Percy managed to catch up with Matt on the way to Biology.

"Percy! How did you do that, man?! It was freaking insane!" The demigod grinned bashfully at his new friend.

"I just like exercise," He shrugged, "And my summer camp does training every day, so I'm just used to it I guess." Matt raised his eyebrows.

"Well it's damn impressive, Mate. You looked like and Olympic athlete and you left us in the dust." 
"Oh, shut up." Percy blushed slightly and playfully pushed him before running down the corridor for Biology, his friend laughing as he chased after him.

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Matt grinned as he pulled Percy, who was desperately trying to balance his lunch tray while being dragged, over to a table occupied by just two people.

The one sitting closest to them was a mixed race girl with green eyes and vibrantly coloured beads of emerald, red, orange, saffire, purple and more braided into her hair.

Next to her sat a person with short, cropped, blond, straw-coloured hair hanging loose, wearing brown eye shadow, light lip gloss and a shirt with the gender symbols linked together on a field of colour that matched their eye make-up.

But Percy barely had time to take this in as he was pulled unceremoniously into a cheap plastic chair. Matt was grinning happily as they put their lunches on the table, having managed to save them from falling during their trip.

"Hey, guys!" This is Percy, he's the new kid in my homeroom!" The two friends smiled and waved as they waited for Matt to finish his introductions, he gestured tot he mixed race girl, "Percy, this is Gabryella," the girl in question elbowed him hard in the ribs: Matt grunted, "I mean Ella, if you call her..." the newly identified Ella glared at him, "that other name...she'll do....that and this is Kristy." He gestured to the other student.

This was where Ella chimed in.

"Yeah, normally she's a he at this time in the week, but hey," the mixed race teen grinned, "you gotta go with the flow!" She and Matt laughed as Kristy glared and sighed.

"If that was another fluid joke, I swear!" Kristy turned to Percy, "Hi, I'm Kristy and in case you hadn't gathered from that idiot," Ella just laughed harder, "I'm gender fluid. Kristy now, sometimes Chris." Percy grinned at her.

"I'm Percy, as Matt said. It's cool to meet you. Do you have any indicators or will you just tell us?" Kristy grinned back: people weren't usually that accepting or familiar with the concept.

"Make-up," she smiled, "As Kristy, it's eye shadow and lip gloss, as Chris, it's eye liner." Percy nodded along easily, "Do you know someone else fluid or are you just an open-minded, well-read person in general?" She smirked at him.

Percy laughed.

"I used to have friends who identified all over the spectrum." It was true, camp was surprisingly open and had an impressive variety of identities, the Aphrodite cabin had the most sexualities, the Hecate cabin had the most genders and the Iris cabin had an extensive collection of both.

Kristy frowned.

"Used to?"
"Uh..." Percy's face fell, but Matt saved him before it got too awkward.

"Just some history." Matt cut in, "Mind if I tell her later, Percy?" Percy swallowed.
"Go ahead." He mumbled. Percy decided now was a good time to change the subject. "Hey, who were those jocks trying to trip me in Gym?" Ella and Kristy looked up, confused while Matt sighed.

"That was Donnie Tracks and his goons, Erik Boats and Klyde More. They're our very own resident jocks and bullies. Donnie is captain of the Rugby and Football teams and Erik and Klyde are their star players. They've all gone out with and probably fucked almost every cheerleader in the school and terrorised everyone else." He grinned at Percy, "They also don't like being shown up." They all laughed (the girls had heard the rumours already) and the conversation faded to silence.

Then Ella spoke up.

"So what did you guys have last?" 

"Biology," Percy grinned, "it was great." Matt laughed at him.

"You only liked it because we did marine biology at the end. You hated doing the nervous system! Even though you seemed to know all of it!" Percy laughed as well, mumbling something about too much electricity, "What is it with you and fish, anyway!?" Percy laughed harder.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He smirked quietly to himself before changing the subject again, "The teachers seem pretty decent so far. How's today been for you guys?"
The new group of friends transitioned into conversation about teachers, homework and class and Percy's mind drifted to the past.

"Oi Perce! We're gonna whup your ass in capture the flag tonight!" The son of Poseidon laughed at the Hephaestus councillor.

"You can dream, Leo. But you'd have to pray hard to Hypnos for that to have a hope in hell of happening!" They laughed as Percy ducked the sausage Leo threw at him and Annabeth told him to shut up and sit down. He took the initiative and casually kissed her when he did. She chuckled and slapped him.

"Your breath stinks, Seaweed Brain!" She grinned at him as he held a hand to his chest in mock hurt and the campers around them wolf whistled. The dining pavilion was one of the best places at camp. 

"Hey, you OK, mate? You zoned out." Percy flinched violently when Matt touched his shoulder, trying to get his attention. He apologised profusely when Percy almost fell from his chair. "Shit! I'm sorry!" The teenagers looked at him, concerned.

"Are you alright?" Ella asked him, her brow creased in worry. 

"Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He blinked. "Sorry." Kristy smiled at him sadly.

"S'OK, man.  We're here for you if you need us, OK?"
"Yeah. Yeah, thanks." And that was it. They moved on with the conversation, the others only glancing to check on him every so often until the bell rang and they hurried off to their next lesson. Percy couldn't remember ever being so thankful (in normal mortal life).

They accepted him, worrying quirks and all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ella and Kristy caught up with Matt after final bell, Percy had left straight away at the end of the day, saying he had to get home.

"So come on." Ella nudged her friend, "He gave you permission to tell us. Is he alright!?" She'd really liked the new guy: he seemed like a promising new friend and a nice guy; she was worried about him.

Matt grimaced as the two girls looked at him expectantly.

"He transferred here because of what he called a 'family tragedy' and mentioned having a new guardian. I-" Matt frowned, trying not to think about the emotion he'd seen behind his friend's words, "I don't think he had anyone left after it."
The three teens stared at one another, Ella was close to crying.

Kristy swallowed and stepped forward, her ace grim with a sad smile adorning he lip glossed lips. 

"Well, we'll just have to be there for him, won't we." It sounded like a question, but it wasn't. It was said, and accepted, with absolute certainty.

Percy's circle of friends and support had just gained three more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Percy walked straight into the common room, dumped his bag and collapsed into a chair; his head resting on his arms on the table in front of him.

Steve smiled as he walked to him, placing a mug of coffee in front of him.

"Bad first day?" Percy groaned. Stark caught the tail end as he walked in.

"Come on, Kid. It can't have been that bad." He grinned and Percy lifted his head slowly just to glare at the laughing billionaire.

"I'm exhausted." He picked up his coffee, wrapping his hands around it as if it gave him strength as he started telling his story, "It was all going fine then some idiot jocks, Donny, Erik and Lylde or something like that, came along and ruined any measure of relaxation I'd managed to achieve! I'd finally been able to relax just a bit in an unknown environment and some useless teenagers ruin it!"
"You are a teenager." Stark pointed out. Prompting Percy to show his maturity by sticking his tongue out at him, making Stark laugh.

"You said it was all going well," Steve reminded, "tell us about the good parts." Percy smiled a bit.

"Well the teachers were nice. I didn't get lost and I made some friends; Matt, Ella and K/C. They're pretty cool and in some of my classes. Matt's even in my homeroom."
Steve smiled encouragingly.

"That's great Percy." Percy smiled smugly.

"I know. Who doesn't have social skills now?" He bragged. Steve sighed as Stark chocked on his Whiskey. 

"I'm glad your first day wasn't terrible Percy."