Percy Jackson

It's my fucking birthday and I'm going to lose it.

I just wanted to spend the day with my boyfriend.

That remark from Clarisse even managed to stress my parents out from the dining room, where Paul was making assignments and Mom was giving him ideas, I think.

But after hearing that, they stopped what they were doing. Because they know Rome and they know that while he doesn't push things, he's curious and will find out the answer to something he wants to know.

Especially if it... Is something he's called.

In you know, a negative connotation.

At least Clarisse could tell that she fucked up big time.

It's not like she could do much about it, but I saw the realization hit her two seconds after she said it.

"A mortal?" Rome repeated as he was now holding my hand, which might be the only reason I'm not having a panic attack right now. "What does that... Are you insinuating that you guys aren't mortal?"

Nobody wanted to respond. I physically couldn't.

So he fell back to the other person he knew.

"Rachel? Do you know what that means?"

She looked down and shrugged.

"I mean... Yeah."

"Are you considered mortal?"

But that's a complicated answer but also like... What's the point of lying, right?

He's going to leave me.

"I, well— I used to be," she told my boyfriend. "But I'm not anymore."

"So... What does that mean? What's mortal mean?"

Rachel sighed and shot me an apology beforehand.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Red answered for my boyfriend. "You're mortal, you're human. Fully. Two human parents."

"Yeah, what else would I be?"

"Well... There's a lot of answers to that question, actually," she informed him and I didn't want this to happen but it didn't feel like a choice anymore. "Um, I was born a mortal. You know my parents. They're mortals. But like... Do you remember Percy's dad? He was at state freshman year?"

"Yeah, but I never talked to him or anything," Rome recalled, rubbing circles into the back of my hand. "why? What was he? Not human?"

"No, he's a god, actually," Rachel broke the news to him as the air wouldn't enter my lungs anymore. They were sealed off. "Poseidon, to be specific. The uh... A lot of the myths aren't really myths. As far as I've heard, Greek, Roman, Egyptian gods are all still around and active. I'm not a demigod, but I host the Oracle or Delphi, so I'm not mortal. It also means I can't date period."

"Wh... What?"

It was a fair question.

"Yeah, most of us are demigods," Thalia told my boyfriend. "The exceptions being Rachel, who hosts the Oracle like she just said, and then Grover, who is a satyr. Percy is Poseidon's kid, I'm Zeus's kid. I'm also in Artemis Hunt, which makes me and Rachel both immortal. Rachel still ages, I don't as oracle, I don't."

And after that they went around and said who their godly parent was and... Yeah.

I can't breathe.

Rachel also explained that it's a super secretive thing, which is why I didn't know. He can't tell other people about it. Mortals usually won't find out unless they're involved in an accident (like she was, also clear sighted), end up being with a god (like our mortal parents were), or they're marrying into a family with a demigod (like Paul). They usually get told after engagement.

It's so secret we aren't told ourselves until we go to camp.

They left after that because I... Was currently fucking petrified of looking at Rome to find out how he was looking at me.

"Hey, sweets," his pierced my brain like a needle. But then his touch expanded from holding my right hand to holding both hands. "You have to breathe. You just got back, you can't die."

So I took one singular breath but the tension just sat on my chest and built every time I took in a breath it seemed like and that made it worse.

"Hey," Rome said again as he pulled me into a hug. "Seriously, it's okay, please breathe. Like Rachel said, it's a big deal to tell somebody, and it's not like I ever ask about your dad anyways because you never enjoy talking about things involving him. We're still 17, I wouldn't expect you to me until at least after graduation, if not longer until after we were living together and talking about getting married or whatever. It was kind of a shock but like... I was also shocked that you were at practice yesterday so... I'll process it and learn to live with it. Just like everything else."

"You're... Not upset?"

"What? No!" My boyfriend insisted as he pulled away and cupped my face so I kind of had to look at him and he just looked... Persistent but happy. "Is it a lot to wrap my head around? Sort of, but I have time to do that and it's not like it changes who you are to me."

"It doesn't?"

"No," he confirmed. "do you want it to?"

But I shook my head because I like being his boyfriend a lot and I'd sob if he wanted to break up.

"Good," Rome responded. "Because you're still my super cool boyfriend that I get to swim and skate and study and go out with. That's not changing any time soon. I love you too much and waited for too long for something like who your bio dad is to change that."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm more than sure, I keep my board in my car just in case you randomly came back one day and wanted to go skating immediately." My boyfriend insisted, which got me smile. "That's what I like to see. Like you said, your father sucks and the only one that matters is Paul because he's more of a dad than the other dude. Now come on, it's your birthday, what do you want to do first?"

"... Can we make brunch together?"

•••

Brunch was delicious (we made each other food, it's like one of my favorite at home date things to do) and he even remembered how to do the blue! The first time we did it he put way too much in but it still alright.

After brunch we ran to the tech store with my parents to replace my phone and that took a while so we went straight from there to practice together.

Practice was fun, just timing different strokes to compare at the end of the season. We do it every year.

Coach even gave me a little bag for my birthday. It was just some candy and then a little swim pin. He gives presents like this every year, it's super nice.

We went out skateboarding after practice and went to this little arcade that we went to on a date like a long time ago and then he surprised me with dinner at my favorite place for us to eat at on a date, a hibachi grill because that shit is fascinating to watch.

After dinner we went back to my place and my parents were really slick when they left a note saying that they were at Paul's sisters place for the night to watch his nephew because they agreed to it before I got home (which I knew about, I didn't want my birthday to be a big deal anyways this year).

So, as they said, be responsible.

"Okay," Rome said as we sat down in my room. "One last thing before we settle in."

"Hm?" But I've been back for four days so I wasn't expecting anything from him besides just... Being here. Hanging out.

I didn't even expect dinner. Or for him to pay for it.

"So you weren't here for it," my boyfriend began as he pulled out a gift bag from under my bed that he snuck in... Sometime. I never noticed. "But it was like right before you went missing, so I have your Christmas present still and also a small thing for our one year and also I have your birthday present."

"You— but I've only been back for four days!" I responded and I could feel my chest melting. "When did you get the birthday present?"

"Well um... I had ideas for it for like, a while," he told me. "So I texted Rachel after they all left and sent her money and she dropped it off while we were gone because she's a super good wing woman."

But I couldn't help to roll my eyes.

"Of course she is, she has to live vicariously through us," I reminded my boyfriend and just smiled, continuing to melt as he gave me the pretty decently sized bag. "you didn't have to do this, amor."

"Okay... But I wanted to."

•••
Nico di Angelo

I should've expected it.

After Will and I got back from our date, which went better than I expected it to, actually, I was hanging out in my cabin with Hazel and Piper while I was going through Instagram and I saw a post from Percy, which is already like... Not normal.

But it's also his birthday so I figured it was a birthday post.

And it... Kind of was.

Before I could read it, though, Jason entered the cabin after knocking abruptly, looking like he was chased.

Completely ignoring his girlfriend, who looked like she was about to ask him if he was okay, Jason locked eye contact with me.

"Have you seen the post?"

"What... What post?" I questioned because a lot of posts exist in the world.

"Percy's most recent one."

"Um..." I started off. "It just came up but I haven't... Read it or anything. Why? Is it important?"

"Him and Annabeth aren't together."

I pretended to be surprised for Percy's sake.

"They aren't!?"

"Oh yeah, they got in a huge fight when we were over there," Piper filled us in on what Jason and I missed because Jason had a meeting and I was on s date. "It was unreasonable on Annabeth's behalf to get so mad but... Whatever, I guess, I don't know her that well."

"Yeah, apparently they were also never actually dating," Jason said, which meant that he must've finally come out to Annabeth and it didn't go over well if they broke up. "it was like... A front for her family that somebody at camp saw and thought it was legit and... Yeah. Either way, I don't know flags super well but he's not bi so he's... Something else but he's not straight because he went to pride last year."

"Oh, yeah, he's gay," I clarified for the son of Jupiter and maybe even for the other two here. "He told me when I stopped this morning. I walked into his room and he had njst woken up and his boyfriend hasn't woken up yet. Um... I was worried and he reassured me that he wasn't cheating and then explained the whole thing before then telling me that Rachel was the only.orher person from camp that knee befsyse he wasn't that nervous about coming out, but he was anxious about telling people at camp that he was dating a mortal."

"Yeah that's why him and Annabeth got into the fight," Piper added on. "His boyfriend introduced himself to Annabeth as Percy's boyfriend and when he left the room she freaked out and asked him if he was crazy dating a mortal and it was just rude and when she didn't stop he told her to get out. She could tell anyone of concern they broke up. She definitely developed feelings for him but... She never told him. So he couldn't, you know, tell her that he didn't and that he was gay so he wasn't going to. He had a boyfriend like... Him and his boyfriend have been together for longer than him and Annabeth we're."

And they're cute so I'm not about to homewreck. I think I might actually like Will, too, so...

That's gay, I know.

Jason dismissed himself, after, though, and I looked down to see the post.

kelpforbrains: I've waited like a stupidly long time to make this post, but now I can finally do it so here goes nothing... (This is going to be long)

Despite what a lot of my friends (apparently) thought for a long time, I'm gay 🏳️‍🌈 and I've been half way in the closet for a long time and it seems like such a stupid little thing to be able to comfortably say, but it's a big deal. For me it is, at least. I've been out to my parents and a lot of kids at school since I've started high school, but I was just able to come out to some other friends that I see in the summers, which is why I can say this here now :)

Also, @ romehasfallen and I are cuter than you :) no I won't take criticism

Anyways if you read this, thanks. It's been a journey that took way too long but was definitely worth the wait. If you're reading this and you're in the closet, know that it's okay, everyone goes at their own pace and yours shouldn't be rushed 💙

That last paragraph just...

Like a fucking spear or just cut right into my chest.

It made me want to cry.

"Nico?" Hazel asked, sounding slightly concerned as I was just kind of... Looking at my phone but not interacting at all. "are you okay?"

It's okay, everyone goes at their own pace.

I nodded my head.

"Are you sure?" My younger sister questioned as I think Piper also started to become worried and it was just gnawing away at me. Eating me alive.

I thought Jason was going to out me when he mentioned Percy earlier. It scared me. A lot.

"Y— yeah..." I began but it was clawing it's way up my throat without another care in the world. "I just uh..."

She was okay with Percy and Leo.

"Can I tell you something?" I asked Hazel as her concern probably raised at the question. "like, you won't freak out if I tell you something?"

"I mean, you'd have to do something super evil and shitty for me to freak out," my little sister responded. "so as long as you're not like, a cannibal, I promise I won't freak out. So what's up? What's going on in that brain of yours to make you worry?"

"Oh, uh..." I started off, just telling myself that it's okay and this is fine for her to know. "I uh... I'm gay..."

It didn't even phase her.

I was freaking out and it didn't even fucking make her do a double take.

"And...?" She asked as if that wasn't news but moreso a reminder.

"And?" I questioned right back. "what do you mean and?"

"I mean... Are you just telling me to fucking tell me?" Hazel said in response as Piper seemed more surprised then she was. "Because I... Knew."

"You did?"

If Jason told her I'm going to kill him.

"Well, yeah," but she saved a life by telling me what she knew. "I kind of figured you like, were out before we met. Frank did, too. With bow you looked at Percy when he had amnesia... It wasn't hard to figure out. We didn't ask because there was never a chance to where it wouldn't seem weird. We're you not out already?"

But I shook my head.

"N... No, I— I wasnt," I corrected my younger sister. "The person who knew was Jason and he found out lasr month.  Or the first person that I told, I guess, but... Even that wasn't my choice. It just happened and he knows. Percy found out this morning and then Will Solace knows."

But that's an odd list, even I know that.

"Will Solace?" Piper questioned. "What... What's he doing on that list?"

"I—" I started and paused for s moment to collect myself. "He has like no dear apparently and he asked me out yesterday so... That's where I was when you guys went to Percy's."

"Aw!" Hazel exclaimed way to loudly as she fucked my hair up in excitement which I didn't need her to do. "see, I knew there was more! How was it? I've never talked to Will before."

So I told Hazel and Piper all about my date with Will because they seemed do want every detail.

But I also wanted to give them every detail, so that was okay.

•••
Percy Jackson

After that post I felt like I could breathe for real and it was super nice. Rome even proof read it for me because he's not dyslexic and I am.

Getting a text from Nico like a half hour after I made it telling me that he came out to Hazel and Piper after seeing it made it even more worth the whole thing.

After putting up the drawing that Rome had done of us for our one year that I adored with my entire existence, we cuddled and then we did some things that weren't cuddling and then we took a shower and went back to cuddling but this time my ass was kind of sore so I just laid on top and we talked.

We talked a lot.

"Hey, Percy."

"Hm?"

"So this might be a stupid question," my boyfriend prefaced. "and if you don't want me to ask more about it just tell me and I'll stop, but because of who your dad is, can you talk to fish?"

I almost lost it but sufficed with a chuckle because I didn't want him feeling bad.

"Sorry, I've heard worse," I reassured Rome. "When we recruited Nico he asked me if I could surf really well and I had to break it to him that I'm not interested in surfing so I didn't know. But I can! It's really weird, actually. Because as a kid I didn't know that other kids couldn't so... Fish and horses."

"Aw, that's cool," Rome figured as he returned to playing with my hair and it made me smile a bit. "Do you have any nice stories that you don't mind sharing? Like... You weren't aware of who he was growing up, so how did you find out?"

"Are you ready for a long story?"

"I could listen to them all night."

So I went on to tell my boyfriend about Yancy. About Grover and Chiron as Burner, Dodds and getting attacked. Chiron completely gaslighting me after the fact. Getting expelled, Montauk where Grover comes and we have to leave. The Minotaur attack.

Losing my mom. For a while. Thinking it was forever.

But waking up to my my best friend and Chiron and Annabeth was there and so was Mr. D and they were so cool and nice and they told me they didn't know which one but my dad was a god. Eventually he'd probably claim me.

I told Rome about Luke. How much I thought of him as a mentor and as a friend and how cool he was to me at the time and how even after I was claimed in capture the flag and everyone seemed to deject me because of it, he still trained and treated me the same he had before.

"So where is he now?" Rome questioned as I just laid my head on his chest. "College or work? He was a bit older, right?"

But there's no use in sugar coating or lying.

"Elysium," I told my boyfriend and felt him still for a moment although he didn't quite connect the dots. "The underworld, he's dead. He uh... Teamed up with Kronos. Wanted to take back power because the gods are shitty parents and he left and last summer there was a battle. It lasted a week or so, it was that week before my birthday in August. He hosted Kronos and he had had regrets when he realized what Kronos would so once he claimed Olympus. So he... Took his body back. Stabbed himself and refused medical help. It's been exactly a year, actually. There was s Prophecy and with how it was written we assumed that I'd die on my 16th birthday and... He died instead."

I paused for a moment.

"It's bittersweet," I insisited, thinking back on it. "On one hand he went overboard and he wasn't the best person. He manipulated a lot of people and he was angry. But I also understand his anger with the gods now and I understand why he wanted what he did because he was partially right. Didn't justify what he did at all but... He was human. He did what he thought was right with what he could do. That's life."

And I could basically see how considerate he was trying to be with his words and tone. It was sweet.

"Oh, sweets I'm... Sorry," and he kept it safe. "Are you doing okay? That's like... Death at our age is a lot."

"It's alright, I'm pretty decenr at coping and it's not like I'm alone in it," I reminded him. "Um, it's pretty normal, actually, for demigods. Which... Sucks. A lot. To think about. But..."

I shrugged.

"I've made my peace with the idea that like, maybe I won't get to have my own life adter school," I started off, although it was still a little hard. "Um, I thought I was fated to die when I turned 16 and I had a living will written and everything and I still have it just in case. I have to revise it soon. But it's just... Being a target for monsters makes life Harder to survive. Hopefully I made it this far and I've been through literal hell so I don't know what would take me out at rhis point but... It can happen. It's almost like a death sentence but... I know people that have made it out. I have friends that are dead and I have friends who are starting college or are in their second year now. It's just... How it is. Stupidly enough."

But as he took that in, he knew it was possible, but I don't think he wanted to sound down.

"Mmm... I don't know, I think I've been daydreaming about us getting a place together for like, way too long for it to never happen." My boyfriend insisted, which was very sweet and it made me smile. "Happier question, um... Why have I never seen anything you're talking about before?"

Rolling my eyes, I explained the mist to my boyfriend as I drifted off to sleep, listening to his heartbeat steady.

I missed this.