A Shoebox of Photographs
"Dance Inside"
01. “Dance Inside”
“You know, you’re even beautiful when you’re tired,” Percy said, observing the girl half-asleep on the couch.
“Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth said, her voice muffled by the couch cushion, “shut up.”
“I love you too, Annabeth, but you’re not going to bed just yet.” He stood in front of the couch, his arms crossed over his chest, trying to figure how to best execute his plan.
She groaned. “Why not? I’m exhausted, Percy. And I know you are too! We spent all day moving things in and unpacking, and this place is still a disaster.”
He knelt down, bringing his face level to hers. “Hey,” he said. “I love you, Wise Girl.”
She leaned forward and kissed him, “I love you too, husband.”
“Now that is wonderful to hear,” he smiled. “Come on, get up.”
“Your head is full of kelp, Percy.” Annabeth grumbled as she let him pull her off the couch. “Now what?”
“Now,” he smiled at her, grabbing her hand. “This.” He pulled her into the kitchen where the radio was playing softly. He put his hands on her waist like he had done so many years ago at Westover Hall. She laughed and leaned her head against his chest, swaying to the music with him.
“Gods, Percy, you’re such a child,” she said, smiling at him.
He winked at her. “You wouldn’t love me if I weren’t.”
She laughed, and they kept dancing in their tiny kitchen. He twirled her out so far that she almost smacked into the refrigerator, and a few minutes later, he dipped her backwards and they almost fell over. By the time the song was over, they were just swaying in the middle of the room, trying not to injure each other.
Percy kissed the top of his wife’s head, silently thanking the gods for this wonderful woman they had given him. “I love you, Wise Girl,” he told her.
“I love you, too, Seaweed Brain,” she said, looking up at him. As their eyes met, she bit her lip and smiled.
“What?” Percy asked, kissing her.
“I was just thinking,” Annabeth said, absentmindedly playing with Percy’s hair. “We have the whole apartment to ourselves now, and I’m not really all that tired anymore.” She had to stop herself from laughing as he studied her; she could almost see the gears in his brain working out what she had said. It took him a few seconds, but finally, he smiled at her.
“Is the bed made?” He asked, picking her up. She wrapped her legs around his hips as kissed her.
She tried to remember if she had made the bed, but Percy was kissing her neck and it was becoming increasingly difficult to think of anything except for him. “Does it matter?”
“You know, you’re even beautiful when you’re tired,” Percy said, observing the girl half-asleep on the couch.
“Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth said, her voice muffled by the couch cushion, “shut up.”
“I love you too, Annabeth, but you’re not going to bed just yet.” He stood in front of the couch, his arms crossed over his chest, trying to figure how to best execute his plan.
She groaned. “Why not? I’m exhausted, Percy. And I know you are too! We spent all day moving things in and unpacking, and this place is still a disaster.”
He knelt down, bringing his face level to hers. “Hey,” he said. “I love you, Wise Girl.”
She leaned forward and kissed him, “I love you too, husband.”
“Now that is wonderful to hear,” he smiled. “Come on, get up.”
“Your head is full of kelp, Percy.” Annabeth grumbled as she let him pull her off the couch. “Now what?”
“Now,” he smiled at her, grabbing her hand. “This.” He pulled her into the kitchen where the radio was playing softly. He put his hands on her waist like he had done so many years ago at Westover Hall. She laughed and leaned her head against his chest, swaying to the music with him.
“Gods, Percy, you’re such a child,” she said, smiling at him.
He winked at her. “You wouldn’t love me if I weren’t.”
She laughed, and they kept dancing in their tiny kitchen. He twirled her out so far that she almost smacked into the refrigerator, and a few minutes later, he dipped her backwards and they almost fell over. By the time the song was over, they were just swaying in the middle of the room, trying not to injure each other.
Percy kissed the top of his wife’s head, silently thanking the gods for this wonderful woman they had given him. “I love you, Wise Girl,” he told her.
“I love you, too, Seaweed Brain,” she said, looking up at him. As their eyes met, she bit her lip and smiled.
“What?” Percy asked, kissing her.
“I was just thinking,” Annabeth said, absentmindedly playing with Percy’s hair. “We have the whole apartment to ourselves now, and I’m not really all that tired anymore.” She had to stop herself from laughing as he studied her; she could almost see the gears in his brain working out what she had said. It took him a few seconds, but finally, he smiled at her.
“Is the bed made?” He asked, picking her up. She wrapped her legs around his hips as kissed her.
She tried to remember if she had made the bed, but Percy was kissing her neck and it was becoming increasingly difficult to think of anything except for him. “Does it matter?”
Beautiful all of them <3
1/15/15