A week passed, five days until Peter's party on Saturday-the twenty-ninth. 

Percy walked out of the locker room, hair wet and pulled back into a ponytail after practice. Andrew was grabbing his bag and making sure he had his keys, Percy padding up behind him. 

She wrapped her arms around his waist and tucked her hands into the pockets of Andrew's hoodie. "Hey there." He chuckled at Percy's words and moved her over to his side so he could wrap his arm around her. 

"Hey there." He teased, rubbing his thumb in circles on Percy's shoulder. She smiled and buried her nose in his shoulder. "Let's get you home so you can get some cookies and hot chocolate." She nuzzled his shoulder in agreement and he walked them out of the school and to his car. 

Percy was always like this after a tough practice, all sleepy and cuddly like a puppy. The water always gave Percy energy, like a life source born into her blood, Andrew knew that from the moment he first saw Percy jump into a pool. However, when the girl pushed herself so hard for her team and just because she loved to swim so much . . . It hit her hard. 

So that's why when he got to Percy's place, he left his bag in the car and carried her up to the apartment. 

Sam opened the door for them, grinning at the sight of Percy clinging to Andrew's sweater and him holding her bridal style. "She passed out in the car." Andrew smiled sheepishly, he did every time he brought her home like this . . . And every time Sam just rolled his eyes and waved him in. 

Andrew sat Percy down on the couch, rolling his eyes and Percy sleepily grabbed at his sweater. "I'll be right back, Seaweed Brain, I'm grabbing a blanket." She frowned, but let him go so he could grab a blanket out of the whicker basket in the closet. He draped the spotted blanket over her then sat down at the end of the couch. A tick of the clock had him taking her shoes off and placing them down on the floor, pulling her feet into his lap and rubbing her heels through her socks. 

Sam came in, smiling faintly and leaning over the back of an armchair, arms crossed and hair mussed in the usual way. 

"She asleep again?" He asked, jerking his chin in his daughter's direction. Andrew nodded, but didn't stop the circles he made on her feet. "Good, that girl is definitely a handful." He chuckled, Andrew smiling up at him. "Though, her heart is made of gold." 

Andrew snorted. "Her heart in made out of stuffing and velvet." Sam chuckled again, moving to sit down in the arm chair and cross his legs. "How are you Sam?" 

"Fine." He grinned, the playfulness and white teeth a link between him and his daughter. "Paula says you're helping a lot of students after and during school. Must be very stressful." He was teasing Andrew, but there was a note in his voice . . . He had something to talk about. 

"Sam, I know when you start fishing for answers, because Percy does the same thing." He poked the inside of Percy's foot and the girl jerked her leg, kicking his thigh before settling back down. "So, what do you want to know about?" He wasn't being rude, just straight to the point. 

"I heard that this girl, Luca, is causing a bit of trouble." He waved a hand, trying to seem as if he wasn't that worried about it. "I was just wondering, if you could tell me something about it." 

Andrew sighed, rolling his eyes. "She's a blonde that's new to the school. I tutor her on Tuesdays and Thursdays because she's got some family problems, apparently, and can't keep up with the work load." He ran a hand through his curls before starting to rub Percy's ankle. "She keeps trying to start drama, using me and Percy as an outlet for whatever problems she has going on. It's not a big deal, just a thorn in our sides for now." 

"I'm glad to hear that." Sam smiled. "Because I would hate to have to watch my daughter stomp someone for messing with you." He winked and stood up. Andrew waved as the man left the room, the blonde chuckling faintly. 

Andrew turned on a movie, playing it softly enough it wouldn't bother Percy. Though, he wasn't paying much attention to the talking toys as he watched Percy napping. At one point, the teen girl woke up enough to crawl over to him and lay her head on his lap. He went from rubbing her feet to rubbing her shoulder. 

He traced her hair line with his pointer finger, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. 

Oh, this girl had him completely wrapped around her finger, and she knew it. The whole goddamned world knew it, but she didn't get why. Everyone else knew why, could take one look at the mess he was around her and know. 

Hell, even Sam and Paula knew. 

But Percy . . . Maybe she did know, deep down, but Andrew would rather have her as a bestfriend and only a bestfriend, than risk her ending up not being his anything. 

So he'd keep pinning, until he dropped. What else could he do? He was some nerdy teenage guy, and she was this awesome, badass chick with leather jackets and a motorcycle. 

When she was asleep, she looked so peaceful and adorable when her nose crinkled and she buried her face into her pillow. Or his chest when she was using him as a pillow instead of her actual bed. 

Andrew smiled fondly and placed his hand on her waist, going back to watching his movie and letting her sleep. 

Around the corner, in the kitchen sat at a table, was Sam. Smiling into his cup of coffee as he thought things over. When those two had first met, it had been bickering nonstop. And they still did that, but now it was more half-hearted and just one teasing the other. 

Paula came into the apartment, dropping a kiss on Sam's cheek before setting her stuff down on the table and plopping down in the chair next to him. "How are you, Dear?" She stretched out and smiled. 

"Good." Sam smiled, fighting the grin trying to overtake his face. "Andrew is in there, Percy sprawled out with her head in his lap, asleep. He carried her up the stairs, from his car, after spending three hours with her after school during her swim practice." He sipped from his drink as a grin spread over his wife's lips. "She refused to let go of his sweater until he promised he was only grabbing a blanket and would be right back. Then he sat down and rubbed her feet." 

"He is so whipped." Paula chuckled, covering her mouth with one hand and closing her eyes. 

"That," Sam grinned, and it was easy to spot where Percy got in from. "is very true."