Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

FOURTH OF JULY

[LEO VALDEZ]

"Alright, line up people!" Leo shouted, making his traditional Fourth of July tacos. "Shel, Grover, vegan tacos on that plate. Pipes, there's your vegetarian taco. Ey, Zhang, dairy-less taco take it or leave it. No tomatoes, right Hazel? No jalapeños, Jason, you're super white. Anyone else need some special type of taco? No? Great! Anyway, I'm going to the bathroom. Adios!"

[PERCY JACKSON]

Two minutes after Leo went to the bathroom, he slipped away from his friend group unnoticed. He walked down to the basement, which Tristan and Piper used as storage.
"Valdez?"
"Finally. Took you long enough. You think I can lift this myself?"
"Sorry. Didn't want anyone to notice," he walked over to the suitcase and helped Leo pick it up. "So, if we go out the side door, no one will notice, right?"
"Exactly!"

[REYNA AVILA RAMIREZ-ARELLANO]

She picked a suitcase her and Rachel packed onto the table. "So, Rachel and I were thinking, it's the Fourth of July and we need to party. So, being really kind people, we brought everyone alcohol!" She opened the suitcase.
"Hazel isn't allowed fo drink," Nico said. "She's too young."
"So are you, di Angelo!" Will shook his head.
"I'm Italian, I'm seventeen. That's practically legal. American laws are stupid. Talking about not being from America, why are Frank and I celebrating the Fourth of July?"

"This ain't your typical Fourth of July," Piper interrupted. "I'm native. Shel is part native. We're celebrating our cultures, too. If this is a day for America, then it's a day for us. Our culture and traditions."
Shel fist-bumped Piper. "What she said."
"Yes, but I'm still Italian?"
"Then go make pasta I don't know-"
"Wow. Talk about stereotypes-"

"HEY GUYS!" Percy ran into the room, followed by Leo. "It's really warm outside, y'know. Because Leo and I lit a campfire. I think it'd be cute to go out there and enjoy the sunset and stars and-"
"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth narrowed her eyes. "May I ask, what have you done?"
"Lit a campfire, like I just said."

Reyna sighed, knowing that it had to be more than a campfire.

[PERCY JACKSON]

Once all their friends sat around the fire, singing and laughing, Leo set off the first firework.
"AH-" Hazel looked up to the sky. "Fireworks?!"
"What's the Fourth of July without fireworks?!" He shouted over to them.
"That's what was in the suitcase?!" Piper asked.
"Yep," Percy grinned. "Leo and I planned this-"
"Do you know how dangerous this is?" Annabeth asked.
"Obviously! That's what makes it fun."

• • •

Sitting with his friends, hearing the waves nearby, singing and watching fireworks, kissing Annabeth, getting a 'happy Fourth of July!' text from his mom and Paul, along with a video from Tyson had Percy feeling on top of the world. With friends like this and a family like that, how could he complain? Was there anyone luckier?

[GROVER UNDERWOOD]

They didn't sleep. They were still outside when the sun started to rise. There was no point in going to sleep after that, so they stayed up. Well, apart from Hazel, who could never seem to stay awake, especially when drunk. Jason was kinda the sober-dad, holding back Rachel's hair as she got sick.

"Y'know," Grover sighed. "I love you all a lot. Like so much. Like you are all the best friends I could ever ask for. I don't know what I'd do without you all. I love you. Y'know? You're all so cool. Wow. I have the most amazing friends-"
"Aww-" Reyna put a hand to her heart.
"You're all cringe drunks," Jason sighed, practically forcing Rachel to drink water.

"I'm not that drunk," Grover protested. "I'm just- executing- no, projecting my love for my friends and cousin. Cause I love you lot a lot. Lot a lot."

[JASON GRACE]

Looking after 12 drunks was annoying, but at the same time, he didn't mind. As long as they were safe.
Leo listened to Grover's 'I love you' speech with more intent than he'd ever listened to anything. Leo rarely paid attention for more than 50 seconds, especially since he had ADHD, but he didn't seem to mind listening to drunk Grover.

"You okay?" Jason asked Rachel. "Try drink more water. Sips. Don't chug."
"Water is boring," Rachel smiled before going back to Reyna, laying her head in her lap.

Nico, who was usually quiet, wouldn't stop talking while drunk. The problem was, his Italian accent was 20 times more obvious and he kept mixing up Italian and English words. "I miss Cerberus a lot. I hope Jules-Albert is looking after him well. Reyna, who's looking after your cani?"
"My what?!"
"Dogs, I assume," Jason sighed.
"Mi familia!" Reyna smiled.

"Alright, I think it's time you all go to bed," Jason stood up.
"Jason don't be stupid. The sun is up! It's not time to sleep," Leo pointed to the sun.
"I usually sleep when the sun comes up," Will nodded.
"Just- go to bed everyone. Goodnight. Be safe. Drink water when you get inside."
Percy patted the top of Jason's head. "You're a better dad than my dad ever was. Probably because I've never met him- night night, Dad."
"Please just go to sleep, Percy."

[ANNABETH CHASE]

Everyone woke up around 1p.m. She had a busting headache from the hangover. She regretted not drinking water like Jason told her to. She checked her phone, seeing she had a text in the 'apartment complex kids' groupchat, which consisted of her, Percy, Connor, Travis, Katie, Silena, Clarisse, Bekendorf, Ethan, Pollux, Castor, Butch, Clovis, Lee and Zoë. Lee and Zoë weren't exactly kids, but they were still included. The groupchat was rarely used.

Thegardner.katie: yall. Someone's moving into apart. 13

Stollno1: isn't that the 'haunted' apartment?

Clarisselr: I can't tell the difference between stoll one and two

Stollno2: I'M CONNOR! Duh!

Ethannak: Who is moving in?

Thegardner.katie: I'm not sure yet! They're not moving until the 14th of July

Silena-mua: that's only nine days, though

Thegardner.katie: I'll tell you all as soon as i find out!!

Wisegirl: make sure you do!! Can't wait to see you all again x

She showed Percy the texts, before he went onto his own phone to respond. They could hear people in the kitchen, so they both got up and walked downstairs, hoping Leo was making breakfast.

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Word Count: 1064

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A/N: who's moving into apartment 13 🤨

Hint: all apartment numbers are based off kids' cabins (eg. Annabeth in apartment 6 because Athena is cabin 6 in the books)
Hades is cabin 13, but whoever's moving in is not a child of Hades (cause Bianca's dead lol. Hazel and Nico already have a house absjdhja)