End of the Line

#50 - Happily Ever After

Chapter 50 - Happily Ever After
published: Wednesday, 8 January 2020

Annabeth yawned as she rubbed her eyes lazily.

Light streamed in through the small window above the bed, casting a soft glow on her.

Annabeth rolled over to her left, and everything came rushing back to her.

She hid a smile as Percy snorted in his sleep. His eyes fluttered open, staring hazily at her as if he couldn't belief she was here.

"Mornin'," he mumbled. Percy's eyes widened in alarm. "Did I drool? Am I drooling?"

Annabeth nearly snorted. "It's okay," she laughed. "You're safe."

As he exhaled in relief, Percy seemed to realise that they were in bed together.

"We are doing that again," Annabeth told him.

Percy shrugged. "Agreed. We're too good at it, it'd be a sin if we didn't."

Annabeth laughed, kissing him on the cheek.

"You know that it wasn't just a spur of the moment, right?" Percy asked.

Annabeth gave him a look of amusement. "Are you asking me out?"

Percy blushed. "Yeah, for like the fifth time. At this point, Annabeth, we're like those on-and-odd couples of TV that you hate."

She wrinkled her nose. "Don't you dare."

As soon as the words exited her lips, the door burst open with a deafening bang.

Annabeth yelped as she yanked the duvet up over her chest, while Percy scrambled to look nonchalant.

In the doorway stood their fellow quest members, as well as Calypso, mouths agape and eyes wide.

"What the hell are you doing?" Annabeth shrieked.

"We could ask you the same thing!" Hazel shrieked back, her face stricken with horror.

Annabeth buried her face in Percy's shoulder. She had never been so embarrassed in her entire life.

"I told you she wasn't missing," Annabeth heard Leo tell Piper.

"Get out!" Percy said frantically, wanting nothing more than to drown himself in the sea.

The door slammed shut again, but the flurry of discussion outside the cabin still reached their ears.

Annabeth sunk into the sheets. "Oh my gods," she laughed, nearly in tears. "I'm sorry, I know that was really bad, but their faces!"

Percy rested his head on the headboard, closing his eyes as he chuckled. "Oh gods, you know they're never going to let us live that down, right?"

^^^^^

Annabeth walked into the pavilion with red cheeks, avoiding meeting the eyes of her friends.

Her hair was down to cover up the hickey on her neck, but she wasn't quite sure if it was working. Annabeth could feel Piper's gaze burning into the back of her head.

Despite the losses they'd suffered yesterday, everyone was more upbeat and optimistic than usual. The future of Olympus was ahead of them, and they could control it however they wanted.

Exactly two minutes and thirty seconds later, as they'd timed it, Percy walked in to breakfast, sitting down at the Big Three table.

Jason, Thalia and Nico simultaneously looked up as he slid into the seat beside them.