Finn

We still had a few days before spring break was over. It was only Friday. So we decided to go to the pool at the Y, being it's indoor.

For me, it was normal that dad had a shirt on when he swam. I don't wear one. I used to.

So for Luana and I, it was normal. And I know why he wears it outside of the dumb he just likes it. But Luana doesn't and I mean, I found out like a year ago. I'm not supposed to like tell her. Especially with what she's going through right now.

"Is Percy like not going to take off his shirt?" Carlos asked me as we got into the pool and I shot him a look.

"No," I warned him. "And I wouldn't ask him to, either. It's a bad idea."

So he didn't ask. Didn't say anything about it.

And you know, I've never seen my dad shirtless like swimming or anything. Maybe once, when I was really little. Probably after he took a shower or something. But I really wasn't paying attention.

I started to realize that Nico was helping dad out more than what we just saw when Dad swam without his shirt that day.

And I mean, I understood why he swam with one when I saw what was under his shirt. The infinite amount of scars he had made Nico look weak.

It was kind of bad.

But then again, he was like beaten as a child.

So scars make sense.

But flash forward a few months, school is done, and we're at the Frankfurt Airport with everyone. I was super pumped for this trip. I was meeting with my friends for a few days and then we were hitting a few major cities. It would be a time.

Percy

So a lot of the reason for us coming over when we did, was that there was a family reunion at my great-aunt's place. She's well off, had a good house for the occasion.

My Mom hasn't been to Germany since... I was probably 3 or 4? I'm not entirely sure. But it's been a good 30 years, give or take a few years.

They were all over Estelle and Carlos. It's new kids. It's exciting.

But a bunch of the older kids, the ones old enough to drinks, all wanted to head out after a few hours. Hang out amongst themselves and let us old people have the house.

I'm officially old, apparently.

Of course, Luana couldn't go. But she was with the younger cousins. Moreso her age. We don't have many really little kids at the moment. My cousin was pregnant, though. And we've been thinking about adopting a little kid, or maybe twins or something. Probably after we get married.

I mean, we're not engaged. But it'll happen. Probably soon.

But anyways, Finn and Carlos wanted to go with and Nico, forgetting that's legal here, looks at me, confused as to why they would even ask.

"They can't..."

"The legal drinking age is 16," I reminded my boyfriend, giving Finn a bus card that should still work. If not, they have one less drink. Big whoop. "Let them go out and have fun. Finn knows my rules, and they can't drive drunk. Carlos' license is invalid here."

"Oh, yeah," he remembered, and then he figured it was fine, as long as they're with others and not driving.

Finn

We were out for a few hours, just like hanging out a bar that a lot of younger people go to. Teenagers, college kids, too.

It was definitely Carlos' first time drinking. He was buzzed after one drink, had 3, and oh my gods, that was all he could handle. We even had food. He got drunk off of 3 drinks. And it wasn't anything hard.

It was beer. Weak-ass beer.

Knowing Dad hates it when I get drunk, I didn't have more then 4 drinks total. Fruitier stuff. He doesn't mind that I drink, because it's outside of the house, but he minds if I get drunk. It's a part of what happened when he was younger. Gabe drank a lot, apparently.

A lot.

So I kept it pretty low for how long we were there and when we got back, a few people had left, but not many.

Nico and Dad had been talking with who I think is Dad's cousins, so somehow related to me and they were having a good time. Grandma and Grandpa were talking with quite a few people. Luana looks happy to see Eva again, one of our like 4th cousins or something. They're good friends. They're the two that are younger but not super young like Alex or yeah.

Carlos went and laid down for a while, still buzzed and I was mostly worm off. I could touch my nose. But Klaus and I started talking a bit, he was my closest cousin, and he asks about dad and Nico.

"Wer ist dein Vati's Freund?"
Who's your dad's boyfriend?

"Hm?" I repsonded. "Oh, Nico! Er ist mein Vati's Freund, Carlos' Vati. Er ist cool, ich denke. Er kommt... Ich mein, er wohnt mit uns, aber er kommt aus Italien, ich denke."
Hm? Oh, Nico! He's my friend, Carlos', dad. He's cool, I think. He came... I mean, he lives with us, but he came from Italy, I think.

"Ihre hat zu Amerika 9 Monat vor gegangen!" I could understand his reaction. It was viable. "Was den Scheiße! Er wohnt mit ihre bereits?"
You guys moved to America 9 months ago! What the fuck! He already lives with you guys?

I nodded my head.

"Ja," I confirmed. "Er wohnt mit uns. Er ist nett, vertraue mir. Sie funktionieren gut zusammen. Vati ist glücklicher jetzt. Es ist nett ein andere Eltern zu haben, auch."
Yeah. He lives with us. He's nice, trust me. They work well together. Dad's happier now. It's nice to have another parent, too.

"Oh, ja," He recalled that my mom is like in jail. She didn't like me. "Das wërden nett bist. Was uh... Wo wohnt ihr auf Amerika?"
Oh, yeah. That would be nice. What uh... Where do you guys lives in America?

"New York City," I answered and he nodded his head. "Es ist... Es ist groß. Meine Klasse hat viele Menschen. Ich weiß nicht wie viel, aber ja... Es ist cool. Ich habe es gern. Obwohl, Brot hier besser ist."
New York City. It's... It's big. My class has a lot of people. I don't know how many but yeah... It's cool. I like it. Although, bread here is better.

"Es ist die beste," Klaus agreed.
It's the best.

The next day I met up with a bunch of old friends, being we used to only live a few miles away, and I brought Carlos to a German school. We were here for two weeks for an 'exchange' because I wanted to see my friends again.

Monday. I was at my locker before my first class, and I heard my best friend, Simone.

"Warten," He said, probably seeing me talking to Carlos at our lockers. I haven't told anyone I'd be here for a few weeks. "Ist- ist das Finn?"
Wait. Is— is that Finn?

"Hm?" Lionel, another friend of mine, responded. "Nein, es kann nicht... Er wohnt auf Amerika jetzt, Simone."
Hm? No, it can't... He lives in America now, Simone.

"Ich weiß, aber... Schau."
I know but... Look.

"I think they're talking about you.

I nodded my head and turned around, throwing my hands up, earning their attention.

"Ich bin zurück, Hündinnen!"
I'm back, bitches!

"Finn!"

They ran over and grabbed me in a huge hug as Carlos headed to his class. Simone did notice him, though.

"Wer war das?" He asked me, motioning at Carlos as he walked down the hall. "Ist er dein Freund oder...?"
Who was that? Is that your boyfriend or...?

"Was? Nein!" I insisted, that completely out of the question. "Carlos ist ein Freund, wir sind nicht zusammen. Er wohnt auf Amerika mit uns."
What? No! Carlos is a friend, we're not together. He lives in America with us.

"Wa— warum?"
Wh— why?

"Oh, ja!" I said, forgetting that they don't know about Nico. "Mein Vati endlich ein Freund hat! So, ob alle gut geht. Und ich hoffe es tut, Carlos wäre mein Stiefbruder."
Oh, yeah! My dad finally has a boyfriend! So if all goes well. And, I hope it does, Carlos would be my step brother.

"Dein Vati hat ein Freund?" Lionel asked in disbelief for all the right reasons. My dad dated once since my mom, and it was when I was younger. Like grade school. They were only together for a few, maybe 6 months. I didn't like her. "Mögen Percy Jackson? Dein Vati?"
You dad has a boyfriend? Like, Percy Jackson? Your dad?

"Recht!"
Right!

I actually got to shadow Simone and it was a good day. After school, we went to where we staying, which was actually just our old house because it hasn't sold yet and yeah. Grandma and grandpa weren't around, but Dad and Nico we're. At our old house. Being cute. Dad was trying to teach Nico how to bake something.

Trying being the key word there. Nico can cook. But he can't bake to save his life.

It was fun to watch.

Dad loved seeing Simone again. We used to hang out all the time. He basically lived here half the time.

We walked around town for a bit, stopped at a cafe down the road and it was fine and dandy until we ran into an old friend. He's cool. We still would hang out, even after I found out (not from him) that he likes me.

And uh, I mean at the time, I hadn't really thought about my sexuality. But now after Alex (we lasted like two months and that was about it) there's a lot of cute guys out there.

Fredric was definitely one of them.