Tell Me You Love Me

September(Eighty-Five)

It's September 10th today. The twins are turning one. It's also been a year since Annabeth died.

The whole squad(minus Thalia and Reyna) gathered at our apartment for a 'birthday party' of sorts. Everyone brought all of their kids(why they wouldn't I don't know).

I had Ethan resting on my hip and Bianca clinging to my leg. Leo looked around the apartment and then back at me. "So are we going to actually do something or..."

I startled. I realized that we'd all just been kind of sitting around for the last ten minutes. "Oh...I uh, I didn't really plan anything. I don't really know..."

Hazel saved me from my embarrassment. "Well it's their first birthday for crying out loud. Tell me you have a cake," she walked over to the fridge and was instantly disappointed.

"You do not have a cake," she said. "We can bake one!" Piper suggested, a little too enthusiastically. I'll admit, I wasn't as in the moment as I should've been. Today was my twin's first birthday. But the dark part of my thoughts whispered, "It's also the day she died."

Piper and Jason began going through the cupboards, searching for ingredients to make a cake.

"Nothing," Piper said. "Not even cake mix," Jason added, looking disappointed.

"Or frosting!" Leo complained, hiding something behind his back. His mouth was covered in white frosting. "Leo!" Calypso slapped him. "You're setting a bad example!"

Leo just rolled his eyes and shook his head at Milo, who was watching and giggling.

"Um..." Will brainstormed, "maybe there's candy or snacks?"

Hey checked the cupboards and cabinets again and again came up empty handed. "Maybe we should just go to the store?" Piper sighed in defeat.

"Yeah! Then we can get all the sweets and toys we want!" You'd think a child said this. It was Leo.

"We did forget presents at home," Nico shrugged. "We should all just go then," Hazel said.

Everyone kind of just looked at the kids then, dreading the trials of the New York City streets and stores hauling a bunch of kids.

"I can stay here with them," I volunteered. Frank just stared at me. "Um what?" Jason questioned. "Yeah. I'll stay here and watch them while you guys go to the store. I'll give you some money for cake. Then we don't have to worry about them in public and stuff."

"Percy, all of them? You're gonna watch ten kids, all under the age of eight, by yourself?"

My hand went to my pocket, and judging by how Jason's eyes followed my hand, he knew I was reaching for my sword.

"I trust him," Jason spoke. After that, the others started to agree. Nico was the only one who wasn't totally sold on the idea. "What if something happens?"He asked, holding Bee's small hand in his own.

"I swear on the River Styx, your children will get back to you safely. I won't let anything happen to them."

I knew that even without the oath, they all believed me. So they filed out, one by one, Piper taking Malia with her, leaving the rest of the kids with me.

As soon as that door shut, all hell broke loose. Milo(7) jumped on the couch and started screaming like a banshee. Sammy(4) crawled onto the couch as well and tried to shove Milo off said couch. He succeeded simply because Milo was off balance. Sammy did not however, anticipate Maria(4) to get behind him and shove him.

I cracked a smile. Emily(2) hobbled off in the direction of the bathroom, distractedly looking at the pictures on the wall. Luke(7) had decided to wrestle with Milo after he had been pushed off the couch.