The hotel room was quieter than usual, the muted sounds of the press tour far off. It had been a blur of interviews, red carpets, and constant travel, but today felt different. Walker was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling as if willing time to slow down. His phone was in his hand, though he hadn't checked it in what felt like hours.

Another year, another birthday on the road.

"Walker," Priscilla's voice broke through the silence as she pushed the door open gently.

He didn't look over at first, but her footsteps brought him back to the present. "Hey," he said, shifting a little but not moving from his spot.

Priscilla stepped in, her expression soft and somewhat tired. Her presence always had this grounding effect on him, especially in moments like these. She sat on the edge of the bed, fiddling with her phone before glancing at him. "You good?"

Walker finally turned to face her, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, just..." He shrugged, his voice trailing off. "Another birthday on the road. Can't really complain, though."

Priscilla watched him quietly, noticing the faint lines of exhaustion in his features. "You don't have to act like this," she said softly. "I know you're not thrilled about it."

Walker chuckled, though there was no real humor behind it. "Thrilled might be an understatement."

Priscilla leaned back, resting her elbows on her knees. "We didn't forget, you know. The cast. We're not gonna let you just brush this off like it's any other day."

Walker sighed, propping himself up on his elbow. "You guys are still touring. Interviews, press. Not exactly a day off, huh?"

Priscilla shook her head. "We don't need a day off. We'll make time. We're all just a bunch of kids trying to survive this madness anyway."

Walker couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah, I guess so."

She hesitated for a moment before reaching out, placing a hand gently on his arm. "You've been through a lot this past year, Walker. You've carried this role like no one else could. And I know it's not easy—none of this is—but we're all here. For you."

Walker's gaze softened, the vulnerability in her tone catching him off guard. He didn't know why, but hearing her say those words, with that sincerity, felt heavier than he expected.

"Thanks, P," he said quietly. "Really."

Priscilla gave him a small smile. "No need to thank me. You deserve more than just a few words. But..." She paused, searching for the right way to say it. "We're not gonna let you feel like this alone."

Walker looked at her, studying her face for a moment, trying to gauge what she wasn't saying but desperately wanted him to understand.

"I know I'm not great at this... 'birthday thing,'" Priscilla continued. "But you mean more to us than you realize. Not just as Percy, but as Walker."

He swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond to the rawness in her voice.

The door creaked open again, and Leah popped her head in. "Uh, are we gonna just leave him sulking here, or—?"

"Leah!" Priscilla shot her a look before turning back to Walker. "We have something for you. The others are waiting downstairs."

Walker raised an eyebrow, curiosity pulling him from his quiet thoughts. "You guys really didn't have to—"

"Of course we did," Leah interrupted, stepping further into the room. "It's not every day our Percy Jackson gets a year older. Come on. No sulking allowed."

The rest of the cast had gathered downstairs, huddled around what appeared to be a collection of hastily wrapped presents, leftover birthday cards, and an absurd amount of cupcakes scattered on the living room table.

"Surprise!" Leah exclaimed, practically shoving a cupcake into Walker's hands before he could even process what was happening.

"Happy birthday, man," Aryan added, grinning. "Sorry it's not like a huge party or anything, but... you know, press tour."

He didn't want a huge party. Walker glanced around, his friends' faces all lit with warmth, even in the chaos of the tour. It wasn't the extravagance he might have dreamed of, but in that moment, it felt more real. More meaningful.

"I didn't think anyone even remembered," Walker admitted, laughing awkwardly.

"Please," Charlie scoffed from across the room. "You're kind of impossible to forget. You're basically our sun around here."

Priscilla leaned against the doorway, watching them all with a soft smile. Walker caught her gaze and felt a warmth settle in his chest. They didn't need elaborate parties or grand gestures. They were his people, and that made all the difference.

"Alright, birthday boy," Leah said, clapping her hands. "Time for you to make a wish and blow out those candles."

Walker laughed, shaking his head but not objecting. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and wished for something simple. For a moment of quiet. For these people, who had become his family in the whirlwind of their lives, to know how much they meant.

As he blew out the candles, the room erupted into cheers and laughter, the sound echoing through the hotel suite. It wasn't the setting he might have imagined, but it was more than enough.

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Walker found himself standing outside on the small balcony attached to their hotel room. The cool night air was a stark contrast to the warmth that lingered from earlier.

Priscilla appeared beside him, wordlessly leaning against the railing.

"Rough day?" she asked, glancing up at him.

Walker sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "More than usual. It's been a year of those."

Priscilla remained silent, giving him space to speak if he wanted.

He took a deep breath, his thoughts unraveling. "I don't know, P. Everything's... overwhelming. The interviews, the expectations, the endless travel. It's hard to keep it together."

She turned to face him, offering a small, empathetic smile. "I know. I really do."

He looked at her, unsure of what to say next. There was something in her expression that made it easier to open up, even if the words felt too heavy to carry.

"I don't think I can do this much longer," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I'm trying really hard not to complain because everything's so cool, it really is, but I miss my mom, I miss my house, I miss my bed, I even miss missing you, because you were always so far way, I just need a fucking break"

Priscilla's brow furrowed as she studied him. "Walker, you don't have to carry all of this by yourself. None of us expect you to."

"But I have to," he said, his tone sharper than he intended. "Everyone's counting on me."

"That's not true," she said, gently placing a hand on his arm. "We're not counting on you to be perfect. We just want you to be you."

He looked down at her hand, the warmth of her touch grounding him. "How did you do it, I mean you were always somewhere doing something, and you always had something coming out."

"I had my Dad and James with me everywhere, and I had you" she interrupted softly. "you're my friend. The one who's been there through all of it. The one who hasn't given up, even when things got messy. Even when I was... broken."

Her words hit him harder than he thought they would. Broken. That was the last thing he wanted her to feel.

"Priscilla," he started, his voice hesitant.

She stepped closer, her eyes searching his. "Walker, thank you. For being you. For being my friend, even when I didn't deserve it."

He stood there, overwhelmed by the sincerity in her tone. Before he could think, he pulled her into a hug. It wasn't just a hug between friends—it was something more, something that neither of them could fully explain.

"Thank you," he murmured against her hair.

Priscilla pulled back slightly, smiling up at him. "Anytime, Walker. Always."

They stood there, the night quiet around them, the world outside the balcony forgotten. For a few fleeting moments, it was just them, their bond stronger than the chaos they both carried.