Third Person's POV.
Inside the archives, the silence returned, but the air still felt like it was humming with Percy's lingering presence. Gemini leaned against the cold metal shelf, taking deep, shuddering breaths. He had to stay there for a good ten minutes, doing some very serious mental math and reciting the periodic table just to "take care" of the physical evidence of his boyfriend's visit.
Once he was reasonably sure he didn't look like he'd just been pressed against a shelf, he smoothed his shirt, checked his hair in the reflection of a glass display case, and gathered his files.
He pushed open the heavy door and stepped into the hallway, trying to adopt the most nonchalant expression humanly possible.
He didn't even make it ten feet before he ran into Sarah and Leo.
"Oh! Gemini!" Sarah stopped, her eyes immediately zeroing in on his face. "We were just looking for you. Did you find the catalog keys? We tried to get in a few minutes ago, but the door was stuck."
"The... the door?" Gemini felt a fresh wave of heat climb up his neck. "Oh, yeah. The lock is a bit temperamental. Ancient building, am I right? I had to jiggle it from the inside."
Leo leaned in, squinting. "Are you okay, man? Your face is like... neon pink. Is the ventilation down there that bad? We should report that to HR; you look like you're having a heat stroke."
A heat stroke. Yes. Let's go with that, Gemini thought. Much better than 'the CEO was eating my face two minutes ago.' Just smile and nod, Gemini. You are a professional. A professional who is currently sweating through his cotton shirt.
"It's just really dusty and stuffy down there," Gemini said, his voice a pitch higher than usual. "A bit of a workout moving those heavy blueprint cylinders, you know? But I'm finished! Actually, I got everything cataloged ahead of schedule, so I'm heading out early."
"Lucky you," Leo sighed. "Well, go get some air. You look like you need it."
Gemini didn't wait to be told twice. He practically sprinted to the elevators, not exhaling until the gold-plated doors shut him off from the world.
Outside the office, a sleek black car was idling at the curb. Ohio was behind the wheel, sunglasses on, looking like she was ready to film a music video. Gemini's phone buzzed in his pocket just as he reached the car.
It was a message from Percy: I see you're leaving. I told you I'd drive you home. Why is Ohio's car outside?
Gemini shook his head in disbelief. Percy is watching him?
He typed a quick reply: Because I'm going shopping with her. You have a board meeting in a few minutes. Ohio and I will grab dinner when we're done shopping. I love you. See you at home!
"Get in, get in!" Ohio ushered him in, grinning as Gemini collapsed into the passenger seat. "Why do you look like you just escaped a hostage?"
"I'll tell you at dinner," Gemini groaned, pulling his seatbelt across. "Just drive before Percy decides to stop us from leaving."
After two hours of shopping—where Ohio forced Gemini to buy three pairs of shoes he didn't need but looked "fire" in—they settled into a corner booth at a trendy restaurant for some food.
Over a shared platter of truffle fries and sparkling water, Gemini leaned in and whispered the story of the archive incident.
"Stop. Shut up. He didn't do that! Percy? The man who used to act like a handshake would kill him? You guys almost did it in the archives? Gemini, I am screaming internally! Do you realize what's happening? This is the 'Percy Awakening.' You've unlocked the beast. He's gone from 'Reserved' to 'Experimental.' Honestly? I'm proud of him. It's high time he learned how to properly get down."
Gemini paused, a fry halfway to his mouth. "Get down? Get down where? He was standing up the whole time."
Ohio stared at him, her mouth falling open. She slowly set her glass down. "Gemini. Honey. You are a literal genius. You can explain the physics of a black hole. Are you telling me you don't know what 'getting down' means?"
"I mean... I assume it means dancing? Or maybe sitting on the floor?" Gemini asked, looking genuinely confused.
Ohio let out a cackle that made the people at the next table turn around. "No! Oh, you sweet summer child. No."
She leaned over the table, using her hands to make a series of increasingly frantic and suggestive gestures—one hand forming a circle, the other finger poking through it, followed by a wavy motion that could only be described as 'the horizontal hustle.'
"It means getting down to business," Ohio whispered loudly, wiggling her eyebrows. "The dirty. The deed. The bedroom gymnastics! Percy wants to get down, Gemini! He wants to turn his office into a sex playground!"
Gemini's brain finally made the connection. He buried his face in his hands, his ears turning a bright, glowing red that put his earlier blush to shame.
"Ohio! We are in a restaurant!"
"I don't care! It's the truth!" Ohio laughed, reaching across to pat his arm. "Look, you've spent so long being the 'sweet innocent guy' and he's been the 'stoic bossman.' Now you're both discovering your wild sides. It's healthy! Just... maybe check for security cameras in the archives next time?"
Gemini couldn't help it. The sheer absurdity of Ohio's hand gestures and her "Get Down" speech broke through his embarrassment. He started to giggle, which turned into a full-blown fit of laughter that left him breathless.
"You're right," Gemini admitted, wiping a tear from his eye. "Percy is really discovering himself. And as terrifying as it is to almost get caught by Sarah today... I kind of liked it."