Percy leaned over his four-poster, wrestling with his bed sheet, trying to make the corners even.
When he sent a picture of his new college dorm to his mother, he didn't want to be scolded for not making his bed. At age eighteen.
The lazy afternoon sun of New Rome was filtering into his window. He glanced over to the windowsill to see Annabeth deep into one of her textbooks for the upcoming fall term.
"You could help unpack this stuff, you know."
"I'm here for moral support."
"Right."
The door suddenly flew open to reveal two Roman legionnaires, half in uniform, half in street clothes. Frank and Hazel were grinning madly at seeing their friends again. They had evidently ran to find them straight from muster.
Hazel sprinted and tackled Percy, laughing happily, making him fall onto the bed.
Frank looked worried for their safety.
"C'mon, Hazel, don't give him a concussion." He said, still grinning. He threw his purple praetor cape on the bed next to them.
"Oh, he's fine." Hazel insisted, kissing her cousin on the cheek.
Annabeth laughed as they both sat up and Hazel cheered
"Finally!"
Frank sat next to Annabeth.
"Yeah, we missed you guys." He said.
"You too." Percy agreed wistfully, thinking of the day he was chased by Gorgons into Camp Jupiter, and a sad girl and a clumsy boy had been the only friends he had.
He could hardly believe that was two years ago now. He had thought he would never return to his real life. Now he was beginning his freshman year of college with his girlfriend in a week.
And he couldn't believe he was doing it here in New Rome. During the civil war, he had almost lost any hope of his dream of making a life here.
He could smell the pastries and coffee in the bakery. He could hear the laughter of demigods, many of whom he was friends with, as they walked around the nearby camp or in the streets of the city.
He loved this place.
"So how's the camp doing under the glorious leadership of Zhang?" Percy smirked. He really was proud of the big guy for making praetor.
"Great, obviously." Annabeth decided, looking at the well-ordered camp site out the window.
Hazel nodded.
"Frank and Reyna have been doing such a great job!"
Frank blushed.
"Mostly Reyna, though." He mumbled.
"Now, I know that's not true." Annabeth said putting her hand on his shoulder.
"What about you?" Percy asked Hazel, noticing a small silver badge gleaming on her armor. "Centurion?"
"Yeah, well…" She murmured modestly. "Dakota just retired from service, so…"
"Which makes her the senior centurion of the best cohort in the legion." Frank beamed proudly.
Now it was Hazel's turn to blush.
"Reyna appointed her last month." Frank continued. "She already won the Fifth two war games in a row."
"Oh man, war games!" Percy exclaimed. "I almost forgot how fun those are. Think I can still play for the Fifth sometimes?"
"Don't see why not." Hazel said. "You're still an honorary member of the legion, after all."
When the Greeks started moving into New Rome, the Senate passed a law stating all Demigods of Greek descent were exempt from mandatory service, though they were allowed to volunteer.
Percy had opted to go to college instead of finishing his ten years, but he was still on the books as a reserve.
He unconsciously rubbed his tattoo of a trident with a dash cutting through it. He felt like even though he was Greek, his week in the legion irrevocably tied him to Rome. He wondered how Annabeth would feel about that.
"Dakota was happy to step down, though." Hazel was saying. "It means he can start going to school with Gwen. He's going to ask her out before the term's over, mark my words. If he can concentrate that long, that is."
"You think so?" Annabeth grinned.
Frank rolled his eyes.
"You don't know that. You're not Piper."
"Hey, I was right about Leo, wasn't I?"
"I guess that's true."
"Well, I know for a fact" Annabeth whispered conspiratorially. "Reyna's seeing the new Centurion of the First Cohort."
Frank nearly choked. "She never told me that!"
As Percy took his things out of cardboard boxes, Frank and Hazel continued to bring them up to speed on everyone at camp until a horn blew in the golden early evening air.
"Oh, that'll be the war games starting." Frank noted, craning his neck to see some of the cohorts already marching to the Fields of Mars for the event. "Reyna will need me to help ref."
"And I have to get my cohort ready." Hazel added.
They got up to go, Frank reattaching his cape.
"What do you say, Percy? Wanna be on my team?" Hazel grinned.
"Maybe next time." Percy told her. "I better finish unpacking."
"Alright, then."
Frank wrapped Percy and Annabeth both in his trademark bear hug.
"Glad to have you back."
When they had left, Annabeth tore herself away from her textbook to sit next to Percy on the bed.
She leaned against his back as he drew out the last thing to unpack: His graduation photo.
He was in a goofy cap and a gown that was too long for him. But he had been happy because Annabeth was kissing him on the cheek, his parents were proud of him, and even Rachel was there giving him the thumbs up.
And it had been the first step in achieving his most precious dream.
He rubbed his tattoo again.
Annabeth looked him in the eyes and took his hands.
"I think I'm going to be really happy here." She said.
"Okay, the mind reading thing has stopped being cute and has officially become really really scary." He informed her playfully.
She shoved him gently and picked herself off the bed.
"Whatever, Seaweed Brain. I got to get over to my dorm room now. Your roommate will be here soon and I have to get my stuff ready. Dinner with the legion later, right?"
"Yeah. See you."
"Later, Seaweed Brain."
He stayed seated on the bed, staring at the photo. He looked at Annabeth's eyes gleaming with pride and happiness. Proud of him. Happy they were graduating together and going to college in New Rome. Happy to be with him.
He thought he was going to be perfectly content here, too.
A/N: I always seem to get drabble ideas in pairs...As always, thank you for all the reviews, ect. And happy holidays!