Those Princess Curls

For both Percy and Annabeth the day was fine. It was unseasonably warm in New York. Though, neither of them were outside. They were taking a break from college life and work and just simply wanted to wind down. Annabeth fiddled idly with an errant curl and put it into a ponytail. She suddenly was struck by inspiration and ran towards her laptop. Percy suppressed the urge to laugh. If he had a dime for every time she was struck like that, he'd be richer than Rachel's dad. She typed frantically, trying to get all her ideas down before the moment was lost. However, her hair broke free, during her mad dash and it was now in her face. She sighed frustrated. The moment was lost now apparently.

"Damn." It was a rare moment for her to curse in English and Percy looked up from the magazine he was reading. He turned on the small sofa to look at her.

"What's up?" he asked.

"My hair! I just had, the best idea I've probably had, and it's gone now, because of my hair. " She groaned. He tilted his head.

"Well, could you braid it or something?" he asked. She shook her head and pulled her hair into an angry bun, and winced when she pulled too hard.

"I've tried. It's too curly for me. I'm not very good at braiding." She sighed and pulled the hair out. She glared at a few of the locks and sighed.

"I guess I'll cut it all off. Maybe to my ears." She mused twirling it absentmindedly.

"Woah! Let's not make any hasty decisions, now. Maybe you can have someone give you braiding lessons? How about Katie? She can braid, right?" he asked his tone, just slightly desperate. Annabeth eyed him suspiciously but shook her head.

"She lives in Tennessee now, remember? Something about it having farmland. Plus it's closer to camp than Arkansas. Well, that's what Travis told me. Which probably means it's not true." She said. Percy sighed.

"Well, I guess there's someone that could always show you." He trailed off naturally. Annabeth left her chair and sat next to him.

"Why are you so adamant that I learn to braid my hair?" she asked. He tried to shrug noncommittally and failed miserably. Well to Annabeth anyway. She'd always know what he was thinking about.

"Well, you have really nice hair. I'm actually kind of attached to it." He said running his hand through her hair. She relaxed into his hand and sighed cuddling closer to him. He chuckled and she play smacked him.

"Really, now? How long have you been attached to my hair?" she asked playfully.

"Since I was twelve." He admitted. She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh my gods Seaweed Brain. That is the weirdest thing you've ever told me. How sad would you be if I cut it off?" she inquired. He sighed.

"I'd get over it."

"Liar. You'd be heartbroken." She laughed. He sighed.

"Well, I'm caught. Are you gonna blackmail me now?" he asked wearily. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please. As long as we've known each other and how often we share the same living space? If I wanted to frame you, I'd have done it by now." She scoffed

"You could be waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect information. Knowledge is power you know." He said in a mock wise voice.

"Oh really? I had no idea. I thought that the sea held all the answers. I'm glad you could teach me master." She deadpanned.

He laughed pulling her closer. "I'm glad that you've learned young one." He said she grabbed a pillow from the couch and whacked Percy with it. He took the blow but gave her a pouty look when she turned to him. She looked away a grin forcing itself to her lips. She kept glancing back, and regretted it each time. He just looked cute like that. He did that furrowing thing with his eyebrows and it just wasn't fair that he could look so—

"Alright I give! Okay, I sort of apologize for hitting you with a pillow." She sighed at admitting defeat.

"Ha! I knew you couldn't resist me. I'm just too awesome to ignore." He bragged.

"Ugh, more like annoying." She said but she laughed all the same.

"So, I'm not cutting off all my hair. Just enough so that it's not in my way all the time, because honestly, I can't anymore. It's ruining my creativity." She said Percy smiled and kissed her temple.

"Well, I'm glad. I would have missed those princess curls." He said quietly.

"Oh, so I'm a princess now? Can't I be like a warrior or something? Princesses are useless." She said He laughed.

"Where'd you get that idea?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please. Ariel? Cinderella? Snow White?" They were completely useless." She said He laughed

"Not Jasmine—"he began.

"Not a princess, remember? Just a random girl in the story." She claimed. Percy shook his head, he knew that it would be no point to argue, but he knew he was right.

"Okay, what about Jane?"

"Mmm. Almost."

"Mulan."

"Okay, so there's one princess who's not useless." She cried He laughed. Mulan wasn't even a princess.

"What about Kida?"

"Who's Kida?" she asked.

"Lost Empire of Atlantis?" he asked She stared blankly at him.

"Am I the only kid who liked that movie?" he asked she laughed.

"Yes. Is it your favorite?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's my favorite after Aladdin. There wasn't any singing in it, plus you know, water." He shrugged.

"What were you doing watching Disney movies? Aren't you a little too old for that?" she asked her eyebrows raised.

"Nope. You're never too old to forget your childhood." He said.

"You're so cheesy. So what was so non helpless about this `Kida'?" Annabeth asked sitting up to look at Percy.
"Well, she was the hero and the guy was pretty much there for comic relief. Funny how our lives reflect in movies." He said.

"Oh please. For the last time you are a hero." She said rolling her eyes. He shrugged yawned and she looked at him.

"Let's take a nap, Percy." She murmured her voice tender. He kissed her on the lips and rested his head on her head.

"Sweet dreams." She whispered.

"Annabeth?"

"Hmm?"

"Mulan wasn't a princess." She growled and then tweaked his ear.

"Don't care."

AN: This has been here on my computer, for ages. It's been here since last year I think. But here it is I guess. I never pictured Annabeth as a child to watch Disney movies, so that's why she's poorly acquainted with the princesses and of course, the non-princess characters.