Paul

I was at home with Sally at the moment. We had been watching a movie and she passed out. It was 10:30.

The phone started ringing. Percy.

Why he'd call the home number and not Sally I don't know. But whatever. He's getting used to me being around all the time now. I moved in after last Christmas. Were not married. Hell, were not engaged yet. But I kind of have plans to change that over the summer. And with Percy calling, I can go on the balcony just in case Sally wakes up and ask him. It's his mom, I need his consent.

"Hello," I answer as Sally lays on the couch now, still passed out," Hey, Percy. What's up?"

"Not much, I just had a quick question," he told me," that one restaurant we went to this last year for Mom's birthday, what was that place called?"

"Reckonings," I told my girlfriend's oldest and only child," why do you ask?"

"Future reference, it was a nice place."

"Ah," I trusted that if that was for a date he was planning, he'd tell me probably based on how well it went. Or at least his mom. He has no secrets from her. None. "But now that you mention it, I have a question for you."

"Seriously?" Percy didn't expect that as I heard him get interested," what is it?"

I made a remark on how I was going to ask last time.but Sally was around and bad timing and he stops me.

"I'm not calling you Dad until you marry my mom."

He got part of it. I wasn't asking him to call me Dad. I'm fine with Paul from him.

"That wasn't the question," I informed him," I would never ask you to do that, especially if you're biologically not my kid."

"Okay, then what is it?"

I leaned back against the wall.

"How would you feel about me proposing to your mother?"

There's a pause and I'm terrified that he isn't responding. For almost 30 seconds.

"If you do anything or ask anything relative to that," the tone in his voice terrified me and I started doubting it because he would and he is family, too, and I'd he's mad about it, it does matter. It's his mom. And.he pauses again,.Just for a terrifying moment. "When I'm not there, I'll kill you. You give me a general date and I'll be there a few days early until you do it. Just not tomorrow and the day after that. After that, I will be there for this. Im alive now, I will live to see the day my mother is happily married. Which can hopefully be within the next two years."

I smiled and we talked for a bit longer. I assured him I would probably wait a couple weeks because she works tomorrow which gives me a chance to look at her college ring and see the ring size and look for rings.

But he was okay with it. He was more than okay, he encouraged it to the point that he wanted to be there when it happened.

"By the way," Percy told me," I have a fish now. A clownfish."

"Why did you get a clownfish?"

"I didn't. It was a present."

Percy

I was kind of scared and a bit nervous about this. Probably not worse than Nico was, though. He has no idea how I took the letter and also didn't know how awkward it would make things.

Try less awkward for a change.

Walking around, I notice him back by the stream. Wearing a dark red shirt with black skinny jeans and black shoes. His coat was wrecked, I'll get him a new one tonight if all goes as I'd like. I made reservations for the place. It's not expensive or fancy, just really popular so reservations. It's Italian so I figured he'd like it.

After a few seconds coming behind him, Nico noticed my presence and looked up and over at me. I wasn't sure if he was happy or surprised. It seemed like both. Which could be good for me right now.

"Hey," I said, knowing he saw me as he looked at, giving off a small smile," room for another person."

"I guess I can squeeze in," he joked as I sat down next to him," by the way, thanks for that advice yesterday."

"No problem," I continue with it," what did he say?"

"I don't know, I'm waiting for that part to be—"

Yeah, I answered his question. Also, I shut him up.

You probably know how I did it, but I'll tell you anyways because I'm a fluffy piece of shit.

I kissed Nico di Angelo.

Which wasn't what he expected me to do whatsoever. I was surprised I didn't even hesitate.

It's the shirt. I'm wearing one of the ones he got me yesterday under my variety jacket because it was, for some weird reason they're working on, pretty chilly in camp.

Our lips separated and I couldn't see with my eyes closed, but I could sense the joy, the smile on his face at that moment. I may have had one on my face, too.

That was totally my first kiss. I wasn't a hug virgin, but up until now, I was a kiss virgin and everything beyond that.

Nico smelled like a forest. The woods. And not like here at camp. I mean in the middle of nowhere, that amazing smell that just overwhelms you and you can never get enough of it at the same time.

Yeah, like that.

His lips had been soft, with just a tiny bit of chap that was barely noticeable. Perfect to me.

"Yes, I'll go out on a date with you, Nico di Angelo."

Grover

I hauled ass out of there to give them privacy because I'm not an asshole and I got what I wanted to see. I just wanted to hear him say it, but I got a photo and what he did works, too. Returned his camera to Cabin 3 and ended up finding and noticing her after stopping off his camera with one of the photos. They're identical and I got four of them.

"Grover, oh my gods," Thalia remarked after running into me," sorry. Hi. How are you? I haven't been here in a while."

"Good," I tell Thalia,' pretty good. What about you?"

"Pretty good," she returned," I just talked with Annabeth, she's on her way to find Percy here."

"Why?" I question.

"The crush she's had on him and he's had on her for however long," Thalia stated, not knowing the second on wasn't true or anything close to it," she finally got the guts to ask him out because he won't do it. Took her long enough."

" Thalia," I explain to the daughter of Zeus," that's a terrible idea.'

"Why?" She asked me," they've liked each for years."

"He doesn't like her."

"What are you talking about? Yes he does."

"No he... Thalia, Percy's gay."

She looked horrified, noticing Annabeth walk into his cabin.

"He's not in there," I assure Thalia and realize something," but... Shit."

It wasn't long until Percy ends up walking into his cabin, where Annabeth had been at the time.

And well... We'll save that story for some other time.