Suddenly
A/N: A nice little Luke and Annabeth one shot! This is before they went to Camp Half-Blood, before all of that happened. THEY AIN'T IN LOVE, GOT IT?
A stream of moonlight cast its way into the cramped and cold safe house. Noting this, Luke mentally added to his endless list of things to do, is to buy jackets for his family. Most likely, steal them. He sat by the unguarded door of the safe house, his glinted eyes scanning the outer terrain of trees, streams and banks for demons or dangerous demigods. It has been like this every night, worry about where to sleep, then worry about who'll take watch, then this stage of endless worry, if he could protect his family...
His family...Thalia Grace, the rocky, punk rock girl of Zeus, and new young Annabeth. With her stormy grey eyes and blonde hair, she was clearly a child of Athena. Luke turned his head for one second to peek inside the safe house.
Thalia was slumped against the corner of the walls, her electric blue eyes hidden by her lids. She breathed in softly every time, her body, usually having an air of violence, relaxed. Her silver bracelet, Aegis, shimmered in the light moonlight, though it's true form more horrifying then it seems. One hand was closed around a smaller fist.
Annabeth was leaning against Thalia, her honey blonde hair falling into her face. She breathed in cute little breaths, like she was gasping every time. But Luke did not worry, for he knew she was safe. She was wrapped in an old army jacket of Luke's, swallowing her tiny figure. Her head slumped onto Thalia's lap, smiling slightly
Luke knew he must protect these two. The runaway of Zeus, and the tiny, but strong, daughter of Athena. How could he not? He knew Thalia could have survived without him, or Annabeth abandon them, but it felt nice. To have people to journey with, to share his pain. At the same time, he was always worried, because if they got hurt, he could barely live with himself. He was the so called "dad" of the group. He had caught Annabeth almost calling him that, and he almost laughed. He enjoyed being her so called "dad", because he knew he couldn't hurt her, and he would never try to hurt her.
"Luke...?"
Luke's head turned attentively inside the safe house, to see little Annabeth looking at him, her grey eyes shining through the dark. He lowered his knife, and smiled softly.
"Hey kiddo. What're you doing awake?" he asks, as she edges closer, her feet shuffling the wooden floors. They send up a tiny puff of smoke, and she lightly sneezes, which makes Luke laugh a tiny bit. She stands by his side as they look up at the moon.
"I had a nightmare" she says quietly, serious. Annabeth was intelligent enough to not bug Luke about it, but she couldn't help it. Even with her dad, he'd help her when she had a scary nightmare.
"What was it kiddo?" he asks, then pats his side "C'mere"
She sits herself next to him as her eyes focus on the rushing river nearby, it's rushing waves dominating all sound before she quietly speaks "Spiders. Scary spiders."
"Aw..." he says, looking at her "It'll be okay, kiddo. It's just a spider. Besides" he says, before chuckling a bit "You can take any spider. If you survived to here, you can survive anywhere"
She looks up at him inquiringly; her eyes full of wonder that only a child of Athena can have "Really?"
"Absolutely. I know you can, Annabeth"
He feels her body shiver, so he carefully places his arm around her. She looks up at him, her head cocked to the side "D'you...d'you think I'll meet my mom one day?"
It was such an innocent question, yet it hit Luke like you fall asleep. Slowly, then all at once. He smiled, though it was completely fake. He knew the gods, and Athena was no different this his own damned father "I...course you will, kiddo" he says hoarsely, smiling at her
"I hope so..." she yawns. She smiles up at him one last time, before her grey eyes shut and her head lolls onto his shoulder, falling asleep. The late night talk had taken its toll on tiny Annabeth
Luke smiled and slowly gathered her in his arms. Carrying her inside, he laid her with Thalia again. Annabeth's body relaxed as it came in contact with Thalia's. Luke smiled at the pair before placing a light kiss on Annabeth's forehead. "I won't fail you two" he whispers, promising this to himself "I promise"
He returned to his sacred post, knowing that it has started. Suddenly it starts. Something suddenly, of love and friendship and family, had finally begun in his series of unfortunate events
