A/N: Post-Tartarus narrative focusing on Percy and Annabeth. Fluffy, and a bit cheesy, but something I needed to write if only for myself.
He thinks that maybe this is what it's like to be a normal kid. Aside from the middle of a war, doom and gloom stuff going on around him of course. But sitting with your girlfriend under the stars… normal people do that, right?
Part of him thinks that he's being incredibly selfish because he's not trying to strategize or practice his swordplay or help someone else practice. He was with Annabeth by himself for the majority of the time they were in Tartarus and all he's doing is sitting on the deck with her. There really isn't time for breaks right now.
It's only part of him that thinks he's being selfish though. The other part thinks that their time alone is well-deserved. Seeing the stars, being back on the ship, and breathing fresh, clean air have made him somewhat sentimental. What's so wrong with wanting to hold on to one of the few good moments sprung from this whole ordeal?
Percy puts his arm around Annabeth's shoulders, and she leans into him. Not for the first time, he revels in just how lucky they are. At the same time, he tries not to think about what else awaits them in the east. For now all he wants is to relax, hold on to something happy, and give himself and Annabeth something to combat the nightmares with.
So he looks at her, and he shifts a bit as he puts his hand on her cheek. She looks up at him and knows that the haunted look in her eyes might never go away. But he wants to try anyway. He leans forward and kisses her and hopes she understands that there's nothing he can say; just that he wants to hold on to them, right now, together.
When she pulls back to look at him, he thinks that she knows about the things he can't say right now, or doesn't have the words for. He thinks he sees hope as well.
"Wanna tell me about New Rome?" she asks. That's a conversation for another time though, when the future isn't so uncertain and full of ominous prophecies. Which, to be fair, have become pretty common.
"Let's win this war first," he answers, kissing her once more before they have to give this up.