Based on the prompt, "Why is there ... everywhere?"
"Why is there dust everywhere?"
Annabeth started, only realizing she was nearly asleep when Percy tapped her shoulder.
He whispered, "Annabeth."
"Hm?"
"I think she's asleep."
Annabeth blinked, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She propped herself up on an elbow, jamming Percy's ribs as she sat up to look at their daughter. Two-year-old Sophie was still curled up on the floor in her ophiotaurus blanket— just as they'd left her when the movie started. But now, she had half her head tucked under the blanket with her, small feet sticking out the other side.
The credits on the television were scrolling, and Annabeth grabbed the remote to turn it off, getting up from Percy's lap to pick up Sophie. Percy waved her off, getting up. "I got it," he quickly stopped her, and bent to carefully pick up their daughter. Once Percy was securely holding her, Annabeth brushed sweaty, knotted hair from her little girl's face, and left a tender kiss on her forehead.
Sophie groaned and blinked awake, eyelids heavy from sleep. She looked to Annabeth, small face all confusion. "It's bedtime, baby," Annabeth told her, leaving a tender kiss on her forehead.
Percy patted her back and headed for Sophie's bedroom at the end of the hall.
Annabeth flicked off the lights in the hallway after him, sauntered to the kitchen, and grabbed two glasses for wine.
She and Percy had cleared their schedules to have an uninterrupted weekend with their daughter, and the brief time had proved incredibly rewarding. They'd spent the previous day out about New York City, taking Sophie out to the aquarium, Bryant Park, then dinner out and ice cream. Today had been much more relaxed, a pajamas all day kind of day with lots of movies, junk snacks, and cuddles on the couch. Annabeth was sad for the day to be over, but the image of her daughter's smile this weekend was stuck in her mind's eye and she couldn't help but smile too. Sophie was growing so quickly, getting so big, and Annabeth swore to enjoy her toothy grins and pure joy and awe as long as she could.
Minutes passed and Annabeth was struggling not to drain her glass before Percy returned. She glanced at the clock to see just how many minutes Percy had been gone, and Annabeth slid from her chair to check on Daddy and baby.
She padded on silent feet down the hall to Sophie's room, and the sight she peeked in on quite nearly dissolved her into a pool of salty tears.
Percy stood in the center of the room with Sophie in his arms, head cradled to his shoulder, still swaddled up in her blanket. She fidgeted some, but was mostly content to suck her thumb and rest against her dad's chest. He held her like he had the day she was born, with such love and tenderness and caution, one hand rubbing circles on her back and smoothing back her sleep-tangled hair. He wiped at his cheek once, just under his eye, still holding Sophie close to him.
He was so enraptured in the moment, in their daughter, in holding her to him, rocking her to sleep. The pure love she felt radiating from the room overwhelmed Annabeth and she quickly tiptoed away before she lost control of herself and intruded on the moment. She poured herself another glass of wine back in the kitchen, making a mental note to share her story with Sally in the morning.
It was another several minutes before Annabeth heard the door to Sophie's room close and Percy return down the hall. He wiped a hand across his face and he rounded his way to the kitchen, and that's when Annabeth realized what he was wiping at.
"Percy?"
He didn't respond, mouth only quirking as he glanced away.
"Babe, are you crying?"
He looked at her, blue eyes still bright with remnants of looming tears. He swallowed.
"Are you crying? Why?"
His hands fell to his sides as he finally met her gaze, still swallowing over his tears. The smallest hint of a smile touched his lips— like the distant ghost of one.
"I just love her so much."
His voice was a whisper, weak and broken. Filled with such love and awe, it didn't shatter or break but melted Annabeth's heart like Sophie's melted ice cream cone.
Any other time, she would have teased Percy for this, given him the teasing crap they always gave each other. But she knew just how he felt.
More than that, she was in love with his inexplicable moment of softheartedness. She loved soft Percy, loved how tremendous and delicate and soft his heart was without shame. She loved how much he loved, how much he cared for and loved their daughter. She loved how he simply came undone, a blubbering mess of tears and proud smiles, and how he could hardly part from their daughter for a moment.
From the moment she'd first seriously considered starting a family with Percy, from the moment they'd first discussed the possibility together, Annabeth had known. He would be an amazing dad. He'd had too many examples of lesser fathers to be anything but.
Besides, he was Sally Jackson's son, and his heart was much too big to not give all of itself over to the most important people in his life.
Another tear fell to his cheek, but Annabeth took one long step forward to grab Percy's hands before he could wipe it away. They both stood there for a moment, staring into each other's blurry eyes until Percy blinked his away. He turned his head, gently fighting Annabeth's grip.
"Why is there dust everywhere?" he managed with a croak.
Annabeth just smiled. She pulled him into her arms, and she could hear all he left unspoken. He was thankful to her for their child, thankful for the little baby she'd carried to make them both parents. She hoped he knew she wouldn't do it for anyone else. And she would do it for him again.
"Sophie is so lucky to have you, babe."
He crumpled in her arms, clung to her like he was a child. "I love her so much, Annabeth."
"I know, Perce. She loves you, too."