Percy walked home after school. He had a mental check list for work and all that he had to do that week. The boy smiled down at his old phone. He and Annabeth were talking over text, he felt a laugh build up in his stomach.

The blonde had somehow wormed her way into his brain after only a day of knowing her.

Hearing her singing was bliss, seeing her with all of the kids (especially Mattie) had melted something inside him. Percy was no fool, he knew what the tangled mess of his insides meant.

He had only really felt them once before, but that had been over three years ago.

However, Percy still knew he had definitely fallen for the spunky nerd. When she had ran at him that morning, hopping on his back and giggling the whole time . . . It had wrecked him.

Taking a deep breath, Percy tried to sooth his pulse rate. It didn't work too well.

Once he was inside he gave out hugs and headed upstairs. The kids knew he couldn't hang out today, he had work after all, so they didn't even put up too much fuss when he pulled away.

In his room, Percy shucked off his hoodie and tossed it onto his bed with his backpack. Next thing to leave was his shirt, back flexing as he pulled he dark material over his shoulders and across his arms. Black hair ruffled with the movement, bouncing a bit before he tossed his shirt into the basket at the foot of his bed.

Percy pulled his uniform shirt out of his drawer, a light blue t-shirt with the store's logo plastered on the front; a sun with surfboards as its rays, hanging over a stickman lounging on a towel on the sand.

He smiled faintly and pulled the soft material over his head. His tanned skin was covered up, along with the thin, almost unnoticeable, lines crisscrossing the smooth surface.

Then he kicked off his sneakers and shimmed out of his skinny jeans. A dark grey pair of cargo shorts later and he was slipping flip-flops on. The store he worked out was part of a chain; Apollo's Sunny Surfing, so he had the regulated outfit just like all the others. He grabbed the nametag out of his shorts' pocket and was about to pin it to his shirt when his phone went off.

He grabbed the old piece of junk, frowning.

But when he saw 'WiseGirl' on the display he smiled again, unlocking the damned thing and opening up their chat.

Opening Chat: Mattie Protection Squad 2k18

WiseGirl:
Percy!
Um, this is going to sound weird.
But, um, I showed my friends the picture and a few of them know you.
You're going to get some texts from a few unknown numbers. Please let them explain.

SwimmerBoy:
Sure thing?

WiseGirl:
Don't worry.
It's not anything bad.

Percy frowned, blinking. How would anyone she knew know him?

But then he got another message.

Added To Group Chat

PercyJackson:
Well, um.
I was warned about this by Annabeth.
So who are you?

Thalia:
Percy

PercyJackson:
Oh
Oh my god

NicoDiAngelo:
Percy it's been years you complete-

HazelLevesque:
Oh my god Percy.

JasonGrace:
Is this for real?

PercyJackson:
So you all know Annabeth?

Thalia:
PERCY JACKSON WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!?!?!

NicoDiAngelo:
WHAT HAPPENED?!!

JasonGrace:
Percy we just stopped hearing from you one day . . .

HazelLevesque:
Oh my god
oh my god
oh my god

Percy blinked, his knees gave out and he fell to the floor, a hand clasped to his mouth in shock. This couldn't really be happening. Could it? A strangled sob left his throat, rubbing and aching. 

Thalia:
GODDAMN IT PERCY ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTIONS!

PercyJackson:
I am so so so so so sorry
I
I just
I couldn't get in touch with you I was fucking twelve.

NicoDiAngelo:
That does not answer a single question

PercyJackson:
When I was twelve . . .
Some stuff happened
I had no way of contacting any of you or anything and I was just a mess and
Oh my god I'm so sorry!

JasonGrace:
Percy what happened?

PercyJackson:
My mom was killed

Thalia:
What

PercyJackson:
Gabe he . . .
I couldn't save her in time and it all went to shit
I've been in the system since. There wasn't anyway to get to you guys I didn't have anyway of telling you. Being twelve I had no say of anything and my mom didn't have either of my uncles on any of my records anywhere so I was just placed in care.

HazelLevesque:
Percy
Oh Percy

NicoDiAngelo:
We're just glad to have you back

Thalia:
Yeah, ditto to that Kelp Head

Percy bit his lip, smiling so hard his face hurt. His cousins . . . They were exactly the same as he remembered. A whimper fought its way out of him as he curled up beside his bed, back propped up against it.  

PercyJackson:  
Pinecone Face don't even start.  

JasonGrace:
Okay but like, we need to skype or something right now.

PercyJackson:
Sorry I can't bro, I don't have a computer. I barely have a phone.

HazelLevesque:
I say we all organize a trip to see Percy within the month.

JasonGrace:
We have to!

Thalia has changed Chat Name to The OG Squad.

Thalia has changed name from Thalia to TheBestCousin.

PercyJackson:
I like how this is going.

PercyJackson has changed name from PercyJackson to SwimmingRules.

JasonGrace has changed name from JasonGrace to Sparky

HazelLevesque has changed name from HazelLevesque to CinnamonCurls.

NicoDiAngelo:
You all
I swear to god-

SwimmingRules:
Come on Death Breath 
You know you want to

NicoDiAngelo:
Ugghhhh

NicoDiAngelo has changed name from NicoDiAngelo to TheEmuTM.

TheBestCousin:
There we go! 

Sparky:
I love all of you

SwimmingRules: 
Aww bro <3
Well I'm going to work.

CinnamonCurls:
<3
Wait Percy, does that mean we can't text?

SwimmingRules:
Lol no
Annabeth already is going to text me so I don't die of boredom. 

CinnamonCurls: 
Oh okay
wait . . . 
Annabeth? 

SwimmingRules: 
Yeah? 

CinnamonCurls: 
Nothing! Love you! 

SwimmingRules:
Aww love you too! And hey, if you guys can come and visit me I promise to braid your hair for you Hazel. 

CinnamonCurls:
YES!!! 
I've missed that soo much!! <3 <3 <3 

TheEmuTM:
Hey! I can braid your hair! I've done it before! 

CinnamonCurls: 
Yeah but like-
Percy is a god at doing hair
Thalia can testify. 

TheBestCousin:
It's true. He used to spike my hair for me. 

SwimmingRules:
I've also kept up my skills, I'll send you picks of the kids here soon to prove it. 

Sparky:
I love this family. 

Percy couldn't stop smiling. When he jumped the last few steps down the stairs with a goofy grin on his face Jill stopped him with a puzzeled look. The black haired teen grinned, wiping at his eyes and the water building up in them, as he pulled out his notebook and scrawled out some sort of answer.  

"I could not be more happy for you Percy!" Jill hugged him tight before he had to run off for work. When the teen left Jill clasped her hands over her mouth and grinned as tears built up. She knew that boy desvered so much more than what he was given. 

Jill made sure that she wrote a note about making that Annabeth girl brownies next time she came over.