Recorded Dreams (A Percabeth AU)

49

Annabeth knocks on the door to Percy's apartment. Sally had promised to help her get ready for their prom party tonight. Her mother wouldn't have been much help, because she clearly only knew how to dress for business. Malcolm might've even been more help than her. That was saying a lot.

"Annabeth! Sweetie! Come in!" Sally greets, clearly very excited for the event. "We have to get ready quickly so we have time for pictures. It'll be so much fun!"

Annabeth smiles at her and steps inside. She left her dress in Estelle's room, because Estelle had insisted it stayed in there. The girl just loved to admire it every day.

"Annabeth! You're here!" Estelle exclaimed. She wore a pink dress with a white bow tied around her waist. "You're going to look like a princess! I even picked out bows for your hair! Which one do you want?" Estelle holds out all different bows for Annabeth to choose from.

"Estelle, sweetie-" Sally begins.

"I'll take this one." Annabeth picks up a small blue one with rhinestones that matches her dress.

"That's what I was thinking too!" Annabeth gives her a high five. She says a hello to Bessie the Beta Fish who swam in her tank on the kitchen table. Sally laughs and drags Annabeth to the bathroom to fix up her hair and makeup, but first, she has to grab the dress for her. She leaves to do so and check on Percy.

"How's it going in here?" She asks from outside the door.

"Mom! Can you help me? I have no clue how this works." She opens the door and sees a very disheveled Percy; shirt unbuttoned and untucked, hair a mess, and jacket and suspenders lying in the middle of the room. She had no clue where his blue bow tie was.

"I have to help Annabeth, I'll send Paul in." Percy flashes a smile to his mom. Sally exits the room calling for her husband to deal with the mess that Percy somehow created, while she goes to Annabeth to explain the whole story.

"Are you sure you want him to be your prom date, sweetie?" Sally asks with a teasing smile on her face as she tries to tame Annabeth's curls. "You know this will be your only prom, right?"

Annabeth laughs. "I know. Even if he does have kelp for brains, there's no one I'd rather go with."

As Sally stares at Annabeth, she begins to tear up. "What's wrong?" Annabeth asks.

"I'm so happy you and Percy found each other. For so much time in his life, he had no one. I was beginning to worry, because he would stop going to hang out with some of his friends because he felt awkward being the third wheel and he didn't want to intrude. He didn't like anyone at his school, but I could tell he was just so lonely. And then he found you, Annabeth. I never expected him to end up with someone as amazing and talented as you. Gosh, it's crazy to think about. But he did, and I'm so glad for it. You make him so happy. I've never seen him happier than he is with you. Every single moment." Sally wraps her arms around Annabeth.

"Thank you, Sally," Annabeth whispers, tears running down her cheeks.

"If you and him don't end up married and happily together until the end, then no couple has any hope in this world. I thought I'd let you know that. The way you two look at each other is just... so full of love that I can't even describe it. I'm so glad that you found each other."

Annabeth hugs Sally tighter. They pull away from each other, and Sally wipes the tears in her eyes. "Okay, let's get you ready. We don't have much time."

Sally begins to work on Annabeth's hair again, pulling it up into a loose braided bun and placing the small bow from Estelle on it. Sally smiles at Annabeth as she spins her around to face her once again.

"Makeup?" She asks the girl. Annabeth nods.

"I want it to look natural though. Nothing too bright and bold. I just want simple." Sally smiles and nods and begins on her eyes. She applies a very light line of eyeliner to both eyes and puts on the mascara. She keeps a neutral color over her eyelashes with a small bit of shimmer and then moves on to applying blush and a bit of lip gloss. Annabeth looks in the mirror and smiles.

"It's perfect. Thank you."

"I'm so glad you like it. Now, get that gorgeous dress on."

Sally steps out of the bathroom, coming back in a minute later to help Annabeth zip up the back of her dress.

"Let's go get your heels on and see if Percy has figured out whatever his mess was yet. We have to get pictures!"

Percy managed to sort out his mess, thankfully. Annabeth beams when she sees him and his jaw drops as he looks at her.

"You... you look gorgeous." He stares at her as though he can't believe she's real.

"You look pretty decent yourself, Seaweed Brain." Pretty decent didn't even begin to describe him, she thought to herself. He had always looked good, don't get her wrong, but in a suit...

He managed to look even more handsome then ever.

"You look like a princess and a prince!" Estelle cheered happily, barging into the room. Sally laughs and picks up her daughter.

"You're right, Estelle," Sally says. "And our royalty have to go get pictures. Are you coming along with us, my sweet goddess?"

"Yes!" Estelle exclaims.

The go to the gardens in Central Park to get pictures. They laugh at each other's goofiness as they each do very overdramatic poses. Sally takes a picture every opportunity she gets. Every little lean towards each other, every hand held, every quick kiss shared. They're all on the 'Percy and Annabeth' file on Sally's phone now. Yes, she has a file just for them. She's had it since the day she met Annabeth.

As they start making goofy faces at the camera, Estelle runs and jumps into the photo and joins them.

"Estelle, let them get their pictures sweetie, come here," Sally says, laughing at her daughter.

"It's okay mom, we got plenty of pictures of just us. Estelle can join."

"Are you sure sweetie?"

"Of course!" Annabeth's exclaims. "It wouldn't be an epic photo shoot without our favorite goddess!"

So Estelle joins them in pictures, giggling as Percy and Annabeth argue over who gets to hold her and argue over who she loves more.

"I'm her brother."

"That doesn't automatically make you her favorite!"

"She loves me."

"Not as much as she loves me, though."

"Impossible! Estelle, tell her you love me more!"

"I love you both though. You're my big brother and Annabeth's my sister-in-law!"

Annabeth and Percy's faces turn red while Sally laughs.

"Not just yet, Estelle. But soon," Sally says. She winks at Percy. He rolls his eyes with a blush but feels his back pocket to make sure it's still there.

Tonight would be a very important night, and not just because it's their prom party.

Hope you enjoyed! So sorry it took me so long to get this out.

I also hope your just as excited as I am to read the next chapter. This took me so long because I was debating back and forth on that last little part there, but I liked it so I put it in there.

Have a great day/night!