While Your Lips Are Still Red...
A/N: It is a missing scene when Annabeth and Percy fell asleep at the stables. The title is from the song While Your Lips Are Still Red by Nightwish.
Reviews are welcome! :)
The silence was welcoming, sweetened with a few whispers and a shy resonate of the girl embraced at her boyfriend who still had his eyes opened gazing at her.
Funny how much he have felt so silly looking at that girl who he missed so much in the last months.
When he arrived at the Camp Jupiter knowing nothing about himself, Percy just have kept at his heart one name that was a part of his life: Annabeth. During all that time in the dark about his past, the young demigod, amid of loneliness and sometimes desperation, used to pronounce that sweet name like a pray. The effect was immediate: Quick it came to his mind the blonde soft hair with lemon scent, the warm grey eyes shining with happiness and the sweet lips kissing him for say or do something stupid.
It was his Annabeth. She was there, healthy and safe sleeping on his arms.
Percy didn't know when he became so ridiculous romantic – or he always was like that but he never knew. He have felt that immense necessity, almost overwhelming to protect her. He has known that Annabeth has been keeping a kind of important secret even though she hasn't wanted to tell. Whatever it was, Percy wanted to ensure to her that everything would be ok.
However, it was difficult to say those words without knowing if it could be truth. He wanted it was. He wanted to say it to her and see the sweet red lips of his girlfriend smiling and kissing him.
In some moment of his sleep, Annabeth frowned as something was bothering her. She started rolling over grumbling something about "Leave me alone, I'm trying to do my best" and "Go away" and many other things that scared Percy. Clearly, she was having a nightmare.
Not even on her dreams Annabeth could have peace, and it annoyed him. It wasn't something he could destroy with Riptide like a monster. On the contrary, it was the personification of fear, the persecution, the war… Everything on the back of seven adolescents including him and his dearest Annabeth.
Injustice? Welcome to the world of a demigod!
She woke up alarmed as if she has got a shock. Her body was shaking.
"Annabeth?" Percy murmured. "It's ok I'm here".
He hugged her while she was shuddering in terror. A sobbing cut his heart. Those eyes shouldn't cry – it should be always shining, but because of the injustice of life, innocent tears have been flowing. Like hers…
Percy cuddled Annabeth like a scared child. If he could, he would take her and run away to a safe and happy place, where her lips would be always smiling. And loving… And kissing…
A couple of minutes passed and finally Annabeth seemed calmer.
"Are you feeling better?" Percy asked softly.
She murmured embarrassed. "Yes... It was just a stupid dream"
He smirked. "This is one of the rare occasions I see you crying".
She stared at him in an unfriendly way with sparkle eyes.
"So then, you can call this the last time you saw me crying, Seaweed Brain".
"I hope it is indeed".
He cupped her face looking at her worried. Annabeth sighed.
"I don't want you worried about me all the time, Percy. I know how to stand up for myself and solve my problems".
Percy frowned. "I'm not doubting about your capacity, Annabeth. Never. But I.. Well..."
Damn those feelings...
"I know, I know". Annabeth hugged him tighter. "I also have been worried about you, mainly now that I found you". She twitching her lips. "I searched you for months and waiting you to come back".
He felt a lump on his throat. How much suffering he could have caused to his family? His adored mother who he has missed a lot, to Paul, Tyson, Mrs. O'Leary, his friends from the Camp Half-Blood and Annabeth herself?
"Don't feel guilty, ok?" She said as if she was reading his thoughts. "You and Jason were victims of that the same way the rest of us".
Percy sighed. He still has been feeling bad, but he wouldn't insist with Annabeth.
She laid again on the boy's chest and they stayed for a moment in total silence, just listening each other breathe.
"When was the first you saw me crying?" Annabeth suddenly asked.
"For what I remember, it was in that time I disappeared for two weeks after explode Mount Saint Helens" He grinned. "You should have seen your face, Annie".
"Very funny, Seaweed Brain". She grumbled. "I thought you were really dead. Nevertheless, I was wrong because you decided to take a vacation at the Ogygia Island.
Percy couldn't help and laughed loud.
"This sounded jealous or is just my imagination, huh Wise Girl?"
"Shut up and go to sleep, Percy".
He sealed his lips as if it was a zipper. Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"I promise go to sleep if you give me a kiss".
Percy grinned like a child who was aware of the prank but didn't care to get caught. Annabeth giggled at his boyfriend puppy face.
She got closer gazing at his eyes. Green and grey met in a perfect and unique combination, with the synchronicity of their sealed lips fitting perfectly as if it was a piece of a puzzle that was completed.
It was a beautiful illuminated night aboard the Argo II with the flawless picture of the two young demigods in the silent of the night wanted that tomorrow never comes.