Recorded Dreams (A Percabeth AU)

60

Percy POV-
Estelle and I come back from the park, her skipping and twirling next to me as I try to keep her from bumping into people in the heavy sidewalk traffic.

As we arrive at home, I find Paul in the kitchen preparing lunch. He picks up Estelle and motions for me to go to the living room.

In there, I find Annabeth hugging my mom tightly and crying as she sits next to her on the couch.

"Wise Girl," I whisper. "What's wrong?"

She looks up from my moms shoulder at me and I smile softly. She reached out one hand toward me. My mom lets go of her slowly, wiping her tears.

"Estelle's home, talk in my room?" I ask her. She nods slowly.

She storms circles around my room as she tells me about her day and her encounter with Helen.

"Annabeth, " I whisper and open my arms to her. She walks towards me and I'm about to hold her against me, but suddenly she grabs a pillow from behind me and whips it at the bare wall to my right.

"I could kill her," she says it so calmly and so casually that it actually scares me for a moment. I decide it's better to be on her side rather than the other.

"I'll help you hide the body."

She smiles at me and I don't know how to take that. I don't know if she's feeling relaxed, or if she's seriously planning out the murder.

"Annabeth, I was joking. I wouldn't do well in prison. And I would get caught. I'm not sneaky."

"I'm not actually going to kill her." I let out a relieved sigh. Then she mumbles, "maybe."

I think that it would be best to change the subject away from murder.

"So you told your dad the plan?" I ask Annabeth. She nods.

"Yeah; I let him know. I also discussed with Apollo. One more tour. No Helen." I smile at her and pull her close to my chest. She quickly clings to me, practically collapsing there. Her breathing slows and her eyes close.

"I'm happy for you, Wise Girl. You deserve everything."

"Even if this doesn't work out, I still have everything I need." She kisses the crook of my neck, and so I lean down and kiss her on the lips.

"Will you go with me?" She asks. "I know you'll have college starting soon, but certain dates, could you be there? With Estelle of course."

"I'll go as much as I can. I need to go to college though, unless you want a trophy husband."

She lets out a laugh, "and what about Estelle?"

This time, I laugh. "You're only engaged to me because you love Estelle."

"I'm not going to correct you."

"Whatever. I'll bring her along too, if mom and dad will let her."

She smirks. "What?" I ask.

"Ever since Poseidon showed up, you been calling Paul 'dad'."

"I try to do little things, even when he's not here, to dig under his skin. It's fun for me, and Paul thinks it's hilarious, even if he won't admit it when my moms around." She chuckles at that. I situate us so we're laying back on the bed, my head resting on only one pillow due to the other one's amazing disappearance. She still lays on my chest, and is soon fast asleep. I love the way she feels against me, her warmth surrounding me like a blanket. I rub small circles on her back, soothing her, even in her sleep.

I hear a small knock at the door, and turn to find the goddess herself standing in my doorway.

"Estelle, what's wrong?" She stares at me for a moment and smiles then, she looks at Annabeth and turns to leave. "Stella?"

She doesn't respond. I watch and wait for her to come back, but I have to be careful not to wake Annabeth.

Minutes later, she returns with two blankets, a puppy stuffed animal (we got it because it looked oddly like Mrs. O'Leary), and a starfish shaped pillow from the aquarium.

"I want to snuggle too." She climbs up on the bed, has me lift my head to place the starfish under, places a small blanket over my torso, and snuggles onto the other side of me that Annabeth does not preoccupy.

"Do you want a movie?" I ask her.

"No, I just want snuggles." I smile and close my eyes. We lay there for five minutes before she speaks again.

"Percy?" Estelle asks. "Can I get another princess dress?"

"Is that why you're being snuggly?"

There's no response for a long time, and I expect that she's asleep too, even if it's only one in the afternoon.

Finally, she says, "no."

"Mhm. And did you ask mom about a princess dress?"

"Yeah."

"And what did she say."

" I have enough. But I don't. If I did, I wouldn't ask."

"We'll see about another dress, okay? Before that though, I have a question for you."

"What?"

"Annabeth invited us to a concert. It's going to be her last one. Do you want to go?"

"I thought she was done singing? She gave me all of her posters."

"No, she wants to do a final tour."

"Really?"

"Really."

"And I can go?"

"If mom will let you."

Estelle lets out the most excited and high pitched screech I've ever heard in my life. Suddenly, she jumps out of the bed and races out of the room.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!" I laugh, and Annabeth stirs and wakes up. She hears Estelle screaming for my mom and smiles.

"You told her?"

"Sorry, Wise Girl."

She shrugs. "I got enough sleep. I don't need it anyways. What would my mom say if she knew I was napping during the day rather than being productive?"

"Speaking of her, she knows the plan too, right?" She nods.

"Yeah, she knows. She seemed okay with it. I think. I don't know, she can be hard to read."

"I'm sure she's happy that you're happy."

"Yeah. Now let's go. I haven't had lunch yet." She stands up from off my bed, and grabs my hand.  I follow her out of the room. I'd follow her anywhere.

Hope you all enjoyed! Sorry it's been so long! Have a great day!

-Addie