Third Person's POV.
Gemini was officially back on campus. The silence of the dorm hallway felt incredibly loud, a jarring contrast to the constant warmth and low-level chaos of Percy's massive house.
Last night had been intense. And it wasn't just about what Percy did when that door closed—it was about what Gemini wanted to do, too. When Percy finally claimed his mouth, it felt like years of teenage suppressed angst suddenly shattered. In his nineteen years of existence, he had never wanted to do the things he imagined doing to Percy last night with anyone else.
When they finally separated, breathless and completely unsteady, they didn't talk. They literally couldn't. Percy simply pulled Gemini onto the soft bed, wrapped his arms around him in their usual protective way, and they settled in for the night.
But Gemini couldn't sleep a wink. His mind and body were blazing awake. Every single nerve ending felt wired and humming. He could feel the solid length of Percy's body next to him, the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing, and all Gemini could think about was the searing pressure of that kiss. He was terrified Percy would notice how wide-awake he was, how wildly his heart was racing. He lay there, rigid and stiff, staring at the dark ceiling until the first unwelcome hint of dawn.
This morning, he practically vaulted out of Percy's car when they reached campus, mumbling some flimsy excuse about a sudden study group. He needed space, he needed air, and he needed it immediately.
He dropped his books in his familiar, small, and wonderfully Percy-less sanctuary of a room, and then he made a beeline for Ohio's door. He needed to see his best friend. He needed to confess everything before he exploded.
The moment Ohio opened the door, they embraced, their voices tumbling over each other as they talked about missing each other over the break. She started in on her family's latest drama, but then her face turned curious.
"So, did you see Percy after you got back?" she asked, already pouring him a tall glass of water. "I know he was stressing about you leaving. That guy is ridiculously attached to you, Gem."
Gemini took a deep, shaky breath. Time for the full, terrifying truth.
"Ohio," he started, his voice tight and small, "Percy was the one who actually drove me home. He umm...he actually stayed with me the whole time."
Ohio's eyes widened, but then a slow, unstoppable grin began to spread across her face. "Wait. He drove you four hours to see your Nana? He stayed the whole time? My God, Gem. That level of commitment... I knew he was obsessed, but this is next-level crazy!"
"Technically, it was part of a truce we made during exams, he needed me to sleep," Gemini explained quickly, carefully skipping the whole 'I ran away because I panicked' part. "But...we talked. And then... we kissed."
"The kiss, Ohio, oh, the kiss. Why didn't you tell me how absolutely incredible it feels to kiss someone?" he asked, a dreamy, mortified expression probably plastered across his face. "It was... so good."
Ohio let out a small, victorious shriek, throwing her hands up in the air. "YES! It finally happened! I knew you two wouldn't last five minutes in a confined space without making out! This is my victory!"
She immediately launched into full celebratory mode, pacing her dorm room with wild enthusiasm. "So, you two are official, right? Did you stay up all night doing the deeds? Did you—"
"Ohio! Stop!" Gemini interrupted, his cheeks burning hot again. "We are not official. And we absolutely did not go that far! We just... kissed. We agreed I needed time, and nothing changed."
Ohio stopped pacing instantly, leaning against her desk, looking deeply skeptical.
"Honey, you spent five entire days under the same roof with the hottest, richest, most committed guy on this campus, and he just drove you back after a killer kiss? I highly doubt nothing changed, Gem," she said, her voice dripping with doubt.
She walked over and poked him gently in the chest. "Look, you can lie to me, but you cannot lie to yourself. My only source of joy is the fact that you've finally decided to act right and get yourself some sugar from Percy. That's all I care about."
The funny thing? Ohio was definitely right about all the things she thinks they did, because Gemini really, truly wants to do all those things with Percy. His denial felt thinner than paper, practically transparent. He hadn't officially agreed to date Percy, but he had implicitly agreed to do things with him.
Oh God!
What exactly had he gotten himself into? Why has this suddenly gotten so complicated? This is dangerously, utterly exciting, and Gemini has no idea how to stop it, or if he even wants to.