Percy

"So you didn't try to kill yourself?" Peter asked me as we were all in our cabin. Shit was going on with the gods, were on call. It'll pass, hopefully.

"Uh, no," I assured him, throwing a shirt on to sleep in. "I didn't. I haven't since before I died. Or technically when I died. I think Hades made a barrier so I can't anyways or like so I won't? I don't know how it works. I just slipped and yeah. Hit my head, I don't know what happened after that. Must've blacked out. Sorry if it like scared you guys."

"It kind of did," I confirmed and sighed, relieved to hear that he's okay like mentally now. "Especially with like how that call ended. But I'm glad you're alright, this last week was kind of freaking out a lot."

Percy nodded his head.

"Yeah, I figured it would be." My brother said, now leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "But... I don't know what to tell you, Peter. I was done with Mom beating the shit out of me and making me feel like I don't matter. She wanted me gone, so I left. You could've called sooner, I would've answered."

"Probably, yeah." I agreed, shrugging. "But I didn't think of that."

But we got everything in order and while I was in the shower, Nico showed up. By the time I got out and dressed, they were asleep. Left the door open. I looked in and smiled when I saw them.

They're cute. I'm glad he didn't listen to Mom last week. He kind of seems happier here. Just a little bit.

Nico seems to make him a little happier, too. There was potential. It could last.

"What are you looking at?" Penelope asked me as she wandered over. "It's not like in the last week he's started sleeping with—"

"Someone." She finished her sentence.

"Oh, come on." I insisted, in a mood to cuddle now. "You have to admit that they're cute. And it's not that hard to get a date around here, from what I've heard."

"You're pathetic." Penelope insisted, rolling her eyes. "Sure, they're kind of cute. Are you that desperate, though?"

"I mean, no, but..." I reasoned with my sister, shrugging. "There's a lot of single people here. Who said we can't have some fun?"

She just rolled her eyes again and went back to her room.

The next afternoon we got back from school (yes, Percy had to go being Paul now knew of his location), and while he had been at dance for their first class, which he was excited for all day, I got to hang out with his friends. When Nico had been pulled by his sister, we brought it up.

"So when did Nico and Percy like... Become a thing?" Penelope asked out of the sheer hope that they knew about it. And thank God, they did.

"Oh, uh... Like two weeks ago?" Jason guessed, shrugging. "Somewhere around there."

"Only that long?" I questioned, knowing they knew each other better than that. "How long have they known each other, then?"

"Um... We brought Nico and Bianca here in..." Grover thought out loud. "3 years ago just about? It's been 3 years."

"So what took them so long?" I asked, knowing if my brother likes someone, he won't hesitate. He's always been pretty up front in that aspect. He's gay, he's not ashamed of it. Never has been.

"Well Nico's sister died," Grover explained to us as we got ready for dinner. Percy should be here soon. "So he left for a while, lived in the streets. Nico didn't want anything to do with Percy for a while, miscommunication and what not about what happened to her when she died. Once that was over, Nico was still very much so in the closet and Percy had a girlfriend. He hadn't had his sexual awakening yet."

"He..." That didn't sound right to me. "My brother knew he was gay when we were like 5. Somebody asked him if he was gay because he was in the spring play and he asked what it meant and then he said yes."

That turned into a huge debate basically until Percy got back five minutes later, joining us for dinner. Which would be normal, being he has practice every day of the week for dance. It's his life. I'm glad he found something he enjoys so much.

I mean, he's been dancing since we were little. But I'm glad he stuck with it.

Nico and Hazel met us, too. And everyone else that wasn't already here. But little did we find out that people didn't realize Percy did more than just swimming.

"I thought practice only went to like 5." Annabeth pointed out. "That's how late it was last year, I thought. Not 7. That's four hours of swimming."

"Well I mean, that's what Captain's training is." Percy completely bullshitted, which had my attention because I know for a fact that he got into the studio. "States in a few weeks, Coach wants us to be ready. We have breaks in between the first two hours and the last two hours. I promise."

Which is the car ride from the school to the studio and him getting changed.

"That's intense," Leo remarked, knowing it didn't sound right. "When I did soccer in... Last year, our practices were only an hour and a half."

"Yeah, same for volleyball." Piper agreed with what he said. "Like the week before state, if we made state, it'd be two hours. Do you guys do anything like with sports?"

"Us?" I asked and she nodded. "I do band, but I mean, the only time that's after school is concerts and marching band is in like... The spring."

"And I have the art club, but that's once a week." Penelope figured. "I've always been good with like art class art, Peter's always been good with music, Percy's good with athletic stuff. He can also sing."

"I can not." Percy denied that. "There's a reason I don't sing at campfire."

"Yeah, because you're embarrassed."

"Yeah, okay, Peter. You keep saying that, it'll never be true."

Did I take that as a challenge?

You bet your ass I did. Just don't tell my pastor that I swore.

Nico

He does something else. I don't know what, but I will find out. That bag is too big to be just for swimming.

Maybe he's in a choir. Or a band. That'd be hot. If he was a front man in a band.

Because 4 hours of swimming is ridiculous, and he knew that. We all did.

Campfire went well. Per usual, he doesn't do more than hum during it. But maybe tomorrow.

We were in my cabin afterwards and he had homework, of course. It wasn't much, just chemistry. I had fun being cuddly while he was trying to work on it, though. I mean, he got it done, but it took a while.

"Somebody's a little clingy." Percy commented, giving me a kiss and a small smile.

"You were gone all day." I reasoned with my boyfriend. "And then four more hours after school. I don't understand why you have to go to school."

"I don't either." My boyfriend reasoned back. "But legally, I have to. Also, college is a thing because I'm not going into the military and the church will pay for any schooling after my mission, so...."

"It's still dumb." I told him. "Swimming shouldn't take four hours. Are you sure your coach doesn't hate you?"

Percy chuckled that cute chuckle he does when he's humored.

"He might, but state's in three weeks." Percy reasoned and gave me another kiss. "We have a meet on Thursday, if you wanna come watch. Sub-sections."

"I'd be honored." I accepted the offer and smiled. "I'll be right back."

Getting up, I grabbed my PJs and went to the bathroom to pee quick. I'll change around him. But I had to pee.

It was cute, though. By the time I got back to my room, he had started to fall asleep. So I threw my clothes in the hamper and walked over, giving him a kiss on the temple.

"Babe," I whispered, trying not to disrupt him too much. "you're laying at the wrong end of the bed."

"Hm?" He groaned and just slightly opened his eyes. "I'm tired."

"I am, too." I said, grabbing my bigger blanket for us to sleep under so it'll actually fit both of us. "come on, the pillows are up here."

He let off a half smile and repositioned himself to be the other way. Cuddling up to me, he was warm. Exhausted. It didn't take long until his breathing pattern changed just slightly. Sound asleep.

I could get used to this every night.