HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! HOPE 2022 ISN'T SHIT AND I ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE NON SHIT FOR A WHILE. ANYWAY I WANTED TO CELEBRATE MY OFFICIALLY 2 YEARS OF BEING IN LOVE WITH THE RIORDANVERSE AND START THIS YEAR WITH A LIL PERCABETH.

ANYWAY, ONCE AGAIN. HAPPY FREAKING NEW YEAR

•••

Ringgg

"Hey, Beth."

"Hey, Seaweed brain." Her perfect voice said from the other side of the phone.

"What's up?" Sniff.

He was silent for a few seconds.

"Beth, are you crying?"

"Nah, I'm just sick, Don't worry."

"Annabeth, why are you crying?"

She sighed, "It's nothing. I was just reading a book."

"Oh." He let out a relieved sigh."Is it because of the book or the death of a character?"

Silence.

Then she started crying.

"Hey hey hey, I'm sorry. Do you want me to come over?"

"No no, it's ok, Perce. I'll be fine. You stay at home."

"You sure? I can-"

"No, seaweed brain." Her authorities voice made him listen. "I will be fine."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you." He could feel her smiling.

She hung up, and he sighed.

10 minutes later, he stood in front of her at her apartment door. "Woah, who died?" He said as he took in her miserable - yet beautiful- form.

She didn't find it funny. "Dude, I said I was fine."

"You're obviously not." Percy held up the bag full of goodies. "Gonna let me in?"

Annabeth was watching dance moms, but that apparently wasn't enough to calm her down.

"I just cry sometimes, it's no big deal."

She laughed, her tears still pouring down her neck as she picked up the mint chocolate flavored ice cream.

She looked up, smiling. "You know me so well."

He chuckled.

But.

As soon as she took the first bite, she started crying into her bowl.

"Hey, woah, is the ice cream not good?"

"No, it's wonderful. I-I just-"

He wrapped around his arms around her small body, and rubbed her back as she cried.

"You know what?" She sniffed. "I'm just gonna cry for a bit. Don't worry, I'll keep it down."

She went into her room, and shut the floor. A second later, loud sobbing noises echoed through the building.

He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, take all the pain from her ,and just let her eat her ice cream in peace.

And then, a light bulb lit up in his mind.

His eyes fell on the TV.

Dance moms.

Annabeth was good at dancing.

And doing something she was good at made her feel better.

"Omg, I'm so smart." He squealed and skipped towards her room.

"Heyyyy."

Annabeth looked up, and  frowned as she took in his grin.

"What....did you do?" She said.

"Nothing, silly. Do you wanna dance?" He tried twirling to her, and he might have knocked over a couple of her blueprints, but she was too busy laughing to care.

He took his phone out, and tried pressing his music app while looking at her, but eventually scoffed and pressed the right one.

Track suits and red wine
Movies for two
We'll take off our phones
And turn off our shoes

He gave her his hand, "May I?"

She grinned, and took his hand.

They stood there in each other's arms.

"So. You gonna move, pErcy?" She teased.

"Will you teach me how to?"

She snickered and guided him. If he hadn't been busy feeling giddy, he would've felt sorry stepping on her foot too much.

"Ow, slow down, man." She scolded him, her eyes shining brighter than the stars.

"Sorry." He muttered. "I'm kinda getting distracted by this one very beautiful girl."

"Yeah? Well, her feel hurt." She breathed.

He laughed and oulled her in for a kiss.

He didn't know about her, but he was definitely feeling better than ever.

Dumb conversations
We lose track of time
Have I told you lately
I'm grateful you're mine

They swayed to the song, and she out her head on his chest, letting out a breath.

"You feeling better now?" He murmured into her hair.

She hummed. "I love you so much."

He cupped her face and wiped the tear stains off with his thumb.

"I love you so much, too." He kissed her slowly, lovingly as they danced the night away.

~•~