Something Cold
A/N: Hey! I know it's been a while, but I just don't have a lot of time anymore. So, updates will be two at a time, once a month or something. Maybe even once a week. We'll see. Anyways, thanks for being so wonderful. Sorry that this has to be a kind of sad and short one.
"No." She said firmly. Every time. And, every time, he clued, puppy-eyed, and pestered until she gave in. It always worked. Until one unprecedented Thursday morning, that is. And to Perseus Jackson, it was a terrible blow indeed.
"Why not?" He whined. She smirked, her eyes raising slightly above the top of her book to look at him. "Because. I hate winter."
"No way."
"Yes way," she mumbled, her eyes scanning the pages hungrily, as if the book could really fill her up. Percy checked the spine- she had read this one likely three hundred times. It bored Percy so much that he had to practice sword fighting after only three pages.
"But you grew up in the north- in the snow! What happened?"
"The cold," she said, shivering. "It reminds me of- of-" she faltered, looking at Percy full in the eyes. "Tartarus," he finished. "I get it. I really do. Hades, I was with you the whole time."
"I love snow," Annabeth said quietly. "Don't get me wrong. But I can't think right at night, when all I can see is Tartarus! It's like no matter what I do, nothing can get rid of those terrifying memories." She hugged her knees to her chest, her eyes gleaming with tears. "I can't," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Percy, but I just-"
"Can't," Percy stared at Annabeth. He pulled her into his chest, breathing in her scent. "Thank you, Wise Girl."
"For what?" She wiped her nose on her sleeve. "For blubbering and bringing a dark cloud on our vacation planning?"
"For telling me what's wrong." Percy corrected. "For trusting me."