One shot
"Come on Percy!" Mom yelled, "It's Christmas!"
My eighteen year old self groaned but shoved the covers off of myself and stretched, "Coming."
Sitting up and rubbing my eyes, the smell of mom's special waffles wafted my way and I was suddenly very awake. Quickly getting dressed in jeans and a green graphic tee, I followed my nose out to the kitchen, and then reached for one of the many blue waffles.
Mom swatted my hand and laughed, "You'll burn your hands! Go get a plate Grabby."
I heard someone snicker behind me and I whirled around.
"Annabeth!" I ran over and hugged her a lot harder than I needed to, "What are you doing here?"
Annabeth hunched over and put her hand on her ribs, "First, ow!" then she stood straight up and looked into my eyes, smiling, "Second, I'm your Christmas present from myself Seaweed Brain."
I knew there was probably a different reason other than the one she gave me but I didn't care. My girlfriend was here for Christmas.
"How is your dad?" I asked and pulled four plates out and handing Annabeth one.
"He's good. Still obsessed with airplanes and still misses Athena." Annabeth held out her plate as my Mom put a nice hot blue waffle on it.
"How's Paul?" Annabeth asked nudging me with her elbow.
"Paul's just fine." Paul, my stepdad yawned, and then picked up a plate for himself.
After a few more minutes of laughing and my Mom glaring at me for talking with my mouth full, we went into the living room. Or what was left of a living room.
A Christmas tree swallowed nearly half of the room and the furniture was haphazardly shoved against the wall. Annabeth and I sat next to the tree while Paul and Mom sat on the loveseat together. We aren't really rich, but we could afford some nice things. Several presents sat under the tree, I could say I got the best present of all with Annabeth there, but Paul got a new car. Probably because Mom couldn't stand the Prius.
After I had taken the bow off of my last present I stuck it on Annabeth's head. I had meant it to be sort of sentimental, but Mom and Paul just laughed, said that 'Percy's staking his claim'. I only prayed that Annabeth didn't see it that way.
She honestly looked confused.
Opening my present, a pair of new black leather shoes that looked like they belonged on someone a little bit older than me, Mom insisted I put them on. I was about to argue but Annabeth started to insist too- what could I do now? I had to put them on. I tied them on and stood up to some giggling and some fake applause making me turn bright red before I sat down and immediately took them off.
Mom nudged Paul, "Hey honey, we should go cook the ham."
"I don't know, we already have a ham cooking in here." Paul snickered before following her back into the kitchen. I went even redder.
"Don't worry Percy," Annabeth said grabbing my hand, "It's not bad to be a ham."
"So I got you a present." I said quickly, praying that the word ham wouldn't come up for a long, long time. It was making me hungry.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up.
"You know what Paul said about me staking my claim?"
"Yeah." Annabeth became a little bit more wary.
I pulled a small silver ring out of my back pocket and held it in front of me, "He didn't know how true that is." Annabeth tried to interrupt but I held up a finger, "This is my promise ring to you that someday I will be with you. As official as the sun rising in the east, or the moon waxing and waning-,"
"Percy-," Annabeth said feeling nervous.
"I'm always going to love you-,"
"Percy-,"
"I was going to send it to you-,"
"Percy!" Annabeth shouted.
There was a brief moment of silence.
"Percy, you don't need some romantic monologue," Annabeth said taking the ring from me and putting it on her left ring finger, "I love you too."
"Merry Christmas Annabeth." I whispered then brushed my lips against hers.
Author's Note: Let me know what you think people! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
(Sorry that I got Paul's name wrong the first time, I've been reading other books and haven't had time too reread PJO)