Honey

In the last two weeks, Percy had been working diligently on bulking his body back up. It was strange to care about what he looked like all of the sudden, but now that he had a boyfriend, it suddenly came more to the forefront of his mind. Being aware that his thinned body was a turn-off to the only person on the planet he wanted to turn on bothered him. Motivation came in strange forms. Every day he made sure to eat extra, and due to finally facing and releasing all the bottled-up trauma, his stomach was acting a little more normal. Every now and then one of the meals didn't stay down, normally whatever he ate before bed, but the eating issue at large was dealt with.

Percy had also returned to training like he used to. With the intake of nutrients came the energy he'd been lacking, so he was more than happy to lift weights and jog as soon as he woke up to work out the negative emotions from the nightly dreams. On those jogs, he'd met a lot of the River Village natives. As unsociable as Percy could be, he had become accustomed to waving to those be passed at the market and working in their yards. Everyone here was a bit on the quiet side, just like him... except one. Right away he'd been forcibly adopted by an outspoken elderly lady appalled by his thin frame. It was awkward at first, but the way she fed him and sent him home with a day's worth of fattening goodies had become a habit now. Percy was eating like a teenage boy in a growth spurt, so all the grandma food disappeared quickly and his body, much to her delight, was filling out nicely.

It'd been two weeks since Percy had more or less vaguely initiated intimacy with Leon only to be turned down. Two weeks wasn't a long time, but it suddenly felt like a never-ending desert so dry that he thought he might shrivel up and die. Was this payback? Payback for the two weeks prior to this one that Percy had kept Leon away? Leon had mentioned being pent up before, but at the time, Percy couldn't relate. He could now. He was downright frustrated, but he wasn't comfortable initiating or making his desires known.

Percy had actually gotten up early this morning and left for Era. The phonecall the day before was short and sweet-- his father hadn't even called himself, using instead his personal attendant-- but it had essentially ruined the whole day. His dread that night had only agitated his already interrupted sleeping pattern, and he'd made no secret that meeting with his father was the last thing he wanted to do right now. Lucarius was an intimidating, cold man that Percy was more than happy to avoid until he could do something to finally impress him. Dressed in a navy tailored suit, he'd departed with a strong face and trembling hands.

Surprisingly, the visit didn't go horribly.The Dagger patriarch had heard of Percy's missed deadlines from miffed clients and about his extended sabbatical from the company and wanted an explanation. It wasn't like his son to be late on any deadlines, let alone take a break from work, so he was rightly concerned. In the end, Percy had had to come clean about going to war in Bellum, leaving out his motivation for going, of course. Instead of being angry, his father reacted with reserved but notable pride. The youngest Dagger son was stunned! His stony father was telling him that he was proud that his youngest had volunteered to fight in an allied country's war and returned victoriously. It was good for the family name. Good for business. There was a little scolding for keeping such a thing secret, but for the most part, it was a surprisingly positive visit.

Percy was riding high as he picked up a few things from his old room and left to return to his little forest paradise with his secret boyfriend. He wasn't one to have much confidence outside of tech and fighting, but today was different. At the moment, he felt like he could do anything, and there was something he wanted very much. Maybe that's why, as he came through he door of Leon's cabin, he headed right for the taller, dark-haired man standing in the kitchen, pulling out one of the chairs at the kitchen table on the way. He could have cared less what he was cooking. In fact, he reached around the man and turned off the stove, then took a step back and started loosening his tie. "Sit," he said in an unusually tense tone. By the look on his face, it probably wasn't apparent that his meeting had gone so well. With his leg bouncing like it was, he seemed frustrated and not in the mood for questions or opposition.

[wc: 826]

"The eggs can wait," Percy nearly growled, eating food being the furthest thing from his mind. There was a correlation here. When the peppermint head was confident, he was a bit aggressive. He'd been so passive lately, it was probably easy to forget that the same man who could tenderly hold Leon while he cried and woke up from his own nightmares in sweaty sobs could also be the same cocky guy who smirked when he dodged punches and irritably tackled people on the off chance that a hit did land. The same Percy who took out over forty Pergrande soldiers on his own with only a bullet to the arm to show for it. This was his Dagger blood on display, as rare as it was. There was a reason why his grandfather, father, and brother could command such fear and respect from nearly everyone they met. It was in Percy too, he just either chose not to use it or didn't know how.

However, a side of Percy that neither he nor Leon was particularly familiar with was horny Percy, let alone sexually frustrated Percy. The bright red blush tinting his cheeks and ears was probably quite the tell, though. Gazing almost hungrily down at the man seated in the kitchen chair, he seemed to be deliberating as he chewed on his bottom lip. Percy knew he was going to lose his nerve if he didn't do something about those beautiful eyes of Leon's. Maybe he would have made his own move by now (he wouldn't have) if those intense golden hues weren't trained on him as if analyzing every atom he was made of. He loved them. They looked like honey, warm and comforting, while also thrilling and tangy. But they also devastated him and made him self-conscious, especially in areas he was inexperienced with. "Why do you look so scared?" he wanted to know, unaware of the irritable vibe he was putting off. He was never really particularly aware of what his face and body were doing when he was focused or in deep thought (or ever), so he really couldn't understand the response, but also didn't want to make a distraction of it.

Hopefully what he did next could clear things up. "Close your eyes," he commanded, not waiting for an answer. Pulling something out of his pocket, he stepped behind Leon and tied a thick blindfold around his head, covering his eyes. He used this back when Wallard was training him to use senses outside of vision to fight. He knew for sure it would keep Leon from being able to see him. He then stepped back around and straddled the man in the chair, facing him. "Go with me on this," he spoke, voice a little strained and husky. His fingers rose to trail over the scars on his lover's face, taking a really close look at his features now that there were no eyes on him. He pressed his lips to one scar, leaving a trail of light kisses across his cheek to the corner of Leon's mouth. There he paused, peering at those lips that left him breathless for only a moment before he took Leon's mouth, hesitantly at the start but deepening soon after. This was the first time Percy had initiated a kiss on his own, or really any sort of affection other than holding hands, not including actions taken to comfort during a fit, of course.

A bit breathless, Percy pulled away after a moment, curious about what Leon thought about it. Pressing his lips to Leon's earlobe this time, he gave it a nibble. "Well, am I attractive yet?" he asked in a low voice, feeling quite full of himself. "Are you done blue-balling me?"

[wc: 628 || total: 2020]

"Yes. Right here as long as you leave that blindfold on," Percy answered, still at his ear, though his mouth did stretch into a grin at Leon's enthusiasm and interested hands. His body was on fire as he practically blushed all over. Turning him down now felt like it'd kill him. Agreeing was the correct response, so Percy would reward him with another kiss. Cupping Leon's face in his hands, he pressed his lips back to Leon's for a passionate, lingering kiss full of the desire his expressions and body language refused to manifest in a way that Leon (or anyone) could read. Percy wasn't able to replicate the intensity and strength of Leon's style of kissing, so he made his own style as if his lover's mouth was the best treat he had ever savored, complete with some throaty hums of appreciation.

He'd gotten quite lost in making out with his boyfriend, but the need for air brought him back to the plans he had. Panting, he pulled away with a pleased smirk. Yes, that's how he'd wanted to kiss him for ages now, but one look from Leon's wolfish eyes had him so weak in the knees that he melted before he could ever get the confidence to go for it. How rebellious to sneak off to do something like this right after he earned some of his much sought-after approval from the head of the Dagger family! He just felt so good that he had to spend his energy on the man he loved.

Kissing wasn't enough. Though he had a couple more things left to try, there was one thing he'd been mulling over since their first time. He'd never taken off a dress shirt and tie so fast. He tossed it somewhere behind him, then pulled Leon's shirt up and over his head as well, careful not to knock the black fabric from his eyes. With more skin exposed, he took his time giving it a good look over, touching where he felt like touching. It almost felt wrong to love someone so much that just brushing fingers over his skin sent little shocks up his spine. Leaning down, Percy picked a spot on Leon's neck, slightly below most shirt collars so it could be hidden, and marked his lover with gentle but persistent attention from his teeth and tongue. Pulling away with a pop of his lips as he released the tender flesh, he admired his work with a low groan. "Mmmph... I'm more impatient than I thought," he mumbled more to himself than the man he straddled. His hands started to snake lower on his torso. "Ready, Leon?" he asked, sounding absolutely devilish.

[wc: 450 || total: 2950]

The sweaty, flushed, panting man beneath was still trembling with both exhaustion and pleasure. Essentially, his mind was blown. "Wow is right," he huffed, grinning as well. Alright, the wait might have sucked, but that was worth it. With a tired put purely joyful laugh, Percy wore the most pleased look on his face as he finally reached up and pushed the blindfold up to free one of Leon's eyes from darkness. There was a moment where he still seemed smug, but as soon as he saw that golden eye, he started to falter.

Curse his piercing eyes and how they undid him. Percy realized too late the consequences and implications of his actions. To deprive one sense was to heighten another, but at the time he'd only been concerned with depriving Leon of his sight with the tradeoff being a hopefully heightened physical sensitivity for his boyfriend. He'd been counting mostly on taking comfort in being able to let his face do whatever it wanted without shame so he could experiment and learn. It only hit him just now that it was highly likely his sense of hearing had also become more sensitive and meant Leon had heard the frankly louder noises he'd been making. Yes, his lover seemed to enjoy what had just happened, but... as he melted a little under the gaze, he raised his hands to hide his face as he turned bright red from the neck up. Percy had been wild and unusually involved...but at least he knew he could do it.

Sitting up, he pressed a quick peck on Leon's lips in passing as he slipped out from under him onto wobbly legs. He was quick to put his pants back on. After all that activity, he'd worked up quite the appetite... and a sore body. The confidence was still there, since he didn't even bother to put on his shirt, but the furious blushing didn't seem to want to go away. No amount of confidence could get rid of his pesky bashfulness. "S-So, I've had a really g-great day so far. How about you... h-honey?" he asked, stepping back over to turn the stove back on while trying desperately to seem nonchalant about the term of endearment attempt.

[wc: 375 || total: 3694]

The man simpered in Leon's embrace, turning around in his arms to peer up at his lover. Leon returning the term of endearment was unfamiliar, but he couldn't say he didn't like it. If anything, it sorta squeezed his insides in a special way. Maybe he should try others later. Percy wasn't sure if he'd ever felt so blissfully happy. Literally the only things that would make it better would be if the nightmares would stop and if he could be honest with his family about his boyfriend. For now, he would certainly take accomplishing the one singular goal he'd had for the majority of his life. It was such a colossal relief that Percy hardly knew what to do with it or himself. He'd worked for it so long, did he even know how to function without striving for it?

"Well," he started, grinning despite himself, "I spoke to my father about my extended absence from the company and the deadlines I've missed. At first he was a bit cross with me, he and my brother have been working a lot and I was just gone, but when I explained about getting magic and fighting in the war, he... he said he was proud of me," Percy explained, almost looking like the small child that had desperately craved his father's acknowledgement and approval. Coiled fingers rose and pressed to his mouth to try and suppress the goofy smiling. "That's... all I really ever wanted," he admitted, feeling moisture prickling his good eye. "I worked so hard, but I didn't think I'd ever really get it. Does that make sense? Like I had to get it, but it seemed like it would never happen, but now it has... It feels so nice. And a little scary. I'm so... happy!" he leaned forward, pressing his forehead into Leon's chest.

[wc: 308 || total: 4364]

It also felt almost magical to have someone to support him as Leon had. "Aah, you have to say that because you love me," he play-whined, wriggling his body against Leon's and laughing. In a way, this was the first functioning family he'd ever known, just the two young men and their pets. Real family, the type that laughs and cries together, that fight each other and for each other. Artemis and Percy did all that brothers could really do, but in a way, Percy had also always looked at him as both the goal to strive for and a rival. He wanted to stand toe-to-toe with his brother on that towering Dagger pillar and become just as powerful of a left hand as Arty was as his father's right hand. There were quite a few things he couldn't discuss with him. Aside from his older brother, there wasn't much else. Their elder sister had been gone for longer than she lived with them at this point. Their mother was cold and detached in a different way than their father's similar qualities. When Artemis was busy, and he almost always was, Percy had no one to celebrate even his smallest steps forward with. Now he had someone swaying back and forth, locking him in a happy bear hug even though he hated the Daggers. Honestly, that was okay. Percy snorted to himself, because in some way or another, he hated most of them, too.

"No, not yet," Percy answered, pulling his face from the warm chest he adored. He returned his bright eyes to Leon's. "He wasn't exactly thrilled that I'm dealing with trauma, what with the weakness that implies, but otherwise my victory is excusing my...issues. He knows I can't keep up the quality work I do with hands that are shaking this badly," he said, pulling his arms from around Leon to hold them up and show the trembling mess they'd become. Even so, his chest was so swollen with pride that he couldn't even worry about being unable to perform his job. Delicate circuit boards and surgeries could wait a bit. "I can't take too long, of course, but I'm clear to take another month or two until I can get the steadiness back in my hands. He'd rather brag about his son that volunteered to fight in an ally's victorious battle than make apologies for lower-quality or faulty products." It sounded cold, and honestly, it was, but Percy hadn't expected anything more. Simply the words 'I'm proud of you, you displayed the strength of the Daggers' as poised as they were meant everything. It was the best he could hope for. There would never be a hug, no dad belly laughing and shoulder clapping, no 'That's my boy!' or anything so personable and familiar. No, all the affection he'd receive would come from this one special person he gazed at with such admiration and love. "You have to put up with me goofing off a little while longer, I'm afraid."

[wc: 504 || total: 5221]

A blush was quick to reemerge on Percy's cheeks at the playful butt grab and suggestive words. "Y-Yeah," he smiled, reaching up to tug on a strand of his bangs. Of course, it flustered him, though not quite as much as before since he'd just finished terrorizing Leon in his own way. No, now that he'd figured out a few things, there was a smoldering fire in his own as he met Leon's sharpened stare and he dared not speak anything else in response, or else those eggs were never going to get eaten.

It was good to see his boyfriend in high spirits again. There for a bit, he thought the goofy and rogueish smiles had vanished forever, buried under guilt and darkness. It felt nice that he was sexually interested in Percy again, more than he'd ever thought it could. As a man who had paid little to no attention to romance and sex, he was getting used to a certain amount of both of those things. He craved Leon's attention from the moment of their first kiss, no, from the very first time Leon had combed his fingers through his hair even though he looked and felt like death from BOVID. Not getting much of it despite laying at his side for two whole weeks was a cruelty he hoped not to repeat. He may not seem it often, but he was a hot-blooded male that just got a little bit of a late start on things. Though the various facets of their relationship started off in an awkward and dark place, now that they were healing, it felt like they were finally hitting their stride, where they were able to love on each other and exist as a normal, happy couple instead of pressured by uncertainty and desperation. Now this felt truly good. It felt secure. Who knew, maybe soon they could go on a real, normal date. It was funny how their relationship was backwards like that.

Masking his disappointment that Leon was re-clothing himself (part of him had been hoping he'd put on just an apron if anything at all), he watched as the cook busied himself in the kitchen. He had just started daydreaming about the apron thing when Leon's question brought him back to the present. "Hm?" he asked, his distracted brain taking an extra moment to process the sounds. "Oh, uh, no. Arty wasn't there. He and Father had so much work to do while I was gone that he's probably catching up on his own affairs that fell behind. Plus, he never sticks around the estate unless he absolutely has to. None of us do," he said in a neutral tone, though a smile was still playing on his mouth. He'd have loved to see him but hadn't expected to. "Normally I'd feel bad for making them do my portion of the work, but... I'm being selfish right now. I just can't get over that I...I made it. Maybe I'll try to catch up with him later. I'm sure he'll be shocked, especially about my magic..." He trailed off, just standing in the middle of the kitchen in a daze, deep in thought.

[wc: 533 || total: 6340]

Perhaps he’d have thought about his answer a little more if he hadn’t already been diving so deeply into his own thoughts. Somewhere in there he knew how Leon felt about him buying things for him, since the man seemed deeply independent about taking care of himself. It probably stemmed from that servant mentality that had been literally bred into him. Still, distracted Percy, who even on his most mentally present day barely cared about money, answered straight away. “Of course, I would. Do you have somewhere in mind?” he asked absently, and the fact that the question didn’t even jolt him out of his dazed musings probably more of a testament to his disregard of wealth than anything. It took virtually no brain power and caused no alarm to be asked such a thing because, well, he had accumulated so much jewel in his own right that he could probably never spend it all. Aside from the Rose Garden home, a few vehicles, and what he spent researching and inventing in his personal time, Percy didn’t buy very much for a rich person. So his jewel just kept accumulating faster than he could find anything to spend it on. He really didn’t need much, and as Leon could see before the war, his home’s furnishings were mostly impersonal and minimalistic.

After a few moments, he pulled himself out of trying to imagine what his life would be like without the overwhelming pressure to measure up and looked more curiously at his lover. That was a bit of a random, out-of-character question. Was he serious or was this hypothetical? “But you rarely let me buy you anything, let alone ask for it. Something on your mind?” Percy asked, head tilting. Was he about to bring up the Sugar Daddy thing again? Because, despite how nine out of ten criteria for that fit, it was still absurd given how much they loved each other. He had no doubts that Leon would love him even if he was dirt poor, and Percy certainly hadn’t hired him on as his assistant with the intent of sexual favors and attention...

[wc: 356 || total: 7126]

Percy's eyes widened as Leon glared at him, then came over to start smooshing his cheeks. "Whaaaat?" he whined, then closed his eyes and wrinkled his nose as Leon continued to pinch and smoosh. What was so bad about spending jewel on people? He had plenty for himself and strangers didn't seem to have any aversion to him buying one of everything for them at a diner, bags of new clothes, or paying for a whole year's rent for a nice apartment. The one person he'd actually like to spend on wouldn't let him. Despite his lover's admonishment, Percy would love nothing more than to spoil him. If only he wasn't so opposed to it.

Taking mild offense to the last jab, Percy bristled. "Of course, I did! There was..." he huffed and puffed his cheeks against Leon's hands, but soon let the air out as his eyes grew thoughtful, then progressed to some sort of combination between sheepishness and sadness. His brother didn't count. There was the girl from school, but she was older than him and definitely hadn't had any interest in being his friend, let alone girlfriend. Lila was just an obligatory acquaintance. The guys at the parties were Artemis's friends that put up with him for his brother's sake or thought he was entertaining to mess with. There wasn't one friend from his childhood. With a light laugh to soften his own embarrassment, the peppermint head shrugged. "No, none at all," he said with a small smile, truly starting to see the repercussions of his tunnel vision clearly for the first time. "Some rich kids my age would either play with me, like Lila, or torment me, like her brothers and their friends, but only when our parents were together. Otherwise... I didn't have time."

Time. Right now it still felt worth it. He was still thrilled he'd achieved his dream. But at the same time, he could see how every bright light cast a shadow. Until very recently, he'd had no friends, no social life, no non-Dagger approved hobbies, or interest in anything outside of work and magic. He still had a job to do and would still invent stuff, he had to maintain this newly grasped validation, but it didn't hold the frantic pressure like before. What now? How would and should his life change? Or would it at all, other than knowing his father considered him more of an asset now? It's not like the acknowledgment was going to make him suddenly the life of the parties or some well-respected member of the rich community.

"Did you?" Percy asked after his thoughtful pause.

[wc: 440 || total: 7844]

"Heh, of course, you were popular with the girls," Percy snorted, unsurprised. He reached forward to playfully jab a finger into Leon's ribs, staring up into that face he loved. With those rugged good looks that made him weak in the knees? There was no way he went unnoticed, though he knew Leon never dated or even liked any of them from the Truth or Dare fiasco at Singles Night. Even Percy had been unable to ignore that roguish face, despite his best efforts. He started to wonder why the man would turn down all that attention, but then remembered. He and Leon were more similar than they realized most of the time. Percy would have likely ignored any relationship that threatened his endgame. He'd certainly tried to ignore Leon as anything other than a coworker and friend. They were both single-minded in their goals to gain their family's acceptance, no matter the cost. Apparently, as messed up as it was to think about, the price was laying down their lives in a war that had very little to do with either of them. What a huge price, more than any sum of jewel could ever equal. Neither of them had known that at the time, and as such made no allowances for normal childhood experiences in their relentless battle to become relevant and worth something to people who, instead of wanting to protect them, wanted them to risk death to become perceived as strong.

He loved Leon so much that he'd do anything to protect him. Did that mean neither of their families truly loved them?

After he thought about it a little more, he realized he really had missed out on a lot. It wasn't saddening enough to take the bliss he was feeling away, but it was certainly sobering to realize how much of his past was wrapped up in one thing to the point that he couldn't really see what his future would be like now. "I tried to do sports. Since I skipped several grades, I was too young and small to compete in most sports like wrestling and football with the rest of my classmates. I did join the martial arts club for a little bit, but the other rich kids' egos were a bit too fragile over being beaten by someone much smaller, so they lied and complained that they felt like they had to pull their punches to not hurt a little kid and got me kicked out. The only clubs that let me stay were chess club and the LARP Brigade. But...even then, it's hard to make friends as a Dagger. Everyone holds you at double arm's length," he said with a wry smile. The name brought so much fear that most parents told their kids to steer clear for fear of offending him and causing issues with his parents. The Daggers had their fingers in so many pies, all it took was one wrong move to spoil the whole thing. "Chess and LARP weren't really team activities. I'd go when I felt like it, but no one missed me if I wasn't there. Plus...you know how kids are with other kids who look different. The burn really put people off, since they didn't want to risk staring. It used to look even worse than this a year or two after it happened," he said, subconsciously lifting a hand to rub the reddened skin under his eye. Like his boyfriend, he was a little self-conscious of his appearance, though being alone so much made it less important to him. Before the burn, he'd actually thought he was an okay-looking guy. Most Daggers were conventionally attractive.

[wc: 614 || total: 8892]

Percy had to take a moment to gather his thoughts to be able to explain what exactly LARP was. "Well," he started, finding the words difficult to form. "It stands for live-action role-playing. It's like, have you ever played a role-playing console game? Or Crypts & Carbuncles? Think of doing theater, except there's no audience, just you acting out a role you created with a story you made up and fitting into an overall narrative with your fellow LARPers. You get dressed up in costumes and have safety foam weapons and pretend to be someone else for a while. You fight epic battles a lot... does that make sense?" he asked, finding it oddly hard to explain.

Not an especially self-aware young man, the Dagger couldn't really grasp that the activity might not be looked upon in the best light. It wasn't really something he did enough to qualify it as a hobby, but he did enjoy it when he got the chance. "I played an elf orphan named Bluth who grew on the outskirts of Holgershire with dwarves. He was trying to find out where he was from, but in the meantime, he joined a ragtag group of adventurers sometimes to solve mysteries and fight off monsters for local villagers. It was really fun. He was supposed to be a long-lost prince, but I didn't get to finish," he grinned, sounding incredibly nerdy but, as usual, not caring a bit. They were decent memories. "I should show you my old costumes sometime. I even had the pointed ear prosthetics. They're in storage with the rest of my old things."

[wc: 260 || total: 9368]

"Huh? What's with that face?" he asked, innocently blinking up into Leon's weird smile. "Wait-- Huh?? Leon?" he yelped, pulled into the hug. "Are you-- Are you laughing at me? Hey!" he cried in indignation, though he was still grinning. Ok, so Leon probably thought it sounded silly. If he was trying not to laugh, Percy wasn't going to help him. His own chuckles started to slip out, simply from thinking about that hilarious smile Leon had just had.


Their time in Leon's cabin had been some of the best in recent memory, in Percy's opinion, but he wasn't the type to be able to stay still for long. His hands might not be able to do the intricate work waiting on him at Dagger Corp, or even for his own personal projects, but he could still help out Dagda and MV with their ever-growing list of tasks. None of it needed a steady hand, just a smart brain and a body capable of long days of research and extensive traveling. He'd been thinking a little trip would do the couple good, so when his research highlighted an island with a very particular environment that might be ideal for relocating difficult creatures, Percy volunteered to go investigate. And bring Leon, of course.

He was just landing one of the Dolomian ship's flying pods on the expansive island when the excitement started to register in his expression. It was a wild-looking island. Ringed in a rocky beach, the coast were shadowed by soaring, forty-five-degree juttings of stone, all pointing to the east. Circular chunks of said stone were haphazardly missing and, most bizarrely, floating in the air as if gravity just took a break. There were so many fragments that the loose pieces stretched into the clouds and out of sight, darkening the area a bit despite it being mid-day. Inland, peeking around the base of some of the stones in the center, was some shady greenery that looked as if it could be tropical. Otherwise, it was mostly stony and littered with pits and caves. It looked unreal and very, very thrilling to explore.

The discovery of such a place was actually his doing as he'd poured over the ocean to the west of Fiore in MV's research lab. Much of these waters were unexplored, but with his technology and satellite access, he'd found dozens of islands to explore. This was merely the first! The pod was loaded with camping equipment, supplies, and the various scientific equipment he'd need to research the finer details of the place. He landed on the coast where the air was clear of mysteriously floating boulders, pressing the alien button on the console to open the vertically lifting doors. "Let's go," he almost chirped, launching out onto the sandy rocks.

It was hot, but it was dry heat. He slowly rotated in place, taking in the immediate area. His ears were on high alert for any odd noises and his eyes scanned for any sign of life. So far, for it to be a weird island out in the middle of the ocean, there was no sign of birds. Maybe the shifting rocks overhead scared them off. As fascinating as it was, it was a bit unnerving. Hopefully, the level of gravity or magic that kept them floating was a constant here. Maybe they should stay at the rim for a little while to make sure. "I think we should check out the coast first, give the rocks some time to make sure they stay where they are. I don't want us getting crushed to death. Besides, the water looks fine. We could even swim, since this job isn't all work," he suggested, finally reaching into the pod to snatch some sort of device on a tripod, which he stuck in the ground and pointed inland. The laptop sitting in his vacated pilot's chair could record while they did a little harmless wandering around.

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"Sure," he smirked, tone already challenging. He was a highly competitive soul, though that part had been completely dormant for the last few months. It was stirring, though. So much so that, while giving Leon a sharpened, steely gaze of his own, he stripped completely naked with surprising speed and flair. The island was undiscovered and showed no signs of humanoid life from his preliminary scans, so he felt assured that no one other than the man who had already seen him naked plenty would see him. And honestly, while he'd normally still be shy and embarrassed, many of his more timid traits disappeared when he was being aggressive.

Dashing forward in an attempt to beat his boyfriend to the water's edge, he was delayed by the absolutely torturously sharp rocks hidden amongst the sand. "Eep...ow! Ow! Ah!" he exclaimed as he awkwardly hopped to the water and up to about his knees. It was only then that it started to turn to normal sand and he could wade deeper. Percy didn't even look to see where Leon was. He was focused so intently that he blindly dove forward and disappeared into the waves. After a few moments of swimming beneath the surface, he popped his head up, hair slicked down into his eyes. "Leon?" he asked, reaching up to slick it back as he impishly looked around. "Did I beat you?"

[wc: 232 || total: 10703]