"Seriously?! A make your own enchilada kit?!" Grover shrieked, tearing through the rest of the wrapping paper with superhuman speed, "this is a decent gift."

"Mmhmm you're clearly not excited at all," I laughed, watching him battle a grin, "you're welcome by the way."

"What about my gift?" Bobby asked, tugging at my sweater, "Matty got to open his!!"

"Well...check the other side of the tree," I replied, pointing at a green gift, "I think it may have your name on it"

"It does!" he shrieked as he practically flew towards the other side of the tree, intensely shaking the gift before he  tore it open, "LEGOS!"

"It is!!" I laughed at his enthusiasm.

"Sally! Helen got these for you, and this one's from me," I said, passing two boxes to Sally, who was sitting beside Paul, drinking some hot chocolate.

"Aww thank you Annabeth dear!" she smiled, setting her cup down before gently unwrapping the gifts, "oh! This is a beautiful necklace! Did you pick it yourself?" Sally gasped, holding up the daisy and topaz necklace I got for her.

"I'm glad you like it," I grinned.

We spent the rest of the afternoon just opening gifts and chatting as the boys ran merrily around the tree with their new aeroplane toys.

It was like having one big, adorable family.

I got a few new books, and a 'I don't need Google, my girlfriend knows everything' shirt from Percy.

Sally also hand-knitted everyone a sweater as her gift. Can we talk about how much work that must have been? Dam.

In the chaos and heaps of gift wrap, everyone eventually fell asleep after a big batch of Paul's hot chocolate and marshmallows.

Tyson and the twins were sound alseep, snoring like little monsters in front of the tv.

Sally, Paul and Estelle retired to their rooms.

Which left Percy and Grover napping on the couch.

Alseep on the sofa, leaning against Grover for support.

I smiled.

He looked peaceful.

It had been a while since he had nightmares and I couldn't thank the Gods enough. Percy deserved nothing but the best, he'd been through so much.

Whenever I look at him I'm so grateful that we found each other again.

I don't think I could ever love anyone the way I loved Percy....he was a part of me, a part of my heart and soul. He is the sound my heart beats too and the destination my feet walk to.

It took me a while to wrap my head around the fact that he was here for good....that he was not going to leave me.

And once I did, I was able to allow myself to fall head over heels for him. To finally open up to him, to the world, and just...be happy.

He was my happiness.

And I am so proud of how far we've come

I could hear Grover mumbling incoherently as he snored, in a sleep so deep that it could easily be the bottom of the ocean.

I brought the boys a blanket, wrapping it around Percy's shoulders before covering Grover with the rest of it.

Goat boy just kicked it off immediately, like a baby, so I kinda just let him be.

"Hey, here's my present for you," I whispered low, trying not to wake Percy up as I slipped my present next to him, kissing his cheek before I quietly moved away.

I sat by the Christmas tree for a while, reading my new book in peace. And a while later, I called Helen and some of my friends to wish them a merry Christmas.

As the evening came nearer, I put on the sweater Sally made me for some warmth and burnt some wood for the fireplace.

Everyone was still sound asleep, and I wouldn't blame them. None of us got any sleep last night.

Almost two hours later, I noticed Percy was awake.

He'd also changed into the sweater Sally made him, as opposed to the one I gave him as a Christmas gift, which had 'seaweed brain' printed on the front.

He looked handsome in both either way. Very festive.

"How was your nap?" I greeted as I watched him groggily make his way towards me, holding the gift I left beside him.

"I missed you," he said, running a hand through his hair.

I laughed.

When he acts like a child after a nap, you know he's had a really good sleep.

He plopped down beside me shoving, a stack of wrapping paper aside as he rested his head on my lap.

"Are you going to open it now?" I mused, tapping on my gift as he fiddled with it.

"Mmmhmm," he said, ripping the package apart gently.

"Annabeth," he breathed as he popped off the lid, sliding the singular bead into the palm of his hand.

He sat up straight, turning towards me, "I love it!"

"And I love you," I smiled, pecking his cheek.

He leaned against me, allowing me to unclasp his bead necklace and slide the new bead I made through it.

It wasn't anything grand or intricate. Just a simple gray bead with the words 'I love you' painted onto it.

"You didn't open my gift to you either," he grinned, looking quite smug to have taken me by surprise.

"I...did. I loved the locket," I replied, remembering the chain with the silver heart locket, opening to reveal a picture of Percy and I as kids.

"That's not all I got you," he said, shoving his arm deep beneath the Christmas tree, lying down on the floor before he procured a small, shabbily wrapped box, "here!"

"What's this?" I asked, shaking it ever so slightly, before opening it as a very eager Percy watched.

"I wanted to wait for us to be alone before I gave it to you.....but now works too I guess," he shrugged, leaning over my shoulder as I swiftly popped open the lid of the box.

"Perseus Jackson!" I laughed, feeling my face heat up, "w..what is this!"

I held up the lock of mistletoe he gifted me, still red in the face.

Percy grinned widely, "Well....it's sacred Christmas law," he replied.

"That it is," I said, kneeling down beside him.

I held the branch of mistletoe above our beads as I leaned in, planting my lips on his.

His lips moulded perfectly against mine, slow and tentatively.

He tasted like home.

I dropped the branch as I wrapped my arms around his neck, practically straddling him as I deepened the kiss.

We kissed until we couldn't breathe.

I rested my head in the crook of Percy's neck, snuggling closer to him as we sat by the fireplace, content in watching the flames burn against the wood, in an ethereal synchrony.

We talked about past Christmas is together reminiscing our childhood.

Time melted away, and after we watch the final embers of the fire flicker away, Percy suggested that we go upstairs to his room.

I trailed behind,as he flopped onto the bed, wrapping himself in the warmth of the weighted blanket, tracing my fingers along the turquoise walls.

We'd painted them together as children, many many years ago.

"Could you pass me my phone please?" Percy asked from the bed.

"Yeah sure," I shrugged, heading towards his desk to pick up the device.

"Percy, what's this?" I asked, noticing an open letter on the surface, "don't tell me you have a secret penpal," I laughed, picking up the paper, scanning through its contents.

"It's nothing!" Percy said urgently, grabbing the piece of paper from my hands as he leapt from the bed.

It was a few seconds too late.

"You're....leaving," I whispered my voice so low, I could barely hear it myself, " you.....you're leaving me."

"Wise girl-"

"I...I knew this was all too good to be true," I said, letting out a mirthless laugh, "I...should've known....Gods I'm so stupid."

It felt as if the world was tilting the turquoise walls I so admired seem to be getting darker, larger even.

I felt numb

"Why didn't you tell me? For five months....why couldn't you tell me that you're moving to Greece?" I asked, fighting back the hot tears that spilt down my face.

"I loved you.....I love you.....and you're leaving?" I let out a hard exhale, holding onto the table as I felt my lungs constrict, making it almost difficult to breathe.

Oh Gods it was all happening again

Malcom was right.....everything around me is going to burn.

"Annabeth please I was going to tell you," Percy replied, his own eyes glassy under the harsh fluorescent lights.

"When? An hour before you get onto that plane in two months? Were you going to tell me then? Or just not tell me at all?"

Pierce was Percy's dream University....ever since he was a kid. His father had gone there and it was his dream to do so too.
And now that he'd gotten in.....on a swimming scholarship that too, there's no way he wouldn't go.

I just wish he told me....told me that he got in or that he was applying so I could prepare myself.

Because right now? It feels like I'm about to loose everything.

"I....need to go..." my voice cracked, "Just....have Grover drop off the twins please. Don't follow me."

Percy caught my arm as I moved towards the door, "I'm sorry....l swear I was going to tell you."

"Please....I need some time," I said, holding back a fresh stream of tears as I made my way towards the door, running onto the street.

The cold harsh wind nipped my face rendering, it numb by the time I reached home collapsing on the floor in new tears as the door slammed shut behind me.

I gasped, clamouring for air.

And then.....I broke down.

————————————————————————-

Hi
*puts on armour to stop all of you from attacking me*

No but imagine if I posted this on Christmas~
I'd be the grinch.

So like....Percabeth is in peril.

Be nice to me and I'll help them 💅🏻
So WATCH SHADOW AND BONE (season two is coming March 16th)

(Posted- 3/3/23 - 1:27am)

Stay tuned!!
—S