Luke Castellan

We woke up around 10, and just laid in bed for a solid hour, so it was productive, you know.

"Morning," I said when Percy rolled over to cuddle back up with me after going to the bathroom. "are you feeling alright?"

Percy shrugged.

"I mean, not really, but I'm not going to kill myself or anything." He assured me, which would explain why he's being as touchy as he is. He needs the comfort. "We got out of the hospital at like ten after last night, Dad picked me up and it was perfectly fine until we got here in the car and I just..."

He paused for a second.

"When Dad told me that Paul was still here, I had an anxiety attack really bad and I think it lasted maybe a half hour? Not quite that long, but maybe. Mom was there by the time I calmed down and told me Paul was leaving for late but he'll be back around 4 today for whatever reason and I don't know how long it if he'll just be back. But he gave me this look when he left and it just... Made me feel weird and bad and I just haven't shaken it, I guess."

"I see," I said, running my fingers through his hair. "Well I work a half shift tonight so we can go to a my place later and I'll just be gone from 8-12."

"Why... Only a half shift? I thought you had Fridays to Saturdays off."

"I'm covering for somebody," I explained. "Normally I do, yeah, but somebody messaged our group and asked for somebody to take the first half of the shift because they're flying back from somewhere or another and couldn't get a flight that landed before 10 PM because it was a family emergency and all. So yeah. I have the rest of the weekend off."

"Good." Percy said as he snuggled against me. Which, fucking cute, might I add. "If Paul is back, I don't want to spend the weekend here. If you have other plans, though, I won't like, intrude because like that's your life and we're not married or living together or owned by each other, so. All we planned was for the date that I was in the hospital for."

I smiled at his little comments, rubbing his back.

"We don't," I agreed. "I'd be down for a date night and the maybe a friend's night, though, to mix it up. Invite the people who won't rip off my head for either being alive or being your boyfriend."

Smiling, he said he could agree to that before we decided to get up to make some food, which was where Sally had left a note for us.

Boys- Poseidon went home after breakfast, but should be back around noon or 1 to pack some boxes and make sure you're awake. I ran to the courthouse and grocery store, should be back around 1 or 1:30 :) there's some leftover pancakes in the fridge, we'll talk about the situation with Paul when I get home
-sally

Figuring pancakes sounded good, we had those with some milk for breakfast and just relaxed around the apartment. We had been watching TV when Poseidon got back, saying hi to us before saying he'd be in the other room if we needed him and just going into another bedroom that wasn't Percy's.

I assumed they were packing up old stuff of Estelle's that she's grown out of or was too small so I didn't think much about it. She's growing, it's how it works. Paul's being bad right now, I'm sure Poseidon offered to help.

By the time Susan got here, we still had the TV on, but I'd stop it at random spots to have Percy redraw the scene in like 30 seconds and it was kind of fun to see the outcomes and laugh at him. It brought up his mood a lot from when he woke up and was still feeling weird and bad. I think he was excited that we had also made plans with Thalia and Rachel to go bowling at 4.

We helped Sally put groceries away though before we had lunch and she told us what was going on with Paul.

They're getting divorced, she went to the court house to get the papers to file. He was coming at 3 to get his stuff that her and Poseidon are packing up and have been all day so he can grab it, sign the custody and divorce papers, and get out.

This worried Percy.

"As...I mean, as amazing as that is," he remarked, anxious. "mom, how are we going to afford anything? Did you ask for a raise today?"

She shook her head.

"I'm getting one next quarter," she assured her son. "I talked to your dad about it last night, and he said that he support the three of us so we don't have to move or anything if we don't want to, alright?"

,•••

Thalia Grace

On second thought, I had a few questions for Percy and Luke.

We meet them at the bowling alley and was I already denounced from the hunt because Artemis told me that if I did this I was out? Yeah. But that's fine, I still have a spot at camp until I find my own place.

We were having a really fun time bowling, though, and I was just catching up with Luke as Rachel got to catch up with Percy, having a grand time.

Luke told me a little about his job, he has a small apartment in the city and he's saving up to get a cat for a surprise present for somebody because they keep mentioning that they want one.

"Luke, who in your life would..."

And I stopped, realizing it.

"You have a boyfriend now!?"

Oh shut up, of course I know he's gay. We bonded over how gay we both were when we had first met because he saw a pin of mine that said lesbian pride or something.

Sadly, my crush isn't allowed to date and is straight so I'm stuck there personally.

"Well..." His reaction was weird, though, for some unknown reason. "Yes."

"Yes?" I questioned. "You don't sound so sure on that one. Is it a gray area or...?"

"No, we're definitely dating, I just don't know if they're out to other people."

"Ahhh..." I remarked, noticing he had looked over to Percy as it was his turn to bowl. They also came in the same vehicle. "well if it's Percy, which I personally think would be a cute thing, he basically outed himself when he called Paul out being he mentioned the cigarette word. But maybe that's just me."

"No, it's not just you," Luke confirmed their relationship for me. "That's why I was so panicked when I saw Annabeth in the hospital because I couldn't remember if I said Percy or I said something like babe because I use them interchangablely."

"Yeah, that'll do it. Annabeth's accepting but I think that would..." I paused. "It'd just be too much for her to take in all at once. That you were back, nobody told her yet, you were regularly talking with Percy, and now you guys are dating. I think she would have exploded."

"So she didn't explode last night?"

"No, but... She got mad," I clarified for the son of Hermes. "Started to chew Percy out, Percy didn't let it last long. Neither did Grover or I. Sorry about Leo, by the way, he's bi and lonely."

"Yeah, Percy said he has a girlfriend?"

"He does, Jason just likes to poke fun at him when he gets to be really out there."

"Got it."

"But anyways," I said bringing the topic back up. "You and Percy? How uh... It's going good?"

"I mean... Yeah," Luke told me with a little smile creeping up. "Have you gotten a girlfriend? Or does Artemis not allow that?"

"Well, she doesn't," I clarified for him. "But she threatened to kick me out if I came here so I'm out anyways. Plus, my crush is straight as it is."

"It's a curse."

"It really is."