Percy squinted up at the sky, a blue so thick and rich, and utterly cloudless. The sun seemed to beat down with a renewed vivacity, and he could feel sweat beading at the nape of his neck. He eyed Annabeth out of the corner of his eye, turning a page of her magazine with a perfectly manicured hand. Her nails were painted red, the exact shade of her bikini, barely visible through her gauzy, white lace cover-up.

It had only been a few minutes of sitting on the beach underneath Annabeth's wide umbrella but Percy twitched and fidgeted every few seconds, anxious to get out into the waves. With a sigh, he turned his attention back to Hazel and June. June had taken to jumping over the waves, squealing with delight as the water splashed around her.

"Oh for God's sake -" Annabeth sighed, shaking her head at his drumming fingers. Percy startled. "Just go, idiot."

Percy blinked at her. She gave an another exasperated sigh and shoved her designed sun glasses to the top of her head. She made a shooing gesture towards the water. "Go on. Go play, you giant child."

Percy grinned sheepishly. "Thanks," he said meekly. Her mouth twitched as she put her sun glasses back into place, but carefully, she smoothed her expression out.

"Yeah, yeah," she said softly. Percy stood and slipped his t-shirt off, dropping it down next to her. He turned back to ask her if she wanted to come in with him and found her lips parted in surprise. She made a soft noise in the back of her throat.

"What?" he asked quizzically, tilting his head. Her mouth snapped shut and she rather aggressively turned back to her magazine, hunching her shoulders.

"Nothing."

"Oh. 'Cause I thought I saw you -"

"Nope."

"Really? Not even a little?"

"Nope," she said again, popping the 'p'. She turned the page and Percy shrugged, jogging down to the beach. When he glanced back, he caught Annabeth staring after him for a split second before quickly studying her magazine again.

Hmm.

Down in the water, the girls had wandered a little farther down the beach. Hazel was easy to pick out, with her springy corkscrew curls and dark skin. Percy approached them cautiously, splashing around a bit in the water to announce his arrival. Hazel looked up when he was about three feet away, grinning.

"Hiya!" she said before turning her attention back to June. June was too preoccupied to do more than glance at his direction, tiny hands swishing around in the water. A harsh wave came, sending June stumbling backwards, collapsing into the tide. Percy's heart leapt into hard drive, fishing her out of the water almost instantaneously. His breath stopped completely, scanning her face for any panic or bruises. Confusion in her sparkling green eyes was overcome with a bubbly laugh and Percy finally exhaled. He slowly put her back onto her feet, still keeping a firm hold on one of her hands.

He glanced up and found Hazel looking at him affectionately. "Don't worry," she said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She loves the water."

Percy smiled gratefully up at her before turning back to frown at June whose little fingers were still in Percy's palm. She appeared to have no problem with holding a strange man's hand.

"Doesn't she know like, stranger danger?" he asked Hazel.

June huffed and slipped her hand from her father's, turning a cold eye on him. "I'm not a baby," she complained loudly in her toddler voice. "I'm stronger and smarter than half the girls in my class. Also all the boys." Percy couldn't help but grin broadly, chancing a glance back at Annabeth.

"Trust me, I believe it," he said, leaning in to whisper conspiratorally. "Most boys are pretty stupid anyways."

June smiled, and Percy's heart melted on the spot. She leaned in to whisper too, eyes solemn. "I know."

She turned back around again, slipping her little hand back into Percy's. "Come on," she said, tugging him towards the coast. "Mama has icey pops in her bag. You can share one with me."

-x-

After sharing an icey pop together (both June and Percy went for the blue; Annabeth laughed at them and procured another blue from another pocket), they all managed to talk Annabeth into going down with them.

"Oh fine," she sighed, slipping off her sunglasses. The three of them cheered and she made a face at them, a quiet smile tugging at her lips.

Percy took a moment to regain his breath as she slipped off her coverup, too. Folds of lace fell down to the towel as she shrugged it off, ruffling her hair in the process.

June, who had been tugging his hand in her hurry to get back into the water, folded to her impatience and ran ahead. Hazel followed her.

Percy hardly noticed.

Needless to say, Annabeth had the body of a supermodel. No one could've guessed she had a child three years ago.

Annabeth finished stowing away her dress and turned back to look at him. As they both realized what he'd been doing, he quickly averted his eyes, scratching his head nonchalantly as he stared off into the distance, his cheeks growing warm. She scoffed, smirking as she sauntered past him.

"Coming?" she called as he stood, gaping after her.

"Uh, yep!" his voice totally did not go up an octave.

Nope.

A/N: So I've had a terrible week. Out of hell, really. Not to mention I have 6 major grades on Monday and Tuesday, with five of them on Monday.

So I'm really sorry for not updating in forever. I really do feel bad about it. So, in spite of my terrible, terrible writer's block, I have this little fluffy filler chapter. Ugh.

I actually planned for stuff to happen here, so once I get my lazy ass up to do it, you should get another, longer one later.

Sigh.

Not to mention I apparently have really bad judgement as I've just posted yet another Percabeth AU story. Think a mash up of Cars (the movie, except without the weird talking cars) and Safe Haven (except in a desert).

Anyone else feel like crap lately?

Hope not.

Anna x.

Reviews are very much appreciated!