Author's Note: I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I CAN'T WRITE IN ANNABETH'S WAY OF SPEAKING UGH I JUST CAN'T AND IT HURTS ME AS AN AUTHOR... D': D': please tell me it's not that bad... :(

BUT I LOVE THIS CHAPTER HEHEHEHE! :3

and not in an evil way, in a fluzzy, adorable, cuddly, fangirly way XD

Okay you can read now ^w^

-Aleavon

P.S. I know this is a human AU, but I still want them to use expressions that they would in the original CHB universe... like Nico being called "Death Boy" and Percy and Jason's multiple nicknames... or Piper screaming out "HOLY HERA" at surprising moments... XD I love those and I really want to keep using them w

P.P.S. Yeah... reading back over this... I don't think I can write as Percy either... :P

P.P.P.S. Okay... this is too many postscripts... but I just switched laptops, and now I can't use Chrome, and stupid Firefox won't let me Copy/Paste, so I have to go through a way longer process and go back and fix punctuation errors that it's giving me... ugh D: Enough of my ranting, go read the chapter! XD

As everyone shuffled carefully through the front of the house to the cozy, warm, living room, Jason started to tally off the invited guests to see how many more people they were waiting for.

"Well, we're still waiting on... Piper... Frank... Reyna... Leo... Calypso... " Jason said, counting on his fingers. He scratched his head. "I think that's it."

Another wave of thunder rumbled though the house, and Jason dashed back to answer it. Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Will, and Hazel were left standing in the living room. The five drifted apart to separate couches, all somewhat immersed in their own groups at their respective couches.

Will, Nico, and Hazel sat on one couch opposite the TV, and Annabeth and Percy sat side by side, fingers interlocked, on a couch off to the side opposite the gas fireplace.

Annabeth took a satisfied, slow breath and sighed. "Its so much nicer in here that it is outside. After the AC in Percy's Mustang broke down, I thought I was going to freeze..."

Percy chuckled and put his arm over her shoulder, drawing her to him. "I would never let you do that. Besides, it was only a 15 minute drive from Mom's apartment..."

Annabeth glared at him and swatted his hand playfully. "If you had let Leo fix it, we wouldn't have had to be cold at all!"

"But Blackjack's my reponsibility! And he's my baby... which means I'm the only one who works with his insides!"

"But I'm the one who has to freeze her butt off whenever she goes out with you!"

The pair glared at each other for two seconds, and then broke down laughing, still not noticing the three highschoolers that were sitting on the couch opposite them, staring.

"I guess I'll just have to bear it a little longer if I want to keep going out for dinner. It's not that bad, actually. We can just keep a couple blankets in the back."

"And maybe I'll ask Leo to help me find out what's going on with the AC. He'll probably be able to find out if something's not working right."

They smiled at each other, and then hugged, as if to make things right.

They both suddenly looked up, as if just realizing that the other three were here.

"Well... How's high school coming along, Hazel?" Annabeth tried for a casual conversation as Percy took a more... informal approach.

"Hey, who's this that my favorite sophomore brought to the party? Could it be a new friend? a new best friend? a..." and here, Percy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Will, "new love interest?" Percy grinned.

Will and Nico blushed, and Will looked nervously at Nico. Nico cracked a small smile, remembering that he wasn't alone with Will anymore. There wasn't much of a reason to show all of his feelings, even if he was with all his friends.

"It's okay, they can know. Plus, we already told Hazel."

"Oooooh!" Percy exclaimed. "Told her what? You can tell me, right?"

Annabeth turned to look at Percy disapprovingly. "You could ask... politely?"

Percy smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Aw... come on, Annie! We're all friends here!"

Annabeth melted a little bit into Percy's arms, and cuddled against him. "I guess... I'd like to know too, Nico."

Nico took a deep breath. "Well... Will and I are dating now."

Will smiled nervously and sat there awkwardly as Percy stared at them, open-mouthed. Then, he reacted.

"YES YES YES YES FINALLY NICO'S GOT A BUDDY! YAY NICO NOW YOU TWO CAN GO ON DATES TOGETHER AND... AND-" Percy jumped up from the couch and started jumping and dancing in circles. Annabeth looked surprised for a second, before shaking her head and mouthing, Only Percy...

"Percy, I think that's enough..." Annabeth chided. She turned to Nico, smiled, and said, "I'm really happy for you. I think it's great that you've finally found someone! Now if you'll excuse us, I think I need to get Percy to *ahem* calm down a bit..."

Annabeth grabbed her hyperactive boyfriend and dragged him to the kitchen, where he suddenly remembered something important, and ran back into the living room. He dashed to Will, and yanked him up off the couch, staring him intently in the eye.

Percy studied Will's face, and then his eyes widened. "Hey, I remember you! You were the guy that found Annabeth and took care of her for a while after Ethan Nakamura beat her up! I don't think I ever really thanked you for that. So thank you."

Will relaxed, seemingly afraid the same thing with Jason would happen again, smiled at Percy, and said, "It was nothing, really. It was good practice for becoming a doctor. I'd do it again if I needed to."

Percy grinned. "Well, thanks again for helping Annie. I really appreciate it. And I really hope that you and Nico are happy. It's been a long time since i've seen Nico this happy, and I hope that he'll be able to stay this way. I'd really like to get to know you so that I'll be friends with little Nico's boyfriend!" Percy smirked and opened his arms. "C'mere."

*cue Ryan Higa's Bromance song*

Percy leaned in for a hug, and Will complied. Percy patted Will's back, and then they released each other and shook hands.

"It'll be nice to get to know you," Will smiled.

At first, Nico felt a twinge of jealousy, but then, he realized the two people he had ever liked had become friends. He felt all warm and fuzzy inside, and for the first time in a long time, he smiled for real in front of other people.

Hazel, sitting there silently the entire time, drinking in the scene like Nico usually would, turned to Nico and smiled back at him.

Nico had never felt so accepted in his entire life.