"Tobias, get up!" Tobias groaned and put his pillow over his head. Annabeth made the point of flicking the light on and opening the curtains. "You have college! Get up!"

"Early…" Tobias complained from under his pillow.

"You're your father through and through."

"Hey, that's not a bad thing." Percy complained, miffed.

"Oh, shut up Percy." Annabeth paused. "Weren't you cooking breakfast?" Percy cursed. Tobias heard both his parents leave and sighed in relief.

College was OK, but he could without the endless girls filling the corridor and following him everywhere. It was so damn tempting to run them through with his sword- a clone of Riptide, with the same pen-to-sword and vice-a-versa abilities. But, alas, celestial bronze would never work on creatures as annoying and pathetic as mortals.

He studied architecture, Ancient History, Latin and Math. He was also on the swimming, diving, soccer and basketball teams. Max was on the same teams, including ice hockey and baseball. Being a grandson of Athena had its advantages. Somehow though, he found the patience and time to do his coursework, which amazed him and his mother.

The only thing other than those annoying girls that he couldn't deal with was the early mornings. At least he had coffee on his side, thanks to Leo.

"Afternoon." Percy said as his eldest son sat at the table. Tobias responded but putting his head on the table and giving a groan of complaint. "Just wait until you get a job." Percy chuckled. Annabeth set a plate of blue pancakes in front of him. "Oh, yum. Thanks Wise-girl."

"Why can't you cook your own breakfast?"

"Oh, come on. I cooked the kids' breakfast and I'm doing the school run. What more do you want?"

"And he's got work today." Tobias added, lifting his head and resting his chin on the table. Annabeth glared at him. "Pancakes are burning." He told her. She turned back to the pancakes in the pan.

"Shut up." Annabeth told him, smiling and annoyed at the same time. Percy grinned proudly at Tobias. They both had the knack of annoying Annabeth and getting away with it. Tobias returned it half-heartedly.

"Coffee?" Percy suggested.

"Please." Tobias said, perking up.

"Only if you get Max up." Tobias sat up suddenly.

"How come he gets another five minutes?"

"Because he had a soccer game last night, remember?"

"I was sub." Tobias added quietly.

"Yes, but you didn't play, did you?" Annabeth countered with a slight smile. Tobias shrugged. Annabeth shook her head at him. Percy was working around her, making four coffees- one for him, one for Annabeth, one for Tobias and one for Max when he finally got up. "No sugar." Annabeth told him, covering her mug with her hand.

"I thought you liked sugar?" Tobias left, not really keen on sitting in on his parents' bickering. But he still heard Annabeth say sugar didn't help her focus at work. Percy responded with, "It helps keep you awake though."

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain." By then, Tobias was out of earshot on the upstairs landing. When the triplets were born, they had moved here- a six bedroom house, an ensuite to the master room and two other bathrooms along with the necessary kitchen, living and dining room and so on.

"Max." Tobias edged the door open to his younger brother's room. Max was still asleep. "Maximus, wake up!" Max simply rolled over in his sleep. Tobias thought quickly before fetching Max's worst, early morning nightmare.

Sage.

Sage was eight years old and enjoyed picking on her big brothers, mainly because they couldn't do much in return. Other than that, she was a sweet young girl until you crossed her.

"Out." She demanded as soon as Tobias knocked on her bedroom door.

"I'm not even in the room, Sage. And I need your help." Sage was quiet for a moment, which was slightly worrying. "It involves getting Max up."

"I'll help." Sage opened the bedroom door, wearing jeans, a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt and dark blue, fluffy socks. "But I want your desserts for a week." Tobias sighed.

"Fine. Come on." He turned and led the way to Max's room.

Sage noticed Max was still snoozing and giggled evilly. Then she bounded forward and jumped on his bed. Max woke with a startled yell, but he couldn't react as Sage had jumped on his chest and sat down.

"Morning." She said sweetly.

"Tobias sent you, didn't he?"

"Not telling."

"That means 'yes'." Max grumbled. He tipped his sister off. Tobias saw that as a good time to leave and fetch his coffee and breakfast.

He nearly collided with Alvie on the stairs.

"Watcha, bro." Alvie grinned. Unlike Tobias and Max, Alvie wasn't as sturdily built. He wasn't scrawny, but mildly athletic, which was a good look for him. Apart from their different builds, Alvie looked like them.

"Hey, Alvie. It's that my coffee?"

"Yeah… Dad said you were taking too long getting Max up, so he said I could have it and that you had to make your own." Tobias sighed, grumbling. Alvie snickered. "Laters, bro." Alvie disappeared upstairs.

"Git!" Tobias called after him. Alvie stopped on the landing and looked back. Two seconds later, he grinned cheekily and carried on walking.

Today was going to be fun.