A little fic I whipped up about how Percabeth isn't always cheery. Sure, I'm a sucker for the cliche, happily ever afters, but it's not always that way. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO!

Not Always Happily Ever After

Sometimes things fell apart.

They weren't perfect, obviously. They fought so much, it annoyed everyone at Camp: their friends, their family…everyone. Of course, their first thought was 'Oh, they belong together!' And, maybe, they were right. Maybe, for those first few months, they had hit the nail on the head. When they got together, they both floated on Cloud Nine. They were stuck on this high for months before their first fight as a couple. After that, they returned to Earth off their high, knowing that they could just as easily split as they had gotten together.

So yes, they were together for quite a while. And so, everyone had been right.

For a while.

When the couple went off on their own, living in their own apartment, providing for themselves, they had been so busy with other matters that they had barely had time for each other. When they did finally have time to just talk and not worry about something else, it was like they barely knew each other anymore.

And then, things started falling apart.

She would snap at him for something ridiculous, he would yell at her in retaliation, they would end up fighting, and he would usually sleep on the couch. Sometimes they made up, but their alliance never lasted for very long. Before you knew it, they were fighting again.

They would move around the house, ignoring each other, doing their own business. When they were required to talk to each other, they spoke through clenched teeth and fisted hands. They had to bite their tongues if the other lashed out so they wouldn't say something stupid and make matters worse, but they weren't always successful. Sometimes they realized that they had to practice their temperance.

And maybe that was what was so ridiculous about them. How could it be possible that they were meant for each other? Their tempers were horrible! Yeah, sure, they could be as cool as a cucumber, but it usually ended up being the calm before the storm. She with her impatience and smarts, he with his high defenses and quick mind to retaliate…it was a recipe for a disaster.

They usually did pretty good though. There were so many times that, during their long-ass fights, he just wanted to get up, pack his bags, and leave. And she…she wanted to kick him out so badly. She may have loved him, but she also hated him for the trivial things, and she paid close attention to the details.

However, neither did anything of the sorts. They wanted to try. They did love each other, and they did want to be together. They wanted to make it work, because maybe all those people were right. Maybe they were actually meant for each other, like two pieces of the puzzle. So what if they squabbled every other day? Who didn't?

But it went deeper than that. Their fights weren't just about major things. They were about stupid, ridiculous things too that, when looked at from an outsider, were so inconsequential it would make anyone laugh at their stupidity. But to them, it was just as important.

They were two stubborn people. They didn't want to back down, from the fights or from the relationship. But when things got out of hand, when it came down to the last straw…they needed to be away from each other, and they were willing to split.

Not everything was a happily ever after, and Percy…he just couldn't handle it anymore.

Thanks for reading and review please!

-Akatsuki Child