A/N: Hey guys! This takes place after Chapter 24! Hope you like it!
Percy wonders if this is what paradise feel like.
With Annabeth snuggled into his chest, her hair like a golden halo on the pillow, sleeping softly. She looks like an angel and though he doesn't want to disturb her, he can't help but reach forward to brush a lock of hair falling on her face.
It's one of those blissful mornings where they get to sleep in, and he wakes up before her.
He starts to think about the breakfast he wants to make her, well, more of a brunch at this point—
"Good morning." Annabeth's voice is soft and sleepy and tugs at his heart.
"Good morning," he replies, looking down at her and realizing his fingers are still draped in her hair. He must have been absently playing with it as his thoughts drifted. "Sorry if I woke you," he adds.
Annabeth smiles. "I don't mind."
He brushes his fingers down the length of her hair and moves them down her arms, causing her to shiver. (Something he's extremely pleased with.)
"You're always playing with my hair anyway," she continues.
He shrugs, leaning in to press a kiss on her head. "I can't help it, somehow you have the real-life princess curls, it's honestly impressive."
"You really like my hair, don't you?"
There's something in her voice that makes him look at her. What should have been a light teasing comment has a twinge of…something.
He frowns. "Yeah," he responds slowly, "but why did you say it like that?"
She doesn't answer, just turns on her back and stares at the ceiling.
"Annabeth," he tries again, worry increasing. "What's wrong?"
He wonders if he did something wrong, maybe he shouldn't have played with her hair? But she never minds when he does that. Or was it something he said…how did he phrase it again?
"What if," she finally breaks the silence and his silent panicking. "What if I told you I had to cut it…for a role."
Immediately, he lets out a sigh of relief. So it wasn't something he did, thank g—
"You hate it," she says, a hint of panic in her voice, as she squeezes her eyes shut. It takes him a second to realize his sigh of relief must have come across differently to her.
"Annabeth," he says gently, tugging her closer, and tilting her chin up to look at him. "Open your eyes, baby."
She does and for a second, he forgets what he was going to say because holy shit she's right here.
"I…" he has to gather himself. "I don't hate that you have to cut your hair for a role. It's totally fine with me. Is that what you were worried about?"
He doesn't get it. Why would she be worried about getting a haircut, and why do his thoughts on it matter? It's for her job anyway.
"But you're always playing with my hair, and you just said it looks good," she retaliates, eyebrows creased together.
"Well yeah, of course it looks good. You're Annabeth Chase, you make everything look good," he replies matter-of-factly. "So I know you'll make the haircut look good too."
"It's going to be a short bob."
"So you'll like a city boss princess or something."
Her grey eyes are swirling with tension as she looks up at him and it makes him want to hold her until it goes away.
"You really don't mind?"
He shakes his head. "I really don't. You're going to look good no matter what. Were you actually worried about my reaction?"
She tilts her head down and shuffles closer to him. "You really like my hair," she mumbles.
"No," he replies. "I really like you."
And with that she buries her face into his neck and his arms come around to hold her in place. It's true that he's going to miss her long curly hair, but it's not like a haircut will change the fact that she will always be a goddess to him.
"Are you okay though?" he asks, voicing the thought lingering in the back of his head. "Sounds like you are worried about the haircut."
She leans back to look at him, eyebrows still creased in worry. Looks like his little hunch was right.
"It's never been that short…"
"It'll be easier to manage," he points out, trying to reassure her. "And you won't have to worry about styling it too much, and think of what you'll save on shampoo—"
He's cut off by her lips meeting his, soft and sweet and over too quickly for his liking. He chases her lips as she lets out a laugh.
The smile on his face is automatic. Annabeth's laugh is impossible not to smile at.
"You're sweet," she tells him.
"You should get another taste to be sure," he replies, tapping his lips.
It amazes him how often she indulges him, because a second later her lips are back on his and he's once again floating in paradise.
-.-
Percy's in the middle of an intense round of jeopardy. Well, he's supposed to be researching but then the background got his attention when the category became coffee and his laptop was cast aside.
(It's technically still work).
The TV is subjected to him screaming his answers, trying to get it in before the player.
"What is J—"
"Java."
He turns around at the sound of the voice.
Bangs cover her forehead, framed with a short bob mixed with a hesitant and worried smile as she clearly waits for his reaction.
Jeopardy now forgotten, he gets up and walks over to her, taking her in. It's different, yet, as her grey eyes meet his, the same.
Ultimately, it's Annabeth.
"Welcome home," he greets her as usual, tilting his head down to peck her lips. Her arms wrap around him, as she deepens the kiss. (He is not complaining)
"Hi," she breathes when they part. He's still trying not to melt to the floor, but he knows he needs to say something to assuage the small crease between her eyebrows that's starting to form.
"You look stunning."
"Really?" The insecurity (that to this day still baffles him) is evident and he's quick to nod and pull her closer.
"Like a princess."
"Even without the curls?" she asks in a lighter tone now, and he knows he's made her feel better. He smiles back.
"Always."
A/N: This was a widely requested prompt so shoutout to all the people who wanted some combination of Percy playing with Annabeth's hair and her being worried about a haircut! I hope this was the fluff you wanted!
Please Comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts!
And as always, thanks for reading!
See ya! :)