Seaweed and Wise - Never letting go

The feeling of chaos

There was this someone that requested a "panic attack" Percy in the store or something and whether you read this or not, I remembered.

We'll be talking about that in this chapter if you're easily triggered into taking a trip yourself but it's not that deep :) But of course I'll have to write a cheesy reward after this so, or turn this cheesy... Be prepared.

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The phone whispered a few desperate beeps into Percy's ear before the person picked up. He was thankful he got as far as the parking lot before fully breaking.
"Hey Percy, everything alright?"
Annabeth was probably surprised he called, they tended to be wary outside of the safety of the protective borders, monster-proof precautions or not.
The sound of the baby girl's laughter in the background was medicine to Percy, but it still wasn't enough. He put Annabeth on speaker and let the phone slip onto the shotgun sea, breathing in raggedly as he shook his hands out, trying to rid of the poison coursing through his veins.
"Percy?" Annabeth sounded worried there and that wasn't happening on his watch.
"You're both alright?" Percy breathed.
That was when Annabeth knew he was spiraling again.
"We are Percy, of course. I was just thinking we could make blue pancakes for dinner. You'll love that, right?" She understood right away that it was a panic attack again, not as often these days but not uncommon either.
"Yeah, yes-" Percy let out under the range of human hearing. "Yes I'd like that."
"And we could watch a movie with Victoria, screw everything else today. I can finish the project tomorrow."
Percy lost the words he meant to say.
"What is it?"
The voice coming from the phone reminded him of the time they were kids, before everything happened, sitting on a pier with a blue brick cake in their hands... He tried to look up but his eyes threatened to stab his brains out if he tried to open them at the time, or the other way around, he didn't know.
"I'm in there again, the doors of death. I don't know how but I'm down there and you're lost. I lost you and my mom is worried sick, our friends will loose-"
"Percy..." Annabeth sighed, wheels spinning. She heard the low hum of the engine and the AC running and got an idea. "Grab something right now. You're in a car, right? The steering wheel..."
"Ok." He did as told, subconsciously knowing she wanted to ground him with that.
"Now raise your right arm and switch the light on and off until you can look at it." Annabeth had the good ideas when it came to calming her husband. "Come on- try it."
The clicking of the switch filled in the silence that Annabeth so hated. She let out a deep breath, counting the time she thought appropriate for fidgeting to work.
"Are you still seeing it?"
"No-"
"And you're back..." She ran a hand through her hair back home, so relieved for the time being. "Do you need me to drive down there? Can you make it? But don't hang up please, I'll be worried sick if you do."
"I can make it home. Just a second." Percy breathed out strong one time. And back in... It would be fine.
"It was so real. How is it so real years after it happened? I can't remember where I left my shoes but the images of what we've been through-"
"Percy we're not exactly traumatized by the idea of losing a shoe... It's what we got. And it is a lot but look at us, we made it so far and we'll fight it on until one day we can-"
"I'm gonna be having nightmares about this at the sweet age of 70 Annabeth, you know we both will."
"But you'll have good days and nights too-"
"-how would I know I'm having a bad day if I didn't have those I was happy and free... I love you."
"I love you too." Annabeth responded wholeheartedly. "Now come home, I'm starting the pancake batter."
"Tell me a story for the way, sing a song?"
Annabeth laughed at that shortly but she did start singing, soft and slow like she did whenever the kid needed to calm down.
"There will come a soldier, who carries a mighty sword... He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord. Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord. He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord..."
"I know you're mocking me with this but I'll take it."
And so Percy started his car and drove off as Annabeth sang rhymes or tunes while Victoria joined in on the fun. She sang in their kitchen, the child standing on her stool, trying to get into the flour and blue dye while Percy listened carefully, going slow but as fast as he allowed himself in the state. By the time he opened the house he was running, desperate to get to his wife, the anchor holding him in the calmer seas.
Percy dropped the keys somewhere along the way and ran to the kitchen, hugging Annabeth so tight he almost lifted her off her feet. She kissed him and searched his eyes for more signs of worry but it seemed to have lifted as a veil of silk the moment he was home.
"You're brilliant Annabeth. I-"
"Couldn't find a way out of a paper bag without me? Finally admitting that? Cause yeah, I agree." She smirked.
"Maybe that too," Percy laughed. There was a short moment of silence between them that meant all the unspoken words understood. You're safe here. I'll always be there for you. We'll make it day after day, no matter what. We have enough to live for, never forget that...
"Hey, I won't be mad but did you get what was on the list?"
"It's in the backseat. I put it in and jumped in. Oh I'm an awful person, I left the cart in the parking lot..."
"Percy what's more important is that you got food for the little gremlin- oh shit-"
Annabeth turned as fast as she could and the sight was exactly what she expected.
"Vicky, no..."
But the kid was already as white as a ghost while her hands shone blue. It was one of the sights that made you laugh until you realized it was your mess to clean because the one and half year old wouldn't be moved by a bomb exploding in her room.
Percy was wheezing with laughter. "You know I'm suddenly feeling very dizzy." He said.
"No way, this is YOUR genes in work... Either you take care of it or set her loose on the beach, the sea water should wash that dye off."
"I'm fainting."
"No."
"I am-"
"Well I might be coming down with a serious case of 'I don't fucking care' so... You wanna be a good husband or should I work on that project after all? Might take me all night to finish-"
"You're evil." Percy noted, a bit of admiration in that tone.
"Please, I'm a genius." Annabeth grinned. "Now you take care of her and I'll handle the groceries and the kitchen." She lifted the child out of her stool, careful not to get herself all dusted and blue, and handed her to Percy. "I expect you in full on PJs party mode and hungry. Pancakes are still on. We're watching How to train your dragon 1. Now go, go, go-"
The baby girl got so excited from her tone that she shook half the flour off on the way, leaving a trail right to the bathroom.
"Ugh... Screw that too. Now where's my extra blue dye? And where are your keys Percy?!"

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I haven't written in pretty long but blame TikTok for that... Specifically booktok because dam it does make you buy more books XD have an amazing day and I hope you're all healthy and fine because that's what matters the most in life and you should always remember that 💙