Percy knew instantly he'd made a mistake.

All he'd done was walk in the door. He'd come in from a class-Mythological Beasts & Their Origins at the University of New Rome, which turned out to be awesome. You'd think walking into his own apartment after said class would be harmless.

It should be said that it was not only his apartment. Being six months away from graduating, he'd finally turned to Annabeth and gone, "So when are we getting married?" Which led to the pair getting an apartment on the piazza. And that was great. It made Percy crazy happy.

He had not been expecting this.

Percy froze on his own threshold. Annabeth, Piper and Reyna were sitting in the living room. Staring at him in a way that made him think instantly that a) he'd walked into a lion's den, and b) they'd been talking about him.

"See?" Said Annabeth, eagerly, confirming his assumption.

"I totally see it!" Piper yelped. "Oh my gods, I can't believe I never noticed that."

"It is a little distracting," Reyna admitted, fighting a grin.

"Um," Percy said awkwardly, "hi?"

"Hi," Annabeth said, smiling reassuringly up at him. He relaxed a little and risked a few steps into his living room. Piper and Annabeth had sprawled over the couch. Reyna was curled in the armchair angled to face both them and the TV. Both pieces of furniture were grouped around the coffee table, which was scattered with magazines, coffee mugs, and various weaponry most of the time but was now clean and tidy. "How was class?"

"Good," he said nervously. "Am I, uh, interrupting something?"

Piper put her face in her hands and howled with laughter. Reyna buried her face in the arm of her chair and cracked up. Annabeth fought back giggles.

"Sorry," Piper gasped. "It's just-that hair-"

Reyna lost it entirely, which Percy found weird on multiple levels despite how close a friend Reyna had become.

"Where's Hazel?" He asked randomly, doing another head count and realizing their usual foursome was missing a number.

"Class," Annabeth gasped out.

Percy's cell phone rang. New Rome being a safe haven for demigods, phones were okay to use. Percy checked his caller ID. It was his mom.

"I should take this." He made to leave the room but Piper reached out, grabbed him arm, and yanked him onto the sofa. She had to move her legs out of the way, and so did Annabeth, but as soon as he was seated both girls plopped their feet down in his lap. Girlfriend and honorary sister invading his personal space once again. Percy, completely blindsided, suddenly found himself answering his phone.

"Hey," he croaked, a little shocked. Piper giggled. Annabeth smirked.

"Hi, Percy! Is this a bad moment?" His mom's voice still made him feel warm inside. Percy relaxed. "Uh, no, not really. I-"

"PUT YOUR PANTS ON!" Piper screamed right next to the phone. Annabeth shrieked with muffled laughter. Reyna had to leave the room.

"OH MY GODS PIPER!" Percy yelled.

"Piper's there?" Sally sounded amused rather than concerned. "Tell her hi for me."

"I will," Percy snarled, fending off Piper's smirk on one side and his girlfriend's socked feet nudging him in the face on the other. "Mom says hi, Pipes."

"HI!" Reyna bellowed out of nowhere, scaring Percy so badly he almost dropped the phone.

"Say, "I am totally hot sea spawn," Piper shouted at Percy in charmspeak.

"I am totally hot sea spawn," Percy said into the phone.

"What?" Came Sally's alarmed voice. "Percy, are you okay?"

Annabeth was crying she was laughing so hard. She made eye contact with her friends, mimed straightening bangs, and set the three of them collapsing into giggles again.

"Sorry," Percy yelped into the phone, attempting an escape only to be pulled back by Reyna yanking his shirt backwards. "Sorry. Piper charmspeaked me."

"Is she the one laughing in the background?"

"That would be Piper, Annabeth and Reyna," Percy said, giving them all death glares. "Apparently ganging up on me."

"Did you walk in on them talking?" Sally asked wisely.

"Um. Yes," Percy admitted sheepishly.

Sally sighed. "So much promise-dashed away. Never walk in on girls conferring, Percy. Soak them if you must. I just called to check in. What's been happening?"

"Let me talk!" annabeth grabbed the phone. "Hi, Sally. My cousin turns out to be descended from a Norse mythological deity and is in fact not dead. He has a candy-striped elf friend and a snappily dressed dwarf for friends. I am done talking."

And she thrust the phone back into Percy's hands.

"Uh," Percy said into the phone. "That was strange."

"What was that about candy elves?" Sally asked, clearly confused.

"I think they've all gone insane," Percy said peevishly. "I'm going to make my exit. Love you."

"Love you, too. Stay safe!" Sally hung up.

"YOU GUYS!" Percy howled, and all three girls burst into fresh giggles. "Why on Earth are you torturing me?"

"It's only because we love you," Annabeth said consolingly, kissing his cheek.

"What was that stuff about Magnus?"

"I'll tell you later," she promised. "Shoo. We're talking."

"You're the one pinning me!" percy exclaimed.

"Jason is bored. Go play with him," Piper suggested, lifting her feet up. Percy glanced at her zebra-striped moustache socks. "Nice socks," he mentioned, getting to his own feet at last and making a beeline for the door. He paused, then turned to the girls. "What were you talking about when I came in?"

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Putting up a finger as if to say; hold that thought; Percy opened the door. There stood Nico DiAngelo, in black as usual, but still much healthier and happier looking than he'd been four years ago.

"There you are," he said, irritated. "We're getting some sparring matches going. I tried calling."

"Nico," Reyna yelled, appearing suddenly and dragging him inside. With a shock, Percy realized Nico-who'd been growing like a weed-was suddenly a solid half inch taller than Reyna-which made him a half inch shorter than Percy, and that was it. Besides that, Nico looked the same, if leaner. Weird.

"I'm answering your question," Reyna informed Percy. She turned to Nico. "Most distracting thing about Percy. Go."

"the hair," nico said immediately.

'WHAT?" Percy yelped.

"You've got this tuft right hereish," Nico pointed to the peak of his own forehead where his own messy hair stuck out at odd angles, "That sticks straight out like an arrow. It's super distracting."

"SEE?" Annabeth yelled at Piper.

"I wasn't doubting you!" Piper exclaimed, laughing.

"Wait, WHAT?" Percy's hand flew to his hair. "Since when?"

Nico shrugged. "Dude. I do not track your hair habits. Well, I do more than other guys, but still-I have no freakin idea."

"Spring," Reyna said promptly. "When Annabeth wrestled you into a haircut and you got Frank to do it."

"He seemed qualified!" Percy protested weakly.

"GO!" Reyna said, laughing, pushing him and Nico at the door. "We are talking!"

The door shut behind them. Nico and Percy stared at each other.

"Um," Nico said. "What just happened?"

"I have no idea," Percy said, dazed, and wandered down the hall towards the piazza and bright sunshine.