Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Percy Weasley would consider himself a fairly serious and ambitious person.
Other students, his brothers included, would most likely describe him as a teacher’s pet, a know-it-all, or a stuck-up prat. But no one would describe him as an average teenager.

He was taking five AP classes this year, was the star of the Golden Valley High debate team, and had never missed a day of school. He aspired to earn a scholarship to college, preferably one of the Ivy League schools, so he didn’t have time to waste on parties or other activities he would consider frivolous.

Most of his time was spent studying in the library with his best (and only) friend, Penelope. He could be seen there most mornings before classes, during lunch breaks, free periods, and afternoons, more often than not accompanied by Penny. They had met in their advanced math class freshman year and had been inseparable ever since.

They shared similar interests and ambitions, were on an equal intellectual level, and she was the only one who noticed when Percy’s eyes just so happened to drift over to him.

Oliver Wood.

The polar opposite of Percy. And definitely not his crush, thank you very much, Penny.

The goalie for the school’s soccer team was just a friend of Percy’s brothers—and just as annoying as they were. Loud, obnoxious, obsessed with sports, and not at all in the same social circles as Percy.

So if he occasionally appeared in Percy’s daydreams... well, no one had to know about that.

Another thing no one had to know about was how, no matter how hard Percy tried, he couldn’t think of Oliver using any of the adjectives he should have. Instead, he saw him as outgoing, sweet, friendly, and radiating positive energy like the sun.

It also didn’t help that Percy couldn’t stop blushing every time he caught a glimpse of the athlete. In his opinion, the tall brunette was the closest thing possible to a Greek god: tall, sun-kissed skin, muscular, toned, and with a blinding smile.

But he really shouldn’t be thinking about any of that right now. They had a biology test at the end of the week, and he really needed to focus on the different types of DNA.

Penny seemed to agree with that sentiment, because she was looking at him expectantly, tapping her pen against the table.

“Were you even listening??? Don’t tell me you’re daydreaming again.”

“Of course I was listening,” he said, fiddling with his glasses nervously. “Okay, you’re right, I wasn’t listening. But I wasn’t daydreaming either.”

Penny shot him a disbelieving look. “I was just saying how mad I am that we still learn about Watson and Crick when it’s known by now that Rosalind Franklin discovered it. It’s unbelievable that those thieves still get praised in our textbooks.”

This was why he loved her so much, no one else could get so righteously enraged about academic topics like his best friend.

“Yeah, you’re totally right. Watson and Crick deserve to have ‘misogynistic trash and thieves’ as the first line in their Wikipedia article.”

Penny chuckled at that and remarked, “Just for that, I’ll forgive you for ignoring me this once.”

Percy opened his mouth to deny the allegation, but just then the bell rang, announcing the start of their first class.

They gathered their things and headed off to Spanish.

Chapter Text

Percy was fiddling with his spiral notebook, desperately waiting for the bell to ring. It wasn’t that he disliked math, in fact, he quite enjoyed it, but today he was just too exhausted to pay attention.
He hadn’t been able to fall asleep the night before, his mind replaying an argument with his younger brother.

“If you weren’t so stuck up, maybe you’d have some friends,” Fred had said, making Ron and George giggle in the background. It hurt more than Percy wanted to admit. He was already insecure about how others perceived him, so hearing that during an argument about who got to shower first felt especially cruel.
Sometimes his brothers could be harsh without meaning to. He knew they didn’t intend to be truly hurtful, but it still stung.

He wished Charlie had heard it and stood up for him, but Charlie hadn’t come home yet from his late shift. Lately, he’d been around less and less, juggling his part-time job and college classes, though at least he still lived at home.
Bill, on the other hand, had moved all the way to Paris on an international scholarship to study history.
Percy missed him like crazy.
Knowing Charlie would probably move out too once he finished his undergrad and went to vet school at a proper university didn’t help. It wasn’t that Percy wasn’t happy his brothers were chasing their dreams; he just wished he could spend more time with them.

A sudden pang of loneliness hit him. He’d always been closer to his older brothers, who seemed to have a soft spot for him, unlike his younger siblings, who seemed to enjoy teasing him.

He sighed, and Roger Davis, sitting next to him, glanced over with a slightly annoyed look. Realizing he shouldn’t let his thoughts wander, Percy straightened the page of his cheap notebook and started catching up on notes.

—

When the bell finally rang, he packed his stuff in record time to meet up with Penelope, who had just finished her geology class.

“Did you miss me?” she asked, spotting him walking toward their lockers. He rolled his eyes at her antics. “Of course, how could I survive a two-hour lesson without you?” he replied.
She smiled and stuck out her tongue at him, then asked, “Hey, do you mind coming to the teachers’ lounge with me before we grab something to eat? I need to drop off something for Professor Lupin.”

“Yeah, no worries. I packed my own lunch anyway,” he nodded.
On their way to the teachers’ lounge, she filled him in on the absolute mess that was her geology class, like every Monday.

Apparently, her teacher had a habit of arriving late, forgetting the topic, or just ranting about her personal life to the students.
“I’m telling you, Perce, she just needs to get a divorce and stop bothering us with her problems. What kind of husband forgets to pick up the kids from piano practice three weeks in a row anyway?” she concluded as she knocked on the teachers’ lounge door, where a bunch of students were already waiting.

—

Professor Lupin opened the door and smiled at them. “Good to see you two. What brings you here?”
Penelope replied, “I just wanted to drop off my assignment from last week, sorry again for the delay, Professor.”
Lupin responded warmly, “Thank you very much, Penelope, but you could have waited until tomorrow. I know you’re usually very punctual.”
He looked at both of them thoughtfully, then continued, “But since you’re both here already, might I ask if either of you would be interested in tutoring another student?”

Without waiting for an answer, he waved someone over, and to Percy’s horror, Oliver Wood walked up to them.
“Oliver here was just informed that he can’t play in any games if he fails any of his classes until he improves his grades,” Lupin told Penelope and Percy. He then turned to Oliver and said, “These two are some of my best students. I’m sure they can help you bring your grade up to at least a C, of course, only if one of you is interested.” He directed the last part at Percy and Penelope again.

Percy searched for something to say, but Penelope was quicker. “Percy was just telling me how much he cares about the academic success of his fellow students, and he always helps his siblings with their homework, so he has experience,” she said, smiling brightly at him and Professor Lupin.

Whatever he thought she would say, it wasn’t that. He tried to reply, his mouth moving but no sound coming out, looking rather foolish. The other three looked at him expectantly. When he still didn’t say anything, Professor Lupin inquired, “Is that so, Percy?”

Percy finally seemed to regain control over his vocal cords and muttered, “Well, I help my siblings as far as they can be helped.” Professor Lupin smiled at that and asked, “Well, can I take it that you’re interested in doing the same for Oliver then?”
Percy looked at him for the first time since the conversation had started and noticed that Oliver looked rather uncomfortable. He was glancing around with a mixture of disinterest, annoyance, and maybe embarrassment. Maybe Percy was misinterpreting his expression, though.

He finally managed to reply to his teacher, “Sure, I can help him.” Lupin looked pleased and remarked, “Well then, that’s settled. Goodbye, you three, have a great rest of your day,” then disappeared back into the teachers’ lounge.
Percy awkwardly turned to Oliver and felt Penny shaking as she tried to hold in her laughter.

Oliver cleared his throat and asked, “Well, are you free tomorrow after classes? Around three?”
“Ehm, yeah, sure. Meet me at the library?” he confirmed. Oliver just nodded and turned around to join his friend Angelina, who was apparently waiting for him to finish his conversation.

As soon as Oliver turned his back, Penelope burst into breathless, almost silent laughter. Percy grabbed her by the arm, shaking her. “This friendship is officially over, Penny! How could you do this to me?!”
She didn’t calm down; her body was still shaking with laughter. Percy let go of her arm and buried his face in his hands instead. “What am I supposed to do now? No, this isn’t real. I’m imagining this. This is simply not happening.”
Penelope, slowly regaining her composure, wheezed, “Well, I think this is great. Now you can finally creepily stare at him up close.”
Affronted, Percy retorted, “I don’t creepily stare at him. In fact, I don’t stare at him at all.” He turned his gaze away from her, hoping to hide his blush.
“You totally do! It’s Twilight-levels of bad,” she exclaimed. He shot her an offended look. “I’m not even going to validate that with a response. Anyway, let’s go to the cafeteria, I’m really hungry.”

She started walking, giggling again. “Sure thing. Can’t have you starving before you even get the chance to romance loverboy.”
This earned her a punch in the shoulder from Percy.

Chapter Text

On Tuesday morning, Percy woke up at 6 a.m., just like every day.
That way, he could get ready, walk to the bus stop, get to school, and still have 45 minutes to spare before classes started, enough time to study or catch up with Penelope in the library.

Since Charlie graduated, his parents looked to him to get his younger siblings to school on time. To Ron’s dismay, this meant they all had to take the early bus instead of getting an extra half hour of sleep.
Fred and George were surprisingly cooperative, mainly because they liked causing havoc with their best friend Lee before the day could even really start, and Ginny just liked the emptier bus.

However, Tuesdays were, in Percy’s humble opinion, the worst, for the simple reason that his first class of the day was PE. Percy had many reasons to hate this fact:

1. He was slightly sweaty for the rest of the day.

2. He had to be PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.

3. It was the class where he got the worst grades.

4. In team sports, he was always picked last.

5. He found new ways to embarrass himself every damn time.

And lastly, maybe worst of all

6. The others could see him in the locker room getting changed.

Percy tried to pretend he didn’t hear the annoyed groans when he joined a team, the snickers when he (once again) dropped the ball, or the remarks about his lanky, pale, freckled body in the locker room. But it didn’t help much.

So Percy got up, packed his sports bag, and got dressed while his siblings were waking up down the hall. Even though he despised wearing athleisure out in public, today he decided on a pair of navy sweatpants and a hand-me-down black T-shirt.
The shirt was previously Bill’s and therefore hung off Percy’s thin build, with Slipknot written on the front in big red letters. Wearing his siblings' old clothes gave him a strange sense of comfort, like carrying a piece of them with him. But it also made him self-conscious, knowing that anyone who looked at him could tell his family couldn’t afford to buy him new ones.

This way, he only needed to change in the locker room once and could still wear his preferred style of clothing to all his other classes.

—

He made his way downstairs, where he was greeted by his mom and Ginny, who was trying to eat while simultaneously texting—resulting in half a spoon of cornflakes dripping onto her chin. His dad had probably left for work some time ago; postal workers started early.

“Good morning,” he mumbled, returning his mom’s smile.
“Percy, have you slept well?” she asked, grabbing him a bowl from the cupboard.
“Yes, I’m alright, Mom,” he said, taking the bowl from her and sitting next to Ginny, pouring himself some cornflakes.

When he was halfway through his bowl, the twins came bouncing down the stairs, yawning a greeting.

“Boys, where’s your brother? Is he still asleep?” Molly inquired, bustling upstairs to wake Ron after the twins just shrugged. Fred and George gradually became more awake, and when they started using their spoons as catapults for soggy cornflakes, Percy decided to get up before they could identify him as a target.

Ginny followed his example, placing her bowl in the sink and trudging up the stairs after him, where they met an angry Molly and a half-asleep Ron still in his pajamas.

He and Ginny squeezed into the tiny bathroom and started brushing their teeth, while their mother reprimanded the others downstairs.
“Really, Ronald, education is a privilege—”
“You two are really too old to still play with food, one would think—”

Ginny glanced up at him, Percy raised a questioning eyebrow. Through a mouthful of toothpaste, Ginny asked, “Can you please look through my maths homework?”
He sighed and rinsed out his mouth. She did the same.
“Please, Perce, please. My teacher said if my homework is not done or completely garbage again, I’ll have to go to detention to redo it,” she pleaded.
“I’ll correct it on the bus,” he promised.

A brilliant grin stretched across her face.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, you’re the best, Perce!” she practically jumped up and down before leaving the bathroom—before he could change his mind.
Once in his room, he looked at his reflection in the small mirror on his closet door, trying to get his hair into a semi-acceptable state. Suddenly, he remembered that today he had his first tutoring session with Oliver Wood, and all of a sudden, his unruly curls, long nose, and many freckles bothered him a lot more than usual. If he tried a bit harder to get his hair to cooperate than usual, no one had to know.

After he deemed his curls as good as possible, he dabbed on some concealer and lightly tinted chapstick. He wasn’t ashamed to admit he cared about how he presented himself, always having well-manicured nails and using some light makeup regularly.

While some guys might have deemed this “feminine,” Percy thought that trying to look a bit more alive was completely reasonable. He slipped the two products into his bag to refresh after PE, and after a short contemplation, he also grabbed the reasonably expensive cologne that Bill had gotten him for his 16th birthday.
He barely ever used it, aware he wouldn’t be able to afford a new one easily once this bottle was empty. He judged himself a bit for being such a try-hard, it wasn’t like Oliver would notice anyway.

His mom ushered the five of them out of the door, kissing them goodbye and telling them all to behave. She gave each of them five bucks.
“I didn’t have the time to make you lunch for today, make sure to eat something, yes?”

—

On the bus, Percy corrected Ginny’s homework, or more accurately, rewrote it almost entirely. He finished shortly before her stop, shaking Ron awake from his spontaneous nap and waving to his two youngest siblings as they got out of the bus at their middle school.

At the next stop, Percy had to get out, heading straight for the library. There he slid his sports bag down to the floor before taking his biology book out of his regular school bag. He sat down at his and Penny’s usual quiet table in a cozy corner of the library and started memorizing some of the theory and definitions while waiting for his best friend.

Chapter Text

Soooo, on a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you for this afternoon? Penelope asked as she sat down across from him.

"Really, Penny? First thing in the morning? Can you try being even just slightly bearable for five minutes?" he snapped back at her.

She didn’t take offense. Instead, she just cackled. "So a 10 then, just as I thought."

He flashed her a nasty look but didn’t reply.
They studied silently, only interrupted by the shuffling of pages, the clicking of pens, and the occasional question about the topic at hand.
Penelope might love to pester her friend, but not enough to let her grades slip because of it. Besides, she figured she could get a lot more interesting information out of him after the tutoring session.

—

He only needed to drop off his bags in the locker room and change into sneakers before PE started, thanks to his strategic outfit choice that morning.

Because of this, he was the first in the school gym. He sat silently on one of the benches at the side of the room and waited until other students joined him. Their teacher, a middle-aged woman with spiky grey hair, although it was probably dyed, blew into her whistle to get everyone to quiet down.

"Today we’ll start by running some laps. After that, we’ll do bodyweight fitness circuits in pairs. Let’s go." She blew her whistle again.

Some people groaned. The athletic guys and girls cheered. Percy thought this was a rather favorable situation. He liked running well enough, and if they were paired up later, he’d only embarrass himself in front of Penny and not the whole class.
So he got up and started running at a comfortable pace next to her, thinking that perhaps this day would turn out alright.

Later, while they were doing sit-ups, Percy glanced over at another duo currently doing pull-ups.
He and Penny had chosen the easier version of each exercise, so he didn’t need to worry about doing pull-ups himself, but he could admire the way Oliver looked while doing them.

Percy couldn’t see his face from this angle, but the muscles in his arms were noticeably working, and he had a perfect view of Oliver’s tight athletic shirt stretching over his broad back while his friend Roger encouraged him.

Penny noticed this, of course, and started wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he inquired, knowing that his flushed face wasn’t entirely due to the workout anymore.
Penny stopped her exercise. "Ohh, nothing. Just the fact that I need to work out with this weird pervy guy."

Percy also stopped, looking slightly ashamed. "I am not," he half-whispered, half-hissed. "He's just right in front of me, that’s all."
Penny pulled a disbelieving face but dropped the subject. They continued on to the next exercise: squats.

During the lesson, Percy stole a couple more glances at his crush and wondered if Oliver’s presence might actually be one of the reasons for his bad grades in PE. It was one of only three subjects they shared, along with Ethics and Art class—because, as attractive as he was, the brunette was not well known for taking advanced courses.

—

In a corner of the locker room, his back turned to the rest of the students, Percy changed into his grey slacks and started buttoning up his white shirt. As he was about to pull on his navy jumper, he heard someone call his name.

He turned to see Oliver looking at him from the door.
"Don’t forget—library after school today," Oliver said, then winked and left the room.

Percy quickly looked back at his stuff and pulled on his jumper, praying that no one noticed the blush rising on his face. How in god’s name was he supposed to survive this day?

—

After the last class of the day, Percy practically sprinted out of the classroom and away from the surely inappropriate comments Penny was about to make.

On his way to the library, he stopped by a bathroom to reapply some chapstick and scrunch his short hair with water to define his curls a bit more. Checking himself in the mirror, he decided it was as good as it was going to get, and hurried to the library. Surely arriving late would make a bad impression.

To Percy’s surprise, Oliver was already waiting at the library entrance.

"Hello, sorry for my unpunctuality," Percy greeted him.

"Nah, my class finished five minutes early. You're good," the brunette replied with an easy smile.

"Oh, okay. Umm, let’s—well, let’s get started then?" It sounded more like a question than a statement, even to Percy’s own ears.
Oliver didn’t seem to mind and dutifully followed Percy to his favorite corner spot.

Sitting down at the small table, Percy asked, "So what exactly do you need help with?"

Oliver sighed. "Honestly, I kinda suck at most of my classes, but English is the worst right now. I think in the others my average is still a D at least."
After a short pause, he added, "Thank you for doing this. Miss Hooch will totally bench me if I don't get my grades up. It would also look bad for later, like scholarships and professional teams."

"Yeah, um, sure, yes. No problem. What exactly did you do in English so far, then?" Percy felt like an idiot for stammering, but Oliver didn’t seem to notice.
"So in the first semester, Professor Lupin made us read Animal Farm and this book, some Shakespeare garbage about a ghost and this insane guy who was also a prince, I guess. But at the beginning of February, like three weeks ago, we started The Great Gatsby. Then later this semester, maybe in a month or two, we’re starting some feminist book, I forgot the title."

Percy nodded and took a mental note.

Oliver, interpreting the silence as encouragement, continued. "So yeah, with Animal Farm, Professor Lupin said something about needing to consider the politics and the time it was written, or something like that. And the Shakespeare thing, honestly, I didn’t understand anything and just completely bombed the test. Anyway, I just really need to lock in this semester."

Percy didn’t know where to even start unpacking any of that, so he just stared at Oliver.
First of all, how did someone not know what book they read last semester? Secondly, was Oliver’s hair as soft as it looked? And lastly, did someone other than Fred or George seriously just use the phrase lock in unironically?

Realizing he probably looked like an idiot, Percy started at the simplest place. "A Shakespeare play about a ghost and a prince, that would probably be Hamlet."
Oliver nodded. Percy continued, "And the time and political situation in which a book is written is called context. It’s important to recognize that to identify the metaphors and messages of a story. Animal Farm, for example, was published just at the end of World War II. It’s a cautionary tale about totalitarian regimes, most commonly interpreted as a parallel to the USSR, though you should probably also mention the Second Reich."

Oliver brushed a strand of his wavy dark hair back, looking slightly abashed. "Yeah, I get that, it’s just hard for me to put it all together. Like, I know it’s not just a story about animals, but I can’t explain what I want to say. If that makes sense?"

Percy did not understand, but gave an agreeing hum anyway, adjusting his glasses.

Oliver looked down at the table, rubbed his neck, and mumbled, "It’s not like I’m stupid, you know?"
Percy definitely didn’t know how to respond to that. But he suddenly felt a rush of sympathy, so he settled on, "I don’t think that you are."

At that, Oliver lit up and shot Percy a brilliant smile. Percy tried to ignore the swarm of butterflies erupting in his belly and cleared his throat. "So, The Great Gatsby, then? I’m familiar with the story, but what exactly are you working on right now? Do you have some homework, perchance?"
Oliver replied, "Honestly, we only started the book last week. Before that, we were mostly looking at the author’s life and, what did you call it? Oh, right, context. Like the 1920s, prohibition, and the changing gender roles and all that."

"Well, that’s excellent. You’re already familiar with the context. Professor Lupin often starts new books like that, I think it’s really useful," Percy remarked.

"Yeah, it’s really interesting. I think I’d actually enjoy it if I wasn’t so stressed about fucking up." Oliver gave a bitter kind of laugh. "We need to write an essay about the different places in the novel and what they symbolize, but just from the first two chapters, since we haven’t read further yet."

Percy hummed. "The significance of location. That’s fascinating. So what have you noticed so far?"
Instead of answering, Oliver rubbed the back of his neck again. "Well… you see, I didn’t exactly read them. I read the SparkNotes summary."

Percy practically squealed. "You what? SparkNotes?!"
Oliver at least had the good grace to look ashamed. "Well, I really didn’t have time. I have soccer training twice a week at school, then again on the weekend, and I go to the gym four times a week, and then Friday I went out with some friends, and—" He trailed off under Percy’s judgmental stare.

"That’s… but… gosh. This is about your future, Oliver! Your education!" Percy took a deep breath and continued calmly, "Well, I guess googling the summary is better than nothing. I heavily advise you to read the book, but we’ll just have to work with what we have. So get your book, pens, and some paper. Now, what did SparkNotes say about the different locations?"

The hour actually passed remarkably fast, with Oliver flipping through the pages of his book trying to find more information, and Percy pointing out key passages and explaining their meaning. The essay was almost finished when the bell rang at 4 p.m.

Percy was surprised to find himself a bit sad that their time together was over. As they packed up, Oliver tore off a small corner of paper and scribbled something down.
He handed Percy the note and said, "Just text me and we can arrange our next meeting," then flashed a grin and walked out of the library.

Percy looked at the note, and realized Oliver had written down his number.

He, Percy Weasley, actually had Oliver Wood’s number. It took all his self-control not to giggle like some lovesick fool. Instead, he tucked the note safely into his bag and made his way to the bus.

—

On the bus, he leaned back in his seat and let the day replay in his mind. Thankfully, none of his siblings were on the same bus, they were probably already home, or off somewhere with friends.
He relished in the giddiness of it all. He had a real, one-on-one conversation with Oliver. Not just a passing question about a pen, not even that awkward moment in freshman year when Oliver asked if he was really the younger brother of the soccer captain.
A real conversation.
And he didn’t make a complete fool of himself.
He thought about how Oliver always rubbed the back of his neck when nervous, how his smile lit up a room, how he brushed that one stray lock of hair from his brow just for it to fall again.

And as a cherry on top, he gave him his number.
Sure, it was just for tutoring, but still. Percy couldn’t believe this wasn’t a one-time thing. He’d get to talk to him again, sit close again, maybe even discover more little habits and mannerisms.

So Percy just sat there, basking in the soft March sunlight streaming through the bus window, and indulged in daydreams about chocolate-brown eyes, matching wavy hair, and the sweetest smile he had ever seen.

Chapter Text

The Weasleys house was located in one of the 'bad' areas of the city, but today the graffities on abandoned buildings looked like art and the loud music coming from the houses sounded inviting.
Percy made his way down the streets with a slight spring in his step that lasted all the way to his house. He climbed the two steps to the tiny porch and fished his keys out of his bag.
Their Ford was parked in front of the tiny house, so Percy knew that his dad was already home from work. He pushed the door open and was welcomed by the lively atmosphere that was unavoidable if so many people lived together. He heard the shower running, some pop-punk music playing on the second floor, and someone was laughing.

He spotted his dad flipping trough a newspaper at the kitchen table. While he took of his shoes and placed them next to the other pairs, he pondered if he should go say hello or go directly right up the stairs, then decided to say hi.

"Hello father, how was work today? Did something interesting happen?"

His dad looked up, smiling at him "Oh no, same as always. How was school Goldie?"

All of the siblings had a silly childhood nickname, that was still used occasionally by their parents and siblings. Bill was Treasure, Charlie Dragon, the twins Flim (Fred) and Flam (George), Ron was Nugget and Ginny Firefly.
Goldie, or more accurately Goldielocks, was Percys, due to him being the only one of his siblings with curly hair, even though Charlie insisted his wavy hair should not be overlooked.

"Fine, I stayed longer to help a classmate with his English homework."

His dad raised an eyebrow at this "A classmate it is? Since when so mysterious?"

Percy rolled his eyes at this. Normally his mom was the one who was always snooping in everyones business, but his dad also had his moments.

"Just a classmate, no one interesting. I still got to complete my own homework, see you later" he replied and hurried up the stairs before his dad could ask anything else.

He closed the door to his room behind him an threw himself on his bed.
He opened his phone and saw a bunch of new messages from Penelope.

----------

Percy & Penelopes chat

3:03 pm

Penny: Good luck with lover boy :P

4:05 pm

Penny: How did it go??

Penny: Helloo??

Penny: Everything ok?

Penny: Are you ignoring me????

Penny: Did you embarass yourself so badly that you need to flee the country?

Penny: PERCIVAL

Penny: Answer me please, whatever happend I'm here for you <3

4:49

Percy: I just got home

Percy: And no fleeing the country needed

Penny: TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED

Penny: ASAP

Percy: It went well

Penny: If you think you can get away with that bland answer, istg

Penny: Details, I need details !!!!!

Percy: Gosh, calm down

Penny: :(

Percy: Ok, ok I'll tell you

Penny: :)

Percy: So we met at the library, and we talked about what he needs help with and then we worked on an essay

Penny: Omg, omg, thats great

Penny: So how was he? What did he say?

Percy: He was so sweet actually

Percy: And he was really nice to me

Percy: And he looks so good, it's actually unfair

Penny: Simp

Penny: But im so happy it went well, I already see the beginnings of a love story

Percy: You are so annoying

Penny: You still love me :)

Percy: By the way, he also gave me his number

Penny: You tell me this now????

Penny: Go write him, you dumbbass

-----------

Percy really wanted to write him, but everything he came up with sounded weird or just not right to him, so he decided to busy himself with something else.

After he threw his clothes from PE in the laundy bin, put his textbooks orderly on his tiny desk and tidied up his room a little, there was no more excuse to put off contacting Oliver any further. He took the neatly folded paper out of his bag and made a new contact on his phone.

----------

Oliver & Percys chat

5:21

Percy: Hey, it's Percy

Percy: Just let me know when you are free for another tutoring session.

----------

For some reason, Percy was expecting a reply to show up straight away, but that didn't happen. He stared at his phone for a good few minutes before realising that Oliver was probably busy with something else.

A bit disappointed, Percy decided to just start on his homework and check his messages again later.

—

"Dinner" his mom yelled from downstairs.

Percy glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand and realised that it was a few minutes after seven. He had gotten completely lost, first in his homework and later in reviewing course material and maybe, but just maybe, some daydreams about a certain someone all throughout.

Percy quickly put away the notes he was currently reading, because everyone knew letting Molly Weasley wait was not a wise decision. He almost ran straight into the twins when he opened his bedroom door, who didn't miss a beat to start making stupid remarks as the three of them made their way downstairs.

"What ya up to Perce?" George asked, and before Percy could even open his mouth, Fred answered in his best posh voice "Well dear brother off mine, my private activities are non off you're concern."

George apparently tought this was hilarious and replied with his own imitation of his older brother "Right you are, beloved other spawn of my mother. I shall not request any more sensitive information off you"

Both of them started laughing, and as the trio entered the kitchen, Fred remarked with a snide look at Percy "Not like we care anyway, I'm sure you were just studying again, Mr. Boring"
Percy ignored him and set down between Ginny and his dad, but sadly for Fred, Molly had heard his remark.
"And you would do well to follow his example young man! Dont think i forgot what they said at the parent teacher conference about you two."
She gave a pointed look at Fred and George who all off a sudden didnt have much to say anymore. As Molly turned away however, Fred didn't miss his chance to stick his tongue out at Percy, who returned tge childish gesture right away.
This seemed to greatly amuse Ginny, Ron and Rons best friend Harry, who all started giggling.
Percy wasn't surprised to see Harry there, the boy spent more time here than at his own house since befriending Ron. Molly had even set up a second bed in Rons room, because it wasn't exactly a secret that Harrys aunt and uncle treated him horribly.

George turned around to face his mother again and asked "Where's Charlie?"
"Working" sighed Molly as she put the big pot of spaghetti down on the table. Right away Fred Ron and Ginny all started fighting over who could get the first serving and Percy groaned and slouched back in his chair. He loved his family, he truly did, more than anything in the world even, but they could be so ridiculous.

After everyones plate was filled, not without some discussion and a generous amount of cussing, Molly asked "So how was everyones day?"

She insisted on doing this every evening, much to the chagrin of most of her children. She looked around the table, her eyes landing on Ginny. The youngest realised that today she would have to go first, swallowed her food and started "Well classes were fine. Miss Sanchez said my english homework was great. And Luna brought me a muffin."
Next was Ron who gave an unenthusiastic account of his day, with Harry mostly just nodding along, then the twins launched into a slightly exaggerated speech about their dedication to their education and lastly Molly looked questioningly at Percy.

He cleared his throat "Everything was as usual, everything was fine."
No one said anything, obviously expecting him to go on. Arthur remarked "Didn't you help your friend with homework or something? That's interesting"

Percy silently cursed his father but nevertheless answered "Yes, I tutored a classmate."
Fred, never one to miss a chance to be annoying, quickly jumped in "Yeah, obviously a classmate, cause you don't have any friends." George snickered into his food, but quickly stopped once he saw the look his mother shit him and his twin.

"That's very sweet of you Percy, who is this friend?" she was obviously trying to be helpful, but had the opposite effect.

Percy mumbled "Not a friend mom, just a classmate. His name is Oliver." He had hoped the twins would have moved in from the conversation, but luck didn't seem to be on his side.
George seemed to have made a realisation "Oliver as in Oliver Wood, as in our soccer captain? That Oliver?"

Percy sighed " Yes, George, that Oliver"
Fred gave a nasty laugh "Yes so definitely not a friend then. What is he even doing with you? Don't infest him with, well, whatever you have going on."

This made Percy slightly defensive, it wasn't like he forced Oliver to spent time with him, he didn't even ask him. He tried keeping his voice even but failed as he answered with a raised voice "I'm just helping him pass English, is that fine with you?"
Everyone now looked at him slightly taken aback. He pushed his chair back, got up and said "I'm not hungry anymore. Good night."

In his room, he threw himself straight onto his bed, feeling a bit overdramatic, but nobody could judge him.

He decided that he should just try to sleep as early as possible, so that this day would be over. He got changed into some old pyjama pants and another one off Bills old shirts, this one a dark purple with some kind off skull motive that was peeling off and multiple holes near the hemline.

He turned the light off and as he was climbing into his bed, he spotted his phone laying on his nightstand. He quickly turned it on and saw two notifications: one from Penelope and the other from Oliver.

He clicked on Olivers chat, his heart speeding up a bit.

----------

6:44

Oliver: Hey Perce :)

7:52

Percy: Hello

Percy: When does your schedule allow for another tutoring session?

Oliver: Your always so formal, lowkey sweet

Oliver: Monday and thursday i got practice, so not then

Oliver : So mabe tomorrow or friday if your free? But tbh i dont feel like working on a friday

Percy: On Wednesday I need to attend debate club

Oliver: :(

Percy: Maybe we can met on Thursday after your practice?

Oliver: No you dont have to wait for me. I should just get over myself and we can met friday

Percy: I normally stay after school to study in the library, so it wouldn't be an inconvenience.

Oliver: fr??

Oliver: that would be dope

Percy: Then we'll see each other Thursday after practice.

Oliver: Yeah :)

Percy: Good night

Oliver: gn :)

----------

All off a sudden the twins snarky comments and the hurt he had felt earlier felt very distant. A warm fuzzy feeling crept up in his stomach and the world seemed to be a better place. He remembered that he also had a notification from Penelope.

----------

5:30

Penny: Did he respond? What did he say?

8:20

Percy: We will meet on Thursday.

Penny: Omggg exciting

Percy: I'll tell you everything tomorrow alright??

Penny: fine fine. Sleep well

Percy: You too

----------

Now that he calmed down a bit again, Percy noticed that maybe leaving dinner early was a bad idea, his stomach grumbling from hunger.
He was still not really in the mood to talk to any of his family members, so he listened at the door to see if someone was still in the kitchen or in the hallway.
From what he could hear, everyone was in their room, so he opened the door, and quietly creeped downstairs to the kitchen.

He stopped in his tracks as soon as he entered the kitchen and saw someone hunched over the countertop.
The figure turned around an Percy realised that it was Charlie.
"What are you doing here?" that came out a lot meaner than Percy intended.
"Hey, why so bitter Goldie?" Charlie thankfully didn't seem upset. As Percy didn't answer, Charlie just smiled at him sweetly "Just came back from work. And mom told me about what happened at dinner, do you wanna talk about it?"
Percy shook his head and made his way over to the countertop to get himself a plate.
Charlie ruffled his hair and put some pasta on his plate. "Are you really fine Perce?"

"Yes, everything alright" he answered. Charlie sat down and mentioned for Percy to do the same. They started eating and the kitchen seemed strangely empty with just the two of them.

"So how is Oliver? Still obsessed with soccer?" Charlie asked.
Percy responded "Of course he is, could you imagine him not being? And other than that he's fine, I'm just helping him pass English."

"That's great.So do you still fancy him?" Percy punched Charlie in the arm as hard as he could and glared at him.

In his freshman year, he had made the grave mistake of confessing his crush to his two older brothers, who, obviously, had not let it go til this day. Atleast they never let it slip to other people.

Charlie giggled and shrieked "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I totally ship you guys! But still tell me if he makes a move, he might be a friend, but you're still my baby brother. I gotta tell Bill all about this."
Percy groaned and hid his face in his hands. "Nothings gonna happen Charlie. He's not interested in me, we're not in the same league."

Charlie stopped giggling like an idiot, and his eyes softened "Well then that's his loss. I think you are very sweet and also an absolute catch. Everyone would be happy to be with you."

Percy didn't know what to say to that, so he just showed a fork full of pasta into his mouth.
Charlie thankfully let it drop and the two enjoyed the rest of their meal in silence.

Chapter Text

Wednesday was uneventful. Penny made Percy retell every single detail of the previous day over and over again, and Percy started rereading The Great Gatsby so that he’d be capable of helping Oliver as much as possible.
Thursday afternoon, Percy used his time in the library to revise biology one more time to make sure he’d ace the test tomorrow.

—

Soccer practice ended at 5 p.m., so Percy left the library at 4:45 and went to meet Oliver near the pitch. He decided to wait near the locker room to make sure he wouldn't miss him.
Some people shot him questioning looks as they passed on their way to get changed, and Percy felt his hands getting clammy. He felt very out of place, standing there with his bag slung around his shoulders, gripping his copy of The Great Gatsby tightly as athletes from various sports walked past him.

Oliver came down the corridor with some of the other soccer players a couple of minutes later and, spotting Percy, shot him one of those signature smiles that absolutely didn’t help with Percy’s clammy hands.
"Hey, Perce, I'll be right out, alright? Give me five minutes."
Before Percy could answer, Oliver disappeared into the locker room.

Percy leaned back against the wall, waiting. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two redheads trudging toward him. He should have seen this coming, he’d completely forgotten that the twins being on the team meant they’d be here too.
They hadn’t really talked since dinner two days ago, so he braced himself for a slightly mean remark, but nothing came.
Instead, someone stopped next to him and awkwardly cleared their throat.

“Hiii, Percy. Whatcha doing here?”
He looked up to see Fred leaning against the wall next to him, with George shuffling his feet nervously.
“Just waiting,” he answered.

The twins shared a glance, then Fred spoke. “Look, Perce, we wanted to say sorry.”
Percy’s book actually fell out of his hands. Whatever he had expected, it wasn’t that.

George continued, “About Tuesday. We really felt bad when you got so upset. We may have gone a bit too far.”
Fred quickly bent to pick up the book and nodded vigorously. “Not only Tuesday, though. We just wanted to say that when we make fun of you, it’s, you know, just fun. Like–we don’t wanna make you cry or something.” He handed Percy the book.

They both looked at him expectantly. Percy tried to come up with an acceptable response and finally said, “It’s okay. I know I can be a little sensitive at times.”

George responded, “True, true. But we could be a little more sensitive sometimes.”
“Just a tiny little bit,” Fred added.

Percy got choked up at their sweet behavior, so he just smiled at them.

The twins exchanged a mischievous look and then yelled in sync, “GROUP HUG!” and launched themselves at Percy.
“Ew, you guys are all sweaty, get off me,” he tried, and failed, to put actual malice in his voice.
“So we’re good?” George asked, still pressing against Percy.

“Yes, yes, now get off me, you Kraken,” Percy croaked.
The twins disentangled themselves from their older brother and beamed up at him.
“We will be more considerate, pinky promise” Fred announced, then the two of them went to get changed.
“Don’t feel too safe” George yelled over his shoulder.

As the door fell closed behind his brothers, Percy hugged his book closer to his chest and hummed happily.

The locker room door opened again, and a freshly showered and changed Oliver stepped out.
“Good to go?” he asked with a smile.
Percy adjusted his glasses and nodded. “Yes, but the library is actually closing at this time, because all the extracurriculars are over, so we need to go somewhere else.”

“Oh damn, I didn’t know.” He paused to think for a moment, then proposed, “We could go to a coffee shop, if that’s cool with you?”
Percy answered, “That’s alright. Do you know a good place?”
“There’s one just a short walk from here, we can go there.”
“Lead the way,” Percy agreed.

—

Oliver started talking as soon as they began walking, first telling Percy about practice, then about what chapter they were on now.
Percy was content with that. He didn’t need to say much himself, and he got to enjoy listening to Oliver’s deep voice.
Then, suddenly, the athlete addressed him directly. “I forgot to ask last time, how much do I owe you?”

Percy blinked at him, confused. “What do you mean?”
“For the tutoring, how much do you charge per hour?” Oliver asked, like it was the most obvious thing.
“Oh no, I—I... you... It’s fine, you don’t need to pay me,” Percy stammered.

Oliver looked confused. “But I want to. You helped me a lot last time, and today you waited two hours for me.”
Percy fiddled with his glasses again nervously and muttered, “I told you, I wanted to study anyway. And I really don’t want you to pay me.”

Oliver looked slightly dejected, but recovered quickly. “Okay then, but if you ever change your mind, let me know. I really appreciate you doing this.”

Percy blushed at that and was very relieved when Oliver informed him, “This is the place.”

The brunette hurried over and held the door open for Percy, which caused the redhead to blush even more.
The interior of the coffee shop was small but cozy, differently colored armchairs, couches, and chairs cluttered around the room.
As Percy settled into a plush crimson sofa, Oliver took their order at the counter, he had insisted on at least paying for coffee if Percy wouldn’t accept payment.
He handed Percy his mug of and sat down next to him, sipping his flat white. Percy started to pour a generous amount of sugar into his black coffee and enjoyed the comforting smell of coffee.
“What were we talking about again?” Oliver asked.
Percy was slightly taken aback and suddenly didn’t remember a single thing he’d said in the last 24 hours.

"Uh… English. Tutoring...and stuff.” He resisted the urge to facepalm.

“Oh yeah, right—tutoring. I completely forgot,” Oliver said.
Percy stared at him for a few seconds before shaking his head and asking, “Well, what have you been working on since last time?”

Forgot? Oliver had forgotten what they were doing? How? Percy’s head was spinning.
So he had to put a remarkable amount of effort into listening to Oliver's answer about what chapter they were on and what themes they were discussing. Oliver showed him the question sheet they were supposed to work on.
“But we don’t need to answer all of them, only four each class, so eight per week. And yeah, that’s all, I think,” Oliver finished.

Percy read through a couple of the questions and had to refrain from rolling his eyes at how easy they were. He couldn’t believe how little work the non-advanced classes required.
Instead, he suggested, “Let’s get started, then, shall we?”
The first question: How does the narrator describe Gatsby? was, in Percy’s opinion, pretty straightforward.

Oliver started flipping through his book to the right passage and they got to work. Percy guided him toward the right answers, completed half-finished ideas, and corrected his terrible spelling on what felt like every second sentence.

—

After they had finished the questions, Oliver went to return their mugs, and they left the coffee shop.

Outside, Percy checked the time on his phone and realized he had just missed his bus and would have to wait about half an hour for the next one. He sighed.
Oliver turned to look at him. “Everything alright, Perce?”

“Yeah, it’s just my bus. It’s fine,” he answered.
Oliver beamed at him like this was the best news ever. “I can drive you.”

Percy pushed his glasses up his nose and muttered, “I don’t wanna be a burden. I can just wait.”
“No discussion. I’ll drive you,” Oliver insisted and started walking back toward school.

—

The school parking lot was nearly empty at this time, and Oliver confidently made his way toward a sleek white Mercedes.

Percy gulped as he realized he really would be spending the entire ride home in a confined space with his crush.
He took a deep breath, then climbed into the car. He sat down, bag on his lap, eyes roaming the car as if trying to commit every detail to memory.

The interior was nice and sleek, but completely cluttered. On the backseat lay clothing items, shoes, water bottles—even a soccer ball. Oliver connected his phone, and now the sounds of some upbeat love song were filling the car.
Percy thought it was probably a Taylor Swift song, but couldn’t be sure.

Oliver looked over at him and asked, “Can you please put in your address?”
Percy obliged, and Oliver started the car.
The drive passed far too quickly for Percy’s taste, with Oliver trying to get him to sing along to various songs that he insisted Percy had to know.

“Wait, it’s right here. The red one,” Percy informed Oliver, who dutifully parked behind the Weasleys’ Ford on the driveway.
Percy opened the door, but stopped as he heard Oliver call his name.

Oliver looked at him with a soft expression, then asked, “Tuesday in the library again?”
“Sure,” Percy answered, still not getting out of the car.
Oliver suddenly looked very serious.
“I will make sure you know all the important Taylor Swift songs before the end of the year.”

They looked each other in the eyes for a few long seconds, then burst out giggling like mad.
Percy finally got out of the car and, before shutting the door, chuckled, “You’re an idiot. Do you know that, Oliver Wood?”
Oliver gave him a mock salute through the windshield before pulling out of the driveway.

As Percy watched the car drive further and further away from him he thought to himself, that boy is going to be the death of me.

Chapter Text

----------
Oliver & Percy’s Chat
Friday, 7:45 a.m.

Oliver: Good luck on your test, you got this :)

‐--------

Saturday, 9:02 a.m.

Oliver: How are you doing?

Percy: Fine, and you?

Oliver: Great, just got back from the gym.

Percy: No way I would get up early on a Saturday.

Percy: Still enjoying my very comfortable bed.

Oliver: Did I wake you up? :(

Percy: No, I’m just refusing to get up right now.

Oliver: You deserve some rest.

Oliver: How did the test go yesterday??

Percy: I think it went well.

Oliver: I’m sure you aced it :)

Oliver: I need to go, talk to you later.

----------

Sunday, 7:48 p.m.

Oliver: I actually started reading The Great Gatsby.

Oliver: Seriously this time. No SparkNotes.

Percy: Proud of you.

Percy: Let me know what you think of it.

Oliver: I’m only on chapter one so far lol

Oliver: But I’ll update you.

---------

Percy felt closer to Oliver thanks to their consistent texting, so as he entered the library on Tuesday, his heart was beating like crazy.
Something about seeing Oliver in person always made it feel more real. And more terrifying.

Every time they saw each other in the hallways or in class, Oliver’s face would light up and he would wave at him, and Percy would wave and blush in return.

Percy got settled at his usual table and started arranging his things when Oliver came through the door slightly out of breath.
He looked around the room and spotted Percy in his usual corner. Beaming at the redhead, he hurried over.

“Hey Percy, how are you?”

“I’m fine, and you?”

“I’m good.”

Oliver rummaged through his bag, pulled out a book, and tossed it on the table.
Percy looked at him questioningly.

“Open it,” Oliver advised.

Percy slowly took the book in his hands and cracked it open.
The pages were filled with Oliver’s chicken-scratch writing, and Percy found himself tracing the letters.

He looked up at Oliver and said, “This is really good.”

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck, and Percy almost thought he saw Oliver’s cheek darken slightly, but it must have been a trick of the light.

“Thanks, but I haven’t finished it yet. I think it’s kinda hard to read. I’m only on chapter five.”

“Still, it’s great that you’re reading it,” Percy responded.

They just looked at each other for a few moments before Percy cleared his throat.
“Let’s start on the questions, alright?”

—

After finishing the questions and packing up, Percy went to get up, but was stopped by Oliver placing a hand on his arm.
Percy could feel the heat of it through his sleeve and thought his heart might burst out of his chest.

Oliver looked at him sincerely, then asked,
“Do you think Gatsby really is in love?”
Percy gaped at him for a few seconds before composing himself.

“That’s one of the central themes of the novel, but no, I don’t think he was actually in love. In my opinion, Gatsby thought Daisy could make him happy.
But if you get that question in a test or an essay, you could argue both perspectives.”

Oliver responded, “I thought he was just obsessed with her. Because he doesn’t even really know her, right? Like, he likes the idea of her.”

“That’s a very astute reflection,” Percy said.
“As I see it, Gatsby was unhappy with his life and thought getting Daisy would fix that. To me, it’s also a good example of how many male characters in literature and film see women as some romanticized version of themselves, someone who exists just to fix or complete their lives. I also think it was easier for Gatsby to chase Daisy than to actually face what makes him miserable.
“Some people argue that Gatsby is just a hopeless romantic, and you can argue that, but I think if he really loved her, he would’ve just talked to her instead of doing that whole thing.”

Percy blushed a bit, realizing he’d gone on a bit of a tangent.
“Sorry for rambling. I get carried away sometimes,” he murmured with a bashful smile.

“No, don’t be sorry. I think you’re really smart. That was really interesting,” Oliver protested.

Percy’s blush deepened so much it now matched his curls.
With no idea how to respond, he just stood up and said, “Let’s go, I need to catch my bus.”

—

As they walked down the corridor silently, Percy’s face began to return to its natural freckled, pale color, and his heartbeat slowed to a more manageable pace.

Oliver suddenly broke the silence.
“Thanks again. You’re really good at explaining stuff. Like, I don’t feel dumb when I don’t get it, you know?”

Percy’s heart did a somersault and he feebly responded. “You’re not dumb.”

Oliver gave him a soft smile.
“You make it easier to believe that.”

—

On the bus, Percy’s mind was still racing, trying to comprehend what exactly had happened.

So he decided to call the one person he knew would question him about it anyway.
Penny picked up after two rings and immediately started bombarding him with questions.

“So? What happened? Any new developments?”

Percy sighed. “I don’t know. I really need your help.”

“Why? Did something bad happen? Do I need to hurt somebody?” Penny almost shouted into the phone.

Percy laughed despite himself. “No, nothing like that. I’m fine.”

Then he added in a hushed tone, “Well, I don’t know. I’m just... It’s hard to explain. I feel weird.”

“What do you mean?” Penny asked.

“Well, it’s just weird. I mean, I know I’ve got a bit of a crush on him, but this feels different. Like, when he smiles at me, it’s more than just oh gosh, he’s pretty.
It’s also just... more, you know? Maybe I’m just being an idiot.”

Penny squealed into his ear, clearly thrilled.
“You’re in loooove, admit it! I knew it!”

“You’re being stupid, Penny,” Percy muttered. “It’s not like that.”

Penelope continued in a sing-song voice,
“Are you sure? Let’s see... Do you think about him often? Do you want to be closer to him? Does your heart beat faster when you’re near him or thinking about him? Do you enjoy your time together? Do you feel connected to him?”

Percy noticed himself nodding affirmatively as she spoke.

Then he gasped. “Oh my god.”

“What is it?” Penny asked.

Looking around to make sure no one could hear him, Percy whispered into the phone,
“Penny, I think I’m falling in love with Oliver Wood.”

Chapter Text

After another tutoring session in the cozy coffee shop, Oliver once again insisted on driving Percy home, this time with Taylor Swift on shuffle, of course, so Percy could understand her range across the eras.

“No, you see, Fearless is like her being in love for the first time. She's still young and a bit naïve,” Oliver explained, eyes lighting up with enthusiasm.

Percy stifled a laugh. “I still don't get what the hell an era is exactly.”

The brunette groaned. “It's like its own thing, with its own vibe and everything.”

“So… just an album?” Percy deadpanned.

“Just an album?? No way, every era has an album. You've got to be kidding me!”

Percy giggled at the dramatic reaction.

Oliver shook his head. “Ohhh, I see how it is. You're making fun of me. You pretend to be all nice and sweet, but secretly you're rude.”

At this, the redhead couldn’t hold back anymore and threw his head back in laughter.

Oliver dropped his mock-offended act and joined in.

They eventually calmed down, Percy wiping tears from his eyes, Oliver still grinning, as the song faded into the next.
A comfortable silence lingered between them, the radio turned up just enough to fill the space. A slower song began to play.

As the chorus started, Percy turned to Oliver and said, “I like this one. Which era is this?”

Oliver’s smile softened. “Of course you do.”

Percy’s stomach fluttered at the tone of his voice. “What do you mean, of course I do?”

Oliver glanced at him from the corner of his eye before replying, “It’s just… very like you to like Folklore. It fits you.”

Percy didn’t say anything right away, and the quiet stretched comfortably between them. Then Oliver added, more matter-of-factly, “Her newer albums have a lot more slow songs. I think you'll like them more.”

Percy hummed in response and turned to look out the window as the car turned onto his street.

“Here we are,” Oliver said, cutting the engine.

“Thanks again for the ride,” Percy said softly.

Oliver turned to face him fully, took a deep breath, and asked, “Would you maybe like to come to my birthday party?”

Before Percy could even answer, Oliver rushed to add, “You don't have to if you don't want to. Charlie and the twins will be there too. And you can bring a friend if you want. It’d be really cool if you came, but no pressure or anything.”

Percy cleared his throat, cutting off Oliver’s spiral. “I’d like to be there. When is it?”

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck, not quite meeting Percy’s eye. “Tomorrow, at my place. I’ll send you the address.”

Percy nodded. Not quite ready to say goodbye, he asked, “Just the party, or also your birthday?”

“Both,” Oliver replied with a small smile. “It’ll probably start around nine or something, but you can come whenever.”

“I’ll probably just get there when my siblings do,” Percy said.

Oliver beamed. “Can’t wait. It'll be totally great, I promise.”

“See you tomorrow, then,” Percy promised.

—

Oliver shot him another grin and one of his effortlessly cool mock salutes as he drove away. Percy waved after him, his heart fluttering, and wondered if it was normal to feel an entire swarm of butterflies in your stomach.

As he stepped into his house, he found most of his family bustling in the kitchen, setting the table for dinner.

And that’s when it hit him, a glaring flaw in his plan for tomorrow.

His mum would never let him go to a party. Not a chance.

Wait—had Oliver really said the twins would be there? Charlie made sense; he was an adult.
But Fred and George? They were even younger than him. There was no way their parents would let them out that late.

Also… how were they even getting there?

More importantly, how was he getting there?

He’d been so wrapped up in being invited to a real party by his maybe-more-than-a-crush, he hadn’t stopped to think through a single detail.

“Hey, Perce! Get in here,” Ron called from the kitchen, spotting him in the doorway.

Percy decided that was a problem for after dinner.

—

After brushing his teeth and changing into his pajamas, Percy made his way down the hall to interrogate the twins about how they planned to get to Oliver’s party.

As he passed the bathroom, he spotted Charlie stepping out and waved him over.

While knocking on the twins’ door, Charlie asked, “What’s this about?”

The twins eyed them suspiciously as they walked in. “What are you guys doing here?”

Charlie held up his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t ask me!” He flopped onto Fred’s bed.

Percy suddenly felt like he was the one being interrogated, under the combined gaze of three Weasley brothers. “Oliver told me you were going to his party tomorrow.”

The twins exchanged a look. Charlie just nodded.

“So what?” George asked.

“Yeah, you gonna rat us out or something?” Fred added.

“No! Why would you think that?” Percy said, clearly on the defensive.

All three of them gave him a look that screamed: Are you serious?

“Okay, okay, maybe that would be a fair assumption,” Percy admitted. “But I’m not! I just wanted to ask, how are you guys getting there?”

Fred narrowed his eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

At the same time, Charlie shouted, “No way! You’re going too?”

Percy muttered, “Yeah. He invited me today, after he gave me a ride.”

Charlie gave him a significant look. The twins both raised an eyebrow.

“What?” Percy snapped. “Is it so weird that I get invited to things?”

“Well—” Fred started, but Charlie cut him off with a sharp glance. “Just weird that you’re actually planning to go.”

“I just thought it might be fun,” Percy mumbled, then quickly continued before the conversation got derailed again. “So, how are you getting there?”

“We’re going straight to Lee’s after school,” George explained. “He lives pretty close to Oliver, and we’re crashing at his place too.”

Percy turned to Charlie with hopeful eyes.

“Tonks is picking me up. I’m crashing on her couch,” Charlie said. “You can ride with us. I’m sure she won’t mind if you stay too.”

Percy hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”

Once the twins had kicked them out, promising to get Percy drunk at the party, he turned to Charlie. “Can you ask Tonks if it’s really okay? I don’t want to be a bother.”

“She won’t mind,” Charlie assured him, pulling out his phone. “But I’ll text her just in case and let you know.”

Later, as Percy lay in bed, he couldn’t help but feel a rush of nervous excitement.

It was going to be the first real party he ever attended.

And even better, it was Oliver’s birthday.

Chapter Text

Percy felt beside himself for the entirety of Friday. He accidentally sat in Roger Davies’s chair during class, forgot his bag in three different classrooms, and almost ran over a tiny freshman.

But who could blame him? Important questions were swirling around in his head. Should he bring something to the party? What does one wear to the birthday of one’s crush? And would his parents be suspicious about four of their kids being invited to “sleepovers” at the same time?

He asked Penny if she wanted to join him, but she had dinner plans with her grandparents.

Still, she shared his excitement and made him promise to get his outfit approved by her before going. 

Percy had already googled what to wear to a party during lunch, but the advice was painfully vague—things like “wear something you feel comfortable in” or “don’t overdress”—as if that was a helpful guideline. Like he couldn’t come up with that on his own.

—

As soon as school was over, Percy practically sprinted to the bus stop, his mind buzzing with questions and worries. The bus ride stretched endlessly, each stop tightening his stomach further. He tried to focus on the passing scenery, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the party.

What if he looked ridiculous? What if he said something stupid?

—

Once home, Percy realized he hadn’t really planned how to get ready exactly, so he jumped in the shower for a quick reset.

Afterward, he noticed he still had an enormous amount of time to get ready and overthink everything. He decided to tackle the outfit dilemma first, hoping that once that was settled, he’d be clear-minded enough to actually do some homework.

He rifled through his neatly ordered stacks of shirts, searching for something that didn’t look like a relic from a museum of bad fashion. He pulled out a few old ones handed down from Charlie and Bill—the only ones that weren’t horribly washed out or stained.

There was the bright orange shirt with a hammerhead shark print, Charlie’s, no doubt, and two from Bill: a maroon one with a skeletal figure and a dark purple shirt covered in black swirls.

None of them screamed cool, but it was better than nothing. Percy sighed, wishing he owned something less... accountant-core, as Penny had once described his everyday wear.

He sent Penny a quick picture of his three best options, fingers crossed she could rescue him from fashion disaster. Almost instantly, her reply popped up:

“100% the purple one.”

At least someone had faith in his questionable taste.

Deciding which pants to wear was a lot easier — he had exactly one pair of jeans that fit him alright and didn’t have any holes in them. Low bar, but still a win.

He pulled the grey jeans out of his closet and laid them next to the purple shirt. The rest — the rejected shark and skeleton shirts — he folded and tucked back into their usual neat stacks.

He quickly threw some sleeping clothes and spare underwear into his gym bag. With everything else ready, all he could do now was try to get some homework done until it was time to go.

—

Given the circumstances, Percy managed to focus remarkably well and even got a bit of work done — though dinner was another matter. He mostly picked at his food, the conversation around him fading into background noise.

—

After dinner, he went to say goodbye to his parents, and, surprisingly, didn’t even get the usual “no alcohol, no messing around” talk they gave his siblings every time one of them went to a sleepover.

It should’ve been reassuring. Instead, it made him feel even more exposed.

He slipped back into his room, changed into his chosen outfit, and clasped on the faux pearl necklace and matching bracelet he’d found at a thrift store. A little perfume, a few strategic tugs at his curls, and he was ready — or as ready as he’d ever be.

He was double-checking his sleepover bag and tugging on a black zip-up hoodie when a knock rattled his bedroom door. His stomach lurched — was it time already?

Before Percy could open the door, Charlie burst in.

“Tonks will be here in a few. You ready?”

“Yes, I’ll be down in a second,” Percy replied, grabbing his bag.

Instead of leaving the room while Percy was grabbing his things, Charlie leaned against the doorframe, eyeing him suspiciously.

“You look nice,” he said, matter-of-fact.

Percy smiled slightly. “Thanks. You look nice too.”

He stepped out of his room and started down the stairs, Charlie trailing behind.

“No, Perce,” Charlie said again, this time more playfully. “You really look nice.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

Percy shot him a bewildered look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Charlie huffed a laugh. “Oh, you know—nothing really. So... you excited?”

“A bit nervous, I suppose,” Percy admitted.

They slipped on their shoes quietly, not wanting to alert their parents and risk a last-minute interrogation that might expose their true plans.

Tonks was already waiting in her car, waving excitedly as they approached. Percy climbed into the backseat, shyly greeting her. She was already turning the ignition—before Charlie had even closed the passenger door.

“Sooo, you guys ready?” she asked brightly, as she pulled away from the Weasleys’ house at a frankly murderous speed.

Charlie nodded excitedly and launched into a conversation with her. Percy ignored most of it, staring out the window and trying to ignore the nausea—whether from nerves or Tonks’ driving, he wasn’t sure.

He was jolted back to the present when Charlie suddenly blurted, “Doesn’t my baby brother look good today?”

Percy had no idea how their conversation had gotten to this point, but he felt his face flush hot under the attention. He shot Charlie a murderous glare just as Tonks glanced at him through the rearview mirror.

“Yeah, you do look different,” she said, raising an eyebrow.

“Are you trying to impress someone?” Tonks asked, grinning.

Charlie nodded excitedly, and Percy, blushing even harder, swatted at him.

“No, it’s nothing!” he groaned, slumping back in his seat and burying his face in his hands.

Tonks and Charlie exchanged amused looks.

“Okay, so who are we talking about? Please don’t tell me you’re crushing on some loser who’s gonna treat you like trash,” Tonks pressed.

Percy tried to will his blush away and ignored her, but Tonks looked to Charlie.

Charlie just shook his head. “Can’t say. I promised I wouldn’t.”

“You also promised you wouldn’t mention it,” Percy sulked. “Bill would never do this to me.”

Charlie rolled his eyes. “Please, Perce, don’t be dramatic right now.”

For a few seconds, the car was quiet.

Then Charlie added, “And you’re just so sweet, being all embarrassed.”

“And you’re really insufferable, and I will never tell you anything again,” Percy shot back.

Tonks laughed. “You guys are the cutest idiots ever.”

“Look, she’s cool. She’s not going to tell anyone, Percy,” Charlie said.

Percy sighed. Charlie was probably right—there was no harm in telling Tonks.

Maybe it was Charlie’s relentless teasing.

Maybe it was the warm, easy energy in the car.

Or maybe — just maybe — Percy was tired of feeling like he had to hide the biggest, most ridiculous secret in his chest.

His heart pounded. His mouth was dry. But for once, he wanted to say it out loud.

He swallowed hard, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and muttered, “It’s Oliver.”

“What was that?” Tonks asked, peeking into the mirror.

Percy took a breath, shoved his glasses up his nose, and said a little louder, “It’s Oliver. “The guy I’m interested in is Oliver.”

Tonks gasped. Charlie whooped.

Percy immediately regretted everything.

His face was on fire. He stared out the window, hoping the streetlights would swallow him whole.

“I’m so proud of you!” Charlie crowed. “Finally admitting it!”

Tonks looked so shocked she promptly ran a red light.

“Really?” she gasped, then caught herself. “You know what? I can totally see it. Opposites attract. And I always liked Oliver, he’s a great guy.”

Charlie bounced in his seat. “Right?! And he’s good-looking, funny, and not even that arrogant for an athlete.”

Tonks laughed. “You just want another sports-obsessed person in your family.”

“No, I’m just saying, he’d fit right in. And he’s my friend, so I know he’s not a fuckboy or anything.”

Percy’s blush returned in full force as he listened to them talk about his ridiculous crush like it wasn’t mortifying. Like it wasn’t delusional.

“It’s stupid anyway,” he mumbled. “He’s super popular. He’d never look twice at me.”

“Don’t say that, Goldie.” Charlie’s voice was unusually gentle. “You’re more of a catch than you think.” “You never know,” Tonks nodded, pulling into the driveway. “Anything can happen.”

“

Chapter Text

Percy spotted Oliver’s sleek Mercedes parked along the long stone driveway, his stomach flipping on cue.
Oliver's house stood in one of the city’s fanciest neighborhoods, modern, sprawling, with floor-to-ceiling windows and an absurdly luxurious garden that looked like it had a personal gardener and a secret Instagram account.

A few smokers were scattered near the entrance, exhaling smoke into the crisp evening air. Laughter drifted from the garden.
Tonks and Charlie had already vanished into the crowd, swallowed up by friends. Charlie, of course, hadn’t left without throwing Percy a meaningful wink that made his ears burn.

The door was ajar, letting out waves of pop music and the low hum of conversation. Inside, the air smelled like alcohol, perfume, and something vaguely fruity he couldn't place.

The party was already in full swing, but things still seemed relatively calm. No spilled drinks or impromptu karaoke yet.
He wandered toward the sound of music, passing small knots of people mid‐conversation. Eventually, he found the heart of the party: a spacious living room, the furniture pushed to the sides to make room for a makeshift dancefloor.

A few people were already dancing, but most were lounging on couches or standing around with drinks in hand, talking in that slightly-too-loud way people did when they were buzzed and trying to be cool at the same time.

A wave of discomfort hit him, he suddenly felt achingly out of place, loitering alone in the middle of someone else’s social life.

Percy stood there for a moment, unsure what to do with his hands. Everyone seemed to be engaged in something.
He scanned the room for someone familiar.

He spotted the twins in a whirlwind of movement and noise, laughing too loudly as they danced. He immediately ruled them out, he didn’t have the energy for dancing, or for Fred and George in general.

His gaze drifted to the couches, but no one there looked approachable. Or rather, they might have been, but not to him.
Not when he didn’t know what to say. Not when he felt like he’d wandered into someone else’s dream and didn’t have a speaking role.
His chest started to tighten. His breath came faster. That familiar, creeping feeling of everything being just a little too loud, too bright, too much—

And then, a hand landed gently on his shoulder.
Percy turned around and found himself looking straight into Oliver’s warm brown eyes.
Just like that, the noise receded, his breath evened out and his heartbeat slowed.

“Hey,” Percy breathed, feeling more than a little self-conscious. Oliver just flashed him that annoyingly gorgeous smile of his, and Percy’s stomach did a weird flip.

“I’m so happy you could make it,” Oliver said, giving him a quick once-over. His eyes lingered on Percy for just a beat longer than normal, making Percy feel inexplicably warm under the attention.

“I wouldn’t have missed it. Happy birthday, by the way,” Percy replied, trying to sound cool despite the sudden rush of nerves.

Oliver was still staring at him, wide-eyed. Then he shook his head and stammered, “Uh—yeah. Sure. I mean, thanks.”

He blinked a couple of times before his eyes darted down to Percy’s outfit again. “You look... really good tonight. I mean, I know you usually wear, like, other clothes, you know? Which are nice, but this is also nice. What I’m trying to say is—“
Oliver stopped, looking almost embarrassed. “You look good.”

Percy couldn’t hold it in. He giggled, covering his mouth. “Are you drunk or something? I’m not sure any of that made sense.”

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck, eyes flicking away nervously. “No, I haven’t had anything yet. Okay, well, I have, but—like, not that much. Look, if you want a drink, the kitchen’s right over there. Just help yourself to whatever, I don’t care.”

Percy hesitated for a moment, a little taken aback by the casual invitation.
He opened his mouth to make some kind of comment about underage drinking, but before he could get a word out, a group of Oliver’s friends swooped in, pulling him away with cheers of “Oliver, look who's finally here! Angelina!” and “Come on, we’re doing shots!”

"See you later, then!" Oliver called over his shoulder, practically being dragged off by his mates.

Percy stared after him, momentarily stunned. The urge to lecture Oliver on responsible drinking was still there, but the feeling was quickly overridden by the odd little fluttering sensation in his chest. Maybe this was normal at a party?

—

A few hours in, the party had definitely escalated. Every quiet corner now had someone making out in it. The music had grown louder, the dancing wilder, and the air thicker with alcohol, and possibly a few other substances Percy strongly disapproved of.

Surprisingly, Percy had been enjoying himself. He’d chatted with a few people from school, and even let Roger Davies rope him into some chaotic party game with other students from their year. Somehow, he’d ended up with a drink in his hand—and oh god, what a mistake that had been.

He’d never had alcohol before, and whoever made his drink clearly didn’t believe in moderation. It wasn’t awful, he didn’t feel sick, but everything felt slightly hazy, and the room was getting too warm.

—

He figured it was time for some fresh air.
Percy stepped into the garden hoping for a quiet moment, but it seemed half the party had the same idea.
The cool night air hit him like a blessing. A few people were loitering with drinks, a couple were furiously making out behind a hedge, and one guy was violently throwing up into a flower pot.

A few steps away, Percy spotted a familiar head of red hair. He sighed, already preparing a lecture about underage drinking—and definitely underage weed. But as he got closer, he froze. It wasn’t twins. Just one of them.

Percy halted. That was odd, the twins were practically joined at the hip. Seeing just one of them alone was like spotting a unicorn.
He ducked into the shadows, leaning against a large tree where he wouldn’t be seen. From this angle, he could make out that it was George, recognizable by his slightly longer hair, and, as Percy had feared, he was holding an unlit joint.

Percy rolled his eyes and braced himself to intervene, but just then, someone else approached. When the newcomer sat beside George, Percy recognized him immediately: Lee Jordan.

He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he saw Lee waving a lighter around while George tried to snatch it. Eventually, Lee handed it over, and Percy watched in exhausted resignation as George lit the joint, took a drag, and passed it along to his friend.

He sighed. He just didn’t have the energy to get into a moral debate tonight. At least George seemed to be having a good time.
George laughed, his head tipped back, hair flying around his face, eyes crinkled with something real and easy. He looked... happy.

Not just high or drunk, but genuinely relaxed, leaning into Lee’s shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. Lee smiled down at him, warm and soft, as if George hung the stars.

Percy wondered if he looked that obvious when he stared at Oliver. He also wondered what exactly was going on between those two, but, for now, he decided to let them be. George looked happy. That was enough.

—

Back in the living room, Percy scanned the crowded space, hoping to spot Roger or anyone he’d talked to earlier.
The room was so packed he couldn’t even see halfway across it, and the noise was overwhelming, people singing, laughing, and music blasting. In a corner, Fred was doing a backflip off the couch for no apparent reason, drawing a small crowd.

For the second time that night, someone placed a hand on his shoulder. Percy turned, half-expecting Oliver again, but it wasn’t.
Instead, a slightly older guy stood behind him, probably around nineteen or twenty, with blonde hair and a sharp, steel-blue stare.

The guy leaned in close, voice low over the music. “Where’d you disappear to, hmm? I saw you earlier, but then you vanished.”
Percy instinctively stepped back, but the guy caught his arm in a firm grip.
“I was just outside,” he muttered, trying to keep his voice steady.
The blonde didn’t let go,he stepped in closer, resting his other hand on Percy’s hip.
Percy flinched as he felt the guy’s breath against his neck.
“Come dance with me,” the stranger said, low and demanding.

Percy leaned back, trying to create space. “No thanks,” he said, his voice barely audible. “I was just looking for my friends.”

"Don't be like that" the blonde snarled, starting to move against Percy.
Percy felt his breath becoming rapid and short, his whole body trembling as he stammered "Please stop"

The man didn’t listen. He started grinding on Percy, who froze in place, eyes squeezed shut, wishing desperately to be anywhere else. He tried to just endure his situation and hope this guy would soon leave him alone.
Just as panic truly set in, someone yanked the guy off him.
Percy opened his eyes, and saw Oliver arguing heatedly with the blonde.

All of a sudden, Percy felt like he could breathe easier, now that the man didn't have his hands on him anymore.
Voices began to rise as more people noticed the commotion. A few of Oliver’s teammates stepped in, backing him up.
“You don’t get to come into my house and make my friends uncomfortable,” Oliver snapped, his voice fierce. “Get out. Now.”
The guy looked around, saw the growing crowd, and finally backed off, muttering something under his breath as he shoved his way toward the door.

—

As the room settled, Oliver hurried back to Percy.
“Are you okay?” he asked, breathless. “I’m so sorry—he was disgusting. I don’t even know him. Some guy from the team must’ve brought him.”
Percy gave him a shaky smile. “I’m alright. Really. Thanks for stepping in.”
Oliver exhaled, clearly rattled. “I should’ve made sure creeps like that couldn’t get in.”
“Oliver,” Percy said gently, glancing around at the still-packed party. “You can’t screen every single guest. He’s gone. That’s what matters.”

The brunette smiled at him. “Sure, yeah—you’re right.”
Only now did Percy realise how drunk Oliver actually was.
His cheeks were flushed, his eyes a little glassy, and he smelled strongly of vodka. Also, he was talking very loudly.
Percy was just about to ask if Oliver maybe wanted to step outside for a minute when Oliver suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Will you dance with me?” he asked, grinning. “And it’s my birthday, so you can’t say no.”

The words had barely left his mouth before he froze, his smile faltering.
“Sorry. That was—ugh—that was stupid. Of course you can say no. I meant it as a joke, but that came out really dumb. Sorry.”

Percy gave his hand a little squeeze. “Stop apologising. I know what you meant. It’s fine.”
And then, possessed by some reckless, foolishly brave spirit, he heard himself say:
“I’d really like to dance with you."

What am I doing, he thought immediately. He didn’t know how to dance. He hated being surrounded by crowds. What the hell was he thinking?

But then Oliver smiled at him. That big, radiant, impossibly sincere smile, and Percy knew: he would do just about anything to be smiled at like that again.
They pushed their way into the centre of the room, where Oliver immediately began jumping around like a lunatic. Percy couldn’t help but laugh.
Oliver caught both of Percy’s hands and pulled him into the chaos, forcing him to join in his wild and very loose interpretation of dancing.

—

They kept dancing for a few more songs. Oliver toned it down after the first one, switching to spinning Percy around and singing along, loudly and off-key.
Percy was shocked by how much fun he was having.
The idea of parties–dancing, drinking, all the chaos–used to seem unbearable. But now, with a light buzz and Oliver twirling him for what felt like the tenth time this minute, it felt like the best place in the world to be.

The music shifted into something slower.
Oliver hesitated, then gently placed his hands on Percy’s waist, just under his ribcage.
“Is this okay?” he asked.
Percy nodded, too flustered to speak, and rested his hands on Oliver’s shoulders.
They began to sway, not exactly dancing, more like rocking in place. Percy was fairly sure they looked ridiculous.
But in that moment, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

Up this close, he could see how truly beautiful Oliver was.
His messy dark hair fell across his forehead in a way that looked effortless and stupidly poetic.
His warm brown eyes had golden flecks in them that shimmered in the low light, and his lashes cast delicate shadows on those ridiculously sharp cheekbones.
Percy had to tilt his head slightly to take it all in, Oliver was a bit taller, after all.
All of these thoughts swelled inside him, threatening to burst out of his chest, so instead of saying anything foolish, he asked:
“Do you think they had this much fun at Gatsby’s parties?”
Oliver laughed, and Percy could feel the warmth of it right against his face.
“Nah. They had all their weird issues going on.”

They stood quietly for a few beats, still swaying.
Then Oliver said, “I put this song on the playlist for you.”
Percy blinked. He wasn’t sure what to do with that, so he just hummed in response.
“It’s the one you said you liked in the car,” Oliver added. “It’s called Cardigan.”
“That’s… really nice of you,” Percy murmured.
By now, they weren’t even dancing anymore, just standing there, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Oliver reached up and gently brushed a curl away from Percy’s eyes.
Then leaned in, his breath soft against Percy’s ear.
“Have I ever told you,” he murmured, “that you’re the most gorgeous person I’ve ever seen?”

Percy was genuinely unsure if this was still reality. He might be dreaming. Or hallucinating. Or both. Either way, he was definitely about to faint.

“I mean it,” Oliver continued. “I love your hair. It’s so unique. Your freckles—like little stars. And your eyes—God, they’re the color of sapphires.”

Percy swallowed hard, his hand drifting up from Oliver’s shoulder to the back of his neck. He felt the soft, short hair there, warm against his fingers.

They were standing so close now he could feel Oliver’s breath brushing his lips. He could feel the shape of Oliver’s chest through both their shirts.
Every nerve in his body was lit up.
And then, suddenly—
A loud crash from somewhere in the house shattered the moment like glass, and they sprang apart as if jolted by lightning.

—

Percy looked around, blinking in confusion, before realising that a couple had somehow managed to tip over a couch in the middle of their makeout session.

He rolled his eyes. Really? They couldn’t have waited thirty more seconds?

He turned, hoping to catch Oliver’s eye, maybe even see if he looked as disappointed as Percy felt.
But Oliver was already across the room, helping lift the couch back into place.

Percy backed out of the living room, suddenly overwhelmed—by the music, the heat, everything. He needed air. Or quiet. Or just… out.

In the hallway, he ran into Tonks, one of the few sober people left in the house.

“There you are!” she called over the music. “Charlie’s ready to leave, if you are.”

Percy nodded wordlessly and followed her out.

—

The car ride was a blur. So was changing into pyjamas and collapsing onto Tonks’ couch.

He lay there, staring at the ceiling, replaying the night like a bizarre movie reel.
He’d confessed his feelings about Oliver to Tonks.
Tried alcohol for the first time.
Found out that George and Lee were… something. And smoking weed, no less.
Got cornered by a disgusting guy on the dance floor.
Danced with Oliver.
Almost kissed him.

What. A. Mess.

Chapter Text

Saturday morning hit like a hangover, even though technically, he hadn’t had enough to justify one.

Thankfully, Charlie spent the ride home snoring like a bear in hibernation, and Tonks, somehow still buzzing with energy, rattled on about the party from the driver’s seat. She didn’t seem to need actual answers, just the occasional hum or nod from Percy to keep going.

Back at home, Percy went straight to his room and collapsed into bed without a word.

—

When he finally woke up, feeling at least semi-human again, he did a quick mental check of his situation.

First problem was obviously Oliver. Was he thinking about Percy? Did he regret what had almost happened? Did he even remember it?

Percy was spiraling a bit, having soon convinced himself Oliver was surely embarrassed about what happened and only acted the way he did because of the alcohol.

He sat up, took a few shaky breaths, and tried to talk himself down. You can’t do anything about it now. Just breathe. In. Out. Again. It’s fine. It’s all fine.

He needed a distraction. Time to panic about something else.

Problem two: Who the hell had seen him dancing with the brunette?

Charlie and Tonks hadn’t said anything on the ride home—and they absolutely would have, had they known, no matter how tired Charlie had been. Percy was certain of that. They would have teased him mercilessly, Charlie would’ve started planning the wedding, and Tonks would’ve just made deeply unhelpful comments about "getting some."

But that didn’t mean he was in the clear. Loads of people had been in that room. People from school, friends of his brothers and members of the soccer team.
In short, people who absolutely loved to gossip.

Worst of all, the twins might have seen.

And if that was true? Well, Percy would simply have to move. Maybe Bill would let him crash in that glorified closet he called a flat in Paris. Percy could learn French. Reinvent himself. Become someone who didn’t get caught dancing with his crush at parties, maybe change his name to Pierre.

But he couldn’t live off fear and dread alone. His stomach growled, reminding him that no amount of anxiety changed the fact he hadn’t eaten since yesterday.

Fine. He’d face the world. Or at least the kitchen.

—

Walking downstairs, the smell of a very late breakfast greeted Percy, clearly, he wasn’t the only one who had slept in.

His mom was in the kitchen, somehow berating and doting on Fred and George at the same time.

“You two must think I was born yesterday. Showing up here at 2 p.m., clearly still hungover, telling me you didn’t go out last night. Georgie, please eat your pancakes, you’ll feel better. You two should really try to be more like your brothers. Percy would never act like this! Right, honey?”

She directed the last part at Percy while handing him a plate stacked with still-warm pancakes.

He couldn’t bring himself to lie to her, so he quickly took a large bite and nodded.

This earned him a judgmental look from both the twins, but it wasn't like they could call his bluff without admitting where exactly they had been.

Molly sighed. “What am I going to do with you two? I just want all of my babies to be safe.”

Guilt twisted in Percy’s stomach – not just for doing something his mum wouldn’t approve of, but for lying to her face. Even the twins looked a bit sheepish under her disappointed stare.

“We really didn’t do anything crazy, Mom, I promise,” Fred offered. “We just brought something to the sleepover at Lee’s, not much.”

Percy kept chewing slowly but raised a disapproving eyebrow at his brother.

Molly threw up her hands and left the room, smacking Fred on the head on her way out. “No, and I repeat, absolutely no underage drinking is acceptable.”

The three brothers craned their necks, watching her go. The moment she was out of earshot, they turned to each other like co-conspirators.

“Spill,” Fred whispered.

Percy chewed even more deliberately, stalling for time.

Impatient as ever, George leaned in. “So did anything interesting happen?”

“What do you mean did anything interesting happen?” Fred practically yelped. He was harshly shushed before continuing in a lower voice, “Didn’t you see him dancing with Oliver? Where were you anyway? You said you were getting a drink and then disappeared for like an hour.”
He glanced over at the door to make sure he hadn't alerted his mother.

George shrugged. “Just out. But did you just say Percy, as in our snooziest, most stuck-up brother Perce, danced with Oliver Wood?”

Fred forgot all about his suspicion towards George. He nodded, practically vibrating with excitement. “Yeah, but not just that. They were schmoozing all over each other. I should’ve taken a picture, that would’ve been blackmail material for months.”

George shook his head solemnly. “It happens to the best of us, Freddie.”

Then Percy felt the twins’ gazes burn into his skin.

Clearly, he couldn’t stall forever. He sighed, set his fork down, and said, “Yes, we danced.”

“‘Yes, we danced?’", they echoed back in perfect, mocking unison.

“That’s all we get?” George asked, offended.

“Don’t think we’ll let you leave until we get all the juicy details, dear brother,” Fred added.

Percy shot them an annoyed look but gave in. “There was this weird guy who wanted to dance with me. Oliver kicked him out. Then Oliver, who was very drunk, wanted to dance, so we did. That’s it, really.”

“Wait, was it that blonde guy?” Fred asked. “I saw someone leaving, but I didn’t realize he was being a creep.”

Percy nodded, and George’s expression turned uncharacteristically sympathetic.

“If I’d seen him bothering you, I swear I’d have decked him,” Fred muttered.

While Fred continued to swear under his breath, George leaned across the table. “Okay, but how were you dancing? Was it like fun, or was it like super sexy?” He paused, then added with exaggerated scandal, “Did Oliver grab your ass?”

Percy gasped, scandalized.

“Or did you grab his?” Fred snickered.

They both burst into laughter, Fred nearly choking on his pancakes.

“I didn’t see any ass-grabbing,” Fred wheezed, “but I’m telling you, they were practically wrapped around each other.”

George clutched his chest. “Percival! Don’t you know boys are nothing but trouble? Being a boring virgin is your whole personality! What will you do without the virgin part? Oh, the scandal!"

Fred laughed so hard he sprayed bits of half-chewed pancake across the table.

Sometimes, Percy almost forgot how truly disgusting some members of his family could be.

He rose, plate in hand, and told George coolly, “Well, you’d know all about boy trouble, wouldn’t you?”

He left the kitchen without another word.

Behind him, Fred asked “What did he mean by that?”

—

As predicted, the twins didn’t keep it to themselves. Charlie burst into Percy’s room shortly before dinner, full of secondhand gossip and thirdhand outrage.

After reassuring him that the creep at the party hadn’t done anything and that he felt fine — and no, he hadn’t wildly made out with Oliver — Charlie reluctantly backed off.

He looked as disappointed by the lack of kissing as Percy felt, but insisted that Oliver was clearly into him.

—

The rest of the weekend passed as usual. Percy did homework, called Penny to debrief, and sat through family meals.

Everything felt painfully normal — and that was exactly the problem.

Why the hell hadn’t Oliver called?

Percy would’ve been happy with a text. Even a stupid meme. But there was nothing. Just silence.

He kept telling himself Oliver was busy, or tired, or maybe hungover, but the spiral was already well underway. Surely Oliver regretted everything. He probably thought Percy was a delusional weirdo for even imagining something could happen between them.
And even worse — Percy missed him.

He missed Oliver’s idiotic training updates, and the dumb jokes, and the check-ins about Percy’s latest book obsession.

By Sunday night, Percy lay in bed clutching his blanket, trying not to drown in spiraling self-hatred.

Tomorrow I’ll see him and everything will be alright, he told himself.

—

On Monday morning, Percy struggled to keep his eyes open on the bus. He barely registered when someone sat next to him, until a hand waved obnoxiously in front of his face.

“Hello? Anyone there?” George asked.

Percy blinked groggily. He wasn’t used to having a sibling sit next to him on the bus unless they wanted last-minute homework help.

“What is it, George?” he yawned. “I’m not in the mood for your stupid jokes today.”

George rolled his eyes. “You’re never in the mood for jokes – ‘cause you’re boring.”

Percy turned away, staring demonstratively out of the window.

“I just wanted to ask you something,” George said, uncharacteristically subdued. “What did you mean the other day, when you said that stuff about me knowing about relationships?”

Percy contemplated whether he should lie to end this conversation as quickly as possible, but ultimately decided to tell the truth.

"I saw you. Outside. With Lee," he admitted calmly.

George sank lower in his seat and glanced over his shoulder to make sure Fred wasn’t within earshot.

Percy sighed, sensing this talk wasn't over yet. "So you have a boyfriend. Congratulations. What I don’t understand is why you question me about this like I'm some kind of secret agent?"

“He’s not my boyfriend,” George muttered defensively.

There was a pause, the air between them suddenly tight.

“It’s just that—ugh, I don’t even know,” George groaned, burying his face in his hands.

“It’s just what?” Percy prompted.

“I like him,” George mumbled into his palms.

When nothing else followed, Percy replied evenly, “Good for you.”

George turned on him like he’d been slapped. “GOOD FOR YOU? Are you fucking serious?”

Percy flinched, confused. “Yes? Isn’t he your friend?”

“Yeah. That’s the problem!” George snapped. “I can’t risk our friendship. And Fred would lose his shit — we’ve been a trio since middle school.”

For a moment, Percy saw something raw and vulnerable in his normally boisterous brother. Something that looked a lot like... himself.

Without fully thinking it through, he reached over and pulled George into a hug.

George froze at first, stiff with shock, but then slowly relaxed, resting his head against Percy’s shoulder.

“This is really weird,” George muttered.

Percy gave a faint smile and gently ran a hand through George’s shoulder-length hair. “I know exactly how you feel.”

When they untangled from the hug, George asked quietly, “Oliver?”

Percy nodded.

“I think Lee likes you too,” he said. “And Fred won’t be mad, not if you’re happy. Honestly, he’d probably be more upset if you dated someone outside your friend group. That’d mean less time with him.”

George let out a low chuckle. “God, that’s so true. He’d be pissed.”

He stood to return to his seat, but Percy caught him by the arm. “By the way, if I ever see you smoking anything again, especially drugs, I will tell Mum,” he whispered.

George rolled his eyes, flipped him off dramatically, and wandered back down the aisle.

—

When Percy arrived at the library, Penny immediately clocked his anxious mood. Without asking questions, she handed him a pile of worksheets and launched into a rambling explanation of some assignment, clearly trying to distract him before classes started.

It worked — at least a little.

He caught one brief glimpse of Oliver that morning. Their eyes met across the hallway, but after a split second, they both looked away like the moment had burned.

Percy tried to tell himself it meant nothing. Still, his stomach remained in knots for the rest of the morning.

—

After lunch, he walked to his locker to grab some books, and stopped short.

Oliver was already there, waiting for him.

Percy’s heart did a somersault. His feet felt suddenly too heavy, but he forced himself to walk the final steps.

They stood face to face, neither saying anything for a few long seconds.

“Hello,” Percy mumbled — just as Oliver said, “Hey.”

They both chuckled at the awkward timing. Percy’s face flushed, and Oliver’s smile, that warm, familiar smile, made it worse in the best possible way.

But the smile faded just as quickly as it came.

“I just wanted to tell you,” Oliver said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I can’t make it to tutoring tomorrow.”

Percy felt the words hit like a punch to the chest, but forced a casual nod. “No problem. Just let me know if you need help with anything,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t crack.

Oliver nodded. “Yeah. Will do.”

“I need to get to class,” Percy added quickly, grabbing the books he needed. He couldn’t tell if he was trying to escape or trying not to fall apart.

—

For the rest of the school day and on his way home, Percy had to fight to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out.

Everything he had let himself believe over the weekend, all the fragile hope he’d clung to, came crashing down in that one short conversation.
Oliver hadn’t even looked at him properly. Hadn’t offered a real explanation. Hadn’t… cared, it seemed.

And Percy hated himself for it, for holding onto the hope that things were fine, that maybe, just maybe, he meant something to Oliver.

—

He didn’t even stop to greet his parents when he got home. He headed straight upstairs, shut his door, and finally let go.

The sobs came hard and fast, shaking his chest as he collapsed onto his bed. He clutched a pillow to his chest, trying to find some comfort, trying to hold himself together, but he couldn’t.

Tears soaked into the fabric. His throat burned. He wanted so badly to talk to someone, anyone, who would just listen. But he couldn’t bear to tell them how stupid he felt. How rejected. How small.

After several minutes, the sobs faded into shaky breaths. His face was still wet, his chest still tight. But then suddenly, an idea sparked into his mind.

Wiping his face with the sleeve of his jumper, he dragged himself off the bed and rummaged through his bag for his phone.

With trembling fingers, he dialed the number.
As the call rang out, he lay back down, phone pressed to his ear, hoping someone would pick up.
Hoping he wouldn’t feel quite so alone.

After a couple more rings, a groggy voice answered on the other end of the line.
"What do you want?"

Percy had rarely felt so relieved. Tears welled up in his eyes all over again, this time from the sheer relief of hearing his brother’s voice.

"Hello? Do you know what time it is?" Bill sounded tired and mildly annoyed.

Only then did Percy remember the time difference, he must’ve woken him up. But he was too overwhelmed to apologize, too flooded with everything he’d been holding in.
"Bill," he choked out, the word barely a whisper through his tears.

Something in Bill’s voice changed instantly.
"Hey. Are you alright? What happened?"

"I just wanted to talk to you," Percy sniffled into the phone.

He heard Bill talking to someone else in the background, then the sound of rustling fabric as he presumably got out of bed.
"Okay, just breathe, Perce. Deep breaths. It’s going to be fine, I’m here."

Percy did as he was told, shakily pulling air into his lungs. Once he could speak, he launched into the whole story — the tutoring sessions, the car rides, the party, everything that had happened earlier that afternoon.

Bill listened without interrupting, reacting in all the right places, laughing, swearing, or going silent when the moment called for it. Percy could tell he was really listening, and that alone helped him feel more grounded.

By the time Percy had finished, his tears had dried and his voice had steadied, though it still wobbled a little.

Bill sighed deeply.
"Oh, Goldie, that sounds... ehm, intense."

Percy gave a damp laugh. "Yeah, I guess so. But what should I do now?"

"I don’t know," Bill said honestly. "I feel like you won’t listen if I just say ‘move on,’ and honestly, I don’t think that’s the right call either. Maybe... just give him space for a few days. Let him think. Don’t spiral into worst-case scenarios, alright?"

He paused, then added, "If you want, you could send him something simple. Like, ‘I’m here if you want to talk.’ Just leave the door open."

Percy was quiet, chewing on the edge of his sleeve.

Bill’s voice grew playful. "And if he keeps being a dick about it, well, I’ll be home in a couple of months, and then I’ll take care of it."

"You’re an idiot," Percy said, laughing through the lump still lingering in his throat. "But thank you. You’re probably right."

"I’m always right," Bill said smugly.

Percy snorted. "Highly debatable. But I’ll let you get back to sleep."

"You can call me anytime," Bill yawned. "But seriously, keep me posted. I want updates."

"Good night," Percy said softly, then ended the call.