006. peter johnson and the flying wine bottles
PAIRING; Percy Jackson x Neighbor! Reader
REQUEST; N/A
GODLY PARENT: Demeter
DATE; May 1st, 2024
WORD COUNT; 2440
WARNING; Illegal activities, aka buying alcohol illegally
A/N: Am I back lol? tehehe I know its been years oops. Not my best work but its here and thats all that matters to me at this point.
TRAILER; In which Percy Jackson meets his neighbor by accidentally almost killing himself and her multiple times.
REQUESTED BY: N/A
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Percy locks up his flat, double then triple checks everything is secure. He knows it's a little over the top to be this careful with his security system, especially since his apartment complex is in the heart of New Rome. But after everything he has been through it gives him a little peace of mind knowing he is coming back to a hopefully monster-free apartment.
Things have been weird for Percy since Annabeth left. He hasn't exactly hit the devastated stage that everyone, including him thought would be his reaction. Instead, it's been like he has been going through the motions. Nothing has been that bad or great, just kind of there.
Piper has concluded that he is in shock. He suspects that she's right. It's almost like he's waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like Annabeth's on a quest and he hasn't heard from her for a few weeks and he's a bit concerned for her well-being. But it's been a little over two months now and Percy hasn't felt any different.
The only difference that Percy has felt is annoyance towards Piper. She won't stop badgering him about meeting this girl. It's constant, nonstop talking about how they would be perfect for each other and how Percy just needs to get back out there.
The only thing Percy needs is a break. A break from all the sympathetic stares, the hopeful girls, and gods forbid Piper. He knows that she has his best interest at heart. He appreciates it, he really does. It makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside whenever his friends want to do something nice for him, but this just isn't what Percy needs or wants right now.
What Percy needs is some time with his friends and maybe some free food which is exactly why he is heading over to Leo's for a BBQ with the gang.
Stuffing his keys into his pocket, he heads over to the elevator then promptly almost dies tripping over air. It's then that Percy realizes that he actually hadn't fallen over air, he tripped over what looked like either a really long root or a vine? What the Hades? How did that get there?
He goes to pick it up when he realizes there's a girl standing there waiting for the elevator. She's holding a wine bottle, and what looks like the biggest plant Percy has ever seen. It would explain where the weird vine-root thing came from.
"Hey," he starts, only to be interrupted by a scream and a face full of soil.
"Oh my God!" Screeches the plant. It takes Percy a second to realize that it is in fact the girl screaming and not the plant. To be fair, Percy has seen too many outer-worldly oddities in his life, he wouldn't be surprised if it was the plant talking. "I am so sorry!"
Percy laughs and rubs dirt off his face, "Don't be. I shouldn't have scared you." When he finally gets all the dirt off, Percy realizes she put the plant down. She's pretty. Like really pretty actually. It takes Percy's brain a second to catch up to all this new information.
She waves his apology away, "I scare way too easily. You should see me during October."
"Halloween can get pretty spooky around here." She tilts her head to the side in a way that remind him of a cute puppy. "Cause all the ghosts, ya know?"
Her eyes widen, "There are ghosts here?"
"Yeah, you haven't seen them?" She shakes her head, "There's one named Vector. He's my favorite."
"Why am I even surprised? My Mom is a Greek god. Of course there would be ghosts! What's next? Flying monkeys?"
Percy's lips quirked, "Don't give them that idea."
She laughed and Percy's chest tightened. "What's your name?"
"Percy. Yours?"
"Y/N."
"Nice to meet you, Y/N. I don't think I've ever seen you before. Did you move in recently?" Percy knows he would have noticed or remembered her.
She puts her finger next to her lips. Percy is momentarily entranced. "I think around a month ago. I just started at New Rome University." As she was chattering on about college Percy noticed the wine bottle slowly starting to slip out of her grip. Thanks to his demigod reflexes, Percy caught the bottle just in time.
"Oh!" She said in surprise. "Thanks! I didn't even know it was falling."
"No worries. I got it." The elevator dings and they both head in. College? They were about a quarter into the fall semester. "What are you studying?"
"Agriculture."
Percy's eyebrows rise. That was not what he was expecting. "Cool, my best friend from home is really into plants and stuff."
Y/N's lips quirked, "Plants and stuff?"
Percy smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. Thankfully, he was saved from answering by the elevator. Even though he was glad he didn't have to answer to his stupidity, Percy still felt a pang in his chest. He really didn't want to part from her but didn't know how to tell her that without sounding creepy. She gives him good vibes. Percy's always loved people like that.
"Where are you headed off too?" He eventually asks after sneaking what he hopes is casual glances at her as they exit the building.
She bounces on her toes a bit, "This girl I just met invited me to their friend's place. I'm a bit nervous to be honest. I don't know anyone besides her."
"I'm sure you'll be fine. I've loved talking to you and we've only just met." Percy's face went beet red. That was not how it was supposed to come out. "I-I mean you've been fun to talk to."
They both laugh for a second, falling quiet quickly enough to make Percy feel awkward. He wishes he had more to say, if only to keep Y/N around him a little longer.
Y/N beams, "Thanks, Percy. I'm glad that I finally met someone in this apartment complex. Everyone here seems like busy bodies and never wants to talk."
Percy shrugs. He's noticed that too but never felt too bothered by it. Though, he isn't the one who moved away from friends. "You get used to it. Here's your wine bottle." He hands her the wine bottle and Percy swears he gets déjà vu from a few minutes ago. Just as the wine bottle leaves his fingertips its soaring to the floor and crashes all over both of them. Fortunately, Percy isn't hurt but he's more concerned about Y/N to care.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Y/N puffs out she looks more shocked than anything. Percy feels like a giant idiot. First, he scares her, and Y/N's plant almost goes flying everywhere. Then, he distracts her enough to almost drop the bottle. Now, after all of that mess he literally just fucks it all up. What are the odds?
It seems Y/N read his mind because she starts to giggle, "I think the Gods just don't want me to bring wine today."
As soon as they clean up the mess they head out. Percy had almost cut himself on the glass once or twice but he couldn't complain much. He had been through worse things than a cut. Both of them had mumbled to each other the entire time about Why the Gods had decided the third time was the charm but decided against mentioning anything else as Y/N still had her plant to carry the rest of the way.
Percy only wishes that Mr. D was here to witness this. He could practically hear the "Peter Johnson!" from New Rome.
"Where are you headed too?" Y/N questions as they both come to a complete stop outside the building.
"To buy you a new wine bottle." Percy says gesturing with his head towards town. He knows he'll be late to Leo's thing, but he can't really bring himself to care. Percy also knows that Leo, out of all people, will be understanding especially if he mentions a girl.
"What?" Y/N says and grabs his arm, effectively stopping him. "No way. I am not allowing you to buy me a new wine bottle. I was the one who dropped it."
Percy will admit that it was mostly her fault. It had been in her hands when the accident occurred. But Percy was first and foremost Sally Jackson's son and if Sally taught him anything it was how to be polite to a pretty girl. "I was the one handing it to you."
Y/N crosses her arms and shakes her head stubbornly. "No way, Percy! I am not allowing you to buy me one. I'll buy my own and be on my way."
"Fine but at least let me walk you to the wine store." Y/N seems to consider this as her eyebrows scrunch a little less but she still doesn't uncross her arms. She seems to agree nonverbally since she starts to walk with him.
"So, Do you know Mr.D?"
"Who?"
"Mr.D," Percy confirms, "Dionysus? Camp Half-Blood's camp director?"
"Oh," Y/N murmurs, "I've heard of him from my friend, but I've never been to Camp Half-Blood."
"Did you go to Camp Jupiter then?"
She shakes her head. Percy is officially confused. Where did she grow up then? How did she stay away from monsters? "I'm lost. Were you at home then?"
"For some reason, I never really got into trouble with monsters. Sure, weird stuff would happen to me throughout the years but my teachers would just put it off as overactive imagination. It wasn't until my high school graduation that a monster came after me and my Dad finally brought me here. Next thing I know I'm enrolled at New Rome with my own apartment. What about you?" She questions innocently.
Percy huffs out a laugh. Oh, where to start. He settles on a simple, "I grew up at Camp Half-Blood."
Y/N nods mutely. It gets a little awkward for a second and Percy wishes he paid a little more attention to his Mom's rom-com movies. He's never met a girl like this before. The only other girl he had ever been interested in was Annabeth and they had been friends forever before they even started dating. He was treading new waters.
Fortunately, they turned the corner and the wine store was a few steps away. "There it is," Percy said and pointed. He was starting to feel nervous and he didn't know why. Y/N went to open the door, but Percy beat her to it.
She turns around with a teasing smile on her face, "Thanks, Percy. So, want to tell me if your legal or not?"
It takes Percy a second to realize what she is talking about. Oh, buying alcohol. "Yeah, I'm 21. How old are you?"
"19."
Oh. Oh. Percy shrugs, he's certainly not one to shy away from illegal adventures. (A/N: DO NOT DRINK ILLEGALLY KIDDOS. NOT COOL AT ALL.) That would just be hypocritical.
Y/N heads over to the wine section and Percy follows after her like a lame, lost puppy. He needs to start acting a little cooler.
"White or red?" Percy asks.
"Champagne." She answers immediately, with no hesitation. Alright, champagne it is. That's a little too fancy for Percy's taste. He's more of a red Josh man but to each their own. He likes his six-dollar wine, thank you very much. Judgement is not tolerated within this household.
"Perfect" she says and grabs the champagne before making a beeline to the counter. Percy races after her digging for his wallet. He was not about to let her pay. He finally fishes it out of his pocket and waits for the man to check her out.
While Percy is waiting, he can't help but admire her. She chatters away to the man as he looks over what Percy is assuming her fake ID. Making small talk in a way Percy never could.
The man gives it back to her and rings her up, "19 dollars and 75 cents, ma'am."
Percy is quick to give his card to the dude. The cash register guy sighs and Y/N looks appalled. "No way. I am paying for it, Percy!"
He gently nudges her out of the away and hands the card over to him. He rolls his eyes, "I don't care which one of you is going to sugar-mama the other. But whoever pays I have to see some ID."
Percy digs in his pocket for his identification and hands it over. The man's eyes widen, he looks at the picture then back to Percy. "You're Percy Jack-"
"Yup," Percy interrupts. He isn't self-centered enough to think that Y/N has heard of him before but just in case, Percy wants to keep that information to himself for now.
The man's demeanor instantly changes now that he knows who he is cashing out. "Have a good rest of your day!" He yells cheerily after him. When they head out, Percy can hear him whisper-yelling to his coworker about who he just checked out.
Y/N looks a little alarmed at the situation, especially probably the way Percy rushed her out. "What was that about?"
"Nothing" Percy waves her away. "That guy was just" He hesitates, "Weird."
She makes a face, "Yeah, he really was. I can't believe we did it though! I have never used my fake before."
Percy takes a step back, "What? How did you get the wine from earlier then?"
"Oh, my Dad bought that for me." Percy scoffs, Sally would be disappointed to find out that he was anywhere near alcohol. The thought fills him with a little guilt. She smiles and Percy's chest hurts a little. This is where they say goodbye he realizes. "Well, it was really nice to meet you, Percy. I'm glad the Gods made our paths cross."
He grins, "Me too, Y/N. I'll see you around."
"Bye, Percy."
As Percy heads over to Leo's place, he realizes how fast his heart is pounding and he can't stop smiling. Somehow, he knows it's not from their illegal adventure.