ELYSIAN, the riordanverse

06

CRANKY WIVES AND PIZZA

Percy lay asleep next to his wife of two years, Annabeth Chase. Well her and their baby, Annabeth was six months pregnant and Percy was tired. The blond had the weirdest cravings, random mood swings and Percy really just wanted the kid to be born already. 

He'd been to a crazy amount of stores in the past few weeks, just because Annabeth wanted some really specific food so tonight when she woke up, asking for pizza, Percy just sighed and got up from bed. 

'I'll be back, I need to find a 24/7 pizza place... In New Rome.' Percy said, pulling on a shirt. 

'Thanks, Perce.' She said, pulling the covers up, closing her eyes again. Percy shook his head, grabbed his car keys and left the apartment. As he walked the streets of New Rome, the stars shining bright, he found himself saying, 'Bob says hello.'

It had been years since the war and... Tartarus but that didn't mean the memories nor the scars were gone. Percy shook his head and kept walking, there had to be a pizza place open at 2 am, right?

As he turned the corner, a little shop came into view... A restaurant. Thank the gods it was open. Percy walked inside and walked up to the counter. 

'Hi, can I get a-' Percy paused as a familiar figure turned to face him. 'Hey, Nico.'

'Hey, Perce. What do you want?' Nico said, fixing his apron. The son of Hades had changed a lot, he was much taller, more friendly and very... smile-y nowadays.

'Since when do you work here?' Percy said, tapping his foot against the floor. 

'I just started to take the night shift, wanted to do something a bit different. Now, what do you want?' 

'Right, uh... Two large pizzas.'

'What the hell do you want with pizza at 2am?'

'I have a cranky and pregnant wife at home, dude.' Nico laughed and waved his hand dismissively.

'Never mind, I get it. Annabeth has been a handful. It'll be ready in twenty.' As Percy waited, he heard the door open, the small bell jingling as another one of his friends came into view. 

'Frank? What are you doing here?' He asked as the Chinese man caught his breath from running here as a cheetah.

'I have a cranky and pregnant wife at home.' Frank said, repeating the same words Percy had said just a few minutes before. 'I hate saying it, because Hazel is a sweetheart and I love her... But, did she have to make me run all the way here?'

Percy laughed and patted his best friend's back. 'I get it, Zhang. Wives are annoying.'

Frank chuckled a bit as Nico walked in from the kitchen. 'Hey Neeks!' The son of Mars said as his brother-in-law sighed. 

'Let me guess, another irritating wife at home?' Frank shrugged as Nico shook his head. 'See, this is why I have a husband instead. No crazy women out to murder me if I don't get them pizza in the middle of the night.'

The green-eyed boy rolled his eyes but agreed, 'Yeah, you're right. Remind me again why we didn't all just stay bachelors?'

'Because we love those murderous women too much?' Frank said as Percy bit his tongue and laughed. 

'Who would've thought? The great Percy Jackson dead, killed by his wife of two years?' The three men burst into laughter once more as the smell of pizza wafted through the room.

_

'Wise Girl, I'm home!' Percy said in a sing-song voice. After hearing no response, he walked over to their bedroom, pizza boxes in hand. Seeing his wife sleeping, Percy grinned and slowly shook her awake. 

Annabeth groaned and sat up, 'What do you want?'

'Sheesh, your dear husband goes out of his way to get pizza for you and doesn't even get a kiss?' Percy said, pouting. Annabeth simply rolled her eyes and snatched the pizza box from his hand. As she started to dig in, Percy groaned and grabbed a piece. The grey-eyed woman swatted his hand away, 'What are you doing?'

'Eating pizza.' Percy deadpanned as Annabeth shook her head. 'No. You're eating my pizza.'

Percy shrugged and grabbed a slice, putting the whole thing in his mouth as his wife gasped and smacked him upside the head.

'What was that for?' Percy said but with a mouth full of food, it came out more like, 'Sh-wa-tat-fa?'

'Eating my pizza.' Annabeth repeated, holding the box close to her chest. The two spent the rest of the night bickering, laughing and the most important thing of all... eating.