The sun was setting over Camp Half-Blood, casting a golden glow on the strawberry fields as Percy and Jason sat by the edge of the lake. It was rare for them to find a moment of quiet amidst the chaos of demigod life, but tonight, everything felt still.

Jason leaned back on his elbows, glancing over at Percy, who was absently skipping stones across the water. “You’re weirdly good at that,” he said with a small smile.

Percy smirked, tossing another stone. “Comes with the territory, I guess. Water’s kind of my thing.”

Jason rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the grin tugging at his lips. “Yeah, yeah, Poseidon’s kid. You don’t have to rub it in.”

For a moment, they just sat there, comfortable in the silence. Then Jason hesitated, glancing at Percy. “You know, I never thought I’d feel at home anywhere but Camp Jupiter. But being here… with you…”

Percy looked at him, his expression softening. “Same. Never thought I’d get along with a Roman, let alone… fall for one.”

Jason chuckled, leaning closer until their shoulders touched. “Guess we’re full of surprises, huh?”

Percy turned to him fully, a spark of playfulness in his sea-green eyes. “Wanna know what’s not a surprise?”

“What?”

“This.” Percy leaned in, pressing a kiss to Jason’s lips, quick and soft like the ripple of a wave. When he pulled back, Jason’s cheeks were flushed, but he was smiling.

“You’re impossible,” Jason muttered, but the warmth in his voice betrayed him.

“And you love it,” Percy shot back, his hand finding Jason’s.

As the stars began to twinkle above them, the world beyond the lake seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them and the steady rhythm of the waves.