PERCY

Percy was confused.

He didn't know what was happening to him, but it was weird. He's usually cheery, a jokester, skillfull and chill. He wasn't often agitated even with people he didn't like. It was rare that he'd lose his cool.

So why couldn't he apply that to Y/N?

Every laugh, smile, heck, even glance they gave him made him want to jump on his bed and kick his feet like some little girl (Tyson was very confused).

And Percy wasn't sure what made him feel all that. It was weird. Really, really weird.

This day, Y/N, Grover, Annabeth and he decided to hang out at the beach. The child of G/P and the satyr went to play around in the water whilst the latter two stayed in the sand.

Percy really wanted to go into the water too, but Y/N being there made his temperature go through the roof so he decided he'd rather not.

It was rather peaceful, the distant laughing of others, the crashing of the waves, the occasional flip of Annabeth's book page.

"Annabeth" He said. "Please tell me what's wrong with me."

Annabeth flipped another page. "A lot of things, I'm sure."

Percy didn't register the insult and instead turned to look at Y/N again.

The daughter of Athena raised her head. "It's about them?"

"Yeah."

"That's because you like them."

Percy blinked. "Romantically?"

Annabeth reluctantly put her book down to give her friend a deadpan stare.

Shaking his head, Percy raised a brow. "Nah, it can't be that. I think Apollo cursed me with some rare disease or something. Wait, maybe Y/N cursed me-!"

This idiot.

"Does your face get warm around them? Do you get giddy? Do you appreciate everything they do ten times more?" asked Annabeth.

Although Percy wasn't sure where this was going, he didn't want to admit the answer to all of those questions was 'yes'.

Annabeth glanced at Y/N and Grover in the distance. "That's what I thought."

The son of Poseidon scrunched his eyebrows, much to the Athena girl's amusement.

"You thought what?"

"You're in love." She drawled out the 'o', staring at her friend intently in hopes of getting her message into that head of his.

Percy still looked perplexed, but then a look of realization crossed his face. "Oh my gods." He sat back, a certain look in his eyes. "I am in love."

Annabeth shook her head, returning to her book. "There's a reason I call you Seaweed Brain."

ANNABETH

When Y/N left to go on a solo quest, at first Annabeth didn't think much of it. After all, it was just a small mission to retreive some magic item Dionysus had been robbed of and was too lazy to get back himself.

But as time passed, she was beginning to grow worried. Sure, it's only been a week, that's how long quests usually take. That did not change the fact that the Athena girl had a hard time keeping calm when thinking about Y/N. They were all alone, and no matter how unimportant the reason to be out, monsters are as vicious nontheless.

What if something happened? They did have ambrosia and nectar with them, but they can't use it all. What if they were seriously injured during a fight and needed backup? Nobody would be there with them. Annabeth wouldn't be there with them.

And, honestly, that was when she paused. It confused her.

Why was she thinking about Y/N so much in the first place?

She doesn't know. And she hates not knowing stuff- it's a little outrageous when your mother is the goddess of wisdom. What she does know though, is just how relieved she was to see them stumbling through the camp entrance after what felt like a millennia since the last time.

As quick as she could, Annabeth rushed to wrap her arms around Y/N, almost knocking them over.

"Hey, Annie... good to see you too." They breathed. Annabeth's face reddened, as if she just realized she's hugging them. They didn't seem to mind much though.

Eventually, the daughter of Athena reluctantly pulled away, knowing Y/N still had to get their wounds treated. She didn't even care that her own shirt was a bit bloody now, that didn't matter.

"Don't take so long next time."

"Were you worried about me?"

Annabeth scoffed. "Of course I was!"

"Awweee."

Y/N adjusted their grip on their bag. "Well, you didn't have to be. I'm okay, see?" The child of G/P leaned in to hug her again, and this time the embrace lasted a little longer. Though the other demigod seemed too frozen to hug back at all.

When they headed off to the infirmary, Annabeth was left to stand there looking off into space. The color of her cheeks returned to normal again, but the burning in her chest was still there.

This feeling was... awfully familiar.

Well shit.

JASON

"Dude, stop." Leo snapped his fingers in front of Jason's face.

"Huh?"

The Hephaestus boy rolled his eyes. "You've been ogling at Y/N again."

Jason blinked, then furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Again?"

Leo leaned back in his seat at the picnic table he and the son of Jupiter were seated at. A few yards away, but still perfectly in sight, Y/N and one of their friends were goofing around in the grass, cracking jokes and laughing.

"Geez, bro. I thought you were planning to be at least a little more secretive about your crush."

The son of Jupiter's gaze flicked between his friend and the H/C teen quizzically. He seemed to take a while to understand what Leo said. "I-? Leo, that's ridiculous. I don't have a crush on Y/N."

Leo disguised his laughter with a cough, but the sparkle in his eyes clearly showed his amusement. "Uh. Yeah no. I think it's obvious you do." He smirked. "You stare at them all the time, you're basically drooling."

Jason wasn't sure why Leo was suddenly attacking him for something that wasn't true.

He began to think. Y/N was cute, that much was obvious. Very cute, H/C hair and E/C eyes that always seemed to glint with either friendliness or determination.

He admired their bravery and skill in battle, but he also liked their kindness and the way they seemed to carry themself so effortlessly. In all honesty, whenever he looked at or thought about them, there wasn't a single thing he could find that he doesn't admire. Even every little imperfection seemed to be perfect.

And they got along with him well. And they liked swordfight just as much as he did. And he could listen to them talk for hours on end without a single complaint.

They were like... his favorite person.

But did that term really sit right with him?

Hooold up now-

Leo seemed to notice the look of realization on his best friend's face, because he just shook his head with a smile. "Thought you were smarter than that, superman."

LEO

Leo and Y/N were hanging out in Bunker 9, latter reading a magazine and listening to the son of Hephaestus yap about some new invention of his. While he did so, the Latino was fidgeting with a little robot, attaching a new gadget.

Suddenly, just as he was about to press a button, the whole thing exploded and metal pieces flew around, grease and motor oil splattering onto his face.

"Aw man." Leo frowned, trying to wipe his cheek with his sleeve, which didn't do much.

Y/N raised their head, and tried not to laugh at the sight. They jumped up and grabbed a clean cloth from a nearby counter, walking over to the desk Leo was sitting at.

"What-?"

"Hold still."

They gently held his chin with one hand, wiping away the grease with the fabric.

Hephaestus' son was quiet - what a rare occasion - as he only stared at them, subconciously taking in their facial features. And what he didn't pay much attention to before. Their striking eyes that seemed to be fleeting everywhere but his own, their eyebrows that were knitted in focus, their lips.

After what felt like a millennia, Y/N leaned back again and smiled. "There."

"Thanks.."

"No probbles."

Leo stared off into seemingly nothing, his face feeling like on fire. (Though he tried his best not to let anything actually catch flames.)

"Leo?" Y/N's voice cut off his thoughts.

"Oh- yeah?"

"You're an idiot. Try not to break a whole robot next time." They grinned at him, and Leo could only return the smile, a little dazed.

He hoped Piper wouldn't find out about this. After all, he could always count on the queen of shipping to never let him live anything down.

PIPER

Mitchell, Lacy, Piper and Y/N were at Arts and Crafts with some younger campers. Not for any particular reason, all of them just enjoyed the subject and wanted to help out the kids. It was about time they kicked back and relaxed with something they actually liked.

"Hey, Pipes!" Y/N's voice rang out suddenly.

"Hmm?"

A huge grin was plastered on Y/N's face as they raised their head to look at her. It was cute. Piper couldn't see what they were doing, since they (for some reason) insisted her view of them was blocked by stacks of coloring books, glue, pencils, paper and whatnot.

"Close your eyes."

That request made the Aphrodite girl a bit suspicious, but she trusted them either way. She could hear them get up and shuffle over to where she was sitting, taking a seat next to her.

"And now... open them!" Y/N's voice was laced with glee.

Piper gasped with sparkling eyes. In the child of G/P's hands was a very pretty bundle of beads. The bracelet looked intricate yet simple, with teal and pink pearls and a few gold pieces here and there.

"Is that-?"

"For you."

"Aww, thank you!" She took the bracelet but then paused and smiled sheepishly. "Uh, how do I...?"

Y/N laughed and gently clipped the bracelet around Piper's wrist. Now she could admire it more clearly, seeing the little golden heart chain that was attached.

She squealed. "Thank you, Y/N!" Her arms found place around their neck.

"It's no problem." They grinned, hugging her back. "Just thought I might make you a little somethin'."

"See? You could be Harry Winston with this talent."

They laughed again. Gods, that laugh. Piper loved it. It always felt good to hear, like a breath of fresh air. It was music to her ears. She'd do anything to make them laugh-

...Oh.

"Y/N!" One young child of Nike called from a few tables away. "Can you help me with my drawing, pretty please? I don't know how to draw a minotaur!"

Y/N chuckled. "Sure thing." They let go of Piper and walked over to the kid.

Piper watched after them.

Child of love, caught off guard by love? Is that even a thing?

"Piper" A little Athena boy suddenly said as Y/N was out of earshot. "Are you and Y/N dating?" Lacy paused in her sketching whilst Mitchell snorted.

The daughter of Aphrodite smiled, her face heating up. "No. But that'd be really nice."

NICO

On the front steps of the Hades cabin, Nico absent-mindedly summoned a few mouse bones out of the ground and made a small skeleton.

He was feeling bored.

That is, until Y/N L/N came walking around the corner. He almost raised his hand in greeting, but stopped in his tracks.

They sat down next to him, stretching their arms above their head, though that did not help the prominent bags under their E/C eyes or how much messier their hair was. They looked a little pale too, as if they hadn't slept much lately.

The son of Hades scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "Y/N, are you sick? I could ask Will to-"

"Nah." They yawned. "Just tired."

Nico didn't think his eyes could widen any further when they suddenly leaned against him, head buried against his shoulder. After mere more heartbeats of internal crisis, he wrapped his arms around them, obviously hesitant.

As he looked down at their form that lacked its usual energy, he decided he hated seeing them upset. (As if he didn't know that already.)

"..What's wrong?"

Y/N hesitated, but eventually sighed through their nose. "It's just... a lot on my plate right now. Swordfighting classes with the new kids, quest reports, my mortal family, the list goes on."

That made Nico ponder for a moment.

"You know, I could take the swordfighting lessons for you. At least the next few ones." He tried.

At that, the G/P kid perked up a bit. Their brows furrowed with a tired frown. "Are.. you sure?" Their tone turned teasing. "Don't you have underworld-y stuff to do and help out your dad? Retrieve lost ghosts or something?"

The son of Hades shook his head. "Not really at the moment, no. I'll ask Chiron if I could step in for you while you take a break. Don't worry about it."

Since when had he been this altruistic? He asked himself inside.

"That's... reassuring." They smiled slightly.

It was silent.

"Hey, Neeks?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being here for me." Y/N mumbled, eyes falling shut.

And for some reason, his heart pitter-pattered.

WILL

Kayla mustered Will from the seat next to him. Every three seconds or so, he would glance at the G/P table, which he's been doing all dinner now. And he's not excactly subtle about it, either. With an esparated sigh, Kayla shook her head.

"Quit staring at Y/N like a hopeless romantic. It's kinda creepy." She muttered, her words slightly muffled due to the french fries in her mouth. Will nearly chocked on the water he was drinking, to which Austin- sitting by Will's other side- patted his back. "Wh-what?!"

"You heard me."

"I wasn't staring!"

"Uh, yeah you were." Kayla swallowed down her food. A sly smile crawled up her face. "You liiike them, don't you?" She teased and waited for her brother's answer.

Will's glare faltered.

The Apollo girl gasped. "Oh my gods. You actually do!" She exclaimed, reaching a hand to cover her mouth. "Kayla, don't tease him about it." Jerry, another Apollo kid, scolded, though he too had a grin plastered onto his face. Will remained silent, his eyes suddenly looking a bit distant.

Austin chuckled. "What's wrong, William? Cat got your tongue?"

"Is that why you always insist being the one to treat them when they come to the infirmary? You always take my shift when they get injured-"

"Are you gonna ask them out?"

"OMIGODS I HAVE A SUPER CUTE SHIP NAME-"

Will only shook his head and ignored his siblings' further accusations of him liking Y/N. Though, as his gaze subconciously shifted back to them, he thought that maybe that wasn't too far off the truth.

What was he supposed to do? They were too pretty to not look at.