Annabeth's P.O.V
After unpacking my things in my bedroom, which hadn't changed since I had left for college, Percy and I sat in the dining room studying while Helen started dinner, dad had gone to his study. He probably had another paper due on planes or something and the twins were still out.
"Crap" Percy whispered next to me.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I left my spare A1 drawing paper sheets at home. I need them for my marine biology final. Is there an art store nearby I can visit tomorrow?" He asked rummaging through his bag to double check he hadn't got it.
"There is, but I use the same size paper for my structural design class." I said gesturing to the pad in front of me, that I had taken a few sheets out of to sketch my last blueprint of the semester on. "You can use some of that if you like."
"Thanks Annabeth, you're a life saver!" He said and laid out a scrunched up and torn A1 sheet in front of him, before taking a couple of sheets out of the A1 pad.
"What happened to that?" I asked.
"I had it with me at the aquarium last night when I checked on Summer, the janitor thought it was one that someone had thrown out because it wasn't in the design room. So he scrunched it up for the bin, by the time I had realised, and told him, this was what it looked like. So, I have to start again, fortunately I hadn't really done much so it won't take much to redo." He told me with a shrug like it wasn't important.
"I'll be right back" I said leaving him to his project and heading to my father's study.
I knocked before entering not that it mattered, he was too caught up with his model planes. He only noticed that I was there when I addressed him.
"Hi Dad."
"Annabeth, I thought you were studying." He said.
"I was, I was wondering if you had a spare storage tube?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm sure I do, somewhere, hold on" he said hunting through the draws behind his desk. "Is yours too full?" He asked.
"No, Percy doesn't have one and I left my spare at school." I said.
"He also takes architectural design?" My dad asked passing me the empty storage tube.
"No, marine biology" I replied, "thanks dad, I best get back to studying before the twins get back."
"They're really excited to see you Annabeth." He told me and I smiled. The truth was, I was looking forward to seeing the two of them, but I was nervous, I wasn't the best sister.
"Me too dad" I said before he went back to his planes and I left to re-join Percy.
The look of concentration on his face, as he sketched out what looked like a coral reef, was endearing. It was different to how he looked when we did his calculus work. You could tell he understood this topic, that he enjoyed it and that he wanted it to be exact. It was similar to how I felt about my blueprints, I suppose. I placed the storage tube on the table in front of him without disturbing him and went back to my blueprint.
Ψ
The sound of crashing brought both Percy and I out of our study bubble about an hour later.
"Mom, we're home!" I heard Bobby call.
"Your brothers?" Percy asked and I nodded.
"Yeah, we best clear these away so they don't get ruined. I got you a storage tube for your drawing." I said rolling up my blueprints to put in my own storage tube.
"Thank you" he said rolling his design to put away in the same fashion I had.
I'd just put away the last of my pencils when I heard "Annabeth!" From two voices behind me, before I was engulfed in two hugs.
"Hey Bobby, hey Matthew" I said hugging them back.
"Who's this?" Matthew asked.
"This is Percy, he's a friend from college" I said.
"Hi" Percy said.
The twins let go of me and sized him up, they're twelve so it was quite amusing.
"Is he your boyfriend?" Bobby asked.
"No" I answered trying not to laugh at my brothers, trying to be protective.
"Does he play video games?" They turned to ask me.
"You could ask him" I suggested and noticed Percy was trying hard not to laugh as well.
They turned their attention back to Percy. "Do you play video games?" They asked.
Before he could answer Helen came in. "Well, if he does it'll have to wait until after dinner, boys come and help me set the table." She told my brothers.
"Mom!" They whined.
"Come on, I'll help." I said to them, leading the way into the kitchen, Percy followed behind us.
"Can I do anything Mrs. Chase?" Percy asked as the boys and I set the table.
"Oh no, thank you Percy" Helen told him, and he stood awkwardly not knowing what to do.
I passed Percy the plates I was holding before getting glasses out the cupboard. He looked at me gratefully and started to set them out where the boys had placed cutlery.
Ψ
Dinner was actually surprisingly entertaining for the Chase household. Helen had made lasagne with garlic bread which was lovely as always. Once we loaded up our plates Percy said, "This smells great, Mrs. Chase, thank you."
"You're welcome Percy, tuck in. Please don't let it go cold." Helen replied and I could see Percy needed no encouragement to do just that.
"So," my Dad said looking at Percy, "Annabeth says you're studying Marine Biology Percy?" he asked, great let the awkward conversation flow I thought to myself.
"Yes Sir" Percy replied politely.
"Boring!" Bobby cut in. I winced but Percy didn't look offended.
"Bobby!" Helen scolded him which he ignored.
"Do you play video games?" Bobby asked and Percy chuckled.
"It's okay" Percy told Helen before answering Bobby. "Yes, I do play video games, which platform do you play on?" he asked, and the twins eyes lit up like the 4th of July.
"Nintendo" Matthew replied.
"Classic or new?" Percy asked and he genuinely seemed interest, Matthew and Bobby looked confused by this question.
"I'd say new" I said to Percy who looked at me and nodded in response.
"So, Percy" my dad tried again, "What is it you'd like to do once you graduate?"
"Oh, well I currently work part time at an aquarium and I'm hoping to make that a full-time thing and eventually I'd like to design and build the exhibits everyone gets to see there." He replied.
"Water architecture? Like what Annabeth wants to do but under water?" Matthew asked and I hadn't realised that he had paid that much attention to what I wanted to do, it made me smile.
"I guess, but I'm sure Annabeth's work will be much more impressive than mine" Percy told him.
"Don't put yourself down Percy" I told him, and he smiled at me and nodded.
"Mr. Chase, Annabeth said you worked at San Fran State. What do you teach there?" he asked, and my dad seemed genuinely delighted that someone took an interest in his work. Bobby and Matthew groaned knowing they'd never get the conversation back round to gaming, at least not before dessert.
Percy to his credit listened to everything my dad had to tell him about American war history and planes until Helen cut in.
"Who would like dessert?" She asked standing up to clear plates.
"Oh please, let me" Percy said, and I got up and helped before Helen could stop him. I got the impression that he needed a break from my dad.
Once we'd cleared the table to make way for dessert, and dad had stopped talking about his job, the twins took up the conversation again.
"Annabeth, can you race us on the switch, Mario Kart 8?" Bobby asked.
"I can't Bobby, Percy and I need to study for our finals next week." I said.
"C'mon Annabeth, one race won't hurt right?" Percy asked.
"Percy, we have four calculus chapters to get through for your final next week." I said.
"Oh, I know what's going on, don't worry boys." He said to the twins with air of teasing in his voice and sending an exaggerated wink to them. "Your sister is just worried I'll beat her." He said smirking at me.
"I am not!" I protested.
"Prove it" He challenged with that trouble maker smirk, that I really wanted to wipe off his face in that particular moment of time.
"Oh!" The twins exclaimed knowing he'd got me. I'm very competitive.
"Ok, you're on Seaweed Brain, but if I win you have to do an extra practise test." I told him.
"Alright Wise Girl and if I win, you have to have a break from studying tomorrow afternoon." He said.
"Alright then" I agreed, I was fairly comfortable on where I was for my finals next week. I'd been working myself into the ground studying after every lecture and assignment to make sure I was ready for the tests next week. I was only planning to do calculus with Percy in the morning and some practise tests for my other two finals. I'd finished my blueprint earlier so that was one out the way and I could put last minute touches on that when I was home, I had until Thursday to hand it in.
'I can finish it off later' I had never put off work before what was Percy doing to me!
Percy smiled as I had accepted his challenge and the boys cheered that they were going to get their own way.
Ψ
Percy's P.O.V
Annabeth and I ended up staying up until 11pm racing on Mario Kart 8 before calling it a night. The twins had long since gone to bed as had Mr. and Mrs. Chase.
"Yes!" I cheered quietly as I pipped Annabeth at the post, to win the race.
"Nice job Seaweed Brain." She said albeit a little begrudgingly, I'd learnt she was very competitive.
"We should probably call it a night" I said, even though I was having tonnes of fun with her. I knew we were both still exhausted from our over share on the plane, not to mention we had a lot of studying to do in the morning.
"But the scores all tied up we don't have a winner." She said.
"Let's call it a draw, you take a break tomorrow afternoon, and I'll do an extra practise test." I replied yawning.
"Deal" she said yawning herself.
"See you in the morning Wise Girl" I said making my way up the stairs.
"See you in the morning Seaweed Brain" she replied turning off the TV before following me up.
Sleep took me as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Ψ
I woke with a start. I checked my phone for the time it was 4am. I wasn't surprised that I'd had a nightmare to be honest, not after everything I'd shared on the plane with Annabeth. I just wasn't expecting it to feel that real. It had been years since I felt like I was back in that memory.
I tried to shake the thoughts that clouded my mind, but I couldn't. I needed to write but I didn't have my laptop. I'd left it in my apartment. I decided to go with the old-fashioned way and put pen to paper. I turned on the lamp on the bedside table and picked up one of my legal pads and a pen from where I had set them down before dinner.
I climbed back into to bed and began to write. The Seal Who Couldn't Sleep.
Annabeth woke me at 9am, I'd slept later than I had intended too.
"Percy, hey wake up we said we'd study this morning, c'mon Seaweed Brain, wake up." She said shaking me gently.
"Annabeth?" I said groggily, pulling the legal pad I'd been writing on out from under my back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to oversleep again."
"Judging by the amount of words on that pad, I'm going to say you didn't really sleep." She said. "Come on, Helen's making breakfast." She said before leaving me to get up and dressed for the day.
I put the pad on the bedside table with the pen that fortunately hadn't ruined Mrs. Chase's bed sheets and got out of bed. Today was going to be a long day, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. I'd gone through days on less sleep than this.
Breakfast was a noisy affair the twins recalled most of the races from last night. Bobby's favourite moment was when Annabeth had been blown up by my blue shell in the fourth race. I laughed at that. I saw Annabeth trying to suppress a smile and I got the impression she was having fun and I was glad.
"So, who won?" Annabeth's dad asked us.
"Oh, we called it a draw" I said.
"Aw!" The twins whined "So that means you're not taking a break this afternoon?" They asked and I heard an edge of hopefulness in their voices, they wanted to spend more time with their sister.
"We are" I promised.
"But Percy has to do an extra practice test for his calculus final." Annabeth said.
"That sucks, sorry Percy" Matthew said to me seriously.
"It's okay, I'll benefit from it." I said, I got the impression Matthew also hated maths.
"Speaking of Seaweed Brain that test isn't going to do itself c'mon." Annabeth said and we excused ourselves from the table and went into the room we used last night to study.
"You've already set everything up" I said surprised.
"Yes, I've been awake a lot longer than you" she teased, "I thought we'd start with a practice test see how much you retained from last week and then cover the parts that you're not as strong on for you final."
"Great. What are you going to do while I do my test?" I asked.
"I've got a history of architecture, practice paper to do, both are an hour long." She informed me.
"Right, let's get it over with then Wise Girl" I said taking a seat opposite her. She looked at me silently asking if I was ready, I nodded, and she started the timer.
Ψ
"And time" Annabeth said on my final practice test of the morning before we were going to stop for lunch.
"Okay," I said passing her my paper "Moment of truth." Annabeth, even though she's also dyslexic, though you wouldn't know from looking at her grades, was really quick at reading and apparently really quick at maths. It took her less than ten minutes to mark my paper and double check my answers against the answer sheet. Knowing Annabeth was also dyslexic, just made we want to prove to her I could do the equations she was trying to teach me more.
"You're improving Seaweed Brain, 82" She told me, and I fist pumped the air in celebration.
"Thanks, Wise Girl, I might pass this final yet!" I smiled and without thinking I pulled her in for a hug. I pulled away my face was probably as red as a tomato.
"Yeah so, I was thinking maybe we could get some fresh air, go out for lunch?" I asked which only made my cheeks flush more, because it sounded like I was asking her on a date.
"Yeah, I could go for some fresh air, actually." She said, "I'll just go and see if Helen or dad need anything while we're out."
While Annabeth did that, I went and grabbed my purple NYU hoody from upstairs and my wallet.
Ψ
Annabeth's P.O.V
I'd put on a grey cardigan to go out for lunch with Percy. I should have known that it wouldn't be enough to keep me warm. It may have been warmer here than in New York, but it was still freezing. I shivered and I mentally scolded myself when Percy noticed.
"Are you cold Wise Girl?" He asked me.
"No, I'm fine" I lied shivering again.
"No, you're not, here" he said removing his NYU hoody and passing it to me.
"Seaweed Brain, I can't take your hoody leaving you in only a t-shirt, you'll freeze!" I replied pushing his hoody back to him. He stopped walking causing me to stop as well.
"Annabeth, I've gone swimming in the ocean in colder temperatures than this. I'll be fine, I promise." He told me.
Who going swimming in the ocean in temperatures colder than this?! His brain really is full of Seaweed! Percy held out his hoody for me to take again. This time I gratefully accepted it and threw it on over my head.
"Thank you" I said, immediately I felt warm, his hoody was a little big for me, but it was very much appreciated.
He smiled and we continued walking to the pizza place in silence.
We took a booth at the back, Percy ordered a soda, I just had a water. As Percy read the menu his face took on a look of horror.
"What's wrong?" I asked, not needing a menu as I always ordered cheese. I was genuinely curious as to what on there had sparked this reaction from him.
"I thought the Pixar film was exaggerating, but no! This city has really ruined pizza!" he exclaimed, like it was the end of the world.
"What do you mean?" I asked slightly amused at his reaction to the menu. I vaguely knew which film he meant, I hadn't seen it, but I'd heard of it, I think.
"Broccoli! On Pizza?!" He said with an air of incredulity to his voice. "You've seen Inside Out right?" he asked.
"No," I laughed "I haven't seen it."
"What?! This is outrageous!" He exclaimed and he seemed very serious, that it was an outrage. "We're correcting this, Wise Girl. Is it just this one or all Disney and Pixar films that you haven't seen?!" He asked me seriously, raising an eyebrow for good measure. I couldn't help it, I laughed.
"I've seen some, not many." I confessed.
"Wise Girl! This is a crime!" He declared at my lack of Disney film knowledge. "Right after this we're picking up Inside Out, so you understand the reference from earlier and one other Disney film and we'll start your Disney education tonight." He decided.
"Percy, I need to study for my finals." I protested. I had only agreed to have the afternoon off.
"You got four 95s on your practice tests that you did this morning. You don't need to study Annabeth. You already know it, you'll ace those finals!" He told me and I supposed he had a point. I didn't have any more practice tests with me, and Percy was doing really well on his Calculus tests. I guess half a day off couldn't hurt. Half a day off! What was this boy doing to me?!
"Fine but only if we study when we get home tomorrow." I compromised. We had a really early flight back tomorrow.
"Deal" he said.
Ψ
After lunch we had headed to the mall, which wasn't too far from the pizza place, to pick up the films that Percy was so insistent that I had to watch. He also picked up a set of Nerf guns.
When we got back the house was quiet, which wasn't unusual really. It meant that dad was probably in his study, Helen was in the kitchen and the twins we're upstairs in their room. Percy had decided that it would be fun to have a Nerf gun war with the twins on our afternoon break. So we set to putting away all breakables in the living room and the dining room and clearing away our work from earlier before heading upstairs.
We put our work away and set two of the Nerf guns outside of the twin's room and taped a note to the door. Percy knocked and we headed downstairs to prepare.
The note (which Percy wrote) said:
Your challenge should you chose to accept it is to reclaim the living room. Your base of operations is the dining room. Here are your weapons.
Percy & Annabeth
I had rolled my eyes when I read it, Percy had just smiled at me like it was the best plan in the world. I found that I couldn't help but smile back at him.
Once downstairs Percy and I made a set of barriers in the middle of the living room ready to face the onslaught of the twins. We heard them race down the stairs minutes after we had knocked on the door, muttering excitedly.
The twins fired first shot through the doorway from the dining room to the living room and bounced off the TV. The game had begun. Percy and I shot at and chased the twins all over the downstairs, all of us laughing as we sent and returned fire through the house. Percy managed to grab Bobby at one point when he wasn't paying attention to hold him hostage to try and get Matthew to give up the dining room for his return.
"Surrender your base, or Bobby gets it" Percy said, he was taking the whole thing very seriously.
It was at this point dad decided to emerge from his study, Matthew took the opportunity to try and shoot Percy to get him to release Bobby.
"For Bobby!" Matthew yelled as he fired.
Percy managed to dodge but he did have to let Bobby go to do so. Unfortunately, the Nerf bullet meant for Percy hit dad in the forehead. Immediately we all froze. Dad didn't say anything he just turned and went back into his study only to return a moment later with a Nerf gun of his own, that Percy later told me was an Ultra. It looked a lot like a machine gun, and it fired Nerf bullets just as quickly.
"Dad!?" The twins and I said in disbelief.
"Take cover!" Percy yelled and the four of us fled to the living room, forgetting our original game, to take on my dad, who clearly, had the superior weapon.
Eventually everyone but dad ran out of bullets and we had to admit defeat. The five of us were laughing so loudly that eventually we drew Helen out of the kitchen.
"What happened in here?" She asked entering the living room to see an array of foam bullets everywhere.
"It started as a capture the flag type game, but it got a little out of hand, sorry" Percy apologised.
"Don't worry Percy, it was fun" my dad said.
"Fredrick, you we're playing as well?" Helen asked and my dad nodded smiling, Helen smiled but rolled her eyes good naturedly, for a moment I thought she was actually going to chew us out for the state the house was in, but thankfully she didn't.
"Seaweed Brain, help me clean up and then we can watch one of those films before dinner." I said.
"Sure, thing Wise Girl, do you want the living room or the dining room?" He asked me.
"What films?" Bobby asked.
"I'm educating your sister in the world of Disney and Pixar. We've got Inside Out and Mulan."
"If we help with the dining room can we watch too?" Matthew asked.
"But Inside Out first" Bobby added.
"Sure" I said, and they smiled at me.
"Great!" They exclaimed and ran off to the dining room. Percy and I took the living room and dad, and Helen took the entrance hall.
It took the six of us twenty minutes to restore the house back to the state it was in before Percy and I had waged war on the twins. Percy and I took the Nerf guns upstairs and put them away in my room. Percy and I then took the opportunity to pack everything we needed to take home, except for what we needed for the plane, before heading back downstairs.
Percy brought a gift bag back down with him that I hadn't seen before, so I knew he hadn't bought whatever it was today.
"What's that Percy?" I asked from my seat on the sofa, as he walked back into the living room. Helen and dad had decided to join us and the twins to watch the film.
"Oh," He replied rubbing the back of his neck, he was nervous. "It's a thank you gift, for your family, for letting me stay." He said handing the bag to Helen, I smiled at him, he was so thoughtful.
"Percy, you didn't have to do that." Helen said taking the bag from him.
"My mom always taught me never to turn up to a house empty handed if I was staying so..." he trailed off.
"What's in the bag mom?" The twins asked.
"I hope they're the right size." Percy said sitting next to me on the sofa.
Helen handed out purple hoodies of varying size to my family.
"Thank you, Percy," Helen and my dad said.
The twins immediately pulled theirs on and said, "Thanks Percy!" they beamed. "Annabeth look we match you" they said to me.
I realised, looking down, that I was still wearing Percy's hoody. "So, we do" I said smiling.
Dad put on his and said, "why don't we get a photo in them together then?"
Helen went to get the camera and motioned for the four of us to sit together.
"Helen put yours on and join us. Percy can the photo, right Seaweed Brain?" I asked.
"Sure" he smiled. I really liked his smile. Helen nodded and smiled putting on her hoody from Percy. I think it was the first time I'd seen Helen in anything other than smart casual clothing at home.
"The light isn't brilliant with you all sat there maybe if we moved into the entrance hall?" Percy suggested. We all made our way into the hallway we stood for the photo and smiled when Percy told us too.
"Percy, grab my phone from the coffee table, will you, and take another?" I asked.
"Sure thing" he replied once we'd got a photo Percy was happy with, we settled down to watch the film. Percy and I sat on the sofa, with a twin either side of us, Matthew sat next to me and Bobby sat the other side of Percy. Dad and Helen sat on the other sofa and we all settled in to watch as the Pixar lamp stomped on the letter I on the TV.
Ψ
~Author's Note~
Hi all thank you for reading! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter please let me know what you thought!
SarcasmRocks – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and the way Percy told his life story! I'm glad you're enjoying the Piper and Jason moments – Sorry there wasn't any this time! Hope you enjoyed the chapter about Annabeth and Percy being in San Fran, let me know!
Bookaholic4ever – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and the way Percy told his story! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!
Merendinoemiliano – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter please let me know what you thought of this one!
Something-PJO-Idk – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Don't worry spanners are on their way! Please let me know what you thought of this one!
TheProudPearl24 – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story, please let me know what you thought of this chapter!
PJIsTheBest – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story; they are in their senior year of college, so they'd be 20ish turning 21 that year. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!
WiseGirl14 – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story and that you've got theories, all will be revealed, eventually. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!
Happy reading all!