p.jackson x reader
You weren’t sure when exactly Percy started calling you “love.” Well, that wasn’t entirely true. You could pinpoint the first time he said it, but when it became his default for you? That was harder to place. If anyone asked Percy what he found most exciting about being in a relationship, he'd grin and say, "The nicknames, obviously." And oh, did he try plenty.
It started with the classics. “Babe” lasted for a solid few months. You’d hear it at random moments—whether he was tossing you a can of soda during a movie marathon or tugging you into a last-minute hug before a quest. But one day, as he passed you a granola bar while training, he made a face. "You deserve better than 'babe,'" he’d declared, like it was some sort of grand epiphany. “Too generic. You’re… you’re you.”
And so began Percy’s experimentation phase.
“Princess” made its debut during a campfire. You’d rolled your eyes at him, calling it “cheesy,” but he insisted it suited you. “Come on, it’s perfect. You’re badass enough to take on a cyclops but still fancy enough to deserve a tiara.” It stuck, kind of, but only when he was in an especially playful mood.
Then came “Beautiful.” It wasn’t anything special at first, just something he blurted one morning while handing you a plate of pancakes. But the way his face turned pink when he realized what he’d said made it impossible for you to tease him about it. That one lingered, though it was mostly reserved for quiet moments—soft whispers when the world felt like too much or murmurs as he held your hand under the stars.
But “Sweetheart”? That one had a purpose. It was Percy’s go-to for calming you down, for reminding you to breathe when your ADHD made the world spin too fast or when the stress of demigod life crept in. “Sweetheart,” he’d say, brushing a strand of hair from your face. “We’ve got this. I’ve got you.”
Then came “love.” And oh, did that one stick. You remember the first time he said it like it was yesterday. You’d been on a date, the rare kind where monsters weren’t interrupting and the world wasn’t crashing down on your shoulders. Somewhere along the night, the heel of your shoe broke. Classic demigod luck. Percy, being ever the gentleman, crouched down in the middle of the street without hesitation. His fingers were deft as he worked, steadying the broken strap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Hold still,” he muttered, his warm hands brushing against your ankle as you wobbled slightly. Your hands rested on his broad shoulders for balance, and he glanced up at you with that crooked smile you loved so much.
When he finished, he pressed a kiss to your thigh, his lips lingering for just a second. “There you go, love,” he said, his voice soft, intimate in a way that made your chest feel tight and warm all at once.
You blinked down at him, heart pounding a little faster. It wasn’t the word itself that got to you—it was how he said it. Casual, like it had always been yours, but with an undercurrent of something so deep it nearly knocked the breath out of you.
Since then, it’s stuck, weaving itself seamlessly into your lives. He’ll toss it out when you least expect it—“What do you want for dinner, love?” or “Careful, love, that monster looks meaner than usual.” And every time he says it, your stomach does a little flip.
Because Percy Jackson doesn’t just say “love” like it’s a word. He says it like it’s a promise.