Warning: Implied sexual content but that's about it.

Percy was scared. Scared that Annabeth was going to leave him.

She'd been spending more and more time with Piper, leaving Percy all alone with his thoughts.

He remembered how much she hinted at sex before he disappeared. She always went on about how she was ready.

What confused him was the fact that she hadn't mentioned it once since they reunited.

Had she...?

No. No, she wouldn't.

Would she?

Percy, stop this. Annabeth has been nothing but good to you and all you do is doubt her?

Percy couldn't help but feel like a bad boyfriend. First, he was driving his girlfriend away and then he was doubting her?!

What did someone like Annabeth do wrong to end up with someone like him?

He tried to convince himself that he was imagining things. That she just needed a bit of space. He knew he could get quite clingy and he assumed she just needed a little breather. He wouldn't blame her. He knew he could get a bit much, always seeking human touch.

But then she stood him up.

He'd had this whole big thing set up. He'd made reservations at her favourite restaurant, set up several museum tours for throughout the day. Had bought her flowers.

He'd even set out rose petals. He remembered how important losing her virginity was to her. She always went on about how she wanted to lose it, thought people wouldn't take her seriously if they found out but she also wanted to lose it to someone she loved.

So Percy had made sure he had the apartment to himself. Embarrassingly enough, his mom had seen right through him - not that is was hard with how flustered he had been, he couldn't get through a single sentence without stuttering - winking at him and reminding him to use protection.

Percy had been ready to set fire to his plans right about then.

He'd sat in his room hyping himself up. Annabeth wasn't the only one who was going to lose her virginity and he wanted to be ready. He needed to make this good. For her.

He'd used a whole page in his journal to make a plan.

His journal was important to him. He knew it was just a diary, it even said diary on the front but he'd had enough of all the other kids making fun of him for it so he started calling it a journal.

He didn't only write about his day in it though. Yeah, he did that but he also wrote about his nightmares. He would jot down little poems he thought of, no matter how dark they tended to get. He'd make little doodles in it whenever he was bored.

He had a whole box under his bed full of all his journals, from his very first one when he was three to up until now.

Everything that went into his journal was important to him in some way, even all of the random drawings he tended to do when he was bored.

It wasn't just a journal, it was an escape.

And then she'd called to tell him she couldn't make it. Said she'd had something planned with Piper and Jason.

He'd spent that night curled together in bed, his journal clutched to his chest and covers over his head.

His mom and Paul had returned the next day just to find him in the same position, rose petals covering the bed as well as the floor.

What worried them the most was that they'd returned in the evening, had spent the time at a friends house catching up. To return to find their son so distraught, hiding under his covers in the same clothes they'd last saw him in was scary.

He hadn't even eaten anything since his mom had made him breakfast the other morning.

Once they'd finally managed to get him out of bed and into clean clothes, they made sure he had eaten something and then sat down together in the living room to watch Finding Nemo.

What scared his mom the most was how he refused to put the journal down. He only did that when something was seriously wrong.

To say Jason was shocked when he went to visit Percy the next day was an understatement. The boy looked ready to burst into tears then and there.

His eyes were red and bloodshot, his sleeve covered hand repeatedly reaching up to rub at them.

Just the sight of him had broke Jason's heart.

What happened to him?

Instead of saying anything, Jason had just got under the covers with him and allowed his friend to cuddle up to him.

They lay there for hours, inevitably falling in and out of sleep.

Jason could feel the edges of sleep tugging at him once more, content just laying here with Percy.

"Jason?"

Jason hummed, letting Percy know he was awake and that he could continue.

Instead of replying, Percy looked down at the journal in his hands, his face going red for a brief moment. Percy took a deep breath to brace himself before handing over the journal to Jason.

Jason knew all about the journals, he'd seen some of the earlier ones that were a bit more happy, most of it was just cute little drawings from when Percy was younger.

Wide eyed, Jason carefully reached out and grabbed the journal, placing it down on his lap gently.

Percy smiled, touched that Jason took his journals so seriously and didn't laugh at him.

Jason turned to look at Percy, silently asking if he wanted him to read it. He did so after receiving a nod of confirmation from Percy.

Percy turned to hide his face in his pillow whilst Jason read, not wanting to see his friend's reactions to what was in there.

Jason's face didn't seem sure enough on an emotion to settle on.

One minute he was angry, another upset, next thing he knew he was horny, all of a sudden he was guilty.

It's decided. He's guilty.

No wait, he's angry. But he's also guilty.

"Perce?"

Percy didn't even look up, just buried his head deeper into his pillow.

"Mhmm?"

"You're gonna come and hang out with us later. Before you say no, there's something we need to talk to you about."

Percy nodded, not even caring to ask who was going.

By the time they were supposed to leave, Percy's mood had improved significantly. Jason always knew how to cheer him up.

Jason had told him that there wasn't a set meeting point so he was allowed to choose.

Percy had chosen the skate park near his apartment. It had been a while since he'd been there and he missed skating.

Jason promised to tell the others, only raising an eyebrow when Percy told him he skates.

The way there was fun. Percy was riding along on his skate board, giggling whenever Jason tried to catch up with him.

When they got there, they found Annabeth sat on a bench as Piper did tricks on her own board, surprising Percy. He didn't know she could skate.

Percy turned to grin at Jason, winking when he saw the other roll his eyes. Laughing softly, Percy raced off to join Piper, somehow surprising her too.

Smiling, Jason went to sit next to Annabeth on the bench, watching Piper and Percy do their little tricks.

Jason sighed, disappointed that he had to start the conversation he was about to.

"So, you didn't tell him. You said you would."

Annabeth just nodded, figuring out the best way to reply.

"I know. It's just... how do I tell him? What do I tell him? All of it?"

"He thinks you're still a virgin. Thinks he's driving you away. Feels bad for doubting you. You need to fix this."

They sat in silence for a bit, watching as Piper and Percy seemed to be in some sort of competition by now.

"I want you to do it now, whilst we're all here. Besides, we both know Piper is the best with feelings out of the three of us. If you get stuck or try to back out, at least you known we're here for you."

"...Okay."

Annabeth closed her eyes, preparing herself for what was to come.

"Percy! Piper! Come here."

Said two just stopped, looking slightly annoyed that their little competition was interrupted.

Both of their faces brightened when they realised who it was that was calling them however.

Picking up their boards, they both ran over to where Annabeth and Jason were sat, neither saying it but both knowing it was a race.

Percy just about got there first, fist bumping the air and doing a little victory dance.

"Hah! I won."

Piper just shook her head and smiled.

"I let you win."

"No you didn't. I won fair and square. Didn't I Jason?"

Percy turned to look at Jason, sea green eyes pleading for him to agree with him.

"Sorry Pipes, Percy won," at Percy's expectant look he added, "fair and square."

Percy smiled, this time doing his victory dance closer to Piper, completely missing the way her eyes darkened.

"You might wanna sit down for this Perce-"

Before she could finish, Percy sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of the bench Annabeth and Jason were sat on.

Grinning cheekily, Percy placed his hands on his knees and looked up at Annabeth, waiting for her reaction.

Annabeth just sighed and shook her head but they could all see the fond smile on her face that she tried to hide.

Laughing, Piper decided to sit down on the floor too, copying Percy's actions and smiling up at Annabeth.

"Look, Perce. I love you. I really do. But then you were gone for so long and Piper was just... there. She was my pillar, you know that. I meant to tell you, I really did. I just didn't know how. We kissed. Whilst you were gone. It was just, all those pent up emotions, I was mad that you were taken away from me. Upset that you weren't there. It was a mess. It really was. So we kissed, and we... fell in love I guess. We sat down and had a talk with Jason. Me and Piper started dating. I... I lost my virginity to her. And then you still weren't there and I just missed you so much. Me and Jason got closer and we decided to move forward as a poly relationship. We agreed I'd tell you when you got back and we'd sit down and have a talk. I just didn't know how and I'm sorry for keeping all of this from you."

As she spoke, Percy's smile had gotten smaller and smaller and he'd stopped looking at her all together.

He didn't know what to feel. She said she still loved him but she obviously loved Jason and Piper too. There was also the matter of his very obvious crush on Jason and his more than friendly feelings towards Piper.

"Percy."

Looking up, Percy turned to his right to find Piper smiling softly at him.

"We're sorry for keeping this from you. We really are. You're not mad are you?"

Percy shook his head slowly just as Jason said, "Well I assumed you already knew. I only found out you didn't when I read your journal."

Piper turned to glare at Jason, mad that he was making her job harder for her.

"Jason! I love you, but shut up."

Jason did, albeit reluctantly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the bench.

"Thank you."

She turned back towards Percy, taking Percy's hands into each of her own.

"Look, Annabeth loves you. She really does. Please never doubt that. I know Jason has fallen very hard for you. I've got to admit even I have a little crush on you, something I didn't expect seeing as you're the type of guy I'd usually steer clear of."

Percy nodded slowly, kind of understanding where she was coming from.

"You know how Annabeth said about the poly relationship? We want you to join."

Percy blinked, not really expecting it. He felt stupid, especially considering everything else that had been said, he just kind of expected for a break up to be the only thing he walked away with.

He definitely liked this alternative a lot better.

Percy didn't even need to give it much thought, he knew his answer.

"I can?" Percy chose to ignore the exasperated looks he received from the others, he thought it was a legitimate question.

"I mean, if you're offering, then sure."

Percy tried to play it off cool, not seem too eager.

"Great."

With that did Piper launch herself at Percy, wrapping her arms around him immediately.

The other two smiled, getting up to sit on the floor on either side of the other two. They both joined in on the hug too, maneuvering themselves so that Percy was in the middle.

They sat there - just cuddled close together - for what felt like hours.

Once it started getting dark however, they all got up and decided to head home, Iris Messaging Percy's mom to let her know that they were all coming back and that they had news for her.