[ Each day feels just a little more normal than the last, which is kind of crazy to say when the strength and the power from the Singularity pulses in his veins and his soul, and just about everything about living like this, living here is, by definition, not normal.
But normal means a short life for someone like him, where making it out of his teens is something of a miracle. It means constantly being in danger, and constantly looking over his shoulder for something that wants to chow down on him like he's a walking, talking (and yelling) shishkabob, but he's well into his twenties now — and married, a dad, and fully employed by the docks with a routine that he enjoys. It gives him something to do with his hands, and he has a natural affinity to helping the locals out. He likes them, and they like him, and it's all very ... simple.
These days, he really likes simple.
It's late afternoon when he comes back home with supplies for dinner (he's making grilled fish burgers), a skip in his step and a tune in his heart (or, you know, just feeling kinda productive). It's been drizzling all day, which is great for the trees but miserable for most — and Percy walks through it all like it's been clear skies all day, his clothing and his hair perfectly dry.
He's tempted to call out, 'Honey, I'm home' like he's done every now and then for stupid laughs, because it's so strangely old-timey and Percy is nothing if not still a sucker for really dumb jokes. In the end, he just says: ] I'm home! [ while setting the groceries down and pulling his cloak from his shoulders to hang by the rest of the hooks housing three other cloaks of similar material but very different sizes. ]
— I thought the girls were out with Uncle Dusty?
[ He continues aloud, reaching to briefly touch the shorter cloak with his fingers. When there's no answer, Percy starts to wonder whether he's alone and talking to himself (thankfully the neighbours won't hear him), and distractedly starts for the main bedroom where he finds his wife, Annabeth, dozing off with their youngest — a boy, still a baby — gathered in her arms, and also fast asleep.
The visual does something kinda silly to his heart, like filling it with warmth and love and home, and he can't help it when a dumb smile works its way into his features as he takes that moment to memorize it. ]
Hey, buddy — [ Percy moves forward to grab their son from Annabeth's arms, to relieve her of arm-cramps, and offer her the proper chance for decent sleep. She hasn't had a whole lot of that lately on account of insisting she knows exactly how to take care of their boy, and Percy knows better than to argue when she's got a plan. ] How about we let mom sleep for a little while, huh?
[ The baby blinks blearily at his father, squirming into a more comfortable position in his arms, before returning to whatever dream he must be having. Percy hopes he's hanging out with pegasi and maybe a really friendly hellhound in those dreams. ]
[ there is a sense of normalcy to annabeth's life here that still feels unearned, or unreal. a sense of settlement that unnerves her sometimes, because living as long as she has so far was supposed to be a pipe dream. she's here anyway, married - married - and a mother three times, sometimes still puzzled by it all but not unhappy. no, she's definitely not unhappy. ]
[ there's nothing about a life with percy that feels unhappy. ]
[ she's very tired though. exhaustion seems like it's just always going to be part of her, even if it's different now. cassian took the girls out for a few hours, leaving her with just the baby, and she can appreciate the quiet for what it is. she still needs that for herself. the baby falls asleep, and it's the kind of deep slumber that she knows she can maneuver around without disturbing him too much. but she sits down briefly on the bed and closes her eyes for just a minute, and before she knows it, annabeth is out. at least it's a peaceful one, despite how fiercely her arms curl around him. she'll never let him roll onto the floor, or let anything happen to him period. ]
[ percy tries to be gentle - and he is - but annabeth stirs the moment she feels her son being taken, and it's only the scent of the ocean that stops her from leaping out of bed to snatch him back. she might feel settled, but those instincts linger. ]
Too late.
[ she mutters it, opening one eye to look up at them. her heart clenches in her chest at the sight of it. for all the simplicity of percy holding their son, an action taken many times before by many parents into infinity, it still feels like a marvel sometimes. it's like proof he loves her made physical. a home, they made a home. she doesn't move though, content to keep laying there and watching them with a soft expression on her face. ]
[ Percy sounds amused and endeared, and when he glances in Annabeth's direction it's to offer her a little mock-pout while keeping his voice soft.
He turns his attentions back on their sleeping son, and in an effort to keep him from fussing in his arms, Percy rocks him a little the way he's seen Annabeth do it before. The way he's sure he's seen ... well, someone. Claire, maybe. Or Wanda. They're mothers, they're his mothers, so it stands to reason that he's likely seen them with some of the children around town.
When he's certain that the baby won't be waking up any time soon, he shifts his focus on his wife again. ]
[ she's already smiling at him before he even looks at her. ] You stole him. How was I not going to notice?
[ percy could have come in without a single word but the second he pulled her baby away, she would have been up regardless. she's just glad she gets to watch her husband rock him around instead of anything else, in the way he thinks he struggles with it but really annabeth always felt he was far more natural to parenthood than she was. ]
[ there was a lot to be nervous about, given her experience with mothers. but percy made her feel like she could do it. he still does. they're three kids in. ]
[ before she can say she isn't hungry, her stomach betrays her with a growl. ]
[ No, she has a point. And truth be told, he would expect nothing less from a woman who is this child's mother, a god, and also a very skilled, very seasoned warrior. Nothing could get past her, not even her husband doing his very best attempt at stealth.
(Gods, she's the best.)
He continues to sway with their baby in his arms while he juts his chin back towards the kitchen where he'd left his grocery bag.
His mouth curves into a small smile. Yeah, he heard that stomach grumble. ]
[ she snorts, unceremoniously. ] You're not sneaky.
[ annabeth rolls over on her side, still watching him. she should get up - she's not likely to fall asleep again in the next few minutes - but she's also very comfortable, and it's a very good sight to behold, watching percy sway with their son. something about him holding any of their children sends a flutter through her like she's a teenager again. it fills her with a warmth that sometimes she thought would never be possible for herself. it feels permanent. ]
[ she smiles back at him, giving in. ]
I suppose I could go for a Percy Jackson dinner special.
[ He's protesting simply for the sake of protesting, and it feels familiar the way they've done this time and again over the decades that they've known each other.
Some things never change.
For now he moves their son over to the crib by their bed, tucking him in amongst the blankets and some of his favourite toys. The baby squirms a little but his eyes remain closed, still clinging tightly to sleep. Percy does his best to keep from waking him. ]
Lucky for you I just went for groceries, so we've got some fresh stuff in the kitchen.
[ They'll keep the door open in case their son needs them, but for now he offers a hand to his wife to help her up. ]
You might have a better argument if you don't come into the house loud.
[ the little battles and the silly bickering are so much a part of them that sometimes they make annabeth feel just as in love with him as when he's professing his love. ]
[ she continues to watch percy as he tucks their son in, ever carefully, ever gently and her smile widens. she loves this man, so fucking much, and she's long since accepted it, but the depth of how deeply she's in it with percy jackson still hits her like a hammer now and then. now is one of those times. ]
[ annabeth takes his hand, but she doesn't let him pull her up. instead she pulls him down, because she still doesn't want to move, but she does want to kiss him and she needs him closer to do that. he catches himself on the bed, but he's close enough that all she has to do is lean up a little bit to press her lips to his. ]
[ No further words or protests can be said as Annabeth takes his hand and pulls him closer towards her, and while unexpected, he obliges without question.
Of course he does.
A combination of demigod and simply god-like reflexes allows him to catch himself before he all but collapses overtop of her like a heavy blanket. While he's bent down to catch Annabeth's lips, he considers climbing up onto the bed and bringing this kiss up another level — before Annabeth's stomach starts to grumble again.
Is it louder than it was before?
Percy laughs against her mouth and pulls back. ]
— looks like your stomach has other plans. Come on, Wise Girl — we can continue this later.
[ of course he goes down. percy indulges her far more than he probably should, but annabeth will never complain about it. she hums briefly into the kiss and considers pulling him atop her too, but her stomach once again betrays her. louder than before. the audacity?? percy pulls back soon after, and she sighs about it. ]
[ her response is to dramatically throw her arm over her eyes. ]
My own husband won't even kiss me because I'm hungry.
[ she's smiling though, so clearly she isn't too mightily offended. ]
Give me five more minutes of laying here. [ she's hungry, but she is also tired. ] I'll meet you in the kitchen.
[ The only valid reaction her husband could possibly have is to laugh — and then catch himself before he wakes their son still soundly asleep in his crib.
He leans down and presses a quick peck against her forehead, fingers reaching out to twine around the streak of grey in her blonde hair that matches the streak of grey starkly contrasted against his darker hair. A remnant of something he can't recall, but it always struck him as perfect, the way they matched each other.
Just one more facet to add to the ever-growing pile of reasons why they're perfect for each other.
And with that overly saccharine thought, he straightens and makes his way over to the door. ]
Okay. Five more minutes, but then I'm coming back in here to grab you.
[ her smile deepens when she feels his hand card through her hair, knowing exactly the curls he wraps around his fingers. she does it to the grey in his hair all the time, the gesture absent more often than not. a reminder of another way they slot together so perfectly. ]
Maybe six. [ she's teasing. mostly. ]
[ annabeth really did only mean to lay for a few more minutes; she likes being with percy in the kitchen when he cooks, drawing a kind of comfort from the smells and the sounds and the way he bustles around the room. but her son is still a baby and she is so very tired. sometimes she thinks she should be used to the fatigues of motherhood after the third, but it still knocks her off her feet. knowing he's safely sleeping in the crib, knowing percy's mere steps away, she dozes again despite herself, arm still stretched out over her eyes. she can't help it, not against the sense of utter safety and easiness that fills her right now. ]
[ percy's not even on guard duty. he's just cooking. that thought alone is enough to lure her to a gentler sleep. ]
[ It'll be about ten minutes before Percy reenters the bedroom. There's the scent of warmed bread and a hearty stew that follows him in, clinging to the fabric of his clothing, and probably his hands from handling said food items.
It had taken him more than five minutes, and more than six, before he realizes that Annabeth isn't up and out to meet him — and while being late is normal for him, Annabeth runs a little differently. Punctually.
He can't help it when a warm, soft smile spreads across his face, seeing her still sprawled over their bed, her eyes closed, her arm draped over them. She looks every bit like the goddess that she is, beautiful and ethereal and picture perfect. And she certainly doesn't drool in her sleep the way he's been accused of doing himself on the very rare, very infrequent occasion.
It's with soft footsteps that he approaches, crouching down on his knees by the side of the bed, and considers whether he should just leave her to sleep — she really is very tired, and he knows that from watching her — or whether to wake her up for a little sustenance first. ]
[ annabeth isn't too deeply asleep that she's oblivious to the world around her; his footsteps filter in somewhere, and she's dimly aware of the smells that follow him in the room. but it all remains very comfortable and it's very easy to continue to lay there. ]
[ she stirs, faintly, in small movements. it's like she can sense percy beside her, close enough to touch, but she clings to the way sleep lingers on her, for just a little longer. she knows he'd let her really fall back to a deeper sleep, if she really wanted to, but she doesn't really want to. ]
Stop staring at me. [ her voice is muffled, grumbly but amused, and her eyes aren't even open. it's an empty threat. percy's always looking at her. she's used to it. ]
[ annabeth snorts loudly, the epitome of ethereal. ]
I'm ninety percent sure there's a glob of mushed fruit in my hair. [ super amazing. ]
[ finally her arm drops, and she blearily opens her eyes to look right back at him, a small smile playing on her lips. does she want him to carry her? she's genuinely thinking about it. she reaches out for his hand regardless, just to hold it. ]
It seems pretty rude to deny me a nap and not our son, considering he's the one absorbing all my energy.
Edited (the audacity of my paid expiring mid tag and forcing the default icon upon me) 2024-05-10 04:07 (UTC)
[ Like he said, she's so amazing. He stands by it. He's not taking it back. Even with globs of mushed fruit, even while she's still deep in a state of sleepiness.
Without hesitation, he takes her hand in his, letting his thumb gently graze the inside of her palm. He suddenly feels a little bit like his heart might burst, for all of the love that he feels for his wife. Of course, his heart bursting would have no effect on his mortality, but the meaning is still the same. ]
Well, he's not the one with a stomach growling so loudly it could wake the whole village.
[ her hand folds into his so easily, like it belongs there. it does, of course, and even after all this time annabeth isn't tired of simply holding percy's hand. she squeezes his fingers gently, not enough to bar him from the gentle touch to her palm. ]
That's rude too. You didn't hear him burp before. [ it was honestly gross. he gets it from dad. ]
You might have to make it up to me. All that hunger is making it impossible for me to move on my own. [ lift her up, husband. she decides that's exactly what she wants. ]
[ He chides without any bite, eyes crinkled with amusement instead. Not long before he'd left the room to get started on their dinner he had said he would lift her up and bring her into the kitchen himself if he had to.
Looks like she's calling him to make good on that threat.
And he does. He lets go of her hand to straighten, and to effortlessly scoop her up in his arms in one swift movement. ]
But by all means, we can't have you starving and immobile.
[ implications are not questions, and she will be pedantic about it. ]
[ her face breaks into a smile as he lifts her with ease, laughing under her breath and leaning in to briefly kiss him on the cheek. how does she never get tired of being in his arms, in any capacity? ] My hero.
[ well. after that remark, despite her compliments, she has no choice but to let herself go utterly dead-weight in his hold. she's so immobile now, it's terrible. ]
[ Yeah, he notices that immediately. He sees you, Annabeth. He sees you.
It's a good thing that it doesn't faze him, his hold on her steady as ever.
But he chuckles. ]
Well, now it's not just a regular meal — it's an emergency.
[ With no further warning, with Annabeth in his arms, Percy swiftly moves into the kitchen. At least their cozy little home isn't as large as it could be. Neither of them have ever lived like royals, which suits their preferences. ]
[ listen. her husband is very strong and sometimes annabeth likes to take advantage of that fact! she can lift him too, but he is stronger than her, as loathe as she is to admit it. she may as well have fun with it to make up for that. ]
[ she laughs again at his emergency comment. ]
The growls were growing more urgent. Whatever would I do without you?
[ it's teasing, joking, but it's as true as it ever was. ]
Probably waste away in that bed. But oh, you'd be so well rested.
[ He leans in to kiss her real quick, stretching a leg just enough to curl his foot around one of the chair-legs and drag it forward, and then setting her down into it. Perhaps it's a fluid movement because he's a god and objects around them simply seem to know just how to shift around them. Or maybe it's that he knows every nook and cranny and splinter of this house because he and Annabeth had built it themselves once, before the kids were born.
Either way, with Annabeth settled at the table, Percy sets to preparing a meal for her, taking care not to wake their son up because maybe he'd like to share a little quality time with Annabeth — something that is starting to become a rarity.
(Not that he's complaining! He loves his kids dearly.)
Stew and bread (still warm) are split into two bowls and placed on the table. Percy tears at some of his share of the bread and takes the seat across from her because what are proper manners to a god, but he slides one of the bowls her way. ]
[ she lets out a mock groan. ] Don't remind me of rest, especially when someone won't let me have any.
[ naturally that's about when he kisses her, and her mind briefly goes blank enough that it's a surprise when she finds herself bereft of his warmth and gently placed into a chair. ]
[ she sighs again, put upon, but settles in and simply watches him bustle about the kitchen getting her food ready with a soft smile. just as she never gets tired of his arms, annabeth never gets tired of watching him seamlessly move around their house. their house, a thought that continues to fill her with a tremendous amount of pride and love over the fact that it simply exists and its theirs. ]
[ percy sits down across from her, table set, and she immediately shoves a piece of bread in her mouth. she hums eagerly with delight and her stomach thanks her. ]
It'll do for now. [ as if she didn't just vocalize how much she enjoyed it. she stretches her leg out under the table, dropping her ankle besides his, wanting that little bit of contact. ]
[ He shakes his head in mock disappointment for such a toned down lack-of-praise that he'd been seeking.
But if his amused expression is any indication of his true feelings, he actually doesn't care either way. Feeding his wife is his pleasure, especially when he inherently has something of a talent for it. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
breaking this baby in with ... babies! (event 18—emergence) ;
But normal means a short life for someone like him, where making it out of his teens is something of a miracle. It means constantly being in danger, and constantly looking over his shoulder for something that wants to chow down on him like he's a walking, talking (and yelling) shishkabob, but he's well into his twenties now — and married, a dad, and fully employed by the docks with a routine that he enjoys. It gives him something to do with his hands, and he has a natural affinity to helping the locals out. He likes them, and they like him, and it's all very ... simple.
These days, he really likes simple.
It's late afternoon when he comes back home with supplies for dinner (he's making grilled fish burgers), a skip in his step and a tune in his heart (or, you know, just feeling kinda productive). It's been drizzling all day, which is great for the trees but miserable for most — and Percy walks through it all like it's been clear skies all day, his clothing and his hair perfectly dry.
He's tempted to call out, 'Honey, I'm home' like he's done every now and then for stupid laughs, because it's so strangely old-timey and Percy is nothing if not still a sucker for really dumb jokes. In the end, he just says: ] I'm home! [ while setting the groceries down and pulling his cloak from his shoulders to hang by the rest of the hooks housing three other cloaks of similar material but very different sizes. ]
— I thought the girls were out with Uncle Dusty?
[ He continues aloud, reaching to briefly touch the shorter cloak with his fingers. When there's no answer, Percy starts to wonder whether he's alone and talking to himself (thankfully the neighbours won't hear him), and distractedly starts for the main bedroom where he finds his wife, Annabeth, dozing off with their youngest — a boy, still a baby — gathered in her arms, and also fast asleep.
The visual does something kinda silly to his heart, like filling it with warmth and love and home, and he can't help it when a dumb smile works its way into his features as he takes that moment to memorize it. ]
Hey, buddy — [ Percy moves forward to grab their son from Annabeth's arms, to relieve her of arm-cramps, and offer her the proper chance for decent sleep. She hasn't had a whole lot of that lately on account of insisting she knows exactly how to take care of their boy, and Percy knows better than to argue when she's got a plan. ] How about we let mom sleep for a little while, huh?
[ The baby blinks blearily at his father, squirming into a more comfortable position in his arms, before returning to whatever dream he must be having. Percy hopes he's hanging out with pegasi and maybe a really friendly hellhound in those dreams. ]
Happy to see you too, kiddo.
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[ there's nothing about a life with percy that feels unhappy. ]
[ she's very tired though. exhaustion seems like it's just always going to be part of her, even if it's different now. cassian took the girls out for a few hours, leaving her with just the baby, and she can appreciate the quiet for what it is. she still needs that for herself. the baby falls asleep, and it's the kind of deep slumber that she knows she can maneuver around without disturbing him too much. but she sits down briefly on the bed and closes her eyes for just a minute, and before she knows it, annabeth is out. at least it's a peaceful one, despite how fiercely her arms curl around him. she'll never let him roll onto the floor, or let anything happen to him period. ]
[ percy tries to be gentle - and he is - but annabeth stirs the moment she feels her son being taken, and it's only the scent of the ocean that stops her from leaping out of bed to snatch him back. she might feel settled, but those instincts linger. ]
Too late.
[ she mutters it, opening one eye to look up at them. her heart clenches in her chest at the sight of it. for all the simplicity of percy holding their son, an action taken many times before by many parents into infinity, it still feels like a marvel sometimes. it's like proof he loves her made physical. a home, they made a home. she doesn't move though, content to keep laying there and watching them with a soft expression on her face. ]
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[ Percy sounds amused and endeared, and when he glances in Annabeth's direction it's to offer her a little mock-pout while keeping his voice soft.
He turns his attentions back on their sleeping son, and in an effort to keep him from fussing in his arms, Percy rocks him a little the way he's seen Annabeth do it before. The way he's sure he's seen ... well, someone. Claire, maybe. Or Wanda. They're mothers, they're his mothers, so it stands to reason that he's likely seen them with some of the children around town.
When he's certain that the baby won't be waking up any time soon, he shifts his focus on his wife again. ]
You doing okay? Hungry?
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[ percy could have come in without a single word but the second he pulled her baby away, she would have been up regardless. she's just glad she gets to watch her husband rock him around instead of anything else, in the way he thinks he struggles with it but really annabeth always felt he was far more natural to parenthood than she was. ]
[ there was a lot to be nervous about, given her experience with mothers. but percy made her feel like she could do it. he still does. they're three kids in. ]
[ before she can say she isn't hungry, her stomach betrays her with a growl. ]
A little, I guess.
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[ No, she has a point. And truth be told, he would expect nothing less from a woman who is this child's mother, a god, and also a very skilled, very seasoned warrior. Nothing could get past her, not even her husband doing his very best attempt at stealth.
(Gods, she's the best.)
He continues to sway with their baby in his arms while he juts his chin back towards the kitchen where he'd left his grocery bag.
His mouth curves into a small smile. Yeah, he heard that stomach grumble. ]
I could always make you something.
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[ annabeth rolls over on her side, still watching him. she should get up - she's not likely to fall asleep again in the next few minutes - but she's also very comfortable, and it's a very good sight to behold, watching percy sway with their son. something about him holding any of their children sends a flutter through her like she's a teenager again. it fills her with a warmth that sometimes she thought would never be possible for herself. it feels permanent. ]
[ she smiles back at him, giving in. ]
I suppose I could go for a Percy Jackson dinner special.
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[ He's protesting simply for the sake of protesting, and it feels familiar the way they've done this time and again over the decades that they've known each other.
Some things never change.
For now he moves their son over to the crib by their bed, tucking him in amongst the blankets and some of his favourite toys. The baby squirms a little but his eyes remain closed, still clinging tightly to sleep. Percy does his best to keep from waking him. ]
Lucky for you I just went for groceries, so we've got some fresh stuff in the kitchen.
[ They'll keep the door open in case their son needs them, but for now he offers a hand to his wife to help her up. ]
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[ the little battles and the silly bickering are so much a part of them that sometimes they make annabeth feel just as in love with him as when he's professing his love. ]
[ she continues to watch percy as he tucks their son in, ever carefully, ever gently and her smile widens. she loves this man, so fucking much, and she's long since accepted it, but the depth of how deeply she's in it with percy jackson still hits her like a hammer now and then. now is one of those times. ]
[ annabeth takes his hand, but she doesn't let him pull her up. instead she pulls him down, because she still doesn't want to move, but she does want to kiss him and she needs him closer to do that. he catches himself on the bed, but he's close enough that all she has to do is lean up a little bit to press her lips to his. ]
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Of course he does.
A combination of demigod and simply god-like reflexes allows him to catch himself before he all but collapses overtop of her like a heavy blanket. While he's bent down to catch Annabeth's lips, he considers climbing up onto the bed and bringing this kiss up another level — before Annabeth's stomach starts to grumble again.
Is it louder than it was before?
Percy laughs against her mouth and pulls back. ]
— looks like your stomach has other plans. Come on, Wise Girl — we can continue this later.
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[ her response is to dramatically throw her arm over her eyes. ]
My own husband won't even kiss me because I'm hungry.
[ she's smiling though, so clearly she isn't too mightily offended. ]
Give me five more minutes of laying here. [ she's hungry, but she is also tired. ] I'll meet you in the kitchen.
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He leans down and presses a quick peck against her forehead, fingers reaching out to twine around the streak of grey in her blonde hair that matches the streak of grey starkly contrasted against his darker hair. A remnant of something he can't recall, but it always struck him as perfect, the way they matched each other.
Just one more facet to add to the ever-growing pile of reasons why they're perfect for each other.
And with that overly saccharine thought, he straightens and makes his way over to the door. ]
Okay. Five more minutes, but then I'm coming back in here to grab you.
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Maybe six. [ she's teasing. mostly. ]
[ annabeth really did only mean to lay for a few more minutes; she likes being with percy in the kitchen when he cooks, drawing a kind of comfort from the smells and the sounds and the way he bustles around the room. but her son is still a baby and she is so very tired. sometimes she thinks she should be used to the fatigues of motherhood after the third, but it still knocks her off her feet. knowing he's safely sleeping in the crib, knowing percy's mere steps away, she dozes again despite herself, arm still stretched out over her eyes. she can't help it, not against the sense of utter safety and easiness that fills her right now. ]
[ percy's not even on guard duty. he's just cooking. that thought alone is enough to lure her to a gentler sleep. ]
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It had taken him more than five minutes, and more than six, before he realizes that Annabeth isn't up and out to meet him — and while being late is normal for him, Annabeth runs a little differently. Punctually.
He can't help it when a warm, soft smile spreads across his face, seeing her still sprawled over their bed, her eyes closed, her arm draped over them. She looks every bit like the goddess that she is, beautiful and ethereal and picture perfect. And she certainly doesn't drool in her sleep the way he's been accused of doing himself on the very rare, very infrequent occasion.
It's with soft footsteps that he approaches, crouching down on his knees by the side of the bed, and considers whether he should just leave her to sleep — she really is very tired, and he knows that from watching her — or whether to wake her up for a little sustenance first. ]
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[ she stirs, faintly, in small movements. it's like she can sense percy beside her, close enough to touch, but she clings to the way sleep lingers on her, for just a little longer. she knows he'd let her really fall back to a deeper sleep, if she really wanted to, but she doesn't really want to. ]
Stop staring at me. [ her voice is muffled, grumbly but amused, and her eyes aren't even open. it's an empty threat. percy's always looking at her. she's used to it. ]
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And he so is. ] But maybe you're just so amazing I can't stop looking at you.
[ It's not far from the truth. If a god could worship another god, he would gladly build a temple just for her. ]
The food is ready though, if you're finally up for it. No more naps, or I will literally carry you out from here.
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I'm ninety percent sure there's a glob of mushed fruit in my hair. [ super amazing. ]
[ finally her arm drops, and she blearily opens her eyes to look right back at him, a small smile playing on her lips. does she want him to carry her? she's genuinely thinking about it. she reaches out for his hand regardless, just to hold it. ]
It seems pretty rude to deny me a nap and not our son, considering he's the one absorbing all my energy.
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Without hesitation, he takes her hand in his, letting his thumb gently graze the inside of her palm. He suddenly feels a little bit like his heart might burst, for all of the love that he feels for his wife. Of course, his heart bursting would have no effect on his mortality, but the meaning is still the same. ]
Well, he's not the one with a stomach growling so loudly it could wake the whole village.
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That's rude too. You didn't hear him burp before. [ it was honestly gross. he gets it from dad. ]
You might have to make it up to me. All that hunger is making it impossible for me to move on my own. [ lift her up, husband. she decides that's exactly what she wants. ]
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Yeah, he totally gets it from his dad. ]
The threat doesn't work if you ask me to do it.
[ He chides without any bite, eyes crinkled with amusement instead. Not long before he'd left the room to get started on their dinner he had said he would lift her up and bring her into the kitchen himself if he had to.
Looks like she's calling him to make good on that threat.
And he does. He lets go of her hand to straighten, and to effortlessly scoop her up in his arms in one swift movement. ]
But by all means, we can't have you starving and immobile.
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[ implications are not questions, and she will be pedantic about it. ]
[ her face breaks into a smile as he lifts her with ease, laughing under her breath and leaning in to briefly kiss him on the cheek. how does she never get tired of being in his arms, in any capacity? ] My hero.
[ well. after that remark, despite her compliments, she has no choice but to let herself go utterly dead-weight in his hold. she's so immobile now, it's terrible. ]
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It's a good thing that it doesn't faze him, his hold on her steady as ever.
But he chuckles. ]
Well, now it's not just a regular meal — it's an emergency.
[ With no further warning, with Annabeth in his arms, Percy swiftly moves into the kitchen. At least their cozy little home isn't as large as it could be. Neither of them have ever lived like royals, which suits their preferences. ]
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[ she laughs again at his emergency comment. ]
The growls were growing more urgent. Whatever would I do without you?
[ it's teasing, joking, but it's as true as it ever was. ]
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[ He leans in to kiss her real quick, stretching a leg just enough to curl his foot around one of the chair-legs and drag it forward, and then setting her down into it. Perhaps it's a fluid movement because he's a god and objects around them simply seem to know just how to shift around them. Or maybe it's that he knows every nook and cranny and splinter of this house because he and Annabeth had built it themselves once, before the kids were born.
Either way, with Annabeth settled at the table, Percy sets to preparing a meal for her, taking care not to wake their son up because maybe he'd like to share a little quality time with Annabeth — something that is starting to become a rarity.
(Not that he's complaining! He loves his kids dearly.)
Stew and bread (still warm) are split into two bowls and placed on the table. Percy tears at some of his share of the bread and takes the seat across from her because what are proper manners to a god, but he slides one of the bowls her way. ]
Hope you like it.
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[ naturally that's about when he kisses her, and her mind briefly goes blank enough that it's a surprise when she finds herself bereft of his warmth and gently placed into a chair. ]
[ she sighs again, put upon, but settles in and simply watches him bustle about the kitchen getting her food ready with a soft smile. just as she never gets tired of his arms, annabeth never gets tired of watching him seamlessly move around their house. their house, a thought that continues to fill her with a tremendous amount of pride and love over the fact that it simply exists and its theirs. ]
[ percy sits down across from her, table set, and she immediately shoves a piece of bread in her mouth. she hums eagerly with delight and her stomach thanks her. ]
It'll do for now. [ as if she didn't just vocalize how much she enjoyed it. she stretches her leg out under the table, dropping her ankle besides his, wanting that little bit of contact. ]
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[ He shakes his head in mock disappointment for such a toned down lack-of-praise that he'd been seeking.
But if his amused expression is any indication of his true feelings, he actually doesn't care either way. Feeding his wife is his pleasure, especially when he inherently has something of a talent for it. ]
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wrapped and ftb bc they be nasssty 🎀