Heroes of Olympus Series. Annabeth Chase X Male Reader Story

The Upside of Gag Gifts

(Y/N)'s POV

Waking with a smile on his face was a surprise even to him. (Y/N)'s mood and his mindset had done a total one eighty in the span of a half hour nap. It wasn't exactly uncommon for him, but it was definitely a welcome change to everything he normally dealt with.

The dream he had was perfect, he imagined having dinner with Bianca. Not in a cheating way, otherwise dream Annabeth would surely stab him, but more in a 'catching up with an old friend' sort of way. It had truly uplifted his spirits a lot.

He had failed to save her, but not her brother, Nico was saved, and in that, (Y/N) felt a little bit redeemed, he wasn't always proud of his actions, but this one, no matter how disastrous it may have been for others, (Y/N) could never find himself regretting.

It was almost troubling that in so short a timeframe, everything he felt could flip on its head like a coin was crazy. The rush of change from a feeling of drowning in stress to the calm he felt now gave him a little whiplash.

He kept expecting to feel the repercussions, he knew what he had done, about the dominoes he had tipped over and the chain reaction they could cause, but from the moment he woke, he was serene almost, uncaring about them.

Hazel helped. Her permission in that moment to make that choice sort of freed him from the burden and the guilt he would usually face. Hazel was among the kindest people he knew, if she would make the same choice as he would, he knew he wasn't truly doing something terrible.

He wasn't shocked by awakening on the Argo II. The only thing that put a dampener on his spirits was the fact that he woke up alone. But this small tug on his heartstrings was soon drowned out by near euphoria when he took his first hot shower in what felt like weeks.

After putting on one of his favourite shirts, he headed straight to the sick bay, knowing who would be there waiting for him, the joy he felt at seeing Nico Di Angelo aboard the Argo II alive and well was beyond words.

The boy had recovered a lot from the state they had found him in, there was more colour to his cheeks, more brightness in his eyes, he was still skinny and malnourished looking, but he seemed less vacant than he had.

Nico smiled at him tiredly the moment (Y/N) appeared in the doorway. Sitting up in the bed, nobody else was with him, they were probably making preparations for the next stop on their journey, not that (Y/N) knew that at the time.

He was too elated to see his friend to even consider where his others were, and before he could stop himself, he pulled the son of Hades into another crushing hug, "I'm so happy to see you!" He declared, squeezing tighter. "Good to see you too." Nico said weakly.

"I was so worried." (Y/N) smiled, then realised how stupid the boy had been, he pulled away and began to frown "How could you be so-" Nico held up a hand, cutting off his rant before it found its legs.

"Spare me, Hazel's already berated me enough." "No, she hasn't, Nico, why would you do something so-" This time (Y/N) cut himself off, knowing that the conversation would get him nowhere, he pulled Nico into another hug, this time not as crushing but still firm. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

"Trying to fight two giants yourself. Are you crazy?" Nico smirked a little bit, though even that felt like it strained him, "I wasn't trying to fight them, they just captured me." "That doesn't make it better. You nearly gave me and your sister a heart attack! Do you have any idea what we've been through!"

(Y/N) tried to sound stern, but the joyous feeling was too much, and instead his tone just made him seem like he was giddy, like he was waiting to tell the story to Nico, sadly, even if that were the case, it was too late.