Title: Being a Good Boyfriend.
Author: Naty (Pichitinha).
Category: Post war, Post HoO, Fluffy, 1107 words.
Warning: Too fluffy and a little stupid?
Rating: PG.
Chapters: One-shot.
Complete: Yes.
Summary: It's Percy's birthday and his and Annabeth aniversary and things aren't going as smoothly as he thought they would on the situation eh was in.
Note: It sucks, it's late and has a crappy ending. Plus I did it on my new word (I had a problem with my noteback and had to reinstall everything) so it has no correction but my eyes. But I did with love so I hope it counts for something. Maybe? No? IDK, anyway sorry.
Percy never hated himself so much for being a good boyfriend as when he woke up that morning. Looking at the other side of the bed and seeing it empty made him curse and wish he'd been a little selfish three weeks before.
He and Annabeth had been dating for five years, and living together ever since they started college, what happened a little more than two years before. After the first weeks of going to the university everyday they realized they couldn't possibly keep up with the rhythm, and sharing an apartment was the only way they could financially manage to live closer.
So, with so many years of relationship – not to mention the whole amount of time they had before as best friends and all the adventures they had to face together – they learned that talking was the only effective way of solving things. Be it something that's bothering one of them, some decision they need to make, or just simply sharing something good that happened.
And it was with that spirit that Annabeth had approached him three weeks ago. She was nervous, he could tell that, and it got him worried because she was rarely like that.
"So… I need to talk to you about something."
"What is it?" Percy had asked, brows arched.
"Well… I got this… opportunity. I was offered a two week trip to San Francisco to an international conference that has some lectures on archteture."
"Annabeth, this is great!" Percy smile at her, but when she didn't return the smile, his faded. "What?"
"It would start on the 12th. And finish on the 26th."
"Of august?"
"Yes, of august."
Percy finally understood her nervousness. That meant she would be away – at the other side of the country, actually – for his birthday and their anniversary.
"Uh, well, I could go with you…"
"What about your project?"
That was true. Percy had started a project on the local schools teaching parents how to help their kids in case of drowning, considering said parents didn't know how to swim, or the after procedures. It was something that came up as a project for college but ended up as something he really enjoyed doing. And he did it every business day.
Pery sighed. He couldn't leave his project because all the parents he had to help during July and August were the parents that couldn't go in his normal classes during the months he was having classes, so he had a commitment to them he knew he couldn't break.
Still, he didn't want to be away from her for two weeks, especially during their anniversary.
But then, of course, this was her career and he could not ask her to stay. She needed to go, just as he needed to stay. "Well, when is your flight?"
"So I'm going? We're good with it?" She asked, still not entirely sure.
He walked towards her and circled her waist. "Of course you're going. It's a great opportunity, I'm sure you were the only one in your class that got invited." She nodded shyly and he smiled. "I knew it. So you'll go. We'll celebrate it when you come back."
The problem was that now, August 18th, he wished she was there. He had underestimated the need he would feel to spend his birthday with her. It was something so common for them he didn't realize how important it was.
He took a resigned breath and tried to focus. He could spend the day without her, he just had to forget what day it was.
Surely, it would never work. His ADHD would make absolute sure of it. So all that was left to do was to get up and do the stupid, romantic, blockbuster movie thing: drive to the airport and try to get a direct flight that would leave soon.
And so he did. He took the faster shower he had ever taken, got his car keys and drove as fast as he could to the airport. He got there at 10:27. If he was lucky and there was a direct flight at 11:00 he could be there by 15:00 at most. Even if it wasn't a direct flight, it wouldn't kill him to sleep over and come back at the next day morning. It was a Saturday so he didn't have classes that day nor the other.
He got to a balcony to ask for information.
"Excuse me, Miss. What would be the next flight to San Francisco?"
"Just a second while I check for you, Sir." The lady smiled nicely and typed something in her computer. "We have a direct flight leaving at eight PM. There's also one leaving at three PM, but it has two stops. And… oh, here, there's one at midday." Percy smiled and started to get his wallet, but she added. "Oh, no, sorry, this one is already full."
His shoulders fell and he sighed. "Uh, well, thanks anyway."
"No problem." She smiled politely and went to the next in line.
Percy was just trying to think of anything else he could do – anything – when the most unexpected thing happened: he saw her hair. She was walking out the airport, so her back was to him, but it was unmistakable, it was her. He would know her feature anywhere.
"Annabeth!" he yelled through the airport and she looked back, confused.
"Percy?" She walked a few steps towatds him. "How did you know I was comimg?" he ran towards her and they stoped when they were face to face.
"I didn't!" He grinned and hugged her. "But it turns out I was wrong and need to celebrate it today, so I was trying to catch a flight to Frisco. There wasn't any."
She smiled and rolled him. "Always dense. I realized two days ago that I had to celebrate it today, so I went up to book a flight."
"Of course, always prepared. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted to surprise you, but the flight had a delay and I didn't manage to get here early in the morning. I wanted to wake you."
He smirked and kissed her. "I can do with destiny matching us on the airport."
"Oh my gods, Percy, how cliche was that?" She laughed.
"Shut up." And he kissed her. "I love you."
"Love you too." She kissed him again. "Happy birthday."
"Thanks." He replied and kissed her. "Happy anniversary." Kissed her again.
"Happy anniversary for you too." Another kiss.
"Can we go home where I can kiss you properly?" He circled her waist and started to walk her to the car.
"You better."