Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/429268. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians_-_Rick_Riordan Relationship: Luke_Castellan/Percy_Jackson Stats: Published: 2012-01-01 Words: 3967 ****** Nepenthe ****** by pretense Summary "Percy, we're enemies, I get that, but why the ever-living Hell are you going through my underwear drawer?" Notes Originally posted here. [Nepenthe by pretense] =============================================================================== Annabeth Chase is pointedly avoiding Percy Jackson. Oh she's glad that he came back in one piece, alright, but that doesn't mean that she had to act happy about it (even if she was). You don't just vanish after causing a volcanic eruption and then come back two weeks later all patched up and smiling. After worrying herself sick, Annabeth was completely justified in giving Percy the silent treatment; see how he likes it not having contact. Stupid seaweed brain, would it have hurt if he at least sent a stupid message in a bottle to say 'Oh I'm just chilling out with a hot personal nurse on an uncharted island, be right back'. Percy decides it best to let her have her silence. He has bigger things to worry about, like his mom, and Tyson, and Grover – oh, and Luke, too. Can't forget about the crazy dude with daddy issues trying to destroy the world. It was Friday night but there's no game of Capture the Flag; demigods went about fixing their armors, sharpening their weapons, and rehearsing fighting moves after dinner. There's no time for a sing-along either. Everything is grim and solemn just like the almost-funeral they had for the son of Poseidon earlier. Percy wanders off to the beach, wading in barefooted until the waters reached his knees. It wasn't as calming as he'd thought it'd be and to be perfectly honest Percy was tired. Percy's tired of laying his life on the line, of worrying his mom every time he stepped out the door, of fearing an attack at every street corner. Maybe it's just a post-trauma thing, maybe it's just adolescence, maybe he's just really, really tired. "Pity, such a pretty face looking so glum." Percy jumps at the voice, spinning around and whisking out Anaklusmos from his pocket, ready to strike whoever it was that had crept up on him. On the beach, perched on top of a rock, was a teenager around his age with a broad build and piercing ebony eyes. He looked completely harmless if not for the fact that Percy's never seen him before at camp. With the current situation, the kid was most likely a foe because no one just turns up to say 'Hello' to Percy. Ever. Celestial bronze gleams under the moonlight as Percy raises his sword. "Whoa, hey, I'm not here to fight," the guy raises his palms in a show of non- threat. "I'm here to help…" "Help?" Pardon him if he doesn't quite believe that. "To help you, darling, who else?" The guy winks and Percy, for all he was worth, lowered his sword. He's intrigued, damn it. The stranger walks over, stepping into the surf leather boots and all. To Percy's credit, he had the guy surrounded – water was his element so if this nameless dude tries anything funny, Percy could retaliate easy. Only, he didn't expect to be pulled close and have a foreign tongue shoved into his mouth. Demigod training never had a lesson on what to do when gorgeous guys start kissing you from out of the blue, so Percy relies on instinct. He kisses back. It ends quickly. The guy smiles a knowing smile. "Do you see me, Percy?" Percy blinks, trying to focus. He sees eyes of blue and the ghost of a non- existent scar. He breathes out a name and a finger presses against his lips as he tried to dive in for another kiss. "I'm not him," the guy teases. "But he's out there, darling, so go get him." "I – I will." Percy nods, backing off into deeper waters. In a matter of seconds the Sound had engulfed the demigod completely, not a ripple or splash clueing in to where he'd been… or to where he was going. The lone teenager by the beach snaps his fingers and disappears. -o-o-o- Luke enters his suite – he needs a freaking break from his taking over the cosmos crap. He'd barely closed the door when he gets knocked-out with a blow to the back of his head. -o-o-o- His first sensation is the dull throbbing in his head in spite of the soft pillow underneath it. He attempts to rub his temples and burrow under the covers but finds himself held down on both hands… and on both feet. "What the–" Luke opens his eyes, confirming his position – spread-eagled on his bed with ropes securing his limbs to the bedposts. The rolling sound of drawers catches his attention and he finds an unexpected (you might say, the least expected) guest. "Percy." Luke drops the name, a jumble of emotions falling flat when he realizes the younger demigod riffling through his clothes. His mind just sort of short-circuited at that. "We're enemies, I get that, but why the ever-living Hell are you going through my underwear drawer?" "Isn't this where you stash lube?" Percy sits back on his haunches, pulling his hand out from the stacks of neatly folded boxers and undershirts. Luke has no idea how Percy just asked him that with a straight face. Luke has no idea how Percy got here in the first place and what his intention was… aside from apparently searching for lube. Actually, Luke doesn't want to know about that last part. Right now, nothing made sense to him. "I hit my head and I am hallucinating," Luke mutters, earning him a delightful peal of laughter from the teen on the floor. Percy settles on the bed and drapes his upper body over Luke's chest, setting his chin atop his crossed arms and smiling. "That's cute. Now how about this for hallucination?" He leans over and presses his lips against Luke's. The older demigod froze. Shit, Percy was kissing him. Shit, he wasn't waking up. Shit, he was kissing Percy back. The teen's lips were supple and tasted of strawberries. Luke struggled against the restraints. "Nuh-uh," Percy pulls back slightly, meeting Luke's heated gaze. "You stay still." He goes in for another kiss but Luke averts his face. "I don't understand why you're doing this," Luke says. "Why?" Percy's smile is deceptively innocent. "Because I like you, I've got the hots for you, I fucking want you." "Something is wrong with you," Luke says and Percy kisses him. "I'm serious, Percy, you're not in your right mind." A pout was the reply he got. "What – a teenager's not allowed to be horny anymore?" Luke groans; partly due to exasperation, mostly because he was actually getting turned on by this. "Don't worry, I'll make this good for the both of us," Percy promises, pushing himself off of Luke's chest. He shifts around the bed on his knees, taking a small dagger from the nightstand and then straddling Luke's waist, setting his ass right against the other's groin. "Why do you have that?" Luke eyes the dagger. "For reasons," Percy answers, trailing the blade of the dagger up the center of Luke's abdomen, tearing apart the T-shirt's fabric up to the collar. Setting aside the dagger, Percy peels back the ruined cloth, exposing a tanned muscular front with dusky nipples. He licks his lips, aware of a different type of hunger. Luke moves his hips, that being the only movement current circumstances allowed. His doubts had fallen into disregard in the same manner as his state of clothing because, fuck, having his shirt ripped apart like that? Fucking hot. "Come on." Percy shivers, laying his palms against well-honed abdominal muscles, pushing Luke back down the mattress. Their hips move against each other, sparking fire that elicited two variants of moans. He arches over Luke, hands traveling across warm planes of skin. He trails kisses across pectorals, suckling and biting at perked nipples. He moves higher, pressing words into heated skin, grazing his teeth along Luke's jaw. Luke thrust his tongue into Percy's mouth the first chance he got. He pulls Percy closer by the tongue, tasting the sweetness of strawberries in every crevice. Percy moans around entwined muscles battling for dominance, opening his mouth wider, not quite giving up control. He grabs onto sandy blond hair, asserting his control on the situation. Kiss-swollen red, that was the color of Percy's lips upon finally wrestling his mouth away from Luke. He licks the mixture of their saliva from around his mouth. "Why have we never done this before?" He doesn't wait for an answer, he slides his middle and forefinger into Luke's mouth with an order, "Suck." Luke complies easily, coating the digits with saliva, thinking of something else of Percy's that could be in his mouth. Percy whimpers, grinding down harder at every suction, the friction of denim adding to the heat of Luke's hardness pressing against his ass. His nerves dissolve in a frenzy of heat. He takes back his fingers and is quick to pull off his shirt, tossing it haphazardly to who-knows-where. He unzips his pants and pulls his erection from his briefs. Percy grips himself tight, wet fingers courtesy of Luke form a tight circle and he begins pumping himself. The image of Percy masturbating over him is burned into Luke's retinas and he still cannot bring himself to look away. It was beyond hot… Creamy skin glistened with sweat, red lips uttering melodious moans and jade-colored eyes alight with arousal staring straight back into his own leaving no space for questioning who was on the teenager's mind as he jerked himself off. But Luke isn't content with just watching. He wanted action, he wanted to feel, and damn it to Hades, his pants stopped being comfortable eons ago. "Percy, fuck, g-get my pants off," he orders in the most cohesive way he could muster. The younger demigod's lips form a sly smile; he gives one last groan as he presses his thumb against the slit on the tip of his cock. Percy moves off the bed to shuck off his pants and underwear. He grabs the dagger from the sheets and settles between Luke's spread legs. The zip is pulled down, followed by the cargo pants themselves and then Percy slices it clean in half with the bronze blade. Luke was going to protest about it but then Percy's mouthing at his erection through the stretched fabric of his boxers and he lost coherency again. With one hand, Percy pulls the elastic waistband over the straining erection. He wraps his lips over the tip, sucking the head into his mouth and tasting Luke's precum on his tongue. Luke's back arches off what little that it could from the mattress, the bind of the ropes kept him mostly grounded and gods he hated it but he loved the thrill it gave him. Being unable to take control, unable to do anything as Percy just about has his way with him; he didn't even know he had that kink. Percy is big on eye contact, even now that his mouth was full with Luke's dick, bright green eyes were still on Luke's face and shit Percy looks good. It's been way too long since Luke last got laid and if after this he wouldn't be able to get any for another year, then by all means let it be – as long as it's gonna be Percy again who breaks that dry spell. Luke thrusts shallowly and Percy bobs his head accordingly, humming like it was a fucking playtime activity. Great, now Luke was having even more inappropriate thoughts. "Fuck…" Percy slowly pulls off at that, shooting a sultry gaze at the blond. "Oh we were just getting there." He bunches the boxer's fabric at the right side and runs the bronze blade through it, doing the same to the left and then gathering the pieces and throwing them off the bed along with the dagger. For a moment, Percy simply admires the view – Luke's perfect body, naked and spread-out in front of him, Luke and his huge cock, flushed red and erect practically calling for his mouth around it. Fuck, he wants that dick inside him, hot and pulsing and – oh gods, but no, not today. He had a better idea. "So. Lube. Where is it?" Percy asks, finally tearing his eyes away from Luke's hard-on. Luke's smug expression told Percy that he knew exactly what the son of Poseidon had been thinking about. "Closet, upper shelf," Luke answers and Percy fetches the bottle, returning to his position with a vivid plan in mind. The bottle cap is popped open, dribbling clear unscented liquid down Percy's fingers. He spreads it evenly while his other hand closes the container and places it off to the side. Luke cranes his neck looking down; if Percy was going to finger himself then Luke wants a fucking good view of it. But then Percy grips the base of his cock and Luke's head hits the pillows again. Percy takes him into his mouth, sucking and making all those hot noises again… and then he circle's Luke's entrance with one slicked finger. "Whoa!" Luke jerks away from the cold sensation. "Percy, what the fuck?" Percy stops blowing him, lifting his face wearing a rather annoyed expression. "What?" "What are you doing?" Luke demands though it comes out as more of a mewl. He is invincible, technically-speaking, Percy wouldn't be able to kill him no matter what he did (unless Percy targeted his Achilles' spot but right now Percy was very far from that place). In fact, it actually looked like – "I'm prepping your ass," Percy says bluntly. Well, shit. "I'm not bottoming for you!" Luke says indignantly. Percy bitch-faces him. "Uh, yeah you are." He places one hand on his hip for effect. "After I go through all the trouble of coming here and all, whose dick goes where is my call." He rubbed the pad of his thumb against the rim of muscle of Luke's hole. "If you want my ass, Luke, next time you do all the work." Luke couldn't maintain his glare; the next second Percy is sucking his cock again and at the same time easing a finger inside. Luke squeezes his eyes shut, grimacing at the mix of pleasure and discomfort. Percy diligently works him open until everything feels good and then Percy pulls out his fingers, reaching for the bottle of lube. He coats his own hardness and meets Luke's eyes. "Last words?" There was a hint of challenge in his green eyes and Luke is never one to back down from a challenge. Ever. "Give it to me rough." A shiver wracks Percy's body with excitement. He leans up and engages Luke in an open-mouthed kiss, claiming and overpowering, no finesse whatsoever. Percy settles into position, anchoring his hands on the 'V' of Luke's hips and slamming in all the way to the hilt. He gasps, "Fuck." Luke was tight, so hot and tight, holy shit. Luke's hands grab at the ropes tying him down, his toes curl into the sheets, and his lungs run out of air. The sting of pain overrun with the sensation of having Percy's cock inside of him. Sure, it's never placed on his bucket list before but now that he's experiencing it, well. He wants more. Percy pulls out completely and then pushes back inside, exerting more force, crying out the same broken moan as Luke. The rush of arousal only increased the second time so he goes at it again and again and again and again until the only words left in his vocabulary are 'Fuck' and 'Yeah'. He learns another word as he climaxes. "Luke!" By the time they're both done, Percy pastes himself on top of Luke, their fronts sticking together. He tangles his fingers in sweaty spikes of blond as Luke nibbles on his lower lip. Percy's kisses are sweet again and he falls asleep tucked under Luke's chin. -o-o-o- His first sensation is the erection rubbing against his own. Mm, yeah, right there. He angles his hips and grinds back, pushing down and bumping shafts until he finds release. His lips press a kiss to the warm skin underneath him and a deep voice moans his name. He jolts awake. Percy finds Luke. If that isn't enough to shock him, Luke's wearing an expression of bliss – a very rare look to find on his archenemy's face. Oh, and Luke's underneath him, too. "Shit." He isn't in his cabin – he isn't even in Camp Half-Blood, judging by the air- conditioning system. "Holy shit." He's naked. They're both naked. The wetness surrounding his softening cock tells a pretty big story. "Ho. Ly. Shit." "Three shit-tastic realizations in five seconds, must be a record for you, huh?" Luke asks, amused. Percy jumps at the statement, his right hand reflexively goes for Anaklusmos in his pocket… except he doesn't have a pocket – he doesn't have a single piece of clothing on him. Naturally, his next course of action is to get away from Luke who's watching the unfolding commotion with sly blue eyes. Percy has both feet on the carpet and that still doesn't solve his butt-naked problem. He frantically searches the floor for at least his pants but Luke's cynicism beat him to it. "You undressed on the otherside," Luke quips, noding towards the left-hand side of the bed. Of course, that was the point where Percy's mind just about shut down. He couldn't stop his eyes from staring at the older demigod's fully exposed form. Luke doesn't say a word but his knowing smirk judged Percy all-too accurately. Feeling the blush rise to the tips of his ears, Percy turns his back to Luke and curls into a ball on the floor with his back to the bed. "This is wrong. Damned to seven levels of tartarus wrong. Oh my gods – what am I even doing here?" "Hey, you tell me," Luke calls from behind him. "You're the one who appears out of nowhere, ties me up and–" "Whoa – hold on – what?" Percy turns to Luke, confusion and embarassment reigning on his features. "I did not tie–" Luke pointedly stares at his wrists and then at his ankles. "Wha–" Percy's jaw drops. "But… I don't even… I couldn't have!" "Of course," Luke says sarcastically. "Because I usually do this – tie myself to the bed and then invite my archenemy over for a sleepover. Undo the fucking ropes, Percy." "W-Why should I?" Percy's survival instinct makes an effort to save his dwindling self-respect. "What if you attack me?" "I am stark naked, Percy Jackson," Luke curtly replies. "I do not have a fucking weapon on my person. You can fucking check if you want." "Alright, geez," Percy stands and undoes the ropes on Luke's wrist, moving on to the foot of the bed to free Luke's ankles and then heading to the other side of the headboard to get the other wrist. Luke pulls off the halves of his cargo pants from his thighs and tosses one to Percy. "Clean yourself up," he says, wiping off the semen from his own chest and abdomen. Percy winces as he takes the torn fabric; Luke's T-shirt was sliced up the middle, too. "Um, your clothes, did I–?" "Yes," Luke replies without looking up. He lets his half of the pants fall to the floor when he finishes. He chuckles at finding Percy trying to cover up his manhood. "I've already seen all of you, Percy, no need to act prude now." Cheeks colored an even brighter red and Percy morosely drops the cloth covering his nakedness. He can't understand this at all, the last thing he remembers is meeting someone at Fireworks Beach and now that he thinks about it, even that someone's face was pretty vague. What was he doing here? With Luke, of all people. "I don't remember anything," Percy says, more to himself than to present company. His voice was small and confused and scared. He doesn't even care that Luke sees this side of him. With the way things look, it wouldn't be a far-fetched guess to say that they slept together. Percy froze. Oh hell, did they? He raises troubled green eyes to Luke who was regarding him quietly. "Luke… what happened… d-did we…?" "What? Sex?" Luke helpfully surmised. Percy nodded, already dreading the answer. Luke pursed his lips, seriously considering if he should answer this honestly. Percy looked like he might break if the truth was let out. Luke was… concerned. There, he admitted it. Right now, they weren't soldiers out to kill each other. They were just Luke and Percy with a one-night-stand looming over their heads. "No." Percy looks relieved for a second. His anatomy felt completely normal now that he took time to assess himself; he wasn't sore anywhere, especially back there. Percy concluded that he was still – then he remembers the ropes. And Luke being tied down. Realization was harsh, color completely drains from Percy's face. "Luke… tell me the truth… you said I tied you down…" The older demigod curses inwardly, he was supposed to be a good liar damn it all. "Tell me, Luke. Tell me what I did." "No," Luke reaches out a hand, grabbing Percy's arm. "Don't think about it–" "I can't not think about it," Percy tries to shake off Luke's hold but Luke manages to get him to sit down on the bed. "What I did… Luke, what I did to you–" Luke kisses him, soft and full on the lips. One hand circles Percy's waist and the other cradles his jaw, thumb rubbing comfortingly against Percy's cheek. It was an unfair tactic but Luke can't care less. When they part, their heartbeats are thundering in their ears. "You came unexpectedly, what happened was even more so," Luke whispers. "But I don't regret it." "But I could barely remember," Percy replies in a voice not much higher. "And even if I did, we shouldn't have – those kinds of things… they're not… We've been trying to kill each other for the past two years…" "I know," Luke's smile is bitter. "When the sun rises we'll be back to being enemies again. This won't go anywhere…" Percy kisses him, feather-light and experimental. "I hate this," he murmurs, sounding nearly tearful. "Why does it have to be you?" Luke pulls them to the center of the bed, laying Percy onto the pillows and covering the younger one's body with his own. "I could ask you the same thing." Percy's hands cup his cheeks and he brushes away the fringes of hair from the teen's face. "What if I don't want to fight anymore?" Percy implores, pulling Luke lower. "What if I'm tired of seeing Death on stand-by at every place I step into? What if I just want a break?" "You had your break," Luke says with pitying kindness. "We both had a break. This room, this night, everything that's happened – it's nobody's business but ours." He leans in to capture Percy's lips; a sad sigh marks their parting. "It's not enough," Percy mumbles. "But it's all we've got," Luke finishes, looking equally depressed. He tangles his hand in ebony hair and kisses him deeply. Percy's arms wrap around Luke's neck, removing all space between them. He couldn't remember their first encounter but he was more than ready for the second. As long as the moon was out, they belonged to each other. -o-o-o- Come the break of dawn, Percy's pulling on his Camp T-shirt standing by the porthole while Luke determinedly remained in bed facing the opposite direction. If they do face off with each other in the end – and they will, they both know it – well then, at least no one has to die a virgin. They couldn't afford to meet again like this, never again, yet neither of them wants to say goodbye. So they don't. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!