Luke

It was less awkward than I expected it to be. I was worried Grover was going to feel like a third wheel.

Thank the gods he didn't.

But then again, it helped when Clarisse and Thalia showed up.

We weren't planning on them coming. But they said that they heard the news that I'm back (not that I'm dating Percy), and figured they'd kick me back here, so they stopped in. See what's going on.

They were shocked that Percy was here.

"Look," Percy told them, and I'm surprised Grover didn't say anything about the whole relationship. He looked like he was going to, considered it. "My step dad's being sort of an ass lately, yeah? So I'm staying anywhere he isn't. Also, why is that surprising?"

Clarisse shrugged.

"I mean, you were trained to like kill each other." She reasoned, and I guess I could understand that. "That could make people like hate each other. Normally does."

"Yeah," I agreed, slowly nodding. "But here's the thing, we talked outside of camp. We we're friends outside of camp. And some more, but whatever. We're cool."

As I started making lunch and Percy was in the bathroom or something, I heard them ask Grover. The whole situation with Percy and I now.

"Well uh... Ask Percy."

Thanks, Grover.

Percy came back out probably 30 seconds later and it wasn't a big deal. They didn't ask right away. Instead, they decided to observe.

Clarisse

Body language is a huge thing. And figuring this out required I knew some of it.

We went to the table and Percy dishes us food, and when he tried to get past Luke, he doesn't put his hand on his shoulder. Rather, his lower back. Which is a questionable area to touch someone in general.

Curious, we texted the others. They didn't know anything.

But then again, Percy was sort of shoved off after the war. So who knows, right?

Outside of that, absolutely nothing was indicated between them. Just seemed like friends.

Until I went to put my number in Luke's phone for future reference. And his lock screen was a photo of the two of them. It looked like they were doing something together fairly recent. Almost like a date. It was a cute photo.

And if that wasn't enough, the next photo was. It was kind of cheesy. But it was a little older. Not too old. Somebody drew it. Them, standing on different sides of whatever. They had the red string on their pinkies. Connecting them. It's hard to explain, but yeah.

Feelings we're at least had on Luke's end.

So we left that night and I text Luke because I'm like his favorite person.

Me: Hey, Luke

Me: When are you asking him out?

Luke: ???

Luke: Who am I asking out? Why?

Me: Percy, dumbass

Luke: What?

Me: Oh my gods, don't hide it. I went in your phone when I added my number. You're not very subtle, Luke. Your lock screen is a photo of you guys. And don't get me started on your home screen.

Luke: Yeah, what's the big deal?

Me: Ask him out! Percy's like bi, I think. He might be gay, I don't know. But I know that he's like into guys, and with everything you've done for him lately? He has agree to at least one date.

Luke: ...

Me: What? He would.

Luke: Didn't you ask Grover about this?

Me: well I mean not this directly, but I asked about you guys. Why? Did he withhold information from us?

Luke: yeah

Luke: Percy and I have been going out for a long ass time. We didn't say anything until just recently because we'd be, you know, killed for just talking to each other. I figured Grover would've told you guys. He knows.

Luke: So I don't have to be subtle.

Me: You would've been... When did you start going out?

Luke: It was between recruiting Nico and the Labyrinth. In the school year. May. It wasn't like a big thing, it just happened. We hung out a bit. He'd visit to get away from home. Eventually he told me that he was bi and asked me out.

Me: okay, that makes more sense. Got it

Luke: Is that all?

Me: Yeah. For now.

Annabeth

College makes you miss a lot. Like my gods, I leave and suddenly there's drama.

It topped over when Thalia messaged me, pissed the fuck off with Luke.

Like, I thought he was dead. And with how upset she was, I figured she'd want to vent, so I called her.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked her, a little concerned. "Luke's dead, Thalia. What could he do?"

"Not anymore," the daughter of Zeus told me. "He's been back for a few weeks. And boy, Percy is being real nice to him considering they should hate each other."

I knew Thalia liked Luke. And I also knew that Percy and Luke had a thing. Of course, I found out by accident when I was at his place one day. I didn't ask. I assumed they knew the risk. I'm not that mean, I didn't report it or anything.

After all, I still talked to Luke.

"Okay, so?" I responded. "What's so bad about them getting along, Thalia? Do you really like him still?"

"Yeah!" She had no shame. "And he knows that but he doesn't do anything and—"

"Thalia," of course, there's things Thalia missed out on when she wasn't around. Especially with Luke and I. Luke never talked about guys when we were on the run because there were bigger problems. "I don't know how else..."

"What?"

"Luke's gay." I explained to her, trying to be nice about it. "So he won't do anything about you liking him because he's not into that. Trust me, he dated a number of guys from camp. If you ask, he'll tell you."

"I know he will I just... Him and Percy hanging out just doesn't seem right. I don't know."

"Did they not get along?" I question, just based on what I knew about them. Percy took Luke's death really personally. He cared about Luke. Whether he would admit it or not. He cared.

"They got along too well," she was trying to make this a problem, though. "And I mean... It was just really questionable considering their relationship of not really knowing really other outside of one summer and like... It's just frustrating."

I told her to text Luke. I wasn't going to mediate this. I didn't even know he was alive and back.

That went you know... It went.

Luke

Thalia wasn't happy with me. Because apparently she didn't know that I'm gay and then she got dramatic with the whole her liking me. She tried to point out that Percy's straight to me, if that was my intent with him.

So Percy and I talked about it. Because that's the Luke third time today we've had to do this.

We posted something online for our friends to see. Telling them that hey, were together. Like it or not, it's what it is and we're happy so it's not going to change soon.

Thalia really wasn't happy then, but what was I going to go? I'm happy. If she can't move on, it really isn't my problem.

I hope she moves on.