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Annabeth absentmindedly stirred her sweet tea with her straw, looking at the entrance of the restaurant expectantly. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, her leg bounding anxiously.
“Beth, honey, take a breath.” Percy said with a small chuckle, rubbing between her shoulder blades. “It’s going to be fine, they’re our friends.”
Annabeth looked at her fiancé, giving him a small smile and nodding slowly. She took a deep breath to try to calm herself, then leaned her head against Percy’s shoulder. She breathed in the scent of his cologne, feeling herself relax. Percy was there, he wouldn’t let anything go wrong, he would always protect her. She lifted her head when she heard the bells on the front door of the restaurant jingle. Upon seeing Jason and Piper her nerves dissolved completely, hold on-
“Thalia?” She tilted her head to the side, getting out of her seat before Percy could protest.
She stepped towards the (technically) older of the Grace siblings, wasting no time in wrapping her arms around the ravenette. She squeezed her old friend close, grinning from ear to ear.
“It’s good to see you too, Annabeth.” Thalia said with a small laugh, hugging the blonde’s waist in return.
“How did you get here? Why are you here?” The daughter of Athena asked, pulling away just enough to cup the shorter girl’s face. “How are you here without the other Hunters?”
“Doofus here told me he was getting lunch with you and Percy,” Thalia nodded towards Jason with a smug smile on her face. “So I approached Lady Artemis and said I wanted to come see you. She agreed pretty easily.” She said with a wink.
Annabeth knew the explanation seemed odd, but she brushed it off. Gods were odd beings. She let go of the daughter of Zeus and moved to hug Piper.
“You look beautiful, Beth! Your skin looks amazing, new skincare regimen?” Piper said fondly, rocking them back and forth as they hugged.
“I think it’s just a good month for my skin.” Annabeth replied as they parted.
She gave Jason a quick hug as well and complimented him on his new glasses frames before they all sat back down. She scooted her seat a bit closer to Percy, locking their ankles together under the table.
As Jason and Percy jumped into some conversation about gaming consoles and some game called Animal Crossing, Piper began her daily dose of gossiping with Annabeth, this time featuring Thalia.
“Did you see the pictures Nico posted of their kid? Oh my gods , she’s adorable.” The daughter of Aphrodite gushed. “That child is single handedly the cutest tiny human I’ve ever seen. She looks just like her dads!”
“Wait, Wait, Wait- are we talking about that street rat kid? That Nico?” Thalia intervened, looking between the two girls with wide eyes.
Annabeth and Piper burst out laughing immediately. “Yes!” The daughter of Athena nodded between breaths. “Same Nico!”
“What’s so funny?” Jason asked, looking at the trio of women in confusion.
“Thalia just called Nico a street rat!” Piper wheezed, holding her stomach from laughing so hard.
Jason seemed mortified by the statement, but Percy on the other hand found it hilarious.
“He was totally a street rat!” He laughed. “Nico was a royal pain in my ass, but I love the guy!”
“And you said he’s got a kid? Does he have a wife too?” Thalia asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.
There was a moment of complete silence between the two couples, all of them exchanging glances before they all erupted in laughter. Percy buried his face in his hands, trying to quiet down his laughter. Piper threw her head back, gripping Jason’s arm like a lifeline. Jason, oh the other hand, dropped his head onto the tabletop, his shoulders bouncing. Annabeth covered her mouth with her hand, tears gathering in her eyes.
“What?!” The daughter of Zeus stared at the four in confusion, her eyebrows furrowed. “What did I say?”
“He’s gay!” Jason wheezed, lifting his head up. “Thalia he’s so gay!”
Piper took a deep breath, regaining her composure as the others did as well. “He’s married to this really nice guy, Will, I don’t know if you’ve ever met him.”
Thalia shook her head. “I don’t recall.”
“He’s a child of Apollo and he’s the sweetest dude. He’s got these crazy blonde curls.” Percy added with a chuckle. “He was one of the younger campers who fought in Manhattan.”
“Saved my life.” Annabeth whispered, spinning her wedding and engagement rings around her finger.
Thalia smiled, nodding slowly. “He sounds like a good dude, I’m glad the street rat found someone.” He said teasingly, ignoring the glare her brother sent her way.
“Please stop calling him a “street rat”, he’s really cleaned up. Becoming a dad was really a turning point for him.” Jason groaned, reaching over Piper to shove his sister’s shoulder.
Before all hell could break loose between the two Grace siblings, Annabeth spoke up.
“Speaking of becoming a dad!”
“What?!” Piper screeched, drawing the attention of some of the other people in the restaurant.
The daughter of Athena smiled, digging around in her purse and pulling out a strip of ultrasound pictures. she placed them on the table, then took Percy’s hand. Piper picked up the pictures, a Grace leaning over each of her shoulders.
“Oh my gods!” Piper grinned widely, slapping Jason’s chest for dramatics. “You’re pregnant!” She quickly hopped out of her chair and rounded the table, wrapping her arms around Annabeth.
“Dude! Congrats!” Jason reached across the table to pat Percy’s shoulder.
“How far along are you?” The daughter of Aphrodite asked.
“Eight weeks.” She said with a bright smile. She glanced across the table at Thalia, arching her brow. “What’s with the smug look, huh?” Annabeth asked, then it seemed to dawn on her. “Artemis knew, that’s why you were allowed to come, she knew about the fetus.”
Thalia nodded slowly, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back in her seat. “Perhaps.” The smirk on her lips confirmed it. “The child will always be protected, regardless of gender. Their parents are heroes and they will always have the protection of Lady Artemis and the Hunters.”
Annabeth smiled, tears gathering in her eyes. Maybe it was her out of whack hormones, or maybe it was because the child would come into the world with countless people protecting and supporting them. She slowly got up, going to hug Thalia.
“Thank you.” She whispered.
“Anything for you.” The Hunter replied, hugging the blonde back and giving her tummy a small pat. “Take care of them.”
“I will.”