Recorded Dreams (A Percabeth AU)

47

Percy POV-

"Percy, your phone's ringing!" Piper calls to me as I come back up from under the water of our school's pool. I went there to swim often, it helped me to just clear my head, especially before the school day began.

Piper hands it to me and I answer.

"Hey Percy," a familiar voice says.

"Hey Wise Girl. You have a phone again?"

"No. This is Malcolm's actually. He was kind enough to let me borrow it. I wanted to call to check up on you."

"We saw each other last night."

"Yeah, but we didn't really get to talk. Not how we usually do."

"Okay. Then in that case, I'm doing pretty good. I was swimming in my schools pool. I come here every so often. Piper's here with me. She just floats on a raft, sometimes she tries to stand up on it to see if she can surf though. She can't."

"Hey! I'll have you know that I can, but it's very difficult to do on a pool floaty!" Piper exclaims. Then she tears the phone out of my hands. "Annabeth, don't listen to a word he says. I'm an expert. Better than he'll ever be, he's just jealous. Anyways, I wanted to ask you; you are coming to the party on Friday, right? With Percy?"

She nods her head as Annabeth talks on the other end of the line.

"Good. Did he tell you it's a prom party?" She pauses for a minute. "Yeah, Percy was in the hospital during prom, so we're throwing him one. I'm forcing him to wear a suit and tie."

"Piper! It's okay, we don't need to-" she puts a finger to her lips and gives me a scolding gaze.

"Yes! Oh my god! We should go dress shopping together! I need one too, because the one I had I spilled punch on... yeah, it was sad. It's okay though, now all the dresses will be on sale because it's after the prom season." They continue to talk more about the party and I decide to swim a couple more laps. I used to do swim years ago, but once my parents had Estelle, it got too busy and I didn't have the time. I would have to babysit Estelle while Paul was staying late at work and my mom was still working later shifts at a local book store, where she had actually met Paul. It was hard for them to scrape together the money, but we managed. My mom didn't want me to quit swim, but I knew I needed to in order to make ends meet. Then, my mom began her writing career, and that changed.

She was home most days, working at the kitchen table until we cleared out a room to turn into the office. Paul would go on there and work too, especially when Estelle and I would run through the apartment, yelling and waving swords and wands to fight off fake dragons. Although my parents would laugh and enjoy the show most of the time, if work needed done, they would hide in the office, where they couldn't hear us as well. They would tell Estelle they were fearful of the terrible dragon and needed to stay hidden from it and she would leave them be. Of course, I would also make sure she left them alone when I knew they needed a breather.

And that's how I found myself in the pool most mornings. Even though I had quit the team, the water had always relaxed me. I would come and swim laps in the mornings, when I needed a break from the mayhem at my home. I did it early, before school when I could, so my parents wouldn't know. I never wanted them to see me tired and worn out when they had so much more going on and so much more responsibility.

Of course, some days I would go to the gym too. The days I was especially frustrated, about a test or a project. Or when Annabeth had to leave. I was at the gym every day then. Jason would come with me, and occasionally Reyna and Thalia would come with him. It was nice to go in there and just work out, forgetting the world behind me and only remembering one thing.

Annabeth.

Sometimes, I would forget that she wasn't with me. The thought would slip my mind as I remembered her laugh when I said something stupid, her voice as she called me a seaweed brain or told me she loved me.

And now, she was finally with me again. And we would be together forever, because I knew that's how we were meant to be.

"Percy!" A voice calls, breaking my thoughts. I can hear it through the stillness of the water. I propel up to the surface where Piper holds my phone out to me. "Your girlfriend wants to talk to you. We're going shopping after school by the way. You're going to have to come to buy a tie to match her dress."

She passes the phone to me after I climb out of the water. I hold the phone to my ear and grab a towel to dry off.

"Why didn't you tell me it was a prom party?" She asks.

"Because I didn't want to make you dress up if you didn't want to. I know you hate it."

"Percy, it's okay. I'll be fine. I'll just pick out a comfortable one that I really like when we go shopping."

"You sure?"

"Of course. Now how are you doing today?"

"Pretty great. I haven't swam in a while so it was fun to get into the pool to do that."

"I knew you swam, but how often?"

"I used to go about once a day if I could. If I didn't, I would go lift instead."

"Oh thank god you didn't get your muscles from doing a plank with Estelle on your back."

"It did help. And I didn't just plank. I did push ups and other stuff too."

"Whatever Seaweed Brain. Anyways, Piper mentioned something about you being on swim team. When was that?"

I told her the whole story. She listened intently. "Percy, you're so sweet. You quit just to take care of Estelle?"

"Yeah. I couldn't do both and my mom needed a job more than I needed to swim. This year, with work, I couldn't anyways. It's okay though. As long as I'm helping my family. That's why I'm staying close to home for college. I want to help them out when I can. And of course, you're here, and I can't leave you."

"Good. You better never." I laugh.

"Never in a million years."

Alright guys! I hope you enjoyed! The next chapter should be out soon!

Have a great day!!!!

-Addie