Welp. This was pretty much expected. Spending his birthday alone. Again. Over, and over. Again and again. Waited sixteen years for what? A chance he might get to celebrate a real birthday? He wasn't even mad at this point. He waited a year for this day. Like ever other year. But still the same results. Even after moving into camp. The place where he finally felt like he belonged in something. Leo tried not to cry again. Okay, maybe a few loose tears feel down while he was slaving away on his special day. Calm down, he told himself. It's just a thing that means "Congratulations! One year closer to your impending death!" It was fine. No, nothing was ever fine. But there's a great thing called gaslighting. Leo sighed, wiped his face with a rag, and slowly walked back to his cabin. He turned the knob. It was dark, in a creepy way. Leo flicked on the light switch. And the second he did that, it was like a dream come true. "SURPRISEEEE!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEO!" Everyone had popped up, setting the perfect ambush. Or also known as, a surprise birthday party. For him? Him? For the Leo Valdez? A scrawny annoying dude? Leo was quite honestly flabbergasted at first. Everyone was there. He couldn't even remember the last time anyone did anything as nice as this for him. He just froze in place. Not sure if he was hallucinating, or maybe just dreaming. This had to be a dream. There's no way they did this. For him? Was there food? Oh gods, please be food. After taking a long look around the area, he finally spoke. "Is this for meeee? All of this, just for little old me?" He asked in mild disbelief. "Make way for the cake-!" Percy was holding a birthday cake, specifically the one with all those fancy shit on it. Like something that belonged in an art museum. Alright now this was the icing on top of the cake (pun intended), now Leo was ready to cry happy tears. Dramatically. He still had the role of the comedic relief.

Jason came up from behind and hugged Leo. It was warm. He actually felt loved for once.