Percy Jackson Fanfics

first light

Title: first light
Author: anotherwildflower
Site: Archive of Our Own
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11581689

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Percy’s eyes fluttered open with the golden rays of the early morning sun coming through his window and the golden curls of Annabeth’s hair tickling his nose. He had almost forgotten what this felt like. It was moments like these that he just paused for as long as he could. Moments where he inhaled and smelled the sweet citrus scent of Annabeth’s shampoo mixed with the salty sea air of his cabin. Moments where he could count her even breaths as she slept soundly curled up beneath his arms. Moments where the world was still and everything was perfect.

Waking up next to her was both a rarity and a blessing nowadays. Last year, after coming back from Tartarus, the whole camp walked on eggshells around them. Everyone doing whatever they asked, smothering them with praise, being at their beck and call, the rules bent to their will. This summer, things seemed to have returned to back to normal. This included Chiron’s “No Annabeth in the Poseidon Cabin after Midnight” rule. But after returning to camp in the middle of the night from a much too long solo quest to upstate, Percy had arrived to see his girlfriend: asleep, wearing a camp shirt two sizes too big for her (which meant it must be his), wrapped in the sheets on his bed. His exhausted mind and tired body didn’t hesitate for a second as he shed himself of his dirty questing clothes and cuddled up to her before quickly falling asleep.

Now he had the chance to fully enjoy her presence. He absentmindedly let his long slim fingers languidly trail up the gentle curve of her hips that rested against him. Her skin was smooth and soft underneath his calloused fingertips. He made a path up her side, across her shoulder, and down her arm. The smallest of noises escaped Annabeth causing Percy to hold still hoping not to wake her up. Her rustling quickly returned back to slumber and Percy was able to relax again. It was too early for the morning to truly begin.

One, two, three, four. . . he thought as he felt the steady rise and fall of her lungs against his own bare chest. He made gentle circles against her stomach that mirrored her tempo. He loved how when Annabeth was asleep everything about her seemed softer. Her toned abs relaxed, her scarred arms delicately pulled close to her chest, her long legs tangled up in his, and her beautiful but stern appearance softly faded. He loved everything about her. Even though he was the child of a god, hero of Olympus, and knew without a shadow of a doubt that greater powers existed; if he worshipped anything in this universe, he worshipped her.

Percy found himself pressing whispers of kisses against her collarbone, up her neck, frowning when he discovered a fresh new scar on her jawline. He placed one more kiss just above it on the corner of her lips before burying his face into the nook of her neck as he tightened his grip around her waist, pulling Annabeth as close to him as possible. He stayed like that for a long time, humming melodies against her skin and playing with the twist of her curls. It wasn’t until Annabeth began to stir and stretch with a yawn that he was sure this hadn’t just been a dream.

“Good morning,” he whispered in her ear, his voice husky and cloaked with sleep. Annabeth turned over in his grasp and ran her thumb over his cheekbone, as if also trying to prove to herself this was real.

“You’re home,” she responded with a smile. And with Annabeth rested against him, her fingers lightly tracing his collarbone he thought, I am.