Third Person's POV.
The moment their kiss deepened, that's when the universe decided to interrupt. A relentless buzzing started coming from the pocket of Gemini's jeans—his phone vibrating against the rock. Percy shifted his head slightly, trailing one last, slow kiss up to Gemini's jawline. "Leave it," he murmured, his breath warm and uneven.
But Gemini couldn't. His heart was already pounding from the kiss, and the thought that it might be Nana returning home early shot a spike of adrenaline through him. He pulled back slightly, breathing heavily.
"No, I can't. What if it's Nana? She didn't say exactly when she'd be back."
He fumbled for the phone, checking the screen. It wasn't Nana; it was Ohio. Gemini sighed inwardly. They hadn't really spoken since he abruptly left school. He glanced at Percy, who was watching him with intense, slightly frustrated focus.
"It's Ohio. I have to pick up."
He brought the phone to his ear, trying to inject an unnatural calm into his voice. "Hey, Ohio! Yeah, I got home safe. How's home?"
Ohio was chatty, asking about Nana and how he was enjoying his break. Gemini kept his answers short and vague. He couldn't bring himself to tell her he had brought Percy home with him yet. And as he spoke, he certainly couldn't tell her that Percy, completely undeterred by the presence of his best friend on the other end of the line, was currently trailing kisses down his neck.
Gemini tried to focus on Ohio's voice, trying not to make any tell-tale sounds, but every soft nip and lingering pressure Percy applied made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He gripped the phone tighter, giving Ohio one-word answers until she finally, thankfully, said goodbye.
Gemini ended the call and immediately turned on Percy, his voice tight with lingering nerves.
"Are you serious? You couldn't wait two minutes? What if I had made a sound? She would have known something was going on!"
Percy just smiled, a mischievous, unapologetic look in his green eyes. He wiped a faint smudge of liquid from Gemini's bottom lip with his thumb.
"I wanted to see how you'd react," Percy admitted simply.
"How I'd react?" Gemini exclaimed. "I was trying not to freak out the whole time! You were just teasing me?"
"Exactly. I wanted to see if you could compartmentalize," Percy said, his voice dropping in volume. "I needed to know that even when others—like Ohio—calls, you'll still prioritize what's right here. You were focused on the call, but you weren't focused on pushing me away. Besides, you liked what I was doing."
Gemini sank back against the rock, defeated by the intensity of Percy's words. The guy was an absolute menace, treating what they have like a psychological experiment.
They spent the remainder of the time staring out at the river and the late afternoon sky, the sun now a huge, bruised orange descending behind the distant trees. The silence was less charged now, more comfortable.
After a long stretch of quiet, Percy shifted, gently tracing the line of Gemini's jaw with his index finger.
"You kissed me back, Gemini," Percy asked, his voice soft, "what does it mean? Does it mean you've accepted to date me?"
Gemini swallowed, feeling the familiar fear mixed with a potent, new certainty. He looked at Percy, not with panic, but with honesty.
"It means I'm willing to try," Gemini said, emphasizing his words. "I'm willing to see where this goes, Percy. But I still need time. This is all new to me—dating, you, everything. I can't just jump into labeling this as a 'relationship' the way you want me to. I need to be sure I can handle this."
Percy nodded slowly, his eyes searching Gemini's face for any sign of a fear or withdrawal. When he found none, a smile of pure satisfaction crossed his features.
"That's all I need to hear, Bunny," Percy confirmed, pulling Gemini closer until their shoulders brushed. "A willingness to try is a massive step. So, here's the new deal: Nothing changes between us. We'll keep things as they are, we'll keep hanging out until you're ready for more."
He gave Gemini a firm, reassuring squeeze. "You take your time. You come to terms with things. I'm not going anywhere, and I won't pressure you for a title until you're ready to give it."