too slowly!"

"You literally started before saying 'go!'"

"Skill issue, Jackson!"

Your laughter echoed across camp long after the storm had ended, warm enough to make Percy think that maybe...