Thalia's P.O.V
I was staring at Chris, mouth open as he knelt in front of Clarisse. What was Chris thinking?! This was not the plan! We were doing so well avoiding this topic too, oh well! Here come the fireworks! And not the good kind.
"HOW DARE YOU UNDERMINE ME!" Chris' dad shouted at him.
"HOW DARE HE?!" I shouted before anyone else could, because sitting across from the man who had abandoned not just Chris, but Luke as well, had been grating on me all evening no matter how much easier Reyna being here had made it.
"THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" He roared at me.
"DO NOT SPEAK TO MY DAUGHTER THAT WAY!" My father yelled.
"NOW YOU WANT TO BE A PARENT?! REALLY!" I yelled, my anger getting the better of me, as it always had as a teenager.
"HOW DARE YOU!"
What felt like, World War III broke out in my father's dining room as tempers flared high from all corners of the table. It was safe to say the dinner was over and that the marriage had been shot to hell along with it.
Percy's P.O.V
Estelle's birthday was up and coming and I still needed to get her a present. Mom had everything sorted. She'd ordered all of the stuff for the party bags. Estelle was having a homemade blue cake (it was tradition) and she and Paul had already bought Estelle's gift.
I'd been talking to Annabeth about it for days now in between catching up with work for my classes.
"It'll come Percy, don't worry and when it does it'll be perfect." She said to me. I knew she was right; she always was, but that didn't stop me worrying about it.
And of course she was right. I found what I wanted to get for Estelle only a few days later. It was something that incorporated her love of Disney and if she wanted to, she could bring a friend. As Annabeth had predicted it was perfect.
"Percy come on! We need to get your costume for your sister's birthday party!" Annabeth called. I'll admit I had been dragging my feet on this.
"Alright, I'm coming!" I called from my room. It wasn't that I didn't want to fulfil my sister's request of being Flynn Rider because I did. I knew it would make her happy.
But I'd been waiting years for this opportunity, her first birthday was just pink and fluffy and girly. Her second birthday was Minnie mouse themed, and I got away with being Mickey mouse, but only just. Her third birthday; unicorns, her fourth birthday; sleeping beauty and last year was Lilo and Stitch themed. This year she'd finally opened the fancy dress theme up to the whole of Disney and I'd been assigned a character before I could even pick my own.
I'd wanted to be Flounder and Annabeth had teased me about it for a while. But had promised me that if we went trick or treating with Estelle in the fall that I could be Flounder then, even if he wasn't considered scary. That had made me feel a bit better about it all. Maybe we could do a group Halloween costume? Perhaps it was something to broach after Estelle's birthday party though.
"Ready?" Annabeth asked as I met her in the kitchen.
"Ready" I confirmed kissing her cheek.
"I thought we'd try the new fancy dress shop in the mall?" Annabeth said as I locked the apartment door.
"Okay," I said taking her hand in mine. It still felt a little surreal that I was able to do that again. But I was trying to get used to the feeling holding her hand again gave me. It was one thing to joke about having sex again, as much as I did want that, but sometimes it still felt like I wasn't going to be next to her when I next woke up.
Mom had asked me to see a psychologist and I had talked to Annabeth about whether or not she felt it was a good idea. She had thought it was a good idea, she'd also thought it would be a good idea to see someone herself. So we'd each set up appointments for the upcoming week. Hopefully it would help with this surreal feeling I was still having and my fear of being taken away from her again.
We arrived at the mall, and it was relatively busy for a Sunday.
"Which floor is the new fancy dress shop on?" I asked.
"The third floor, Piper said" Annabeth replied.
"Has she told you what she and Jason are going as?" I asked as we made our way up the escalator.
"She hasn't but if I had to guess, based on Piper's love of Disney, I'd say she'll go as Aurora which means Jason will be Prince Phillip if they do a couples costume." Annabeth replied and I roared with laughter.
Annabeth's P.O.V
Percy was in full blown laughter as we made our way up to the third floor or the mall. I waited patiently for him to calm down enough to tell me what he found so amusing.
"Sorry," He gasped. "Just the image of Jason in tights" He chuckled again. I smiled, it was really great to see Percy laugh like this again, even if it was at Jason's expense.
"You're going to tease him about this for years, aren't you?" I asked.
"Oh if they get married, I fully expect to be best man and it will be in my speech." He replied smiling.
"I think I'd put money on them getting married." I said.
"Would you?" He asked, "You're that sure about them?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I am, they seem to just fit, do you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I do." He replied as we reached the third floor finally. "What about us, would you put money on us getting married?" He asked.
"No," I replied, "But only because no-one would take that bet." I smiled.
"Okay, you had me going for a bit there." He said.
"Why? You know how I feel about you." I asked.
"Well that was before everything you know? I know you still love me, but we've not really talked much about the future since everything." He said, apparently, I wasn't the only one who had gained insecurities from this experience. Percy had been a lot better at hiding his though.
"We can talk about it today if you like." I said hoping to alleviate some of his worries.
"Thank you" he replied.
"Of course, but first let's see if your costume has tights." I teased taking his hand and pulling him into the costume shop.
It didn't take long to find the costume Percy required. And to make sure it fit, I made him try it on in the shop. He refused the wig, but his hair was almost long enough even if the colour was off. He didn't think Estelle would mind. It was a rather form-fitting costume though and it set butterflies going in my stomach when I saw him in it for the first time.
"So where's your costume?" He asked attempting the Flynn Rider smouldering look. It needed work.
I tried to hold back my laughter but failed miserably as I informed him that his looked needed some work which made him pout in what I thought was an adorable fashion.
"I got my costume after work the other day, it's in my apartment. Why do you want to see it?" I teased.
"I do" He agreed, before returning to the changing room to remove his costume.
"Do you want to see if they have a flounder costume, just for fun?" I asked once he'd reappeared.
"Yeah alright, but you have to join in, who are you going to be?" He asked.
"Same film?" I asked.
"Of course." He replied.
"I'll surprise you." I said and we set off in opposite directions in the store, they had two Disney sections. I picked up my costume and headed to find Percy who was already back in the changing rooms.
"Ready Percy?" I called before stepping out in my costume.
"Ready" He replied pulling back the curtain and revealing himself as flounder. "Really Sebastian?" He asked.
"Well I couldn't very well go as the Little Mermaid if you weren't going as Eric, could I?" I teased.
"Go again?" He asked clearly enjoying himself.
"Yeah okay, which film?" I asked.
"Alice in Wonderland" He replied.
We each went back into our own changing room and returned to the floor of costumes in search of an Alice in Wonderland costume. Our afternoon consisted of us doing this several more times, every time for a different Disney film. It was fun. I almost couldn't remember the last time I laughed so freely; it was probably Valentine's Day.
Frank's P.O.V
Hazel looked amazing dressed in her costume for Estelle's party and she'd let me be a side kick rather than a prince. Which I really appreciated, because since I had found out I was invited I'd known who I wanted to be. I've always wanted to dress up as a dragon, for as long as I could remember, but Grandmother didn't deem that appropriate when I was little. But know I had the opportunity I had to do it, and Hazel was really open to it once I explained that it wasn't that I didn't want to do a couples costume with her. Because I absolutely did, we just maybe weren't doing the traditional couples costume as I wasn't going to be her love interest in the film but her sidekick and friend, Mushu. I was so excited to finally be dressed up as a dragon like I'd had wanted to be all those years ago.
"You know with how excited you are, I could have sworn it was your birthday." Hazel teased me as she knocked on the door to Percy's Parent's apartment.
"Sorry, I'll try and tone it down, I've just – "
"Always wanted to be a dragon, I know." She said smiling and squeezing my hand. She probably would have kissed my cheek if I wasn't wearing a giant dragon head.
"Hazel!" Estelle cried as Sally opened the door.
"Don't you mean, Mulan?" Sally teased Estelle. "And Mushu, look at you, you really went all out." Sally said to me.
Hazel leant across to Sally and in her best impression of Harry Potter said, "Hagrid's always wanted a dragon told me so the first time I met him."
Sally laughed and said, "Well you make a fabulous Mushu." Before going back to the door to let someone else in.
"Come on, Flynn and Rapunzel are through here." Estelle said leading us to the living area to see Percy and Annabeth.
Thalia was next to arrive.
"Who are you?" Estelle asked.
"Kelp Head! I thought you'd educated my young cousin in the ways of Disney." She said to Percy who laughed.
"Sorry Kim, I'll make sure I schedule replays of your show for next week." Percy said resting on the arm of the sofa next to Annabeth.
"Make it tomorrow, Kelp Head, not like I saved the world or anything." She said rolling her eyes playfully.
"That's Flynn to you" Percy said, "But okay, will you be joining us?" He asked.
"Of Course." Thalia replied, before turning to Estelle and saying, "I'm Kim Possible and I save the world, because anything's possible for a Possible."
"Cool!" Estelle said causing us all to laugh.
"What's cool?" Jason's voice came from behind us, he was dressed as Prince Phillip accompanied by Piper as Aurora.
"Kim Possible!" Estelle cried.
"Oh yes," Piper said nodding sagely, "She is the coolest." She winked at Annabeth like there was a shared secret, I decided to ask Hazel about it later.
The last cousin to arrive was Nico and he was dressed as Hiro.
"Hiro!" Estelle yelled as Nico entered the living room.
"Oh sure, him, she knows" Thalia said, making us all chuckle again.
We'd all come over a little before the start time of the party to entertain Estelle for Sally and Paul while they put the last finishing touches on things.
"Of course she knows who I am, I'm her favourite." Nico declared as hugged Estelle hello.
"No, I think you'll find I'm her favourite." Jason said proudly.
"Actually you're both wrong." Percy said. "Estelle, who's your favourite?" He asked.
Estelle looked at Percy and he nodded encouragingly. "Annabeth" She said smiling.
"Called it!" Piper said laughing at the dumbstruck look on her boyfriend's face at this new revelation.
"You're not mad?" Estelle asked Jason.
"No, Elle, I'm not mad, I promise." He said holding out his pinkie finger for her.
Estelle smiled and looped her pinkie finger around Jason's, Piper looked like she was going to cry, which hopefully was a good thing.
I didn't get much time to think on it though as Estelle's friends started to arrive.
Piper's P.O.V
Estelle had eight friends who attended her birthday. Four girls, four boys. The girls were dressed as, Princess Jasmine, Pocahontas, Cinderella with Gus on her shoulder and Jessie from Toy Story. The boys: one was dressed as Melody, which I thought was amazing, there were twins dressed as Chip and Dale and then there was one really shy little boy dressed as Prince Adam, who Annabeth later told me was Oliver.
Sally and Paul (they insisted in their home they were to be called this rather than Mr. and Mrs. Blofis, which was fair) were Minnie and Mickey mouse which was just classic.
As Estelle's friends turned up so did Will, Hazel had told him to dress as Baymax and he'd gone as all out as Frank had with it.
"Huh, what are the odds that someone would come dressed up as the same film as Nico?" Jason asked me when Will arrived.
"100%" I replied.
"Are you meddling?" Jason asked.
"Me meddle?" I feigned surprise, "Never, it's actually Hazel who's meddling, I just agreed to help." I said seriously.
"So who's in the Baymax costume?" Jason asked.
"Will" I replied.
"Huh" Jason replied nodding.
"What?" I asked.
"No nothing, I just didn't put them together, but now I'm thinking about it, I can see it." He said.
"So I have a question for you," I said as we stood off to the side and let Estelle and her friends enjoy the party.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"How long has Oliver had a crush on Estelle?" I asked.
"What do you mean? He's five he doesn't have a crush." Jason said.
"Please," Sally said overhearing our conversation as she passed to put Will's present on the present table, "You had your first crush when you were four. I agree with Piper, his mom said he asked to be Prince Adam because he knew Beauty and the Beast was Estelle's favourite."
"Aww" I said.
"Nope" Jason said, "Not good enough for Elle."
"It's sweet that you think you get a say." I told my boyfriend, Sally laughed and continued on her journey to the present table.
"Of course I get a say." Jason replied "Hey PJ! Get over here!" He called and Percy who had been talking to Will and Annabeth excused himself and came over.
"What's up Jace?" He asked.
"This Oliver kid, what do you know about him?" He asked like he was Estelle's dad, I tried really hard to stifle my laughter.
"Oh what don't I know, he's all Estelle talks about at the moment." Percy said.
"What?!" Jason exclaimed.
"Yeah, ever since Annabeth helped her make friends with him, it's been Oliver this and Oliver that. Annabeth's been teacher her sign language so she can talk to him properly." Percy said.
"He's deaf?" Jason asked.
"Yeah, I thought I'd told you that," Percy carried on oblivious to the fact that Jason was uncomfortable with Estelle dating, like she was going to start tomorrow. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"Why do you ask?" Percy asked eventually.
"You think he's good enough for Estelle?" He asked him seriously and Percy laughed.
"Jace, the only guy that will ever be good enough for Estelle, is the one that she deems good enough. She's not going to take my opinion on it when the time comes and if it is Oliver, it is. They're five, well Estelle's now six but still it's a crush at most and it's cute, something to tease her about later in life for sure, don't panic alright man. When the time comes the only one who's going to get a say is Estelle so why worry? All we can do is teach her not to settle for anything less than someone who will treat her right and hope she takes in that lesson." He said.
"You mean like you did?" Annabeth asked teasingly as she joined us.
"Way to ruin my speech Annabeth." Percy pouted playfully.
"Aunt Sally?" Jason asked and Annabeth nodded.
"Yeah, Percy figured out Estelle's crush not long after she took her vow of silence and Sally told him that it wasn't up to him who was good enough for his little sister." Annabeth said.
"Well that explains why she laughed" Jason grumbled, and I did laugh then. "But you agree Oliver isn't good enough?"
"No," Percy said, "I've had time to think about it since I over reacted and mom's right, I'll have to accept it one day, it's easier to do it now before she actually tells me she's met the love of her life."
"Don't talk about Elle meeting the love of her life." Jason groaned dragging his hand down his face and causing the three of us to laugh.
"So protective." I teased.
"She's Elle of course I'm protective." He said.
"Let it go Jace, Let it go." Percy said.
"Alright Elsa, I'll try." Jason replied sending us into another round of laughter.
Percy's P.O.V
Estelle's party went off without a hitch, it was brilliant, even if Jason had had a freak out about her dating life which thankfully is non-existent. Although my mom likes to remind me that I first fell in love at the age of two so apparently, I was no better.
Estelle's sign language was really coming along, she was managing to talk to Oliver a lot more on her own, but Annabeth had still stayed close just in case there was anything that needed translating.
They'd played pass the parcel, which Noah (Princess Melody) had won, sleeping lions which Oliver had won, in hindsight he had a bit of an advantage with that. They played musical statues, which Ashley (Pocahontas) had won and pin the tail on the donkey which William (Chip) had won. Fun was had by all it seemed, which was great. Mom had managed to veto the karaoke request for the party which I was grateful for. I wasn't sure how I'd have coped with nine five/ six year olds screaming along to music.
The cousins and I just filtered along in the background, and I noticed Nico spent a lot of time talking to Will. Which I thought was great, as I knew Will still harboured a bit of a crush on Nico, hopefully all their talking would help. Based on the looks Hazel, Piper and Annabeth were sending their way, the fact they spent so much time together seemed to be intentional on their part. But it was the girls plan and I was not looking to get involved in that.
Estelle had her blue cake with her friends and party bags were distributed as the kids started to get picked up by their parents. Stacey (Jasmine), Ashley (Pocahontas), Megan (Cinderella) and Willow (Jessie) were the first to leave their mom's had decided to set up a carpool which made sense. Next to go were the twins, William, and Ben (Chip and Dale) shortly followed by Noah (Princess Melody).
Oliver stayed a little longer than the others but then eventually he also went home. At some point between all the kids leaving Nico and Will had also disappeared.
Estelle's birthday wasn't officially until the morning, so we were going to do all the presents in the morning, which meant that an excited but exhausted Estelle went to bed early leaving me and the other cousins and our partners to help mom and Paul clean up. All in all a very successful day, I just hoped she liked the tickets to Disney on ice that I'd bought for her. I looked forward to seeing her face when she opened them in the morning.
Ψ
~Author's Note~
Hi All, apologies for the delay in posting, I'm still swamped at work, and I've also had particularly bad writer's block recently. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter anyways and as always; your feedback is welcomed.
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Happy reading all! :)