Percabeth Dirty One Shots and Drabbles

Long Way Home

By Byima on AO3 and Tumblr 🤪

His arrival is too casual. He calls ahead because he can't figure out exactly where the complex is and she hands the phone to Frank so he can give him directions to the closest parking lot. She urges Frank out of the apartment, hand pulling him by the crook of his arm, because Percy's still confused. He had made a wrong turn. They hear him mutter "fuck this" then grumble about how he's making a U-turn even though the sign says he's not supposed to do so but the last three intersections have said the same thing and he's gotta turn around at some point. Annabeth and Frank walk outside and in a moment they're at the parking lot entrance because it's conveniently close to the boy's new unit and on the phone Percy says, "I think I'm here."

Her head almost feels light, her pulse picks up and she's looking around for the familiar Prius before she remembers Percy sold it and drives something new. A Honda? She can't recall now, and she hates how much that feels like it matters.

Frank goes, "I think that's him," and she turns her head to figure out where her friend is looking.

Then she sees him. He's leaning on the open door of a Toyota sedan and it's too casual. He's searching for them too, then, finally, he sees them over the roof of the car. He ducks back into the driver's seat for a moment then he's out of the car, smiling at them and walking in their direction, half stopping for a second to turn and point the keys at the car until it locks with a beep.

He seems older.

The last time she'd seen him was spring break, just a few days at the start of April. He'd been so busy with the start of the fire academy, and she had been anxious because she just knew this would be the beginning of the end. He'd graduate from the fire academy then start working and it wouldn't make sense for him to come back to New Rome and they'd have two more years of not together. Only he'd be employed and in New York and fulfilled and she'd be on the west coast, still in school, and not at home, facing day after day without the person she wanted with her more than anyone else.

Now he's here and he feels like something old and new. And time isn't something borrowed, she's high on thoughts of together forever, because that's basically what they've discussed for the last two months. He'd come back to school and they'd finish two more years in California and graduate and go back to New York and move in together, and all of it sounds like a plan. Like they have a together forever.

So she and Frank meet him halfway and she tries to play it cool, like her mind isn't rushing off to past future present at a mile a minute. When they reach each other, his eyes crinkled with a smile and hers begin to glaze with tears, and they close the space between them with a hug.

The pull apart comes quicker than either wants because Frank is right next to her. Percy immediately reaches a hand out to him and the Roman grabs it and pulls him into a bear hug with a laugh.

"Gwen's gonna kill both of us because we were supposed to pick up furniture from her like three hours ago."

"Great." Percy deadpans. "Has she ever been stuck in traffic on I-80?" He shakes his head and looks back over to Annabeth before reaching for her head and touching what she knows is the gray streak of hair that's pulled up into a ponytail. She grabs his hand as Frank turns and starts walking them back to the apartment. They follow him, fingers linked, cars passing on the street across the parking lot, a door opening nearby and a couple students walking out onto the path that winds through the apartments ahead of them, too casual on this sunny summer midday.

She squeezes his hand and says, "You look older."

"I am older." His eyes move from the top of her head to her feet, clad in worn Birkenstocks that have etched out pale patterns where the sun hasn't had a chance at her skin. "So are you."