Prompt 17: In TLO, after they received the gifts, what do you think happened? how was Percy and Annabeth after he turned down immortality? I imagine them trying to talk to each other but always someone coming to talk to them, and when they get home with that moment they're leaving in the book

*This one focuses on Percy and Annabeth right after the Olympian Council rewards them*

The Olympian Council broke up shortly after Percy walked through the Cyclopes honor guard, which was fine with Annabeth. She was still dazed that she'd been named the official architect of Olympus, charged with redesigning the half-destroyed city. But even that had been temporarily overshadowed by the fact that Percy had just turned down Zeus's offer of immortality and then turned to look at her.

She left the throne room as quickly as she could without being too obvious about it (she hoped). While she walked, her mind was buzzing. What exactly did she want to say?

So, you came back alive. I think I owe you a kiss.

War's over. Prophecy's over. And I think I owe you a kiss.

Look, I know it's been a crazy long day, but I think I owe you a kiss.

Ugh, why was this so hard? Annabeth moistened her lips, then gave herself a mental shake. After everything else they'd done the last few days, this part shouldn't feel so difficult. But quite frankly, she almost thought it'd be less intimidating to tangle with Kronos again. Or at least a few dracaenae and maybe a Hyberborean giant or two.

All of her, admittedly half-made, plans went immediately out of her head, though, when she found Percy waiting for her just outside the throne room doors.

"Hey," she said, a little breathlessly.

"Hey." He grinned. "How're you feeling, official architect of Olympus?"

She gave a small laugh. "Honestly? A little overwhelmed. But excited. Plus, Apollo fixed my arm," she demonstrated bending and straightening it, "so that's good, too."

"Definitely." Percy took a deep breath, then moved fractionally closer to her, causing Annabeth's heart to start racing. "So—"

"You are welcome about that arm." A voice interrupted whatever Percy had been about to say. Apollo approached them, human-sized and beaming, dressed like a member of a boy band. "I will accept a burnt offering of the dessert of your choice."

"Of course, Lord Apollo," Annabeth said, trying to swallow back her disappointment at his terrible timing. "I really appreciate your help."

"Obviously." Apollo held up his hands. "Now, I've been working on a haiku—"

"Gee, Lord Apollo, we'd love to stay and listen," Percy said, "but we've bothered all of you on Olympus for long enough. We'd better go." He grabbed Annabeth's hand and they walked quickly away before the god could start spouting poetry.

"Sorry about that," Percy said as they started down the hill. He hadn't let go of her hand, and Annabeth didn't mind. "I don't want to be rude and piss any of them off so soon, but I've heard Apollo recite before and—"

"You made the right call," Annabeth said. Tentatively, she squeezed his hand. Percy shot her a nervous smile and returned the pressure.

Unfortunately, before they could continue their conversation, Percy spotted Hermes in a courtyard off the main road.

Percy glanced at her, then said, "I'll meet you at the elevator."

"You sure?" Annabeth asked. But the look on his face was equal parts determined and resigned. She also knew it probably wouldn't be best for her to join him in talking to Hermes right now. Her heart squeezed thinking of Luke, but she wasn't ready to focus on that. "Yeah, you're sure."

Annabeth squeezed his hand again, then let go before continuing to weave her way down through Olympus towards the elevator, making mental notes about various buildings as she did so, even while her fingers were still tingling from Percy's hand in hers.

More unfortunately, they still didn't get a chance to talk, even once Percy rejoined her at the elevator, smelling strangely like smoke. Once they reached the lobby, his mom and Paul were waiting for them, then Nico ran in to tell them that Rachel had absconded with Blackjack, and all of that took precedence. On the plus side, when Apollo appeared at Camp Half-Blood to anoint his new oracle, he didn't seem to remember that Percy and Annabeth had run away from him on Olympus.

The rest of the day was hectic as campers returned from the city and both the wounded and the dead needed to be attended to.

Finally, though, as dinner approached, things began to calm down. An idea came to Annabeth and her tired brain ground back into action. After all, as she'd told Percy years ago, Athena always had a plan.

"Hey, Tyson, can you help me with something?"