A/N: I've been sitting on this idea for a little while. No heavy stuff, just something nice and light-like a salad, lol. Anyways, please enjoy! (:

XOXO, Helix.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Percy Jackson series, or Party City.

"Hey, Bethy!"

Annabeth shielded her eyes from the Long Island sun. It still glared, despite the tree she had elected to sit under. "Hey, Perce."

Percy scowled and sat down cross-legged in the grass next to her. "I don't like that name, and I think you do it to annoy me."

"Then stop calling me 'Beth,'" she chirped, and turned back to the book she had been enjoying.

"But it's pretty," Percy pointed out. He flopped back on the ground and flung his arms out to his sides.

"It doesn't change the fact that I don't like it," she responded. Nibbling on the corner of a cheese sandwich, she turned a new page and ignored him.

Percy sighed loudly.

She ignored him some more. He sighed some more.

"What, Percy?" Annabeth demanded, finally fed up.

He raised his eyebrows and didn't answer her. Didn't look at her, either.

She pressed her lips together. "Do you want some?"

"Some of what?"

Annabeth pushed her paper plate across the grass toward him. The expression of surprise on his face was so convincing that she almost believed he hadn't sighed on purpose.

"Really?" He plucked up the sandwich and engulfed half at once. "Awe, thanks, Beffy."

She glanced at him. His muffled thanks seemed sincere enough. His acting skills really were Grade-A. Or maybe she was just getting soft.

"You're...welcome," she mumbled.

Glad you're enjoying my sandwich.

Percy swallowed loudly. "I actually do have a reason for buggin' you."

Interested, Annabeth put her book down in her lap. "What's that?"

"Mm." He handed her a thick Manila envelope she hadn't noticed before. "Mail call, for one Miss Annabeth Chase."

Frowning, she accepted it. One side of the envelope seemed to be heavier than the other. Much heavier.

She shifted the package lopsidedly to read the return address.

DOA Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Could it be...?

Annabeth sprang up.

Percy jumped up with her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" She reassured, and unpinned the envelope's flap hurriedly. She shook out an oblong, heavy object and caught it in her left hand.

"Oh, wow!" Annabeth crowed-and held it up to the sunshine in order to examine it.

It was about a foot long, and made solidly out of soft, shining yellow gold. On the exterior, it was encrusted in rubies, emeralds, diamonds, amethysts, sapphires, and onyx. The top was tapered, and the mouth piece was plated in platinum.

"That's...an expensive-looking recorder." Percy scratched his his head. "I didn't know you were into music, Bethy."

She laughed quietly. It wasn't at him-it was her joyous laugh. "It's not a recorder, Percy."

His eyebrows furrowed earnestly. "What is it, then?"

"It's a dog whistle," Annabeth corrected absently. She twisted and turned it in the light. It glittered benevolently at her; it was marvelous.

"Uhh..." Percy trailed off, then rested his chin in his hand thoughtfully. "It's a bit much, don't you think? Kinda kitschy."

"No," she shook her head fervently. "It's exactly what I pictured, actually. Better, even."

He missed the glance she sent toward the ground, hoping it wouldn't swallow him up for the insult. It was a gift, sort of, after all.

"But, Bethy...You don't even have a dog." Percy was convinced that she didn't.

"You're right, I don't," she admitted, then conceded suddenly, "well, I didn't. Until today."

Her boyfriend's face scrunched harder.

"Hold this for a sec."

Annabeth handed him the 'recorder' and he whistled softly at it while she dug around in the envelope for the sheaf of contractual paperwork. She already knew all the stipulations like the back of her hand-her and Hades had personally debated them over Iris Messages-but she was still pleased to find that it was dictated in Ancient Greek for easy reading.

"Here-trade me, again," she prompted. Taking back the recorder, Annabeth slipped the whistle in her back pocket. Percy held the papers now.

"Go on, read it." She could barely contain her beam.

"Ok-ay," Percy muttered, eyeing her warily. He skimmed the first page, all the way to the bottom.

And his tan face went white.

"Annabeth...why do you have a Joint Custody Agreement with Lord Hades for-for Cerberus?"

A delighted laugh bubbled out of her, and she spotted a nervous vein tick appear in Percy's forehead.

"I saved Nico's life a couple of months ago-"

"What? When?"

"-and Lord Hades wanted to reward me, I guess. This is what I picked," she explained.

"He didn't think you were being disrespectful by-by asking?" Percy croaked.

"Actually," Annabeth admitted, "he seemed kind of grateful. Like he was glad that Cerberus would get the attention he deserved more regularly, you know?"

"He's got a job, Annabeth," he tried weakly.

"I know that! I have visitation rights whenever I want, which makes me the only person ever to be able to travel to the Underworld at will. Other than Orpheus, Hermes, Nico, and Lord Hades himself, anyway. Besides that, it's only in the afternoon on Tuesdays and Thursdays," she informed him proudly. "And every third Saturday of the month. He was very gracious about letting me pick the days."

"Gracious," Percy repeated incredulously.

"Yes. It proves that he's a diligent pet-parent."

In fact, Annabeth would even go so far to say she was proud of Hades. Yes, she was.

"Pet-parent...!" He spluttered. "Owl-Head, are you listening to yourself?"

She was a little aggravated, now. "You're being totally hypocritical, Percy. You own a hellhound! Is there really that much of a difference?"

"Annabeth," Percy stressed. "We're not talking about Mrs. O'Leary. This is Franken-Fido, here, alright? He's the size of an office-building! He could eat you like kibble and not even get heart-burn."

"Oh, please!" Annabeth huffed. "He's pitiful. He needs a friend, Seaweed Brain."

"He has billions of friends!"

"Tangible friends."

"What if he reacts negatively to sunlight?" Percy asked accusingly. "For all you know, Smarty-Pants, he's never even been above-ground before. He could go crazy, like Cujo, or something."

"Cujo was bitten by a rabid bat."

"So?"

"So," Annabeth drawled, "it's not the same-"

"Which is my point!"

"-and I'm still signing the papers. Got a pen?"

Percy sighed-loudly-and reluctantly dug around in his pocket for Riptide. "There'll be no convincing you otherwise, will there?"

"Nope," she replied succinctly. "Don't worry, Percy. It's only until I die."

Percy gaped.

Like a fish, she snickered internally.

"Turn, please. I need a writing surface."

"So, what, you'll die, and you'll get to play with him every day?"

"Time is different in the Underworld, Percy."

Annabeth pressed the papers against his shoulders, and he exhaled dramatically. "You know what I mean."

"Well, then, yes." She printed her name neatly, in Greek, on a dotted line next to Hades' concise, black ink signature. "I thought it was a pretty sweet deal."

"Of course you did."

Annabeth finished signing, and they disappeared with a pop.

He turned around, and gave her a flat little pout.

"If he eats you-"

"He won't!" Annabeth laughed. She kissed Percy's cheek and he couldn't control his disapproving frown any more. It split into a careful grin.

"Ha!" She smiled triumphantly. "Think about it, Seaweed Brain. We could introduce him to Mrs. O'Leary!"

"Yeah, I s'pose that'd be alright," Percy allowed.

She found herself getting excited at the possibilities. "And they could play together, and maybe, one day, they could even have puppies!"

"Definitely not!"

Annabeth grinned secretly. She knew he'd say that.

Linking their fingers together, they started off toward a late lunch, following the smell of fresh baked bread, roasted meats splitting with fat, soft cheeses, and bunches of ripe grapes. The sunbaked grass wafted up under those scents-with it, strawberries, sulfur from the lava wall, and distantly, the ocean. Inspiration struck Annabeth again.

"I would bet that Cerberus has never been to the beach. We could have a beach day!"

Percy perked up again. He did enjoy the beach.

"I could see myself looking forward to that," he admitted.

"You won't have to wait long," Annabeth hummed happily. "Tomorrow's Tuesday!"

Percy groaned.

A/N: If I've inspired you to do so, please leave a review! REMINDER: I will never haggle you for reviews.