PJatO || Tram || PJatO || Tram || Chasing Origins: Sam's Story || Tram || PJatO || Tram || PJatO
Title: Chasing Origins: Sam's Story – The Heart of War
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus
PJatO Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, of course. They are all copyright by the old Greeks. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Warnings: shounen-ai, fluff, family, explicit intercourse, anal, abuse, rape (mentioned), hetero
Main Pairing: Trend/Sam
Side Pairings: Leroy/Sam, Jonas/Sam, Erik/Sam, Chuck/Sam, Trend/Others, Trend/Derek, Sander/Derek, Herc/Thea, Marshall/Sara, Loki/Blance, Liam/Malene, Nico/Percy, Chris/Clarisse, Ares/Aphrodite
Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Clarisse la Rue, Chris Rodriguez, Malcolm Cage, Will Solace, Jason Grace
Godly Characters: Ares, Aphrodite, Chiron
Own Pegasi: Trickster (Sander), Fighter (Sam), Rush
Own Characters: Samuel Elijah James Raser III (Ares), Trend Ignatius Austin (Athena), Charles Smith (Athena), Marshall Mikaelson (Enyo), Erik Anderson (Enyo), Jonas Meyer (Enyalios), Derek Rhys (Demeter), Rainbow Jordan (Iris), Takara Phenia Thompson (Trivia), Loki Murdock (Mercury), Blance Lamour (Chione), Sara Mers (Mars), Joanna Foxx (Vulcan)
Sam's Family: Samuel Elijah James Raser II, Jolene Raser, Liam O'Riley, Malene O'Riley, Selene O'Riley, Lene O'Riley, Leah O'Riley, Lara O'Riley
Own Characters of the Next Generation:
Nicercy: Bianca Maria 'Bia' di Angelo, Hades Poseidon 'Donny' di Angelo
Chrisse: Calandra 'Cally' Rodriguez, Chrysander 'Sander' Rodriguez, Charisma 'Carry' Rodriguez
Pipabeth: Theadora Tiphane 'Thea' McLean
Matie: Amarilla 'Amy' Cage
Jayna: Hercules 'Herc' Grace
Frazeleo: Nicole Esperanza 'Nico' Zhang
Summary: As it says on the tin. This is Sam's story, his origins that lead up to 'Chasing Fireflies'. From the first time his mom told him that he was a son of Ares, to him moving to New Athens and meeting his biggest hero, Percy di Angelo. His relationship with Leroy and those that followed. How the scrawny boy turned into the biggest hero of their generation. His first quest with Sander and how he got the Heart of War from Aphrodite. How he first met his pegasus fighter and how the four sons of war actually became friends. And, of course, it introduces Sam's family.
Chasing Origins: Sam's Story
The Heart of War
Third Partition: The Bonding Year
/September 2025 – Clio Library, New Athens\
It wouldn't be completely mistaken to call Sam obsessive, but there was just too much information, so it was hardly his fault. All the history he needed to catch up with. It was good the library was stocked with everything since the creation of the world. So many heroes, so many heroic tales. Sam was completely mesmerized, he wanted to learn everything there was.
"You know, one may start thinking you're a son of Athena in disguise", teased a soft voice.
Sam jumped and looked up, staring wide-eyed at Trend. The blonde was wearing his black reading glasses and carrying eleven books. Dumping them on the table, he sat down next to Sam.
"There's just so much I need to learn. I mean, my ma used to tell me tales before going to bed, but those were so the kid versions of the myths", muttered Sam wide-eyed. "I mean... wow. The gods are cruel. And perverts. This is just... much input. And I... I want to know this stuff. I want to know what I got myself into. I mean, this is now my life, after all. Right?"
"Right", agreed Trend and pushed the books over to Sam. "Here. You got a little stuck on the old days. Try the more recent past. These are books that our homeroom teacher wrote on the recent history. The Titan War and the Giant War. He was very close to his half-sister Annabeth Chase, who had been a very important part of both wars. This is close history with a view on it that's even closer. The changes those wars brought to our world, you know?"
"What changes?", frowned Sam confused, resting his chin on the pile of books Trend had brought.
"Well, before the Titan War, there were only twelve cabins at camp", answered Trend slowly, pointing at a book labeled as History of Camp Half-Blood, by Argus.
"Huh?", grunted Sam, now even more confused. "But there are so freaking many gods!"
"Yeah, but back in the days, camp only had cabins for the Olympian gods", replied the son of Athena. "Any child of a minor god had to stay at Hermes cabin, because he's the god of travelers and they were considered 'travelers'. But most were unclaimed anyway. Gods – minor and Olympian gods that is – often didn't claim their kids at all. All that only changed after the Titan War, because the hero of the Titan War gave up on his opportunity for godhood and instead demanded for equal rights for all demigods and gods, giving the minor gods cabins too and forcing the gods to claim their children. It was a huge offense to Lord Zeus, but it made him the biggest hero ever."
"Who was that? Sounds way more awesome than Hercules or Achilles!", exclaimed Sam, his eyes wide in awe as he grabbed the books. "I mean, that is seriously generous."
"Perseus the Second. Well, Percy Jackson", grinned Trend, amused by Sam's enthusiasm. "He was the great hero of the Titan War and the unofficial leader of the Giant War quest too. But you got to read up on the Giant War yourself. Well, on both wars. The first five are about the Titan War."
Sam stared at the other ten books aside from the camp history one. The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian. The others must have been the ones about the Giant War. The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune, The Mark of Athena, The House of Hades, The Blood of Olympus. Well, this looked like his evenings in his apartment won't be dull for the next couple of weeks. His cheeks were glowing in excitement as he stared up at Trend and gave the other boy his most brilliant smile.
"Thanks! It's really hard to find the right books around here. There are just... too many."
"No problem", answered Trend, a little red around the nose.
Sam looked too cute when he was smiling like that. It made Trend's heart race like a rabbit. This was sure worth walking all the way up to the library from the other side of town. Leaning back some, Trend pulled the books Sam had still laying beside him closer to take a look at what Sam had been doing before Trend had interrupted him. Cocking one eyebrow, Trend stared at Sam.
"Those aren't exactly history books, Raser. Those are romance novels", snorted the blonde.
"They are not!", exclaimed Sam, obviously embarrassed. "They're just... history, as seen from the angle of love. It makes everything all the more interesting. Like the Trojan War. Can't tell that story without the love. Besides, there is like nothing more romantic than a hero on the quest for true love. Stop laughing at me, you idiot! My ma and my aunt always made me watch girly movies."
"Hey, I'm not making fun of you", grinned Trend amused. "I just think it's weird."
"Social skills. We need to work on yours", grunted Sam and rolled his eyes.
"Sorry", muttered Trend embarrassed. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just... unusual for a child of war, especially so a son of Ares, to like romance stuff and such."
"Right. Your studies", grinned Sam, now a little amused himself, spreading his arms. "Well then, professor. Study me. Yes, I like romantic stories. Probably because my ma never got that happily ever after, what with my dad being 'a fallen marine', aka a god."
"So... you want that for yourself? A happily ever after?", asked Trend curiously. "I mean, of course you do. Everybody wants to be happy. But I mean, in a romantic way. That's your first priority? Find a girl, settle down, have a bunch of kids?"
"Dude, I'm nine", grunted Sam and arched one eyebrow. "My first priority is seeing the new Disney movie once it hits theaters next week. Naw, I... well, I guess, I want my life to be like a romantic comedy when I'm a teen. Meet the love of my life in high school, first relationship, all big and awesome, doing all those stupid, romantic things together, getting married, having a pretty house and three kids and a cat and just live happily ever after."
"First relationship?", asked Trend with a frown. "I think you've watched too many Disney movies if you think that you're going to get married to your first partner and live happily ever after with them. That's completely out of any statistics. Highly unrealistic."
"So what?", shrugged Sam with a glare. "How is living a Disney-life any more unrealistic than nearly being eaten by the Hydra? I think I have a right to expect my happily ever after."
"Suppose you're right", chuckled Trend and nodded.
"Say, why did you come here anyway? I mean, you're a son of Athena, so you probably live in the library or something like that, but... You came over with all those books for me. So did you come here because of me?", asked Sam curiously as he gathered his books and stood.
"Kind of", shrugged Trend a little awkwardly. "I wanted to ask you why you haven't asked for training. I mean, just because we're not at camp doesn't mean we can't train. We could meet up at Demeter Park or something and keep our sparring schedule?"
"Naw, I'm fine", answered Sam and shook his head. "Glad summer is over. I hate this whole fighting and training stuff. Want to concentrate on my studies. School is important."
"Another thing I would have never thought to hear from a child of Ares", teased Trend.
"Ah. You're getting better", praised the son of Ares and patted Trend's head – now that he had both hands free because Trend had taken the heavy books from him. "It doesn't sound like insulting anymore but like teasing. Such a good boy. Good to know my tutoring is effective."
"Yeah", muttered Trend uncomfortably, shifting the books some to distract himself.
"Come on. It's pretty far to my apartment and I want to get the books home before curfew", grinned Sam, tugging on Trend's sleeve. "I have cake at home. You get some if you carry them all the way."
"Cake? That you baked yourself?", asked the son of Athena intrigued.
Sam always had home-cooked stuff with him at school, never fancy stuff, but still for most of the kids that were living on their own even a decent sandwich was four-stars worthy. And Sam's baking was by now famous in their class. Not that Trend wouldn't have brought the books home to Sam anyway, but Sam's cake surely was an additional motivation.
/October 2025 – The Jackson la Rue, New Athens\
Sam was glowing with excitement, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He had finally finished The Blood of Olympus and he surely had a new favorite hero. Percy Jackson. The history books Trend had gotten for him had completely captivated him.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you-"
"Damn it, shut up, Raser", grunted Sander affectionately and rolled his eyes. "I told you it's not a big deal. I mean, uncle Percy is totally cool. I'm sure you're going to like him."
"I already do!", exclaimed Sam wide-eyed and nervously. "I mean, he's the most awesome hero of them all! Everything he did for the gods, even after, well, everything! I am so nervous!"
"He is so having a crush on Percy di Angelo", snorted Marshall and rolled his eyes.
"Hn", grunted Trend with a glare, regretting that he had given Sam the books after all.
The four Sons of War had gone to the dojo where Sander's mom was working right after school. Sam had not shut up about Percy Jackson ever since he had started reading The Lightning Thief. And it got even worse now that he had finished the last book during today's lunch break, so Sander had decided to give his best friend a little something to make him happy. Marshall and Trend had agreed to come along, 'for Sam's sake', but Sander knew that deep down, the other two sons of war were just as giddy as Sam. The son of Ares yelped and whirled around.
"Wait. Percy di Angelo?", asked Sam awe-struck. "L—Like the Mister di Angelo from the DPS? Hold on, is Mister di Angelo the Nico di Angelo? The son of Hades?"
"Yeah, uncle Nico is the son of Hades", answered Sander amused. "And he's married to Percy."
"Ah!", exclaimed Sam in a high-pitched yelp. "After all the years of pining, he got the love of his life! Oh my gods, The House of Hades was the most nerve-wrecking of them all. And see, Trend! See, you can get your happily ever after with your first love! Hah!"
"Sometimes it feels as though he's under the impression these are some fantasy books and not the actual life stories of real people and our not-too distant history", noted Marshall amused.
"He got all the books signed by Mister Cage too", whispered Trend with a grin. "Total fanboy."
"You guys are jerks", muttered Sam embarrassed, clutching his backpack to his chest.
"Ready to go inside?", asked Sander to break the tension, opening the door. "Come on in."
Sam was walking very close behind Sander, more like hiding behind the taller boy, following his every step until they reached an office. Sam's heart was racing a mile an hour and he had to think of how he would tell his mom about this. He would probably compare it to her getting to meet Johnny Depp in person. Sander opened the door and Sam didn't dare peeking over his shoulder.
"Mom? Uncle Percy? I... uh... I brought some friends that would really like to meet you."
"Come in, kiddo", grunted a brunette woman that looked a lot like Sander's sister Cally.
Clarisse la Rue, supplied his brain. No, Clarisse Rodriguez. Sander's mom. Sam was pretty sure his brain would shut down soon. And at the desk opposite of her sat a man. Tall, fit, with shaggy, black hair and sparkling, sea-green eyes, a smile that meant no good on his lips.
"Damn it, seaweed brain, you need to keep your fanboys out of our business", grunted Clarisse and rolled her eyes. "Get in here, kids, and get this over with. We have actual work to do."
"Yes, ma'am", nodded Sam tentatively and steeped closer (after Sander pushed him). "Uhm... Hello, Mister Jackson—I mean, Mister di Angelo, sir, I'm kind of a really huge fan of you, sir, a—and I wanted to ask for your autograph, if that's not too much trouble, sir?"
"Aren't you a cutey?", chuckled Percy with a soft smile and took the copy of The Lightning Thief from Sam's shaking hands to sign it. "You know, if you stick with Sander, you got a bright future ahead of you." Percy paused before closing the book, looking at all four of them. "Wait. You're those Sons of War that Chiron told me about? Mh... You know what, kid? Stick with them all. A real hero is nothing without his friends. Keep that in mind."
"Y—Yes, sir", nodded Sam wide-eyed, taking his book back. "Thank you, sir."
Marshall and Trend remained at the door, grinning as they watched the flustered son of Ares. Sander smiled at his mom and uncle as he wrapped one arm around Sam's shoulders and steered him back to the door. He knew his mom didn't have much patient with bringing 'fans' over and he would probably be grounded for the rest of the month for this, but the grateful smile on Sam's lips was totally worth it. He understood why his mom had this strict rule, after all otherwise they wouldn't get anything done because some new kid would always be there, asking questions about the war and wanting an autograph or private lessons from the Percy Jackson.
"That was totally disappointed", grunted Trend once they left the dojo again.
He had thought Sam would get to sit down with Percy and have a proper conversation or something, after all, Sam totally adored the guy. Looking at Sam from the corners of his eyes, he expected to see disappointment in those dark eyes, but they were sparkling with glee.
"What do you mean?", asked Sam confused and in total awe. "This was awesome. He talked to me! And he signed the book! This was the greatest thing ever! Thank you so much, San!"
Without thinking about it, he threw himself and Sander and kissed the brunette on the cheek. Grinning broadly, Sander ruffled Sam's hair and wrapped one arm around his shoulders again. Trend glared at them. At least until Sam leaned up and kissed his cheek too.
"Thanks for the books. Without them, I would still be totally clueless about everything", grinned Sam softly, taking Trend's hand. "And where are we going now?"
"I was in for the cupcakes you promised us", grunted Marshall, walking on Trend's other side.
"Yes, cupcakes!", chimed Trend and Sander and licked their lips.
/November 2025 – Rodriguez household, New Athens\
Sander had been mistaken. He was grounded for two months. But to make up for the trouble, his three friends had asked if they could spend the holidays. Clarisse had no chance denying them, so right now, they were harboring three additional children of war, much to Chris' worries. At least the boys had good manners and were obediently setting the table while he was cooking.
"I think it's nice that Sander found such good friends and I like that you're staying over, but you have to tune it down in the evenings", warned Chris in his serious voice.
"My baby sister Carry is only three. She sleeps. Like, a lot", complained Sander annoyed.
His three friends nodded in understanding. Sam craned his neck as he tried to watch Mister Rodriguez cook. Sure, he could mix up some eggs, get some pasta done, but he had no idea how to properly cook something. He was decent at baking, thanks to aunt Maley, but he hadn't gotten any cooking lessons yet, even though it intrigued him. He liked working in the kitchen.
"Sander, would you get your sisters and your mother? Dinner is ready", asked Chris.
"Sure, dad!", nodded Sander and dashed out of the room.
Sam was amazed as they all sat together – Chris, Clarisse, Cally, Sander, Carry, Marshall, Trend and Sam. It felt a huge lot like family dinners at grandpa's. It was good, the first time in months that he actually sat down with a family to eat. And Mister R was a really good cook. Dinner was nice and fun, because the family quarreled in the same way Sam knew from home.
After that, the four sons of war cramped into Sander's room and tried to make everything comfortable, with hundreds of pillows and three sleeping bags on the floor (between all the toys scattered there too. Sander was really not good at keeping his room clean). Grinning contently, Sam cuddled up in his sleeping bag next to the bed, listening with one ear how Marshall and Trend whispered softly and how Sander snored on his other side. He liked how good Marshall and Trend got along, even though he still found it a little weird. The socially awkward kid and the silent giant. But it was a match made in Olympus, or something like that. Those two were awesome at planning. Which was a good thing, because Sander was not good at planning, but at desiring pranks. So while Sander came up with the general idea, Marshall and Trend planned it until it was totally fool-proof and most of the time they send Sam to execute the deed. They were a great team. And Sam loved it. He loved actually having friends. He had never slept over at someone else's house, he never had such friends before. Still, he was way too nervous to actually sleep. He was still laying wide-eyed there, even long after Marshall and Trend's voices had faded out. After what felt like hours, he sneaked out of the room and downstairs to the living room, where he curled together on the couch.
"Did Sander snore too loud?"
Jumping slightly, Sam turned wide-eyed toward his highly amused half-sister. Sander's mom was technically speaking Sam's half-sister. Sam was trying to keep track of these kind of things, even though they were really weird. Clarisse stood at the foot of the stairs, chuckling amused, her arms crossed over her chest. Blushing slightly, Sam rested his chin on his knees again.
"What's bothering you, kiddo?", asked Clarisse as she walked over to the boy. "Don't tell me you're still feeling guilty about Sander's punishment. It's not your fault he's grounded, it's his."
"No, it's mine", mumbled Sam and looked up at her. "Sander, Trend and Marshall said I have those kitty eyes that can not possibly denied. I didn't mean to get Sander in trouble."
"You are strange, kiddo", chuckled Clarisse amused, cocking her head. "And no, it's Sander's own fault. He knows he's not supposed to bring anyone to our work place. With Percy's fame, we would never get anything done if we'd let every little fanboy come in and swoon over him. Still, he seems to care enough about you to endure his punishment. Which says a lot about you, actually."
"It does?", asked Sam, staring at her with owlish wide eyes.
"He's never broken that rule before, even though he and Cally do gather a great amount of... let me call them followers", pointed Clarisse out. "So he honestly cares about you, brat."
"Well... he does call me his best friend all the time", frowned Sam thoughtful.
Clarisse snorted and rolled her eyes. Boys, all idiots, regardless of their age. She vividly remembered how she had to practically spell it out for Percy too, that they were friends. Boys.
"Go back to bed. If you're going to be all tired tomorrow, Sander is not going to have much fun with you. And isn't that the reason you three rascals are staying over?", asked the daughter of Ares.
Sam nodded hastily and ran back up to Sander's room.
/December 2025 – Sam's Apartment Building, New Athens\
Christmas was slowly coming up and Sam was less than happy. His mom won't make it home for Christmas this year and aunt Malene had made it pretty clear that she didn't have a mind for him at the moment either, because they were spending Christmas at uncle Liam's, with uncle Liam's parents. No place where Sam belonged then. Heaving a sigh, he fidgeted with his key.
"You look really, really sad. Why do you look sad, cutie pie?"
"cutie pie?", repeated Sam and scrunched his nose, looking up.
A boy stood in front of the apartment opposite his. The boy was about his height and age, with wild, a little longer, dark hair and dark green eyes. His hair was shorter than Sam's, but still longer than Trend's or that of other boys. And his hair and eyes were darker than Sam's, but his skin was fairer. The boy grinned broadly at him, shifting a cardboard box in front of him.
"Yep. Or sweetie pie, whichever you prefer. But something with pie, because you're kind of... carrying a pie there. And you actually have frosting on your nose, which is really adorable", grinned the other brunette, cocking his head. "I'm Derek Rhys. They say I'm a son of Demeter. You?"
"Samuel Raser. Son of Ares", answered Sam and put the cake down on top of Derek's box. "And do never call me sweetie pie or cutie pie or any other bakery-related thing ever again."
"Sure, cutie", nodded Derek and looked him up. "I'm going to keep you."
"Say what now?", snorted Sam and rolled his eyes, now with his hands free finally able to get his keys out. "I'm not a stray dog. The way it looks, you seem to be the stray here."
"I'm gay and I just decided that you're going to be my wife one day", declared Derek.
"H—How old are you anyway? How can you just walk around, saying stuff like that?! And I'm a boy, I don't do 'wife', you jerk!", exclaimed the son of Ares annoyed, opening his door.
Before he had a chance to get in and close the door again, the weird boy was inside, with the cake in his arms. Huffing annoyed, Sam glared at Derek, who was comfortably sitting down on the couch.
"Husband then", shrugged the son of Demeter disinterested. "But you can obviously bake. And the place is tidy. So I guess you'd still turn out to be the housewife. And I've known I'm gay since I was five. Really now. That's been like four years. I already have a life plan."
"Four years? Wow...", muttered Sam surprised, closing the door behind himself.
"Can you get the plates? For the cake", grunted Derek impatiently.
"Right. Sorry", nodded Sam and turned toward the kitchen before freezing. "What am I apologizing for? You just broke into my flat and now you want to steal Trend's cake!"
"Who's Trend? My competition?", asked the son of Demeter wide-eyed.
"Competition? There is no competition, you're not competing for anything!", exclaimed Sam.
"No competition?", repeated Derek and relaxed with a pleased grin. "Good. Then you're mine."
"And you're a freak", grunted Sam and placed two plates on the table. "And Trend is a friend. I owed him a cake for learning with me, but he wasn't home. What plan were you talking about?"
Sitting down next to Derek, he cut the pie. He wasn't even sure why he was playing the host for this weird freak. Then again, he kind of did. He was bored and lonely. This Christmas would be spend without his family and his friends didn't have time for him either. Well, they had time for him, but Marshall, Sander and Trend were all about training and such things. Every time he asked them to hang out, they already had plans to meet up for swimming or sparring or whatever. And Sam really couldn't be bothered with training. He was way too relieved that summer was over and he didn't have the pressure of the cabin, demanding him to be good.
"The plan is simple, really", answered Derek and took a bite of the strawberry cream cake. "Mh, this is damn delicious, cutie. Anyway, the plan is that I'll find a cute and pretty guy, get married and thus never have to worry about cooking or cleaning myself. Judging by your apartment, you are a clean guy and you bake totally delicious cake. So the thing is settled. You'll be my wife."
"And you're... how old?", asked Sam slowly, poking his cake.
"I'm nine", replied Derek nonchalantly. "But I've had enough time to grow up already. My dad had died years ago. I spend my time going from one bad foster family to the next. With the European camp being in Germany, I had quite the hard time. And I did not particularly care about moving there. So I stuck with the British system. Saw some pretty nasty things, but also some sweet families. I've spend enough time with other girls and boys to know what I like. And I've seen enough different families to know that whatever I end up with, I want a sweet thing that can cook and clean."
He grinned broadly at Sam and winked. Rolling his eyes, Sam devoured his cake. He was going to kick the brat out of his apartment as soon as they finished their cake. And never let him in again.
/January 2026 – Derek's Apartment, New Athens\
Derek grinned contently as he picked on the muffin he was eating. His dark eyes watched how a fuming Sam made the dishes. That much for kicking Derek out of the apartment and his life. But being all on his own over winter break was just too boring, so while his three training-obsessed friends spend their days jogging all morning, sparring all afternoon and swimming in ice-water in the evenings, Sam spend time with Derek. He briefly questioned how he attracted all those weird stalkers. First Sander, who had been adamant on making him his friend. Then Trend, who admittedly had been the biggest weirdo about it. And now Derek, who even declared them engaged. Freaks. He needed some normal, nice friends. Huffing annoyed, Sam sat down next to Derek on the giant bed (Sam wondered why Derek had a bed that took nearly all the space of the apartment, but Derek had only said that 'in the future, that would prove to be handy and important'. Sam didn't want to know anymore). Grabbing a muffin of his own, Sam glared at it.
"What's eating you up, cutie?", asked Derek softly, nudging Sam.
"I told you not to call me that", grunted Sam irritated, hitting Derek's nose. "Bad boy."
"Ouch", huffed the son of Demeter, crossing his eyes to stare at his nose.
"Baby", snorted Sam and rolled his eyes. "There's just something I've been wondering..."
"Oh? You're calling me baby already, cutie?", asked Derek teasingly.
"I think I hate you", heaved the son of Ares exhausted and plumed down on the bed.
"Now, what have you been wondering?", wanted Derek to know, more serious this time.
The son of Demeter laid down on his stomach, folding his arms on Sam's stomach to lay down on it. As much of a joker and freak Derek could be, the dark-haired boy knew when to be serious. Somehow, he had that figured out in the past nearly two months of their friendship and Sam appreciated that. He also had learned to appreciate the stupid jokes.
"How did you know that you're gay? I mean, you're still a kid", muttered Sam thoughtful.
"I just... knew", shrugged Derek with a frown. "I don't know. It's hard to explain. I think it's simply something you know. Why? Did you finally realize that I'm your one, true love?"
"Dork", snorted Sam and rolled his eyes affectionately. "No. It's just... I hung out with Marshall, Trend and Sander a few days ago and they were training. And... I don't know, Trend is really packed by now. I couldn't help but stare at his chest and stomach the whole time they were training..."
"Well, that's a pretty solid give-away", snorted Derek amused and rolled his eyes.
"But how do I make sure?", asked Sam urgently and glared at the younger boy. "I mean-"
Whatever he meant, it was swallowed by Derek's lips that pressed rather sloppily against his. Sam stared wide-eyed at a smug Derek once they parted again. The son of Demeter had the audacity to smirk at him like the cat that had just devoured the canary.
"I feel violated!", yelped Sam high-pitched and blushed. "That was my first kiss, you little freak!"
"Yeah. You're really not good at kissing", nodded Derek thoughtful. "We have to train that."
The Ares inside of Sam demanded for him to hit Derek square in the face, but the sexually confused part of his mind tried to figure out if he had liked the kiss or not and if he was gay or not. Or maybe just not-that-straight? Could a ten years old kid even really know what he wanted? His mom always said that kids didn't know what they wanted yet. But he knew if he liked spinach or not, so why shouldn't he know if he liked boys or not? He stared at Derek as though he was spinach.
"We're not going to train that. You will stop with these assaults and the stupid nicknames and the damn idiotic talk about me being your wife, or I swear, I'll send Mister di Angelo after your ass."
Those were the last words Sam spoke to Derek before storming out of the apartment.
/February 2026 – Sam's Apartment, New Athens\
Sulking was something Sam had perfected over the last ten years of his life. Since he had no idea how to explain his weird friendship with Derek to his war boys, he also couldn't talk to Sander or Trend or Marshall about the kiss and the fact that he had weirdly avoided his neighbor for a month now. He also had no one to talk to about this weird feeling inside. And that hurt. Because he was unsure what to think and what to feel. He knew that he really liked looking at Trend now that the older boy was filling out with muscles. But kissing Derek had just been weird. So was he gay now or just Trend-sexual? Or was he just a confused brat, like his mom had said? Children didn't know what they wanted. Then again, was he really a child? Sure, he was ten and a half, but he had nearly been killed by the hydra and a couple of other monsters and he was living on his own, cooking for himself, shopping for himself. He wasn't just a kid, so shouldn't he know such things about himself?
A knocking on the door interrupted his brooding. "Go away. I don't want to talk."
"Samuel? I do have a key for the apartment, you know. Will you open the door now?"
"M—Mister di Angelo?", mumbled Sam surprised and crawled out of his bed to open the door.
On the other side stood not just a not very impressed Nico di Angelo, but also a shy Derek, half hiding behind the son of Hades. Sam frowned, glaring slightly at Derek before turning his attention to the head of the DPS, nodding shortly.
"Mister di Angelo, what can I do for you?", asked the son of Ares timidly.
"Derek here came to me today", answered Nico seriously. "He told me that he's worried about you."
"What?", asked Sam confused, staring over at Derek.
"You've been avoiding me. A—And others", pointed Derek out, his voice soft. "I saw your three friends knocking at your door at least four times this week alone!"
"He told me that all of this comes from you feeling... insecure?", asked Nico tentatively, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation himself. "About your sexuality. And there is something that Derek voiced he'd like to tell you. Go on, Derek."
"I—I wanted to say I'm sorry", mumbled Derek, blushing slightly and shifting uncomfortably on the spot, staring at the floor. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with kissing you. I really wanted to help you though! It's why I brought Mister di Angelo!"
"Now, Samuel", started Nico softly, looking at Sam. "Why are you feeling insecure?"
"I don't know", huffed Sam frustrated, glaring at Derek the traitor. "I just do. I mean, I keep looking at my friends... differently. There is that friend of mine and I just... can't stop staring."
"When he trains?", asked Nico with a knowing smile. "At his muscles?"
"Yes!", nodded Sam desperately, wide-eyed. "A—And I don't know... does this mean I'm gay?"
"It doesn't have to mean that you're gay", answered the son of Hades and shook his head. "But as far as my experience goes, it surely means that you do like boys. Alas it's a different kind of desire, of course. You are a son of Ares, after all. Is it more of a calculating stare? Like you're trying to take apart this friend's strategy? Is it envy because he is stronger than you are?"
At that newly offered point of view, Sam frowned thoughtful before shaking his head. "No. I mean, I don't care about being a fighter and all. I don't want his muscles, I like his muscles on him. They look good on him. He looks good. Like, really good."
"Then, I'd say, you are at the very least bisexual", chuckled Nico, obviously amused.
"Don't make fun of me!", exclaimed Sam hurt, glaring dangerously.
"By no means!", reassured Nico softly. "You just remind me of myself, years ago. When I first noticed the way I felt around a certain boy. It left me feeling quite... alone and out of place. Is that why you're distancing yourself from your friends, as Derek pointed out?"
"...Kind of", mumbled Sam unsure, looking at the wall. "Grandpa says queers are wrong. So I surely can't be gay, because I can't be wrong. I don't want to be wrong."
"You aren't wrong", whispered Nico, resting a hand on Sam's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "If anyone is wrong, it's your grandpa. Love can never be something wrong. It's okay to feel the way you do, mh? Look around, the city you're living in. Our dear mayor is a woman, married to a woman. Our greatest hero is married to a damn lucky man. There is nothing wrong with love."
"I never said anything about love", muttered Sam stubbornly.
"Attraction, then", chuckled Nico amused and nodded. "There is nothing wrong with that either, if you like that friend of yours. You don't have to be afraid of your own feelings, Sam. You seem to have friends that worry about you. Trust them, they'll make understanding yourself easier."
"Are you... sure...?", asked Sam softly, staring up at the son of Hades hopefully.
"Believe me, there is nothing I'm more sure of", replied Nico honestly. "I've felt the same way at first, that my feelings for Percy are wrong, that I shouldn't desire another boy, even less so a friend, like that. And now I've been happily married to said friend for nearly eleven years and I wouldn't trade a single day that I shared with him. Once you find the right boy, you will never regret being the way you are and feeling the way you do, because nothing compares to that happiness."
The way Nico said it, the love and honesty in his voice, told Sam all he needed to know. He'd never seen or heard that level of devotion, only when his grandpa told stories about his grandma. Sam liked that. He wanted that too. Someone who would one day talk about him in that voice. Smiling brightly, Sam leaned in and hugged the son of Hades tightly.
"Thank you, Mister di Angelo", mumbled Sam into the tailored Italian suit.
"No need to thank me", chuckled Nico amused, ruffling Sam's hair. "Thank Derek. I think you have a very good and observant friend there. Now, if you ever have doubtful thoughts or don't know who to talk to, my office door is always open, kiddo. Don't make yourself miserable, mh?"
Sam nodded numbly and watched silently how the head of the DPS left his apartment again, leaving Sam alone with Derek. The son of Demeter looked uncomfortable as he stared over at Sam.
"I—I'm really sorry", whispered Derek unsure. "I thought it was funny. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or question yourself, really. I like you. The way you are. A—And I get if you don't want to ever see me again, which is probably going to be hard because we're living opposite each other. But I'm still worried about you. I don't want you to be alone, because you're sweet and nice. Sweet and nice cuties like you shouldn't be sad."
"I told you, don't call me cutie", huffed Sam and rolled his eyes. "It's okay."
"Really?", asked Derek hopefully. "Because if... if you're not going to be my wife, then I would really, really, really like to be your friend. Please? Because I think... I come on too strong to others. I didn't really... make any friends yet. C—Can I be your friend?"
Emerald-green eyes were wide and hopeful as he stared up at Sam. The son of Ares frowned for a second before leaning over and pecking Derek's cheek. Yawning tired, he snuggled up to Derek.
"Okay", mumbled Sam and closed his eyes. "Thank you. For worrying."
For the first time in the last month, he easily drifted off to sleep, knowing deep in his mind that he had just found a new friend and that he would repay Derek. From now on, he would make sure to keep Derek safe, because he had just decided for himself that the strange son of Demeter would be his new best friend. Even though he knew that on the long run, he would probably regret that.
/March 2026 – Tritonian Lake, Demeter Park, New Athens\
Trend grunted, cursing beneath his breath as he dodged another one of Sander's well-aimed hits. He was a little out of it at the moment and he truly regretted it. In the form of bruises. The teens were gathered in Demeter Park for training, something they had been doing for months now, ever since summer had been over. And the closer the next summer drew, the more they forced themselves. Trend was dueling with Sander, an easy task normally, but he had his head in the clouds today. Not because of the other duo fighting next to them (even though it was interesting to watch how Marshall and Calandra clashed). No, solemnly because of their bystanders. It wasn't unusual for them to have bystanders. Not just Calandra's two female friends, Bianca di Angelo and Theadora Chase, but generally other demigods and halflings. This time around however the four fighters had two new bystanders. And one of them was the reason why Trend was so unfocused, because Sam had finally decided to crawl out of his apartment again about a week ago, in the last week or so of February. And it was so good to see the son of Ares again. He had been so weird since around Christmas and Trend had been extremely worried for the brunette. Sam had ditched them, repeatedly, even ignored them. It had worried all three other boys. So having Sam back was reassuring, relieving. But also not quite what distracted Trend – the blonde had perfected the art of staying calm under Sam's intense stare. No, the really distracting thing was the boy next to Sam, because the two of them looked awfully close, constantly whispering and giggling and even touching. Trend didn't like that. He had no idea who that new brat was and he didn't like that there was a new brat around who could hold Sam's attention like that. That wasn't right. Trend was not okay with sharing Sam's attention, especially not with some snotty brat.
"How about we take a break before I accidentally break some of your bones, bro?", asked Sander.
Trend grunted and nodded reluctantly. He really couldn't focus. Frustrated, the son of Athena turned toward the blanket where Sam was leaning awfully close to the brat and whispering something into the other brunette's ear while blushing that delicate red. Opposite the two brunettes, not minding the males, were Bianca and Thea, deep in a conversation of their own. Sander heaved a sigh and collapsed on the blanket, between the two boys and the girls, facing the other two brunette males, while Trend deliberately sat down next to Sam. Close next to Sam. Glaring at the new brat.
"What have you two girls been whispering about the whole time?", asked Sander curiously. "And who is that friend of yours anyway, Sam? I don't think I've seen him before."
"We've just been contemplating which one of you fine guys has the most finger-licking worthy abs", replied the boy next to Sam cheekily. "And my name is Derek Rhys. I'm Sam's neighbor."
"Which one of us has the most finger-licking worthy abs?", repeated Sander surprised.
"Ass-head", hissed Sam and blushed, elbowing Derek.
"Now, that wasn't very nice", chided Bianca, raising one eyebrow, only paying them half a mind.
"You keep out of this", muttered Sam with a glare.
Marshall and Calandra followed them, sitting down with their individual friends. Marshall silently surveyed the little group while Calandra right away took the water out of Bianca's hand, listening with sharp ears to the praising from her two female friends. Sander was still staring at Sam.
"Dude, it's fine", reassured Sander softly after a moment.
"What is fine?", asked Marshall, his dark voice startling them.
The son of Enyo scarcely talked and if he did, he was serious. Sam shifted nervously under the intense gaze of his fellow Sons of War. Squirming slightly, he tried to hide behind Derek.
"I think... I'm kind of... I may be... gay...", whispered Sam softly, unsure.
"We know, Sam", said Marshall, looking at the son of Ares with soft eyes.
"Y—You do? How?", asked Sam wide-eyed, half-afraid.
"Dude, you've been staring for months", chuckled Sander amused and leaned over to ruffle Sam's hair. "Kind of like the girls. So it was kind of obvious. Well, who does have the most finger-licking worthy abs then, eh? I mean, I know I do, but it would be best for the others to finally face it."
"You're... okay with it?", asked Sam unsure, his eyes guarded.
Derek heaved an overly dramatic sigh and hit Sam's upper arm. "He's been a drama queen about it for weeks now. He's really afraid of rejection. Of being... wrong. I told him he's perfect."
"Because he is!", exclaimed Sander confused before turning to Sam. "Dude, you're like totally unique and awesome. I never met a guy like you. You're totally great the way you are, who cares if you like looking at other guys? I do too. I don't care if it's a girl or a boy I'm looking at, as long as they're cute. There's nothing wrong with that, man."
"He's right, Sam", agreed Marshall in his deep, dark voice. "We're your friends. It's fine."
Sam forced a smile, relaxing a little. Derek glared at that. Because Sam didn't relax against him, but against the blonde guy on Sam's other side. The conclusion was easy. This must have been Trend. The competition. Glaring intensely, Derek grabbed the bag from behind Sam.
"Can I have a piece of pie, cutie?", asked the son of Demeter sweetly.
"Sure, but don't take such a big piece again! I'm not babying you again because you have a stomach ache", grunted Sam irritated and rolled his eyes. "And you can give me one too."
He had officially given up on protesting. The way Sam saw it, Derek would be calling him a cutie to the end of days. Breathing deep and relaxed, he got more comfortable resting against Trend. A strong arm – and wow, all that training had done wonders for the blonde – sneaked around Sam's waist, holding the drowsy brunette upright. Sam liked that feeling. He could easily imagine being held by those arms for all eternity. It was such a huge relief to know that his friends knew now.
"Well, who does have the most mouthwatering body then?", grunted Sander impatiently, looking confused between Sam, Trend and Derek as though he was trying to figure them out.
"And why does he call you cutie?", asked Trend with a slight edge. "Is he your boyfriend?"
"We agreed that Marshall has the best abs", declared Sam and yawned slightly. "And Derek isn't my boyfriend, he's just an affectionate idiot. We're friends. And we're boys. But not boyfriends."
"Wait, why Marshall?!", exclaimed Sander with a crestfallen look.
"I have to agree", grunted Trend with a glare. "I'm way hotter!"
"It's not about hotness, but about the abs. And let's face it, you two are only slightly muscular while Marshall is like the whole package", grinned the son of Ares teasingly.
"Does one of you want a piece of Sam's apple pie?", asked Derek friendly.
"Me!", chorused Marshall, Trend and Sander loudly.
Sam smiled a bit as he silently watched how his friends wolfed his pie down. It was nice, being out again, hanging out with them. Joking and laughing and especially so watching them train. He had been a complete moron for being afraid. Turning an affectionate grin onto Derek, he silently thanked the son of Demeter for his help. Without Derek, he would still be holed up in his apartment.
/April 2026 – Athena Academy, New Athens\
Sitting on top of his desk at school and dangling his feet over the edge, he watched Trend, Marshall and Sander arguing about which weapon was the most effective. It was so boring, he was short of banging his head against the table-top. Those three and their training-obsession was really driving him crazy. Frowning upset, he jumped off the table, gaining their attention.
"What's wrong, Sammy?", asked Trend curiously.
"I told you not to call me that, dork", grunted Sam and rolled his eyes. "And I'm bored. I'll go and see what Derek is doing. You can just keep quarreling here, don't mind me."
"Derek?", asked Sander with mixed emotions. "You know I am totally jealous because he's trying to take you away from me. You're my best friend! I had you first. That's unfair."
"San, you can have more than two best friends", huffed Sam and rolled his eyes.
Sander looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, maybe. I mean, I have Herc too, but he's Roman so I don't get to see him all that often, so that's kind of different. Still, I'll come with you."
"What? Why?", grunted Trend unamused.
"Uhm, well...", mumbled Sander and blushed quite furiously. "When Sam visited Derek the last time, I noticed that my... uh, Donny, a friend of mine, he's in Derek's class."
Grabbing Sander's shoulders, Sam leaned in until their noses were nearly touching, staring deeply into the other brunette's eyes. "Are you crushing on this Donny-friend-of-yours? You blush."
The blush on Sander's cheeks turned a deep, dark red, making Sam grin victoriously and grab his hand. Within seconds, the two boys were out of the classroom, Sander wildly protesting and Sam giggling delighted. Marshall and Trend exchanged a surprised look before they followed their two other friends. What else were they supposed to do than follow them, after all.
Sam was totally giddy for this. He needed to see the guy who had managed to capture Sander's attention like that. After all, Sam had seen all the boys and girls fawning over Sander as though he was something special and amazing, but Sander had never paid them any mind. Sam had figured the other boy was simply too young to care, eleven wasn't exactly the age to go around and have boyfriends and girlfriends hanging off his arms (unlike one Derek Rhys, that is). Sam's shoes screeched on the floor as the son of Ares came to a sudden halt in front of a room. The door was open and the class was assembled. There was a bunch of faces he didn't know and didn't care about and some he recognized from the summer, but hadn't really cared to memorize their names. And then there was Derek. The son of Demeter was engaged in a loud conversation with a freakish looking girl. She wore a tie-dyed shirt and skirt, her hair was a colorful mix of purple, green, red, blue, orange and pink and her eyes seemed to shift in color too. All in all, she looked like a pack of crayons had vomited all over her. Frowning thoughtful, Sam turned toward Sander and followed the brunette's line of sight. Far in the back, on a lone place next to the window, sat the object that held Sander's full attention. A scrawny, small kid that looked an awful lot like Mister di Angelo, which meant he was probably Bianca's younger brother. He was adorable, in a sad puppy kinda way.
"Is he a di Angelo?", asked Sam softly. "Because he looks like a di Angelo."
"Donny di Angelo, second oldest child of Percy and Nico di Angelo", confirmed Marshall's dark voice from behind them. "Don't let that fool you though. He doesn't fight at all. He's very adamant at refusing to even touch a weapon. A tree-hugger, is what they call him."
"He's perfect", defended Sander with an upset frown. "He's just too kind-hearted to fight."
"So basically... he's Sam?", asked Trend rhetorically and rolled his eyes.
"I don't hug trees!", protested the son of Ares wide-eyed.
"Yeah, he only weaves flowers into crowns with Derek", chuckled Marshall amused.
"That's enough teasing for one day. I'll go and talk to Derek", muttered Sam with a glare.
/June 2026 – Arena, Camp Half-Blood\
After Sander's little revelation, Sam had secretly taken to watching Donny. Something that did not sit well with Derek, weirdly enough. Then again, the son of Demeter was rather demanding and didn't like to share Sam's attention, so whenever Sam was in Derek's classroom and stared at Donny curiously instead of giving Derek his undivided attention, the son of Demeter got annoyed. Which was a literal pain in the ass for Sam, because Derek had the nasty habit of kicking Sam's butt whenever he noticed. So far, Sam's observations hadn't given him much clue though. The boy was a total loner. He always sat alone, didn't talk to others. The only ones he talked to were Thea and Bianca whenever the two girls came to check on him.
Now it was summer and in the setting of camp, Donny was... even more boring. The boy really was a tree-hugger. He only hung out in the woods and sat under the trees close to the shore. He solemnly talked to Bianca and Thea and some other kids that all looked like di Angelos (and were di Angelos, as Sander had confirmed for him). Today, that would change though, because today, Sam would befriend the younger boy. Ever since Sander had admitted to liking the kid, Sam had set it his new life goal to befriend Donny di Angelo. He would, even if it'd kill him.
The Ares cabin was scheduled for sparring with the Athena cabin, which yeah, that was always an awesome thing. Cally Rodriguez was giving instructions, barking out at the new cabin mates not to embarrass her in front of the brainiacs, while Sander was already engaged in a fight with Amy Cage, the shy brunette girl Sam remembered from last summer as being a cabin mate of Trend and the daughter of their teacher Malcolm. She was nice enough, he guessed, so that was okay. Besides, Trend was Sam's anyway, so it was better that Sander had found himself another sparring partner. First things first though. Thea Chase was giggling and gossiping with Donny at the sidelines. As far as Sam understood it, those two were actually best friends (also, as confirmed by Sander – and Sam started to think that his buddy was quite the stalker). So Sam walked over to them.
"Hey, Chase", greeted Sam shortly. "I think Calandra wants to spar with you. She keeps throwing imaginary daggers at you and I think those will turn into real ones if you don't go to her."
The native American blinked a couple of times before noticing the indeed fuming Rodriguez-girl. Hastily biding her good bye to Donny, she stormed off. Grinning amused, Sam turned his attention to Donny. The smaller boy was staring up at him like a bunny caught in a hunter's trap.
"So... you're the son of Percy Jackson, huh?", started Sam a little awkwardly. "You must be really powerful then. I mean, both your parents are sons of the Big Three, right? How... does that even work? They are both guys, after all. That's kinda... not possible."
Now that he started to talk, he actually realized how strange that was. He had never really paid it much mind that the di Angelo kids were the children of two men. The evidently biological children of two men. Thinking about it only confused Sam even more. Staring curiously down at Donny, he expected some kind of reply. But the half-Italian only glared half-heartedly at him, his lower lip quivering – in anger or with suppressed tears, Sam wasn't quite sure – before storming out of the arena. Okay, that was rude. Huffing upset, Sam thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Little weirdo. No wonder the boy was such a loner if he always just started to cry and run away when someone talked to him. Great, now Sam wasn't feeling like sparring anymore.
"Congrats, you made the tree-hugger cry", commented Trend drily as he suddenly came up behind Sam, an unimpressed frown on his face. "Sander is not going to like that, as you're surely aware."
"I don't care what Sander likes", huffed Sam with a glare. "The kid was being totally prissy. I just wanted to talk to him and he storms off as though he's too good to talk to a low-life like me. Is it because his parents are super famous or is he just being a spoiled princess?"
"Come on", grinned Trend amused, clasping one hand on Sam's shoulder. "Let's get you back into training and take your mind off the high and mighty princess. You're surely rusty."
Sam gave Trend a brilliant smile. He was totally rusty, because unlike his friends, he had not trained once during the last year. But he knew Trend was looking forward to training him again anyway. That was what he enjoyed most about the son of Athena, because Trend was always thoughtful of him and understanding. He didn't push about training over the year and he had taught Sam everything history-related that Sam wanted to learn (and some math, because that was kind of cool too – though Cally had threatened to cut his throat if he'd ever be caught saying that aloud).
/July 2026 – Ares Cabin, Camp Half-Blood\
Sam was laying on his bed, minding his own business (read: wallowing in self-pity because every part of his body ached after another horribly painful training-session with Trend, Sander and Marshall). At least Cally was out of his hair, because she was off with her little group of girls. Thank the gods for that. Groaning, he tried to sit up. He was really thirsty, but sitting was a total no-go, so he gave up and sank back down with a whimper.
"Why are you whining like that? Have you been on a quest? Did you get attacked? Was it a monster? Which monster was it? What kind of quest was it? And what's your name?"
Grunting annoyed, he cracked one eye open to look up into the eager face of a ginger. The girl had light, soft freckles sprayed all over her rosy cheeks, chopped, carrot-colored hair pointing up into every direction and wide, nougat-brown eyes staring at him in total awe and admiration.
"Training", pressed Sam out. "No... quest. I'm just not good at handling training. And who in the world are you anyway? Why do you ask that many questions?"
The ginger hopped onto Sam's bed, kneeling next to him, her hands on her knees as she bend over to look him into the eyes, her head cocked curiously. "I'm Sara. I'm Roman and our praetors Loki and Blance try to encourage the Roman-Greek friendship so they send some of us Romans to spend the summer with you Greeks, which is totally awesome because I've never seen a real, proper Greek before. Are you a real, proper Greek? You must be a son of Ares, right, right?"
"Technically speaking, I'm a real, proper Ire, because I've been born in Dublin", replied Sam, finding the strength to sit up (if only to get that girl out of his personal space). "But I am a Greek demigod, yeah. And I'm a son of Ares. So... if you're Roman and in this cabin, this must mean you're a daughter of Mars then...? Or did you decide to just check every cabin and annoy everyone? Because if that is the case, I simply have to recommend the Demeter cabin. They are so easy to annoy. Or the Athena cabin, but some of them can get nasty if you bug them."
"Yes!", exclaimed Sara and nodded vigorously before freezing. "I mean, not to all, but to the thing about me being a daughter of Mars. Yes. I'm Sara Mers, daughter of Mars. Which totally makes us siblings! Like, Roman-Greek-siblings, or French-Irish-siblings if you see it like that, and only half-siblings, but you're totally my big brother, right? I mean, you do look kind of a little older than me. How old are you?"
"I'm... ten, at least for another two weeks. Do you always talk that much?", asked Sam astonished.
"Oh. I'm only eight. But yes, I talk a lot! It's why I don't really get along with the other children of Mars", answered Sara with a slight frown. "You know, Romans are very strict and about discipline and all that stuff, but I don't like it very much. I think that's why Loki and Blance picked me to go to the Greeks, because they figured I'd fit better with you Greeks than with the other Romans, which kind of hurts, because I'm a Roman too, but it's also kind of okay, because I really wanted to see-"
"Breath", interrupted Sam with a small grin. "Wow, you really talk like a lot. You're kinda funny. But you don't really fit with 'the Greeks' either. I mean, our cabin head Cally, she's a little... I think she'd behead you if you'd rant away at her like that. But don't worry, I don't really fit either."
"Then we really are siblings!", yelped Sara delighted and excited, jumping him.
Sam huffed as he hit the mattress again as Sara's weight hit him in a tight hug. The ginger's enthusiasm was kind of contagious so Sam found himself laughing with her in excitement. He was aware that he was an outsider in the Ares cabin, most didn't understand why he didn't live for training. The only one who understood him was Sander and the other boy didn't quite fit himself either, because he was actually a legacy of Hermes, at least by powers. Not every child of two demigods had the powers of both their parents, it was actually even very rare to happen that a legacy had the powers of two gods. But due to Sander's siblings both being legacies of Ares, they didn't want to separate the Rodriguez-children so Sander was allowed to stay at the Ares cabin too and since then, Sander had trained harder than any Ares child to fit in.
/August 2026 – somewhere above New Rome\
Fighter gave a delighted whine as she soared through the sky, chasing after Trickster. Sam was grinning broadly as the duo caught up with Trickster and Sander. Right behind him, Sara yelped.
"C—Can you go slower?", yelled Sara fearfully.
"What? No! We'll never win against Sander if we slow down!", objected Sam wide-eyed.
"I don't think I want to win", mumbled Sara, a little green around the nose.
She gripped Sam's waist a little tighter, burying her face between his shoulder blades. Flying with Fighter and Sam was admittedly the coolest thing she had done in her whole life – Camp Half-Blood had been the first time she had seen a pegasus. Being with Sam in general was great. The boy had really taken to being a big brother, had showed her camp and introduced her to the other Sons of War, which had been really cool. They had easily taken to her, mostly so because of Sam's big and pleading eyes. This summer had been by far the greatest summer ever and she was so happy that Sam and Sander had agreed to personally bring her back to the Romans as summer ended.
"Sam?", asked Sara loudly against the wind.
"What?", acknowledged Sam with a short nod, giving a happy yelp as they shot past Trickster.
"I really had fun this summer", smiled the daughter of Mars, hugging him even tighter. "Thank you. For being awesome. I'll really, really miss you, big bro."
Sam smiled a little strained. She had been the first child of his father he had gotten along with too.
"You know what?", grinned Sam mischievously. "Next summer, I'll stay at Camp Jupiter with you."
Author's note: To explain Donny's behavior, he's always gotten shit from people for being a 'freak of nature', due to him being the son of two men so when a son of Ares suddenly approaches him and asks about his parents, he obviously freaks out and runs off. Even though Sam was just being curious.
Next part is about Sam's time in New Rome and how he got together with Leroy. I am not going to write explicitely about the rape, okay? It'll be more h/c, with protective-sis Sara and Trend training with him in the aftermath.