Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, nor the characters in it that will consequently be mentioned in this story. I don't (unfortunately) own Logan Lerman, either. The only ones I do own are the unrecognizable characters which are most probably my OCs.

"I'm so glad to have IM-ing back," my brother huffed out after a good laugh we had both just shared over this joke he made about Logan, our other sibling. His dark hair had been cut recently and it stopped just above his eyebrows. His eyes were bright sea-green orbs that seemed to stand out of his slightly tanned face along with his even brighter smile. "You know, communication is very important to keep a relationship."

I laughed. I always did whenever he was on big brother mode; the left eyebrow rising, Dr. Phil tone mimicking and the spouting of words about relationships and "love." But I never seemed to get tired of it. He had been like that since he and his current and first girlfriend got together last August. He had the right to be in love and act like it anyway. Even if it was sometimes annoying.

"Important to keep Annabeth perhaps?" I kid.

He then rolled his eyes and the mist shimmered around it. Funny. "Annabeth's not like that. If anyone's got a tight grip, or any grip at all, it would be her." I smirked. He was right, of course. "But I guess it does help a little with her."

The mist connecting us shimmered due to the sunlight from where my brother was. Behind him, I saw shining, swaying emerald leaves; he was no doubt at Central Park. I could have offered to go meet with him there and have the longest talk ever but I had things to do (Specifically, a paper to write.) and I was sure that he did, too.

"So anyway," he started. "How about your love life? Anything new? Anyone I have to pound?"

This received yet another laugh. "In a span of four weeks? Nope. I don't think so."

"But a lot can happen in four weeks." He was speaking from experience. Most of his quests he had accomplished in less than two. But then again, time has literally been against him. It wasn't like I was obliged to fall in love in four weeks.

"I guess."

Suddenly, his image shook a little. "You've only got one more minute," a female voice that couldn't be anyone but Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, said.

My brother's eyebrows shot up. "What happened to my 'five more minutes'?"

His image stopped shaking as if the goddess was actually pondering his question. Which was obviously a bluff, anyway.

"Oh, thank you for reminding me," she chided. "You had five minutes." Brother smiled. "But that was four minutes ago. Hurry up with your goodbyes, demigod. Forty seconds left."

"Ugh," my brother grunted. "Oh, well. So much for her promos."

I tried so hard to suppress a laugh. Iris just seemed to love messing with him so much. His brows scrunched up a little and his mouth went concave, giving me an annoyed look. "What?"

I stopped giggling. "Nothing."

His face morphed back to normal then gave me a small smile. "Anyway, camp. Celebration. New year-rounders. Next week. You coming?"

"I'm not sure yet." And it was true. It wasn't like I had been at camp much longer than those newly-claimed ones anyway.

Ever since we won the war with my brother as leader (sort of), he had demanded the gods to claim their children the moment they reached the age of thirteen. A lot of demigods popped up at camp in just the first month. Some of them were older than thirteen and had been oblivious to their godly ancestry until they'd been claimed. So my brother and his girlfriend thought of a celebration wherein the demigods who had been claimed before—or in my case during—the Titan war would do a toast to the gods or something to welcome the new ones.

"They need welcoming," he had said. "I don't want them to feel what I felt—confused and uncertain." Of course, it was inevitable for a demigod to feel that way at first, but at least, through this, they would feel more accepted, regardless of whatever parentage they may be.

I had been claimed during the first part of the invasion; when Morpheus put the whole city to sleep. I had been with my mortal friend then. When everyone else had fallen asleep, I was still awake. I knew something made me different from everyone else and the predicament had just confirmed it. Then I saw these two mischievous-looking kids breaking into my stepfather's grocery store. When I walked over to them, shouting about how rude it was of them to broke in my Dad's (I call him 'Dad.') store, they just gave me a surprised look, complete with wide eyes and open mouth—which I had found normal until they dropped their bags, muttering "No way," while staring at something just above my head. I got curious and looked up.

I saw a glowing, green trident.

"No way this is your dad's store."

And I had understood them instantly.

The two kids, who I was later told were the Stoll brothers, decided to keep the news from my brother then. "Just until the war is over," Connor said. "Then we'll tell him."

They were afraid he'd get distracted and cost us the war. The only person the two told about me was a sweet Aphrodite girl named Silena. She agreed with keeping me from everyone else and thought it right to bring me to camp. I was untrained and vulnerable and I knew better than to serve as another head to protect for these guys, so the moment they assured me that they would protect my parents, I said yes and waited until my brother let Silena go back to camp. We rode a Pegasus on our way there. Still dazed from our unusual flight, I let her lead me to a low white building where, according to her, Poseidon's children reside. I went in and that's where I met my other brother.

"If you're still thinking about how you got claimed," my brother said, jarring me from my thoughts. "Maybe it was a bit inconvenient…" He glanced at me, checking whether I got hurt by his statement. I wasn't. It was true. What my father—Poseidon—did was like a mom giving birth to her kid in a death chamber. "But he probably did that to protect you."

I doubted it. He could have just let me think I was a mortal until after the war. His timing was just awful.

"He probably claimed you in front of Travis and Connor because he knew that they'd know what to do," he continued.

I just smiled. My brother couldn't help but protect our father. He had known him longer than I did. "Same with Logan?" I asked.

"I suppose. Logan was claimed under different circumstances though."

Yes. His claiming was far worse than mine.

"Ten seconds," Iris informed.

My brother rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I want you to think about it. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Bring Logan, too."

I nodded.

"See you at camp, then." Flashing me one small smile, he bid me farewell. "Bye, Percy."

I managed to let out a small chuckle. It was our inside joke. "Bye, Percy."

A/N: Please review this story. I'd most probably be eternally grateful. Or not. But I might cite reviewers in the next chapters.