➳➳➳

The demigod laid on the couch, tossing Riptide in the air and catching it. The sword was in pen form.

Rudy was sleeping in his fancy dog bed.

Klaus raised a concerned eyebrow. "The sword doesn't just randomly come out right?"

The sea green eyed girl laughed and shook her head. "No."

He nodded. "Can I see it?"

Percy sat up.

The corners of her mouth went up, and she motioned for them to go outside.

When they left the house, the demigod uncapped Riptide. The celestial bronze sword appeared in her hands.

She took a few steps away from him and twirled the sword. The daughter of the sea gracefully moved the sword in different directions through the air, showing her expertise with it.

Percy handed it out towards the hybrid, with the hilt facing him.

Klaus took it and examined the blade. He began speaking, "My brothers and I were taught sword-fighting, when we were human."

The raven haired beauty watched as he slowly repeated some of the moves she did. "Who taught you?" The daughter of the sea questioned.

"Mikael."

Percy looked at his expression. "Mikael taught you?"

He nodded. "He wasn't very gentle about it either."

The sea green eyed girl approached him. She gently took the sword from him and placed it on a small table that was on the patio.

Turning back to him, she loosely wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. Klaus' hands rested on her waist.

"You know..." her words came out soft, "My previous stepdad wasn't so great either."

Klaus' blue eyes stared into her own as he listened.

Continuing, she spoke, "My current stepdad is awesome. But before him, my mom was with this guy named Gabe." She gazed into his comforting eyes. "He was an alcoholic and he would get so aggressive." Percy's voice was quiet. "Especially with me and my mom."

The hybrid looked at her in concern. "Did he hurt you?" He asked gently.

The demigod nodded slightly.

Klaus hated the idea of anyone ever hurting her. He felt that out of everyone in the world, she deserved pain the least.

"I'm so sorry, love."

The raven haired beauty shook her head. "Don't be." She sent him a small smile and gently placed her hand on his cheek.

Despite how much time had passed for both individuals since they dealt with abuse, the hybrid and demigod found some comfort knowing that they had each other.

The two stared deeply into each other's eyes. The shared experiences somehow made them feel even closer.

Percy leaned in and kissed his cheek. Pulling back with a small smile, she looked up at him. "Do you wanna learn some tricks with the sword? I'll teach you."

The corners of his mouth rose up slightly.

"Sure, love."

➳➳❦➳➳

Rebekah sent a message to Percy informing her that she was working with Elena in search of Katherine and the cure.

That's an unexpected duo.

Elena, who still had her humanity off, didn't want to take the cure, while Rebekah did, which caused the duo to temporarily team up.

Percy had an idea.

Would I be able to see Katherine's location if I sent her an Iris message?

The demigod walked into her room to find a drachma. When she found one, the sea green eyed girl created a rainbow by manipulating the mist.

Throwing the golden drachma into the Mist, she spoke, "Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering."

She looked into the rainbow colored mist. "Show me Katherine Pierce."

A moving image of the brunette appeared within the mist. Percy payed attention to any significant details in the background, that could tell her the location of the doppelgänger.

She spotted the name of a street and a large sign displaying the name of a place Katherine was walking by.

The raven haired beauty waved her hand through the mist, which ended the Iris Message.

Percy sent a text to Rebekah with the information.

⇀⇀⇀⇿⇿⇀⇀⇀

Percy was at the Mikaelson house with the hybrid.

Klaus used his phone to dial Rebekah.

Rudy walked up to the demigod and looked up at her with his adorable brown eyes. The raven haired beauty smiled and picked him up.

He licked her hand in appreciation.

Rebekah's voice spoke from the other end of the call. "What do you want, Nik?"

"An update for our search on the elusive cure," He replied.

"Let's just say that things have gotten complicated. In fact, why don't you speak to one of those complications." Her voice sounded farther away, from her handing her phone to someone. "Here."

The cool voice of Elijah spoke, "Complications speaking."

"Hi complications!" The sea green eyed girl greeted. "I'm Percy."

Klaus smiled at her, before greeting Elijah himself. "Elijah. At last you join the fray."

What is 'the fray'?

"Well, somebody had to take charge." The brown eyed original responded. "And now that I have, I've got the cure and I'm bringing it back to Mystic Falls."

Klaus spoke into the phone, "With a long list of demands, I assume."

"Not that long."

The hybrid smiled a bit. "Come home, brother. We'll settle this like family."

When the phone call ended, Percy looked at the original. "What exactly is your version of 'settling something like family'?" She placed Rudy back on the ground.

He smirked. "We'll discuss the matter in a considerate and nonviolent way that doesn't involve dagger threats."

Yeah, right.

The sea green eyed girl raised an eyebrow at him challengingly.

The hybrid conceded, "Alright, there may be the occasional threat." Klaus gazed into her eyes. "Which is exactly why I need you to be here for the discussion."

A soft smile spread on her face. "And why exactly would that mean I need to be here?"

"Well, love, you have a way of calming me when I feel like stabbing people."

Percy laughed. Her hand moved up to hold his cheek. She leaned in and kissed him.

His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer.

Rudy had walked away to go play with a rubber ball.

Smiling into the kiss, the demigod looked back up into his eyes.

He's so cute.

⇠⇠⇠⇠

Rebekah, Elijah, Klaus, and Percy sat at the table to discuss the cure. Rudy was standing next to the demigod's chair.

The sea green eyed girl ran her fingers through his fur.

Rebekah started the conversation, "Elijah, being human means a fresh start. I can grow old and have a family and fill my days with meaning, knowing that each one matters."

"Well, that was poetic." Klaus commented.

Percy moved her hand to hold his under the table.

Their fingers intertwined. The daughter of the sea could tell that he was still skeptical of Rebekah taking the cure.

Elijah spoke, "I think our sister deserves a shot at happiness."

The blonde smiled happily.

Aw.

Rudy walked toward the doorway of the room and looked back at Percy with his adorable brown eyes.

The demigod glanced over at him. "Do you wanna go outside?"

The puppy's tail started wagging in excitement.

The demigod smiled a bit and let go of the hybrid's hand to stand up. At the loss of her touch, Klaus looked up at her.

Instead of continuing the conversation with his siblings, he got out of his seat and followed her out the door.

It seemed the hybrid was more of a lost puppy than Rudy. He'd follow her anywhere.

Rudy walked around outside, sniffing the ground as he walked. A soft breeze blew by, causing some of the branches on trees to move.

The dog started running happily across the yard, hopping and sprinting to his heart's content.

Cutie.

Klaus' arms encircled around her waist like a lock, holding her in place. But, it was an embrace that she didn't want to end. It felt so wickedly intimate.

Her own arms slipped behind the back of his neck. Their chests rose and fell together as their breathing became in sync.

He gazed into her sea green irises. They were so bright, it was almost blinding.

The original felt like she stared into his soul.

He liked the way she looked at him. He craved it. It was soft, like small waves against the sand on a warm day.

The depths of her sea green eyes stood out like a lighthouse, guiding a stranded man ashore.

He noticed the freckles in her eyes and the way the light hit the iris created a canvas of beauty. He was an artist but the color of her eyes painted a better picture than he could ever achieve. He found it impossible to look away.

She was a lifeline, keeping him afloat in the dark abyss. She was an anchor that kept him from being fully submerged in the water. It was like he couldn't breathe without her.

Her soft lips brushed against his. Time stopped in a collision of senses when their lips met. The kiss started out gentle, but became more intense.

She held him tighter, their bodies pressed impossibly closer. He deepened the kiss and their noses brushed against each other's slightly.

Rudy barked, causing the pair to pull away a bit. When they looked over in his direction, they found he was standing a few feet away with a rope toy in his mouth. His tail wagged as he looked at the two.

Aww.

The corners of Percy's lips went up. She spoke in a higher octave as she addressed the puppy. "Aw. Did you find a toy?"

His tail wagged quicker as if assuring her that he did indeed find a toy.

The demigod laughed softly and slowly removed herself from Klaus' grip. Both immediately missed the other's touch. Still, the sea green eyed girl made her way towards the dog.

Rudy moved towards her too, with the dog toy still in his mouth. Percy crouched down in front of him. She played tug-of-war with him for a minute.

The puppy dropped the toy in her hand and waited for her to throw it.

The sea green eyed girl chucked the toy far out into the yard. She watched as Rudy sprinted after it.

He dove for the toy and rolled around in the grass. Once the rope toy was back in his mouth, he laid down on the ground and gnawed on it.

"He's so cute." Percy commented as she regarded the puppy.

Klaus spoke teasingly from beside her, "Yes, it was quite cute when he interrupted our kiss."

The demigod playfully nudged his arm. "Don't be mean. He's adorable, and you know it."

She stepped closer and loosely wrapped her arms around the back of his neck.

The original smiled a bit. "He is cute."

Percy grinned in success.

He continued, "But I do think you're cuter."

The daughter of the sea mocked offense. "That is not a compliment." A playful smile spread on her face. "It is absolutely horrible for you to say such a thing. I might have to attack you if you ever say such a thing again." She spoke in a joking tone, but he also knew that she would defend that puppy with her life.

Klaus didn't normally take well to threats. But, he found himself smiling at hers. It wasn't that he underestimated her in any way. He knew she could overpower him if she wanted to.

It's just that for some reason, he trusted her. And being in her arms felt like the safest place in the world.

Percy smiled, and he couldn't help but fall in love with it. He loved her smile.

"And how do you plan on attacking me, love?" He asked in amusement.

She hummed as she thought of possibilities. "I don't know. I gotta find something that annoys you."

"Well, I don't think that'll work, love. Nothing you do annoys me."

Percy tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. "Nothing? Are you sure about that?"

He nodded in response. His hand moved up to gently tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, moving it away from her face. "I love all of your little comments," Klaus smiled as he spoke, "even the few that I don't understand. I love all of your mannerisms." He looked into her eyes. "I love the way that you carry yourself. It's like you command each room you walk into."

His eyes regarded her in admiration. The corners of his lips went up, "I love how excited you get about food. And you are honestly the funniest person I've ever met."

Percy bit her lip as a small genuine smile appeared on her features. She didn't know how to respond to his words.

Softly, she commented with a teasing grin. "It sounds like you love a lot of things about me."

His blue eyes gazed deeply into hers. Klaus leaned in and lightly kissed her cheek.

Her heartbeat quickened at their close proximity.

"I love a lot of things about you too," she admitted softly.

A small smile spread on the hybrid's features. "Thank you, love."

⇿

"Percy?" Rebekah called out as she entered the room.

The raven haired beauty looked up from her spot on the couch. "What's up?"

The blonde sent her a smile. "Are you going to the prom tonight?"

The corners of the demigod's lips went up in amusement. "You mean the prom at the school I graduated from?"

"Yes. But that hasn't stopped you before." An excited grin appeared on her face. "It should be really fun. Annabeth is going with me."

Percy grinned too. "Well, I guess I have to go now, so that I can get some cute pictures of you two."

The smile didn't leave Rebekah's face as she thought about Annabeth. "Well, I should start getting ready. I'll see you at the dance," Rebekah said as she walked out of the room.

Elijah had agreed to give the cure to Rebekah if she could go a full day without using vampire privileges. He wanted to be sure that she knew what she would be giving up.

Percy looked over at the hybrid who was sitting beside her. Rudy was laying across his lap, as Klaus gently pet him.

She smiled a bit. "Do you wanna go to prom with me?"

He looked over at her, his dimples appearing on his cheeks. "I'd be honored to, love."

The sea green eyed girl grinned softly.

⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀

Percy was back at her own house, getting ready for the prom. She found a dress in her closet that she could wear to the event.

Rudy laid in his dog bed, watching as she attempted to apply a bit of makeup.

The demigod kept her hair down in its natural waves.

Once she finished getting ready, she kneeled down to say bye to Rudy. She kissed the top of his head. "I'll be back in about two hours, baby."

Percy had already made sure that the house was 'dog proofed' so there wasn't anything dangerous he could chew on while she was gone.

She scratched his fur lightly, before getting back up. "Bye, Rudy."

Sadly, she thought there would be too many people at the dance to try bringing the puppy with her.

The demigod walked down the steps. She heard a knock at the front door.

Percy moved forward and opened it. Klaus stood there in a suit. "Hello, love."

She grinned as she stepped out of the house and locked the door behind her. "Hi!"

When she turned to face him, his hands held her waist and spun her in the air. Adorable laughter escaped her lips.

He set her back down on the ground. "You look absolutely stunning, love."

She smiled and pecked his lips. "And you look devilishly handsome."

Klaus smirked at her words. Their lips met again for a quick kiss.

The daughter of the sea smiled into the kiss. "If we don't stop kissing, we'll never make it to dance."

"Maybe that wouldn't be so bad." The hybrid said flirtatiously.

She couldn't stop the grin from spreading on her face. Still, she shook her head. "Uh-uh. We're going."

He looked back at her lips. "Can I get one more kiss then?"

Percy laughed and kissed his cheek.

He gave her sad puppy dog eyes. "That was mean."

She simply laughed again.

The demigod pulled away, but grabbed his hand. She vapor traveled them to where the prom was being held.

It was already packed with students. Loud music blared from speakers as people danced around crazily.

Wow.

Percy, who was still holding his hand, led him out to the dance floor. Her arms found their way around his neck, as they slow danced in a crowd of people who were jumping around.

Once again, the pair found themselves entering their own little world.

⇠⇠

Warning: ⚠️ Character deals with anxiety/sensory overload *

After about an hour, the demigod began feeling overwhelmed.

Someone got on stage to speak into the microphone. Music continued blasting from the speakers. "Welcome to Prom!"

The crowd loudly cheered in response.

There were too many things going on for the demigod to process. Percy felt overwhelmed and the loud noises weren't helping.

The person spoke into the microphone again, causing the students to shout and clap.

The raven haired beauty suddenly became aware of how fast her heart was beating.

Her head hurt and it felt like she was having a migraine. She began sweating slightly.

It was difficult to focus on anything. It was as though her brain turned off.

Klaus, who had noticed her demeanor, gently held her arm. "Love, what's wrong?"

Her eyes closed as she struggled to understand what he was saying.

"Love?"

Percy looked at him, but struggled to say anything. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but she couldn't get any words out.

All of the noise and movements around her made it impossible to function. Bright LED lights flashed in the room, as people partied.

Her wrists rotated and her hands began quickly moving up and down as she tried to express herself. "Too much," she managed to mumble out.

Klaus seemed to understand. He gently guided her out of the prom and stopped once they made it outside.

Sometimes, when there were too many things going on around her, she got sensory overload.

Percy slid down the wall of the school until she was sitting on the ground. She felt the cold wall on her back and tried to calm herself down.

The loud sounds from the prom were now muffled.

Her heart was still pounding in her chest and breathing felt like a chore.

She was barely aware of the the hybrid sitting down beside her.

Percy's thumb began anxiously tapping against her pointer finger. Self-stimulatory activity can help ground her when she's overwhelmed. It's a way of grounding herself to her environment.

Since her heart beat hadn't decreased, Klaus tried to help her with breathing exercises.

"Breathe in for four seconds." She closed her eyes and inhaled.

"Hold for seven seconds." He kept his full focus on her. He wanted to make sure she was okay. "Exhale through your mouth for eight seconds."

She continued following his directions.

The breathing exercises helped slow her heartbeat and stopped her from hyperventilating.

If she had stayed at the event any longer it could've gotten much worse.

Once the demigod calmed down a little, she became aware of a wetness on her cheeks. Warm tears had fallen from her eyes.

The hybrid wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. Percy clung to him and hid her face in his chest.

*

Something about him just always managed to make her feel at peace. She felt safe in his arms.