𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐒 | 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇

chapter 15 - epilogue

so this is the last chapter of GAFN... thanks to everyone who's read this, you make my day better and brighter and more amazing. hope you like it <3

-15 years later-

Percy's P.O.V.

"So it doesn't matter what the person threatening you says, you have to tell someone, understand?" Annabeth finished off, looking at Charles (a.k.a. Charlie) and Luke sitting around the table, listening quite intently at the lecture we were giving them.

"Yes," they said spontaneously.

"Good," I said.

Annabeth smiled at our kids. "Your father and I went through a great deal of this stuff. And it was really bad. It took us a while to figure this out, but when we did, everything got better. We didn't have anyone teach this to us, so we got hurt really badly. Now, we're telling you this, and you need to remember it. And when you grow up, you need to tell this to your kids and so on, okay?"

"Okay, mommy," they said together.

Annabeth and I nodded to each other, then at the kids.

"Okay, now go get ready," I said, grinning.

"For what?" Charlie asked. His six-year-old smile won me over every time.

"It's a surprise," Annabeth said before I could give in. "Now go get ready."

They smiled widely, then ran to their rooms to get changed out of their pyjamas and into real clothes.

Once we were all in the car, we drove to the mini-golf place across the town.

It was Luke and Charlie's favourite place. They let out excited squeals when we got there.

Luke, being the oldest, got to carry the picnic basket.

"But, dad, why?" he complained. At this point, I was praying every night that all the other nine-year-old boys complained as much as him. Annabeth and I couldn't be the only ones suffering from too many excuses, right?

"Because you're the oldest and you're strong enough to carry a picnic basket.

He groaned but dealt with it.

After a nice round of mini-golf (in which Annabeth won, Luke came in second, and then somehow, Charlie and I tied), we sat down at the nearby park to have some lunch.

"Daddy?" Charlie asked randomly. "How did you and mommy meet?"

I looked up at my wife, remembering the first time I had heard her crying in the bathroom and how I help her. Remembering the time we found out who the other was. Remembering the times we shared, realizing we were slowly, but surely, falling in love.

I smiled.

But then I also remembered all the pain we went through. All the suffering we both endured. All the cuts and bruises and nights stayed up crying. All the times we thought the world would be better without us.

I frowned and looked at Annabeth. Her expression seemed to say; Not yet.

"We'll tell you when you're older," I decided.

Luke was about to speak when Annabeth said; "When both of you are older."

"Alright."

We ate in silence after that, mostly because Annabeth's cooking was delicious and her blue cookies were about as good as mom's.

I looked around me; at my kids. They were amazing, just like their mother. They both had dirty blonde hair and sea-green eyes. They were both intelligent, sassy and hard-working. I like to brag about them getting the sass from me. They were my stars; always there, always shining brightly.

Then I looked at my wife. My beautiful, beautiful wife. She was my universe. We had been through so much together, nothing could tear us apart. Her smile could light up the whole room and her laugh could spark joy in even the saddest of people.

Annabeth and I had gone through too much together to ever let go.

Our pain was lived through together. We understood each other in ways others couldn't.

We were there for each other.

And things do get better. Whatever shit is going on right now for anyone in this world, they should know that things do get better.

Take it from me. Take it from Annabeth. Take it from everyone.

Life gets better. It does. You just need to wait and see.

well, that's the end of that. i really enjoyed writing this story. i hoped you enjoyed reading it :)

so, i was thinking of doing a type of soulmate au for my next story. would you guys like that? please tell me! love you all ;)