Aftermath-Percabeth

Chapter Seventeen

Percy awoke to the sound of the murder van screeching to a halt. He flittered his eyelashes before peering up at Annabeth, who was anxiously gripping the steering wheel.

"Geez, Chase. If I knew you were so bad at driving I wouldn't have let you drive," he joked. She immediately stuck her tongue out at him in retort.

She unbuckled her seat belt before pushing open the van's door. "Get up, loser. It's tourist time."

A smile crept onto Percy's face as he readjusted himself. He opened his door and stepped out of the car, the sun immediately hitting his face and filling him with warmth.

The van was parked outside the famous 'Welcome to Vegas' sign that was in every cheesy Vegas movie. Annabeth had already rushed up to the sign and gotten in line for a picture. Percy quickly joined her.

"We're cheesy tourists," he whispered in her ear as the line inched forwards. Many of the people by the sign were dressed in fanny packs and khaki shorts, the tourist uniform.

"Shut up and pose, Seaweed Brain," she said, elbowing him in the ribs. "I'll send this picture to everyone we know."

"Great," Percy mumbled as he stroke a pose. He placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his lips. "How's this?"

Annabeth chuckled. "Embarrassing, yet adorable."

She snapped the pictures before persuading a nearby tourist to take one of the both of them. She rushed up to Percy and he instantly wrapped an arm around her.

"Say cheese!" the woman yelled. "Wait, how do you work this phone?"

"Press the little white button at the bottom!" Annabeth yelled back. "It should be showing us!"

"Oh, no. I only see myself!" she yelled back.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and quickly helped the woman learn how to use her phone before rushing back to Percy.

"Perfect," Annabeth said as she accepted the phone from the woman. "Thanks."

"Sorry for the hassle, my grandkids bought me a phone and it's a different type than yours," she responded. "I hope you can forgive me."

Percy smiled. "Of course. Thanks!"

"No, thank you," she responded. "For the meal!"

The old lady instantly started to twist and turn to reveal her true self-an empousa with a wrinkly face, robotic body, and one donkey leg.

"Not this again," Annabeth mumbled as she reached for her dagger. Percy reached for Riptide and threw off its cap.

The couple stood back to back, ready to fight. Percy took his usual role of the upfront attack while Annabeth sneaked behind the empousa, confusing it.

While Percy taunted the empousa away from the mortals Annabeth went in for the attack. She quickly stroke the empousa's back, killing it instantly.

It turned into yellow dust, quickly picking up with the breeze and blowing into nearby mortal's faces, who complained about the 'sand'.

Percy slid his hand into Annabeth's and led her back to the murder van to regroup and figure out what to do next.

"Personally, I'm a bit over with Vegas," Annabeth joked. "What about you?"

Percy slid into the driver's seat of the van. "Let's get driving. I miss New York."

Annabeth joined him in the van. "You're driving? The person who fell asleep the instant we hit the road?"

"I've got this, now get some rest," Percy advised.

She nodded. "Will do."

After a few hours of driving in silence Annabeth woke up to Percy obnoxiously singing along to the radio at full blast.

"Stop that atrocious noise!" Annabeth begged sarcastically.

Percy smiled. "You don't like Led Zeppelin?"

"I love Led Zeppelin, just not you singing it," Annabeth retorted.

"Alright, I'll stop. But only if you talk to me," Percy joked. "Let's play 21 questions!"

"Come on, we know everything about each other," Annabeth retorted. "I even know that you were useless in battle against Kelli."

Percy blushed. "Hey! I-I recovered quickly...."

"Wow, then maybe there are things we don't know about each other," Annabeth replied with a sly smile. "You can go first."

"What's your favorite fast food chain?" he asked curiously.

Annabeth thought for a moment. "Um...I'll have to say Five guys. Okay, what is your favorite fast food chain?"

"No! You can't just steal my question," Percy replied. "Think up another question!"

Annabeth sighed. "Alright. Why did you call it 21 questions instead of 20?"

"Easy answer, Chase! In my version of 20 questions, you get a bonus question. I changed it so you could get to know more about the person," Percy explained.

"That's adorable," Annabeth said with a smile. "It's your turn now."

After countless banter of them teasing each other, asking genuine questions, and silly questions it was finally question 21, Percy's turn.

"Last question, Jackson," Annabeth said. "What shall it be? Wanna ask me if I have any secret tattoos? Maybe my real name isn't actually Annabeth. Maybe I'm not real! I'm a ghost!"

Percy rolled his eyes. "No, I'm not wasting my
last question on anything stupid like that. Stop trying to get me to waste my question!"

"Alright, alright, I'll stop," Annabeth replied, a smile appearing on her face. "Ooh, we're almost home, too. This better be soon and good."

"Now I'm curious if you have any secret tattoos," Percy replied, a smirk appearing on his face. "Can I have a free question?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You already have the bonus one! This is your game, Jackson. You made the rules."

"That's right," Percy replied with a sigh. "Alright, let me think."

Percy stared at the busy roads, a sure sign they were entering New York. He sighed before wracking his brain for a question to ask her.

Annabeth was right. They knew practically everything about each other, so Percy had a hard time coming up with a question that hadn't been asked or one that he didn't already know the answer to.

When it came to Annabeth, Percy was an expert. He knew what her takeout order was, he knew her favorite ice cream flavor. He even knew her work schedule, as boring as it was.

Then Percy thought of it. The one thing that kept nagging in his mind.

"When will you want kids?"