Percabeth One-Shots

45. Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July for everyone in the U.S. and happy Thursday, July 4th for everyone not in the states! Hope you enjoy this one.

Annabeth was pulled out of the way before the monster struck. She watched as Thalia sliced her sword right where she had been standing a moment before, the monster crumbling to dust that stuck to her shoes.

Luke pivoted in place and set Annabeth down. The three demigods started to run towards the crowds of people, becoming lost in them before more monsters appeared.

"That was the fifth time today." Thalia wheezed. She leaned against the wall of the ally they had ducked inside.

Luke grunted, his hand over a cut on his side. It wasn't bad, but it hurt like Hades. "We need somewhere to go, just for a while."

"Why not there?" Annabeth pointed across the street.

Luke and Thalia didn't hear her at first and she cursed her quiet voice. Her small fingers pointed again, more aggressively this time, as she repeated herself, louder.

Thalia turned and flowed her finger. A grin appeared on her face. "Nice one Annabeth. That eight-year-old brain of yours is working overtime."

Thalia and Luke lead the way out of the alley as Annabeth crossed her arms, the praise sparking pride that made her chest puff out.

The three cautiously crossed the street and ducked into the public aquarium. Luckily, entrance was free today thanks to the holiday. Inside were posters advertising a fireworks show after dark. The first few aquariums had been covered with red, white, and blue streamers and banners, each sporting an array of fish of the same colors. Each of them were handed a small flag upon entering. Multiple kids Annabeth's age or younger were running around, laughing as their own flags waved and trailed behind them.

She paused for a moment, allowing Luke and Thalia to trail ahead, to watch the kids run. She thought about how she could have been like them, carefree and hopeful. She watched with a twinge of jealousy at the kids whose parents chased after them, scooping them up or redirecting their gaze to the fish in the tanks. Why couldn't she have parents like them?

Then her gaze shifted to Luke and Thalia. They stood together watching fish dart around a coral display, so close together but comfortable. She imagined herself running like those kids and Thalia scooping her up to go back to the tanks, Luke smiling in amusement. They would have too, in Annabeth had had any real desire to start running around like those other kids. She realized she already had parents like those others. Her's were just chosen, by her. And she was okay with that.

She started across the large open area, towards Luke and Thalia. Most of the crowd hung around the tanks, greedily taking up space and taking pictures. Some kids still ran in the open area.

Annabeth's gaze was drawn to a particularly obnoxious older man, who was shoving his way through the crowds to see the tanks. As she watched he wiped the food grease off his mouth with the flag and threw it in the trash. Only one word came to mind upon seeing him; grotesque.

She kept walking, her eyes still trained on the smelly man, only to nearly fall as she crashed into someone else.

"Sorry." She said, turning.

"I'm sorry," the boy echoed. He stared at her, his seagreen eyes captivated her gaze for a moment before he swished his jet black hair away from his face. He was only around Annabeth's age, but something about him gave Annabeth the sense of power.

A dark haired woman turned from looking at one of the tanks and called in their direction. "Percy, are you ready to go to the next room?"

"Yeah Mom!" The boy in front of Annabeth called back. Before he followed the woman he turned back to Annabeth. "What's your name?"

"Annabeth." She answered. Again Annabeth cursed her quiet and squeaky voice. For a moment she thought he didn't hear her but he smiled after a moment and followed the woman through an arch into another room. "Percy." She mumbled to herself. That smile he had given her, it seemed like more of a 'see you later' than a 'goodbye'.

Annabeth turned towards her original direction and joined her two companions at the tank. Thalia ruffled her hair when she arrived and Annabeth swatted her hand away, her shaking hands and smile serving to erase the brief encounter from her thoughts. But her smile, was an echo of Percy's.