Loverboy (PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 39

Percy POV

Recovery was slow. Bruises painted me head to toe, every breath reminded me of cracked ribs, and the doctor's voice still rang in my ears: bedrest, no exceptions.

Reyna made sure I followed that order like it was law. Jason and Piper rotated shifts of "Percy duty." And Annabeth... well, she was always around. Quiet. Guarded. A presence I couldn't ignore even if I wanted to. She'd read near the window or keep her hands busy in the kitchen, but her eyes always flickered toward me, as if checking to see if I was still breathing.

It had only been a few days when the knock came at the apartment door.

Reyna opened it, and my stomach dropped.

Helen Chase stepped in first, poised but pale, worry carved into every line of her face. Beside her was Frederick Chase—her dad, the man I'd once had one of the most difficult conversations of my life with. His sharp eyes scanned the room, landing squarely on me.

I froze, sitting on Reyna's couch like some injured stray they'd found on their doorstep.

Helen's eyes widened. "Percy?"

Frederick's brows furrowed, the shock plain in his voice. "You?"

Jason and Piper exchanged glances but didn't say anything. Annabeth stood in the doorway, looking like she'd just been caught between two worlds colliding.

My throat was dry. "Uh. Yeah. Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Chase."

Helen was the first to move. She crossed the room swiftly, kneeling down so her eyes met mine. "You saved her." Her voice cracked, but she didn't care. "Annabeth told us everything. You stepped in when those men—" Her voice faltered again. She reached out, gripping my hand firmly. "Thank you, Percy."

I blinked, stunned. "I just... did what I had to. She was in danger, and—"

Frederick stepped forward then, studying me in that way only he could, like he was measuring the weight of my words against the weight of his daughter's heart. He'd always been protective, wary of me in the past. But now, something shifted.

"Percy," he said slowly, almost reluctantly, "I'll be honest—I didn't expect this. I didn't expect you. But... you didn't think twice about putting yourself in harm's way for her. That matters." His hand landed lightly on my shoulder. Careful, but steady. "Thank you, son."

The word nearly knocked the air out of me.

For a second, all I could do was nod. My chest felt tight—not from the bruises this time, but from something else entirely. Approval. Acceptance. It was the last thing I thought I'd find here.

Annabeth was quiet, watching all of it unfold. Her face gave nothing away, but her eyes... her eyes looked torn. Like seeing her parents thank me was both relief and something she wasn't ready to process.

Later that night, Annabeth came into the living room and hovered by the doorway. "Want to get some air?"

The streets were quiet, the San Francisco night soft around us. Streetlights cast pale circles on the pavement, and the faint hum of distant traffic was the only sound besides our footsteps. I fell into step beside Annabeth, neither of us saying anything at first, letting the night fill the silence.

"You're always there, aren't you, Percy?" she said finally, her voice low, almost lost in the breeze.

I glanced at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You're always there for me," she said, eyes fixed ahead. "You came here for me. You fought for me. Every time I shot you down, you came back up. I yelled at you, and you took it. You make me feel whole in no time, without even trying."