To Riordanlover16- Gods! Am I right? XD She'll be fiiiiinnnneeee, totally fiiiiinnneeee. I haven't had anything on my PMs about reviews (or anything really :P ) Feel free to smack the replies in your next review on this, I always see these XD
Annabeth had finally got permission to build at Camp Half-Blood. Why should the Romans get a city they could retire into but not the Greeks?
It had taken years of wheedling and planning and presenting and today, finally, it had been agreed.
The camp would stay as it was, a separate entity for the younger demigods. With help from a few different sources, Leo and his newfound riches included, she had acquired land outside of the camp, adjacent to the borders. With the help of Percy and Jason, she had the magical boundaries extended to accommodate this new land.
That had taken some time. Chiron and Mr. D needed to be asked, of course, but then so did several of the other gods. That was why she had equipped Percy and Jason; both had strived to have the gods recognised and they worked well as an olive branch to achieve this goal.
Athena had been asked first, approving of Annabeth's designs. Apollo had pitched in, still remembering his time as Lester at Camp fondly. A home away from home, he called it. Hecate had been involved, manipulating the Mist and magic. And then, when Louisa showed interest in the build, Poseidon had offered to protect the nearby waters.
"Oh, this is coming together nicely," Annabeth beamed, rubbing her hands. She had set up a command tent, overlooking the expanse of fresh land. Her city would not be as large as New Rome, but it would be big enough. She had plans for homes and shops and restaurants, she wanted to build schools for the children and a library dedicated to her mother. It was going to be a wonderful place.
Leo, being the top investor after herself, was studying her plans, sat at the table.
"Are you sure we can't call it Valdeztopia?"
"I'm very sure."
"I think a statue of me would look good here. And here. Maybe there as well." Annabeth rolled her eyes. Some things never changed.
Leo and his siblings were offering to help her and hers. The Athena kids were going to plan and design and help build. The Hephaestus kids were going to help with supplies, the main construction and organising the city's power and water supplies.
The tent flap opened, a glimpse of the first snow of the year. It had settled rather well, glistening beneath the early November sunshine. In came the twins, bundled up in thick coats and hats. Their faces were pink with cold.
Percy grinned at them. Tobias's head was under his chin, the boy zipped up in his father's coat, his thick blue hat pulled down over his ears.
"Mammy!" he beamed, wriggling. Percy unzipped him and handed him over. Annabeth smiled and cuddled him close, peppering his cheek with kisses.
"Warm in here," Percy remarked, shedding his coat. Leo pointed at the space heater, one of his own creations. It could be adjusted to warm a room of various sizes, the largest of which could be a good-sized hall, the smallest of which could be a tent like this. It had blown up twice in the early stages, an issue with the power intake. Then he had managed to make it more compact; it was no bigger than a side table and was barely audible. It hadn't blown up yet, which was always a good sign.
He looked over at Louisa. She too had wrapped Bradley up inside her coat, though he was attached to her by sling. He was two months old now, a bit more alert and rather cosy in his little cream snow suit. He was getting better at keeping his head up on his own, looking around with those big sea green eyes.
He kicked excitedly when Leo came into his field of vision, his little face breaking out into a dribbly, gummy smile. Leo grinned, catching his small hands and waggling them. The smiling thing was recent, only the last week or so, but Bradley smiled a lot. He always smiled when he saw his mama and he always smiled when he saw Leo, which made Leo feel like nothing could ever be wrong again.
Louisa unwrapped the sling and Leo lifted Bradley away, bouncing him on his hip, one hand on the back of his head. Bradley's hair had grown longer, sticking up at odd angles like his Tío Percy's.
"Are you OK with him for a bit?" Louisa asked anxiously. "I've… gotta see Mr. D."
The other reason she was here, aside from the build. Therapy.
Leo smiled. He jostled Bradley's hand, making him smile again.
"What do you think, chiquito? Wanna help with Valdeztopia?"
"We are not—" Annabeth sighed through her nose. "Percy, tell him. Before I strangle him."
"It's Jacksonopolis, we've already decided."
"Oh, you're just as bad."
Louisa smiled at the bickering. She passed Leo the baby bag, ruffled Bradley's hair, and left. Leo waited for her footsteps to crunch away in the snow before looking at the others.
"She didn't sleep well," Percy murmured. "She's been sat on the beach since sun-up."
"It's cold though."
"She had her coat and three blankets, I took them out to her." A warm hand tapped Leo's face, Bradley curious as to what his nose was. Percy smiled. "It was nice having both the boys," he said. "They should spend more time together. Oh, Tobias. Tobias, who's that? Who's Uncle Leo holding?" Tobias stared over, grey eyes wide. He thought about it for a moment, for a bit too long.
Percy was undeterred. "I swear, we did this at breakfast. Who's that, Tobias? Who's that?"
It clicked then and Tobias smiled broadly.
"Braddie!"
"Yeah, it's Braddie!" Percy grinned. "We like Braddie, don't we?" Tobias nodded eagerly. His hands were twisted in Annabeth's hair, playing with the curls. Annabeth didn't seem to mind. She had her son on her hip, her other hand braced on the table as she consulted her blueprints again.
Leo resumed his seat, perching Bradley on the table. Bradley immediately kicked and sent some pencils rolling away, smiling at their clattering noise.
Annabeth raised her eyebrows at Percy. Percy nodded once. "Leo?" he called. "Leo?"
"Mm?"
"You OK?"
"Annabeth won't build me a statue," Leo said immediately. Percy did not need to look at Annabeth to know she too recognised the clear deflection.
Annabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"We don't need a dozen statues of you."
"No, you're right. Three dozen, at least." He stroked his chin, tipping his head up. "True beauty must be captured to its fullest, don't you think?"
"There's not enough structural supports in the world to support that oversized head of yours," Annabeth said. Leo stuck his tongue out, blowing a raspberry. Tobias giggled and copied. Annabeth sighed. "Why do you and Lou insist on teaching him things? They're never good things." She tweaked her son's nose and he blew another raspberry, cackling and clapping.
Leo sat forward. Bradley grappled clumsily for his face again, Leo deftly catching his hand.
"Look, chiquito. Shouldn't we put a statue of me there? What about there? I think one per street, that will do it. Maybe one per house if Annabeth calls me fat-headed again." He grinned slyly. Annabeth dropped her hand from miming his head inflating, huffing.
"You're supposed to be helping."
"I am helping."
"You're helping your ego, not my city."
"Well, if anything, that means I'm helping your ego. And we don't do that here, do we, Bradley? No, no we don't. The only ego round here worth maintaining is my own, yes."
"Play!" Tobias requested, swinging his arms out to his father. Percy grinned and took him back. "Play!" Tobias repeated, pointing to the tent flap. His face scrunched in concentration. "Snoooo."
"Snow," Percy corrected gently. "You want to play in the snow?"
"Yes!"
"You have to put your coat back on then." Another raspberry. Percy hummed. "No coat, no snow."
"Snooo!"
"Coat then."
"Coat then," Tobias agreed sulkily. He didn't make it easy for Percy to get his coat back on, hopping and wriggling and refusing to bend his arms. Eventually, Percy bested him, zipping him firmly up and wrestling the hat back onto his head. Tobias threw it off hardly a second later. Percy put it back only for it to be thrown again.
Leo snorted. Percy caught his eye.
"You'll be dealing with this in a few months," he warned. "You won't be laughing then."
"Nah," Leo shook his head. "Me and Bradley are on a wavelength." Percy scoffed disbelievingly. Leo's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Skill issue," he said. Percy froze in doing up his own coat, glaring at him. Leo smiled angelically. Percy didn't deign to respond, carting his son out instead. Tobias squealed delightedly and ran ahead on his tottering legs. He got about three feet from the tent flap before falling flat on his face in the snow.
"Oh!" Annabeth gasped. Percy picked Tobias up, dusting him down. Tobias spat out snow and laughed. He was off like a rocket. Percy had a split second to send back a thumbs-up and then hurried after him.
Annabeth sighed, relieved.
"He's very fast for someone so small," Leo commented. He wriggled Bradley's foot. "Ah, he'll have someone to play with soon. Maybe burn off some of that energy."
"Yeah…" Annabeth said uncertainly. Leo glanced over at her tone. She gave a start and hurriedly fussed with some papers, cheeks pink. "Um… back to work."
"No, what's that look for?"
"Nothing. No look. I was thinking of expanding the library a bit, we've got this extra space at the back—" She noticed Leo wasn't paying attention to the plans, refusing to. "What?" she demanded, trying for fierce and missing by a mile. "What's that look for?"
Leo was thinking, she could tell that much. It was never a good sign when Leo was thinking.
His eyes widened and he mumbled something in Spanish.
"I've got it," he said, pointing at her. "I've got it."
"You've got nothing."
"No, no, I do. You… you… I said Tobias would have someone to play with soon, meaning Bradley. You… you said… aaah, but you didn't mean Bradley, did you?" She flushed crimson and turned away. Leo grinned. "Does Percy know yet?"
"No. I don't even know yet, not for certain. I'm… a few days late is all. It's nothing big."
"It is big! Go find out, go! I'll sort this place out, I've got my apprentice here and everything, look. All in hand."
"Bradley's your apprentice?"
"Yes. Don't change the subject, Beth. I won't allow it in Valdeztopia."
"We are not calling it—"
"Go find out."
"But what if I'm wrong?" she despaired. "You saw how happy Percy was, he loved having them both overnight. I… I know he wants more kids, but I don't want to get his hopes up…"
"Now if only there was some way of testing this, some way of finding out for sure… oh wait." She stamped her foot.
"You're not helping!"
"I am! Go, woman, go! Go or I'll set Bradley on you." He hefted the baby out towards her, holding him at arm's length. "He's vicious, you see." Bradley kicked his legs and flailed his arms. He was getting familiar with his aunt, recognising her blonde curls. "See?" Leo said as Bradley continued to wave his arms. "Vicious! He'll drool on you and poop on you and—"
"OK, OK! I'll go."
"I knew that would work."
"I'm not getting away from Bradley, I'm getting away from you."
"Said no woman ever," Leo nodded, sitting Bradley in the crook of his arm. Annabeth eyed him sidelong, pulling her coat on.
"I'll tell Lou you said that."
"Noooo, she'll kill me."
"What is it between you two anyway?"
"Don't change the subject! That's the first law of Valdeztopia!"
Annabeth had to leave then. Leave or launch a protractor at his face. Leo grinned after her. "We make a good team, don't we, chiquito?" Bradley beamed at him, hands opening and closing. Leo kissed his forehead. "Yes we do. Now, help me put these statues in while she's not here."
Percy taught Tobias to throw snowballs instead of his hat. It probably wasn't his best idea, but there was only so far Tobias could throw and it kept the hat on his head. He was still a bit clumsy on gripping things and most of his throws went straight down anyway. One splattered on Percy's shin and Tobias squealed, scooping up handfuls of snow to launch.
It took a bit of explaining and demonstrating before he got Tobias rolling a snowball. He had to help quite a bit, eventually making a soccer-ball-sized snowball. Percy rolled a smaller one and plonked it on top.
"Snowman," he said. "He needs a face."
"Snoooma," Tobias tried. "Snoooomaaaaa."
"Yes," Percy smiled. "Snowman."
They couldn't find any rocks for eyes, but they did find some twigs that were perfect for arms. Tobias clapped at their creation, rocking on his unsteady feet.
"Snooomaaa!" he beamed. "'Gain!"
"Again?" Percy laughed. Tobias nodded.
"'Gain!"
They made three more, all different sizes. Percy was getting frostbite in his knees staying at his son's height, but he didn't get up. Tobias was having too much fun.
Tobias pointed at the first one, the tallest. "Daddy," he said. He pointed at the next one down. "Mammy. Me," the third one and then the fourth one was, "baby."
"Baby snowman?" Percy asked.
"Baby snooomaa," Tobias agreed.
"Like Bradley?" Bradley was Tobias's only experience with a baby smaller than himself and it was only this morning had he first attempted saying his cousin's name.
Tobias didn't answer, yawning into his hands red with cold. Percy frowned. He had definitely put gloves on the child before they started making snowballs and again before the snowmen.
He looked around, holding Tobias by the back of his coat. Ah, there they were. A small pair of thick blue mittens were wonkily hanging from the first snowman's twig hands.
He freed the gloves. Tobias noticed immediately, curling his hands into fists.
"No," he said.
"Yes," Percy said. "Or your hands will get so cold, they'll fall off."
"No," Tobias said again. Even at eighteen months, the boy was smart. Maybe too smart.
Tobias jumped on the spot, yelling happily. He waved madly, nearly clocking Percy in the face. "Lou! Lou!" he called. "Look! Snooooommaaasss."
"What? Oh, snowman." Louisa trudged over, her coat zipped all the way to the top. "These are some very nice snowmen, squirtface." She crouched and Tobias bounced into her arms, snuggling under her chin.
"Look, Tobias. Lou's wearing gloves." She stroked the boy's face, the material soft but cold on his cheek. Percy met his sister's eye. "Tell him, Lou. Tell him his hands will fall off if he doesn't wear them."
"Not only will they fall off," Louisa said, "but they'll get eaten by the Snow Monster." Tobias puzzled at her. He pointed at the family of snowmen. "No, that ain't the Snow Monster." She flicked her hand, turning Tobias with the other. "That's the Snow Monster."
It wasn't a monster, not really. It was a magically crafted snowman rolling towards them, icicles for arms and a wide gap in place of its mouth. It was tiny, similar in height to Tobias; to him, it was huge and aiming straight for him.
"My hands!" Tobias defied, thrusting them out. He kept still while Percy put the gloves on and then roared in challenge, sprinting at the Snow Monster. He didn't stop running even when he collided with it. Louisa spread her fingers at just the right moment and the Snow Monster exploded into powdery snow.
Tobias whooped, arms up in victory. "My hands, my hands!"
"Keep your gloves on or the Snow Monster will come back," Louisa said. He nodded dutifully, peering carefully at the snow all around him. Once he had deemed it was safe, he sat down heavily and began clumping together his own snowball. "Kid learns quick," Louisa muttered to her brother. Percy smiled.
"Takes after Annabeth. How'd it go?" Percy nodded back at the Big House. Louisa shrugged, tipping her head away. Percy didn't press— she got the same look their mother did when she was trying not to cry.
"Daddy?" Tobias's snowball fell apart in his hands and he yawned again. He rubbed at his eyes, beginning to whine.
"Naptime," Percy prescribed, scooping him up. He motioned with his head to Louisa and, together, they stomped back to Cabin Three, leaving a trail of deep footsteps as they sank into the snow.
It was warmer in the cabin. Tobias was asleep before they even got there. Percy carefully removed his coat and the gloves he had spent so long trying to get on, setting them to dry by the door. He tucked Tobias into his own bunk, laying an extra blanket on top.
Louisa swung up onto her bed, top bunk of the neighbouring unit. She pulled off one boot and then the other, letting each drop in turn. Tobias didn't wake at either thump, drooling into the pillow.
Percy sat on the end of his bed, looking up at her. She had flopped back so all he could really see where her legs up to her knees. "You don't want to talk about Mr. D."
"He thinks I'm insane."
"He said that?" She made an inconceivable noise, swinging her right foot. "Have you got to go back?"
"Yeah. Tomorrow. Guess I'll be here for a while."
"Have you told Jessica?"
"Bitch please. This was her idea. Hers 'n' Nico's, that little rat." Percy still hadn't forgiven Nico for that incident on the roof, but he couldn't argue with the results. Progress was being made if she had been to see Mr. D and was set to go back.
Louisa sighed, now swinging her left leg. "Mom said I'm not allowed home 'til she says so. She also said I'm supposed to stay in Camp 'n' call her every day. After breakfast 'n' before bed."
"She's worried about you. We all are."
He expected her to say I'm fine. That had been her default response these past few months. I'm fine, I'm fine.
It never came.
"I might go to the stables. Storm will be gettin' antsy if I don't see her."
"Say hello to Blackjack for me. I'll come and see him later when Tobias is awake."
She jumped down noiselessly, yanking her boots back on. She pulled the laces taut, threw her coat around her shoulders and vanished out the door.
Percy sighed. Baby steps, he said to himself. It's all baby steps.
The door opened. Louisa back so soon? Did she forget something?
"Hi," Annabeth smiled. She was fidgeting with something in her hands. Percy couldn't really see what it was, something white and plastic. A marker maybe? "Um… I… need to tell you something."
"Is everything OK?" He stood, reaching for her. Her hands tightened on the marker, just briefly. "Wise Girl, what's the matter?"
"Uh, well…" She glanced past him to Tobias, expression easing at seeing him sound asleep. She held out the marker and that was when Percy realised it wasn't a marker.
The floor teetered beneath him. He had seen this before.
"You're pregnant," he said. Annabeth nodded, wringing her hands.
There was a beat while Percy stared at the not-marker, at the positive pregnancy test.
Then he was laughing and Annabeth was swept up, feet clear off the floor. He spun her around twice, smothering her face in kisses then her lips. He didn't set her down fully, only her toes touching the floor. Annabeth hardly noticed, secure in his hold. "I— love— you— so— much," he said between kisses. She tried to say it back but could hardly get a word in edgeways under his affection. She found herself giggling, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Why had she ever been worried?