PJO/HoO One Shots | x reader

7. College AU!Percy x Reader part ii

Imagine... going to swim practice with Percy.

Your early class eventually let out and next was swim practice. But you realized you didn't have your car. That would require walking back to your dorm, grab your keys, walk to your car and then drive over to the on campus pool where practice was taking place. That would make you late by an entire twenty minutes, so you decided on walking. You'd only be late by five minutes. In your mind, being late by five is better than twenty.

A car slowly pulled up to your walking pace and honked, causing you to jump. "Need a ride?" Percy leaned out his window with a heart-melting smile.

Oh gods, he isn't wearing a shirt. You nodded with a furious blush creeping on to your cheeks and rushed to the passenger side to hop in.

"Thanks for the ride," you said, gazing at the interior of his truck, letting the warm summer breeze from the open window hit your face. You expected his car to be messy like many guys kept their cars.

Nonetheless, Percy proved you wrong. His car was perfectly clean from wrappers or bottles. He even had an ocean scented Yankee candle air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror, plus a bobble head of a man holding a trident.

"No problem," he said, throwing a small side glance at you. "I mean, we're going to the same place, right?"

He knows you swim? "Wait, you know I'm on the swim team?"

"Well duh," Percy chuckled, while turning on the radio. "Of course I do! I keep tabs on those who nearly pass my swimming record times. Besides, I'm not the only swimmer who makes ESPN headlines. I've seen you on ESPN once or twice."

The Percy Jackson knows who you are. The guy who has the shortest swim times in history. He's better than Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte all together. Yet, he still knew who you are.

Sure you were fast at swimming, but you weren't Percy Jackson good.

Still dumbfounded, you turned to look out the window to avoid looking like a grinning idiot. You couldn't help but keep repeating he knows me in your head.

"I'm three seconds off," you said. "It's not like I was that close."

Percy parked his vehicle, and the two of you hopped out of the car.

"In my book, it still counts!" Percy jogged to catch up to where you were. "Point is, you were close. I bet if you put more work into it, you could do it."

"Are you challenging me to beat you?" You smirked, taking a subtle glance at his bare abdomen.

"Only if you want to," he said, throwing his towel over his shoulder.

"You're on, Jackson," you said. "By the way, I have been swimming more lately. Don't be so surprised if I beat you in the pool."

You knew you were pushing it, but you didn't want his ego to get to his head. He was underestimating your abilities and you didn't like that, although you know he didn't mean to.

Percy laughed. He has the kind that came from deep within, the one that's glorious and pleasing to hear.

Percy pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "That's a great joke, (l/n)." He continued to laugh as you guys walked to the indoor pool. It was cool in there, compared to the blistering Californian weather.

By now, you were slightly offended and hurt. You shouldn't have taken it to heart, but you couldn't help it. You weren't used to others treating you this way, regardless if it were intentional or unintentional. But Percy was kind and laid back, maybe he thought you weren't serious.

You were tempted to push him into the pool next to you. There were other swimmers in it, but they were already warming up by doing a few laps. On the opposite side of the pool was Coach Inman, the swim coach for both, women and men's swimming. There were other two other coaches, one designated to coach women's swimming and the other men.

You slung your bag higher on your shoulder, while staring at Percy. "It wasn't meant to be a joke," you mumbled and your gazed dropped to the floor. You made a mad dash to the women's locker room, and left him there standing, allowing the words to process into his mind. The second you left him there, girls and guys flocked to meet him. You expected it though, he's widely known.

You dug your swim suit out of your bag and quickly dressed in it. You put your hair into a bun, and slipped your red swim cap over your hair. On it, was Flash's symbol. Your family gave you the nickname "The Flash" when you were younger, and the name stuck ever since.

You reached for your goggles and immediately went to the swimming area.

That was when you were assigned lanes, and you found yourself positioned in the very middle with Percy in the other center lane.

Now, you were surprised with that. Normally, the quickest were placed in the center, and the slower swimmers were placed on the outsides.

You were positioned to dive in but Percy stopped you.

"(y/n), I'm sorry about earlier," Percy reached out to place his hand on your bare shoulder. "I thought--"

"It's alright," you said with a small shrug, pulling your goggles overs your eyes. "I get it, you didn't mean it."

"No, really, I'm sorry for hurting your feelings," he said with a charming grin, scratching the back of his neck nervously. He went to run a hand through his hair, but he forgot it was under his swim cap which caused him to blush in embarrassment. "Are you available after practice? I-I mean, would you let me take you out to lunch to make up for it?"

A large smile was plastered on your face. "Sure, I'll go out with you-- on one condition. Whoever loses in this freestyle race has to pay for the other."

You meant it. You weren't intending on paying because you knew you were going to win. You were broke too.

"You're on," Percy chuckled, placing his goggles over his eyes and waved down one of the coaches. "Hey Coach! Mind starting us off?"
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hey guys! i volunteered at VBS last week at my church aNd I'm sUPEr tired but that's okay bc I met a cute guy named ben ;))
-A

btw I'm writing a Connor Stoll and Nico x reader :)