Aftermath-Percabeth

Chapter Twenty-Two

Percy was out of breath as he ran into their warm apartment, feeling like he'd been frozen for years. He quickly rushed inside and away from the door. He quickly stashed the bag he'd been holding behind some pots and pans before taking off his several winter garments and started sorting through the mail.

"You know, I think it should be illegal to get bills this close to Christmas," Percy admitted as Annabeth rushed in after him, shivering and covered in snow.

Annabeth blinked at him. "You're just going to pretend you didn't just throw a snowball at me so you could rush up here and hide my gift?"

Percy bit his lip. "Yes...?"

Annabeth laughed and grabbed Percy's hands and smiled fakely. She lowered Percy to her level and whispered in his ear quietly. "You better watch out, Jackson."

A smile slipped onto Percy's face as he finished sorting through the mail. It was full of several Christmas cards, which he promptly placed on their refrigerator.

"You've got a letter from your dad," Percy called to Annabeth. He heard her stand up and rush into the room, her eyebrows furrowed. She snatched the letter from his hand and opened it hastily.

"It's probably just a stupid Christmas card or something showing how happy he is," she groaned. "It probably has a letter about how successful Bobby and Matthew are during their first year at UCLA."

Her eyes scanned the letter and her expression softened. "He...he wants to see me this Christmas."

She pulled out two plane tickets and immediately thought how stupid her father must be to mail something that valuable.

"That's...good....?" Percy asked cautiously, aware of how fragile Annabeth's relationship is with her father.

She nodded. "I guess I have to go."

"You don't have to do anything," Percy assured her. "Do what you want."

"Okay, but I think I should," she admitted. "I haven't seen him in two years...."

That part was true. After Annabeth graduated and moved back to New York, her relationship with her father grew dire. They only talked through brief phone calls on holidays and birthdays, and that was it. Now he wanted to see her?

"I think I need a nap," Annabeth said as she walked into their bedroom. The second she lay her head on the pillow she was out.

When she woke up, the smell of gingerbread immediately hit her, causing her to gag.

"What the hell...?" she muttered as she ran into the living room, only to see Percy dressed in a Christmas apron and covered in crumbs decorating their living room.

He turned to her, his face portraying a small grin. "Merry Christmas...?"

"It looks like Christmas threw up in here," Annabeth complained. "And Percy, it's December 17th. Chill."

Percy rolled his eyes and dropped his piece of tinsel. "Stop being such a grinch. And the 17th is close to Christmas!

"I'm no grinch. I'll celebrate Christmas," Annabeth responded, "when it's actually time to."

"Come on, Annabeth. We do this every year. You bicker about Christmas, I defend it. You get annoyed until it's over," Percy said. "Now let's break the tradition and actually celebrate!"

Annabeth laughed. "Alright."

Percy blinked. "Alright? You're giving up years of stubbornness over one lecture? You've really softened, Chase."