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New Rome University had an absurdly long winter break before semesters, especially when Annabeth compared California’s winter to New York’s. She wasn’t complaining though, not when it gave her a chance to rest.
Rest hadn’t been something she’d had the luxury of often, and she relished it now. Percy wore it better, happy to sit back and be in a way she didn’t think she’d ever be able to. Percy deserved the chance to live without the fate of the world on his shoulders, and she knew he adored every moment he got to spend with Sally, Paul, and Estelle.
Sally had confided in her once that before Estelle was born she’d been worried that Percy would compare his own childhood to the one she’d be able to give now. Annabeth had raised her hand and cut Sally off mid-word. She understood the worry, but if there was one thing she knew Sally would never have to worry about, it was the sort of jealousy that might sour a relationship. Not with Sally and certainly not with Estelle.
She loved being right. She’d never doubted, but satisfaction, joy, and a sort of longing welled up in her as she stared across the living room at Percy. He was holding Estelle above his head, blowing raspberries and crossing his eyes as she giggled at him.
Paul and Sally were out, leaving them with Estelle. She might not know much about the whole parenting thing, but even she’d heard that new parents struggled to find time for themselves.
Annabeth reached over to grab Paul’s camera. She didn’t think anyone would complain about more pictures of Percy and Estelle together. It was obvious that they were related, and Annabeth felt her stomach flip upside down at the memory of someone telling her their daughter was beautiful the last time they had visited and taken Estelle with them on a walk through Central Park.
She distracted herself from the thought by taking pictures. She might have to snag one or two of these for herself.
Through the camera, she saw Percy turn to her with wide eyes. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing, Seaweed Brain?” she asked.
Estelle’s giggle saved her from having to answer. She was probably the cutest baby Annabeth had ever seen, even if she did look suspiciously similar to Percy for only sharing one parent, and not the parent Percy favored.
“Say cheese!”
She took a few more pictures and then joined Percy on the sofa. Percy tossed Estelle up into the air one time before he caught her and brought her close to his chest. She was still smiling, but Annabeth had a feeling she was tired given how quickly she settled down into Percy’s arms.
“Sorry,” Percy said, looking up from his sister. “Probably not how you wanted to spend the last weekend before going back.”
Annabeth leaned in and settled her cheek on Percy’s shoulder. There was no place she’d rather be if it meant being away from him. “No,” she said. “This is perfect.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I’m sure.”
Percy looked back down at Estelle and she let her eyes wander over the room. Sally and Paul’s apartment was comfortable, warm and inviting. It was obvious a family who loved each other lived here, from the photo of her, Percy, and Grover when they first drove to New Rome and Percy’s graduation pictures in a place of pride. There were post-it notes stuck to random places, Percy’s reminders to himself and Sally’s sudden strikes of inspiration that she refused to lose. There was a stack of papers she knew Paul needed to grade sitting on the kitchen counter next to where a few baby bottles were drying.
She focused on the Christmas tree still up in the corner. Sally had made a passing comment or two about needing to take it down soon, but no one had gotten around to it.
“Hey,” she said. “Let’s help your parents and take down the Christmas stuff. Estelle looks to be drifting off. We can clean up a bit, make their lives easier?”
Percy looked between her, the tree, and Estelle for a moment before nodding. “Sounds good.”
He set Estelle down on her play mat, being sure to hand Estelle her favorite toy before standing back up. “So, take down the tree?”
“Take down the tree.”
They started simply, setting the nicer and sentimental ornaments to the side to keep them safe. There was music playing and Percy started to hum along as he pulled the candy canes off of the tree.
Annabeth couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she wrapped tinsel around her hand. She didn’t know how she felt about a Christmas tree when it was just them, but the idea of something like this? A tradition they’d get to repeat every year? That she liked. It was the sort of thing she’d never imagined she’d have. She’d never really thought she’d want it either, but here she was, picturing what Percy would look like in 20 years from now, doing the same thing.
“Are those even any good?” she asked, scrunching her nose when Percy tore off the plastic of the last candy cane. “They’ve been up for months. Did you mom even buy new ones or are those old?”
Percy shrugged, smiling as he started to take off the less exciting ornaments. “‘ss candy,” he slurred out around the cane. “‘Ow can it ‘e ‘ad?”
She rolled her eyes. Too much time at camp as a kid meant she’d never developed much of a sweet tooth. She was a woman of a more refined palette, preferred dark chocolate and the red wine Reyna had shown her the stash of over Percy’s blue coke and candy. Even so, she’d never say no to Sally’s baking.
Percy kept sucking on his candy cane, and maybe she shouldn’t speak poorly of such things, no matter how old they might be. Percy was focused on untangling Christmas lights, and between the sharp look in her eyes and his hollowed cheeks, Annabeth basked in the fact that she was a very lucky woman.
She took over for the ornaments Percy’d left behind when the lights caught his attention. She didn’t know Sally kept the containers for everything, but for now they could put it on the couch to be dealt with later. Estelle seemed more than happy from her place on the floor to watch them.
Percy took the candy cane out of his mouth. “When’s the next holiday, anyway?” he asked. “Maybe we should leave the tree up and change the decorations.”
“Valentine’s?” She set the ornament in her hand down. “I guess that’s coming up soon.”
Percy dramatically shuddered and waved the sharp thing his candy cane had become in her direction. “Don’t say that to me,” he said. “Valentine’s Day brings me nothing but horrible memories.”
Annabeth frowned. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of Percy having memories of Valentine’s Day, no matter how irrational the thought was.
“Are you threatening me with sugar?” she asked. “Congratulations, you’ve successfully made a shiv out of children’s candy, but I don’t think even you can make that an actual weapon.”
“Watch me!” Percy said, laughing as he lunged forward, sharpened candy cane held out in front of him.
She fell into a fighting stance on instinct, lifting her hands in front of her and balling the into fists.
They both watched as the candy cane broke into pieces against her forearm and fell to the ground. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, looking between the remaining piece of candy in Percy’s hand and the broken pieces on the floor.
Annabeth breathed in, and instead of exhaling, broke into laughter. Percy was quick to join in.
This was her other favorite thing about these peaceful moments. They’d always managed to find humor when they’ve needed it. She’s always known she could trust Percy, it made it easy for the lighthearted moments to slip in in the most stressful of situations. But now? There was no overwhelming pressure that made her know that this sort of joy was fleeting. She would be able to have this as long as she wanted.
“We’re going to have to clean that up,” she said, still laughing. Her stomach hurt and she was catching her breath, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Percy stuck out his tongue.
She loved him so much, and even with his tongue streaked with red and no doubt tasting like syrupy peppermint, she wanted nothing more than to kiss him.
But what was stopping her? It was just them in the apartment, and Estelle, but Estelle seemed content on her place on the floor.
Annabeth reached out and grabbed a fistful of Percy’s hoodie and yanked him forward. Percy seemed surprised for only a second before he grinned, and tilted his head back in invitation.
She was right. The peppermint was strong and far too sweet, but underneath it all was the familiar taste of Percy and she savored it. She had no idea if they’d have a Christmas tree of their own five years from now, but she made a promise to herself that they’d have candy canes.
His cheeks were flushed and he was so beautiful sometimes he felt impossible. She raised a hand to cup the side of his face and ran her thumb along his cheekbone. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She’d never doubted it, but the words still made her whole being hum.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s finish taking everything down. We can put it back in the closet before Mom and Paul get back, and then we can just sit for a bit. Maybe watch something?”
The living room was a mess with decorations everywhere, but the allure of cuddling on the couch with Percy was strong. Annabeth was strong though. She leaned in to kiss Percy one more time and then said, “good plan.”
“Never as good as yours,” he shot back.
She snorted. It wasn’t funny, or original, but it was Percy and she loved him.
The rest went by in a flash. She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment Estelle fell asleep, but she knew she looked down to make sure she didn’t kick her and saw Estelle curled up with her thumb in her mouth. It was precious, and just for a second, Annabeth imagined the same thing years in the future.
She’d always pictured a career for herself over motherhood, but seeing Percy with Estelle was slowly having her reconsider things. Even now, as she packed the boxes Percy had pulled out, he was kneeling over her, fingers just hovering over her skin like he was too afraid to touch her, as if he’d break her or wake her up. Maybe she didn’t have to choose.
They packed up and she achieved her wish of being pressed against Percy’s side on the sofa again, Estelle still asleep on the floor.
“Do you ever think about it?” she asked. “That one day, this will be us? But it’ll be our apartment, and our traditions will be whatever we want them to, and. Well, it feels impossible and now it’s not and I don’t know how that feels.”
Percy squeezed her hand. “It feels good,” he said. “Really, really good.”
Paul insisted on cable since he liked to keep up with football, and they ended up flipping to a random channel and landed on a poorly made rom-com. Annabeth was pretty sure she’d heard some of her mortal classmates mention it once or twice.
“We’re educating you on pop culture,” Percy said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her in tight.
She didn’t think she’d pay attention to very much of it, but she didn’t really care. As long as she had Percy, she didn’t need anything else.