I do not own Percy Jackson and co, but there are a number of OCs some of you may recognise from my other fics. Darcy and Finn Jackson are mine.

Being twins was OK. Finn often thought it would be more fun if he had an identical twin- the pranks would be awesome- but Darcy often reminded him that, without her, he would have to do his own homework. Even though she was the younger twin by a couple of minutes, she certainly was the boss. In most situations. Well, all situations. Apparently, Finn needed her level-headedness. Why his mother said that, he would never know. Darcy was about as level-headed as the next person and the next person just so happened to be him.

Honestly though, it didn't matter which twin was born first. They were twins, they had the same birthday, they were the same age. They had long ago given up trying to surprise each other for birthdays, Christmas or just to make the other jump. Being a twin sucked in that department because it often meant you knew what the other was going to do. The cool bit though, they had their own batch of Twin-Talk, little gestures and faces that could mean a million things to anyone else, but was a very simple conversation criticizing that woman's choice of dress. Talk about pattern clash.

"Oh gods, what about that one?" Finn nodded slightly in the direction of a man in his thirties at the counter, ordering his usual bacon sandwich and orange juice. He wore a loud Hawaiian print shirt, khaki shorts and "Socks and sandals." Finn shook his head. "I thought I had bad taste in fashion, he looks like he got everything from the thrift store."

"I think he has." Darcy mused. "I'm pretty sure I saw that shirt when he walked past earlier."

"So... what was he wearing before that?"

"Probably an old tatty vest, grey."

"It was never really white in the first place."

"Not since his mother stopped washing it for him."

"I bet he lives in the basement."

"No, the closet."

"Ooh, so far in, he has tea with Aslan." They punched each other and giggled, shushing the other as their latest victim walked past, nose held high as though he were a fashion model. He sat at a table two away from them, one away from the bad-dress lady. "Do all the people with terrible taste in clothes sit on that side of the cafe?" Finn asked in a hushed voice, leaning over the table to whisper in his sister's ear. Darcy bit her lip and grinned. "Oh, look. Here comes another one."

"That's Rihannon."

"Oh gods, hide me."

"You coward." Darcy teased. Finn pulled the menu before his face, putting one in front of his sister too. Darcy accepted the hiding place. Rihannon was a girl in their class. She liked to pretend and lie alot, how she was from a wealthy family and all that with the latest clothes and gadgets. She always wore sunglasses, always had her mouse brown hair in pigtails and always, always wore pattern-clashing clothes. Today it was black and white stripey leggings, luminious pink and orange boots and a green and blue spotty T-shirt with a red waistcoat over it. She carried a small floral print bag over one shoulder, retrieving a yellow purse from inside. "Avert your eyes. It's Defcon Eight." Darcy and Finn had worked out a series of Defcons for other people. One was tolerable, ten was DANGER, DANGER, MAKE IT STOP. Eight was AvOiD aT AlL cOsTs.

"Where is she?" Finn hissed.

"Getting that stupidly expensive and disgusting chocolate muffin with the almonds."

"Why does she even order that? It's Defcon Six!"

"She likes the crumbs on her shirt- gives that well-loved effect, remember?" Finn groaned, peering cautiously around the menu. "It doesn't even taste of chocolate, it just reminds me of wet dog for some reason."

"I could say something here, but I'm not going to because the look on your face says not to."

"I never realised you were capable of learning something, brother."

"I am full of surprises, sister."

"That I am well aware of, buttface."

"Now that truly is a surprise, stinkbrain." Darcy made to reply when she spotted Rihannon moving. Finn did too, disappearing entirely behind the menu. "Enemy in motion, retreat and prepare for hostile takeover!"

"Doofus."

"Muttonhead."

"Pansy-cake."

"Muggle."

"Mundane."

"Mortal."

"Jedi scum."

"Eat slugs!" They started swatting at each other, menus in one hand to hide them and the other hand flipping back and forth as quickly as their insults. "Ooh, she's leaving." Darcy said, pinching his arm. Finn growled at her, looking over his cover. Rihannon had ordered take-away, for once, and was leaving. He spotted her parents- normally dressed in comparison- and they were gone. He sighed in relief and dropped his menu. Darcy did the same, smiling. "You like her really."

"I do not. If I have to sit there and listen to how amazing her life is when I know for a fact she lives in a caravan and has cold baked beans for breakfast, I will shoot myself."

"She's just lonely and trying to make herself feel better."

"She doesn't have to be such an arse about it though, it drives me mad." Darcy smirked. "Not a word from you. You don't like her either." She hunched her shoulders and hummed indecisively. "She called you stupid and said you'd look better with a bag over your head, wishing that you'd suffocate too for being such a fatheaded, snotty-nosed know-it-all which completely contradicts the stupid she called you two seconds prior."

"Yeah, I don't like her."

"Didn't think so." Finn rummaged in his pocket. "I've got two thirty three. What have you got?"

"Common sense." Darcy said, laying a ten dollar bill on the table and taking his measly funds. "I, unlike you, wait until I can buy something that is worth my money rather than, like you, spend the majority of it in one go on things you'll be bored of in five minutes."

"This is why I need you to come shopping with me. You're like ninety percent of my impulse control."

"More like ninety-nine percent. The one percent left over is your little bit of leeway."

"Thanks." Finn muttered, standing and stretching. "Where to now?"

"Seeing as neither of us have much money, I suggest we go home. Maybe watch Finding Nemo or Wreck-It Ralph."

"Nah, I want ice-cream."

"If you can find more money by the time we get to the park, be my guest. If not, we're going home and raiding the freezer."

"Raid the freezer. I didn't pay for it then." Darcy nodded like she had known that all along, scooping together their plates and cups in a pile, ready to be cleared away. They debated the planet Pluto all the way home, Finn saying 'Ohana means family and family means no-one gets left behind. Or forgotten' at least a dozen times. Darcy shut him up by saying maybe it was aliens who wanted the Earth to disown Pluto so they could use it as a military base to plan their assault. "They'll steadily take control of the other planets until they reach ours. They'll outnumber us by thousands-to-one and we shall become either their slaves or their next meal."

"Nooooo, but that would be a cool movie."

"You're so morbid."

"Thank you. But do you really believe in aliens?" Darcy shrugged.

"We believe in the gods. Why not aliens too?"

"Well, the gods are, you know, family. And some of them come down from time-to-time dispensing dangerous quests, complicated riddles no-one really understands anyway and the ocassional haiku from Apollo that I'm not even going to say anything about. Aliens, on the other hand, are yet to make an appearance outside of the media."

"How do you know that they aren't behind the media?"

"Because you see the news reporters on TV."

"Maybe they're aliens in disguise. Brain-washing people and stirring trouble until the human race turns on itself again."

"I thought you said they were taking over the other planets?"

"They could be doing both. Destroy from all directions. That's what I would do if I was an alien."

"Want to know what I would do if I was an alien?"

"You'll fly around in a spaceship looking for Waldo and demanding free ice-cream every time you came across a vendor and if you were to ever see Josh Hutcherson prowling around, you'd swoop down and kidnap him so you can study his jawline because, and I quote, 'it's not humanly possible to be that square'. News flash for you, dear brother, it is very possible because Josh Hutcherson has that jawline and there is nothing you can do about it other than silently stew over your jealousy."

"I am not jealous of his jawline, it's like someone stuck a brick there and covered it with skin!" She rested a hand on his shoulder, mock consoling him.

"I understand how difficult life can be for the visually impaired."

"And I understand how difficult life can be for people named Darcy Jackson."

"Oy! My life is smooth-sailing. Well, when you're not here."

"Which is never." Finn grinned. "Have fun with that." She smirked at him. The next thing he knew, he was on the floor.

"Oh, I shall have fun with that. The perks of being twins, brother, is that I can beat you up and get away with it."

"Well, sister, that works two ways." He jumped up and caught her in a headlock. "Being my twin, you can't call me out as a girl beater. You don't count."

"Not in comparison to you- you're far more girly than me!" She squirmed, broke free and twisted his arm behind his back. "Isn't that right?"

"In your dreams." He challenged, swinging his other arm around and catching her about the waist. A second later, she was on his back, arms around his neck and legs around his stomach.

"Home, not-so-noble steed!" She ordered with the air of an old English tale knight. Finn reached around and pressed his fingers into her sides, her weakness. She dropped instantly, cursing.

"Tut tut! Such language! You need to wash that foul mouth!" He pulled a water bottle from her shoulder bag and tipped it over her head. Darcy spluttered and gasped.

"Right!" She shot to her feet. "That's it!"

"Meep." Finn squeaked. He swivelled on his heel and sprinted, Darcy hot on his tracks. An empty water bottle skimmed over his shoulder. "Littering!" He called back. "That's littering, you'll get a fine! And that's bad Darcy, very bad Darcy!" While she made effect of her good citizen nature, Finn got further away.

Unfortunately, she knew a shortcut. When he reached their home, feeling as if he had won, he felt ready to explode in despair when she was sat on the top step with Samantha and Christian either side of her, her hair in a towel and wearing his favourite Transformers T-shirt. "What..." He gasped, doubling over and placing his hands on his knees to catch his breath. "You... witch... not... possible..."

"Oh, it's very possible." Darcy smiled triumphantly. "I win."

"No... lies..."

"I was home first. That's a point to me." She turned to her little sister. "Sam, be a lamb and go put a one on my tally please." Samantha beamed and disappeared inside.

"I... get... that point..." Finn straightened, a stitch in his side. "You stole... my... T-shirt."

"Victor gets the favours, you know that."

"I don't want your favours though." 'Favours' were whatever thing was holding the most interest for them. Darcy's favour at the moment was a collection of wooden and metal brain puzzles that Finn had no chance of solving. His was the T-shirt she had stolen.

"What is going on?" In the doorway stood Sophia, hands on her hips and towering over them. She looked from one twin to the other and hit the nail on the head. "Well, if you two are really into a Games, I suggest Monopoly."

"I call the top hat!" Finn declared, throwing up his hand.

"I get the car!"

"Dammit, I forgot about that!" Darcy was on her feet in a second. Finn rushed forward and they fought to get through the door first. Sophia stood to one side, Christian behind her legs. Samantha was watching from the sofa as her older siblings battled to be the Alpha Twin. This was something they had done since they were able to count. They posted a new sheet each Monday on the fridge, folding it in half and labelling each side with their names. Everything was a competition, a point for each one won. Whoever had the most points by Friday was crowned the Alpha Twin with a tinfoil crown made several years ago by expert five-year-old crafters. The losing twin, the Omega Twin, had to do the other's bidding for the weekend.

Sophia sighed to herself. Samantha sniggered and flicked on the TV.

"Nearly the weekend, Mam." She smiled. Christian hurried over when he heard Tom and Jerry battling on screen. "It'll be OK."

"I'm being reassured by an eight year old."

"Eight and three quarters!"

"I'm six!" Christian beamed proudly. "I'm a big boy now!"

"Yes. OK. I have strange children."