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The mission itself was quite simple.
Chiron had summoned them for a reconnaissance mission in ruins located in a forest that mortals used for camping and hiking trails. The reports were that something was affecting these mortals and making them act strangely for a few hours.
Jason was calm about it; after all, they had faced things much worse than something just confusing people, with no apparent injuries.
Percy was beside him, a bored look on his face.
— I don't know why Chiron sent us on such a boring mission. This is something the younger campers should be doing — Percy grumbled, dodging a branch.
Jason chuckled, looking amused at the demigod beside him.
— Should I remind you that you were the one who told him you only wanted easy missions now? — he reminded Percy, who huffed.
— But it didn't have to be this easy, right? I mean, it can't even be a monster or anything, because the mortals aren't getting hurt — he replied, grumpy.
— Some god must have forgotten a magical object or something — Jason agreed.
They continued walking in silence for a while longer, with an occasional huff from Percy every few minutes.
When they finally reached the ruins, they circled the area looking for monsters or anything potentially dangerous, but found nothing that could be causing so much commotion.
— There's nothing even here — Percy stated, crossing his arms. — Just these stupid flowers.
Jason looked at the aforementioned flowers. They looked like daisies, but the petals were much larger than usual, and they had an almost imperceptible glow around them, which was definitely strange.
— Maybe the flowers are what's causing the problems — Jason said, crouching down to observe them better, but not daring to get too close.
Percy rolled his eyes.
— I don't think flowers can cause this effect — he walked past Jason and went to the middle of the flowers, plucking one from the grass and examining it closely.
— Percy, don't get so close. You don't know what might happen.
Percy looked at him skeptically, an ironic smile on his lips.
— It's just a flower, Jason. It's not going to suddenly attack me, stop worrying for nothing.
Jason saw the moment the wind blew and the flower's pollen spread in the air, causing Percy to inhale it.
The son of Poseidon sneezed and put both hands on his head, dropping the flower back to the ground.
— Percy? Are you okay? — Jason asked, concerned.
Percy looked up at Jason and blinked a few times, as if trying to focus his vision.
— Yeah, I'm just… a little dizzy, I think — he replied, shaking his head and staggering slightly as he moved out of the flowers and back towards the son of Jupiter. — Well, maybe it really is the flowers.
Jason still looked at him worriedly but didn't comment on it.
— We should isolate the area to prevent more mortals from being affected by these flowers — Jason said, thoughtfully.
— We don't have anything here right now to do that. I think we should go back to Camp, make a report for Chiron, and he can decide what needs to be done about it — Percy replied, his gaze still a little unfocused, as he started walking in the direction they had come, his steps still somewhat unsteady.
— Yes, you're right — Jason paused for a moment, holding Percy's arm. — Are you sure you're okay? Has the dizziness passed?
Percy waved his hand as if it were nothing too important and pulled away from Jason's grip.
— You worry too much. Relax, I'm fine. If I feel anything, I'll let you know, you can rest assured — Percy started walking again, and Jason shrugged, walking behind him.
When they were almost back at Camp, Percy simply toppled forward, and Jason caught him at the last second before he hit his face directly on the ground.
Jason huffed, annoyed.
— This is because you were going to tell me if you felt anything, right? Idiot! — he muttered to the unconscious Percy.
He picked up the son of Poseidon bridal style and continued walking, already seeing the hill of Camp and quickening his pace.
As soon as he arrived, he took Percy straight to the infirmary. Will, as soon as he saw them, sighed and pointed to an empty bed. Jason gently laid Percy down, watching him frown before settling down, still unconscious.
— I think it's amazing how you guys always end up coming back. What happened to him this time? — Will asked, approaching with a clipboard and pen.
— He inhaled the pollen of a weird flower, felt dizzy, and ended up fainting on the way back a while later — Jason replied, looking fondly at the unconscious son of Poseidon, who was drooling on the bed's pillow.
Will made some notes before nodding and looking back at Jason.
— Well, those flowers must have some kind of magic. I recommend you go make your report to Chiron, and then you can come back to wait for him to wake up — the son of Apollo said, taking the stethoscope off his neck, ready to examine Percy.
Jason nodded, already leaving the infirmary.
~
Jason turned his head when he saw movement on the bed and saw Percy blinking several times, as if the light in the room bothered his eyes, and lifting his head.
— Percy! Thank the gods — Jason hugged him, letting his concern show in his voice. — You've been unconscious for hours, you idiot. Don't do that again.
Jason pulled away, seeing Percy just looking at him, seeming a little confused, but slowly offering a smile as he sat up.
— Annabeth, the best friend in the world! It's so good you're here, you're exactly who I wanted to talk to — Percy replied, his words a little slurred, almost as if he were drunk.
Jason tilted his head, confused.
— Huh, Percy, I'm not Annabeth. It's me, Jason, your boyf… — Jason was silenced by a finger on his lips.
Percy laughed, looking a little spaced out, which made Jason frown.
— Don't be silly, Annie. It's clearly you, I'm not that dizzy — Percy analyzed him a little closer, bringing their faces as close as possible without touching. — Your eyes are a little different, but it's clearly you.
Percy pulled back to a normal distance again, looking at the ceiling for a while, as if questioning where he should start.
— But you're right about one thing. I really wanted to talk to you about Jason — Percy finally said, looking back at Jason.
The son of Jupiter swallowed hard, feeling his heart race. What did Percy want to talk about him for?
— Sure, you can talk — Jason replied, deciding he wanted to see how far this situation would go.
Percy sighed dramatically.
— For months, I've noticed how amazing he is. Like, really amazing! — he began, his tone a little dreamy. — He's all handsome and strong, he also has that bossy thing, and he thinks he's intimidating me, but it's just really sexy and makes me want to jump him and kiss him madly.
Jason raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak, but Percy put his finger on his lips again, silencing him.
— Let me finish talking before you criticize me — Percy said, taking his finger away and placing both interlaced hands in front of his chest, while looking at the ceiling. — He also has that wonderful smile, all white and straight, with those slightly more prominent canines that give him a kind of… wild air? I don't know. And he has that blond hair that looks like golden threads when it shines in the sun. Oh, and that smell of ozone that he naturally exudes? As strange as it sounds, I think it's wonderful, and I could spend hours just burying my nose in him, absorbing everything. It's totally addictive for me.
Percy sighed, looking away at the window on the infirmary wall, his dull green eyes with dilated pupils.
— And how to forget the main thing? He has those blue eyes that are so incredible! They get as clear as a summer day when he's happy, but they darken like a stormy sky when he's angry or during a fight. They're so wonderful that I wouldn't mind spending hours looking at them non-stop — Percy sighed once more, his gaze turning to Jason, who was listening to everything with his mouth agape, not quite knowing how to react to so many compliments. — Do you think there's any chance he likes me the same way?
Jason looked at Percy a little stunned, clearing his throat to regain his composure.
— You need to rest, Percy. I'll call Will to let him know you're awake, and as soon as he releases you, we'll go back to your cabin to discuss this better. Does that sound good to you? — Jason asked, already getting up from the armchair where he was sitting and heading towards the door.
Percy smiled a little weakly, nodding at him.
— Go ahead, Annie. I'll wait for you right here.
Jason chuckled, shaking his head. This would make a good story.
~
The next time Percy woke up, he was lying in his bed in cabin three.
It was dark outside, and his head was pressed against a strong chest that Percy immediately recognized as his boyfriend's by the faint scent of ozone, which made him just snuggle closer, feeling a hand start to stroke his hair while the other was firmly wrapped around his waist.
— Finally awake, huh? — Jason's voice was low and husky, which made Percy shiver.
The son of Poseidon just mumbled something unintelligible and buried his nose in Jason's neck, inhaling the wonderful scent that came from him. Percy loved that smell.
Jason gave a low chuckle, and Percy was a little confused.
— Want to spend hours with your nose buried there, just absorbing my "addictive scent"? — Jason asked, amused.
Percy lifted his face from where it was before, looking at his boyfriend with a raised eyebrow.
— What? — the son of Poseidon felt himself blush, frowning, confused by the question, which was too specific to be random.
Jason smiled in a playful and mischievous way that Percy knew very well – the kind of smile that always preceded some teasing or joke. Jason's blue eyes sparkled with a contained joy.
— Oh, nothing much — Jason replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. — Just some little things you were confessing while you thought I was your "best friend in the world."
Percy blinked several times, trying to process the information. His "best friend in the world"? He only called Annabeth that when he wanted something from her. Could the effects of the flower still be affecting him?
— I… I was talking to Annabeth? Was she here? — Percy asked, sitting up in bed and looking around the dark cabin, as if expecting to see the daughter of Athena emerge from some corner.
Jason chuckled softly, sitting up on the bed too, still with one arm wrapped around Percy's waist.
— No, sweetheart. You were quite convinced that I was Annabeth. And apparently, you had many important things to tell me about… well, about me.
Percy's blush deepened, his cheeks looking like ripe strawberries. He had a vague feeling he wasn't going to like what was coming.
— And what exactly did I say? — Percy asked, his voice now a mere thread. He dreaded the answer.
Jason tightened his embrace a little, pressing his lips to Percy's ear and whispering with an exaggeratedly passionate tone:
— Oh, things like how "really amazing" I am. And how I'm "all handsome and strong." Not to mention that part where you confessed to having a "crazy urge to jump me and kiss me madly" every time I'm bossy with you.
Percy groaned and tried to burrow further into Jason's chest, as if he could disappear there. The vague memory of a confused conversation in the infirmary began to surface in his mind, but the details were hazy.
— Jason… please, don't… — Percy murmured, shame consuming him, already knowing his boyfriend would never let him live this down.
But Jason wasn't finished. He pulled back a little so he could look into Percy's eyes, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips.
— And let's not forget my "wonderful smile, all white and straight, with slightly more prominent canines that give me a wild air." That part was quite specific, I must admit. I was even a little flattered by your… detailed observation of my dental arch.
Percy covered his face with his hands, muffling a groan of pure humiliation. He wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole right there.
— And my hair? Oh, yes! "Golden threads that shine in the sun." I loved the metaphor. Who knew you had such a poetic side when you're under the influence of weird flower magic?
Jason gently removed Percy's hands from his face, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement.
— But my favorite part — Jason continued, his voice now softer but still with a hint of teasing, as he placed his other arm around Percy. — Was when you talked about my eyes. I didn't know you paid so much attention that you noticed subtle changes in their color according to my mood. And I'm glad to know you could spend hours just looking at them, non-stop.
Percy felt his face heat up even more, if that was even possible. He vaguely remembered the events but had no idea he had expressed himself so… effusively.
— Okay, okay! I get it! — Percy exclaimed, trying to pull away from Jason but being stopped by his boyfriend's strong arms, which were wrapped around his waist. — I was confused, the magic made me say stupid things. Just forget about it, please.
Jason chuckled and kissed Percy's forehead affectionately.
— Never. I'm going to save these confessions of yours to use at opportune moments. Just imagine the possibilities… so many opportunities to tease you!
Percy rolled his eyes but couldn't help a small smile. Deep down, despite the embarrassment, it was a little funny to know how much his true feelings had come through, even if under a bizarre magical effect.
— You're impossible — Percy murmured, snuggling back into Jason's embrace, giving up on trying to break free.
— And you think I'm incredibly handsome and addictive. We're even — Jason replied, kissing the top of Percy's head.
In the end, Percy learned his lesson. Never sniff bright flowers again. Never!