Legendary Snake Wrangler

D-vine was filled to the brim, literally overflowing with students spilling on to the curb, despite it being a Tuesday. The reason behind all the madness was that it was the day before Lincoln day, which meant there were no classes to interrupt the hangovers inevitably to come the next day.

It was nights like these that clipped the bouncers' fuses shorter than they already were. Deimos and his brother Phobos were notorious for their lack of tolerance on a typical day. But on nights like these, merely hovering a hand near a waiter's derrière might earn you a broken arm and a free flight as they chucked you out the door. The owner, Dionysus, only hired attractive waiters, after all, so the bouncers were primed and ready to defend them. The pair, dubbed the demon brothers, was genuinely frightening, and they seemed to live for pummeling and tormenting others. That fact made me feel better about my charming boyfriend working there.

"Hey, boys," Piper greeted us by the door, decked out in the club's uniform, black converse, skinny black jeans, a black tank top and a small black apron, all fitting skin-tight to show her shapely physique. "Percy's working the VIP lounge tonight, so you'll have to settle for me," she said, mostly for my benefit. " Give me a minute, and I'll get you a booth."

"So, what are you and Perce planning for Valentines?" Will asked, Nico, hiding in his shadow. The two of them had become a kind of package deal as of late, not that they were officially dating yet.

"We haven't really talked about it," I shrugged.

"What? It's your first Valentines together, it's kinda a big deal." Onix eyes met mine from behind the blonde's shoulder.

"They can do whatever they want, Will," Nico drawled, eyes snapping back to Piper flitting about, getting a booth ready for us. She finally waved us over with a smile. "Don't pressure them, idiot."

In all honesty, I was grateful for the Italian. I didn't need people telling me that this coming Valentines day was a big deal. I knew it was. My stomach had known for the last two weeks, tying itself in knots and barely holding down my food. It had never been this nerve-wracking with Reyna. She refused to even see me on the holiday of love. She saw it as a grotesque consumerist holiday designed to make people feel awful. She didn't see the point in affirming romantic relationships to please society, most of the time she didn't see the point in romance at all.

But now I was with Percy, and my head was filled with ludicrous ideas of things I could do to show Percy how much I appreciated him. And yet, even if my head had been swimming with different scenarios in the last couple of weeks, not a single idea seemed right. Nothing seemed to fit quite the way I truly felt. This left me with the best boyfriend in the world, and yet absolutely nothing planned just three days before the dreaded day of love.

"Hey, babe," Percy greeted as he pecked my cheek in passing, trotting over to the bar to put in an order. He was dressed similar to Piper, tank top stretching over his chiselled chest and leaving his inked flesh on display. I watched in envy at how his skinny jeans hugged his ass as he walked away.

However, as he approached the far end of the bar, it was clear I wasn't the only one appreciating the view. A tall guy with hair pulled into a top knot, sidled up to Percy with a lopsided grin. The guy had piercings adorning his ears, and a metallic stud glittered on his tongue as he talked. Percy raised an unimpressed brow at whatever the idiot said, and I released a breath I didn't realise I was holding.

I smirked as we sat down in the booth. I really didn't have to worry about anyone trying anything with Percy, because I knew my darling boyfriend would shut any advances down if not mine.

The twins had informed me of some of the lengths the guys went to, to win their little betting pool. Before anyone knew Percy and I was dating, of course. Percy hadn't told me himself, but that could be because he didn't deem the interactions significant enough for me to worry over. Considering all the information I've had to deal with since Thanksgiving, he was just trying to make things easier on me.

I knew this, and yet, I still felt uneasy when I saw other guys, girls, women and even grown-ass men stare at him with lust in their eyes. They had no right to picture him in their bed. Not when they had absolutely no interest in him or his quirks, the unique qualities that made him so undeniably himself.

Man bun's grin faltered, eyes darting towards me. He continued talking, leaning in closer to Percy, bracing an arm on the bar counter to insert himself into Percy's line of sight. Percy simply rolled his eyes as he took a step back, fingers drumming out patterns on his thigh.

"Okay, so let me guess. Espresso for Nico, and since no one else is here yet to call you pussies, diet cokes for Will and Jason?" Piper asked with a smile, and we affirmed with nods. "Where is everyone, by the way?"

"Leo's just helping Calypso finish up the final class lists before he's joining since today was the last day to drop classes," I supplied.

"Frank went to see my sister in the city," Nico continued.

"And I didn't ask the twins why they were gonna be late," Will sighed. "I figure the less I know, the better. Wouldn't want to unintentionally become their accomplice." Piper laughed before she walked off towards the bar, forcing herself in between Percy and the persistent bastard at the bar. Percy winked at her before grabbing his tray with a smirk and sauntering back to the lounge, tray held high to avoid collisions.

"Wow, did Piper really just save your man?" Will asked.

"Yeah," I answered fondly. Percy was right about me liking Piper. Ever since I found out she was studying law too, we had become study buddies. "She said we're her OTP, whatever that means, and I guess that means she's fighting for us? You should have seen her the other day in class when this girl sat a little too close to me."

"Hey, maybe you can get your love warrior to help out with Valentine's day," Will smirked, and I snapped.

"Why are you so obsessed with fucking Valentine's day?" I asked. "What are you planning for Valentine's day?"

"It better be fucking nothing," Nico grumbled from Will's side, and I saw Will deflate slightly. Suddenly I understood. Will was living vicariously, through Percy and I's relationship.

"Nico doesn't do Valentine's day or surprises," Will said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Nico raised a brow at him.

"So, I don't like the whole cupid shooting you with arrows shit, fucking sue me," Nico huffed. "Not to mention, we're not actually dating."

Will clutched his heart like he had been shot and collapsed onto the table in frustration. "Not from lack of trying, bastard," he grumbled. I raised a brow at the smug grin that spread across the Italian's face. Piper dropped off our drinks before flitting off again, the feathers braided into her hair resembling wings. We talked about classes, and I found out that Will and Nico shared a couple since Nico was pursuing a degree in Forensic Science.

"Um, did you guys see the beardless hipster harassing Percy?" Leo asked as he plopped down in the booth. "Hi, by the way." My head snapped up to see that yes, Percy was back at the bar, and yes, Man bun was inching closer once more.

"Seriously, why can't he take a fucking hint?" I growled, Will's grasp on my arm holding me back.

"They'll kick you out if you do anything," he reasoned as I struggled against his hold. "And then, not only will your night be ruined, you won't get to see Percy until after his shift."

Man bun said something that made Percy scowl, and he turned his back to the man. That was, evidently, a mistake. The guy's hands gripped at Percy's hips, pulling him back into the bastard. It all happened in three seconds. I ripped myself away from Will's hand. Percy's eyes flashed up to meet mine in a silent command to stop. I froze midstep as Percy's elbow met the bastard's nose. The room fell silent as Man bun dropped to the floor, blood gushing down his face.

Percy, being Percy, merely grabbed his tray, stepped over the body at his feet and walked off to the lounge with a smug smirk gracing his face. Man bun's friends helped him to his feet, offering some napkins for the bleeding and he hobbled out the bar with his tail tucked between his legs.

"I guess we were worried for nothing," Leo shrugged, plucking up a menu.

"You were worried?" Nico, of all people, asked. "It's Percy. How were you expecting anything else?"

"What?" I asked as all three of us turned to the Italian.

"Oh, right, you guys didn't meet him till high school, when he'd calmed down some." Nico sipped at his espresso before he continued. "Percy and I briefly went to the same middle school."

"Briefly?" Will asked, confused.

"Yeah, he was expelled a month after he started."

"Were you dropped into the shark pool?" I asked, already picturing a dripping wet Nico. "Wait, no. That was fourth grade, not middle school. So why was he expelled?"

"Shark pool?" both Leo and Will screeched.

"Yeah, nah. Our headmistress used to date his dad in college, though," Nico continued, a rare smile pulling at his lips. "She kept running her hands through Percy's hair every chance she got, telling him how much he looked like his dad."

"Um, what?" Will asked.

"That's disgusting," Leo gagged.

"So you're telling me that my boyfriend's headmistress was a paedophile and a predator."

"Yeah, sorry," Nico gave me a sympathetic look. "Anyway, Percy retaliated by stealing her figurine collection, cutting off the heads, and shipping the box of heads back to her with a note saying 'Regards, Percy.'"

"Oh, my gods!" I clamped a hand over my mouth.

"Even better," Nico went on, enjoying our shocked expressions. "Percy wasn't the first student to try and steal her figurines, so she kept them in her snakes' habitat." My jaw nearly hit the table.

"Percy got past a snake to steal some fucking dolls?" Leo asked, nearly hysterical.

"Snakes," Nico corrected. "The witch had a vivarium along an entire wall in her office, full of snakes."

"Oh, gods, stop," I pleaded and Nico cackled, actually cackled. "My heart can't take it."

"My point is," Nico wheezed, calming from his laughter. "Percy Jackson is a badass, and you shouldn't worry."