Disclaimer: The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series was written by and is owned by Rick Riordan. The use of his characters in this piece is for the enjoyment of readers, and is not collecting any profit
The animated movie Cars is owned by Disney and Pixar.
Annabeth POV
It was regular Friday night, and as tradition dictated, I was at Percy's house for movie night. As soon as I walked through the door I knew something was up. He gave me a kiss, and we talked a little. But I could tell, he was out of it. I was just waiting for the right opportunity to ask him about it.
"I'll go get the popcorn, can you put the movie in?" I stood up from the ground where we had laid out the movies; we had chosen to watch Cars.
Percy nodded as I made our way to the kitchen. I took out a bowl and started the microwave. When I took the popcorn out and made my way back to the living room, I saw Percy outside on the balcony; his hands on the railing, looking out to the city.
I set down the popcorn and went to join him on the balcony, wrapping my arms around him and resting my head on his back. We weren't really all that intimate, most of the time. After all we had only been dating a few months. Just hugs, kisses, and holding hands. But in instances like this, where Percy was tense and distant, I used intimacy to my advantage. As I predicted, he relaxed and sighed.
"It's the new Great Prophecy, isn't it?" If it wasn't Rachel's first prophecy as oracle that was bothering him, it was something that I didn't know about.
"How did you know?" Percy asked turning around, but shifting to put his hands on my waist. My arms were around his stomach.
"The same way you knew I was thinking about it when we left camp," I answered. I assumed that he just knew me well, I and knew him well too.
"You can read minds too? Since when?" he replied, looking down at me. I was torn between groaning and giggling. So, I settled for smiling and laying my head on his chest.
"Seriously, how did you know? You didn't just guess did you?" Percy looked down at me with his eyebrows scrunched up.
"I know you well Percy; I always know what you are thinking. Like right now, you are hoping I won't notice that you are trying to change the subject. And children of Athena make educated guesses, but that counts as guessing." I replied smoothly.
"It's just," Percy turned back around to face the glittering city in his previous position, "I feel like I always have to worry. It's strange not having something except for school looming over my head. So, I turn to the next available thing, the prophecy. Even though it may not be for a hundred years, I worry. If I'm not worrying, it sorta feels like I'm lazy, and I should be doing something."
"I understand." I moved to lean back on the railing looking at him. "But you slowly have to let it go. I'm not saying that you have no reason to worry and that what you are doing is completely unacceptable. I think it will take time to stop worrying. Some people may think we are paranoid. In a way, it's true. But after all we've gone through, it will take time to let go of the worrying and paranoia." I finished my lecture and waited for a response.
"I think… I can do that." Percy smiled a little.
"Come on, we have to start the movie! We have to finish by 11:00 so I can get home," We ran back inside and fell on the couch in a heap of giggles for no reason at all.
As we watched the movie, I allowed my mind to wander. I wished I could take some of the paranoia off of Percy's shoulders. But when you are expected to save the world and suddenly, you don't have too, I suppose you must feel empty. It would be like not having a cause. So Percy was turning to an event that probably won't happen in our lifetime. He worried about it, mentally prepared for it.
I found myself there to. There would be nights where I would wake up with another nightmare where half-bloods are all around me dying, and the is world falling apart. Sometimes I would sit at my window and look out at all the mortals, wishing to be ignorant. Wishing that I could have the ability to not know; if I didn't know, I wouldn't care about a prophecy. But we did know, and we did care, because the prophecies were about us.
I pushed those thoughts away. It wasn't going to help me enjoy movie night, it certainly wasn't going to help me let go of my paranoia. I snuggled closer to Percy and watched Lightning McQueen and Sally cruising in Radiator Springs.