After a four hour long trek through the wilderness -with the possibility of pursuit by immortal teenage girls with bows and arrows- they finally made it to the train station.
"Wait, we actually get to ride in a passenger car!?" Percy asks, excited about not having to spend 8 hours with essential grains and blind stowaways.
Luke's headache had returned, causing him to wince at the volume of the other boy's happiness, but it was happiness nonetheless, and that was definitely an improvement from Percy's mood after leaving the camp.
~
3 hours earlier
"Was she right, Luke?" Percy had asked, the tears still rolling down his cheeks. "Is it my fault that Zoë and Clarisse are dead?"
"Perce," he tried to comfort the boy, "of course it's not your fault. No one can blame for Clarisse, and Zoë has been trained to do what she did."
"But Artemis said tha-"
"Artemis was just upset," he cut Percy off, "She was very fond of Zoë, and she pushed her anger onto you. I promise you, Percy, it wasn't your fault."
He slipped his arm around the boy's waist and pulled him close, comforting him for the rest of the hike.
~
Present
"Of course, Percy," he teased with mock enthusiasm, "if we're lucky, they might even give us chairs."
"Shut up," Percy laughed before leaning over and giving Luke a chaste kiss.
"Aw, that's all I get?"
Percy leaned over and whispered in Luke's ear, "believe me, I'd give more, but I've never been a huge supporter of hardcore PDA, and this town seems a little conservative."
"Conservatives? In Canada?" Luke laughs, "that's like finding a straight bro at a Cher concert."
"You've seen Cher?" Percy asks, raising his eyebrows in judgment.
"You haven't?" Luke chuckles lightly before giving Percy a kiss on the temple. "Fuck the conservatives."
~
They were settled in their seats, ready for the 6 hour trip.
"You don't think there are any monsters on here, do you?" Percy asks Luke nervously.
"I don't think so, we haven't been in town long enough," Luke assured him. He reaches over and laces his fingers with Percy's, "And even if there were monsters, I wouldn't let them lay a finger on you."
"Now all you need is a white horse, Prince Luke," Percy giggles. "On a different subject, can you fly a plane?"
"It's been a while, but I think we'll be fine, we can pray to Zeus first."
"Fuck, I hadn't thought about him. Luke, I'm the son of Poseidon, I probably shouldn't be in a plane. Ever."
"Perce, we're on a quest, I'm sure he'll make an exception."
"I hope so."
Percy stares through the window at the sky, and hopes that his uncle takes mercy on him
~
After about half an hour, Percy's asleep with his head on Luke's shoulder -drooling, imagine that. They're still holding hands, and no one's said anything about it. There was this one middle aged woman that looked at them with disgust, but one of Luke's glares sent her on her way to another train car.
Percy began to snore softly, and buried his face into Luke's neck.
He whispers to the younger boy, "Gods, I love you, Perce."