Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

ANNABETH CHASE

She was having dinner with the Jacksons again. She couldn't complain, though. Having dinner with them was amazing.

It was Saturday, meaning Grover was due to come home. Percy would check the time every few seconds.
"Oh, yeah, Annabeth, I'd advise you to not come for dinner tomorrow," Percy said.
"Percy! She's allowed to come over if she wants!"
Annabeth smiled. "Thanks, Sally, but my parents will be home, so no worries. Why?"
"Paul is coming for dinner tomorrow. So unless you want to hear some Shakespearian shit, stay far, far away."

Sally rolled her eyes. "You know he doesn't talk about Shakespeare outside of school. He's a teacher. That's his job."
"And he's given me so many detentions in the past four years."
Annabeth couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I'll stay far away from Mr Blofis."
"See!" Percy shouted. "Annabeth is smart!"
"So is Paul. Now help me make dinner."

• • •

Annabeth stayed for a while after they ate. Then there was a knock at the door. Percy literally ran to open it.
"GROVER!"
"PERCY!"
"I MISSED YOU!" Percy shouted.
"I MISSED YOU MORE!" Grover shouted back.
Annabeth and Sally exchanged worried glances.

"Let's go get ice cream!"
"Percy, it's winter," Sally said.
"C'mon Miss Jackson. All year is ice cream time!" Grover said.
"Exactly! Come on, Annabeth," Percy grinned.

Honestly, Annabeth didn't expect to be invited. Sure, she'd been friends with Grover since she was a kid and sure, she'd been getting on really great with Percy, but she didn't expect to be invited to.. get ice cream?
She wasn't complaining, though. They were two of her best friends. Plus, who would turn down ice cream?

• • •

"Why are we walking so far?" Annabeth asked eventually. They'd passed a bunch of ice cream stores already.
"Because, Chase, not everyone respects vegans! Which I find really rude- does anywhere sell vegan ice cream?" Grover groaned.
"Right- sorry-"

They finally found a place that served both vegan and normal ice cream. They ate outside together, joking and laughing while watching the sunset. Percy was eating blue bubblegum ice cream. He ate a lot of blue food.
"Dumb question," Annabeth said. "But what's up with the blue food?"
Percy laughed. "Oh, my stepdad- well, he's not my stepdad anymore- said blue food didn't exist. My mom wanted to prove him wrong, so she put blue food colouring in everything. It became a comfort food, I guess."
"Plus he's obsessed with blue. Like water." Grover added.
"Water is clear," Annabeth muttered.

Percy groaned. "Water. I forgot I have work tomorrow. Then I have to go home and listen to Paul freaking Blofis."
"I thought you liked working?" Annabeth said.
"I do- well- most of the time. I like swimming. Teaching kids how to swim isn't so fun."
Annabeth and Grover laughed.

They spent another hour sitting together, Grover telling them everything about Oklahoma.
"Promise to never leave us again," Percy joked.
"I leave every year and your reaction is always the same."
Annabeth laughed. "To be fair, school isn't the same without you."
"Awww," Grover sighed. "You're both too sweet. Oh, shit my mom is calling. Be right back!"

Grover got up and left quickly.
"His mom wasn't calling, was she?" Percy asked.
Annabeth shrugged. "I don't think so."
Percy just laughed. "Idiot."

[GROVER UNDERWOOD]

"Answer, Rachel, answer," he muttered.
"Ello!" Rachel finally answered the phone.
"Our boy is alone with Annabeth, watching the sunset. I mean- it's mostly dark now but- you get it."
"Awe!" Rachel squealed. "You're amazing."
"I know."

[ANNABETH CHASE]

She yawned, still watching the sunset. The feeling of the cold air, blowing her hair out of her face, making her hands numb was all too familiar. She, Luke and Thalia would watch the sunset every night. It was around November when she had run away. Now she had Grover and Percy with her. She had plenty of other friends, too. She was so, so grateful for them but there was still that feeling of emptiness.

"You okay, Wise Girl?" Percy said. Annabeth hadn't realised he was looking at her.
"Yeah," Annabeth nodded. "Just tired."
Percy put his arm around her shoulders. It wasn't uncomfortable. It was quite comforting, actually. "We can go home when Grover comes back," he said.

Only a minute later, Grover came back. Annabeth chose not to question his conversation with his mother that didn't exist.
"Ready to go?" Percy asked, standing up.
"Yup," Annabeth and Grover said in unison, before laughing. It wasn't even funny, but being around both of them made things seem so much better. They walked home together, in the cold and dark. It was kind of raining.. only it wasn't exactly rain.

"It's snowing," Percy grinned. It was extremely light snow but it was something.
Annabeth couldn't help but grin, too. Now that she thought about it, she'd been seeing much more Christmas lights, even though it wasn't December yet. But it was close.

She blew air into her hands to try to keep them warm, snow landing on her, Grover and Percy's hair.

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Word Count: 843

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A/N: yet another (very) short chapter but I wanted to give the OG trio some moments (more to come, OBVIOUSLY. Both with each other and the rest of their friends. I love them)

Also SNOW:)