𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 [pjo]

one; a long-awaited 'I love you'

━━━a long-awaited 'I love you'

.・゜゜・───・゜゜・．

The term 'distance makes the heart grow fonder' felt accurate for her situation. Callahan's heart was beating out of her chest, her palms felt sweaty, and Percy kept glancing her way. She swallowed, her throat dry all of a sudden. She was nervous. She loved Annie, with all her heart and then some, but she was terrified. Her mind was on fire with the idea of Annie not wanting her back, not loving her as much as Cal loved Annie. She swallowed again.

    "You okay?" Percy was staring at her, the sun glinting off his sea-green eyes. He looked beautiful in his royal purple cape, every bit the praetor he had become.

    "I'm fine, Percy." She swallowed, "Just nervous."

    His brow furrowed, and he stepped toward her, cupping her cheek. "It's Annie, Cal. She still loves you."

    Cal chuckled, turning her eyes up to the sun. "I know, I just--my heart hurts, Seaweed."

    He pulled her into his side, placing a kiss on the soft point of her temple "Mine does too."

The Argo II was intimidating, to say the least. It spanned at least two hundred feet, big enough to block out the sun, with a bronze-plated hull and a fire-breathing dragon as its figurehead. Repeating crossbows were mounted on the fore and aft and two rotating ballistae amidships that could fire explosive bolts powerful enough to blast through metal. The bronze glinted against the sunlight, blinding Cal. She lighted a hand to cover her eyes, and she caught a glimmer of Annie's sunshine colored hair. Her heart soared.

Her body filled with electricity, arching between her atoms and clinging to her, lighting her body up.

All of a sudden she was giddy, and couldn't stop smiling. Annie was here. She stood shoulder to shoulder with Percy, and Percy's hand wrapped around hers and squeezed. The two of them watched as the group of four descended down from the ship, and Callahan focused on Annie.

She watched as the blonde came near them, and she realized that she couldn't see the two of them. She was staring at Reyna, and gods Cal wanted to scream.

She shoved Percy forward, pushing on his back until he stumbled through the crowd and landed in front of Annie. The two of them stared at each other, and Cal's heart sighed. She grinned as they ran at each other, and she grinned even harder as they kissed. When Annie judo-flipped Percy, Callahan whooped.

Annie's head snapped up. "Lucky?"

Cal nodded fervently, and Annie dashed forward. She wrapped her arms around Cal's waist and buried her head into Cal's neck. Cal breathed in Annie's scent of lavender, fresh books, and leather.

Owl Brains, Annie, Sunshine. She thought. When Annie pulled away, Callahan pulled her forward by the waist and kissed her. She savored the flavor of Annie's lips, the strawberry sweetness of her pink lips. When she pulled away, Annie was blushing. Cal looked up and her vision tunneled on Percy. He was grinning, a cheek-splitting, jaw-aching grin. She smiled in return, her heart on fire and at peace at the same time.

    Jason cleared his voice, "this is Annabeth. Normally, she doesn't judo-flip people."

    Reyna's eyes glinted, and she smirked at Annie. "You sure you're not a Roman, Annabeth? Or a Roman?"

    Annabeth detached herself from, walking forward and offering her hand to Reyna.

    "I only attack my boyfriend like that," she promised. "Pleased to meet you." She turned and glanced at Cal, who winked in return. "And sometimes Cal."

    Reyna smiled and clasped her hand, "It seems we have a lot to discuss. Centurions!"

    A few roman campers hustled forward. Hazel and Frank approached Percy, standing next to him. Frank and Hazel smiled at Annabeth, Hazel with a bit of weariness in her eyes.

    Annabeth stepped next to Callahan again, and Cal wrapped her arm around her waist, pulling her tight against her side.

    Hazel's eyes glanced at Cal's arm, and she smiled tightly at the two of them. Cal tried to ignore it, but she knew what the apprehension was about. It always took people a second when they realized that she, Annie, and Percy were together, and sometimes they just never came around. Cal hoped to the gods that Hazel would come around.

    Meanwhile, Reyna was giving orders to her officers. "tell the legion to stand down. Dakota, alert the spirits in the kitchen. Tell them to prepare a welcome feast. And, Octavian—"

"You're letting these intruders into the camp?" Octavian elbowed his way forward. "Reyna, the security risks—"

"We're not taking them to the camp, Octavian." Reyna flashed him a stern look. "We'll eat here, in the forum."

"Oh, much better," Octavian grumbled. "You want us to relax in the shadow of their warship."

"These are our guests." Reyna clipped off every word. "We will welcome them, and we will talk to them. As augur, you should burn an offering to thank the gods for bringing Jason back to us safely."

"Good idea," Percy put in. "Go burn your bears, Octavian."

Reyna looked like she was trying not to smile. "You have my orders. Go."

The officers dispersed. Octavian shot Percy a look of absolute loathing. Then he gave Annabeth a suspicious once-over and stalked away.

Percy walked up to the duo, slipping his hand into Annie's left hand. "Don't worry about Octavian," he said. "Most of the Romans are good people—like Frank and Hazel here and Reyna. We'll be fine."

Callahan smiled, her eyes shining. "I'm glad you're here, Annie."

Annie smiled back at her, "I am too."

There was apprehension in Annie's eyes that Cal tried to ignore.

━━━a long-awaited 'I love you'

.・゜゜・───・゜゜・．