PJatO || Jercy || PJatO || Jercy || PJatO || Music in My Heart || PJatO || Jercy || PJatO || Jercy || PJatO

Title: Music in My Heart – Percy Playing the Piano

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: m/m, pining, fluff, dorks in love, serenaded

Main Pairing: Jason/Percy

Side Pairings: Paul/Sally, Tristan/Beryl

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Jason Grace, Thalia Grace, Piper McLean, Tristan McLean, Beryl Grace, Sally Blofis, Paul Blofis, Tyson

Summary: Every day on his way home, Jason passes an apartment where beautiful piano music can be heard from. Sometimes, he lingers and watches through the open window. When his sister starts picking up an interest in music, their parents look for a tutor – and Jason considers it fate.

Music in My Heart

Percy Playing the Piano

Jason sighed as he closed his eyes and slowed down.

Every day on his way home from school, he passed the same apartment building. And on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the most beautiful piano music would flood out of one of the apartments. The first few times, the music had just given Jason a bit of a swing in his steps. After a couple of weeks, Jason grew more curious. It was summer, so the window was open. He walked right past it, it wasn't like he was being a creep. The window was open and right in his line of sight, so sneaking a peek at whoever played the piano so well was totally not creepy.

What he saw knocked the air out of him. Quite literally so because he accidentally continued walking and walked right into a lamp-post, landing on his ass. The boy sitting at the piano was absolutely stunning. Black, ruffled hair, giving him a bit of a mischievous, roguish charm, sun-kissed skin and a fit physique. Definitely did some kinds of sports.

And that had become Jason's routine over the following weeks. After school, he would walk down this street and enjoy the music, walking as slow as possible and peeking glances at the beautiful boy at the piano. It was a very stupid crush and Jason knew that. He had no way of contacting him. After all, calling into the boy's living-room 'Hey, you're cute! Wanna get ice-cream?' was intensely creepy.

So instead, Jason endured his big sister's relentless teasing. Thalia had picked up on Jason's habit and on Jason's crush. Especially when Jason would sit at home, listening to piano music on YouTube, trying to find the pieces his pretty piano boy was playing.

"It's nice to see you take an interest in classical music, Jason", commented his mom.

Flushing brightly, Jason instantly closed his laptop like Beryl had just walked in on him watching porn. Beryl looked confused for a moment but didn't stop smiling. Jason knew he was being an idiot, but he had come to associate piano music with the pretty piano boy.

"Is really pretty", hummed Jason's little half-sister.

A small smile was on Jason's lips as he turned toward Piper and ruffled her hair. Piper giggled and ducked her head, trying to escape him. Jason and Thalia's dad was a deadbeat who had left their mom alone with two young children and an ever-growing alcohol problem. Beryl had picked herself up from the ground, with the help of Tristan McLean – a kind actor she had worked with on a movie. She used to be a huge star in the 80s, but she took a step back, took care of herself to recover and then ended up marrying Tristan. She was sober now and happy. And so were they.

"Momma", started Piper and turned to look at Beryl with the big eyes. "I wanna make pretty music too. Can I learn how to play the piano? Please?"

At first, Beryl looked a bit surprised, the question coming rather unexpected – she had tried to get Piper interested in ballet and singing before, wanting her daughter to have some kind of artistic trait after both Jason and Thalia had spectacularly failed in that aspect. She wasn't being pushy, when Piper expressed that it wasn't fun, then Beryl dropped it, but she still kept suggesting new things. Piano? She had not yet suggested that, but if Piper was interested...?

"That is a wonderful idea, princess", declared Tristan as he and Thalia entered the apartment.

They had come back from groceries shopping. Thalia pushed past right into the kitchen to put down the bags, while Tristan paused in the living room to kiss Beryl briefly and greet Piper and Jason.

"I missed the first half of the conversation", called Thalia out. "What's a wonderful idea, dad?"

"I just heard something about piano", shrugged Tristan.

"Piper wants to learn how to play the piano", supplied Beryl.

"O—oh", replied Thalia in a very drawn-out way. "Wonder where that came from."

Jason blushed and glared at the wall. Stupid big sister being stupid. Urgh.

"I'm sure we'll find a teacher for her in the newspaper... or something?", wondered Tristan.

"Don't worry about it. I think I know a guy", called Thalia. "Percy's been whining a lot about wanting to buy a bike but not having money. He's been playing since he's six."

"Percy?", echoed Beryl. "Jackson, right? Sally's son? I always see her at the parent-teacher nights."

"Yeah, that's the one. I can ask him", offered Thalia.

Jason rolled his eyes annoyed. Thalia's friends were kind of annoying. She started getting into a lot of trouble when she started hanging out with Luke and Annabeth – and that was where Jason stopped paying actual attention to her social circle. But she talked a lot about Percy. Apparently, he had joined the group through Annabeth – that had been the golden trio; Thalia, Luke and Annabeth, since they were small. Luke and Annabeth had practically lived at the Grace-McLean household for a while, or at least it had felt that way to Jason. Now Thalia was too cool for sleep-overs and such and she and her friends hung out elsewhere most of the time. Actually. Most of the time at Percy's, or so they said. That, or Luke's, since he had moved out two years ago to live with his college boyfriend and meeting up there was way cooler than bringing her friends here, where Thalia's parents and two younger siblings were. To this day, Jason had never met Percy, even though he had been friends with Thalia for about two years or so. But then again, it wasn't like Thalia paid a lot of attention to Jason's social life and friends – she knew Jason's two best friends Reyna and Nico, but that was it. The siblings weren't that close, really. They were just too different. So Jason dreaded one of Thalia's goth-punk friends teaching his precious baby sister the piano.

/break\

Paul raised a curious eyebrow as he watched his stepson walk with a spring in his step. He was immediately distracted when his wife walked up to him and kissed him. With that, the peace in the Blofis kitchen ended, because next up was their youngest son Tyson, stumbling in loudly.

"Mom, dad! I'm hu—ungry!", exclaimed Tyson with a broad grin.

"On it, Ty", grinned Percy and ruffled his baby brother's hair.

Tyson was seven, ten years younger than Percy, and he absolutely adored his big brother. Still with that spring to his steps did Percy start making pancakes. Happy that someone else was making breakfast today, Sally sat down next to Paul and stole his coffee mug. Paul huffed amused and went to get himself a new mug of coffee, also getting Tyson an orange juice.

"What's with the good mood today, Perce?", asked Paul curiously.

"I found a way to pay for that bike", declared Percy with the broadest grin.

"You found a job?", asked Paul surprised, raising both his eyebrows.

Percy had been daydreaming about this bike for a while now, but that was just not in the budget and he refused to ask his absentee rich father for money. He said he'd figure it out and apparently he had found a way. Something that Paul had never really doubted; Percy was a doer.

"My friend Thalia said that her baby-sister wants to learn the piano and their parents would pay me for giving her lessons. So, I get to do something I love and get money. Also, on top of that, I get to hang out with Piper, who is an absolute princess", grinned Percy. "Win-win-win."

"Piper?", asked Tyson eagerly, looking up.

Tyson was close friends with Leo and Hazel, who both were also friends with Piper. Percy smiled as he served the first blueberry pancakes to his little brother. Paul smiled proudly.

"I mean. If it's no problem", tagged Percy on. "She'd come over once a week for lessons."

"Of course it's not a problem. I think it's a wonderful idea", assured Sally.

/break\

Piper had been going to her piano lessons for four weeks when Jason was first put in charge of dropping her off, because their parents were busy and Thalia had archery practice. He sighed as he rounded the corner, looking at the paper with the address scribbled on. Though he slowed down when he recognized the street they were in. Piper next to him tugged on his hand impatiently.

"Co—ome. Percy is wa—aiting", huffed Piper impatiently.

"You're really enjoying the lessons, huh", grinned Jason as he started walking again.

He allowed Piper to drag him along until they actually rounded the corner to the very apartment Jason had been walking past for months now. They rang the bell at Jackson and got inside. First floor apartment to the right. No. No, that couldn't be true. The apartment door opened and there he stood, in all of his gorgeous glory – black, windswept hair, sun-kissed skin, broad shoulders, pink bow-shaped lips and oh, his eyes. Jason had never seen his eyes before. They were like green but also blue and super deep and gorgeous and Jason could look into them all day long.

"Piper. Who's the statue with you?", asked the guy with a grin.

"That's my silly brother", giggled Piper, tugging on Jason's hand. "Say hello to Percy!"

"Hello to Percy", echoed Jason doe-eyed before shaking himself. "Uhm. Sorry. I mean, hello."

"Jason, then?", asked Percy with a grin, offering his hand. "Hey. Thalia and Piper talk a lot about you. You know, considering your little sister and my brother go to the same class and me and your big sister have been going to the same class for a while, it's a miracle we never met."

"Miracle", agreed Jason, brain still not fully rebooted.

"Ca—an we go in now?", asked Piper impatiently.

"Sure thing", grinned Percy, waving at Jason for a last time. "See you in two hours to pick her up."

"Yes. Two hours", echoed Jason again, nodding slowly.

"He's not very talkative", chuckled Percy to Piper.

"No, normally he is. I dunno why he's being weird", shrugged Piper.

/break\

"Seriously, Thalia? Seriously?!"

Thalia didn't even look up from her book as her little brother came storming into her room, though there was a sly smirk on her lips. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Jason."

"The boy I've been into for months, the one you've been teasing me about for months, is your friend? You knew him all along?!", barked Jason out frustrated. "And then you suggest him to be Piper's teacher and you still don't tell me? Are you serious, do you really hate me so much?!"

At that, Thalia started laughing and did put her book down. "You're hopeless, that's why. You've been staring at him from outside his window like a love-sick fool. If you can't even talk to him, why would I tell you 'hey, this is one of my best friends Percy!'. He deserves better than that. But I did help, after all I made him Piper's tutor so you could actually talk to him."

Jason sputtered and blushed, glaring pointedly at his sister. "I... urgh. How have you never introduced me to Percy? How have you been friends with all of that and never introduced me?!"

"...That's why", drawled Thalia unimpressed. "That is exactly why. You had an instant crush on Luke too. It's super annoying. You're like a love-sick puppy. Also, it's so embarrassing having my little brother trail after me like a lost puppy. But since it's been months and you seem to... really be into him... I figured I'd just push a little. If you still can't talk to him though, that's your problem."

Jason narrowed his eyes at his sister and turned on his heels, glowering.

/break\

While Piper was going through the motions Percy had taught her, Percy's eyes drifted over toward Piper's brother. It was raining cats and dogs outside, so Percy had felt bad about sending Jason out into the rain again just to return in two hours. He had offered the blonde a towel and a hot chocolate. Now Jason was sitting on the couch, watching Percy. Not Piper, Percy.

It was kind of cute how incredibly obvious Jason was with his crush. Had been from day one, dropping Piper off at the apartment and just staring at Percy with large eyes and his mouth hanging open. From there on out, Jason had become the sole person to drop Piper off and pick her up. Which, super not helping with the helpless crush vibes. But at least by now Jason had managed to hold semi normal conversations with Percy. About sports, movies, Piper's progress, Thalia.

Jason was cute, in that dorky way. He was handsome, with that surfer Ken vibe.

But Percy wasn't really sure if Jason was ever going to make a move. It really didn't seem like it.

"So...", started Percy as he leaned against the backrest of the couch, behind Jason. "What are you doing tomorrow? Any big plans, or do you want to go see that movie we talked about last week?"

"Nah", shrugged Jason. "I wouldn't even know with whom I'd go see it."

"With my son!", called Sally out from the kitchen. "Percy is asking you out on a date."

"He's been flirting with you for weeks!", commented Paul. "That boy is really slow, isn't he?"

Jason's eyes widened and his cheeks reddened while Percy huffed. His parents weren't wrong.

"W—What?", sputtered Jason, turning to look at Percy in surprise.

"Paul's right", shrugged Percy with a half-grin. "Been flirting with you for weeks. Figured you were into me because you keep staring at me like I'm the moon or something. But since you won't ask me out, I figured I'd ask you out. You're cute. And funny. I like talking ab out movies with you, so I thought maybe... we could go see a movie together and... talk about it, over dinner?"

Jason bit his lower lip and nodded. "I'd really love that. Yeah. Tomorrow sounds great. I'll... uh... pick you up. At... five? Does that sound okay?"

"So—ounds perfect", declared Percy with a broad, pleased grin.

/break\

Jason was jittery as he sat next to Percy in the theater. He was so close that Jason could feel Percy's body heat where their arms pressed against each other. They were sharing a popcorn and every now and again, their hands would touch. It was stupid, but Jason felt like there was a spark every time they touched. And Percy looked so gorgeous with the tight jeans.

"So, the movie was pretty good", drawled Percy as they left the theater.

"Ye—eah", nodded Jason awkwardly, walking side by side with Percy.

Percy grinned a little and tilted his head. "It was awful, dude."

"...Yeah", sighed Jason. "Sorry. I wish we could have seen a good movie, I wanted our first date-"

"Hey. Dude, no", chuckled Percy and bumped shoulders with him. "We can talk about just how awful the movie was. That doesn't mean the date sucks. Though, pizza better be good."

"It's the best Italian place in the whole city. My best friend's family owns it", promised Jason.

/break\

Pizza indeed was good. Percy was on his third slice, they had been talking about all the worst aspects of the movie – the bad acting and writing, how cringeworthy the comedy had been – and now they just ate in companionable silence.

"I... I've been listening to you play piano for months", admitted Jason when their dessert arrived.

"You... have?", asked Percy confused. "What?"

"Your apartment, it's just on my way between school and home", shrugged Jason, cheeks red. "And you play so beautifully. I... But I didn't know you were Thalia's friend. And Thalia, I guess she grew tired of my crush on you, so she suggested you as Piper's teacher."

"That... sounds about right", nodded Percy thoughtfully. "You're a bit of a mess. Oh come on, I've been flirting with you for weeks and you didn't notice."

"You just... play really beautifully", whispered Jason with a blush. "And you are really beautiful."

"Thanks", muttered Percy with a blush of his own, ducking his head.

"Where... how did you learn? I mean, everything Thalia told me about Percy Jackson... never included a music prodigy", asked Jason curiously. "If you don't mind telling me."

"My... Before Paul, mom was married to a guy who wasn't... that great", replied Percy cautiously. "And when mom was at work, I... There was a neighbor, a sweet, older lady. She had a piano. I stayed with her to not be alone with my stepfather and she taught me the piano."

Jason bit his lips at that. Thalia had once mentioned that Percy had been abused – not explicitly, but that he 'fit right in' with the screwed up childhood gang (between Beryl's alcoholism, May Castellan's mental instability, Annabeth's dismissive stepmother).

"Sorry to hear", stated Jason carefully.

"Oh, don't be", shrugged Percy. "It's in the past. Paul's awesome. And... my play is also really great. I got a scholarship for it. Never expected that to be my calling, but..."

"So, you gonna study music?", asked Jason curiously, tilting his head.

"Music and sports. I want to become a teacher. Swim coach", replied Percy with a grin.

Jason smiled in return and the two of them fell into a comfortable conversation about their future plans. It was so easy to talk to Percy, Jason had never expected for them to get along so well. Not entirely true; Percy seemed like the kind of guy everyone would get along well. But he had expected for himself to be too awkward to actually talk to the gorgeous pianist.

"So... this was a pretty good first date... right?", asked Percy causally as the two walked back toward Percy's apartment, walking close to each other.

"Yeah. Yeah, it was", confirmed Jason with a crooked grin, looking nervous.

"We're gonna do this again, okay?", grinned Percy and leaned in to kiss Jason's cheek.

Said cheek immediately turned dark-red and Jason stared wide-eyed at the cheekily grinning boy, just before Percy disappeared back into his home. Jason's heart was racing as he made his way back to his own place. He was going on a second date with Percy Jackson. His pretty pianist was now officially kind of maybe his boyfriend. Jason grinned broadly, like a love-struck fool.

~*~ The End ~*~

Author's note: OKAY! Day one outta seven for the Jercy Week!

Pining Jason, one of my favorite Jasons, btw. ;D