1. Beach Day

"Could you tell him to stop showing off?" Miranda asked.

Annabeth snorted, patting the sand to make it more firm. The turret on their sandcastle was complete. "Why would I?"

Miranda giggled. "He listens to you, Annabeth."

"Have you seen how happy he looks, though?"

"Then why aren't you in there with him?"

Annabeth briefly reddened. Maybe because of her parentage, maybe it was memories from the rivers in the place that wouldn't be mentioned, maybe just because of who she was, but water wasn't her thing. She was wearing her swimsuit, sure, but it was under her shirt and jean shorts and she wasn't planning on actually getting in the cold, probably polluted water of the Sound…

Annabeth looked back at the water. Percy was recovering well from the recent battles, already playing with some of the younger kids: Harley and Ilse and Sky, that one kid—Brody!—Chanda and David...even her own brother, Elliot. He looked happy. In his element.

Annabeth stood up, taking off her shorts and pulling her shirt over her head.

"Go get him!" Miranda called as Annabeth waded into the water.

2. Coffee

Will decided that the absolute worst part of being one of the sun god's kids was being so in tune with the cycles of the sun. In midsummer, as it was now, Will didn't manage to get to sleep until 11 at night and was up around 5. It wasn't even light out! But no, the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, and in Cabin 7, that meant that it was time to get up.

Will looked down the table at all of his siblings. The younger ones, and even some of the older ones (hello, Clor), were grouchy and prone to arguing. Ilse was crying slightly as Shira tried to comfort her, but Shira herself had bags under her eyes, and Will was sure that they would mirror each other in that case.

Fuck this, fuck mornings, fuck activities, fuck this day…

Will almost wanted to punch something, and that was normally Lynn's territory. He'd have to punch her...punch everyone...punch…

What the fuck is wrong with me?!

Sunny had her eyes closed as she leaned on Henry's shoulder, but Will could tell that she wasn't sleeping. Good on her, able to filter out most of the noise of the room, though.

Gah! I fucking hate...everything!

A pale hand pushed Will over slightly. Will banged into Phoebe, who pushed down Lynn and Jonah, each of whom grumbled. Nico sat down, holding a cup of something brown.

"How the hell did you get coffee?" Jude demanded.

Coffee. The word echoed in Will's mind like it was going through Jude's synthesizer.

Nico's familiar tiny smile came to his face. "Want a sip?"

"Yes, please." Will took the mug and drained it.

3. Skirt

Thomas was lucky that Travis was this patient. They were barely friends, but Travis was still waiting outside of the newly finished Nemesis cabin for Thomas to exit. All of his siblings had gone by...so where was he?

Ah. The door finally opened, and—

"What the fuck are you wearing?" Travis demanded.

Thomas stood there, wearing the signature loose t-shirt and...a blue skirt.

"What?" Thomas asked, reddening.

"I don't…" Travis trailed off. "Dude...what are you doing?"

Thomas's face was burning. "Gods, Travis. Maybe shut up and read the room for once?"

"What room?"

"You motherfucker."

Travis breathed in and out. "Well, okay. You're wearing a skirt."

"Yeah."

"People are gonna laugh."

"Let them."

"There's that super religious asshole in Cabin Twenty."

"That asshole is thirteen. Watch your mouth."

"Anything else I should know?"

Thomas's face was still burning, and now his lip was quivering. "F-From now on, I'd like—no. You're going to call me Tammy. I am she, her, hers."

Travis nodded.

He was already getting indignant at all of the assholes who would say that Thom—Tammy—was acting strange. Camp was the only place that accepted him. It was a place for all of them to feel safe. And godsdammit, Tammy would, too, if it killed Travis to make sure that it happened.

The two of them began to walk to the dining hall.

Travis smirked.

"What?" Tammy asked.

"Well...let's just say that that's a nice skirt."

"Travis! Stop looking at my ass!"

4. En Why See

Damien groaned from the backseat. "Miranda! Let me out!"

Miranda shook her head. "No."

"Miranda!"

Miranda ignored him.

"Don't make me sit next to her for the rest of the ride!"

"Oh, quit whining," Miranda ordered, and then winced at how mean she had sounded. She didn't mean to get rude. It just popped out of her mouth. "Look...Chiara, just stop bothering him."

"I'm not bothering him! It's not my fault that he's an asshole!"

"Oh, shut up, you little fuck! No one cares what you think!"

"This is coming from you."

"Why are you even—"

"Both of you shut up," Tony ordered. "We're got permission to go into the city so that we could go on the official tour, not so that you two could fight more."

"It's a privilege that you two even got considered for this trip, for the way you've been acting," Miranda added. It sounded awful, in hindsight, especially compared to the way that her brother had so effectively gotten the arguing to stop.

"Actually, I think that this was a 'thanks for not burning anything in the last week' reward," Caden suggested. Tony gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. He laughed. "And a way to get them away from Camp. Chiron's tired of dealing with their shit."

Paolo said something in Portuguese.

"Don't forget the song and dance number," Caden translated.

"What?!" Damien yelled. "No one mentioned that! You just said that I was a tour guide because I was from Queens!"

Miranda chose not to answer.

"Miranda!"

Within the next half hour, they had gotten within the city. They parked in a garage somewhere off Madison Avenue, and walked the mile or so to Times Square. Chiara and Damien wouldn't stop bickering, but the other four demigods let the two of them walk in front and stayed behind. Miranda, from Manhattan herself, gave Caden, Tony, and Paolo a run-through of what everything was. Caden translated to Paolo, who gave exclamations over everything, which Caden then expressed to them.

"Different from Chicago?" Miranda asked Tony.

Tony laughed. "And I thought that my city was big! But this...this is a whole other level."

When they finally reached Times Square, it was almost impossible to hear each other. Chiara and Damien gave up on their bickering rather than continuing in screams. Caden took out his iPod (totally not allowed, but Miranda couldn't care less at the moment) and started the music. Miranda could barely hear it, but the five of them began the dance they had rehearsed, Chiara dragging Damien along with her.

"N...Y...C…"

Damien said something. Miranda couldn't hear. "What?" she yelled.

"Really? Annie?" Damien screamed back.

"Yes!" Miranda bellowed. Her voice was lost in the crowd, in the beautiful, terrifying, human chaos.

"The shimmer of Times Square…"

Caden was grinning. Paolo was watching him closely, careful not to miss any moves. Chiara was red, but keeping up with the song.

"The pulse...the beat...the drive."

5. Tango

Katie couldn't help but see Travis watching her. And as such, she couldn't help but redden.

Godsdamn. She hated how that boy made her feel. Especially since he was probably only planning another prank on her. Immediately, Katie started running through counterpossibilities. Sam had suggested growing poison ivy all over their cabin...but doing that would validate Sam's idea. And Katie didn't want to do that. Sam Wesser was the most annoying, petulant one of her siblings.

Katie was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't immediately hear the tango music playing.

After a moment, it broke through her reverie. Apollo's kids always played music outside at random times, which was why she didn't connect it with herself. But then Connor tangoed over to her, a rose in his mouth. Katie reddened, ready to yell, but Connor glared at her, as if to say don't mess this up. Katie caught sight of Travis, bright red, and banging his fist into his head.

Connor dropped a few more moves before flourishing to halt in front of her and waiting until she took the rose. There was a note on it.

Kiss already, assholes.

"Best wingman ever!" Connor hollered as he made his way back to Travis.

Travis looked as if he wanted to die of embarrassment.

But he still managed to grin at Katie.

6. Dunes

Alhertine was already on the beach when Butch got there. He motioned to her, and she came over to hide with him in the shelter of the dunes.

"We have to watch out for harpies," Butch said. "Are you...don't you want wait to do this until tomorrow?"

"Is the great Butch Wahpekhute—"

"—Walker—"

"Afraid of some harpies?"

Alhertine barely had an accent in her voice anymore. Butch guessed that he was proud of her as he replied. "It's my last year at camp. I'm just trying to make it through the home stretch without getting eaten."

"My smart man." Alhertine kissed him. He deepened it. Maybe it was because of her mother, Hebe, that kissing her felt so invigorating, or maybe it was just because she was charismatic and vibrant, or maybe just because his heart was pumping fast with fear and excitement and because he really liked her. He honestly didn't care.

Finally, they separated, gasping. "See? Was that so bad?"

Butch smirked. "Non."

"Don't try to get all romantic, dear. You'll fail."

"Oh yeah?"

"People always think that just because they can speak a word of French, I'll give it up to them. Please."

"Understood, then."

Alhertine grinned. "Besides. I like you the way you are."

Something buzzed in Butch's ears. He really, really liked the girl in front of him. He wasn't one for getting all fuzzy and melty. He loved his family in Hidden Timbers, but the rest of the group on the rez was driven to splinters by the poverty, the lack of authority, the lack of hope. But when he was around Alhertine...maybe it was the Hebe in her, but kissing her—just being around her!—was hope. It was youth. There was no other word for it. She understood, or maybe just didn't care that he was taking on his stepmother's last name (Walker—don't tell the rest of camp that he's really Butch Wahpekhute). She didn't care about the tattoos that he had (the rainbow was not by any means the end of it). She didn't care that he was...well...him.

"Alhertine..."

"Hmm?"

"I...I think…" Butch stopped himself. Some things just weren't okay to say.

Alhertine giggled. "Maybe it's just the night, but I feel like this could work."

Butch felt tongue-tied. "Yeah...yeah. I think so."

"Maybe you were right about finding somewhere else to go."

Butch kissed her again. "If you say so."

"Not the make-out closet, please."

"There's an empty storage room under the classroom."

"Not the most romantic. But good enough."

"That's what we're looking for, isn't it?"

"You're more than good enough," Alhertine told him. "You're just about perfect."

7. Goodbye

Mark was never going to forgive himself for wanting to cry.

Ares kids didn't cry. They were strong. Everyone knew that.

But as his siblings all prepared to leave, ready to go back to their normal lives where they'd be stuck and unaccepted until next year's summer, he really felt as though he might let some emotion through.

Emotion was for private moments. Everyone knew that. But still, as he hugged Clarisse, he choked out, "love you."

"Pull yourself together," she said gruffly back, but her eyes were red too.

8. Movie Night

"You don't look very happy," Ben told Paolo.

Paolo flashed a smile, before trying to say something in his mangled English: "Eu so...do not the pessoas...desculpa, people, have...have the sex down here?"

Ben slapped his hands over Lionel, their youngest, 12-year-old sibling's ears. "I know what sex is," Lionel complained in his German accent, removing Ben's hands.

Ben shrugged, addressing Paolo. "Yeah, but...just ignore it. This is the best place to watch a movie."

"We're in a basement," Ujarak pointed out in his heavy Chinese accent. "This is literally the worst place in Camp for reception."

"We downloaded it," Julia deadpanned. "Right, Al?"

"Yes," Alhertine said. "And it's Alhertine."

Julia shrugged. "Hey, it's just my Paris."

Paolo, Ben, Lionel, and Ujarak all groaned. "Don't start this again," Ben begged. Alhertine being from Paris, France, and the argumentative Julia coming from Paris, Texas, the two girls often got into fights over which place was better. Julia just liked annoying everyone.

"We're watching the movie now," Lionel dictated, taking the computer and placing it on the chair that Paolo had carried down. Julia placed the bowl full of the popcorn that they had won from the Hermes cabin on the ground, and the six children of Hebe sat down to watch—

"Qual filme?" Paolo asked.

"What movie?" Ujarak translated.

"Tarzan," Julia told him.

The other five of them groaned. "She's kidding," Alhertine told them. "We're watching The Seventh Seal."

"No!" Ben said.

"There's a third option," Julia said. "Frozen."

"Fuck!" Ujarak snapped.

"Watch your language in front of the kid," Alhertine reminded him.

Lionel snorted.

"Here we go again," Julia sighed.

9. Hogwarts Style

By sixth year, the Hufflepuffs had a nice study group. They met in the library every Thursday after double potions to complain and unwind. It was in that study group that Piper first practiced the Coercion charm and watched its effects. (She'd never believe it, but she, a simple 'Puff, had one of the most powerful Coercing charms that the wizarding world had seen in a century.) Frank first managed to transform himself while his friends watched, cheering him on. (He'd never believe it, but he was the best at human transfiguration in ten years.) It was there that Hazel managed to make precious gems appear out of the air in a combination of Summoning, Appearing, and Transfiguring. (She'd never believe it, but it was an altogether original form of magic that should've had books written about it.) It was there that Percy accidentally found a way to ingest Gillyweed so totally that you'd be able to survive underwater for hours. It was there that Jason found out that yes, his lightning spell could in fact set things on fire. It was there that Leo accidentally committed wandless magic for the first time, almost getting them banned from the library after he almost set a stack of books on fire and Percy doused them with too strong of an Augamenti spell. Reyna became their unofficial leader, and once a month they went outside, where she showed them her prowess with magical equine animals. Even Nico, Hazel's little brother, joined them once in a while. The eight Hufflepuffs got along well and were happy with their group. Jason and Piper, and Hazel and Frank got together. Reyna and Percy enjoyed teasing Nico about his crush on Will Solace, and ended up pushing them together. They were happy.

They weren't expecting for the Slytherin to show up.

Annabeth Chase was the Slytherin prefect, and stayed out of their world. The eight Hufflepuffs could have sworn that Annabeth didn't know of their existence. She was intelligent, confident, ambitious, and willing to do anything to reach her goals. In short, the perfect example of a Slytherin. But for some reason, she approached them one Thursday and sat down. "What are we working on?"

None of them spoke. "Ummm…" Leo said.

Annabeth smirked. "I think I can see why you're not Ravenclaws."

Hazel's jaw dropped, and Reyna took on a combative pose. Annabeth held up her hands. "Whoa. No harm intended. What's a joke between friends?"

"Friends?" Percy asked.

"Are you saying we're not?"

Annabeth kept on sitting with ("bothering," Reyna insisted) them for the next months. None of them could figure out what she wanted from them. Percy never engaged in those conversations, keeping his eyes on his books despite the fact that he had dyslexia and didn't like studying.

The reason became clear three months or so after the first time that Annabeth had sat with them, when Percy and Annabeth were snogging in the entryway after a Hogsmeade trip in March.

Leo made a gagging noise. Reyna slapped the back of his head. Jason and Piper looked confused, Frank afraid. Hazel was smiling.

"Mate—what—why—" Leo was at a loss for words, for once in his life.

Annabeth gave her signature smirk. "You didn't tell them?"

Percy turned red, rubbing the back of his neck. "It never came up."

Annabeth gave a short laugh. "Well, I look forward to the study group this Thursday."

10. Rap Battle

Chiron told them they weren't allowed to fight the Camp Jupiter kids, but still, these assholes were the ones who had tried to attack their home! So the Camp Half-Blood campers turned to the only alternative that they had.

Shira had ordered Cabin 7 to stay out of it, and Will backed her up, so Cabin 17 took up the mantle of rhyme-writers. Laurel was the first one to charge into a small group of Camp Jupiter campers, and start her rhymes. "You try to attack us, kid, you'll fail! You couldn't even deliver the mail!"

Then Holly. "Your empire fell and led to the dark ages, and all that were left was pages and pages of rules that ruined the lower classes! Damn, you all just fell on your—"

("Pathetic," Kayla whispered to Lynn. Lynn nodded. "We could have done so much better.")

What no one was expecting was for one of the Roman kids to fight back. Bobby folded his arms, looking angry. "Um, you think you're so great? You never unified! We made up an empire that stretched itself worldwide! You fought and fought and fell to Alexander, just hundreds of cowards and maybe one good commander!"

"You're uptight and obnoxious just like a gander! You gave yourselves poison and fucked up the calendar! And hated philosophy and loved gladiator fighting, and knocked yourselves over with all the infighting!"

("Stay out of this, Nathan," Reyna ordered the son of Apollo.)

"You can't even rhyme, and you say you like philosophy? Keep telling yourselves that, 'cause Athens killed Socrates! You killed babies, had less rights than by the Magna Carta, and don't even get me started on Sparta!"

The two groups looked ready to charge one another, and Neil opened his mouth to respond on behalf of his sisters, when Kayla stepped in. "You can all shut your mouths, don't embarrass yourselves with insults that you got off of Malcolm's bookshelves."

Nathan finished for her. "And don't put my awesome abilities to test, don't even try and fight, 'cause Apollo's the best."

XXXXX

There will be many more to come. I just have a lot of drabble ideas that aren't completely related, and I want to share them.

Notes: I really enjoy thinking about the relationships that all of the campers have, especially within cabins, and how people are affected by their upbringings, and what Camp Half-Blood is like in the "off season"-when no one is fighting.