AN: Welp, here y'all go. Thanks for all the positive feedback on the first chapter! My goal was to get this out in a week, and uh… you can see how that turned out x) but hey! Better late than never. Also, y'all, show my girlfriend some love. She's been really motivating and encouraging about me writing this, so I really would've probably procrastinated without her constant bugging. Anyway, enough sap, onto the story:

Percy's chin rested on his arms, his eyes fixated on the timepiece of salvation mounted on the wall. With each rhythmic tick, his freedom from this oppressive café was closer. At five o'clock, Calypso would walk through that door and he would be saved from this prison. Okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, but he wouldn't have to sit inside, bored out of his mind, anymore.

4:59. Sweet. Almost there…

The blonde who Percy had embarrased himself in front of left around 4:30. Not that he was paying attention. Why would anyone think that? His own thoughts betraying him, Percy felt his cheeks begin to heat up slightly at the thought of the blonde. Again, Percy tried to push down the thoughts, reasoning with himself.

She probably didn't even notice you. Plus, it's not like she's any different from the other girls who come around this café. She's never even been in here before. Why the heck would she come back? She's probably just checking out a café for some quick work or whatever.

And yet… there was that small part of him that hoped she'd come back. Not that he'd ever admit that to himself, but it was there. Plus, he had to admit: she had a nice butt. Percy's mom had raised him to respect women, to always take no as a no, and to never wolf-whistle or catcall a lady. It was ingrained in his being to never act like his jerk ex-stepdad. But, Percy was still a teenage guy. Teenage guys notice girls. Especially girls with confidence. Espeically girls with confidence and nice butts.

Percy shook his head, trying to erase his thoughts. He really needed to get out of here and clear his mind. Calypso, where are you…

As the old saying goes, speak of the devil and he will appear. Or, in this case, think of your coworker and she will appear to free your from your prison. Calypso walked through the door, her dark eyes contrasting with the pink eye liner she chose for today.

Percy raised his eyebrow, the trademark smirk crossing his face, "You're late."

Calypso rolled her eyes, "You're one to talk, Jackson. When was the last time you arrived to a shift on time?"

Percy opened his mouth. Then shut it. Reopened it. Shut it again. Opened it. Shut it and looked down at his Converse. However, instead of out of boredom, this time, it was out of embarrassment.

Calypso smirked, "And that's what I thought. Anyway, I'm late by…" She trailed off and looked up at the clock, "Seriously?! You called me late? It's five o'clock. I'm right on time!"

Percy, seeing the chance for sass, suddenly lost all embarrasment, "It's five o'clock and 24 seconds. You. Are. Late."

Calypso smacked Percy upside the head, "Shut up, Jackson. Just get your butt out of here. Go see your boyfriend or whatever."

Percy did his previous open-and-shut routine, "He's not my boyfriend!"

Calypso waved her hand dismissively, "Yes, yes I know. It's just not normal for two straight guys to be as close as you two are." Her smirk crossed her face again, "I just like to tease you about it."

Percy rolled his eyes, before snapping back, "I thought only Leo was the one who received your…" He trailed off for emphasis, "teasing." And with that final comment, Percy sprinted out the door, avoiding the look of murder Calypso was no doubt sending his way.

Chuckling to himself, Percy shook his head before walking across the parking lot. His best friend, the one Calypso referred to as his boyfriend, worked a couple doors down as a delivery boy. The heat of the summer sun beat down on Percy's back and he was grateful when he could step inside the air-conditioned restaurant. His nostrils were hit by the smell of Chinese food and he grinned, the scent bringing back many happy memories.

The owner of the restaurant looked up from behind the counter and smiled when she saw Percy, "Ah, for Fai, I presume?"

Percy nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

"FAI! PERCY'S HERE!" Grandma Zhang shouted into the kitchen with a force that should not have come from the body of such a petie woman. Then she turned and smiled at Percy, "Now, Percy, have you been eating enough? You're looking thin."

Percy smiled at Grandma Zhang, "You know me. I'm always eating."

Grandma Zhang shook her head, "No, no. You've been eating those American hamburgers and pizzas. Not good food that you need. Stay here until I come back. No going off with Fai until I've brought you some real food."

Percy opened his mouth to protest, "Grandma! You d-" Percy shut up when he saw Grandma Zhang's gaze. "Um… yes ma'am."

Grandma Zhang nodded, a slight smile crossing her face before she walked into the kitchen.

Sighing, Percy leaned against the counter and pulled a fidget spinner out of his pocket. He used to tap his fingers a lot, but since finding one of these things, fingertapping more or less disappeared. He knew it was a bit of a childish toy and the fad had long passed, but just messing around with the fidget spinner helped him to focus on something other than his anxious thoughts. A distraction that he definitely needed at all times.

Percy's eyes focused in on the spinning blades of the fidget spinner. Blue, as most of his prized possessions were, the spinner reminded Percy of an artist's renedition of a hurricane when spun. He grinned, thinking of the ocean, his mind quickly jumping from thought to thought. The ocean was soon connected to swimming. Swimming to happy memories. Happy memories to his mom. His mom to how he met-

"Yo, Percy! What's up, bae?" A booming voice echoed through the café.

Percy's eyes and mouth lit up as his best friend, Frank Zhang, lumbered out of the kitchen. Without question, Zhang was one of the most amazing genetic freaks of all time. Born into a Chinese family, he somehow towered over Percy's already tall frame. Percy and Frank hit each other with a quick bro-handshake-hug that all guys somehow instinctively knew.

"Hey, Zhang, you ready to get your butt beat in 2K today?" Percy's eyes glinted with mischief, his voice filled with friendly teasing.

Frank grinned, shaking his head, "Nah, bro. You know Imma crush you, easy."

Percy bumped his elbow into Frank's side, "Only way you crush me is if you sit on me."

Frank let out a chuckle before bumping his shoulder into Percy, "All day, any day."

The two of them pushed back and forth, laughing and grinning until Grandma Zhang returned back to the counter. "Fai! No roughhousing in the restaurant, you know better." Grandma Zhang's fierce expression and tone reversed almost instantaneously as she turned to hand Percy food, "Here you are, Percy. Eat up and have fun. Just make sure to keep Fai in line. I do not want him getting into any trouble."

Percy and Frank kept their faces as straight as possible, "Yes ma'am" echoing from their voice simultaneously. Keeping their heads slightly bowed, the two of them walked out the door and into the hot summer air again. Once they turned the corner, away from the sight of Grandma Zhang, the two of them broke down laughing. Frank leaned against a light pole, a hand on his stomach as his deep belly laughs joined Percy's higher chuckles. Percy had literally collapsed onto the sidewalk, laying face-up as he tried to regain his breath.

"I… I…" Percy's laughs continued to fight against his attempt at a coherent sentence, "She… She thinks that…" Another round of hysterical laughter.

Frank's laughing continued with Percy, knowing exactly what Percy was laughing about, "I… I know!"

The two of them kept laughing, Frank barely keeping himself standing against the pole and Percy rolling on the sidewalk in laughter. Once the laughter finally died down, Percy smirked at Frank from his position on the ground, "Now let's get you home, Zhang. I gotta make sure you don't become a troublemaker."

Unfortunately, considering the irony of the statement, the two best friends quickly descended back into fits of laughter. Undoubtedly, Percy was not the responsible one and Frank was not the troublemaker. Everyone knew this. Everyone but Grandma Zhang. For all her wisdom and perceptiveness, she just had a soft spot for Percy and Percy was cool with that. It got him food, and that was, without question, the quickest way to his good side.

Once the laughter had actually, finally, subsided, the two bros worked their way to Frank's house. It was your typical middle-class suburban home, complete with a basketball hoop in the driveway. A basketball hoop that would soon be occupied by Percy and Frank's trash talk, the sound of the ball hitting pavement, and the ultimately satisfying sound of net swishes.

Percy and Frank dashed upstairs to Frank's room, quickly shutting the door. The two high schoolers quickly changed. Both of them had clothes, specifically basketball shorts and jerseys, at each other's house based on the simple fact that they spent so much time together. Yes, they were basically like middle school girls. Shut up. They got that a lot. But who cares? They're close friends. And that's what matters.

A quick change later and they were down on the driveway again. Percy dressed in an old school Chicago Bulls Jimmy Butler jersey and black shorts. Jimmy Butler because Percy loved his attitude, his game, and most importantly his defense. That's what Percy loved about the game. Everyone's obssessed with shooting, scoring, and cool dunks. Don't get him wrong. He loved all that too. But a lockdown defender? Yeah, Percy loved that.

Frank, of course, was dressed in his Hakeem Olajuwan jersey and a pair of red shorts. Hakeem, cause, in Frank's mind, there wasn't a better big man player to emulate his game after. The Asian power forward loved Olajuwan and his classic Dream Shake. Frank wasn't as big on defense as Percy was, but man, he could respect a player who averaged 3 blocks for his career.

Percy smirked as the two bounced the ball back and forth to each other, "Aight, Zhang. Kobe?"

Zhang nodded, "Yessir, you know it."

Percy bounce passed the ball into Zhang's hands, "Aight, check up. You're gonna down."

Zhang shook his head, "Pretty sure I won last one, but whatever you say, Jackson."

Percy winked, "Love ya bro."

"Love ya too, bro. Still going to kick your butt."

The ABC's of Percy Jackson. Anxiety and coffee, they were huge parts of his life. But his one true love? The one where he could relax? Laugh with his friend, mess around, not feel judged? The one place where anxiety disappeared? Basketball. The second letter of his alphabet. All his cares faded when he felt that leather in his hands and it was just him, the rim, and the man trying to stop the two from meeting. God, he loved this game.

AN: Couple things here just to note and so you understand my thought process. 1. I always thought a Frank/Percy bromance would be better canonically than Jason/Percy. It just makes more sense from a time spent together perspective and I think their personalities just work together. I get why everyone loves Jason/Percy, and I don't mind it myself. I just think Frank/Percy works together. Plus, best brOTP name ever: Prank. 2. I'm a huge basketball nut (honestly sports nut) so if all the basketball talk goes straight over your heads, that's cool. I get it. It's mainly just for character. In case y'all haven't noticed, this isn't going to be a straight up normal barista fic. Going for a more indepth attempt at all this, if that makes sense. Cause us baristas have lives outside just giving the tired some caffiene xD Anyway, hope y'all liked it! Leave a review, follow/favorite, all that good stuff. I'll catch ya next time!