Babysitting
Percy groaned inside when Suzie patted his knee again. He looked up. "Yes, Suzie?"
She blinked at him innocently. "Why is there a pwetty lady outside the doowa?"
Percy raised his eyebrow. Almost at once the doorbell rang.
He picked Suzie up and opened the door. Annabeth stood outside, chatting to a little boy beside her.
She looked up and grinned. "Hiya Percy."
He remembered with a bang: today was when she came round to help him babysit his half-siblings!
George strode out of the door, to stop and give a grin at Annabeth. "Heya, Annie," he said.
"Hi, GeĊrgoes," she said. He grinned and trudged off to his room, snatching the cookies that Percy had currently been eating.
"Hey!" he whined. "Give them back!"
"Nope," George winked at him and walked into his room.
"Come in," he held the door open. She walked in, the little boy (probably her brother, Percy thought.) ran over to Suzie. He grinned at her. "Hi!"
"Hi!" Suzie squealed. "Let's play!"
"Okay!" The little boy, Matthew, grabbed her hand and dragged her into her room.
Percy sighed and sank down on to the sofa. He closed his eyes and felt Annabeth sit down beside him.
"Busy day, huh?" she asked.
Percy groaned. "You have no idea."
Wailing erupted from the next room. For such a little baby, Olivia had a big set of lungs. Percy looked like he was about to pass out, so Annabeth stood up and walked out. Vaguely, Percy heard her calming Livvy, until there was total silence. "Thank gods," he groaned.
Annabeth walked back in and grabbed the remote. She flicked through the channels until Percy yelled, "There! It's Finding Nemo!"
Annabeth chuckled, putting the remote down. "Seriously?" Percy ignored her. He patted his lap, and Annabeth sat down in it.
She leant her head against his chest and closed her eyes. "You know, Seaweed Brain," she murmured. "This is the first time in five months we've got to have time alone together."
Percy twirled a lock of her hair. "Yeah. There's been too many 'let's go save the world' for my liking."
"But you did it." she twisted round so she was lying on her stomach. She locked eyes with him. "You saved the world."
"We saved the world," he corrected.
"And Reyna's taken, so she won't be trying to date anyone."
"You don't sound disappointed," he noticed.
"Oh, I don't care."
"Uh-huh."
She raised a slender eyebrow. "You got something to tell me Seaweed Brain?"
"You'll probably kick my butt."
"You know I'd kick your butt."
He was about to say something, when the phone rang. Percy grinned up at her. "Let's just skip to the best bit, okay?"
She nodded, fighting hard to keep the smile of her face. "Agreed."
They kissed, his hand going up to her hair, her hands cupping his face.
It was a sweet kiss, one that could have gone on forever if the phone hadn't carried on ringing.
Percy answered it. "Hello?"
"Percy!" Sally said.
"Oh, hey, mom," he said.
"I'm just phoning to see if everything's okay. Are the kids in bed?"
"Uh, yeah?"
At that moment, George shouted, "Where's the DVD player?"
"PERSEUS ALEX JACKSON GET THE CHILDREN INTO BED THIS-"
Percy slammed the phone down. His ears were ringing, but he grabbed George by the wrist and chucking him into his room. The ten year old pounded on the door in protest, but Percy simply shouted, "Go to bed!"
Annabeth was putting Suzie into her little bed, Matthew sleeping in a sleeping bag next to her.
"Night, abef," Suzie said. Annabeth leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "Night, sweetie," she murmured.
When she came back out, she bumped Percy with her hip. George was still yelling to be let out. "Let me settle this," she smirked.
Annabeth opened the door, to be flung at by George, who was glaring at Percy with hate.
"Hey, it's time for bed now," Annabeth squeezed his hand. "Come on, George."
Quietly George got changed. He went into bed and smiled at her.
Annabeth smiled back. She walked out the room, to find Percy staring at her in amazement. "How did you do that?"
Then came a line from the tv. 'Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.'
Percy ran and leaped on to the sofa, his eyes glued to the blue and orange fish.
"Oh, Percy." Annabeth shook her head. Then she sat down on his lap, her head resting between his chest and his chin.
"Love you," he murmured suddenly.
"I love you too, Percy."
Later, George would come in, about to complain loudly about the noise of the tv, to find Percy splayed out asleep on the couch, Annabeth on top of him. He would snap a few photos to show his mother, and smile fondly. He would go back to his bed, without turning the tv off.
And the two would sleep on, unaware of any fact except they were together.