#i will admit it WAS halfassed though so if it is awful pretend it is the best thing you’ve ever read

[annabethy]

december 8: christmas pastries

Percy finds that he likes looking at Annabeth.

He loves being able to see the way she interacts with the world. He finds new things he hadn’t noticed about her all the time, and he makes it a game to see how much more he can learn. Even now, he’s noticing for the first time how when she walks around the small market, her hands trace over everything in her path. He explores through her hands and her eyes track every detail around her, from the blinking lights hanging from each of the market tents to the footprints tracked through the snow.

His eyes end up falling down to her stomach, barely visible through the open front of her coat. It’s easy to see the subtle waddle she does through the snow as she explores with Percy following closely behind. It hadn’t always been there, and Percy doesn’t want it to ever disappear.

“Percy?”

Percy presses his lips to the top of her head. “Mh-hm?”

“I was talking to you.”

“Were you?” Percy lifts his head and kisses her temple. “I’m sorry. What were you saying?”

“Can we get some of the pastries?”

“Which one?”

“All of them.” Annabeth smiles innocently when Percy looks at her, scolding. “Blame your child.”

“My child?” Percy prompts, teasing. “Only mine? Not at all your child?”

“You’re the troublemaker,” Annabeth says as they begin walking again. Percy tries to steer her away from the ice on the path, and Annabeth tries to jerk her hand out of his. “We’ve talked about this, haven't we?”

“You mean you’ve blamed me every time the kid does something wrong despite not being born yet?” Percy asks, humored. “I think I remember that, yeah.”

“I’m kidding,” Annabeth says, propping her chin on his chest. Percy brushes her hair from her face lovingly “For the most part, anyway.”

“I know you are. Everyone that knows you knows that you’re the real trouble.”

Annabeth pushes herself into his side and snakes a hand through his shirt to press her icy palm to his back. Percy jumps at that, but he doesn’t have the effort to dwell on it when she giggles into his neck and he almost melts into a puddle in adoration.

“So are you going to buy your child any of the Christmas pastries?”

“I’ll buy our child one,” Percy says.

“I want five.”

“Who do you think I am?” Percy laughs out. “I don’t have that type of money.”

“Not even for me?”

They stop by one of the booths that Annabeth leads them to, and Percy turns to her as they wait in the line.

“For you, I’ll think about it.” Annabeth seems to be content in that, and she turns back to face the tent as the line moves forward. Percy’s eyes stay on her, though.

It’s snowing the slightest bit, and he thinks she looks so pretty as the snowflakes land in her hair. She looks delicate in this light as there’s a tiny gap in the clouds where sunlight is able to shine through. He wants to take a picture of her like this, but he can’t bear to look away and miss any moment of it, so he does his best to memorize the scene instead.

“Do you want anything?”

Percy shakes his head, pressing into her back and wrapping an arm around her waist. “I’m alright.”

He pays absentmindedly, and he has a swept smile on his face as she takes a bite of what looks suspiciously like a beignet. They wind up sitting on a bench after wiping off the snow. It’s still wet and freezing through Percy’s jeans, so Percy pulls Annabeth into his lap and rests his chin on her shoulder.

Annabeth holds the treat up to his mouth. “Do you want some?”

“You can have it.”

She tilts her head. “Come on.”

“You’re full, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but also, I feel like sharing.” Annabeth nudges him lightly. “We can do it Lady and the Tramp style.”

Percy laughs. “Oh, god.”

“It’s also an excuse to make out in public.”

“I mean. That’s not happening, but I’ll give you a kiss.”

“A singular kiss? That’s so rude.”

“Two kisses,” Percy compromises.

“That’s better,” Annabeth says, sounding truly unconvinced. She holds the beignet up to his lips, and he takes a gracious bite. She follows him and takes a bite off the other end, and they can’t help but laugh at each other so close up.

When Percy pulls away, there’s powder on Annabeth’s lips, and he’s sure his face is just as messy.

Annabeth licks at her thumb and asks, “What do you think?”

“I think it’s good,” Percy says, laughing and wiping at her cheek. “And incredibly messy.”

“Isn’t that the point of Christmas pastries?”

“To make a mess?” Percy grins. “Absolutely.”

“You love me and my messes.”

“I’d sure hope so.” Percy threads his hand through her hair. “I did marry you, after all.”

Annabeth smiles against his lips when he tugs her toward him lightly to kiss her. She tastes like the powdered sugar of the pastry, and she’s smiling so adorably into the kiss that he kisses her again and then one more time.

“I love you,” Percy says against her.

“Enough to buy me another dessert?”

“Didn’t you say you were full?”

“I lied.”

Percy rolls his eyes, and his lips quirk up. “I love you enough to buy you two more desserts.”

“Oh, wow,” Annabeth says. “That’s a lot of love.”

“I do have to love you double, after all,” Percy says. “There are two of you.”

“You make it sound so weird.”

“It kind of is,” Percy admits. “I love it.”

“Can we get something else?”

“What do you want?”

“I think I saw a sugar cookie.”

“More sugar?”

“I don’t want to see any judgment from you,” Annabeth says. “Your child—”

Percy gives her a playful look.

“Our child,” she corrects, “Just likes sugar. Or I do. But that’s my excuse, anyway.

“Okay. Let’s go get something else.” Percy stands from the bench, but Annabeth just leans onto her palms and looks at him expectantly. He extends a hand to help her stand, and he laughs when she whines about it.

“This is mortifying,” Annabeth says, slipping her hand into his. “I can’t believe I can’t stand on my own.”

“I think it’s cute,” Percy tells her.

“You think everything I do is cute,” Annabeth says. “You’re biased.”

“Maybe, but it’s still adorable.” Annabeth flicks his nose lightly, and he retaliates by pulling her into his side. He nudges her nose with his. “Hey. I love you.”

Annabeth hums. “Do you?”

“So much.”

She taps his forehead. “Then you better get me that cookie fast.”

Percy laughs and kisses her once. “I guess I better.”