Ship: Malcolm x Percy
Prompt: We're spending Christmas together because you have no one to share it with and I just couldn't allow that.
A few days before Christmas, Malcolm received a text from Percy Jackson, inviting him to spend Christmas at his apartment.
Now, Malcolm had known Percy for almost ten years.
He was Malcolm's sister's best friend, had been ever since they were fourteen.
Before then, Percy was lucky Annabeth didn't try and chop his head off whenever he so much as looked at her.
Even now, he still had to be careful sometimes.
Fortunately, ten years worth of friendship had given Percy a few 'cheats' into the ways of which Annabeth's emotions worked.
None helped in the long run, often only making his situation worse.
Despite having known Percy for so long, the two rarely ever spoke. The only reason he had Percy's number was as a precaution. A safety measure when it came to Percy.
Anyone Annabeth considered even slightly close to Percy had his number, to settle the worries in the minds' of those who cared for him.
Which was the reason that over the seven years they'd had each other's number in they're phones, they'd had a total of ten conversations.
More, technically, if the eight panicked calls Malcolm had received were to count.
But Malcolm decided they didn't.
Malcolm continued to stare at his phone, at the messages typed out on it's screen.
Percy Jackson
Not again Percy. I almost died last time.
butt aniebet w'l kil meee
i no wana die
pls malcom xx
Fine.
Today
hey i heard about the breakup
i'm sorry
pls come to mine at any point i don't want you to be lonely
maybe you should just spend christmas with me
calm my mind for once
Malcolm's thumbs hovered over the keyboard for just a little longer before finally typing out a reply - and hitting send.
Thanks Percy. I'll be sure to drop by if it really is no problem for you. Everyone else is busy anyway. Is 12:00 okay for you?
your grammar gives me headache
seriously like everytime my head it just goes ow
but yeah 12 is fine
Okay, see you Friday.
see you friday
hopefully i'll never see your grammar again
Haha, you wish.
ah fuck
you're worse than annabeth
I know.
Malcolm wasn't sure if he was mad at Annabeth for telling Percy about his breakup, or glad that she did. In all honestly he'd been dreading spending Christmas alone but was Christmas with Percy Jackson really any better?
Malcolm ignored the little voice at the back of his head insisting it was.
Malcolm spent the entirety of his Friday morning worrying, having been up since 5am because he couldn't sleep.
He rethought his outfit at least four times, also spending about half an hour on it each time.
In the end he just opted for a pair of dark grey jeans, a white short-sleeved shirt and his favourite red sweater.
Who cared if he was maybe a tad overdressed? Malcolm definitely didn't.
That's a lie. Malcolm worried throughout the whole car ride to Percy's apartment, feeling anxious.
When he reached the apartment block, he waited outside for a good five minutes.
After checking his watch, he found the time was 11:58, as good a time as any to go inside.
After allowing Malcolm into his apartment, Percy offered him a seat before asking if he'd like a drink.
With Malcolm's nerves still on fire and a risk of falling asleep looming over him, he obviously asked, politely, for a coffee.
A few minutes later, Percy returned, a coffee in one hand and a juice box in the other.
"Thank you."
Malcolm accepted the coffee, a soft smile on his face. He watched Percy take a sip from the juice box before taking a seat on the couch opposite the one Malcolm was on. He sat cross-legged, both hands wrapped around the juice box.
"You're a child."
Percy grunted quietly, a kind of disagreeing whimper if Malcolm was honest.
"And you're an old man."
"So you've told me. Many times."
Percy held one hand up in surrender, the other still wrapped around his juice box.
"Sorry for stating facts."
Malcolm snorted, shaking his head slightly before taking a sip of his coffee.
It wasn't that bad - for something made by Percy Jackson.
Percy continued to sip at his juice box, back to holding it with two hands.
There was about a minute of silence as they both sipped their drinks, broken abruptly by the loud ringing of a timer from within the kitchen.
Percy put the juice box onto the coffee table before looking up at Malcolm.
"I didn't know what time you'd prefer to eat so I panicked and cooked everything already."
Malcolm tried his best to hide his initial shock.
"That's fine. I could definitely eat now anyway."
"Okay." Percy replied softly, pointing towards the kitchen before getting up and heading inside.
In all honestly, Malcolm hadn't expected for Percy to cook for him. He hadn't even known that Percy could cook.
He knew he could bake, almost everyone did. Annabeth raved about Percy's baking often enough.
But Malcolm hadn't known that Percy could cook.
Percy returned with two plates full of food, passing one to Malcolm along with a knife and fork.
"Sorry, I'd say we could eat at the table but Tyson broke it the last time he was over. I am currently tableless."
Percy looked sad, mimicking a falling tear by sliding his index finger down his cheek.
The action pulled an unexpected laugh out of Malcolm, causing Percy to smile proudly.
Just before they started eating, Percy looked over at Malcolm, a gentle smile on his face.
"Merry Christmas Malcolm."