Loverboy (PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 17

Percy POV

Mornings at our apartment are a weird mix of chaos and calm. Chaos, because Estelle has two volumes — asleep and loud — and calm, because my mom somehow makes everything feel like it's under control, even when it's not.

Today was no different.

I shuffled into the kitchen, hair sticking up like I'd been electrocuted. Mom was at the stove, humming as she flipped pancakes. Paul sat at the table with the paper and a mug of coffee, looking like a man who was ready to face the day... as soon as the caffeine kicked in.

Estelle was in her high chair, gleefully smearing banana mush all over her face like she was in some kind of baby beauty contest.

"Morning, honey," Mom said without looking up.

"Morning," I mumbled, dropping into a chair and reaching for the syrup. Estelle spotted me and squealed, waving her arms like I was her favorite rock star.

"Hey, peanut," I said, making a goofy face that got her giggling. Paul chuckled from behind his paper.

"You've got a fan club," he said.

"Yeah, membership's exclusive," I said, wiping a glob of banana off her cheek with a napkin. She tried to eat the napkin.

Mom slid a plate in front of me with a smile. "Eat. You've got school."

"Ugh, don't remind me." I stabbed into the blue pancakes and drowned them in syrup.

Paul glanced at me over the top of his paper. "Late night?"

I shrugged. "Group project stuff. Took longer than we thought." Which was technically true.

Mom raised an eyebrow like she was debating whether to ask more, but she just said, "Well, don't make a habit of it. And make sure you get your homework done before you start... whatever other adventures you're planning today."

"No adventures," I promised. "Just... school."

Estelle banged her little spoon on the tray, clearly protesting the idea of me leaving. I tapped her tiny fist with my finger in a miniature fist-bump before grabbing my backpack.

The hallway smelled like Mrs. Kowalski's coffee and whatever Mr. Ruiz was cooking two doors down. I stepped outside, the cool morning air slapping me awake, and started the walk to school.

It wasn't until I was halfway there that my brain drifted back to last night — Annabeth's expression when I told her that whole "ask for what's best for you" thing. Like I'd given her something she wasn't expecting.

And now, I couldn't shake the feeling it was still rattling around in her head.

By the time I got to Goode, the parking lot was already buzzing. Cars pulling in, people shouting across rows, the occasional skateboard rolling by. I spotted Leo leaning against his beat-up Jeep, flipping a wrench in his hand like it was a stress toy. Calypso was beside him, arms crossed, giving him that look that said If you break another engine part, I'm not fixing it for you.

"Morning, Water," Leo called as I passed.

"Leo." I gave him a quick nod before grinning. "You still alive after yesterday?"

He shrugged. "Define alive."

Calypso shook her head. "Don't encourage him, Percy." Then she looked at me. "You should've seen him last night. Took apart a carburetor because he was 'bored.'"

"That's not boredom," Leo protested. "That's art."

Before I could reply, Piper and Jason strolled up, Piper with her hair in a messy braid and Jason balancing a coffee in each hand. He handed one to Hazel, who was already deep in conversation with Frank about... was that chess strategy?