Percabeth One Shots

Holiday Headaches

Annabeth was having a hard day. First, her car decided to not start in the New York winter so she had to jumpstart it with her husband's car. Second, the gas pump wouldn't turn on right away so she was late for work. And third, she was trying (and failing) to get all the necessary ingredients for the Christmas cookies her husband was going to make. Not to mention the nausea and headaches that had been coming and going in the last week.

So you could say she was ready to be home and stay there.

Christmas was in nine days, and after last year's disaster, she wanted it to be perfect.

After texting Percy for the eighth time today with no response, she decided to just call him. She was sure he would pick up, and besides, she really needed to hear his voice.

He picked up on the third ring.

"Beth, hey, what's up? I've been cleaning all afternoon- I haven't really checked my phone, and you know I was watching Estelle this morning and she doesn't leave a spare moment so-"

"Percy." She cut him off. "It's fine, I get it. Today just had me a little bit frazzled, I guess. With the car not starting, and then getting to work late, and you know how my boss is. But I lived through it, and now I'm at the store getting the stuff for those cookies you wanted to make and did you know how many kinds of butter there are?"

Percy laughed on the other end, "Yeah, that's why I usually go shopping. But you want the unsalted butter in the red and yellow package."

"Why unsalted? If I get the salted kind then you won't have to add salt."

"It throws off the ratio." She could practically feel his smile through the line. "So, I take it your day hasn't been great. How was work?"

"A typical Wednesday. You know how Pearson is." Pearson ran the architecture firm and had hired Annabeth her senior year of college, giving her the big break she'd needed to get her well renowned reputation as the youngest architect to design so many large projects, like the new skyscraper in New York City, or the museum in Brooklyn.

"Did that one guy keep hitting on you or did HR finally do something about it?"

"He keeps hitting on me, even though he's like, probably pushing forty. I've told Pearson and he said that the most they could do would be relocating him to a different floor for my comfort, but they can't fire him because he's been working there for so long that losing him now would be a terrible look for the company." She finally found the unsalted butter and set it in her cart, moving to the milk section.

"Did they move him at least?"

"No, not yet. They said he had two weeks to move down a floor or he would be fired for general misconduct and harassing a coworker."

"That's progress at least."

"Yeah." She grabbed a pint of half and half cream and a gallon of milk. "How was Estelle today?"

"First thing she asked was where you were."

Annabeth laughed. "What can I say, she loves me more than you."

"I know," he grumbled, but Annabeth could sense the smile in his tone.

"What color sprinkles do we need?"

"Blue, obviously, green and red, black, maybe pink? If there are any of the variety pack cylinder things where there's just a ton of different kinds in one pack those are always nice to have."

"Well, I suppose I should let you get back to your cleaning extravaganza. I'll see you when I get home. Love you!"

"See you later, Beth, love you too!"