First off most importantly HAPPY PRIDE MONTH EVERYONE 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
This is a special chapter just for the start of Pride Month and I am so happy for it. I will have a very special and important quote at the bottom from a person who would like to remain anonymous so I will be using the pseudonym I picked out for them that inspired the chapter. Happy Pride Month to you all; out, questions, or closeted. This is your month. So be proud of who you are because what god(s) you believe in, they made you this way because you are perfect and for all atheist reading this it's thought that homosexuality is genetic. Now let's get to the story.

Nico andWill we're walking in the strawberry fields holding hands, a big smile could be seen on both of their faces. Today was a good for them, it was June first, the start of Pride Month and Gay Pride Day as well, and they were happy for it. Sure they could have pride in themselves any other day of the year but today was a day meant for them. A day created for them to be proud of who they are, and who they love.
Will have his boyfriend's hand a quick squeeze. "You excited for today, Death boy," Will asked with a smile, "Chirons letting us out of Camp so we can go see a Pride Parade and Annabeth said that her cousin Magnus and his partner Alex where going to meet us."
"Sorta," Nico replied, "I'm mostly just nervous, it's all new to me, ya know?"

"We didn't have any of this in when I was little and I'm still not completely comfortable with the idea that it's ok to be gay and that not as many people are gonna hate on me for it. Plus, we're going to Pride with two strangers, who know a lot about a us thanks to Annabeth, and all we know about them is what they look like and that they're Norse demigods."

Will stopped walking and looked Nico in the eyes and said, "Don't worry Neeks it's Pride, all of the positive voices out there will be way louder than the ones of stronzi. And as for Magnus and Alex, it's a good chance for us to bond with them and hey I'm sure Annabeth didn't tell them everything about us, so we're all getting to know each other."
Nico looked up at Will with a smile on his face, he couldn't believe how happy he was to be with Will and how he was actually getting to go to a place not everyone could with the one he loved.

"Well what do you," Nico said, " For once you actually are right about something, except you pronounced that word wrong, but I do appreciate that you tried Luce del sol." Will was about to retort that he was right most of the time but Nico shut him up with a kiss and it didn't matter anymore to him who was right, well as much anyway. With that the two headed back to Nico's cabin to get dressed for pride. Will had given Nico a "doctors note" (Will being a medic) that said that he had to wear a rainbow flag like a cape as well as a rainbow flower crown to Pride for "health reasons", over his usually black attire. Nico went along with it and Will did the same thing to match.
After getting ready, and sharing a few kisses, the two went to Thalia's Pine Tree to wait for the other to arrive.

Went they got to the tree they saw someone that they didn't expect to see.It was a stranger, a very handsome stranger, who didn't match Annabeth's description of Magnus or Alex for that matter. He had beautiful pale skin and pitch black hair and eyes the color of the moon that shines like the most beautiful stars out there. The more Nico and Will looked at him however, the more odd he became. His wardrobe consists of a white robe with fur on the shoulders for sleeves and he was wearing a lot of gold and silver jewelry as well as carrying a gold jug that looked like something you would carry water in. Put that and that and the super model good looks together and you get, a god. The could figure that he was a love god by his looks and Nico started praying that it wasn't Cupid, he never wanted to relive that experience ever again, but at the same time he didn't look like him and he was 100% positive that this was NOT Aphrodite. So, who is he? Fortunately they didn't have to wait long to find out, the stranger look right at them and then smiled.
"Well, it looks like I'm not in the wrong place after all." He said, " I was starting to think that I had gotten some faulty information about when you all would be arriving."
"Ok, who are you, why are you, and why did you want that information." Nico said aggressively, his hand going to his sword, moving to put himself between Will and the stranger.
" Relax Di Angelo, Im not here to hurt either of you, so get your hand off your weapon, as for your questions. I am Ganymede, Greek god of homosexuality, and I am here to give a blessing that will ensure you have an amazing time at Pride, like I do to all those I look after for their first time at going to a Pride Parade. The information came from Will father, Apollo."
Will and Nico stood their for a moment staring at him. Will had been picked on by a few kids at school for being gay, Nico had felt horrible about himself for years and was so scared of coming out that he stayed away from so many people, it took both of them a while to come out and find expectance with themselves, and this guy is showing up now, when everything's good and they don't need him here. Nico was the first to voice this.
"So, you mean to tell us, after years of hate and trying to figure things out you show up now, to make sure that we have a good time at a Pride Parade," Nico said his voice starting to rise due to anger,"When we needed you, you didn't show up but when we're good, you show up."

" Who ever said that I was never there for you. Who ever said I wasn't there for Will, or for everyone else out there in the world. I am watching over all of you, from the moment you come into this world I'm there with you, no matter your age, gender, or sexuality. I'm watching over everyone who's in the community. From those in Egypt who are being tracked through dating apps, to those who you will see at the Parade. I'm with you. No matter the situation your in, because I care about you all." Ganymede was standing in front of them now, Nico and Will had recoiled and were more relaxed now, he placed one hand on Will's shoulder and the other on Nico's. A warm happy feeling spread through the two and a glow came around them. Ganymede removed his hands from their shoulders.
"My work here is done, I have already given the others my blessings and I still have more stops to make," he said starting to walk away,"Goodbye Will and Nico and remember, I'm watching over you, even in the hardest of times, and I'm not the only one doing that either." And with that he vanished in a flash of rainbow light, and disappeared.

Will and Nico looked at each other and smiled. They must not have been paying attention because the silence was broken by a green haired kid with one amber eye and one dark brown eye tugging at Nico's camps trying to steal it. Will laughed and said,"Let me guess, Alex Fierro," he looked to what appeared to be a young Kurt Cobain in a pan flag hoodie," And you must be Magnus Chase."
Magnus nodded," And you must be Will and the other guys Nico."
"Yep that's right." Will responded.
"And we all need to get to the Parade before all the good spots are taken," Alex said fixing her genderfluid pride sweeter vest and jumping on Magnus's back, "Let's good, Ohashima."
And with that they headed to the Van, and drove to Pride, were they had the best time ever.

Now like I said before I have a special quote to share with you and this is it;

I love living in a world where we have to hide and change our selves just to fit in this catagory people have labeled normal. That just because we think differently and feel different ways about ourselves and others we have been labeled as " not normal." Who was given the right to decide what is normal or not? Or did someone just decide that they would do that one day? And how is it fair that just because people love and think and live differently they have to hide themselves. Because of being rejected by the people who mean the most to them. Kids kill themselves everyday because they are trapped. Trapped in a world where if you don't meet the standards of the so called "normal" you are not to be excepted by society. What good comes out of discriminating people because of their beliefs? Haven't we learned by now that it does not good? To force what you believe on others? People have started wars from the very idea that if you aren't like me? Your not normal. You deserve to die. Members of the lgbtq+ society are called awful words every day just because they are being who they are. People and attack and kill people or lead them into thinking they are worthless and bully them relentlessly until they take their own life because that seems like the best option. Dying is better than living. So many lgbtq people die because we live in a very unsupportive world. And yes there are people who support us. But who hears them over the negativity being screamed at us from all directions. And all because we decided we liked a gender that wasn't "normal" for us to like.Or we realized are gender on our birth certificate wasn't the one for us. And no one is speaking loud enough to stop it. Sure people do supportive speeches and make encouraging signs. And maybe a cute supportive postm but what is that compared to the people calling us fagots and worthless and yelling that we deserve to die until that's what we believe. So many people believe because asshole yelled about it that it's true. They start to believe that they are worthless and deserve to die. And a family who can't see past that and just see the child they have always loved isn't much of a help either. So maybe we need to change what is " normal" in this world. Because if we don't. Some of us won't last long.

Ganymede