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perseabethj · 3 years ago

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i don't really have an explanation (iv.)

Percy didn’t let go of Annabeth’s hands once they entered in the apartment. It’s not that he thought she couldn’t defend herself if need be, but he didn’t fully trust his classmates -at least, not drunk. He hadn’t wanted to come to the party, but his friends had convinced him that, as part of the swim team, he couldn’t escape socializing forever. He was happy enough with his small circle of friends, but they had let him know that, while they were also happy being just the four of them, they wouldn’t mind surrounding themselves with the popular crowd every once in a while. Percy had felt a little bit guilty because of denying them that, and Annabeth had told him that going out once wouldn’t hurt. He had decided to trust her (he’d been doing that for years and that was the only reason as to why he was still alive), and thus had told Chris Parker, his team’s captain, that he would maybe show up at his party that weekend. It was Halloween, after all, and he felt a little bit silly staying at home during his senior year of high school. He knew high school parties could get a little bit wild, but the moment the door opened and music filled his ears, he was starting to regret his decision.

‘’I know that this is my first party and all that, but are guys supposed to walk around shirtless? Are they even pretending to wear a costume?’’ Annabeth asked to no one in particular, raising her eyebrows.

‘’We’re talking about the sport jocks,’’ Kayla reminded her with a pointed look, pulling at her cheerleader uniform; she'd never be caught dead with one of this seriously, but her sister had been a cheerleader years ago and Kayla wasn't about to spend forty dollars on a costume she would never wear again.

‘’Hey!’’ Percy exclaimed. These were his teammates, after all (he could also recognise some of the guys from the soccer team and some cheerleaders arounds, and he was pretty sure there were also some marching band kids, but he wasn’t about to point that out, since that would only support Kayla’s point).

‘’Don’t act all offended,’’ Annabeth told him, ‘’you spend half of your time at camp shirtless as well.’’

‘’I spend half of my time at camp at the beach, and the rest of my time I’m sweating my ass off because of you or Clarisse, so be thankful I’m wearing my shirt that half of the time and I don’t go to the dining pavilion naked.’’

‘’While most of Cabin 10 wouldn’t probably mind, Mr. D would turn you into a dolphin the moment he saw your naked butt.’’

‘’That he would,’’ Percy answered, laughing as he let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulder. He leaned into her ear playfully and said, ‘’don’t tell anyone, but I miss the guy.’’

His friends looked at them as if they were crazy, but knew better than to question them.

‘’I need something to drink,’’ Matthew told the group. ‘’Do you want anything?’’

Percy and Annabeth shook their heads, choosing to wait before drinking anything at all (Percy also didn’t want to explain to his friends why he didn’t drink alcohol, and Annabeth knew that). Louis said something that sounded foreign to Percy -seriously, a vodka with a twist on the rocks? Couldn’t he simply say vodka? And did he really have to order it with a twist? He’d never understand rich kids-, and Matthew gave him a thumbs up, which was the only thing he could do with the foam cheer gloves he was wearing along with his baseball player costume.

‘’I’ll come with you,’’ Kayla said, looping her arm around his and dragging him across the hall.

Percy looked around the party, trying to decide what to do. He didn’t have to look at Annabeth to know she was doing the same thing, and he also knew she felt more uncomfortable than he did, since she knew nobody but him and his friends.

‘’I just wanted to let you know you made me lose a bet,’’ Louis suddenly said.

They looked questioningly at him and he pointed at them and their clothes.

‘’I had bet that you wouldn’t wear matching costumes,’’ he said. ‘’I didn’t take you for the kind of couple who does, even if you are all lovey-dovey. You both seem too mature for that.’’

‘’We didn’t plan it,’’ Annabeth told him. ‘’I mean, we both knew we’d be wearing this, but we didn’t really plan it. Percy didn’t know if he wanted to come until the last minute and we had no costumes at home, and we both suck at any kind of DIY. We had this at home from before.’’

‘’From before?’’ Louis asked, an eyebrow raised.

‘’We organised a Greek party at camp once,’’ Percy quickly said. ‘’We kept the clothes in case, and they have thankfully come in handy. An actual toga looks more dignified than a sheet, which was what my mum thought we’d be wearing when we told her about this.’’

‘’You have knifes from before?’’

Annabeth laughed and looked at the knife strapped to her arm. She had used the Mist to make sure her dagger stayed like one and Percy had complained that he couldn’t do that. She had then reminded him that walking around with a three-feet-long bronze sword wouldn’t be the wisest thing to do, considering that, if he were to hit somebody accidentally with it, everyone would know it wasn’t plastic when it simply moved through them, which was why he was weaponless.

‘’Who says it’s not a real knife?’’ Annabeth asked enigmatically.

Before Louis could say anything else, Annabeth pulled Percy forward with her and moved towards the dance floor. She could see Louis’s confused face as he walked to the kitchen to find the rest of the group and laughed lightly before wrapping her arms around Percy’s neck.

‘’You shouldn’t do that,’’ Percy told her, but he was definitely holding back a smile. ‘’His head is going to explode one day if you keep making those kinds of comments.’’

‘’It’s not my fault mortals are so easy to fool.’’

He finally smiled widely and brought her closer, his hands on her waist. Annabeth breathed a sigh of relief -between exams, monsters and the typical anxiousness that all demigods carried whenever they stepped onto the street, being at a party with her boyfriend and worrying about nothing at all was a godsend. She could feel Percy’s smile against her hair, since he was laying his cheek on her head, and she could also hear his heartbeat, her ear pressed against his chest. It didn’t matter to them that the song was definitely not a slow one, and so they swayed slowly to the rhythm of a song that definitely required more moving. Percy knew people were looking at them; not everyone knew he had a girlfriend, even if he wasn’t particularly secretive about it, and they made quite a striking pair in their white togas with golden details, golden tiaras and leather sandals.

‘’I love you,’’ he whispered, and Annabeth was amazed at the way he managed to make it sound romantic even in the middle of a techno song.

‘’I know,’’ she answered softly. ‘’I love you, too.’’

When the song finally ended, they separated; it’s not as if they had actually been paying attention to the music playing, but tuning out two loud songs and managing to dance for so long was too much for two people with ADHD.

‘’Shall we go to the kitchen to get some water?’’ Annabeth asked.

Percy nodded and threw his arm around her shoulder again, her arm automatically moving to wrap around his waist. It had made her uncomfortable at the beginning of the relationship how Percy always wanted to be touching her, since she didn’t fully understand why. She had always been the one to hold his hand when she was scared, and it had taken her a while to realise it was because he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable and he never truly believed that she could like him back. Now that Percy knew she loved him just as much as he loved her, his body always found a way to make sure he was touching her; even during the hot summer nights they spent together after the Giant War, he had always managed to wrap his leg around hers or to lay his hand on top of her hip while he slept.

They were greeted by his tipsy friends when they reached the kitchen, who thankfully didn’t question it when Annabeth simply grabbed a bottle of water and Percy a can of coke. Percy was happy with his life at the moment; things might not have been perfect, but they were better than they had been in a long time. His friends liked his girlfriend, nobody was trying to kill him on the regular (he didn’t even care about random monsters anymore; no god or Titan going specifically after him? Are you kidding? A dream ), he was about to have a baby sister, and he hadn’t exploded his school yet. Looking around the group of people surrounding him, he felt a sense of normalcy that he had longed for for a while. Matthew was talking about a different girl he had fallen in love with - ‘’I’m telling you, man, she is the one’’ -, and Kayla was mocking him while Louis laughed quietly and Annabeth laughed with him. He pressed a kiss at the top of Annabeth’s head and brought her even closer, relishing the situation. Of course, good things never lasted forever.

‘’Hey, blondie!’’ John Robinson’s voice called. He tried to grab her arm, but Percy pushed her closer when he felt her slipping away. She didn’t move away from him, but did turn to face John with a steely look in her eyes.

She said nothing, simply arching an eyebrow and defying him to say anything else. Had he been sober, he would have probably walked away -at least, Percy hoped so, since the guy was an asshole, but not stupid-, but he was, very clearly, drunk.

‘’Mind your mouth, Robinson,’’ Percy threateningly said. He saw his friends straightening up from the periphery of his eye, aware that this could lead to something ugly.

‘’You know, blondie, you scared me pretty badly the other day at the meet,’’ he said, slurring his words, ‘’but it was so hot that I jerked off to it when I got home.’’

‘’That’s enough,’’ Percy exclaimed, moving forward and raising his fist before being pulled back by Annabeth.

‘’Stop it!’’ she yelled. She turned to look at him and put one hand on his chest, the other holding his hand and forcing him to look at her before she whispered, ‘’I can do this myself. Besides, you don’t want to be taken off the team.’’

She turned again to look at the laughing John, who was now making fun of Percy. They had attracted a crowd and people were anxiously whispering, both excited and afraid of a fight breaking out.

‘’Man, she must be really good in the bedroom for you to be so submissive.’’

‘’If you don’t shut up, you’ll be breathing through your mouth for the next six weeks,’’ she calmly said.

‘’Oh, come on, blondie, are you being tough because you know it turns me on?’’

He raised his hand to touch her hair, but Annabeth used her left hand to push his arm away and, then, raised her right fist and punched him in the nose. He fell backwards, holding his nose and screaming in pain. His voice was the only one in the kitchen; everyone had gone silent the moment he tried to touch her, expectant of what was about to happen.

‘’You bitch!’’

‘’Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, you big baby,’’ she said, not even holding her hand or caring about her knuckles. She bent down and smiled happily, patting his foot. ’’Be thankful I didn’t dislocate your shoulder, because that’s my speciality. You can ask Percy. It turns him on when I’m tough, too, but, unlike you, he actually gets to do something about it.’’

She stood up and searched for Percy’s hand blindly, who had already extended it to take hers before she was even up. There was still an angry look in his eyes, but there was a troublemaker smile that she adored adorning his face.

‘’Do you want to stay for another song, or should we go home?’’ She asked, ignoring the glances everyone was sending them.

‘’Home,’’ Percy said, smiling. ‘’Definitely home.’’

They started moving towards the door, people moving to let them pass. Just before they were out of the kitchen, Annabeth turned around and smiled sweetly at his friends.

‘’Are you coming?’’

Silently, they followed them, making a mental note not to bother Annabeth or Percy if they didn’t want to end up with a broken nose. Once they were out on the street, Annabeth broke out laughing, and Percy followed. Matthew, Kayla and Louis couldn’t help but laugh as well, and they knew they looked like a group of drunk teenagers, but they didn’t really care.

‘’That was even better than when you judo flipped me,’’ Percy said once he calmed down, using his finger to dry the tears off his face.

Annabeth laughed and elbowed him on the side before pressing her face against his chest. His arm was once again around her shoulders, and they looked just as happy as they had when they had first arrived at the party.

‘’What an uneventful night, though,’’ Annabeth said quite seriously, but with a soft smile on her face.

Percy hummed and nodded, and his friends couldn’t help but wonder what was an eventful night for them. They knew, however, not to ask anymore.

#percabeth fanfiction #percy jackson #percy #percabeth #annabeth chase #annabeth #i don't really have an explanation #my writing

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rosyredlipstick · 4 years ago

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guess who watched high school musical 2 and got caught up in the ryan/chad of it all: a conchell AU

this is pure 100% cheese. thats ur warning. also unbeta-ed.

Spending the entire summer at their mother’s golf resort had sounded like a dream for exactly 3 seconds, until Mitchell remembered the…. Everything about his siblings.

When he wasn’t pulling Sebastian away from flirting with all their guests and the entire staff, he was lecturing Scarlett and Drew about taking advantage of the concierge service, making sure Stefan and Valentina weren’t spending too much time in the sun and were definitely drinking virgin cocktails, reigning in Lacey and Sophia’s pranks, and making sure Sabrina was happy in her first summer enrolled in the youth program. Oh, and he was choreographing a major number for the end of summer talent show. So. Full plate.

Still, it was nice he had convinced Will to come along for the summer. While he was one of Mitchell’s official guests, he had quickly befriended the entire young staff in the kitchens and by the poolside. More than often, when they were on their walks around the resort, Will would no doubt be called out to or greeted by grinning teens in red and white polos.

Mitchell, used to his friend’s sunflower attraction toward attention, smiled knowingly and let it happen without a complaint. At least Will was enjoying himself--he’d been way too stressed about his pre-med program the last few months and, with Mitchell spending most of his time at the resort trying to rein in his power-drunk sibling, he was glad his friend wasn’t spending the summer alone at the poolside.

Of course, with all his new acquaintances, that also meant that Will’s tendency to interfere with Mitchell’s personal relationships appeared.

“I’m telling you, you need to hang out with friends more, you’ve been busy all summer!” Will was smiling brightly. “This is the perfect opportunity!”

“Yes, the perfect opportunity to intrude on a social gathering!” Mitchell protested, “It’ll be weird if I go. You should just go and have fun, don’t worry about me.” Mitchell sighed, “I don’t want them to be uncomfortable! This is their down time, I don’t want to ruin it by being the boss’s kid.”

Will rolled his eyes, “It’s a baseball game, Mitchell.”

Mitchell shook his head, final. “Sorry. But I don’t think so. Text me afterward, okay? We can grab ice cream.” Will said nothing. He peeked a look back to the other boy, “Unless there’s something else?”

Will sighed and looked off to the side as his cheeks colored. “Okay, listen, of course I really want you there because you’re my best friend and everything but also -”

“There’s a guy.” Mitchell guessed, bored. Will found the love of his life at least once a week. “Who is he?”

Will didn’t even put up a fight. “I’m not sure if you know him. He works in the coffee shop? Pale, dark hair, sharpest cheekbones I’ve ever seen?”

Mitchell thought for a second, “Nico?” He guessed. Nico, for the past few months, has consistently served him the best caramel macchiato he’d ever had every morning. Mitchell dreamt about that drink, on especially good nights.

Will melted into a dreamy mess. “Yeah. Nico.”

Mitchell blew a puff of hair up into the hair around his face, “I mean…” He grimaced, “If you need a wingman or something -”

“Yes!” Will was already celebrating, “Thank the gods, thank you! I mean, I think you’ll enjoy yourself at the game and everyone’s really cool, but yes! Okay, if you could just like, set up a really good opportunity for me and Nico to be together like, alone, I’d so appreciate it -”

Will continued to ramble about the perfect situation Mitchell could set up, including the ideal mood lighting, when Mitchell interrupted him.

"Is Percy okay?" Percy had just rushed by, looking upset, and hopped in his mother’s car without a word to either of them--odd, as he usually offered at least a hey guys! If not a full on conversation that left Mitchell feeling like a better person for having it. It was kind of his thing.

"Oh, he's in turmoil because he feels like he has to choose between swimming or singing with Annabeth at the talent show and he doesn’t know which to choose."

“Oh.”

Will wrinkled his nose, “Yeah, he’s kinda got his own thing going on right now. I saw him dancing by himself in the golf course earlier, but I thought I’d just give him some space.”

“Smart,” Mitchell commented, growing a bit uneasy as they approached the field. There was a crowd already assembled there with a smaller circle throwing a baseball back and forth. As they approached, a few people called out to Will in excitement but it wasn’t until they were faced with a smaller inner group of people that Mitchell was addressed.

A tall, smirking guy with wild curls was the first to greet him, lightly tossing a baseball into his own mit as he spoke. “Brought a friend, Will?”

Will smiled brightly. “Yeah! This is Mitchell.”

“Trust me, I know who Mitchell is.” His humor-filled gaze flickered to Mitchell himself. “Nice to finally meet you.”

Mitchell’s cheeks heated. “You know me?”

Travis let out a small disbelieving laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.” Travis elbowed the guy at his side, who shared similar curls and features. “And this is my brother, Connor.”

“Hello, I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” Mitchell held out his hand with a smile. “I’m Mitchell. You’re on the staff, here?”

Despite the incredibly stupid question Mitchell just asked considering Connor’s bright red LIFEGUARD tank top he still wore, Connor was kind enough to nod along with Mitchell’s obvious question, his eyes wide. Mitchell’s hand, still extended out to him, wobbled in the air.

He was a second away from dropping his arm and shaking it off completely when Connor seemed to realize that he was waiting for a handshake in the first place and nearly dived for it. In his haste, he almost completely tripped over himself and onto Mitchell.

“Oh, well,” Mitchell caught him before he could take them both down on the dirt field. “Are you okay? Is it too hot or something?” Connor’s face was strangely pale compared to his brother’s, despite the mid-afternoon summer sun. Mitchell resisted the urge to reach out and touch his skin for sun stroke.

“So hot,” Connor whispered, in his arms. Mitchell stared down at him in concern.

A girl--Katie, maybe--came up beside him and physically took Connor out of his arms, a tight smile on her lips. “This is nothing, he’s just dehydrated.”

“More like thirsty.” A girl across from them muttered.

Katie continued on like no one said anything. “Let’s get some water in you, dude.”

Will was smiling on like this interaction was completely normal. “So anyway I was wondering if Mitchell could join our game?”

“Hmm, well this is an employee-only game.” Despite his words, the light tease in Travis’s voice kept Mitchell from getting nervous about the whole situation. “But it does raise the stakes.”

That Mitchell could work with. His lips stretched out into a wide grin. “Yeah? What were you thinking?”

Travis clicked his tongue, “How do you feel about being Captain? I take one team, you take the other.”

He thought it over then nodded. “That sounds fair. What’s the prize?”

Travis shrugged, messing with the baseball in his mit as he spoke. “Any ideas?”

Mitchell pretended to think, already knowing what he wanted. With a group this size, his choreo could really expand into something great. “If you lose, you guys have to join my dance group for the talent show.”

“Hmm,” Travis looked to the girl at his side--Phoebe, he thought, another lifeguard. She once helped him with Sabrina’s floaties. “We’ll consider that. Guys?” The circle of employees gathered a bit closer to talk it over. Will shot him an excited look.

Suddenly, in the midst of their talking it over, Connor burst from the huddle and pushed his way over to Mitchell. “I’ll give you fifty dollars if you let me on your dance team.”

“Wait, no -” Travis grabbed his shoulders from behind to push him back, “Connor, we’re trying to negotiate with him!”

“Oh,” Connor nodded seriously and turned back to where Mitchell was waiting, amused. “I’ll pay two hundred -”

Katie slapped a hand over his mouth and dragged him back to the crowd, him protesting all the way. Travis looked back to Mitchell, tired. “Just ignore him, please.”

Mitchell watched him sink back into the crowd, something small curled at his lips. “I don’t think I can.”

“Anyway,” Katie was the one to speak now. “We talked it over, that sounds fine. If we lose, we’ll be in your show.”

Mitchell had to resist punching the air in excitement. “Great.”

Travis leaned back with his arms crossed, looking him over. “And what do we get if we win?”

“Well, what do you want?”

“Dinner and a movie,” Connor choked out, almost like he didn’t mean to.

Mitchell raised an eyebrow, “An catered employee afternoon in the movie theatre?” He thought it over, then shrugged. ��I could probably arrange that.”

Travis rubbed at his forehead, “I - sure. Yeah, that sounds fun.”

“Alright,” Mitchell smiled with a small shrug of his shoulders. “I guess it’s game on, then.”

...

Of course, against a batch of peers who had been playing baseball all summer, Mitchell was bound to lose. However, they didn’t lose as hard as he expected.

After the match, when Mitchell was left aching from the game and loss but proud despite it, Will sunk down next to him at the picnic table. “Good game. I didn’t think you’d get so into it.”

At the last moment, Mitchell had ended up diving for a ball, completely dirting up his outfit. He had caught it, and it had counted, but two players had already made it home in the meantime. Still, it was a close loss.

Mitchell smiled slightly. “Me neither. But it was worth a shot at a full dance group.”

Will laughed softly, “Still. Great catch.”

“It really was.” They both looked up at the new voice--Katie, from before. She’d been on Travis’s team with Connor, Jason, Leo, Annabeth and a few others. The rest of the group was mostly dispersed by now, most of them arranging rides home or plans to grab food. “We haven’t had a game that fun in a while.”

At her arrival, Will stood and offered her his seat. Which was kind, but also definitely just a ploy to escape and run off wherever Nico was lurking. Mitchell waved him off with a roll of his eyes before returning back to the conversation. Katie took his place without a word.

“Well, I’m happy to help. It was a good time, you guys work well together.” Mitchell shot her a knowing grin. “I’ll start working out the theatre rental. Any movie requests?”

She shrugged, “We can take a vote on it. But we’ve also been talking.” Katie had an amused twinkle in her eye. “We’re in. We’ll still do your show, it sounds fun.”

Mitchell sat up completely, a bolt of excitement hitting him. “Wait, really?” At her nod, he absolutely lit up. “Oh my god, it’s gonna be such a fun show, I promise!” He got to his feet in excitement and threw his arms around her shoulders in a hug, pulling away promptly. “Oh my god, wait, I’m covered in dirt I’m so sorry -”

She waved it off but stood herself. She, too, was covered in dirt from the game so didn’t seem to care much at any additional.

He couldn’t help but babble on. “It’s going to be so much fun. You won’t regret it.”

She smiled at him, looking like she was indulging him. “I know. Anyway, just a moment,” She disappeared for a few moments only to return, dragging Connor by the wrist. She pushed him toward Mitchell, almost bumping them into each other. “Connor will be your contact point for organizing this. Trade numbers, will you? For planning.”

“Oh, sure!” Mitchell fumbled to get his phone out and hand it over. Connor’s phone appeared under his hand faster than he thought possible.

Katie left them alone as he punched in his own phone and name, drifting back to where Travis and a few others were waiting. He handed back Connor’s phone, suddenly closer to the other boy than he had realized. He paused.

“You have grass in your hair.” Connor breathed out.

“Oh,” Mitchell dipped his head in embarrassment and rubbed at his head. “Oops.”

“I -” Connor gestured to his own temple. “Other side?”

He tried but Connor only stepped forward slightly into his space, reaching out slowly. “Let me -” Mitchell felt a slight pull on his hair, not painful. Connor pulled away with a blade of grass in between two fingers.

“Got it,” Connor said weakly, staring down at him.

“My hero,” Mitchell teased. Connor nodded gravely at that, like he was accepting a mission.

Connor licked his lips before he spoke. “That was a really good catch. You’re a good player.”

“Baseball’s just a dance of its own.” Mitchell shrugged, joking. “What can I say? I’m just that much of a star athlete.” Connor nodded, looking like he completely agreed.

Before either of them could say anything further, Will called out to him and ran their way, grinning, with another guy at his side. “I heard the news! They’re still doing the show, that’s great!” Will was glowing, “See, coming to this was a great idea!”

Mitchell stuck out his tongue, “You just wanted to brag that you were right.”

“No!” Will looked behind where he had ran from and lit up, “Actually, I wanted to introduce you to Nico!”

Nico, who trailed after him a few steps, walked up beside Will with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. Mitchell liked him already. “Next time you’re going to run off mid-conversation, can you at least give me a warning first? I’ll die before I jog after you in jeans.”

“You’re the one who wore jeans to a baseball game!”

“And why not? You think I’m gonna participate in this?”

“Well, you’re an employee at an employee baseball game. Perhaps I thought you were going to play.”

“Where would you get that idea? Have you not seen the everything about me?”

“Hi, I’m Mitchell.” He stuck out his hand with a grin. He could sit here all day, truly, but he did have things to do. “You’re Nico?”

“That’s me.” He raised an eyebrow. “You look familiar.

“Mitchell is one of Aphrodite’s kids. He’s a good one, don’t worry.” Will explained, shooting Mitchell a wince like he didn’t know exactly how his siblings were.

Mitchell snorted, “On behalf of Drew and Scarlett, I can’t apologize enough.”

“That… helps.” Nico winced. “I messed up Drew’s chai latte my first day on the job.”

Mitchell groaned, “Again, I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to get them to act like, you know, normal people -”

Nico cut him off. “We work at a golf club. I get more cranky boomers in an hour than an AARP meeting.” Nico shook his head, “They’re a lot, but definitely not the worst customers to have. At least they tip well.”

He could have wilted in relief. Across from him, Will’s eyes were nearly hearts. God, he was already lovesick.

Which reminded him --

“Actually, Connor and I were just leaving. We’ll leave you two be.” Mitchell lightly grabbed Connor’s elbow to start steering him away. “Will, can you get a ride home? I’m probably going to be staying late.”

Next to him, Nico perked up. “Oh, I can give you a ride? If you want? I’ll have to pick up my older sister but, um, it’s not that out of the way -”

“I would love to.” Will looked perfectly composed, despite the screaming excitement that must be running through his head. He even managed to grab onto Nico’s hand as he led them away toward the parking lot.

“Young love,” Mitchell commented, shaking his head fondly as the other couple walked off. “Must be nice.” He stepped back and dropped his hand from Connor’s elbow. “Oh, sorry!” He laughed lightly. “Sorry, I was recruited as Will’s wingman and I wanted to give them some time alone. Cute, right?”

Connor’s throat bobbled. “So cute. Um,” Connor made a jerky movement, like he was gonna run his hand through his hair but decided not to. “So you’re, uh, staying late?”

“Yeah,” He blew some air up into the hair hanging over his face. “If you guys are gonna join the number, I want to have the choreo adjusted for a group before we start rehearsals.”

“Cool, cool.” Connor nodded slowly, “Cool.”

Now that he was closer, Mitchell could almost recognize Connor from his many shifts poolside. His lifeguard chair was almost right across from where Valentina would occasionally drag him to tan in the afternoon sun. Didn’t he once help Mitchell apply sunscreen, when Valentina ran to get slushies right when he was reapplying?

His hands were cold, Mitchell remembered, or maybe his own skin was just that hot. He shivered when Connor applied the first handful of cream on his back. Mitchell had to advise Connor to take some of the sunscreen himself, after his own skin started to stain red.

He was kind, was the point. Or at least, that’s what Mitchell remembered.

Mitchell gestured at his parked golf cart as they approached it. “You want a ride anywhere? I’m heading toward the main pavilion.”

Something wobbled in Connor’s expression before he spoke. “I could, um, go with you?” He said it as a question, looking slightly nervous as he spoke.

“Yeah, sure! The employee entrance? Did you forget something?”

“No, no, like -” Connor made another awkward gesture toward nothing. “Like, if you need help with the number? I could come? I mean, it’s never too early to get started on learning the dance, right?”

Mitchell smiled, “Oh, sure! Do you have experience with dance routines?”

Connor nodded confidently. “Yes.”

“Really?” Mitchell turned to him in excitement. “Have you been in any dance groups before?”

“Um. No.”

“Oh, so like private lessons or something? A club?”

“Uh. No again.” His confidence was fully wavering now.

Mitchell raised his eyebrows, “So what experience do you have?”

“I sometimes dance in my room?” Connor scratched at the back of his head. “I, um. I didn’t think you’d ask many questions, actually.”

Despite his awkwardness, Mitchell was… charmed by Connor’s fumbling.

“Um,” Mitchell bit his smiling lip, looking away then back. “Actually, I was supposed to get ice cream with Will after the game.”

Connor deflated before he could finish. “Oh. Okay, yeah.”

“No!” Mitchell was quick to correct. “I meant like, with Will going off with Nico, I still want to get it. With you. If that’s okay?”

Connor’s expression bloomed into something so joyful, Mitchell was almost taken back. “I would… adore that.”

“Adore?” Mitchell couldn’t help but tease. “Why’s that?”

“I just,” He turned to Mitchell, his eyes wide. “I just really, really like ice cream.”

Mitchell bit his lip, “Me too. I mean, I really like ice cream. Ice cream is… sweet.”

Connor huffed out a small laugh, “Yeah. I, uh, agree.” He made an awkward little motion with his arm at the golf cart. “Um, shall we go?”

Mitchell stepped forward and looped his arm with Connor’s. “Actually, I thought we could walk?”

“I will do literally anything you want.”

Mitchell laughed, “I’ll hold you to that.”

To Mitchell’s amusement, Connor’s face turned a dark, dark red. He looked away, his lips pressed together in a small excited smile. Perhaps the baseball game hasn’t been such a bad idea.

#conchell #connor stoll #mitchell #my fic #rosy writes

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couvers · 4 years ago

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Bad Ties and Worse Ideas

12. “You are the most infuriating person I have ever known.”

Percy hadn't meant to mention to Jason very casually over text that he'd just gotten home from dropping Annabeth, Piper and Will off at the airport. He was texting too many people at once – his mom, Hazel, Leo, Annabeth – when Jason's message had come in. Too late to backpedal and not wanting to outright lie to Jason, Percy had explained the situation with Piper's family as delicately as possible.

Not an hour later Jason was pounding on the apartment door to be let in. When Percy opened it he found Jason wild eyed, pale, a little sweaty and struggling to catch his breath on the other side.

"Did you run here?" Percy asked, stepping aside to allow Jason in.

Jason shook his head, heading straight for the couch to collapse onto it. He carried a tie in hand, the top three buttons of his collar undone. "Traffic was backed up bad, so I had my driver let me out a few blocks away."

"And ran from there," Percy concluded, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I think I need to go to Malibu," Jason replied, his breathing slowly beginning to even out, but the other signs of stress not fading.

"That might be the worst idea you've ever had," Percy said as he took a seat in one of the living room's arm chairs, "and you bought that tie."

Lifting the tie in question – a blue thing with a flower like pattern that reminded Percy of those spirograph things kids at school always had but he could never figure out how to use – Jason frowned. "I like this tie."

"Exactly," Percy agreed. “It’s stupid.”

"Distracting me isn't going to work," Jason said a second later, but Percy thought a couple more comments like that and it just might. Percy didn't have time for distractions, though, because Jason pulled out his phone. "Do you think it's too late to catch a flight?"

"They caught the last one out tonight and that was like two hours ago, so yeah," Percy told him, mind working to figure out how he could talk Jason out of this monumentally bad idea.

Despite Percy telling him there were no more flights out that night, Jason's fingers were still flying across his phone screen. "I think the family jet is at LaGuardia right now. They could probably have it ready in an hour or two."

"You are the most infuriating person I have ever known," Percy said flatly, both because Jason was considering this at all and because he could so casually say things like, the family jet is at LaGuardia. "Okay, think about it this way – it's going to take you two hours to get the plane ready, then like six hours of flight time to LA. That's eight hours total, plus however long it takes you to get to the hospital from LAX."

"Yeah, which means I need to leave now so I can get there in time if she needs me," Jason insisted.

"Or," Percy pushed, "in eight hours you'll get there and it'll be weird because everyone is fine and now you've made the birth of her sister really awkward for her."

The possibility of making things worse got through to Jason, who stopped and slouched back into the couch, staring blankly ahead. Percy watched as Jason seemed to register where he was in real time, taking in his surroundings, the panic in his expression transforming into something more like longing. “I just feel like I should be with her right now.”

Percy understood Jason's desperation, he really did. If it were Annabeth going through something like this, Percy would have moved heaven and earth to get to her, probably even if they had (God forbid, he hated even thinking the words) broken up. That didn't mean it wouldn't be a terrible idea if he were the one doing it. Piper already had the floodgates thrown open on her emotions that night, on top of the general instability she'd been suffering since graduation. Adding Jason to the equation would just complicate things for her that much further. Maybe it would be a good complication, but it might also be a terrible one, and that didn't feel like a risk they should be taking.

“Believe me, I begged them to let me go, too. I get it,” Percy said, trying to pour his understanding into the words. They both knew he could only marginally understand what Jason was going through, but he hoped the sentiment still held. “Let’s wait until we hear from them. If something goes wrong, we’ll head out together – either on your stupid jet or the first flight in the morning.”

“Is it okay if I crash here until then?” Jason asked, the yearning lilt to his voice matching the longing in his eyes.

That longing was something Percy understood, too. Annabeth and Piper’s apartment had become kind of a second (maybe third would be more accurate) home over the last few months. There was a reason Percy had gone there, rather than back to the brownstone, after dropping the girls and Will off at the airport. Being there calmed him. That apartment was a respite from the world, every nook and cranny filled with the love Annabeth and Piper had for each other, contagious and healing. It must have been the same for Jason.

“Sure,” Percy agreed, figuring neither of the girls would mind him making that executive decision in their absence. “You had dinner yet? I’m hungry.”

Dialogue Prompts!

#i will probably never do two of these so close together again #but i spent like three hours at the doctor's today and wrote this to pass the time #also this was a request from twitter!#so no ask #set the night elena was born (chapters 88/89/90)#apt 305 #dialouge prompt #my writing #also wow i'm posting this and it's not 4am

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hamsterboos · 4 years ago

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Playing Santa for the Olympians

🎄Day 7 of 12 Days of PJO Christmas🎄

Percy had enough.

After the last two years of the gods messing up his Christmas breaks, he was ready to mess with them right back.

The only issue, though, was the fact that he couldn’t just go up to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building without a specific invitation, despite being involved in two Great Prophecy and saving the world twice.

But of course, that is why he forgave his father for the last two Christmas ordeals under the deal that he would help him prank the gods.

PSA: These drabbles are canon-compliant till HoO and just acknowledge the existence of Estelle. Also technology use is a thing.

Read on AO3

~~~~~

Percy was sitting on the floor in his cabin, wrapping up presents with a sparkly decorative red and green wrapping paper when Annabeth came into the room. She walked in with a bright ‘hello’ before coming over to stand behind his back.

“Hey,” he greeted, turning to look at her. It was the first time he’d seen her since breakfast because she’d been busy dealing with supervising the sparring ring, and he’d immediately holed up in his cabin to gather all the presents up and started wrapping them up properly the best he could.

She looked down at him with a bright smile, and she leaned down to brush her lips against his. He pulled away from her first, sending her a grin in return, and he watched as her eyes moved around the room to take in the roll of wrapping paper and the boxes he was surrounded by.

“Are you actually still wrapping presents?”

“Yeah, I am,” Percy confirmed, nodding. Annabeth moved to sit on his bed, crossing her legs underneath him.

“Percy, I know I’ve said that you have a talent to piss off the gods, but this...this is insane,” Annabeth spoke up incredulously. Percy looked up at his girlfriend, and he simply grinned. She rolled her eyes, and he knew she was well aware that there was nothing she could do to talk him out of this.

After the last two years of the gods messing up his Christmas breaks, he was ready to mess with them right back.

But of course, that is why he forgave his father for the last two Christmas ordeals under the deal that he would help him prank the gods.

“That’s the plan, babe. Dad’s helping me anyways, so it’s all okay.”

Annabeth sighed. “My mom’s going to kill you.”

Percy scoffed as he wrapped up a Kidz Bop CD, the gift he got for Apollo. Honestly, he wasn’t entirely sure whether or not he’d actually, genuinely enjoy the CD.

“Oh please. I don’t have that big of a death wish. I may want to prank the gods for Christmas at their Winter Solstice meeting, but I don’t want your mother to brutally murder me. At least I know the others would hesitate before killing me long enough for me to convince them not to kill me.”

“So she’s the only one that didn’t get the prank present?”

“Yup,” he responded, holding up a small jewelry box that was next to his ankle. He rested his elbow on his knee and put his chin on his hand as he watched her open up the box. Percy had contemplated what to get his girlfriend’s mother for a really long time, but he remembered that she had liked the necklace that Annabeth had gotten for Christmas senior year of high school, so after a week of searching, he had found the perfect gift.

Once he watched Annabeth let out a soft gasp at the sight of the bracelet, he knew he made the right decision. He had bought a thin silver bracelet with a gold owl charm hanging right in the center of the bracelet. The charm looked a lot like the one on Annabeth’s necklace, and he was hoping that her mother would genuinely like it.

Of course there was a chance that the other gods would be supremely pissed off about the entire situation, but that was something to deal with later.

“Percy,” she called out with a sly smile.

“What?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He did know she loved him, and he loved her as well, but there was something off with the way she was smiling at him and the way her eyes were shining mischievously.

“Did you just match the bracelet with my necklace?”

Percy glanced down at his hands, suddenly feeling shy. “Maybe.”

“That’s so cute that you’re trying to impress my mother.”

“Well considering the fact that it’s been four years since we started dating, and she still hates me, I figured it was worth a try to bribe her into liking me.”

“Valiant effort, Perce.”

Percy huffed a laugh but turned back to wrapping the rest of the presents. He heard the bed sheets shuffle as Annabeth moved off the bed, and then she came to sit down next him, their knees brushing. She leaned into him a bit, and he welcomed the warmth she brought with her. He shifted slightly so she could easily lean on him but he could also easily continue wrapping the presents. She settled her chin on his shoulder, and they sat in silence as eventually she picked up one of the boxes and started wrapping it as well, helping him. Percy reined in a smile. He knew that despite her open judgement, she was excited to see the gods freak out at their presents.

He knew he definitely was, but suddenly a thought came to mind.

“Hey Annabeth?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think I should bring Nico and Jason with us just to make sure my dear uncles don’t murder me?”

“Probably.”

“Good talk.”

~*~

An hour and half later, Percy had managed to wrangle Nico (who wouldn’t come without Will), Jason (who ended up dragging Piper), and Annabeth into coming up to Olympus with him.

They were in the elevator — the normal elevator music having changed to Jingle Bell Rock —, each person holding a stack of boxes to give to the gods, and Percy couldn’t stop vibrating. He was excited, but there was also that slight tinge of worry he felt that he was going to be immediately struck on down the spot.

If anyone asked him, though, he would immediately deny the worry.

He was the Savior of Olympus.

He was fine.

“So, what’s the plan?” Jason asked, looking at the stack of presents in his hand. He looked apprehensive, which was fair enough considering it was his and Piper’s first time going up to Olympus. Will hadn’t been up there either, but he didn’t seem all too worried.

“We go up there and just say that we’re surprising them for Christmas, and then hand out the presents.”

“What happens then?” Piper asked.

“We hope that Percy isn’t immediately murdered on the spot,” Nico responded dryly.

Percy groaned. “I’ll be fine.”

“Then why am I with you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He had a point there.

“Because,” Percy responded, stretching out the word slightly, “I needed people to carry the presents up with me.”

Nico blinked at him a few times and sighed. “I can’t believe I liked you once upon a time.”

Annabeth snorted as Piper barked out a laugh. “I heard the story about Percy traveling with Rachel, you and Annabeth. All three of them liked him at the same time, and he was still so oblivious.”

Percy watched as Jason bit his lip in an effort to not laugh, but his shoulders were shaking, and Will simply grinned.

“How did this turn on me?!” Percy whined, looking between his friends and girlfriend.

“It took me making the first move twice before he asked me out,” Annabeth spoke up, grinning as she bumped her shoulder with his. He swatted her away with his free hand.

“I was more occupied with trying to live past sixteen!”

“And here you are at twenty, still waiting for me to make the first move.”

Percy narrowed his eyes at her and started speaking without thinking, “You certainly didn’t make the first move when we—”

“Okay! We don’t need to hear about your sex life,” Jason groaned. Annabeth blushed, and Percy just laughed. Thankfully, they were almost to the 600th floor, which saved Percy from having to reply fully.

The elevator doors opened with a ding, and they walked up to Mount Olympus and into the gathering room.

The 12 Olympians and Hades were sitting in their chairs in their ten-feet tall God form, discussing something that Percy wasn’t too inclined to pay attention to. Poseidon had turned to look at him first, and his father sent him a wide smile, immediately standing up and cutting off whatever Hera was saying.

“Percy!” his father greeted, walking towards him and changing into his smaller, more human form as he walked closer.

“Hey, dad,” he greeted. He heard the other gods stop talking, now paying attention to them.

“What are you doing here?” Poseidon asked, a wild glint in his eyes. Percy tried not to laugh at the overexaggerated acting.

“We brought Christmas gifts! We knew that everyone would be here for the meeting, so we decided to play Santa and surprise you guys.”

“Oh that’s wonderful!” Aphrodite exclaimed, also walking closer in her human form. Percy tried not to glance at her too much. With the few glances that he took, he realized that she looked like his girlfriend, and he wasn’t going to lie, it was kind of messing with his brain. He was aware, though, that she made her way over to Piper.

The rest of the gods had slowly made their way over, and they all decided to try to move towards the center of the room. Percy was excited to let the gods open their presents, but he was also appreciating just how open the gods looked at their arrival. Apollo had wrapped Will up in a hug, and Zeus was awkwardly standing by Jason, both of them looking like they’d rather be anywhere else. Nico was talking to Hades, and he looked over at Annabeth smiling softly at her mother.

“Is everything ready?” his father asked, bringing Percy’s attention back to the matter at hand. Percy grinned.

“Yup.”

“Alright, then. Everyone, Percy says the presents are ready to be given out,” Poseidon announced. Percy shared a quick glance with Annabeth, and she shrugged as if to say this is it, good luck.

Percy, Jason, Nico, and Will first gave the presents to their respective fathers, and they all returned to their original spots to distribute the rest of the presents as Piper and Annabeth gave the gifts to their respective mothers.

Within minutes, everyone had their presents, and at first, the gods looked at the Big Three, waiting for them to open them first. Percy bit his lip to prevent any preemptive laughter escaping him as they opened the presents. Poseidon had promised to be fine with whatever present he got as long as it wasn’t good to make sure he wouldn’t get caught as being in on the plan.

Zeus opened his long, thin wrapped box first, and he paused as he pulled out an incandescent tube light with the words LIGHTNING ROD scribbled over it.

His father opened his gift only for him to pull out a pack of Korean seaweed, and Hades just paused when he took out an anatomical skeleton with a pack of chocolate pomegranate seeds with a post-it note that read For Persephone.

“What is the meaning of this, Jackson?” Zeus boomed, and Percy quickly glanced down, trying not to laugh. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friends also all shaking with the effort to stay quiet and for the first time he was glad that none of them had seen what he had bought because their reactions were absolutely hilarious.

Noticing that those three gifts were clearly prank gifts, the other gods quickly opened theirs. Hera was given a Ken doll wearing a tux and a Barbie doll wearing a wedding dress, clearly for playing house. Ares was given a stick with a note that explained that it was a weapon, and Percy watched as he immediately just flung it across the room, the stick hitting a wall and falling to the ground. Hermes opened his to find a glitter explosion as he pulled out fake fairy wings with so much glitter that it was flying everywhere. He just grinned, though, laughing at the prank. He winked at Percy, clearly pleased by the idea and the execution.

Aphrodite gasped in outrage when she opened hers to find a makeup palette for kids with the most boring colors that he could find while Hephaestus groaned in confusion when he opened his to find an Easy Bake Oven.

“Percy Jackson!” screamed out Dionysus as he pulled out a bottle of grape juice with the words WINE scribbled over the original label, and that must’ve been the only time in the last year that he had called Percy by his real name.

Artemis snorted when she saw that she was holding a Rudolph plush with a small card that read “It’s nice that they made one of your deer hunters a plush,” and Apollo happily pulled out his Kidz Bop CD, rushing to find a speaker to play it with. Finally, Demeter groaned as she opened hers up to find a Costco size package of Wheat Thins.

They all, except Hermes, Artemis, and Apollo, looked absolutely appalled at their gifts, and Percy had to admit that his father had gotten better at acting. Athena was the only one who hadn’t received her gift yet, and that was only because Percy didn’t want to make it such a big deal at the moment, and he was hoping that the goddess would see the present in his hands and would wait till later to ask about it.

“Care to explain yourself, Jackson?” Hades hissed just as the Kidz Bop CD started playing a cover of Oops...I Did It Again. That was the breaking point for the demi-gods because Percy and his friends doubled over with laughter, even Nico. Percy couldn’t believe how perfect the prank ended up working, and he sincerely wished that he had a camera to record the entire thing.

“Man, everytime Annabeth said that Percy had a gift for ticking off the gods, I didn’t realize she meant that literally,” Piper gasped, leaning against Will. “Percy, I don’t need anything from you this Christmas. This was enough of a gift.”

“Gods, that was priceless,” Will responded. Percy looked up at the gods again, and most of them had realized that it was kind of funny because their lips were twitching.

“How dare you,” Zeus complained, moving towards Percy (probably to strangle him), but Poseidon stepped forward.

“Brother, it’s Christmas. Let it go. Besides, your room could use some lighting.”

Zeus growled at Poseidon, but backed off regardless.

“There better not be a next time, Jackson,” Hades warned, and Percy saluted in response, his cheeks hurting from the laughter. The gods started breaking up, speaking to one another and his friends went to talk to them as well, taking the chance to reconnect with their parents.

Percy and Annabeth made their way over to Athena in the meantime who had simply been standing off to the side, watching.

“I assume my present isn’t a prank?” she asked once they got closer.

“Uh, no,” Percy responded. “I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

“You were scared.” It wasn’t a question, and Percy didn’t feel like responding so he simply handed her the present with Annabeth quietly watching.

She took the present and opened it slowly.

“It’s a bracelet matching the necklace you got my daughter,” she spoke, lifting it up slowly and looking at the necklace around Annabeth’s neck. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem, Athena.”

“You...are not as bad as I thought.”

Annabeth smiled at Percy, and he beamed, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Thank you.”

Percy was surprised at how well everything had gone because usually, things didn’t go his way.

Until Apollo cried from across the room.

“How come she got a proper present?!”

“What?” Aphrodite cried.

“Percy!” Poseidon exclaimed. Percy winced; he hadn’t told his father about that part of his plan.

“Woops?”

~~~~~~~

This is the last of the Christmas with the Gods plotline for the 12 days! I’ve really enjoyed writing these haha

Day 1 || Day 2 || Day 3 || Day 4 || Day 5 || Day 6

#percy jackson #pjo #pjo fic #percabeth #percabeth fic #the olympians show up #percy is a lil shit #12 days of christmas #12 days of pjo christmas

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gatesofember · 4 years ago

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The Ballad of Ladon Creek

Chapter 1

Wild West au | Pairing: Solangelo | Rating: T | Read it on AO3 | Next Chapter

Summary: Doctor Will Solace had lived in the secluded Oregon town of Ladon Creek for a year when a mysterious stranger arrived and turned his world upside down.

For @solangeloweek’s auctober

In the years after the Civil War, a young woman by the name of Hazel Levesque discovered a massive supply of gold in the hills near Ladon Creek. With the help of a few close friends, she established her own mine—something that she should not have been able to do, because Miss Levesque was not only female, but black, as well. At the time, blacks had been prohibited from entering the state of Oregon at all; they certainly weren’t granted the right to own property. It had taken some clever manipulation and sneaking around to have the land registered in her name.

The mine brought so many settlers in its first year of operation that one of Miss Levesque’s friends—Miss Annabeth Chase—designed a town named Ladon Creek after the nearby river. It was the largest town for miles but not far from Grande Ronde and it sat largely undisturbed by the county marshal and outside lawmen. That, and the fact that it had been founded by a black woman and her friends, was why Ladon Creek had attracted all manner of social outcasts and “undesirables�� in the years since the mine’s opening—one of whom being Dr. William Solace.

Dr. Solace had kept to himself since arriving in Ladon Creek the year before. While his mother, Mrs. Naomi Solace, was a pleasant and sociable woman, Will never sought out companionship. Even when invited, he listened more than he spoke and hardly ever stayed long.

Still, Will remained well-liked in Ladon Creek. Something about him made people feel safe and comfortable. He was of average height and his posture was unthreatening. His face was handsome and smooth, his voice sounded pleasantly melodic, and his demeanor was gentle and calming. His hands felt soft like he’d never worked a day in his life, yet he labored over his patients so arduously that you might have thought they were his own kin. Every touch was careful and every word was warm.

On one bright summer afternoon, a stranger rode into Ladon Creek slouched on the back of a bay-coated horse. He was clothed almost entirely in black and his face was hidden in shadow under the brim of his dark hat. When he stopped a couple on the street and asked where he could find the doctor, they pointed him in the direction of Will’s clinic.

Will looked up when he heard the rustling outside his office and saw the black-clad stranger tying up his horse outside the windows. He noted a limp to the man’s gait and clicked his tongue. Wounded travelers came into his office too often for Will’s liking—out west, people were far too careless and the terrain was far too dangerous.

Will folded his hands on the desk in front of him as the man opened the door and walked inside. “You’re the doctor?” asked the stranger.

“Yes,” said Will. “How may I help you?”

The man took off his hat, revealing a head of unkempt black hair and a pair of bottomless dark eyes that reminded Will of staring into a well. There was a sheen of sweat on his brow and dark circles under his eyes, and Will almost feared the man might pass out right in the doorway of his clinic. But despite his obvious exhaustion, he was handsome in a rough kind of way—the dangerous sort of handsome that was best admired from afar.

“I’m looking to buy some bandages,” the man said.

Will glanced down at the leg the man had been favoring. “You have a name, stranger?” he asked.

“Di Angelo—Nico di Angelo,” the man replied.

“Well, then, Mr. di Angelo,” Will said, rising from his desk. “If you let me examine that leg, the bandages are free.”

To Will’s surprise, the man hesitated before nodding and taking off his duster, revealing the brown-stained bandage wrapped around his left thigh.

“Sit down,” Will said, gesturing to the exam table hidden from the view of the windows by a privacy curtain. He took Nico’s coat and hat and hung them by the door before joining him. Nico had already started unwrapping his bandages. The wound was messy, caked with dried blood and slowly oozing a cloudy yellow fluid. Will could tell it was at least a day or two old and that an infection was setting in.

“You must have gotten in quite a fight,” Will said, standing to fetch supplies to clean the wound. “Run into some trouble?”

Nico didn’t answer. Will hadn’t expected him to.

“I already got the bullet out and cleaned it,” Nico said.

“Good,” Will replied. “You probably held the infection off long enough to make it here, but you’re lucky I asked to see it—otherwise, you might’ve lost your leg.”

Will poured alcohol on a cleaning cloth and Nico tensed when it touched his wound, but held still and didn’t make a sound until Will had finished and applied a healing ointment. “You’ll need to stay in town a few days so I can keep an eye on your progress and care for your wound properly,” Will said. “Mrs. Jackson owns an inn a little ways down the road where you can rent a room. She’ll make sure you eat well and her son will take good care of your horse.”

Nico was quiet and for a moment, Will worried that he’d argue. But then he sighed and said, “I suppose there’s no helping it. Where can I find her?”

Will tried not to feel insulted by Nico’s obvious disappointment. “Only a few buildings down the road—I’ll take you there,” he said as he finished changing Nico’s bandages. “Wait here a moment.”

Will went into the back room of the clinic and retrieved a wooden crutch from his supplies, then returned and offered it to Nico. “You’ll need to use this to walk for a while,” he said. “Try to keep your weight off that leg as much as you can.”

Nico looked at Will with tired incredulity, like he couldn’t believe Will was forcing him to do all this, but he got to his feet and tested the crutch without complaining. Will handed Nico his hat and coat and brought him outside to where his mare was waiting. Will offered to lead her while Nico got used to his crutch, and Nico shrugged like he didn’t care one way or the other.

The Jacksons’ inn was a two-story building just a short walk away with blue painted siding and windows of natural pine. If he walked by at the wrong time, Will would smell a wonderful meal being prepared, which always left him hungry and jealous. He had been invited to join them for supper a handful of times, and each time he swore it was the best meal he’d ever had.

Mrs. Sally Jackson sat on a rocking chair on the front porch as Will and Nico approached, humming softly and holding her sleeping six-month-old baby against her chest. She looked tired, with a few brown and gray hairs out of place, but relaxed and happy.

“Afternoon, Mrs. Jackson,” called Will.

“Dr. Solace!” Mrs. Jackson said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I have a patient in need of a room,” Will answered, nodding to Nico. “This is Mr. di Angelo. He’ll be staying here until his leg heals.”

“Poor thing,” Mrs. Jackson tutted as she rose from her chair, careful to not wake the baby. “Take a seat while I bring your horse to the stable out back, Mr. di Angelo. Doctor, I’m sorry to trouble you, but would you mind holding Estelle? Paul’s at the schoolhouse, Percy’s on the ranch, and poor Estelle has barely napped all day.”

“No trouble at all, Mrs. Jackson,” Will answered. Estelle stirred when Will took her, but she quickly fell asleep again in his arms.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Sally said before leading the horse around to the back of the building.

When Will glanced back at Nico, half expecting to find him passed out in the rocking chair, he was surprised to instead see Nico watching him with a curious, unnerving expression that made Will’s hair stand on end. He felt like he was being picked apart, dissected and examined like a dead animal. Will cleared his throat, but Nico kept staring—perhaps not even realizing what he was doing or not understanding that Will was trying to get him to stop.

“Your horse is lovely,” Will said, attempting to distract him instead. “What’s her name?”

Nico finally blinked and he looked thoughtful for a moment, like he’d never considered giving her a name. Then he said, “Cavala.”

“Cavala,” Will repeated, rubbing soft circles into Estelle’s back. “A beautiful name for a beautiful horse.”

Nico smiled, but it seemed more like he was enjoying a private joke than appreciating Will’s compliment. Still, the smile made Will’s heart rate pick up for a second and he almost worried the hammering would wake the baby sleeping against his chest. He glanced away and was glad to see Mrs. Jackson returning.

“Thank you for holding her,” she said when Will passed Estelle back.

“You’re very welcome,” Will said. “Don’t let her nap too much longer or she won’t want to sleep tonight.”

“I know, Doctor—this isn’t my first baby, it’s just been a while since my last,” said Mrs. Jackson. “I’ll set you up in a room on the ground floor so that you don’t have to bother with the stairs, Mr. di Angelo. My husband and my son should be home soon and Percy will look after your horse while Paul helps me with supper. Are you hungry?”

Nico looked at her blankly for a second before nodding, like it took a moment for his tired brain to comprehend what she was asking. “Yes, ma’am,” he said.

“I ought to head back to the clinic,” Will said, before the idea of a Jackson supper made him start to drool. “Come by tomorrow morning so I can check on your leg, Mr. di Angelo.”

Nico turned back to Will, once again fixing him with that unnerving stare, and slowly nodded.

When Will walked back to his clinic, he could still feel the stare on his back.

#Wild West au #solangelo #Nico di Angelo #Will Solace #solangelo fanfiction #solangelo fanfic #my fic

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drvrslcense · 4 years ago

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Can’t Take My Eyes off of You (Percabeth)

Masterlist | Twitter | Wattpad

Read this on AO3!

Word Count: 3k+

Pairings: Percabeth - Percy Jackson x Annabeth Chase

Description: In which Annabeth is tired from Christmas shopping & plays a song.

Warnings: FLUFF & also unedited work

Shawn Mendes’ cover is amazing! & If you can’t tell, I’m feeling all the feels- so please enjoy this & listen to this song on loop.

It's December 24 - the air was chilly and buzzing with that electric Christmas cheer. People all over the place were wearing big smiles, while some were scowling because of the tight crowds. Everyone was fighting their way through the crowds - everywhere you look, you'll hear someone mutter, "excuse me".

Annabeth was normally a strategist, often considering buying Christmas presents beforehand - before all these craziness starts. But with finals on the horizon, Annabeth focused on her studies, forgetting to buy Christmas gifts. Now, she grumbles about procrastinating and forgetting to buy presents as she fights her way through the enormous crowds, her boyfriend Percy behind her.

Percy was holding Annabeth's hand as the blonde continued to push through the crowd. Sometimes, his head would turn and he'd gaze in wonder to all those Christmas lights around the city, leading Annabeth to tug his hand and get him off his daze. There was no denying that this boy loved Christmas. He loves being with his family, spending time with his friends, and most of all, spending the winter break with his girlfriend.

Annabeth was still fighting through the crowd, just wanting to get home. She'd already spent the entire chilly day out shopping for gifts, instead of just staying in and watching whatever crappy Christmas movie Percy likes to pick out. She and Percy were carrying shopping bags for presents - Percy did his own shopping too. While Annabeth bought stuff like perfumes for the girls and polo shirts for the boys, Percy bought foods. Dam foods. He bought his friend, Grover, a can fondant cake as a gag gift. Like a literal aluminum can fondant cake. You know those cakes that look like the thing they designed it after? That then turns out to be a cake? Yeah, that. Annabeth didn't know where Percy just find those. She almost berated him for buying those dam snacks and forced him to buy other gifts like a musical instrument for Grover or a box of LEGOs for Tyson, but she understood where he was coming from. And it was sweet, so she let it go, wondering if Percy bought a dozen soft pretzels or a gingerbread house for her.

As they clamber through the busy streets to their apartment in the middle of this bustling city, Percy could feel both excitement and nervousness on his insides. His intestines felt like it was rising up to his throat and forcing him to throw up the spectacular soft pretzel he and Annabeth ate in the midst of the chaos. He bought something for Annabeth while they were out. He was sure it was pretty, even he thinks that it was forged by Hepahestus himself. He just wasn’t sure what Annabeth’s reaction would be when she sees or when he gives it. He knew that he wanted it to happen, it was just so nerve wracking to do that he avoided it.

Annabeth sighed happily as they entered their apartment, dropping her bags near the door — in an orderly fashion — before flopping down on the couch. Percy dropped his bags messily on the table before opening the lights on their Christmas tree and flopping down beside Annabeth. The two admired the Christmas lights that danced before them. Their apartment was simple, small, but enough for the couple as they brave adulting. Annabeth was the one who designed the entire apartment. If it was her way, she would have designed their house. But because of high prices, urbanization, you know, the stuff, they couldn’t. Although Percy bets somewhere that Annabeth has a blueprint of her dream house.

It was a two-bedroom apartment with a minimalist theme. Although it was tiny, it seemed so spacious and elegant, that their visitors (their friends) often teased them about being rich. Upon entering the door, you’d immediately see a view of the buildings outside with their big windows on the side. Their Christmas tree stood beside the windows, its lights flickering various colors of green, blue, and red. It was, by standards, a thin tree. Percy liked his tree big, but given the space of their apartment, it was impossible. So, they settled for that thin, green tree adorned with countless golden and silver colored balls - there was even a snowflake ornament and a golden star perched on top.

That attention to the windows would be stolen away as eyes would be on their cozy, L-shaped couch, in front of that is their white, pear-shaped coffee table where an architecture book lay on top of. Percy often likes to put his feet on the coffee table, which he just does to annoy Annabeth who likes keeping things and orderly in their house. Their television was mounted on the wall across the couch. On the side of the apartment was their kitchen, it was L-shaped with a dining table in the middle. The dining table seats four persons and has a modern theme. It was round that whenever they have people over, they just add chairs.

The couple stared off at their window which overlooked half of the city and the flickering of lights on their Christmas tree. The lights danced in a way that was enticing to the both of them and it was the only light in the room. The couple stared in silence, with Percy putting his arm around Annabeth, before she broke it and scrolled on her phone. Percy cuddled Annabeth on the couch before the blonde pushed him away for being heavy.

Annabeth let out a weird sound - somewhere between a scream and a squeal - as she saw something on her phone that Percy observed quickly lifted her spirits.

"What?" Percy bolted upright. "What happened?"

"This," Annabeth has a big grin on her face as she showed Percy her phone. It was a paused video of a curly-haired boy, sitting in front of the piano. Percy was confused, but he was interested as seeing it made all her exhaustion leave.

"And what is 'this', exactly?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow to Annabeth.

"Just turn on the speakers."

Sighing, Percy reached behind him and turned on their speakers. Annabeth quickly connected her phone and played something.

You're just too good to be true

The first line of the song plays and Percy thought the voice was familiar, he just couldn't remember who. But he knew the song, his mother often played it while he was growing up. All the while, Annabeth has this soft smile on her face and Percy decided it was heaven. He could give her the world and it still wouldn’t be enough.

"Who is this?" Percy asked.

"Shawn Mendes," Annabeth sighed dreamily, a big smile appearing on her face - she often reserved the smile for the special people in her life. Percy couldn't help the jealousy that stirred in him, but he shook it off, scolding himself as irrational. Instead, he raised his eyebrows, and a smirk toyed on his face - apparently, Annabeth is a big fan of Shawn Mendes.

At long last love has arrived

And I thank God you’re alive

Annabeth closed her eyes, feeling the way Shawn Mendes’ voice just flow to her ears. It wasn’t heaven, but it was pleasurable enough. She feels like floating on Cloud 9, where all her stress disappeared and everything else just melts away and all she could see was Percy’s dazzling sea-green eyes, tousled jet-black hair, and his smile. Damn, that smile. The song wouldn’t be the death of her, his smile would be. She couldn’t deny all these feelings she has for him, even though they’ve been a couple for years now.

It all started out during high school. It was kind of cliche but Annabeth was glad she met Percy that young. Percy was a big part of her life, growing up as schoolmates despite not being close friends or enemies - he was just always there and Annabeth loved that about the two of them. They were always there for each other. Like that time in Mathlete where Annabeth competed against another school and won, she could see Percy cheering for their school in the crowds. Or when Annabeth rallied against their school overworking their teachers, Percy joined them. Or when Percy was awkwardly standing during Rachel Dare’s birthday bash and Annabeth joined him. That was when they first started talking and it all went from there.

Funny how they went from strangers in high school to literally a couple living together in the middle of the city. Their journey up to now has been a wild ride, but Annabeth was glad that it ended here - in their apartment, with Percy beside her doing God knows what, but having his presence is a comfort to Annabeth.

Pardon the way that I stare

There's nothing else to compare

The sight of you leaves me weak

There are no words left to speak

While Annabeth closed her eyes during the song, Percy stared at her. He couldn’t help but admire her. She was pretty, no matter how much she denied it. Her piercing gray eyes were Percy’s favorite physical attribute of Annabeth. But what he admires most is her courage - she is brave beyond compare, often heading head first into whatever difficulties they face. In fact, she was the one who asked him out. Percy was the one who was about to ask her out that night but Annabeth beat him to it, much to his frustration and his surprise.

It was during their school prom night, both of them ditched in the middle of it, coming home to Percy’s apartment to have a spontaneous movie marathon. It was in the middle of it and Percy was overthinking about whether or not he should ask her out. He’d liked her for years and had done nothing. They have also been friends of two of these. It was a boring movie when Annabeth abruptly faced him and asked, “Wanna go out to lunch tomorrow?”. Percy was taken aback by that question and just stared at her. Annabeth misunderstood him as him rejecting her. She stood up to grab her things when Percy yelled, “No, wait.” Percy was wearing a nervous, but boyish smile that made Annabeth stop and smile at him. Percy grinned and before they knew it, they were dating and Percy couldn’t help but always notice her gray eyes, which he thinks turns stormy whenever she’s intense.

Annabeth is captivating and Percy feels very lucky to have her in his life. He feels blessed by the gods to just be with her. Being around her presence made Percy feel whole. She is his best friend, partner, and love of his life.

Something was weighing down on his pocket and he palmed it, feeling the small box’s sharp edges and velvet skin. Sighing, he set his hands on his palm and paced around thinking that Annabeth was probably too engrossed in the song to hear him pacing around.

He was going nuts, not knowing what to do with the item. He was sure he wanted to do it during the holidays. But the great Percy Jackson doesn’t have any plans nor any ideas on how to proceed. He wanted to ask his best friend Grover, but Grover is quite chatty and he knew that it would spread within their friend group even before he does it, so no. And the others, well, it’s not that Percy distrusts them, it's just that feeling that he wants to do this by himself if he can’t tell Grover. And there’s also the feeling of pressure if someone knows.

Of course Mr. Chase knows -- he’s already agreed on this whole thing months ago, when he pulled him aside during Annabeth’s birthday, asking Percy when he’d do it.

Percy continued to pace around the room when his eyes laid on the bags of presents strewn across the apartment. Instead of just pacing, he decided to put it all under their Christmas tree.

Annabeth heard the rustling of the paper bags and opened her eyes. “What are you doing, seaweed brain?”

“Nothing,” Percy answered quickly. Too quickly that his heart sped up. “Just-- moving the bags under the tree.”

“Oh, okay,” Annabeth answered, shooting him a small smile as he turned his back on her. Annabeth closed her eyes once again listening to the song. Percy released a relieve sigh as he saw Annabeth’s eyes closed.

Later.

But if you feel like I feel

Please let me know that it's real

The song ended quickly. Too quickly for Annabeth’s liking. There was just something about Shawn Mendes’ voice that sounded so satisfying that everything weighing her down just melted away.

She opened her eyes for a bit, setting the song to loop. And then closed it again, melting into her bubble of relaxation.

Percy was happy that Annabeth’s in that state of bliss. Finals were stressing her out the last few weeks and today’s Christmas shopping just happened to be the cherry on top.

Finishing up with moving the presents, Percy stood up, a smirk toying on his face as he got an idea. It was random and spontaneous, but Percy thought of it as romantic. The song was romantic and the ambiance set in the room with the Christmas lights and the bustling streets below just makes up a combination for a spontaneous slow dance in the middle of their living room.

Percy started moving stuff around the room quietly, careful not to make Annabeth open her eyes. He moved the presents around once more, lining them up under the windows to make more room. Then, he moved the coffee table to the side. He wasn’t sure how he'd done it properly, stealth wasn’t one of his abilities. People would always deem him as ‘clumsy’, but he would call it ‘just someone not wanting to do it’. It was his way of denial that he was clumsy.

Anyways, he let another song pass by. He smiled as he saw his work - the room has more space and everything just looked so perfect in his eyes. He was also proud of himself because he managed to do it all without making Annabeth open her eyes.

You'd be like heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much

As Shawn Mendes’ voice in the beginning of the cover filled the room once again, he cleared his throat in front of Annabeth and offered his hand. Annabeth opened her eyes and stared at it.

“Come on, dance with me,” Percy said, opening his arms, and doing a motion of what looks like a slow dance. Annabeth laughed as she stood up and Percy’s breath was snatched.

The way she stood up was so graceful, like a princess, that even without the ball gown and sparkling glass shoes, made his jaw drop. His smile widened and he offered his hand once more. Annabeth took his hand and playfully curtsied. The two of them shared a soft laugh before Annabeth placed a hand on his shoulder and he placed a hand on her waist.

It took a few paces before the two of them were dancing in harmony. But when they did, it was amazing. It was like the whole world fits into his arms. He wasn’t nervous anymore. He was Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase’s boyfriend.

Percy swayed Annabeth and she followed along. If anyone could see them, it would be like two rusty robots dancing together. But for them, this is perfect.

“I love you,” Percy softly said while swaying.

“Yeah?” Annabeth looked up at him, staring into his dazzling sea-green eyes.

“Yeah,” Percy kissed her forehead, inhaling the scent of lemons. No matter how sweaty she was the whole day, her hair always manages to smell like lemons.

“You know,” Annabeth started when they resumed back to their swaying.

“What?” Percy stared at her piercing gray eyes. It was mesmerizing, it was the only thing about her that makes her unique from Princesses. It was also one thing of Annabeth’s that Percy loved, among all of them.

“I continually thank the gods for leading me to you. You’re a gift to me, Perseus Jackson,” Annabeth said, keeping her eyes trained on his chest. She noticed his outfit today which was a dark blue shirt and black pants which highlighted his height, which was six feet. She was shorter than him, by only a few inches.

“Hey,” Percy lifted her face up, facing his hand under her chin. “I thank the gods, too.”

Words can only do so much for the two of them. The two of them knew that it wasn’t just gratitude to the gods, but it was also gratitude and love for everything they’ve been through. It was all those gratitude for moments they spent, even moments they spent apart. It was those things that led them to each other. That ‘thank the gods’ thing were just filled with unspoken words, unspoken feelings that both of them were unsure how to express. It was those fun moments they shared like dates and celebrations. It was also those sad, comforting moments they shared when Annabeth failed her entrance exams. It was also all those fights that led them here in this moment.

It was everything that made them. Sure, words won’t ever be enough, and they both aren’t sure if actions will be too. But for now, it is enough.

“I love you,” it was Annabeth’s turn to say the three words. She tiptoed and kissed Percy’s cheek before they swayed again.

Even after hearing those three words from Annabeth countless times before, Percy was sure he would explode every time. He couldn't believe that he’s here with Annabeth. Gods, he was completely smitten with her. It was an overwhelming feeling -- being loved -- that Percy thought he would explode. His love for Annabeth was also overflowing, he imagines it as something like the ocean - vast and immeasurable.

Before the high note starts, Percy starts swaying Annabethas if they’re waltzing. And as the high note hits, Percy spun Annabeth around in which she turned all over the space in their living room.

I love you, baby

And if it's quite alright I need you, baby

Percy was sure he was watching it in slow motion as Annabeth spun around, her ponytail flowing behind her. She was captivating, percy was so sure of it as he stared at her. It took everything in him to just stay in the moment and not let his mind wander off.

The rest of the world falls away as the sight of her leaves him weak. Percy noticed the way Annabeth’s foot crossed as she spun, a careless smile on her face. He could see her eyes twinkling as she spun.

Her hair hits Annabeth square in her face, making her stop. She stopped beside the Christmas tree and Percy could see just how bright she radiates beside their Christmas lights.

Percy looked at her and the two of them shared a laugh and a big smile.

“Come here,” Percy motioned her to spin back to him.

This is now or never, Percy thought.

To warm a lonely night, I love you, baby

Trust in me when I say

Annabeth was sure she was shining brightly, big bursts of happiness was radiating off of her, as Percy motioned her to spin back to him.

At first, she felt ridiculous, just spinning round and round. But she let that feeling go as bliss took over when she realized she was sharing this moment with Percy. What was supposed to be a moment of relaxation after a long day of buying Christmas presents, turned out to be very joyous when Percy asked her to dance with him.

It was perfect. This moment.

If Annabeth could freeze a moment in time, this would be it - with the two of them dancing around their apartment to Shawn Mendes’ voice and just that moment of joy before Christmas.

Stopping, Annabeth stumbled. Turning around a few times made her dizzy that Percy had to steady her before kneeling down.

But when he did, Annabeth took a step backwards and her hands flew to her mouth where a gasp escaped.

“Is this happening?” Annabeth breathed out through her rapidly beating heart.

“Yeah,” Percy said, opening up the small, orange, velvet box. It revealed a ring with a simple square diamond on top. It was perfect and Annabeth’s eyes watered as she saw the sparkling ring and the look on Percy’s eyes.

Percy chuckled nervously before starting his speech. “Annabeth Chase, when I first saw you, I was captivated. You were enchanting and perfect. But of course, me being me, let that go, knowing I was never up to your standards. But then that night at Rachel's party when you talked to me, I felt like I had a chance. And thus, blossomed a friendship, wise girl, that would lead to this. Gods, I’m so blessed to have you, wise girl. You are my best friend, my partner, and unmistakably the love of my life. So, Wise Girl, would you do me the honor of being your husband and marry me?”

Annabeth’s eyes were welling up in tears and she released a small laugh, “Never knew you could stomach that, Seaweed Brain.”

Percy chuckled nervously as Annabeth grinned at him through her blurry sight.

“But yes, seaweed brain, I’ll marry you,” Annabeth finally said, making Percy release a relieved laugh and throw his hands up.

Percy was about to stand up when he remembered the ring still not being in Annabeth’s hand. “Oh right,” he said, grabbing the ring out of the box and placing it on Annabeth’s left ring finger.

It fits perfectly, Annabeth thought as she gazed in wonder at her ring.

“It’s perfect,” Annabeth told Percy when he stood up beside her, placing his hands on her waist.

“You’re perfect,” Percy told Annabeth, kissing her forehead.

The blonde faced her fiance, and placed her hands around his neck before pulling him into a kiss.

“I love you,” she said before pulling him again for a kiss, placing her left hand on his cheek. Percy smiled as he felt the cold metal of the ring on his cheek.

Now that I found you, stay

And let me love you, baby

Let me love you

#Percy Jackson #Annabeth Chase #Percabeth #Percabeth fics #Percabeth oneshots #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #Percy Jackson AU #Percy Jackson Oneshots #Annabeth Chase Oneshots #Percy Jackson x Annabeth Chase #percy x annabeth #heroes of olympus #rick riordan #percy jackson fic #percabeth fic #percabeth drabbles #percabeth hc

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perseusjackson-jasongrace · 4 years ago

Text

I Am Lost

Masterlist

do i still taste like war?

can you still feel the battles on my skin

stitched across my back

am i still rebuilding

bone by fragile bone?

-what does forgiveness taste like? (r.n.)

It has been three weeks since the end of the Giant war. Three weeks of trying to build some semblance of normal. Of burning flags and wiping tears. Of visiting the medical rooms and silently cursing the gods for their arrogance. Campers wandered around, lost dulled looks in their once bright eyes. The little ones, sheltered by wood nymphs and aging satyrs in that violent week, ran around tugging at each other, and causing small forms of chaos. It was a grace that they had been spared the horrors of war.

Percy Jackson was swinging from the hammock in his cabin, staring at the rolling waves that crashed to the beat of his heart. His mind was faraway, wandering through the clouds, looking for meaning amongst fallen leaves, trying to breathe life into fallen embers.

He thought about seeking out his girlfriend, but a knot formed tight and heavy in his chest. It was a new, unwelcome feeling. The first time he thought it was nerves— not surprising when it came to her. She had always made him a little gooey on the inside, like the thrill of a plunging drop, like something exciting, and unfamiliar. But then he had met her in front of the great hall and those nerves had grown into this unbearable weight, pressing down on his lungs.

She had looked at him and some fleeting shadow brushed past her eyes. It was less than a second, but he had caught it, felt it like ice in his veins. Fear.

He shrugged it off that first time but their interactions since had become choppy, robotic.

He spent more time between his cabin and the training room. Hours upon hours, twirling and stabbing Riptide into dummies. He had only been interrupted twice. Once when a gaggle of children came in to stare. He only noticed because they clapped after he sent a dummy flying across the room.

He had laughed at them and brought them closer so they could learn. Camp activities were not yet restored to the scheduled times so some of the children hadn't any training with the weapons. They gasped and giggled as he helped a little boy shoot a pretend arrow. As he helped little Alec with their wooden dagger.

The second time when a friend had leaned against the doorway, a corded arm held above their face to block the sun streaming in.

"Percy," The voice was low, raspy in it's softness.

He let it wash over him but didn't acknowledge it, instead rolling his shoulders and pounding at the punching bag once more. Sweat dripped down his forehead, catching on his cheekbones.

"Percy!"

He dropped his head back, letting the timbered roof see his smile.

"Need something Grace?"

"You need to take a break."

"I'm not tired. But thank you for the concern."

"Bullshit, you've been at it for two hours."

That startled him, eyes squinting as he checked the clock on the far side of the room. His gaze travelled across the beams and landed on concerned blue eyes.

"I didn't realize it had been that long."

The blonde moved into the room, "You are killing yourself."

He shrugged, pulling off the tape around his hands, "So what?"

Jason's eyes whipped to his, something like devastation on his princely face, "What do you mean?"

His smile was cruel, "Did you come here for any particular reason?"

The blonde made to step forward, but then thought better of it. "I've just come to tell you that we've been summoned to the dining hall and—" He paused, taking a deep breath as if to gather courage, "And to ask if I could join you tomorrow?"

"Here?" He frowned.

"Yes, I could do with some training. Ever since Hera wiped my memories, I've been struggling to refamiliarise myself with the strategies I learnt at SPQR. I was hoping you could teach me?"

He tilted his head, studying his friend, "Sure." He said after a moment, "But only if we can learn a little more about combining our power."

"Why would you want to do that?"

He shrugged, "Call it curiosity."

The Son of Jupiter seemed to think about it for a bit, weighing his options as if life were a sensitive scale. "Deal."

Now he swung from his hammock, striking match sticks against the wood posts, watching as they flared, burned, suffocated. The smoke, he thought, was pretty in its evanesce.

A knock at the door scraped his mind to the present. He debated not answering but where else would he be if not here. So he jumped down and strolled through the cabin.

"Annabeth, hey."

"Percy," She gave a tight-lipped smile, "Can we go for a walk?"

"Uh sure," He disappeared for a moment, grabbing a cap and Riptide from the table.

"So what's up?"

"Percy," She said his name like it exhausted her.

"Are you okay?" He frowned, lifting his hand to feel her forehead.

She sidestepped him, kicking at the ground in false distraction.

"I— we—" She took a deep breath, "Piper and I are going to New Rome for the rest of the summer. Reyna invited us and since we're the only two who haven't gotten the chance to explore, we figured now was a good time to start."

"Oh cool, when do we leave?"

She winced, looked up at him with those swirling grey eyes he had loved like adventure, like hope, like something new.

"No Percy not we. Me and, and Piper. Just us. I think we need some rest. Some time to just be safe and do what we want. We need a break."

"You want a break?" His lungs felt too small, heart stammering like a stick record, mind buried in quicksand.

"Yes," She said it with certainty. As if she had thought about it enough to remove even her own doubt.

"From Camp Half-Blood or from me?"

Her face looked stricken, like she hadn't considered it, like they were one and the same. Maybe they were.

"Both?" She was less certain now, fumbling on loose stones.

"Do you want to break up?" Words were cotton threads sown into his tongue.

"Yes, no, maybe, I don't know!" She cried.

"Annabeth," Anguish was a mercy.

"I think it's best if we go our separate ways, for now anyway."

"What do you mean separate ways?" His throat was adorned with a necklace of rope, "We have been on the same path since we were twelve. We have followed each other into and out of battle. Have taken daggers, swords, curses for each other. We have experienced firsts, seconds, life together."

Her tears were endless, but her expression was without doubt, "I love you. I think a part of me will always love you, but times are changing, and I have to learn who I am without worrying about how to keep myself safe. I have to live Percy. I have been surviving for too long."

He sunk to the grassy hill; his knees too weak to hold him.

"Maybe someday," She started softly, "Maybe someday we will find our way back."

He looked up at her, pain making her blurry, a silhouette, unrecognisable. "I am not lost."

She crouched down, until they were staring into each other. He knew she could see the words written in his eyes, as she always had. For all they struggled with their dyslexia she had always been able to read him like a cherished book.

"I will miss you Percy."

He didn't reply, didn't have the words even if he wanted to. She kissed his cheek, wiped a stray tear and left him on half-blood hill, her blonde curls ruffling in the lowly breeze.

***

A week later Percy was waking before the sun, nightmares and heartache refusing to evict from his body. He scrubbed a hand over his face and slid out of bed. If the day was to start now, without his choice he could at least decide what to do with it.

It was no surprise then that Jason Grace found him in his newfound second home, amongst the ratty dummies, slashing Riptide through their stuffed insides.

"Do you ever sleep?"

He snorted, not faltering as he pretended to dodge and then swiped his sword low.

"Who are you fighting for?"

The questions caught him off guard, stumbling to his knees. Jason was at his side in an instance, supple fingers wrapping under his arms to haul him up. They settled on the bench, backs against the wall, hands flexing and clenching. The quiet was so loud in his head, like a ringing that never stopped.

"I am fighting for myself." He finally exhaled.

"I am fighting because I have been doing it for so long, I do not know any other way."

The Son of Jupiter didn't say anything, didn't even look his way. Percy settled further into his position, content to lapse into silence. His turmoil had been his friend for these long years, and he has learnt its language.

"When I was with Lupa," Jason started, "She used to say a wolf who is separated from the pack is only alone if they do not howl. Mostly it was a lesson for the cubs, so they knew to call if they ever got lost. But I liked it because it reminded me that telling someone you are lost may not make you less lost but will make you less alone. Someone will find their way to you."

They did not speak again, happy to be silent companions.

The day passed by in a blur of preparation. It was already halfway through the summer and as they did each year the Half-Blood Feast would mark the occasion. Percy helped where he could, picking strawberries at the request of Juniper, and pulling his weight in the dining hall by scrubbing at the concrete slabs on which they ate.

By the time night fell his bones were creaking like hollowed stairs. But he was excited. If for nothing else but the sense of routine and joy this festival brought after such horrible events. He tugged on a plain blue t-shirt and a fresh pair of jeans. It did not count as dressing up, but it felt nice to put effort into something. Albeit his hair couldn't be tamed, wild curls sticking every which way.

"Percy," A knock sounded at his door.

With a final glance at his appearance he stepped out, taking a deep breath of ocean air.

His heart skipped a beat, skipped two. It wasn't beating at all. Beating too fast to feel. Jason Grace was leaning against a marbled column, a halo of sunshine around his head and a blue shirt making his eyes as bright as the cerulean skies.

"We're matching!"

"The camp store does not have much variety." He grinned, "Although I think I'm pulling it off much better than you Grace."

It was a lie of course, Jason looked ethereal.

"I have to agree," The blonde winked.

Percy laughed, rolling his eyes as they made their way to the dining hall.

"A pity we can't sit together," Jason frowned.

"Maybe Chiron will make an exception today, since it is a special occasion."

"We can ask, the worst he can do is say no."

Minutes later they were seated at the same table while everyone gathered together.

The feast was as glorious as it had always been. Food to feed nations, fill homes, warm bellies. The sounds of laughter were a balm to his soul. He turned to his dinner partner, to see him with a soft smile on his face, eyes bouncing from table to table.

"It's nice isn't it?" He muttered, "To see them happy."

"I don't have the words." Blonde hair fell into his eyes as he shook his head. "It has felt like an eternity since we were all together, under the same roof."

They looked at each other then, twin flames dancing in their eyes.

"What do you plan to do after the summer?"

"I want to finish school. Want to finish something that doesn't involve in my death, or that of my friends."

Jason nodded, "It would be nice wouldn't it, to feel not constantly in danger. Although around you that may be a little hard."

"What do you mean?" Percy narrowed his eyes.

"If you were a Disney prince, you'd be Prince Danger."

"You think I could be a Disney prince?" He scrunched his nose teasingly.

"I think you can be a lot of things." That smile was cheeky, wicked.

"Is this the part where you say, 'I can even be your boyfriend'?"

Jason's answering laugh was bright and beautiful.

When dinner was finished and campfire songs had been sung till their throats were raw, the crowd finally dispersed, heading back to cabins for the night. He lost his dinner mate at some point in the singing and his other friends had long since disappeared. He didn't quite feel like tucking himself into a cold bed only for sleep to abandon him. The Son of Poseidon shucked off his shoes, stepping onto the sun-warmed sand and let his feet sink into the world. He walked towards the ocean, along the shoreline; let the water wash over his bared skin.

"Jackson!" A call sounded from faraway.

He stopped, turning to see Jason running towards him and couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips.

"Hey, I wondered where you ran off to?"

"Got pulled away by Nico. He wanted to talk."

"It's nice. That he has you." Percy had been relieved to learn Nico confided in someone. And a part of him had been shamefully grateful it wasn't him. He did not know, was almost one hundred percent certain he wasn't fit to be someone's confidant, or mentor, or whatever it was that he would have become to the younger demigod. He had proved that the big brother role was not for him and he would not disappoint Nico again, or Bianca.

"So," Jason knocked his shoulder lightly, "What's got you lost in thought?"

"Bold of you to assume I think."

The blonde shook his head in amusement, "Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like if we weren't demigods?"

He snorted, "More often than is healthy. It's like an obnoxious alarm that goes off at the most inconvenient times. When I'm in battle, just before I fall asleep, when I see my mom after an age, when I saw New Rome, when i—" He glanced at his friend, wishing the moon was brighter so he could see those comforting blue eyes.

"When you what?"

He shook his head, "Doesn't matter."

The Son of Jupiter tugged at his arm, pulled them closer.

"Sometimes I wish I had met certain people in a coffee shop on a winter morning, or at school on the way to class, or just anywhere but in the middle of war and prophecies."

Their foreheads fell together, sharing icy air.

"Wouldn't that have been nice?" He breathed.

"Jason I can't do this right now. I—" He winced, "I loved her."

"But did you?" The blonde muttered, "Really?"

"Yes. I did." His voice was hard with the truth. "You do not get to discredit my love just because the relationship it bloomed in has ended." He pulled away, turning to face the sea.

"You're right." He stepped back, scratched at his neck, "You're right, and I'm sorry."

"Did you ever love Piper?"

"I thought I did. But I don't think I really know what love is."

"Maybe it changes," The Son of Poseidon whispered, "But with her it was adventure."

They sat down on the sand, uncaring of the waves that soaked through their clothes.

"What do you want it to be like next?"

"What do you mean?"

"If it changes, what do you want next?"

"It will feel like home."

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ghostsareok · 4 years ago

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Someone on insta asked me why does this fandom hate Jason (at least until he died). My theory? We don't appreciate what we have until it's gone.

Jason was a son of Jupiter/Zeus. Yes, not just Jupiter, because if you remember correctly he chose both of his identidies, greek and roman. He didn't pick one over the other, he accepted them as part of who he was and moved on with his life. This while coming to terms with his relationship with his mother (or the lack of it) which is not easy to begin with. He was the FIRST to do this, to say: screw all of this labels I'm just gonna be who I am: not roman neither greek but a bit of both and completely myself... and that folks it's bravery at it's finest.

Jason was not Percy, they were opposites. From how I see it they were supposted to be opposites. They are the proff that even if you have nothing in common with someone it doesn't mean you can't work together or even be friends, you just have to work a litte harder.

Jason was born in a neglectful family: his father left before he was born; his 7 year old sister had to pretty much raise him and his mother gave him away to the wolves. Literaly. Then he went on training with Lupa. Can you imagine what it'll be like for a two year old to grow up and traind with wolves? I can't so I'm gonna leave to you. But I'm betting something in the lines of Mogli from the Jungle Book. Let's just go with he was a free spirit and probably one not very civisized.

Now imagine this savage little boy arriving at super structure and strick Camp Jupiter. And if that's not enough he's claimed by none other than Jupiter (the freaking Camp has his name on it!!) the King of the gods, Ruler of the Universe, can't keep it in his pants, blah, blah ,blah. Try to imagine what was going on in his little head: one moment he was running free with wolves only worrying about surviving and the other he was suppost to be a leader. He was what? 3 at this time? 8? 10? No clue but still a child.

So Jason, who was naturally a free and wild spirit was forced to fit into the image New Rome and Camp Jupiter wanted him to have. He says he didn't like the rules but he had to obey to them and that he hasn't lost hope when it comes to change them. Sometimes I think how would Jason have turned out if he had never gone to Camp Jupiter (probably dead but that's not what I mean).

He ended up adapting and fitting in that category they put him and made his way climbing all through the legion's steps until he was made preator in the middle of a battle (or maybe at the end I don't remember). And then Hera decided to delete his memories and put him in a completely diferent world leaving him no choice but to go rescue her. Oh and Hera, the Bovine Godess, also messed with this very prettt girl's head making her belive that she and Jason were dating. Worst of all? Jason actually had a crush on her. No problem though they figured it out (for a while at least). During that quest some interesting stuff happened like a giant and more wolves and turns out Thalia has a brother! Didn't see that coming. He didn't either. By the way how does he remember so many thinhs from when he was 2?! I can barely remeber what I had for lunch!

Moving fast forward to the Argo II, Jason was used to be a leader and when faced with other really powerful demigods with leader vibes it looks like he's kinda lost (don't forget he was trained to lead) but he figures it out eventualy.

When Percy and Annabeth go diving he, like evryone else blaims himself: he's suppost to be a leader and in Jasons POV being a leader is caring about the people in your team, trusting them and making sure they are safe and that they can count on you. Still on this line he was the first person to get Nico's trust and to treat him like an equal (Percy feared Nico and kept his distance from him) which did wonders for Nico's self steem and confidence.

A little bit foward everything is fine except he's stabed...by someone he admired and considered a role model (looks familiar?). And this while dealing with the emotional bagage his mom brought back with her (yeah she's alive...not really). At this point Annabeth compares Jason to Luke which is interesting because they have really similiar characteristics - the scar on their face, blue eyes, blond hair, tall, mom and daddy issues, etc - so maybe Jason could be an alternite version of Luke? Maybe something like what Luke would have becomed if he hadn't been neglected for so long? Or made really dumb decions? I don't know and I hope not, I like to see Jason as his own personna and if we go through this path then things will get darker.

Now let's talk about Leo and prophecies and love. Even though Leo's death was terrible I think it kind of freed Jason. Jason was a free spirit by nature like the winds but he was stuck with the romans and with being a leader and for so many years he had given his besr to fit in the role he was suppost to play thaf when Leo dies it just freed something in Jason and suddenely he's like: who cares? Let's just do it. Let's go to the rooftop of my cabin on a romantic date to talk about our dead best friend. Oh! Turns out he's not dead! He's just on vacation with his new girlfriend! Still, let's spent months looking for him cuz why not?

Remember how I said Jason and Piper figure it out? Just kidding, Piper changed her mind. After all they went through (and probably because of all they went through) she broke up with him but Jason being a sweetheart that still loved her (Piper loved him back she just needed him to die to realise that) makes is mind about dying for her. And he does.

Now to kill the whole Romeu and Juliet thing I'm gonna say that Jason wasn't dying instead of Piper. It wasn't a choice. Jason was gonna be the one to die. The Second Great Prophecy said it: Trough the storm or the fire the world must fall (or something like that). Leo or Jason would have to die. And by coming back to life Leo immediatly convicted Jason. Aslo what more did we need? There were two prophecies saying bye-bye Jason. His dead was sad (courtesy of Piper mostly) but very important, not just to finish past plots but also because it's the turning point for Apollo. And the fact that Leo and Jason never met again? Yeah, I think that was on purpose. The moment Leo 'died' the prophecy was complet, Jason was already dead so it makes sense that they don't met again.

Overall Jason was a great character with very interesting development and that's largely underrated.

What do you think? What are your thoughs on Jason?

#jason grace #percy jackon and the olympians #percyjackson #pjo fandom #annabeth chase #riordianverse #hereos of olympus

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callunavulgari · 4 years ago

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fic tag meme

I guess I was kind of inadvertently tagged by @wildehacked because they said to do it if you wanted to, and well, I was bored and needed something to do while watching Watcher Weekly+ so!

Name: Heather! Otherwise known as callunavulgari on all platforms. Except fanfiction.net. I have not gone back there to even consider changing it.

Fandoms: I am currently only actively writing fic for Buzzfeed Unsolved and The Adventure Zone (because I have no self control and finished the finale today). That said, I’m pretty actively involved in The Untamed, Buzzfeed Unsolved, The Magnus Archives, Hades, and Persona 5. But I also delve back into old fandoms constantly, so it’s really hard to say. Tropes: Enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite trope in the entire world. In fact, I think the only thing I like MORE than your garden variety enemies to lovers is FRIENDS to enemies to lovers. Because like, you’ve got the UST but you’ve also got ANGST and YEARNING. I’m just weak to it.

I also really like fusion AUs, soulmate AUs, and canon-adjacent AUs where everything is the same except one or both parties is some kind of monster. Creature? I love myself a creature feature. Bonus points if it’s got political intrigue and killer world building. I’m sure there are others, but eh.

Fic I spent most time on: Probably either Rubatosis or when the wild grasses weave.

Rubatosis was a Percy Jackson fic where Percy and Annabeth fall in love with Nico, aka the personification of death. Also, Annabeth is a serial killer. It is single-handedly my favorite thing I’ve ever written and I wrote it in a handful of months for the 2014 PJO Big Bang.

where the wild grasses weave, on the other hand, was a Spirited Away/Kingdom Hearts fic that I wrote for the Kingdom Hearts Big Bang like half a decade ago. It was an idea that I’d been toying with for awhile and the Big Bang gave me an excuse to finally do it. It explores the darker themes of Spirited Away and honestly, I’ve been meaning to go back and tinker with it for awhile because there are definitely parts that could be shaped up better.

Fic I spent least time on: Probably all the really short prompt fics that I’ve posted between now and 2010.

Longest fic: Also when the wild grasses weave, which is almost 43k. And if you know me, that’s a full 30k longer than the usual things I go for.

Shortest fic: nowhere to run is an Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier fanfiction that I wrote about a year after First Class came out in 2012. It is FORTY words and was written for a tumblr three-sentence meme. It was definitely only three sentences, but somehow managed to get 25 kudos and 5 comments anyway.

Most hits/kudos/comments/bookmarks: Top kudos/bookmarks/hits: i don't believe in fairy tales (but i believe in you and me), which was written on September 5th 2014 and is just over 3k of Derek accidentally getting a glimpse of Stiles’ penis. On his phone. It is the dick pic fic and it has 5239 kudos, 712 bookmarks, and 81,838 hits. I feel like the fact that this is my most popular fic should be upsetting since it took me like an hour to write. Top comments: Que Sera, Sera, which was written on June 14th 2014 and is almost 4k. It’s the second part of my Teen Wolf/Addams Family fusion and has 146 comments (most of which are people and not me, because I don’t typically respond to comments, which is a horrible failing on my part). Favorite fic you’ve written: I actually have an Author's Favorites list on ao3, which needs pared down horribly because it’s got a bunch of really old fic that has not aged particularly well. Rubatosis is probably my favorite? Again, it’s definitely the one I’m proudest of. wake up in a city that never sleeps was another PJO ot3 fic that I wrote where Percy is Nico’s TA and is also pretty up there. I do genuinely love the Teen Wolf/Addams fusion. take me to church is one of my favorite Teen Wolf fics, mostly because it’s the soft epilogue that I wanted out of the show.

and i'm always tired, but never of you is a Bright Sessions ot3 fic where Sam and Mark cross paths with Damien years later and I’m really attached to that one. I don’t know. I go back and read these things sometimes and I remember that my writing isn’t like pulling nails all the time. That sometimes it’s really very good.

Fic you want to rewrite/expand on: A couple of the older Big Bang fics I would love to go back and rewrite just because when rereading I can tell where I was running out of time or where something should have been cut but wasn’t so I could pad the wordcount. I do eventually want to write at least one more part of the Teen Wolf/Addams series. And I kind of want to write a coda for that Bright Sessions ot3 that I mentioned.

Share a bit of a WIP:

Part of the Buzzfeed Unsolved tattoo AU that I’ve been working on since uh, Christmas. Whoops.

He’s getting ready to text the guy back to let him know that he’ll have to book another appointment when the bell sounds from the front of the door and someone spills through the doorway.

And look, Ryan had gone into this appointment with expectations. Four weeks ago, when the guy had first emailed inquiring about booking an appointment, Ryan had asked him what exactly he was looking for. He’d asked the usual questions, all pretty standard. Style, colors, if he had a preference when it came to the artist, if he had a hard limit on price.

An hour later, Ryan found himself typing the sentence, ‘so when you say puppet…’

Ryan doesn’t really know what he’d expected. He’d done a couple marionettes. Faceless pinnochios. Skeletons dangling from razor wire. A character from Coraline. It was very ain’t no strings on me, complete with shadowy hands puppeting the faceless silhouettes. Creepy, but you know. Kind of cool.

Precisely ten minutes after he hit send, the guy had ruined all of his expectations by typing back, ‘No, man. Like a muppet.’

He’d even included an attachment. So naturally, Ryan clicked on it.

The creature that looked back at him was monstrous, like a cross between Elmo and the Cookie Monster, its empty eyes dead and staring. It was wearing an outfit that made Ryan think of Indiana Jones, complete with a tiny hat and a miniature fanny pack. On anything else, the little outfit might be cute.

As Ryan was pondering how to politely pass the job off to Mari, another email came through. This one, thankfully, did not include another attachment. The body of the email was blank. The subject line read simply: ‘He’s called The Professor.’

#heather says what #heather writes #have a thing because i'm bored #this backfired because now i want to write but don't have the time

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annabethy · 4 years ago

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37, percabeth, (maybe teacher au, but you to you lol)

“You could always go nude”/“Lie to me, then.” (Didn’t know which so have both?)

“I have nothing to wear.”

Percy looks up from his position on their bed, unfazed. He was used to her dramatic complaints about having no clothes but based on the fact that his closet was overflowing and he’s pretty sure he hasn’t seen her wear the same outfit twice at work yet so far, he knew it wasn’t true.

“Help me, please.”

“Close your eyes and grab whatever,” Percy says, glancing back down to his phone. “We have to leave soon, and you’re nowhere near ready, but I am both your boyfriend and coworker who also has to be there, and I will pick you up and drag you out of the apartment—” He cut off immediately, dodging the heel she threw at his head with a laugh. “You look good in anything, and that’s coming from both me and your deeply-involved students, so just pick something.”

Annabeth stomps her foot in front of the closet like a toddler. She fingers her lanyard holding her school ID before giving up and turning around. She makes her way to right in front of Percy, staring down at him for a few seconds before she’s climbing on top of him, forcing him to abandon the phone in his hand.

“What are you doing?” he asks, but he’s laughing as she headbutts him.

“I’m trying to curl up in a ball and die,” she says.

“Not on my lap,” he scolds. His hands smooth down her wild hair, knowing that it’s going to add another ten minutes to their voyage down to the school because she wasn’t going to leave until she looked perfect.

“Yes, on your lap,” Annabeth mumbles from where her face smashed into his chest. She jerks around for a second, trying to get comfortable, and then she’s on her back, Percy’s arm cradling under her and supporting her neck. “If I have to die, I want to do it with you.”

“No one’s going to die,” he says softly. His hand taps her hip, thinking for a moment, before he decides to humor her. “Talk me through the problem. What’s going on?”

“I have no clothes.” The way she says it, Percy would’ve thought someone got hit by a car.

Percy looks to their closet dubiously. “Then why am I looking at about twenty outfits?”

Annabeth pauses her moping to follow his eyes. She blinks as though she didn’t see any of those. “I don’t see anything.”

“You could always go nude,” he proposes.

Annabeth scoffs, bonking him on the head with a random throw pillow she picked up from behind him. “This is a school event, and all of our students will be there. You want them to see me naked?”

“That is a very valid point.” Percy hums. “Tie a bed sheet around yourself and call it a day.”

“You’re useless to me.”

Percy rolls his eyes and rocks her back and forth. He was rushing her to get out of the apartment because he knew she would take longer to get ready, but the reality was that they had some time. They had at least another hour before they absolutely had to be leaving.

Besides, she looked so comfortable in his arms, cradled sideways, body turned in towards him, that he didn’t have the heart to bother her. Especially not when her eyes started to slowly blink and flutter shut.

He lets her drift off to sleep, if only for five minutes. As he looks at her, he starts to notice something that’s been occurring to him a lot more recently.

Every time he looks at Annabeth, he sees more than just her. He sees a little girl with ribbons braided into her hair bouncing around between them. He sees a future with her that he wants so desperately to fulfil. He doesn’t think it’s going to happen — at least not anytime soon — but he knows he wants a life like that. They’re both still so young, and they’re so in love, and they deserve it.

Percy keeps rocking her gently, imagining what it would be like if maybe he was rocking a baby to sleep, or holding his family in his arms while they watched a Disney movie because their child was so excited to see a princess. It’s a life he’s always dreamed of, and now he knows it’s a life he has a chance of making come true.

“You gotta wake up, baby,” he whispers when he looks back at the clock. Somehow, half an hour had passed by. “We really have to leave soon.”

Annabeth stirs slowly. She wipes the sleep from her eyes, and as if on cue, her phone dings from its position in her back pocket. Percy’s hand digs it out for her, holding it for both of them to see, and it’s a message from someone he did not expect.

“Why does Piper have your phone number?”

Annabeth shrugs, taking the phone from him. She types out a response lazily, and Percy can’t hide his amusement at her blatant distain for Piper.

(Piper: where are you

Annabeth: none of your business, peasant

Piper: why can’t you love me?

Annabeth: you are peasant)

A second later, Annabeth’s forcing herself to get out of his arms. The absence of her body heart leaves Percy empty and cold, but it’s replaced by her lips pressing against his momentarily. He tries to grab her and keep her against him for longer, but she makes it a brief kiss, pulling away to head back in front of the closet.

“Does any of this scream I’m a math teacher but not one of those ugly ones?”

“You could wear a blow-up dinosaur costume and you would still scream hot math teacher,” Percy tells her. He goes to her side, picking up one of his favorite outfits of hers and holding it in front of her face. “Wear this.”

The smile that morphs onto Annabeth’s face makes him think that she was planning this the entire time. Her hand had brushed by that specific piece of fabric a million times over, but when it’s him that tells her to wear it, it’s suddenly exactly what she was looking for.

Annabeth Chase was his little troublemaker, never making things easy for him. He doesn’t mind.

And because he’s spent the last half hour thinking about their future kids, he doesn’t catch himself until it’s too late.

“Are you going to be like this with our kids too?”

Annabeth stops what she’s doing to look up at him, and now he can feel the blush start at his neck and travel its way up his face. She doesn’t say anything for a few painful beats, until her jaw is going slightly slack and she struggles for words.

“I— what?”

“Nothing,” he manages, already turning on his heel to walk out the room, out the front door, and to the middle of the ocean to become friends with an individual piece of krill, or something.

“No, tell me!”

Percy stops by the door, not ready to face her, but he knows she isn’t about to let him get away, so he lets himself look at her. Surprisingly, she’s looking at him with a smile.

“You said something about our kids?” she prompts.

“No.”

“Lie to me, then.” She bites her lip and smiles. “Come on. Please?” Now he can see the excitement on her face, and everything comes crashing back to him.

Clear as day, he can see the picture of Annabeth holding an infant on her hip, one hand sorting through their closet — no. It’s the closet of a nursery, filled with dresses and onesies. And Annabeth is dressed in a flowing white shirt and black dress pants to go to work, her blonde hair cascading down her back. He sees a baby that can’t be more than six-months-old with her tiny fingers tangled in Annabeth’s curls, and Annabeth is bouncing her as she finally pulls out a pink romper, but not before throwing him a teasing glance and telling him, there’s nothing for her to wear.

Percy’s heart stops when he imagines Annabeth holding the baby out to him with an endearing smile, asking nicely for him to change the diaper — he’d complain, but he’d still do it because he’d do anything she asked of him. And when their baby is in her outfit for the day, Percy’s kissing Annabeth goodbye by the front door so she could get to the school while he dropped the baby off at his mom’s before meeting her in her classroom.

It’s so real that a part of him thinks he saw a glimpse of his future.

A sudden boost of courage, Percy says, “When we have kids, they’re going to have so many clothes that it’ll look like the closet exploded, and you’re still going to say that there’s nothing to wear, right?”

Annabeth drops the clothes she was holding onto the floor just so she could take a step closer to him. He allows his arms to rest against her waist, locking behind her, and her arms wrap around his neck. “When we have kids?”

And Percy falters. “I mean— I thought you wanted kids?”

“I do,” she assures quickly. “But the way you said it… it was so real, like— kids.”

“Kids,” he repeats. “Do we want to have kids?”

“Eventually,” she tells him. “I’d like to be married first, though.”

Of course she would, and that’s why he loves her. She knows what she wants, and she’ll do anything to get it.

“Get married first,” he repeats again. “We’ve been together for a year.”

“And I really like you. I think a wedding would be a pretty good next step.”

“And then kids,” he adds.

“And then kids.” She looks around, and he thinks maybe she’s looking at their future too. “Let’s check back in two years and see where we’re at,” she says. “Then we can seriously consider this.”

“But you do want kids?” he asks.

“I want kids, if only to tell you that she needs more clothes.”

“You’re using me for my money, woman.”

“You love it.”

And he really does, because it means that he’ll get to have kids with her. The only concern really is that he knows she’s going to buy a million things for that baby, and they’re both teachers that don’t make that much money. Still, they’ll manage. They always do.

“I do love it,” he says, “and I love you.”

Annabeth kisses him once and says, “Here’s to closets and kids and not enough clothes.”

Now that’s something to celebrate.

#percy jackson #percabeth #pjo #annabeth chase #percy jackson and the olympians #anon #asks #my writing #teacher au

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phykios · 4 years ago

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the marble king, part 8 [read on ao3] [rated M for adult situations]

Percy wakes to the feeling of a blonde curl in his mouth, and though the taste is unpleasant, he still smiles.

Spitting it out of his mouth, he turns on his side to better face his wife, and grasps at her, but not before pausing to rub at her glowing belly. "Good morning, my love," he says, voice still rough with sleep.

Softly, serenely, she flutters her eyes open, revealing the stunning stormcloud which he so adores. "Good morning, my husband," Annabeth replies, her returning smile, while small, still bright enough to light up the entire North on its own, the Bifrost distilled in her joy.

Though he has just woken up, he feels a bit restless, but the threat of the freezing air outside of the warm blankets stops him from rising from his bed. Additionally, Annabeth has slung her arm around his side and pulled him close, and he cannot bear to be parted from her. Oh, how he loves the feeling of his wife laying next to him.

The blankets securely wrapped around him, he turns further into her, leaning over and kissing her, long and hard and deep as possible.

"Darling," she murmurs against his lips, "you know I am already with child, yes? You cannot make me pregnant again at the moment."

"Oh, I am aware," he says, caressing the swell of her stomach. "I can imagine a hundred reasons to kiss you," he kisses her lips, "to touch you," he traces the bones of her clavicle, enjoying as she shivers in response, "to make love to you, that have nothing to do with making children."

She giggles, a sweet, chiming bell, a sound which puts him in mind of the carefree girl she was never able to be, but one that he dreamed they have created together.

Out of the warmth, he reaches up his hand, brushing her hair out of her face. Normally covered, as is appropriate of a woman wed, her hair lies wild against her pillow. He strokes the soft locks and imagines their child, their little girl, all blonde curls and brilliance.

"What is on your mind, phykios ?" Anja asks.

"You," he says. "Our child. Our life. How happy I am, and how much I love you, how much I love this."

"Even in the frozen wasteland of Svealand?" she teases, her lips curling.

"Even here," he promises. "Anywhere you are, that is where I wish to be."

However, rather than reward him with another kiss, as is her wont, she frowns. "Do you smell that?"

"It is merely the fire," he comments, though when he casts a glance towards the hearth, he sees that it is cold and empty. How strange; typically one of the servants will come in and make it up each morning before they awake.

He strains his ears, attempting to catch the subtle sounds of the house as it wakes up around them. The floor creaks, the walls shift, and everything feels foggy, as though their bed has somehow sailed out into the morning sea. It all seems so close, closer than it should be, closed off in his own world with Anja.

And what is that blasted scratching?

He awoke with a start, sitting up just in time to see the blaze of the fire going up.

The maid, a woman a few years younger than him with bright, bright hair, jumped as he moved, startled.

She murmured something that he did not quite understand, but recognized as an apology. "It is alright," he said as best he could manage, the syllables of Swedish not fitting so well inside of his mouth. Alejandra had laughed at his accent the other day, but at least she was kind enough to attempt to teach him some of this strange northern tongue so he could not be so abominably rude. Annabeth--Ana Zab--Anja Elisab--whoever--had either been unable or unwilling to spare the time to assist him, and nor had her father. Alejandra was then the only other person in the manor with whom he shared a language.

He had thought it to be a trio of Latin speakers; himself, Lord Magnus' wife Doña Alejandra, and her brother, the similarly named Don Alejandro, who had both studied Latin as youths, and if their Latin failed them, Spanish itself was not so different from Italian that the two could not understand each other when spoken slowly. Percy had been terribly embarrassed that it had taken him near on six weeks in the household to put together the fact that Alejandra and Alejandro were, in fact, the same person, a Norse demigod with shapeshifting powers that could rival even Franko's. As she had explained it to him, at times she lived as a woman, and at others he lived as a man, but still remained the same person within, and Magnus not only knew, but considered it no significant difficulty. For Percy, who had seen a cow with the tail of a fish, this was not so strange.

The maid scurried away, leaving the fire to try its best to warm the frigid room.

It was freezing. It was always freezing here.

Percy, a man of the warm middle sea, was decidedly not pleased by this constant chill.

His room was well appointed, the best guest room in the manor--a Swedish monarch, Kristoffer av Bayern , himself had once slept here, as Fredrik had told him. A servant came in to tend the fire, another came in to clean. It was, short of a god's palace, perhaps the most luxurious place he had ever rested his head. Fredrik and Magnus graciously provided him with warm clothing, finer than anything he'd left behind in Constantinople. Despite the winter, food was plentiful, and he joined the noble family for every meal.

One would argue that, as an honored guest in a noble household, his every comfort seen to, surely that would have made for a happier time than trekking through the Labyrinth, or facing a Cyclops, or holding the sky, no? And yet, he was not sure if he'd ever been more miserable in his life.

He was cold and lonely and cold. He dressed as warmly as he could, in several more layers than anyone else, and still he shivered. Fredrik spoke Greek, but he had much to attend to around the manor, and spent the bulk of his free time reacquainting his daughter with the goings-on and politics of the North.

At least Annabeth was settling in well. It was hard to deny how well she fit the bitter climate. She looked beautiful against the snow and the dark wood, wrapped in fine furs. Her cheeks flushed in the cold, her blonde curls sneaking out below caps and shawls, her pale skin glowing in the warm firelight, all lovely.

She no longer resembled the legendary Theotokos, but she seemed happier than she had been in months.

Dressed in lovely garments, rich fabrics of green and red and blue, she walked through the halls of her family with her head held high, as though it were her very own palace. She was a noble lady, come home after a long, torturous absence. A princess.

It suited her.

Annabeth would have made a wonderful lady of the house--shoring up the family and all that. The marital politics of aristocrats somewhat escaped him, but it seemed the sort of thing that they would do, marrying your beautiful, intelligent cousin in order to keep your lands and titles more firmly within the family.

He knew that Magnus loved his wife, and that marrying a foreign woman had caused some local controversy, even without the general knowledge of Alejandra's alternate days as Alejandro. She had told him herself, too, that just as Percy and Annabeth had gone on a great many adventures together, so had Magnus and his partner, along that rainbow bridge that Percy could only barely see. But when he saw the cousins together, so alike in their appearance, so clearly happy to be reunited, Percy could not help but wonder if Magnus regretted his marriage at all.

Percy almost felt guilty to think of it, and not only because Alejandra was his only true friend he had here. He would never dream of disrupting their marriage. But he did not know how anyone, presented with the missed opportunity of Annabeth, could not regret his choices.

Lukas had died for that regret.

He wondered what his own regret would be, once he left this place, once he left Annabeth.

Shivering as he left his very comfortable bed, he decided to take one of the rugs with him, keeping it wrapped around him as he got dressed for the day as he did each day, feeling foolish with every layer he added. His daily routines were sparse, spending his days puttering round the manor, alternately avoiding and being avoided by the denizens of the house. He could not even go down to the lake and sit by the water, as it was simply far too cold. At the very least, none of the family had made a move to have him removed; on the contrary, he'd been informed that, in the winter, such a trip could prove to be fatal. But one day Spring would return, and he would not stay in the best guest bedroom of Annabeth's cousin's house forever.

He shuddered again as he stepped into the hall. Malaka , but he hated it here. But Annabeth was here, and he found he did not wish to be anywhere else.

It had been well over two months by now, and Percy at least knew his way to the dining hall, where the mid-day meal was served each day. As he set off, he tried to time his shivers to only when he was alone, when no other member of the household, born and bred in this bitter, bitter cold, could judge the strange foreign man who had, perhaps, outstayed his welcome.

Annabeth and Magnus were already seated at the table when he arrived, and she cast him a smile as he entered and sat down beside her. He nodded, smiling in return, feeling warm from the inside out.

Then the cousins resumed their conversation, which was quite beyond his comprehension.

Frowning, Percy took some salted fish onto his plate, and ate in silence, as he had no other option.

Alejandro arrived a few minutes after Percy, a man today, judging by his clothing and his own statement. At the very least, he had the good manners to speak to Percy over his bread.

"You are of the Eastern rites, yes?" he was saying. "Soon you shall experience a proper Catholic Christmas."

"It is much too early for Christmas, is it not?" Percy asked, frowning. Had he missed the turning of the year already? He had not thought he was so unaware of the passage of time that he had missed December entirely.

Annabeth and Magnus both frowned at them as though they spoke in secret code, as Annabeth's Latin was less than passable, and Magnus' nonexistent. Given that everyone around Percy was constantly speaking a tongue he could not understand, he did not find himself with much sympathy to spare.

"St. Lucy's feast is but three days away," Alejandra said, "and then the Christmas month shall begin."

At Percy's confused expression, he laughed; it was not exactly kind, but Percy had come to learn that the relentless teasing was how Alejandro demonstrated friendship.

He turned to Magnus, perhaps translating for his husband, and Annabeth responded in Swedish, her face contemplative. Then Alejandro said something presumably quite amusing, for they all burst into peals of laughter. Annabeth's laugh was musical, as always, bright and sparkling as a bell.

He wished he knew what the joke had been.

Shoving a slice of bread in his mouth, he prayed that it would hide the disappointment on his face from being cut out again.

"Anja," Alejandro explained, "had mentioned that the last time she had been present for St. Lucy's day, she had dressed up as the saint herself--I then volunteered to assume the role of a small, blonde girl, if no other one could be located in time."

Percy smiled, partly in thanks, but it was not the same. He had no idea what St. Lucy's day was supposed to involve, nor why Annabeth had costumed herself so, nor how it was somehow already time for Christmas--and he was not about to ask his present company.

After the meal, he and Alejandro went down to the manor's stables, as they often did. "You know," he said, as they walked across the frozen ground, "I have a half-brother who is a horse."

"I as well," Percy replied. "Two, actually, I believe."

Small talk for demigods was always something of a unique experience, and this cross-pantheon relation-building was particularly interesting. Loki could also cause earthquakes, as Percy discovered. He was glad he had found a kindred spirit, even all the way up here.

The horses were quite nice, but Percy was distracted somewhat by a group of young stablehands who simultaneously politely ignored them, while hanging on their every word and gesture from around the corners.

"What game do you think they are playing?" asked Percy absently, though whether to the horses or to Alejandro, he was not sure.

"They are watching you, my friend," Alejandro said. "They are all desperate for a glimpse, for a juicy slice of gossip to share with their friends."

Percy made a face. "Whatever for? I am not that interesting."

Laughing, Alejandro clapped him on the shoulder. "Oh, you've arrived from far away, and that is plenty interesting on its own. When I arrived with Magnus, I was stared at and gawked over for months, and no one believed I was the heir to a fallen empire."

It took Percy several moments to fully understand the extent of Alejandro's implication.

"Do people truly believe that I have some claim to the throne of Constantinople?" Such a fantasy was--laughable, at very best. "Everyone thinks so?"

"No, not everyone," Alejandro grinned. "I know perfectly well that, son of a god or not, the heir apparent of an empire could not have escaped half as well as you did." Then he paused, looking Percy up and down in a manner that felt not entirely unlike an appraisal. "But merely a minor prince, well..." Alejandro trailed off, raising an eyebrow in question.

Ruthlessly he quashed the bubbling, hysterical laughter that threatened its way up from his stomach. Someone as cunning and well-traveled as Alejandro, someone who'd spent so much time with him, thought him to be a porphyrogenitus? "That's ridiculous," he said, for it was one of the silliest things he had ever heard.

Alejandro's face fell. "No, do not say such things," he complained. "I so wanted to be right. Magnus had insisted you were merely a boring old nobleman, and I would hate to lose the bet."

Percy swallowed, suddenly overcome with anxiety over what Annabeth may have told her family about him. They knew he was a demigod of the Hellenes, of course, but perhaps she had obscured certain facts about his mortal life.

No, not perhaps. Anja Elisabet Fredriksdotter, whose family had played host to the king of Sweden in their ancient manor, she could not imply that her traveling companion was only a fisherman turned foot soldier in a failed army. What might that say about her, or her reputation?

"Well, I would hate to cause marital strife by proving anyone correct," he said with a painful smile, holding his tongue. Surely, if Annabeth had chosen not to share such information, she had had a reason, and he would not make her out to be a liar, not to her own family.

Eventually, he was able to get a straight answer regarding the Christmas season. The western Christians celebrated the birth of their god much, much earlier than those in the East, and in the cold, dark winters of Svealand, they had an additional holiday, that of the festival of light, held on December 13th, the Feast of St. Lucy that had been discussed earlier.

Alejandra stood next to her husband, smiling wistfully at the stream of little girls who walked past, garlands and candles on their heads. Percy could imagine, in his mind's eye, a little Annabeth leading the procession, blonde curls and steel eyes, so smart, so determined to seek the life that she wanted for herself. One day, perhaps sooner rather than later, her own daughter might join in the parade--another little blonde girl. A perfect child.

And Percy wanted...

No. No, he would not think on that. Already he was a shameful secret of his hostess. What would she think of him, if she knew that he dreamt of fathering her children? He could not risk her ire; should she order him to leave, he had nowhere else to go.

The lights streamed on past him, and Percy wished desperately for spring.

Christmas proved to be unremarkable, though the illicit Yule, celebrated in highest secrecy by Annabeth's family, was far more intimate. This holiday honored Odin, a godly king of the same rank and power and a little of the same personality as Zeus, but who apparently got on considerably better with Magnus and Alejandra than the lord of Olympus had with any of his mortal nieces and nephews.

He spent very little time with Annabeth these days, save for a few hours on the solstice, where they had sat together in an alcove, out of the way of the rest of the house, and did not discuss the winter council of the gods.

Neither did Percy have much taste for a Saturnalia, after the war.

Then the Epiphany was upon them, and the year had turned anew.

Percy began to spend some serious thought to what he might do when the spring came, as it inevitably would, when he could leave this place without fear of freezing from too long spent out of doors. He hoped by then, he would have learned how to cope with the knowledge that, once he departed, he would never again see Annabeth.

He had never broached the subject of payment for his services to her--he did not wish for a reward, as every moment by her side a gift. Keeping her safe had been an honor, not a chore. Yet he would need at least a little money to book passage on a ship, or to purchase a horse and some supplies. Perhaps he could speed up his departure by performing some manual labor for a local townsperson.

Percy had just begun to muster the courage to bring it up to Alejandra, hoping that she would be able to provide him some direction, when he received a summons, not from Lord Magnus, but from his uncle.

Sir Fredrik had called him to his study to discuss something that evening, and Percy prayed that he did not look too nervous. Perhaps the rumors of his birth had reached the lord of the household, and they wished to discuss the business of transferring a power which Percy did not possess. Or perhaps the truth of the circumstances of his station had finally come out, and Lord Magnus had chosen to send him away from their home. He was not certain which he would have preferred.

“Ah, Percy, come in!” said Fredrik, ushering him into the room. “Do sit down. Something to drink?”

“Oh,” he said, sliding into the chair which had been positioned in front of Fredrik’s desk. “No, thank you.” But the man had already sent along orders with a servant. What bizarre concoction would it be this time, Percy wondered. The soup made from rose flowers? The thin, foul-smelling ale which tasted of rotten bread?

While Percy waited at Fredrik’s leisure, the man in question continued to putter about his office, shuffling papers and muttering to himself in Swedish. He waited for so long, he began to wonder if Fredrik had forgotten him entirely, until a manservant reentered with two steaming mugs of… something. Percy attempted to thank the man as he handed him his drink, only to receive a rather condescending look from the corner of the man’s eye.

Cowed, he sipped his drink, preparing himself for the worst.

Yet--oh, what a pleasant surprise! The drink was hot, but sweet, with a splash of spices and a softness which hid the bitterness of the alcohol that ran through it. The sharp smell reminded him of the trees which surrounded the manor, fruit on a cold winter’s morning.

“Pardon me,” he said, “but what is this beverage?”

“That, my boy, is a cider,” Fredrik replied, settling down at his desk. “I take it you prefer this to ale, yes?”

Indeed. Rather than answer, he took another deep, deep drink, letting it warm him all the way to the tips of his toes.

“Now, then,” said Fredrik. “There are several things I wish to discuss with you.”

Percy straightened. “Yes, sir.”

Tapping his fingers against his desk, he peered at Percy over the rim of his glasses. “Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to observe you and your character, and you seem to me to be a good, upstanding young man. Now, I must be truthful; I recognize that we have perhaps, ahem, sped things up quite a bit more than one usually would in situations such as these, but as time is of the essence, I shall be brief, and speak plainly: would you, Perseus, be amenable,” he asked, “to marrying my daughter?”

Uh.

Oh.

Well.

“I… beg your pardon?”

Nonplussed, Fredrik rearranged several papers. “I have previously discussed it with her, and she has agreed to the proposition. She was quite insistent that we consulted you before any decision was made, of course.”

It seemed that the cold had frozen all of his mental faculties, bringing his thoughts to a grinding, stuttering halt.

Percy had come up against a wide, wide range of peculiar situations in his short life. He had been stared down by gods, monsters, and all manner of supernatural entities, most of which wished him fatal injury. He had been accused of, among other things, stealing the most powerful weapon in history, then a mere four years later, had been offered the gods’ rarest, most precious gift. He had witnessed, firsthand, the passing of an age and the end of the greatest empire known to man.

Absolutely none of it had prepared him for this moment.

“I…” He did not even know where to begin with such a request. “I… think, sir, there may be some confusion.”

“Nonsense,” Fredrik scoffed, reminding Percy eerily of his daughter. “What confusion could there be?”

What confusion? What of the fact that Percy was entirely unfit to be anyone’s husband, let alone Annabeth’s? “I am aware,” he said, slowly, “that some people have… perhaps loftier impressions of myself and my station than what may be accurate. Whatever you may have heard, unfortunately, I carry no blood claim to the Palaiologoi .”

Fredrik blinked, taken aback. “I had not heard such a rumor,” he said. “I do apologize if anyone has treated you strangely due to such misinformation.”

“I carry no claim to any sort of titles at all, truly,” Percy said, pressing the truth of the matter. “I am no prince nor royal bastard, no lord nor duke, but merely a fisherman and a foot soldier of the allagion .”

“And a son of Poseidon,” Fredrik added. “Lords and dukes can only dream of a peerage such as yours, my boy.”

As flattering as that was, Percy felt it was somewhat beyond the point. “What I mean to say, sir, is that there is not much I could offer your daughter by way of marriage.” Naught but his heart, a devotion and passion equal to the power of a thousand suns, but such things were immaterial, and not usually considered in terms of a marriage contract. “I have no titles nor lands, no family--I haven’t even a lira to my name.”

“You need not concern yourself with the finances,” Fredrik said. “Anja herself possesses a considerable dowry--one or two tracts of land granted to her by my late brother which can be cultivated or exchanged as the two of you see fit.”

“I--be that as it may,” he stammered, floundering for some sort of purchase in this odd dream into which he had entered, “it was my understanding that Annabeth did not, precisely, wish to be married.” He kept the “ to me ” quiet, unsaid.

Not only had she certainly not been the greatest devotee of Hera, patroness of marriage, but the only time she had ever brought the topic up in conversation had been in reference to making herself Empress. Why on Earth would she agree to such a contract with Percy?

Fredrik sighed, removing his glasses and placing them on his desk. “How much has Anja spoken of our relationship?”

“Only the broadest strokes,” he said, a trifle embarrassed. He did not wish to divulge the deepest secrets of her unhappy childhood to the man responsible for much of it.

“Tell me, Perseus,” said Fredrik. “Do you have any children yourself?”

“No, sir,” Percy said, unsure of the direction of this conversation. “Not to my knowledge.”

Frowning, thoughtful, Fredrik held Percy in place with his keen eyes, so like his daughter’s. “While I love my sons, I would be remiss if I did not confess my numerous sins regarding the health and well-being of my first child. When the lady Athena gifted me with Anja, I had just returned from my stay at an English monastery, where I had been consulting with several of the monks there. I was a young man, not so much older than yourself, and in a similar financial predicament. My brother did not approve of my scholastic desires, and so provided me with little assistance. My union with Mary was, in part, an attempt to provide Anja with certain things she had never known before: namely, a mother, someone to whom she could turn whilst I was otherwise occupied. Unfortunately, as you well know, that is not how she saw it. And so, in my negligence and ignorance, what I thought was the right choice for her was merely the impetus she finally required in order to make an attempt for freedom.”

Somehow, Percy could not imagine Fredrik as a young man, so weighed down by years and years of regret and sorrow.

“I never imagined I would see her again; my Anja. I had presumed that she was lost to me forever, and then, once word of the defeat of Constantinople had reached us… Well, I had resigned myself to the fact of her death. It was a near inevitability. And then, you presented me with a miracle: Anja returned to me, and with forgiveness in her heart.” Then he smiled, and the years seemed to fade from his face. “I love my daughter, and I swore I would never do anything to lose her goodwill ever again. Unfortunately, as you and I well know, though she certainly would be able to live well and peacefully on her own, it can be rather difficult for an unmarried woman to make a name for herself. It can be done, and it has, but the presence of a husband can grease certain wheels, give her access to social circles in which I know she shall thrive. And there are other things to consider as well.” Shuffling the papers on his desk, he pulled one forth, squinting at it. “My wife has informed me that several young men in Uppsala have expressed their interest in marriage with Anja. The politics are long and tedious, so I shall not bore you with them, but you and I can both agree that she deserves to be more than a bargaining chip in a bloody conflict.”

“Yes, sir,” he said, for what else could he say? Percy would give her the world, if she but asked him to.

“I intend to remove her from the conflict entirely,” Fredrik went on. “And for that, we have agreed, there is no one better suited to the position than you: a friend and ally, and someone who will not press her to do anything which she does not want for herself.”

Even seated, his hackles rose at the thought.

As he fought valiantly to keep hold of his father’s legendary temper, Fredrik must have mistaken his silence for reluctance. “This arrangement is not agreeable to you?” he asked, concerned.

“Oh--no, sir, not at all--it is very agreeable, yes,” he rushed to assure him. How could he possibly explain that the man had just offered him his wildest, most precious dream, wrapped sweetly in a perfect little package? Every inch of him screamed to accept it. “I merely… do not know what to say.”

He wanted to say yes. Oh, how he wanted . He wished to wake up to her hair in his mouth, to her blinding smile in his bed, to take her in his arms and demonstrate the extent of his affection and passion for her. He wished for her every waking moment, every hour and minute of her presence, even if just to bask in the simple fact that he shared it with her. A lifetime with Annabeth, spent in the frozen North of Svealand--a better reward than anything any god had ever offered him.

“I…”

Yet, he faltered.

“If… if possible, sir, I should like to speak to Annabeth before any arrangements are finalized.”

Frowning lightly, Fredrik nodded. “I understand, though I do urge you not to linger too long on this decision. There are more things here at stake than perhaps you or I realize.”

If he had not spent so much of his adolescence as a demigod, he thought, such a vaguely ominous warning would have caused some concern. But it could not bother him now.

“I will speak with her today or tomorrow, sir.” Percy promised, though it was all he could do not to accept his offer right at this moment, to run from this room, find her, and kiss her. “As soon as possible. I merely wish to discuss with her directly regarding her expectations.”

At that, Fredrik grinned a little, humor peeking out from behind his stern exterior. “Good man,” he said. “With that attitude, I am certain you will go far as a husband.”

In something of a daze, Percy wandered his way back to his sleeping quarters, his thoughts racing faster than Apollo’s chariot, turning every word of his conversation with Fredrik over in his mind, digging for any possible double-meanings. And yet, the meaning seemed perfectly clear: Annabeth and her father had discussed her prospects, and had come to the conclusion that marrying Percy was the proper course of action.

In his experience, such a boon never came without a price. It was something Annabeth herself had told him, once upon a time: there was no such offer so duplicitous as a free meal.

When he entered his room, he found the subject of his contemplations waiting on him there. “So,” Annabeth said, keen eyes piercing straight through to the heart of him, “I take it my father spoke with you?”

Wonderful; he did not need to catch her up to the situation at hand. “I did,” he said, an inexplicable irritation surging through him. “Though perhaps ‘ambushed’ may be a better term for it.”

She pursed her lips, but said nothing.

He knew, in his soul, that he should not speak to her like this, that he was more than capable of carrying out such a conversation with logic and reason--but month after month of freezing weather, strange food, and being stared at like an animal cage had taken its toll, and he found his patience had worn a bit thin. “Had I realized you were so keen on marriage,” he said, “I would have endeavored to bring you home sooner. Your father tells me there are several gentlemen all vying for your hand.”

“My step-mother’s doing, no doubt,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “Were it my decision, I would not be in this predicament, I assure you.”

As he had suspected. “Well, then I suppose I should be grateful that, if you ever deigned to marry, I would be amongst the preferred candidates.”

Her mouth twisted, no doubt a clever retort just about to trip off the tongue, but, clenching her jaw, she wrangled it in. “I know it is in our nature to quarrel with each other,” she said, “but I would have your cooperation in this. If you agree, we shall be married; if you do not, we shall not. Surely it is within our power to make it so simple?”

There were many, many things he wished to say to her, beginning with how he did not appreciate being put on the spot in that manner, and ending with how marrying her would be the greatest achievement of his lifetime, but, curse of the demigods, his mind raced far ahead of his mouth, and all that came out was a statement only tangentially related. “I am not a farmer,” he blurted.

She raised her brows. “Beg pardon?”

“I--” he rubbed a hand over his face, attempting to pluck the words from the typhoon of his thoughts and feelings, “you know that I am only a foot soldier, yes? A foot soldier and a fisherman. Yes, I can claim the mantle of a hero, but what good does that do beyond the confines of the agoge ? What could I possibly bring to the table? I do not know how to work the land, or manage assets, or--or be a husband.” And therein lay the truth, that he could not be the type of husband she would deserve. He could be a friend, an ally, and a traveling companion, and there their paths would branch off, leading them down two very different destinies.

No matter how fervently he desired otherwise.

Annabeth let out a breath. There was raw, naked pity on her face, as though she had not considered he could feel this way. “You will not have to do any farming yourself,” she said, slowly. “There are people we could hire, help that we could bring in to manage all the things that we have no knowledge of. We could sell the land and use the money for something else entirely. And as for being a husband,” she bit her lip, shaking her head minutely, “you have been the most stalwart, steadfast friend a person could ever have. I imagine that a husband would require much the same qualities.”

That much was true, yes. Percy had experienced for himself two very different kinds of husbands, the ill-tempered and devoted, the creature of harsh words and the man of warmth and comfort, the monster of Percy’s childhood and his mother’s second husband. He thought of Paul, his easy understanding and his willingness to believe the wild yarn his wife had spun for him. To be a man like that, Percy felt that was a task he could manage, yet there were other things Paul had provided his wife… things that Percy did not know if Annabeth wanted from him.

Swallowing, she tilted her chin up. Her eyes were glassy, shining in the candlelight. “I know this must not be what you had envisioned,” she said, speaking slowly as though she were choosing every word after much deliberation, “but there is… of the options provided, there is no one else to whom I would rather be married. I know you would treat me kindly, would be my friend and confidante; what more could any wife wish for?”

Ah. Now he understood.

“Very well.” Percy held out his hand to her. “I formally accept your proposal.”

Percy was her tether to freedom. Presented with the inevitability of marriage, Annabeth had chosen the least undesirable path, a man who would, at the very least, not forcibly tie her to the hearth and home.

Well, if that was the only service he was to provide for her, then provide it he could.

With only a moment’s hesitation, she took his hand, and they shook on it.

***

Several weeks later, they were married.

Percy had volunteered his services as best man to several of his fellow soldiers in Constantinople; it felt very strange to be on the other side of the festivities. Still, the ceremony itself was quite similar to the ones he had witnessed before. Considerably less icons, however. Given how the Eastern Romans had fought tooth and nail for their icons, to be married without them felt nearly like a betrayal, even though he put no stock in such things.

Notice of their wedding had been posted on the church door of the little town nearby, in order to give people time enough to find reasons to object, should there be any. “Sometimes,” Alejandra had explained, “a man or a woman will have a number of wedded partners in a number of different towns; this gives a jilted lover the chance to come forward and name the philanderer publicly. Usually, though, it is to confirm that the two who are to be wedded are not so close in blood.”

Percy cast a thought to his convoluted family tree, and decided not to think on it further.

He had nearly laughed, though, when the priest had asked him if there were any sins he wished to confess before he was wed. His sins against the church were varied and extensive, as were Annabeth’s; in all ways, save the most obvious, one could say that the two of them lived in sin together. He could not truly tell, but he thought he may have seen her suppress a smile out of the corner of his eye.

She looked lovely that day--as she did all on days--but on her wedding day, she had arrived in a royal blue dress that made his heart pound and his palms sweat, nearly the same darkness as the shawl he had gifted her, dark against her pale skin. Her hair had grown much longer since her ill-fated cut, and had been cleaned and maintained by her maid, looking even softer and more golden than it usually did, falling down over her shoulders, a garland placed on her head.

There, in front of the gathered assembly, he vowed to honor, obey, have and hold until death, and slid a ring onto her finger. The priest conferred unto him a kiss of peace, and bade him to do the same to his wife. To Percy’s credit, he restrained himself from pulling her into his arms, and merely placed the absolute chastest of kisses on her lips. After the appropriate amount of time, Annabeth pulled back, her face a pristine mask, and Percy prayed that he had the same amount of composure.

The celebratory feast, unfortunately, would prove to be much more difficult.

Alejandro, merry on spiced wine and in his volunteer function as best man, had corralled the guests into a little wedding game which came from Anglia. The cooks had made enough buns and spice cakes to feed a small army, and, in a fit of insanity, the assembled party decided to stack them on top of each other, creating a sizable tower of buns, nearly as tall as Annabeth. “There we are, lovebirds!” he crowed in Spanish, as he was too inebriated for Latin, slinging his arm around Percy’s neck. “Here are the rules: you must kiss one another over the tower, and if it does not fall, your union will certainly be blessed!”

The crowd, having finished their construction, took up the call, cheering them on, Alejandro physically dragging Percy up out of his seat, and pushing him towards the tower. Magnus was doing much the same to Annabeth, steering her to the other side.

“Alejandro, I--I cannot--”

But whatever excuse he tried to invent was lost over the approving jeers and cheers of their audience. Though he could not understand their words, he knew precisely what was required of him here.

Across the tower, Annabeth was flushed, with drink or embarrassment or cold, he could not tell, but she looked on him with expectant eyes, and he knew she was smart enough to have come to the same conclusion. To refuse to take part in this little game would be foolhardy, at best.

Up close, the tower of baked goods was not nearly so tall as it had seemed, and it was easy for him to lean down without disturbing the construction of food. On her side, Annabeth had closed her eyes, her lips parted, waiting for his to fall on her.

By his count, this was now their third kiss. Perhaps it was to be their last. He would savor it then, he told himself, commit to memory the softness of her lips and the redness of her cheeks, her long, golden eyelashes resting against her skin.

A great, raucous cheer went up from the crowd, and they pulled apart, greeting their audience with bashful smiles.

Percy turned, ready to apologize to Annabeth for all of this. But he held his tongue when he saw the bright smile on her face. He knew her fake and forced smiles, this was not it. She was happy. And he could pretend, at least for a moment, that it was because of him, and not because of the clever situation she’s managed to get herself into.

Eventually, the celebration ended, and they had to retire to bed. Percy had started down the hallway to retire to the guest quarters, until Annabeth had looked at him oddly, and he was suddenly reminded--of course, they were now married. They would be sharing a bed from now on.

The very thought sent a shiver down his spine.

They had shared beds before, hundreds of times. On this journey alone, they had shared the bed of many an inn, simply to save money. For some reason, this time felt different.

Annabeth’s room was not so different to his own; a little larger, perhaps. Fredrik, Magnus, and Alejandro saw them off, Fredrik embracing his daughter and kissing her forehead. He whispered something to her in Swedish, and she nodded into his chest, sweetly. Then he looked at Percy, gave him a solemn nod, and departed.

Now they were alone.

The fire in the hearth had already been lit--and had been for a while, judging by the size and heat of the flame. That must have been why Percy suddenly felt hot beneath all his clothing.

“Well,” he said, wandering to the other side of the bed. The room had no echo; it made it feel smaller, somehow. “I imagine that was not how you had envisioned your wedding, yes?”

She did not respond.

The heat of the room was bordering on suffocating. How odd, since he had only ever known the climate to be perpetually frozen. To alleviate this, he removed the outermost layer of his clothing. “Certainly it is not what I thought mine would be. In truth,” Percy said, filling the silence with his babble, “I had not thought that I would ever marry. Not because I detested the very idea, mind you,” he rushed to confirm, “but, you know how few of us reach the marriageable age in our line of work. It always felt like some sort of far-off dream to me. Yet, here we are! How amusing, yes?”

Still nothing.

He turned to her, then yelped. “Oh, forgive me! I had not realized--”

“It is fine, Percy,” she said, lowly. “We are married now; it is no sin to look at me undressed.”

While he was not looking, she had shed her clothes as well, folding her dress neatly for someone to claim later. Her underclothes were white, made of thick, sturdy material, perfect for cold, winter days.

“Still,” he said. “I did not mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You have not.” From behind, he watched her shoulders rise and fall as she sighed. “When I thought of my wedding,” she said, after a moment’s silence, “I did not think it would have so many Catholics.”

Percy laughed, a sound startled right out of his chest. “I as well!”

She chortled, too, causing the fabric of her dress to ripple. “If you must know,” then she turned to him, her hands deftly winding her hair into a braid, “I used to dream about being married in the ways of the shieldmaidens.”

Sense memory, he remembered the feel of her stiff, bloody hair in his hands, gently twisting it this way and that. His fingers twitched. “What,” he coughed, “what did the ways of the shieldmaidens entail?”

He wondered for a moment, given the story she had told him of Katya and Clarice, if that was what she had meant by the ways of shieldmaidens, and if she had dreamed of that, when she had not dreamed of Lukas instead.

“Sacrifices, ritual baths--what one might expect from a wedding.” She tied the end of her hair off with a length of leather cord, the braid coming to rest over her shoulder, the tip of it tickling the neckline of her dress. “When the bride and the groom met in ceremony, they would exchange their weapons with one another.”

He nearly laughed, it seemed so in line with all that he had learned about the northern raiders. "Quite befitting a warrior’s culture," he mused.

Nodding, she stepped closer towards the bed, though she made no move to lie down upon it, instead leaning against a bedpost. “The groom would present the sword of his ancestors which he had unearthed from the family tomb; in turn, the bride would gift him a weapon as well.” Weakly, she attempted a smile, though it looked to be more of a grimace to Percy’s eyes. “My father once told me that he had gifted my mother a weapon such as this. Unfortunately, she was not so familiar with the custom, and so would not accept it.”

Her lips turned downwards, her whole posture sagging with a muted sorrow.

Oh, why not. “We both have our own ancestral weapons,” he said. “If you are amenable, we could exchange them now.”

She flicked her eyes up to him.

“It is no trouble for me.” If it would make her smile, he would take Anaklusmos and toss it into the hearth itself. Lending her his sword for a while was nothing.

She studied him, her lips thin as they pressed against each other. “You truly would not mind?” she asked. “I know it is a silly tradition.”

Rather than answer, he pulled his sword from his belt. The magical item, when not in use, took the form of a key, for ease of portability. Whispering its name, a powerful summons, it grew into the long, leaf-bladed xiphos his father had gifted him, and he held it out to her, hilt-first.

“Anja Elisabet Fredriksdotter,” he said, these strange syllables finally at home on his tongue, “I offer you my sword.” He did not know if the words were correct, but he prayed that they would suffice.

Across the bed, her large, grey eyes shone in the firelight. Her mouth quivered with furiously checked emotion, and she had to turn to hide her face, snatching something out of the bundle of clothing she had discarded. When she turned back, she had not regained her composure--not one bit. “Perseus thalassinos ,” she murmured, holding out her knife towards him, hilt-first, just as she had so many months ago, in the middle of nowhere with dead men at their feet, the highest act of trust she could muster. “I offer you my sword.”

Over the bed, they exchanged their weapons.

Taking the bronze knife in his hand, he felt different, somehow. He felt as though he had passed through a door of some kind, had crossed over into a newer, stranger world, and yet, he felt no danger, for he had a partner at his side, one who would see him through all senses of conflict.

Brandishing his weapon, Annabeth took one look at it, then promptly burst into tears.

Percy dropped the knife. It clattered against the cold stones, forgotten. “Annabeth,” he asked, rushing to her side, “Annabeth, what is wrong?”

Drawing in a shuddering breath, she shook her head, her whole body trembling as a tree caught in a mighty storm. Fearful that she would accidentally hurt herself, he plucked the sword from her grasp, tossing it carelessly aside, and gently wrapped his hands around her upper arms.

“Annabeth, what is it?”

She grasped him in return. Her grip was always strong, and now her fingers dug into his muscles, squeezing him tight. “I--” she sobbed, “I--” Her chest was seized with hysterical breaths, her eyes shut tightly. “This is--I--it was not supposed to be like this,” she gasped. Tears flowed freely from beneath her eyelids, glittering like crystals in the firelight.

“I know,” he breathed. “I know, and I am sorry.” Sorry that she was stuck with the likes of him. She could have had her pick of the world--lords and emperors and whoever else--and somehow, she had the misfortune of being tied to him.

“No, it is not--” she wept. “Silena, we had al-always spoken of--and you have been so kind and--and understanding, but I--we--and I dragged you halfw-way across the world, but I know you h-hate it here--”

“I do not hate it here,” he protested, even though it was true.

“I had thought m-my wedding would be held at the camp.” Were he not listening so intently, he would not have heard her words, warbled and warped as they were by her heaving sobs. “On the b-beaches of Troia , and my m-mother would be there, but she is gone , and camp is gone, and--I--I just--”

“I am here,” he murmured, squeezing her shoulders. “Oh, Annabeth, I am here.”

She opened her eyes, grey storm clouds glinting with lightning.

“It is alright,” he told her. He understood her feelings well; not a day had gone by without a thought to the whereabouts of their friends, of their family. But here they were, together, and that was all that mattered. “You are not alone,” he swore . “I will stick by you, I promise.”

With a trembling sigh, she threw her arms around him. He pressed her close, his arms coming up to circle her torso, holding her to his chest. “I am sorry,” she gasped, “I am so sorry.”

“It is alright,” he said, a hand coming up to the bottom of her neck to better support her. “You do yourself no disservice.”

“N-no, it is not--” she shuddered, a localized earthquake within his arms. “The marriage,” she said, “it is not--not legal unless we--we--”

He knew precisely what she was going to say, and though his heart surged at the idea--and he was certain she could feel it, pressed so close to him as she was--his mind, thankfully, was in control for the time being. “Absolutely not,” he said. “Not tonight.”

That seemed to shock her out of her panic. She stilled in his arms, her wails subsiding.

Poor thing, she must have been so worried that whoever she married would attempt to force her to fulfill the marriage contract. Once again, he cursed the whole damnable institution; he knew so often that women had so little say in matters of the flesh. Well, Percy was not like other men, and he would not take something which she was not prepared to give. He would not do that to any woman, let alone one whom he loved so deeply.

She pulled back. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. “It is our wedding night,” she said, dumbly.

“Yes,” Percy agreed, “but we do not have to do anything that you do not want to do.”

“But it is our wedding night,” she insisted.

“I know.”

“Our marriage is not legal if we do not.”

“I understand.”

“But…” she blinked, casting about for her words. “But…”

“We can claim that the festivities left us too exhausted to do naught but sleep,” Percy said. “Or we can claim that we consummated the marriage anyway. Surely your father will not check your sheets for blood.”

Dumbfounded, she gaped at him, her mouth opening and closing around nothing. Percy had grown to rather enjoy rendering her speechless, though this time around, it left something of a bad taste in his mouth.

“I do not think we should do anything tonight,” he said. “To take advantage of you… of anyone this way, would be a most unforgivable sin.”

He had thought she would agree. Surely he had assuaged her worries.

Instead, her eyes narrowed. “On the contrary,” she said, her voice still thick with tears. “I believe we should consummate the marriage tonight.”

“Annabeth--”

“You think I am too weak to fulfill the marital contract.”

“Of course not,” he scoffed.

“Then there is no reason to delay,” she said. “And, moreover, I…”

Trailing off, her cheeks filled with blood. Percy’s heart throbbed in his chest, deafening.

“I… I want it,” she said, a whisper on a breeze.

Helpless, he could only watch as her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

“Do you… do you not?”

Beneath his vision, he could just barely see her bosom as it moved in time with her breathing. Oh, Anja, he wanted nothing more in the world than you at this moment!

She shuttered her eyes closed again, as though she were in pain. “I am sorry,” she repeated--for what, though, he could not imagine. “But I am afraid that… that if we do not… then some would see our union as--as invalid.”

The bubble of fantasy burst, and reality set in.

Of course. Politics and power-broking. To save herself, she would give herself to him. To protect her, he had to let this happen.

It was the easiest choice he ever made.

Bending his neck, he leaned down, and he kissed her.

As a flower in the dawn, she opened herself to him.

Her mouth was warm against his, her lips soft. Through the fabric of her dress, he could feel every muscle as she pressed up against him, could feel her breath hitch as he laid her down on the bed, as his hands pushed the hemline of her nightclothes up her thighs.

It felt as though every choice he had ever made, every path he had ever taken and every one he had ever shunned, had led to this moment, to Annabeth, panting and hot beneath him. Percy had been lucky enough to be the paramour of goddesses, disciple and student both, and now he had a chance to demonstrate what he had learned. If she were to be tied to him in this way, if this were his only chance to show her how he truly felt, then tonight, he vowed, he would make it worth her while.

She tasted just as sweet as he had dreamt she would. Her cries of passion, more beautiful than any music he had ever known.

And when he entered her, her scrunched face and wrinkled nose relaxing into slack pleasure, he held himself still, gazing on it, committing every single detail to his deepest, most sacred memory.

They moved together. Over and over again, they moved together, her legs slowly traveling up the backs of his thighs, ticklish and feathery. “Percy,” she gasped, one of his hands coming up to cup her breast, the other hard at work at the apex of her thighs. “Percy!”

“Anja,” he murmured into her neck. “Anja.”

With a wail, she tossed her head back, her braid loose and messy against the pillows, her legs tightening about his waist.

He could not stop himself even if he wanted to. And he did not want to.

Close behind, he followed her over the edge, hissing through his teeth as they took the plunge together.

It could have been days until Percy came back to his senses, days spent in the Elysium of Annabeth’s embrace. Her heartbeat was as ragged as his, and they beat in twain, a call and an answer.

Then she shifted beneath him. “Percy.”

“Oh.” He untangled himself from her, his limbs suddenly so awkward and gangly, pulling himself out and away, then lay down next to her, his hot, sweaty skin suddenly freezing in the cold air.

And there it was. Something of a lifelong dream, fulfilled.

Now if only he could discover why he felt so empty.

After a while, Annabeth threw back the sheets, and got out of bed. Percy tried not to linger too much on her bare form, even as he marveled how she was able to withstand the cold without so much as a protective shift. Then she bent over, picking something up from the floor, and Percy, only a mortal man, he could not resist.

Gods above, she was truly the most stunning creature ever to walk this earth. Every inch of her seemed to be perfectly crafted to send him into a frenzy of passion. So intent was he on taking in the whole beautiful picture that he nearly missed the trickle of something down the inside of her legs, belatedly realizing what it was.

He had to physically tear himself away, flopping himself back down on the sheets, to put that thought to bed. Demonic harpies , he chanted to himself. Stymphalian birdsong. Lord Dionysus in a pankration . Anything which would stop his baser instincts from manifesting themselves.

So focused on his own body was he, he did not notice what Annabeth was doing until it was much too late. “Annabeth,” he gasped, “what--”

But she had already used her knife to cut her hand, letting dark blood drip onto the white sheets. “There,” she said. “Now no one will have cause for doubt.”

He moved to leave the bed himself. “Let me see your hand--”

“It is fine,” she stopped him, already wrapping it up in a length of cloth she had ripped from her underclothes. “It shall cease to bleed by morning.”

“I am sorry,” he said, though he was not certain which sin required her forgiveness. “I did not mean to…” To what? Break her heart? Plant his seed? Fall in love? He had not meant to do any of these things, yet still, they had been done, and could not be undone. But, there was one thing for which he could apologize. “I am sorry that you must bear this burden,” he said. “It is not fair to you.”

“As I said,” Annabeth replied, slipping back beneath the covers, turning away from him. “It is fine. Good night, Perseus.”

Then silence reigned in the bedroom.

Percy could not fall asleep for a long, long time.

#my fic #the marble king #percabeth #pjo #the rivalry ends here #darkmagyk #another doozy

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