DISCLAIMER: I own nothing (unfortunately), just the story idea… The world, characters, and past adventures all belong to Rick Riordan. Enjoy! :)
The morning of October 10 had Percy Jackson so agitated that his students called Grover over. After sitting in the arena for the first fifteen minutes of what was supposed to be a sword lesson, watching him pace back and forth, his hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary, whimpering at him, one of Percy's students ventured into the woods to find Grover and Juniper. Although upset that their picnic brunch was interrupted, the two went immediately to the arena to discover their friend turning a rarely-used cellphone over and over in his left hand. The other was in his pocket, no doubt gripping the ballpoint pen that would turn into a sword and impale his leg if he clicked it accidentally.
"Perrrcy," bleated Grover, one hand absently tangling itself in the fur on his goat-legs. "You're scaring your students."
Percy looked up from his pacing and gave Grover what was supposed to be a smile. It looked more like a grimace. Juniper watched him with sympathy. "It's supposed to happen soon, isn't it?"
Percy averted his eyes for a second and nodded. "I just… I want everything to go smoothly. For her."
Juniper smiled kindly, curling a strand of greenish-brown hair behind her ear. Grover fisted his hands in his own curly hair, hooking his thumbs around the two little horns on the top of his head. "Oh gods, it's today?"
"Probably," Percy sighed. With a groan he turned to his students, sitting in the stands of the arena watching him. "I'm sorry, guys. This is supposed to be a sword lesson, I know. I'm just a little… distracted."
"Man, maybe you should go home… You don't want to accidentally impale anyone," Grover bleated.
"No!" Juniper cried, giving Grover a smack on the arm, to which he reacted with a loud, "Ouch, that hurt, Juney!" Juniper looked at Percy imploringly. "It'll just stress her out to have you there, because you're clearly going out of your mind with anxiety. Your tension will just multiply each other's tension and it'll only be bad for her. Just try to relax."
"I'm trying," Percy said with a nervous laugh, glancing at his cellphone again. "It's a little more difficult than it looks."
Grover nodded in a fit of enthusiastic agreement. "I'm sure." Juniper smacked his arm again.
"I think you should try teaching this class," she suggested, smiling at Percy encouragingly. "Swordplay has always relaxed you, hasn't it?" She looked at Grover, who knew Percy better, for confirmation. The satyr nodded. "Just try not to think about it. If she needs you, she'll call. If it happens, well… You'll definitely be the first to know." Juniper chuckled and Percy did the same, albeit quite nervously.
And that's how it happened that Percy Jackson spent October 10 teaching swordplay to his students, as he always did. He let himself fall into the familiar routine of thrusting his sword and swinging it, parrying and striking. He sparred with some of his more experienced students and showed the less-experienced ones just where to strike killing blows. At four o'clock, Percy left Camp Halfblood, driving back into Manhattan and hurriedly parking in the parking garage of his apartment building.
Percy raced up the stairs to the sixth floor and attempted to fit his key into the lock of apartment 6C. He kept fumbling the silly metal tool around, and once it finally slipped in and he was able to turn it, he nearly fell over himself trying to get inside the apartment and close the door.
The cozy living room was empty. She wasn't propped up on brightly colored throw pillows watching TV on the plush cream-colored couch, where he usually found her when he came home most afternoons. So Percy stumbled through the archway leading to the kitchen, where she was leaning against the counter with a glass of water in her hand.
He just stared at her for a moment, taking in her greasy blond hair, pulled back in a haphazard ponytail, and disheveled clothing. Sometimes he was overwhelmed by how beautiful she was, like now, standing there in nothing but sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt that he had once bought for himself to wear to sleep but she had inevitably stolen.
Looking up from her water, Annabeth smiled at Percy, a huge grin that boasted white teeth and told Percy without words how happy she was to see him. He smiled back, obeying the magnetic pull that he felt towards her and cupping her cheeks in his hands. Running his fingers over her cheekbones, he kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, her eyelids, and then finally her lips. They parted easily, sweetly, under his.
Percy leaned his forehead against Annabeth's, reveling in the fact that she had to look up at him. He remembered when they were younger and Annabeth had been the same height as him, eventually growing taller. The day he had realized that he was the taller one was still one of the best of his life.
"What was that for?" Annabeth whispered, her breath sliding like silk against his skin.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about you all day and how much I love you—"
Annabeth pulled back, looking at him seriously. "You were worrying, weren't you? Percy, I told you not to! Everything's going to be fine."
"I know." He kissed her gently to shut her up. "I know, Wise Girl. It's just stressful." His skin prickled as she moved her arms up to wrap around his neck, tracing comforting circles with her callused fingers.
"We're almost there, Seaweed Brain," she said, a smile pulling at her lips. "Soon. It's gonna be soon. I can feel it."
Percy flashed her a grin, some of his anxiety melting away just by seeing the certainty in her beautiful grey eyes. His gaze dipped downward to her stomach and he gently pressed his hands against it. She smiled again, and he watched her as she gazed down at her belly. Then he felt a kick against his hands and snapped his wondering stare down.
Annabeth laughed. "He's ready. It's almost time now." She placed her hands gently on top of Percy's and intertwined their fingers. They stood there like that for a while, reveling in the phenomenon of life, as their son kicked at their hands every once in a while. Percy slept well that night.
Please give me your feedback! I love hearing what you all have to say. Hope you enjoyed this first chapter. :)