angst 17 / fluff 9 😘
The front door of the apartment bursts open and Annabeth stumbles over the threshold as Percy holds her waist from behind, trying to keep her balanced. She cackles as he hooks her arm around his neck to keep her upright long enough to make it over to the couch where she sits with a plop. Percy takes a knee in front of her and begins to unlace her shoes.
“Thanks again for picking me up,” she says as she swings her feet, adding a challenge to Percy’s task. “That bartender was being such a buzzkill.”
Percy laughs as he grabs her ankle to hold it still long enough to slip her first shoe off. “I don’t know, I think I might have to agree that you hit the Woo Woo’s a little hard.”
Annabeth frowns as Percy pulls off her other shoe. “Then don’t run a promotion called Woo Woo Wednesday.”
Percy shrugs. “That’s a fair point… Still, it’s not really like you to party in the middle of the week. Everything okay?”
Annabeth bites her bottom lip and looks down at her mismatched socks, wiggling her toes. “Dad stuff,” she answers quietly.
“Ah,” he says, grunting as he lifts himself up to sit next to her. “Wanna tell me what happened?”
She leans into him ever so slightly, the feel of his steady shoulder against hers providing immediate comfort. “Him and the boys aren’t coming to visit after all. Seems they had a family trip planned that they had… forgotten about.”
“Family trip,” Percy repeats with a scoff. He shakes his head, and puts his hand on top of hers. “I’m sorry, Annabeth.”
She swallows hard, trying to ignore the rumble of the peach schnapps and vodka deep in her gut as she wipes away a stray tear. “He didn’t even realize what he said.”
“Did you get to talk to your brothers?”
She shakes her head. “They were at a Boy Scouts meeting or something. My dad was cagey about it.”
Percy is silent as he presses his body a bit closer to Annabeth’s. They have had a version of this same conversation for years, and it never gets any easier.
“Should we get you to bed?” he finally asks.
Annabeth silently nods, letting Percy lift her to her feet. They stand still for a moment to give her some time to steady herself with her hands on Percy’s shoulders.
“Why won’t he ever just be my dad?” Annabeth asks as her voice cracks and her hands squeeze Percy. “No matter what I do, he just… He won’t be mine.”
Percy reaches out for her, his thumb softly stroking her cheekbone before tucking a loose curl behind her ear. “I don’t know,” he answers honestly. “But he’s a fucking idiot for choosing to not be part of your life.”
Annabeth sniffles, and again wipes at her tears. “Percy?”
“Yeah?”
“Will… Will you hug me?” she asks with a sigh. “If you don’t hug me right now I might fall apart.”
Without hesitation, Percy steps into Annabeth’s space to wrap his arms around her and hug her as tightly as possible. They stay like that for a few moments, until that familiar rumble rolls through Annabeth’s stomach.
“Percy, I don’t feel so good,” she announces.
“That turned fast,” he teases, quickly pulling away and transporting her to the bathroom where he holds her hair as the Woo Woo’s fight back.
“Thanks,” she mumbles through a mouthful of toothpaste while she brushes her teeth.
Percy leans against the doorframe, watching her with a reassuring smile. “Any time, kid.”
Getting her to bed is relatively smooth, and she only tips over twice while putting on her pajama bottoms, which she counts as a personal drunken best. He tucks her in snugly, watching in amusement as she rearranges her pillows and pulls one tightly to chest and tucks it under her chin.
Once she’s settled, Percy leans down to place a kiss to her forehead. “Night, Annabeth.”
But before he can stand, she tugs at his shirt sleeve to keep him in place.
“Sleep over?” she asks, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. “Please?”
“You’re drunk,” he reminds her.
“You’re my best friend,” she retorts. “Please? I really don’t wanna be alone.”
Percy thinks for a moment, chewing on the inside of his lip.
“You know you’re gonna say yes,” Annabeth whispers teasingly.
Percy drops his head back as he rolls his eyes. “Are my sweats still here from movie night?”
Annabeth nods emphatically and points over to her dresser, where Percy quickly grabs his pants and heads down the hall to change. He returns looking much more comfortable, and Annabeth scoots over in bed, throwing the comforter open to make room for him.
“You know,” Percy says as he gets situated. “My mom still has all those airline miles from her book tour.”
“Is that so?” Annabeth asks, snuggling against Percy’s shoulder as she hugs his arm.
He nods as he reaches to turn off the light on the nightstand. “Six hours on a plane, a rental car, and a quick stop at a grocery store, and boom! Your dad’s car and house are covered in eggs. Happens all the time.”
“You know I’ve heard that.”
“Sweeping the nation.”
“Damn kids these days.”
“Incorrigible,” he says indignantly. He presses a kiss to the top of Annabeth’s head. “Goodnight, Annabeth.”
“Goodnight, Percy. And thanks.”
“For what?” he asks, leaning his head against hers.
She wonders if he can feel her smiling against him. “For being mine.”
