Chapter 28

"We are not watching a true crime series, Wise Girl." Percy stated as he and Annabeth made it to the front door of the apartment. "What? But they're so interesting!!" Annabeth frowned. "Annie, I love you, but we can watch it the next time we hang out, okay? I wanna watch something both of us will enjoy!" Percy smiled at Annabeth as he let go of her hand and grabbed the key to the apartment. "... Fine, okay." Annabeth sighed as she gently took the picnic basket off from Percy's hand.

Percy unlocked the front door and he opened it. "Ladies first!" Percy smiled at Annabeth, stepping aside for her to enter first. "What a gentleman~" Annabeth teased as she walked past Percy and into the apartment. Percy followed behind Annabeth into the apartment and he shut the door, locking it behind him.

"Mom! We're back!" Percy called as he slipped his shoes off. Annabeth did the same and she set down the picnic basket, deciding that Percy would get that away later on. Percy slightly furrowed his eyebrows as his mother didn't seem to instantly come over, and when he heard two faint voices.

"Erm, Percy, you okay?" Annabeth asked, noticing Percy's confused look. "Yeah, mmhm." Percy hummed, quickly walking towards the living room. Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows and she quickly followed behind Percy towards the living room.

Percy stopped as he saw his mother and a man in the living room, sat on the couch, with cups of coffee and a plate of biscuits. "Mom?" Percy questioned. Annabeth stood behind Percy and she saw that there was a man that she hadn't seen before either.

Sally seemed to jump and she instantly got up from the couch, looking to Percy and smiling nervously. "Percy! Erm, this- welcome home, first of all!" Sally smiled at Percy. "And Annabeth, lovely to see you!" "... Yeah, good to see you again, Sally." Annabeth smiled at Sally. "Mom, who is this?" Percy asked, looking at the stranger, who slowly got up from the couch now, unsure what to do.

"... W-well, this is Paul Blofis. Paul, this is my son, Percy." Sally said, introducing the two. "Uhm, Paul is... well..." Sally fumbled with her words and Percy raised an eyebrow at his mother before looking to Paul, who smiled awkwardly at Percy.

"It's nice to meet you, Percy. Sally has told me good things about you." Paul said, holding his hand out. "Yeah... Nice to meet you too Mr. Blowfish." Percy said, reaching his hand out to shake Paul's hand. "... Blofis." Paul corrected as he took his hand away from Percy once they shook hands. "Potato, potahto." Percy shrugged.

"So, you and my mom are...?" Percy looked to Paul for an answer as it seemed his mother was too nervous to say who this Paul was to her. "W-well..." Paul cleared his throat. "Your mother and I have... been talking with each other, nothing is exactly official between us, Sally wanted me to meet you before she-"

"Ah, you're planning on dating my mom, is that it?" Percy smiled. Paul blinked. "... If you're comfortable with it, then your mother is thinking of-" Paul began. "Right, well-!" Percy began. "Perseus, kitchen, now." Sally said, cutting Percy off before he could say anything else. Percy looked to his mother and he sighed.

"Mmh, okay. Annie, why don't you just head to my room and I'll meet you there?" Percy said, looking to his girlfriend. "... Yeah, sure." Annabeth smiled at Percy. Annabeth leaned in before she left, kissing Percy's cheek. "Listen to your mother, hear her out before you freak out, okay?" Annabeth whispered before she pulled away. Percy hummed in response and Annabeth took that as an 'okay', so she left the living room and made her way to where Percy's room was.

Percy then made his way to the kitchen and he heard his mother quickly apologising to Paul and that she'd be back in a few moments.

Percy made it to the kitchen and he leaned against the counter while his mother entered behind and stood in front of him, crossing her arms."Why are you acting like this?" Sally asked, frowning at her son."Oh, I don't know, maybe because the guy you got with after my dad left was abusive to both of us, and you stayed with him for years out of fear and-!" Percy began to ramble.

Sally went over and she gently cupped Percy's face."Percy. I assure you, Paul is a good man." Sally said softly, her thumbs caressing Percy's cheeks as she held eye contact with her son."Mom, I don't mean to be rude, but you picked horrible men to be with in the past! I mean, Gabe, my dad-!" Percy exclaimed.

"Your father was a good man, he needed to leave us. I can't express how much of a good man he was before he left." Sally stated, holding onto Percy's face firmly. "Gabe... was a mistake on my part, yes, but I was desperate for someone to help with our financial problems and Gabe seemed like a good fit, Percy."

Percy held his mother's gaze and she sighed out, smiling at Percy."Paul is nothing like Gabe. And... Percy, you know how when you met Annabeth, you held her gaze and you just... connected?" Sally questioned, slightly tilting her head. Percy nodded slightly. "Exactly. I met Paul when I was out running some errands. He was in a rush, he accidentally spilled coffee on me and then when we looked at each other, when we looked into each other's eyes, time slowed down."

"... And I have been on a couple of... friendly dates with Paul, trying to see if he was good for me, and Percy, I assure you, he has not portrayed any sort of horrible qualities, he seems like a good man." Sally continued to try to reassure Percy. "But, Perseus, if you do not feel like that man is good, or if you are not ready for me to find someone new, I will... I will leave things with Paul, I won't date him. But Percy, I truly believe he is my soulmate. He makes me... so happy."

Percy stared at his mother. She seemed happy, she genuinely seemed happy. That's when Percy recalled part of the conversation he and his mother had about soulmates when he was younger.

"I hope that one day, you will find your soulmate. Or find someone who will love and cherish you forever. I only want what's best for you, Percy."

...

"But I want you to find someone who'll love you forever, mom."

...

"Your love is enough, Perseus. Now go to bed."

Percy had found his soulmate. He had been dating his soulmate for an entire year now, and his life has turned upside down ever since he had met Annabeth, ever since they had began to date.

Was Percy really going to deprive his mother from the same happiness? Especially when all he has ever wanted for his mother was to find someone who'd love and cherish her forever?

Percy looked at his mother and she waited for him to say something."... Fine. One condition, Paul has to take me out for a day so I can see how he's like and if he truly is good for you." Percy said.Sally blinked but she smiled as she took her hands away and leaned in, kissing Percy on his cheek."Pfft... Alright Percy, I'll let Paul know." Sally said.

"And don't tell him anything that I like to do! He has to come up with something for us to do so I can actually evaluate him properly!" "You're ridiculous.... but fine."

Percy smiled at his mom and Sally smiled back at her son. "Alright, go on, it's your one year anniversary with Annabeth, hang out with her. I'll go talk to Paul about your condition and then he'll leave." Sally said, ruffling Percy's hair.

"Mmhm, okay. Well, later on Annabeth would love to see some of my baby pictures, so you can embarrass me all you want since I sort of embarrassed you." Percy said, getting up and not leaning against the counter anymore.Sally raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Alright, well be prepared for a lot of embarrassing stories too." Sally grinned. Percy groaned and he began to walk off.

"Haha! Love you!" "Yeah, mmhm, love you too, mom!"

Percy made his way over to his bedroom and he opened the door. Percy looked up and saw Annabeth was already in much more comfortable clothes, as she did have some of her clothes at Percy's place since they stay over at each other's places often, and was sat on his bed.

"Hey, everything good?" Annabeth asked as Percy shut the door and made his way over. Percy sat down next to Annabeth and rested his head on her shoulder. "Mmhm, my mom believes Paul is her soulmate... so, I am going to spend a day with him to make sure he's actually a good man." Percy said. Annabeth hummed and she kissed Percy's head. "Mmhm, okay. Well, what do you wanna do?" Annabeth asked.

"Make out and cuddle for a little bit?" "You're a dork." "Uh-huh, and you totally wanna make out with this dork." "... Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

Percy lifted his head from Annabeth's shoulder and he faced Annabeth. Annabeth smiled as Percy leaned in. "Oh, you totally do, admit it." Percy said, meeting Annabeth's gaze. Annabeth glanced down at Percy's lips and she rolled her eyes. "Mmh, yeah, okay, I do kinda wanna make out." Annabeth said softly. "See? I knew it-!" Percy began.

Annabeth stopped Percy from speaking any further by pressing her lips against his and cupping his face. Percy smiled into the kiss and he fiddled with his bedsheets on his bed as he kissed Annabeth back.

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Word count: 1655