[WILL SOLACE]
Will wasn't looking forward to the new year. It was the 31st of December. What would change in the new year? Nothing. It just meant going back to school. Oh, plus SATs. If his grades didn't improve then he wouldn't be going to med school, meaning his whole life was practically pointless.
He heard the front door open and close.
"Will, I'm home!" Naomi called. "Come help put the groceries away."
Will sighed and walked downstairs. "What took so long?" He asked, walking to the door.
"This place is nice, Naomi," Someone said.
"Wait-" Will turned around. "AUSTIN?"
"Hi! Kayla's in the bathroom." He grinned.
"Cal?! What is going on?"
"Hey," Cal smiled. "My moms said I should go discover the world. Starting with New York, apparently."
"Mom? What?"
"I wasn't going to get groceries," Naomi smiled. "Cal, Austin and Kayla are staying for the new year. It was a quick arrangement."
"Yeah," Austin sighed. "Jerry, Gracie and Yan weren't allowed to come. They're too young."
"But- you're all here-" Will rubbed his eyes, checking if he was dreaming. Why were they all here?
Kayla walked out of the bathroom. "Hi, Will."
Will hugged her straight away.
Naomi opened the fridge then closed it. "Okay- I seriously have to buy groceries. I shouldn't be too long. See you all in a while."
Naomi left, Will still hugging Kayla, probably suffocating her.
"How was Christmas?" He asked.
"Eh. Would've been cooler with you, Lee and Michael but it was okay." Kayla said.
"So, Will, hypothetically it's New Years Eve. So, hypothetically are there any parties going on in New York? Any actually fun parties." Austin asked.
"Austin all of our parents said no parties. Plus, I'm fifteen," Kayla sighed. "But hypothetically-"
"Oh yeah. Cecil, a guy who's in some of my classes, is having a party tonight. Anyone and everyone is allowed to go. You're all invited."
"Uhm- I've never been to a party," Cal said.
"Uhh, don't worry, Cecil's party won't be that extreme," Will lied. "Besides, Leo will be there."
"Oooooh-" Austin teased.
"Will Nico?" Kayla nudged him.
Will hoped his blushing wasn't as painfully obvious as it felt. "Yes- yes he will. Just like the rest of my friends. I don't know what difference it makes. Also, don't be mean to my friends."
"We'll try," Kayla smiled. "No promises. Anyway, I have a party I gotta get ready for."
"The spare room is upstairs to the right. Cal and Kayla, you two can stay there."
[JASON GRACE]
"Reyna's coming in five minutes-" Jason sighed. "I'll be fine."
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Thalia said.
"That's very bad life advice. You'd do anything."
"True. Don't do anything I would do."
"Sure. Reyna's here. Gotta go!" Jason quickly left the house before Thalia could start lecturing him again.
"Hey," Reyna threw the second helmet at him.
"You really had to take the motorbike didn't yo- wait. Why does it look weird?"
"Got a new one for Christmas," Reyna smiled. "I had to take it. Come on."
[CECIL MARKOWITZ]
His parents totally wouldn't find out! No! When he said everyone was invited he didn't expect EVERYONE to show up. Some people he didn't even recognise.
"Is that a freshman?!" He shouted over the music.
"Better not to ask," Julia shouted back, before disappearing into the crowd.
This was going to be a nightmare.
[LEO VALDEZ]
"LEO!" Someone shouted. He was standing beside Piper, looking for the rest of their friends.
Leo turned around. "CAL? WHAT THE FUCK?"
"Hi. I lost Austin, Kayla and Will. Actually, no. I left them. They're being so embarrassing." Cal said, looking terrified.
"AUSTIN AND KAYLA ARE HERE, TOO?! WHERE'S WILL?"
"Seriously," Piper muttered. "FIVE Texans on the loose?"
"There's Nico, Hazel and Frank," Leo grinned. "Cal, time to meet my friends."
"I regret ever leaving Texas," she muttered.
[PERCY JACKSON]
He arrived with Annabeth, Rachel and Grover. Yeah, Frank abandoned them because he went with Hazel. All for a girl. As if Percy would ever be that much of a simp.
He looked over to Annabeth. Okay, yeah, he was that much of a simp.
"WILLIAM!!" Rachel shouted. "Who the hell are them two?"
"Oh god," Annabeth muttered. "The Solaces are here."
"And there's Frank, Hazel, Nico, Leo, Piper and- someone else!" Grover pointed.
[HAZEL LEVESQUE]
"This can't be safe," she whispered, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Rachel and Will joining them. She still didn't know who the other three were.
"So," the girl with ginger and green hair said. "Which one of you poor guys are Nico?"
Nico slowly raised his hand.
Will laughed weirdly. "Okay. Guys, these are my cousins, Kayla and Austin. Kayla was born in Canada though so be careful-"
"Excuse me?" Frank said.
"And this is Cal," Will continued. "Our friend. JASON! REYNA!"
They both quickly came over.
"This place is a nightmare," Reyna laughed. "A food fight is going on over there. Wouldn't recommend."
[LEO VALDEZ]
"That's Jason?" Cal whispered.
"Yeah. I know right. He's hot." Leo whispered back, smiling. "A lot to tell you about him, actually."
"Jesus, Leo. You need your eyes tested," she said.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"He looks like the straightest whitest most basic personality-less boy ever."
"You got a point. But hey, don't judge a book by its cover!"
[NICO DI ANGELO]
He thought Will was weird. Nothing compared to his cousins and their constant question.
"Name?" The dude, Austin, asked.
"Nico. You know that. Nico di Angelo."
"Mhm. Mhm. Age?" Kayla asked.
"16. 17 on the 28th of January. Why?"
"So is the emo style an everyday thing?" Austin wondered.
Nico sighed. "I'm not emo!"
"That's a yes," Kayla said. "Jeez Will-"
Will cleared his throat painfully loudly. "OKAYYY, Kayla, Austin. So actually I need you two to come with me to the- food fight."
"What?" They said simultaneously.
[WILL SOLACE]
He dragged them away. "Will you two shut up? Nico and I are friends. He's probably straight and I've accepted the fact I'll die alone."
Austin burst into laughter. "Seriously?! You think he's straight?"
"Yes! Just-"
"Oblivious, oblivious people." Kayla sighed.
[CONNOR STOLL]
"What are you so moody about?" Travis asked, running away from the food fight he started.
"I'm not moody-" Connor sighed. So many people and the one guy he invited didn't show up.
"Is it because Pace isn't here?" Alice teased, walking at the other side of him.
Yes. "No. He's not a party guy. Not that it matters."
"Are you sure?" Travis laughed.
"Shut up and go find Katie," Connor pushed him.
"Good idea!"
Travis ran off and Connor realised his phone was ringing. A FaceTime call. From Malcolm. He answered it straight away.
"You didn't come."
"Connor, where are you?" He asked.
"Cecil's. You know that."
"No. I mean where. I'm hiding in the bathroom. I hate this. Never socialising again."
"You're here?!" Connor grinned.
"Unfortunately."
"Just wait there."
[JASON GRACE]
Okay, Cal definitely hated him. Leo probably told her about them. No wonder she hated him.
"The countdown starts in 5 minutes," Rachel smiled.
"Leo," Jason said quietly, not that anyone would hear him over the noise anyway.
Leo turned around. "Yeah?"
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure," He walked away from the group, no one even noticing. Apart from Cal. Jason went with him.
"Wait- before you say anything, is this good or bad?" Leo asked.
"Uhm- depends. Not bad. I mean- just let me talk."
"Oookay. Are you doing this under the influence of alcohol?"
"You sound like a cop. I don't drink. Anyway, I was thinking- okay, I really like you. You know that already," Jason sighed.
"It's so funny when you're nervous."
"You never make this easy. And I don't expect you to know straight away. You can take some time to decide or talk to Piper or- something. But I think- I want to make it official. I mean, will you be my boyfriend? If you want. If not that's okay-"
"JASON, LEO, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Jason heard Grover shout. "THE COUNTDOWN IS LITERALLY STARTING!"
TEN.
"Uh-" Leo stared at him.
NINE.
"Are you sure?" He asked Jason.
EIGHT.
"Yes, I'm sure."
SEVEN.
"You can say no," Jason continued.
SIX.
"Why would I say no?"
FIVE.
"Because-"
FOUR.
"Shush. I'd love to." Leo smiled.
THREE.
"Wait really?"
TWO.
"Yes, Jason Grace, I want to be your-"
ONE.
"Boyfriend. Obviously." Leo said.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
He then kissed Leo and knew it was going to be a good year.
[FRANK ZHANG]
Yeah, yeah, kissing on New Years is cringe and whatever, apart from if the person you were kissing was Hazel Levesque, who was perfect and made everything perfect.
[GROVER UNDERWOOD]
"No one else worried about Jason and Leo? REYNA, RACHEL, FRANK, HAZEL STOP KISSING. Our friends could be dead."
"Personally not worried," Piper shrugged.
"Uh, yeah, same. I found them," Percy quickly looked away from the spot he was looking at.
Everyone instantly followed his gaze.
"Can't say I'm surprised," Rachel laughed.
"You aren't surprised that straight, homophobic Jason Grace is making out with Leo Valdez?" Grover asked.
"Nope."
"Okay," Reyna sighed. "Now that everyone knows be good people and try not to mention it!"
"You knew?!" Annabeth asked.
"Yeah. So did Piper. And Hazel. And Nico."
Cal raised her hand. "And me."
"Seriously?!" Austin said. "Why wasn't I told?"
"For real," Will agreed. "I feel betrayed by all of you."
"Just shut up," Piper whispered. "They're coming over."
[LEO VALDEZ]
He walked back. "Hi. Happy new year. Sorry, we got lost."
Everyone smiled awkwardly.
"What happened?" Leo asked.
"NOTHING!" Percy patted his back.
"You all know, don't you?" Jason asked.
"Know what?" Grover grinned.
Leo rolled his eyes.
"Well," Will said. "It's a bit hard to not know when you were right there."
"Right," Jason sighed. "So, I'm gay."
Rachel gasped. "Really? Didn't know."
"And uh- I'd rather if not too many people knew."
"This explains a lot," Percy shrugged.
Leo smiled at Jason. Things went well. Even Cal wasn't mad. He took Jason's hand, fireworks, which were probably illegal, going off. This year would be good.
———
Word Count: 1692
———
A/N: honestly, idk why Austin Kayla and Cal are here. I missed them. Anyway, if this is my last update before 2022, I hope you all have a happy new year!