"Percy heard the pacing outside his office long before his son actually addressed him. He was grading some papers, and didn't really pay attention to it until his son barged in.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah? Do you—" Percy stopped in his tracks after taking a look at his son. "Whoa, bud, you okay?"

"Um. Yeah," Luke paused, looking nervous. "Actually! You know what? I've forgotten. I'll just, uh, go, then. Um. Yeah."

Percy raised an eyebrow. Unlike his older daughter, his son had not inherited the 'good liar' gene from his mother. "I mean, if you're sure," he said, telling himself that his son would tell him or Annabeth about whatever it was that was clearly bothering him sooner or later.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just gonna go," Luke said, evidently still worried, but appearing relieved at his father's acceptance of his obvious lie.

He started to walk out the door, but before he could, Percy got up and turned Luke around to face him. "I won't push it, but you know you can tell your mom and I everything, right? No judgement?"

Luke looked conflicted. His eyes darted around the room before he shook himself and huffed out a breath. "Um. Actually, I think I'm just going to say it?"

"Okay. Shoot," Percy replied. "Whenever you're ready."

"Um, okay. Whew. Uh, how to say this?" Luke said, slightly under his breath, and looked up at the ceiling. He ran a hand through his hair, black like Percy's, and started scratching the side of his thumb with his forefinger (having also inherited ADHD). Luke shook himself again and said, very quickly, "Iway."

To say Percy was confused would be a massive understatement. "Highway? You're going to need to speak a bit slower, Luke."
Luke looked at his dad's forehead. "I'm, um, gay."

Percy stared at his son in shock for a little bit, hands still on his shoulders. Was that it? Luke started to squirm, bringing him back to reality.

"Dad? Are you okay? Oh my god, are you having a stroke?" Luke asked, sounding panicked. "Oh shit. Oh shit, oh shit, Mom's gonna be so mad, shit. Shit!"

Percy huffed out a laugh, prompting his son to look up at him in horror. He started to laugh a little harder. He only sobered up when Luke started to look like he was considering the window as an easy way out of this situation. He stood up, managing to catch his breath. "Sorry, it's just. I, um," Percy started to giggle again, before remembering the situation and exhaling deeply in a valiant attempt to stop laughing. After a minute, it was (mostly) out of his system. "Sorry, sorry, I, uh, is that it?"

"Huh?"

"Sorry for laughing, that was cruel. I said, is that it?" Luke looked dumbfounded.

"What do you mean, is that it?"

"I mean. That's what I meant?" Percy said, slightly confused, before it dawned on him that his son had been anxious about his reaction. "Oh! Oh! I get it! Were you worried about what I would say?"

"Well. Yeah, a little, I guess," Luke replied clumsily, still a little in shock.

"Oh, kiddo. This doesn't change anything. I'm sorry if your mom or I ever made you feel differently."

"No, no, um, it's not that, it's just. I don't know," his son said, stumbling over his words. "But, like. Everything's good?" Something inside Percy crumpled a little out of pity for his son./p

"Oh, Luke," he said, bringing him into a hug. "You really worried about this, didn't you?"

"I mean. Yeah, a little," his son muttered into his shirt, voice trembling slightly. Percy felt a few hot tears leak through, and clutched him closer, as if trying to squeeze the negative emotions out of him.

"I'm so sorry. I guess it just never occurred to me that coming out to us would be the thing you'd have trouble with," he murmured into Luke's hair. "You always were the worrier of the family, though. You know, even when you were a baby, you used to sit at your high chair, aghast, watching me deal with your sister – while also trying to prevent your mom from burning down the kitchen as she attempted to make you food – with this cute little concerned expression on your face. I think we even have a photo of it somewhere. We were this completely chaotic household, running around everywhere, and you would just sit there, looking like a small elderly person with this mix of with this like, concerned, pitying expression on your little face, appalled at what was going on around you."

"I guess not much has changed, then," Luke laughed tearily.

"Also, hun," Percy started.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"You do know Uncle Nico's gay, right?"

"No! Really?" Luke replied, acting surprised. "The same Uncle Nico that's married to a man? And has a rainbow phone case? And uses 'cishet' as an insult? That Uncle Nico? You're telling me he's gay? You're kidding. Nope, I don't believe you. Never, in all my years, would I have seen that one coming. Uncle Nico. Gay. What is the world coming to?"

"Okay, smartass. That's enough of that. I try to be a good parent and this is what I get? Sass? Unbelievable. No good deed, am I right? God, there's two of them. Just like your mom, you are."

"Three."

"Oh, of course. Can't forget about 'Lena. Teenagers and their sarcasm."

"Well, for what it's worth, I don't think you're trying."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is you're not trying to be a good parent. You are a good parent," Luke said, suddenly serious. A moment passed. And then: "Dad."

"Yes?"

"Are you crying?"

"No," Percy sniffled.

"Oh my god. You totally are."

"Oh my god, Luke. Stop judging me. This is an emotional moment, ok?"

"Yeah," Luke snorted. "My emotional moment. You're stealing my thunder." Percy threw his head back and laughed.

"Well, maybe if you were nice to your dear ol' Dad more often, I wouldn't get so emotional when you're actually nice to me!" Percy defended himself, pleased that his son had regained his playful spirit.

"Yeah, but still," Luke muttered, embarrassed. "I can't believe you actually cried."

"Alright, that's enough, mister. Just 'cause you finally figured out you're gay doesn't mean I won't still ground you for insubordination," Percy shot back.

"You mean you knew? And you didn't tell me?"

"Nah, of course not, that takes out all the fun self-discovery part! Your mother always had a hunch – you know how she gets those totally baseless, but also creepily accurate ideas about things – I just needed to borrow your laptop while mine charged. Speaking of, you might want to consider clearing your search history." At that, Luke turned bright red.

"Oh my god. Goodbye! I'm going."

(And he did, but not before his dad pulled him in for one last hug).