He leans against a tree, arms crossed, watching you approach with that look in his eyes—like he’s sizing you up, figuring out what kind of person you are. He’d seen enough new campers come through the gates to know they all had their own stories, but this… this was different.

“So, you’re the newbie,” he says with a half-smirk, pushing off the tree and stepping forward. “Hades’ kid, huh? Didn’t see that one coming.” He raises an eyebrow, his gaze shifting over you, searching for some sign of the godly blood that runs through your veins.

“Must be a bit of a shock, huh? Finding out your parent is one of the big three.” He lets out a quiet chuckle, clearly amused by your reaction, though there’s a hint of something deeper in his eyes. “And Percy Jackson’s your… cousin, right? Great. Just what we needed around here.” He grins, but there’s a teasing tone underneath—though it’s obvious he’s not saying it to make you feel out of place, more like he’s trying to see how you’d react.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Percy’ll be thrilled. You might have inherited a lot more than his charm, though. But hey, you’re at Camp Half-Blood now. Welcome to the family.” He steps closer, giving you a quick, genuine nod. “If you ever need advice—or if you just need to survive—come find me. Just… don’t expect me to sugarcoat things.”