Percy stared at the blood on his hands.

It was a small cut, but the blood just kept coming.

He watched the rivulets of crimson weep down his fingers and drip into his sink.

"You okay, sweetie?" his mother came to his side, taking his hand into her own over the sink. "Looks like you got yourself good." She turned his hand over, revealing the cut on his palm. "How'd you do this cutting a potato?"

He shrugged, "Dropped the knife and caught it."

"You didn't think to catch it by the handle?" Sally laughed at her son. "Or let it fall to the floor and pick it up, then?"

"I've caught knives a hundred times over. How was I supposed to know this would be the one time I messed up?" he reached for the faucet handle.

Only to have his mom smack away his uncut hand.

"Nuh-uh. No powers in my house. Not after last time. Grab a band-aid like we regular humans do."

"Yes, mother." Percy rolled his eyes. "Though, I'll have you know that was a year ago, and I've gotten better since then."

"And when the water got out of hand, and you ruined Paul's bookshelf of books?"

"And then I had them replaced. Some of them were even replaced with first editions that I got from Annabeth's mom. A few were even signed by the ghost of Frank Hubert himself."

"Be as that may, Percy. No powers. Now hurry up and get a band-aid. You know where they are at."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, lifting his bleeding hand into the air as his other hand caught any blood from draining down his arm.

He walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway bathroom. Turning the faucet onto a silent drip, he ran his cut palm beneath the water. He watched as the cells of his skin reached out and embraced each other as the kitchen mishap quickly healed itself. The diluted mix of blood and water swirled down the drain.

Percy flicked his hands dry, forcing the water from them with the slightest aid of his demigod powers. What his mother didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Then, for appearance's sake, he slapped a band-aid on over where the now-healed cut once was.

He exited back out to the kitchen where his mom had taken over preparing dinner.

"I heard the sink," she chided, sliding the cut potatoes into a large pot. Percy could sense the water already boiling inside.

"There were no books to ruin in the bathroom."

She shook her head gently, rolling her eyes as she placed the cutting board down on the counter. He quickly stepped back into the kitchen, cracking open the oven to check on the turkey inside, which was covered by foil. He peeled it back, stealing a glance at the bird.

"How's it looking?"

Percy closed the oven door, "Looking good. Really wish it was done by now. I'm starving."

"Patience, Percy. Dinner will be done before you know it. Now, go sit down. Watch the game."

Percy nodded, stepping forward and stealing a hug from his mom. He held her close, slightly rocking her back and forth as she held onto him just as tightly.

"I love you, mom."

"I love you, too, Percy. To the moon and back."

"And past the stars," he smiled, pulling away. "Now, I guess I'll go watch the Lions lose for another Thanksgiving."

"Oh, take that platter of crackers and cheese with you as you go," she called out. Percy nodded, grabbed the assembled tray, and stepped out of the kitchen.

As he rounded the short hall and into the living room, he met Annabeth's gaze as she turned to the sound of his footsteps. She flashed him her dazzling smile, which was only second to the happiness in her grey eyes.

The two of them had come a long way since the Giant War. It had been quite literal hell and even rougher in the year after. Together, though, they had pulled through the nights of torment and nightmares, the haunting of the children of Nyx. Oh, how they plagued their nights….

"Cheese and crackers," he announced, setting the plate down on his mother's coffee table.

"Thanks, Percy." Paul leaned forward, snatching himself a snack.

"Thank mom, not me. I'm just the delivery boy," Percy responded, stepping past Paul and sitting down next to his fiancé. "How's the game?" he asked her.

"The Lions' offensive line is leaving too many gaps, so they need to tighten up their snap-to-release. It's too slow, and it's just giving the other team enough time to collapse the pocket. Then, their defense should switch to man-to-man. The zone play also leaves gaps that are being punished. I really don't know how their coaches haven't caught onto this already."

"Maybe you should look at coaching, eh?" Paul chimed in, snatching another cracker.

Annabeth shrugged, "I don't think they'd be ready for a woman like me."

"You'd have them running your schedule down to what they use to brush their teeth."

"And they'd be calling it their lucky toothpaste as they win their fourth Super Bowl in a row," she shot back, bumping her shoulder into his.

"You should try talking to the Jets," Paul laughed. "They need all the help they can get."

"Maybe I will." She turned to Percy, raising an eyebrow. "What do you think about that?"

"Land me box seats, and I'll buy a jersey right now."

"That's not how…. Okay. Buy a jersey."

Percy frowned, "But we don't have box seats yet?"

"And now you realize what you've said," the daughter of Athena smirked.

"Well, it sounded a lot better in my head."

"I'm sure it did, Seaweed Brain."

"I'm not giving you my mom's secret recipe for the turkey now."

"Please." Annabeth rolled her eyes, the smile on her lips betraying her. "I could just ask her."

"Nuh-uh. Mom won't give that up. It's a secret for a reason."

Paul laughed off to the side as Annabeth only smirked, challenging Percy.

"Hey, Sally!" Annabeth called out.

"Yes, dear?"

"What's the secret recipe for the turkey? Percy's being a butt and says you won't tell me how to make the turkey."

"Did he?" she called back, chuckling. "Why don't you come in here real quick, and I'll tell you about it?"

"What? Mom! I thought it was a secret?"

Annabeth stuck her tongue out at Percy as she stood.

"Percy, you act like you are going to remember it come next year," his mom called back. "You'd be calling me up asking for it. If I tell Annabeth now, we can save the hassle of all that, especially when you would've been missing ingredients in the eleventh hour."

"She's got a point, Percy," Paul laughed, reaching for another cracker.

Percy rolled his eyes, watching his fiancé walk away. Before she rounded the corner, she tossed him one last victorious smirk and a wink to match.

Gods, he loved her. What a lucky fool he was.

Percy turned back to the game and snagged a clutch of crackers for himself. Flicking them up into the air one by one, he caught them in his mouth on their fall.

"She's a keeper, you know that?" Paul said, quiet enough that the conversation could only be heard by the two of them.

Percy smirked, "You just want more books from her collection."

"I had to try," Paul chuckled, but before he fixed Percy with a stare. "I'm serious, though. Once that ring is on her finger in the spring, don't ever let her go."

"I know, Paul. I know," he looked down at his feet. "She's seen me, a side of me that I don't even want to talk about. Something you wouldn't be able to look me in my eyes again if I ever told you about…. She sees me for who I am. She's seen me for who I could be. I'm never going to find someone like her ever again. So, I'm never letting her go."

Paul smiled, reaching out and laying a hand on Percy's shoulder. "Good. I'm glad you have someone like that for you—someone who understands everything me and your mother cannot."

Percy nodded, smiling at his step-father, "So what book are you after?"

Annabeth returned to the living room to the two men's laughter. Not trying to interrupt them, she slinked back to her seat next to Percy, leaning into him as she watched him wink at her.

Gods, she loved him. What a lucky woman she was to find someone as perfect as him. Even her mother approved of him, claiming there was no one better for her daughter.

Her hand crept to her lower belly. How lucky was she that this was going to be the father of their child?

She tucked her head into his side, his arm encircling her as he laid a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, Beth. To Chaos and back."

AN: This is just a simple one-shot I made in passing. There isn't much to it. I'm just trying to practice some softer tones for other content. Hope you enjoyed this simple work.

Check the profile for more stories and content. Link in Bio for the exclusive discord for the homies.

That's about it.

-Manke