Prompt 10: I'd love to read one where Percy and Annabeth sleep together for the first time in the Poseidon cabin (not in the sexual way, but would still be a huge moment for them kind of) for some reason I've always felt Annabeth would be the shyer one in this scenario.

Also a moment of them in uni as they're maturing and their relationship is getting more serious (could be in a physical way too?) would be awesome [SEE NEXT CHAPTER FOR THE RESPONSE TO THIS PART].

1st part—in the Poseidon cabin—and I DO really like this prompt because they were so calm in MoA when Frank catches them in the stables that it definitely feels like it's not the first time they've woken up together. Like, they were kind of embarrassed about getting caught, but neither of them acted at all embarrassed about having fallen asleep together, which I thought was interesting. So, yay for this prompt and the opportunity to explore that lol thanks!

The guilt was stupid. Annabeth knew that. But still, two days after Percy's disappearance, she couldn't help mentally beating herself up. They'd been searching for him night and day with no luck. She'd hadn't initially been too worried—he occasionally disappeared for a few hours, or even half a day, on random quests or to help sea creatures. He'd never been gone this long, though, without alerting someone. But Sally hadn't heard anything and neither had anyone else. There were no leads. He was really and truly missing. And, Annabeth had to admit, she hadn't been holding out much hope. It was the way his bed looked—the covers weren't tossed back or rumpled like they normally were when he climbed out. They were just limp and crumpled, still pulled up as if he'd simply disappeared out from beneath them. Which meant that something worse than a random small quest was going on. Annabeth just couldn't figure out what. The lack of information was infuriating. To be honest, that felt better than the guilt, but the guilt kept creeping back.

She should have stayed in the Poseidon cabin that night.

There was no logical reason for her to be feeling this way. Percy hadn't asked. She hadn't offered. And it probably wouldn't have changed anything if she'd been there. But what if it had?

That was the thought which kept threatening to drive her crazy, like a pesky gnat she couldn't swat. It was possibly tied to her fatal flaw, thinking that she could have prevented whatever this was. But she couldn't help it. She felt as if she had failed Percy at a moment when he needed her. And that hurt.

After scouring the forest again for any sign of him (there was none) and then checking in with Tyson and Rainbow at the beach to see if there was any update from under the sea (there wasn't), Annabeth felt herself start to crumble. And it wouldn't do any good for the other campers to see her like that. So, needing a quiet place to get away from everyone for a few minutes, Annabeth went to the Poseidon cabin.

She perched on the edge of Percy's bed and closed her eyes. Maybe, if she listened very hard, the room would whisper to her what had happened.

But it didn't. She was just there, alone.

Tears burned Annabeth's eyes. She took a deep breath, fighting them down, because if she started crying now, she wasn't sure she would stop. And that wouldn't do any good. Instead, trying to distract herself, she thought of the first time she'd fallen asleep in the Poseidon cabin.

In the four months that she and Percy had been dating, they'd accidentally fallen asleep together a handful of times. Usually, it was on the couch at Percy's apartment while watching a movie, and once at her dorm. But the first time had actually been in the Poseidon cabin, about a week and a half after they'd started dating. It wasn't anything scandalous. They'd just wanted a few minutes away from everyone else. So they were lying side by side on Percy's bunk, watching the hippocampi swim across the ceiling. It had been a long day. There'd been a very intense post-war Capture the Flag game. Everyone had seemed eager to throw themselves into a battle that wasn't actually life or death. Clarisse, in particular, had been spoiling for a fight. Annabeth's shoulder was still aching where she'd taken a hard hit from the daughter of Ares while doing guard duty near the creek. Of course, Clarisse hadn't come away unscathed. Percy had drenched her in a wave of creek water. While she'd been shouting at him and threatening him with her spear, Malcolm darted across the creek with the flag and the game was over. Clarisse had been even less happy about that.

"How's your shoulder?" Percy asked, probably because Annabeth had just winced when she shifted it.

"Sore," she admitted. "But I've had worse."

"It was the shoulder where you took that knife, though, wasn't it?" Percy's brow wrinkled with concern. "That's a low blow. Clarisse should have known better."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Percy, that was almost two weeks ago. The wound is completely healed. Plus, you're assuming Clarisse is observant enough to even realize that."

He made a face at her, but didn't argue.

Annabeth slid her fingers along the inside of his arm until she could take his hand. "Besides, you got her back pretty good."

Percy grinned. "Yeah, that was fun. Reminded me of old times."

"At least you didn't get me, too, this time." Annabeth nudged him with her good shoulder, remembering one of his first days at camp, when he'd drenched Clarisse and her cronies (and Annabeth) in toilet water.

"My bad. That was friendly fire." Percy turned his head to kiss her cheek and Annabeth felt a flutter run through her. "Plus, I had literally no control over my powers at that point. I'm still not actually sure how I made those toilets explode."

"Maybe you should practice?" Annabeth suggested sweetly.

Percy considered this. "I could probably hit the Stolls the next time they steal something."

"I like that idea."

They both laughed. Annabeth scooted closer until she could lay her head on Percy's shoulder. Golden afternoon sunlight made the bronze hippocampi shimmer against the stone ceiling. Everything felt warm and calm and peaceful. Percy squeezed her hand, but didn't say anything. Annabeth felt her eyelids getting heavy. Outside, campers' voices rose and fell, the usual sounds of talking, shouting, swords clanging from the arena, the climbing wall rumbling. Inside the cabin, the only sound was the rush of their breathing. Eventually, they'd both fallen asleep, only waking up when the conch horn had sounded for dinner. Annabeth had been a bit embarrassed at first, and Percy's face had been red, but after a few moments, they laughed it off and headed to dinner. After all, they'd been sleeping beside each other on quests for years. It wasn't that different. Except, Annabeth thought when Percy took her hand as they crossed the green, it also kind of was.

Now, sitting alone in the Poseidon cabin, Annabeth looked up again at the hippocampi, but sunset was nearly past and the cabin was dark, the stone walls reflecting a pale gray light. There was no wind, so the bronze figurines just hung limply on their strings. Everything felt darker and dimmer than that memory, which made everything hurt worse. Annabeth bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry.

The cabin door swung open. Annabeth jumped. For one moment, she felt a disbelieving surge of hope, already imagining that it would be Percy in the doorway. Her heart plummeted, though, when she realized that the figure standing there was Tyson.

"Sorry, Annabeth," he said. "I did not mean to scare you."

"It's okay," Annabeth said, trying to hide her disappointment. "I mean, I'm sorry about being in here. I didn't mean to intrude."

Tyson shrugged. "It is okay. I don't mind."

"Thanks." Annabeth wondered if she should get up, but she couldn't seem to find the energy. Plus, it appeared that Tyson really didn't mind, as he came over and sat down beside her on Percy's bed.

They were quiet for a few moments. Then Tyson said, "I miss him, too."

Annabeth crumbled. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, and buried her face in her hands as the tears fell.

For a while, they just sat there, tears dripping from Annabeth's hands onto her jeans as Tyson patted her back. Finally, though, Tyson said, "We will find him, Annabeth."

Annabeth couldn't understand how he could have so much confidence in his voice. But still, she raised her head enough to look at him. "Do you think so?"

"Yes," Tyson said without hesitation. Annabeth almost believed him.

A gust of sea breeze blew through the open windows and a last glimmer of gold from the sunset broke through, gilding the bronze hippocampi now gently twirling above their heads like weathervanes unsure of which direction to point.