It's okay to be saved once in a while too.

         Peter's birthday had to be perfect. Everything had to be perfect. Percy wasn't great with birthdays, considering he hadn't experienced all too many of them. The only birthday's he had been a part of were his own, not other people's. Except for his mom's. Every year for his mom's birthday ever since he was a little kid they did the same thing. Every year they made cupcakes together, (normally of the blue variety because Percy was obsessed) and one would get topped with a candle and Sally would blow it out. It was the one day a year Percy was allowed to stay up late waiting for his mom to get off work. Then late into the night was when they made their cupcakes and just enjoyed each other's presence. It was always a good time, other than when Gabe was in the picture. Percy hid in his room and then they had their cupcakes in there. Then Paul came into the picture and it became a slightly large ceremony. The traditions changed but remained just as important and dear to his heart.

         Except he had missed five years of his mom's birthdays. Five years of his baby sister's birthdays. Estelle was five and when he came back she only knew him from the photos on the walls. She had no memories of when Percy was her favorite person and-

         Focus! Peter's birthday has to be perfect! Percy sighed and hung the rest of the streamers outside the bedroom door. He was going all out this year; he'd woken up at the butt-crack of dawn to decorate and had a whole itinerary planned for the perfect New Rome Date Day. It all began with making Pete breakfast and decorating the apartment. The streamers he was currently hanging were the last decorations, then breakfast.

         Breakfast was a lot harder than hanging decorations. Percy wasn't the best cook. Most of the time he survived on non-perishables because of quests. Yeah, he could whip up something with twinkies and a can of peach preserves, but actually cooking with normal foods was a lot harder. He had to follow instructions and he had to ask EDITH for help, but also asked her to make sure her volume was down so as to not wake up and tip off Peter to Percy's scheme.

         Even following the instructions the meal was a pain in the ass. Percy was what you could call, a chaotic being. Even when doing everything he was supposed to, he still managed to mess things up in such a way that didn't destroy them, but made his life a little harder. Like making breakfast for his boyfriend. It didn't help that Percy had to make everything blue because he was an addict. Who needs Green Eggs and Ham when you have Blue Eggs and Blue Waffles?

         Fresh blue waffles with fresh fruit and eggs that definitely had copious amounts of blue food coloring in them. Percy likes to think that's what got Peter up that morning, the delicious smell of blue waffles wafting into their bedroom. Percy likes to ignore the fact that Peter got up at the same time he always gets up. Yeah, it was definitely the blue waffles.

         Peter got to start the beginning of his eighteenth birthday with his amazing boyfriend and the surprisingly good food he had made, even if it had turned both of their tongues blue. He missed Aunt May of course, but he was going to get to see what Perseus had planned for his significant other.

         The day started off slow and neither boy seemed to mind much. After breakfast and showers and getting dressed, the couple ventured into New Rome, their home for the time being. Percy was in his usual jeans and a hoodie, unkempt hair and stupidly perfect tan skin. Peter had taken a bit longer to pick out his outfit, even though it was him that demanded a very casual birthday attire and refused to let Percy dress up. Of course in doing so, he reminded himself of Mr. Stark. For Mr. Stark's last birthday Peter had been invited and had shown up in a tux. Mr. Stark was in jeans and a t-shirt. A mortified Peter was shocked when Mr. Stark saw his reaction and changed into his sharpest suit, his wedding suit. Everyone quit laughing at Peter real fast.

         Mr. Stark could be a huge asshole, but he really did care about Peter, a lot. Peter appreciated that, and missed him, a lot.

         Today wasn't the day to be sad though, today was the day to celebrate that he was an adult and his boyfriend wasn't. Today was the day to celebrate the hilarious fact that his boyfriend was 8 days younger than him even though Percy looked at least 19- from his scary demeanor and his battle scars. Today was the day to hold that over his boyfriend's head, the best day to do so.

         So of course the exact minute he had been born 18 years prior he turned to Percy and said, "What does it feel like to be a minor?" Which had resulted in Percy playfully shoving him and rolling his eyes. Then they continued to walk hand in hand down the cobbled streets of New Rome.

         "I wanted to do something extra special, reminiscing on where we had our first kiss, first date, when and where we first met, that kind of stuff, but all that happened in New York." Percy admitted, "I more or less recreated that, but everything since we've been in New Rome. Like our first date here, where we first arrived, etcetera."

         This of course got him a quizzical look from Peter, "What do you mean?" They had stopped walking and Peter was staring at Percy.

         "Well," Percy began, "Before the Blip I was going to do this whole huge scavenger hunt for your birthday, but that was technically five years ago. It was going to take you all over New York and remind you of our best moments. Basically, I tried to do that here, but it was a bit harder." The look on his face was a little remorseful, he looked like he was afraid Peter would be upset at him.

         Of course the opposite was true, "Percy, first off, that's the sweetest thing ever. Second off, I don't think you understand how thankful I am to be here with you. All you've ever done is make my life better. I'm sure anything you've prepared for me is going to be just as amazing as those stupidly blue waffles," He laughed, "But seriously holy shit how much food coloring did you use? I had to brush my teeth five times just to get the dye off my teeth, much less my tongue."

          Percy just laughed at him, his anxiety forgotten. Then he started to walk away. When Peter caught up to him he was holding up a slip of paper that was folded in half.

         "Just remember I'm dyslexic and that's why the instructions look the way they do," His comment was casual as Peter took the paper from his hand, opened it, and began reading it.

         "Take a selfie where we first had coffee," He read the final line of the instructions out loud, "So basically I'm going to have to walk all over New Rome while you follow and don't give me any help or clues?"

         "Yep," Percy nodded, still walking, hands in his pockets.

         "What if I ask really nicely?"

         "Nope, no clues. C'mon Parker, you're really telling me you can't remember where we first had coffee in this miniature city?"

         "No, I remember, you told me that when you first came to New Rome Hazel got you a scone or whatever from that place too and then some jackass Octavian killed your Panda Pillow Pet,"

         Percy hissed at that last part, "Octavian was the worst,"

         Peter just laughed, "But for reals, what if one of the questions is really hard or there's too many spelling errors or I can't read your bad handwritin-"

         "You're Spider-Man, you can figure it ou- My hand writing is not that bad!" Percy basically shouted, completely going off track of what he had previously been saying, then he stopped to turn around and glare at his boyfriend.

**

          By the evening the two boys had basically scoured every inch of New Rome. The scavenger hunt that Percy had planned had taken them to the temples, to the far side of the Little Tiber, to the gardens, the unicorn stables, everywhere. Not to mention their frequent stops for slushies and shade stops because of the summer heat. (and their lunch break at the same cafe Peter met most of the Seven at). They found the next clue at each place and also took a selfie together at each location. The final clue was at the bridge where they first entered New Rome, when the Praetors had welcomed them into their city and had given them college scholarships.

         The last clue told them to go home. The sun was setting and thank goodness it was August and the evening was full of a lazy heat. It wasn't cold, the air was humid and a bit hot but there was a breeze that made it more than a little bearable. Back at their apartment Peter found a small stack of gifts on the coffee table. They were all wrapped in various wrapping papers and brown packaging paper. Peter smiled at his boyfriend and soon the two were situated on the couch as Peter picked up the first gift and envelope.

         "This says "From Mr. Stark", why does this day "From Mr. Stark"?!" Peter almost dropped the parcel in his hand and looked at his boyfriend for some kind of explanation. He had tears in his eyes and his breaths were shaky.

         "A Mrs. Potts-Stark sent it to your Aunt May, asked if she could get it to you. My mom sent everything through me,"

         Peter shut his mouth but his lips still quivered, "Why does it say from Mr. Stark though?" He didn't try and stop the tears that were beginning to spill his cheeks.

         "Mrs. Potts-Stark said it was from him, something he had been saving for you." Percy's voice was quiet, reserved, mournful even, "Read the card, Pete,"

         Peter obliged, read the card, and cried harder. It really was from Mr. Stark. Apparently Peter was the whole reason he had agreed to help the rest of the Avengers try to bring everyone back and in those five years he had made some things for the kid. Not to mention the trust fund he had set up for him quite a while ago. That alone was enough to make sure Peter would be well looked after for the rest of his life.

         There were two presents from Mr. Stark, well three, but apparently one of them wasn't there. Peter slowly unwrapped the first present; it was a Spidey suit, but it was totally different from either Iron Man or Spider-Man's aesthetics. It was an Iron-Spider suit but it was much more complex and advanced than the last one. Not to mention the color scheme; it was all black with red accents...maybe in honor of Natasha. There was a little note attached: "Don't worry, the colors change. Thought if in the event of my untimely death you'd have to take over and we both know there's no way in hell I'll let anything happen to my kid. Here's the best of what I've developed. Happy birthday kid, can't wait to see you become the best of us."

         Peter sobbed. Peter tucked his knees up to his chest and sobbed in Percy's arms until it got dark out. Finally he was okay enough to keep opening his gifts. He opened a card from Pepper. Apparently the gift from Mr. Stark that was not there was his very own lab in New York- a secure place where he could work on Spider-suits, inventions, or even his chemistry homework. The rest of the card was pretty much just informing Peter that Pepper was so proud that her son had turned 18 and her and Morgan were waiting for the next time they would get to see him. Folded up in the card was a picture Morgan had drawn in crayons- her and her older brother Peter holding hands with some flowers and a sun and a sky. Peter cried again.

         There was a box that accompanied the letter from Pepper. Peter opened it and found the newest Digital Canon Camera and all the fancy additional parts. A giant tripod, self-correcting flash, eight SD cards. Pepper had gone all out. She must have heard from Tony about all of Peter's photos that had ended up in local newspapers and such.

         His birthday ended up being much more emotional than either boy anticipated, but then again, it made sense, they were across the countries without their families. Peter kept opening gifts. Aunt May had sent him some clothes and a card and some money. Happy had sent him a card. The Blofis family had sent him a whole care package filled with food and sweets and pictures of Estelle for the boys- she was getting big.

         There were also small gifts from Michelle and Ned. Ned sent him a Lego Imperial Star Destroyer, and a card that let him know that he missed him, and the world missed Spider-Man. Michelle sent him some old sketches of him and Ned and Spider-Man from her sketch book, they were all really good and the boys would have to go out and buy some frames for them.

         Peter was waiting to open the last gift from Stark, so he opened the gifts from Percy. One of them was really small. He opened it and read: "I've been working with Hazel and Leo and I've figured out a way to let you see through the Mist. It's got to be hooked up to EDITH, but it's an option if that's what you'd like."

         Peter had to stop for a moment and stare at his boyfriend in wonderment. As long as he had known Percy he had wished that he would be able to help him and see the world he way he saw it. Now he was getting that. He took a moment to kiss Percy, hard.

         The next gift was heavy and again demi-god oriented. It was his own Greek Armor and a sword so he could battle with the legion when they played war games and such, "Percy, this is so cool, how did you get this?!" He knew well enough from living around demi-gods that their special metals like celestial bronze and imperial gold were rare.

         Percy just laughed it off, "I was the child of a major prophecy and one of seven of another major prophecy, more than a few people owe me. Besides, I can't let anyone mess with my mans,"

         Peter pulled his stupid boyfriend by the hoodie collar again to kiss him. "I love you so much, Perce,"

         Percy blushed, the L-word always made him blush and stutter and get all melty. "I love you too, Pete," His voice was a lot deeper at that moment, soft and thick with emotion.

         Did the boys make out for a little bit before finally getting around to the last gift on the coffee table? Maybe.

         Peter was definitely procrastinating it, he wasn't ready to see what laid in the last neatly wrapped parcel from Mr. Stark and in all honesty he wasn't sure what it would be. Mr. Stark was dead yet he had just given Peter his own lab, a trust fund that was loaded, and the highest tech suit he could afford. What else could Mr. Stark give him?

         He finally tore the brown wrapping paper off the last box. He gasped. It was a suit, like a nice suit. "I got you and your boyfriend some formal attire, can't have you two showing up to my events looking like hoodlums" was on the card lying on top of the suits. Peter pulled them out- two elegant gray suits, and two traditional black suits.

         "Holy shit," Peter had tears in his eyes but was all cried out, "Holy shit," he murmured again, evidently at a loss for words. These were definitely the most expensive articles of clothing either had ever owned.

         He turned to look at Percy. Even though it wasn't how he pictured his 18th birthday, it was still perfect. He wasn't able to see everyone special to him, but they had still sent him things, they still cared.

         It was a really good birthday. Not to mention he got to spend the whole day with his stunningly beautiful boyfriend. Percy was the best.

         Completely exhausted from the long ass scavenger hunt and crying his eyes out, Peter fell asleep in Percy's arms, who in turn fell asleep on the couch.

         The next morning they would wake up under a pile of wrapping paper, but that was tomorrow's problem. (Not to mention the back pain that would haunt them for sleeping on the couch.)

         They slept soundly on the couch, Peter's 18th birthday being a wild success.