Love
A figure with sea green eyes and messy black hair sighed as he lay outside on a picnic blanket.
He was in camp half blood, and the camp was still being rebuilt after the damage from the war with the Titans.
The flashes of the battle, of all those who were hurt and killed, kept going through his mind.
Paining him.
Haunting him.
It was all too much.
He wished he could have kept everyone safe.
No matter how impossible it seemed-
Then catching him unawares somebody managed to throw a bucket of water on his face.
He sputtered and looked up to see Annabeth, nobody else would have managed to approach him so quietly.
She was amazing, with her blonde hair and gray eyes which were at the moment sparkling with happiness as she laughed at him.
"Hey seaweed brain, hope you weren't waiting too long?"
He grinned, the water adding to his cheerfulness.
"Nope, not that I'd be doing anything else anyways."
She gave a noncommittal shrug and came down next to him so that they were looking at each other.
She meant so much to him.
After all they had been through he was so glad she was safe.
She then spoke looking straight into his eyes.
"What's bothering you? And don't bother lying, I know you."
He wasn't surprised by the question but he hesitated before responding.
"It's just..I was thinking about how easily everything could have gone wrong.."
She seemed a bit startled by that but she spoke firmly and reassuringly, leaving no room for doubt.
"It could have but it didn't. Just become stronger, wiser, don't dwell on things you can't change, but learn from them."
It was such an Annabeth like answer and looking into her fierce eyes he couldn't help but smile in relief.
"You're right of course, Wise girl."
He knew that right now she was dwelling on another thing.
The next great prophecy..he would pray to all the gods, even Ares and Hera, that it would not include them.
At this point all he wanted was to be like this, with Annabeth, forever.
Then they were speaking to each other, and they got lost in conversation.
Percy told her of his amusing stories and experiences in his past schools, he loved being the cause of her lighthearted laughter.
She in turn, spoke of the many pranks done by the Stolls.
A rather appalled Percy shuddered at the thought of one of their pranks, being on the receiving end of that would not have been entirely pleasant. At that moment, he even pitied Clarisse for going through such an embarrassing nightmare.
As he was imagining the ordeal Annabeth's voice, much softer than usual broke through his internal laughter.
"I love you."
Percy's could feel his face heat up as he looked away from her.
Difficult since they were laying down facing each other.
Despite how well he knew her sometimes she seemed like an unsolvable enigma.
But he let out his words immediately as he nervously ruffled his hair.
"You know I love you too...more than the world."
Some of her doubts seemed to be allayed but he couldn't think of what was still bothering her. Many things probably, and his fatal flaw seemed to worry her greatly.
Then a thought struck him.
"How about this? For a couple days we'll go out into the mortal world and just enjoy life. Forget about all these problems, I'd say we deserve a break. You in?"
Annabeth seemed to be calculating all the possibilities, wondering about the effects of her boyfriend's words.
She agreed.
After speaking to Chiron and taking care of last minute things they were on their way out of camp and to the city.
When they reached their destination, Annabeth assured Argus that they would find ways to get around and he agreed, his many eyes watching them until they were out of sight.
Percy seemed to be debating on a matter but then he took Annabeth's and led her through the busy streets of Manhattan.
"We're going to a skateboarding place. It's amazing, I'll teach you and in minutes you'll be a pro."
The blonde haired girl smiled as she spoke teasingly.
"I think that would be more because of my talent than your skateboarding skills, seaweed brain."
Percy pouted, his eyes the color of the sea were wide and pleading.
Annabeth couldn't help but throw her head back and laugh.
Percy couldn't help but join in, and as they walked, laughed, and bickered their worries and pain were, for the time being, left behind.
All unsettling thoughts were gone from their minds as they simply enjoyed each other's company.
Then the beautiful girl with the blonde curls spoke adamantly, as they were continuing a heartfelt debate.
"Life isn't perfect as in the movies seaweed brain."
Surprisingly, the person she was conversing with was even more sure of his words.
"There are moments in life that are like movies. Even greater than movies. Moments like these..that go beyond perfection."
Annabeth seemed slightly surprised as she took his words in, and Percy himself seemed impressed by his own words.
"You're wisdom seems to have been rubbing off on me Wise girl."
He said as he grinned at her.
At that moment as he saw her face smiling back at him, he knew that for her, he would go to Tartarus and back.
They continued talking, their minds at ease and their hearts filled with love, through all the imperfections, life could really be greater than perfect.