Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase had just bought their first house. It still smelled like paint and the third step creaked but Annabeth had never stepped foot in a place more beautiful. She was lugging in a giant hamper filled with cleaning supplies and rags when Sally Jackson, her soon to be mother-in-law, stumbled in behind her, balancing two large boxes in her hands.
"Where do you want linens, Annabeth?" Sally called from behind the boxes.
"Hall closet on the left, please!" she turned to see Percy walk in, suitcases rolling behind him.
He set them down and took a deep breath in through his nose, then smiled widely at his fiance. He opened his arms, beckoning her into an embrace, and she happily obliged. His chin rested on her head and she listened to the thump of his heart, so strong, so steady, so safe. No longer were they worrying about the impending coming of any ancient deity, no, Annabeth was now worried about where the linens went. It was everything she had ever been too scared to ever hope for.
"That's the last of it!" Percy grinned down at her, a lopsided, trouble-maker grin, the one that made her heart flutter when she was twelve. She had thought it was annoyance then. It probably was, but also the beginning hints of something else.
"I'm totally exhausted. Who knew moving could be so horrible? So many boxes, so much stuff. Honestly, I didn't even know we had this much stuff." She rubbed her eyes.
"Me neither, actually. I thought I could fit everything into one box, what with the demigod lifestyle, but turns out I actually own more than I realized." Percy shrugged, "But you, Miss Chase, have more things than anybody I've ever met. Three boxes of notebooks and papers, blueprints and sketches!"
Laughing, Annabeth said, "Hey! It's all useful information, things I've spent a lot of time on. I'm still trying to recover what I lost from Daedalus's laptop."
"Well, it's all going in your office and please promise to never make me pack all of them up again. I can not handle your screams of how I'm wrinkling your notes and putting them in the wrong file." He smiled, shook his head, and walked into the kitchen, where pots and pans created an obstacle course on the floor.
"I don't understand what's so difficult to understand about my system. There's only twelve colors. Red is annotated myths, blue is inventions-" she halted when she saw a glaze go over Percy's eyes, the one that meant he was not listening at all, "Yellow is for potential boyfriends, purple is for pictures of Theo James' abs."
"Hey, wait a second," Percy's eyes flared back to life, "No pictures of anyone's abs but mine!"
Laughing, Annabeth stood on her tiptoes and kissed his nose, the pretend scowl still of his face, "Of course, Seaweed Brain, I'd never dream of it."
Sally walked back in to join the young couple and smiled, "Ok, I think I'll leave you to get settled in. There's a casserole I made in the fridge, the internet guy is coming tomorrow, I'm one cab ride away. Call me if you need me. Or if you don't. Maybe you just miss me. I'll be here in ten minutes."
"Mom, thank you. We'll be fine," Percy opened his arms and his mom, his world, slumped into hug. He patted her back, inhaling her scent, freshly baked cookies mixed with her shampoo.
Annabeth, hearing Sally sniff, went to take her leave and give them a moment alone when Sally pulled away from Percy and clapped her hands sharply twice.
"All right! What a happy time! You guys are going to be wonderful. You'll be fine! What am I worried about?" She turned to Annabeth, "You, missy, are the best thing that has ever happened to my son, you know? I love you like a daughter. Wow ok, now I have to go or I'll be a mess on the subway home."
"Bye, Sally, I love you too," Annabeth sighed, a content, warm feeling of gratitude washing over her for the woman who stepped in to be the mother she never had.
After his mom walked out the door, Percy grabbed Annabeth by the waist, "So, what do you want to do now, Wise Girl?"
"Unpack," she raised her eyebrows, "Then we can rest, but for now, unhand me, or else there'll be consequences, Seaweed Brain."
Groaning, he rolled his eyes to the ceiling, "Unpack, of course! I had to fall madly in love with the most responsible woman in the universe. Gods."
"Wow, how sweet. You're madly in love with me."