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“Percy! We’re going to be late!” Annabeth called up the stairs. The seven (plus Nico, Will, and Reyna) were meeting up at Nico and Will’s place for a movie marathon sleepover. As usual, Percy was running behind.
“Coming, one second,” he yelled.
Now their staircase was very steep, so when Percy tripped on the top step and went tumbling down, Annabeth let out a shocked scream. People often described events like this as ‘happening in slow motion.’ In Annabeth’s case, however, she blinked and Percy was sprawled out on the floor in front of her.
He looked up at her with a slightly glazed look in his eyes. “I think I just fell for you.”
“Percy!” Annabeth laughed, still slightly in shock. “Are you okay?”
“I’m- I’m fine? Help me up,” Percy asked, putting out his hand. Annabeth stepped forward and clasped his hand, starting to pull him up. “Ah!” He let out a pained scream and Annabeth quickly stopped pulling. “Ow, fuck. Now it hurts.”
“Percy?”
“Umm, I don’t think I can get up. Owwww”
“What hurts?” Annabeth asked, taking charge.
“Right elbow, left knee… Chest. ” Percy bit his lip hard.
“Should I call an ambulance?”
“Well it fucking hurts so yeah that's a good idea.”
Hands still shaking, Annabeth pulled out her phone and dialed 911.
911, what’s your emergency?
“My boyfriend fell down the stairs.”
Is he conscious?
“Yes, he’s awake.” Percy made a grabbing motion with his left hand. “Here, I’ll let you talk to him.” Annabeth handed her phone to Percy and sat on the floor next to him.
“Hello?” Percy said into the phone.
You fell down the stairs, is that correct?
“Yeah.”
What’s your name?
“Percy Jackson.”
How old are you, Percy?
“I’m 23.”
Can you tell me your address?
“1582 Atlantic Way”
And the phone number you’re calling from?
“843-441-8148”
Help is on the way, ok? Can you tell me exactly what happened?
“It’s just like I said, I tripped on the top step of the stairs and fell all the way down. I tried to get up but my elbow hurt really bad when I pulled so I couldn’t. That’s when Annabeth called you.”
You said your elbow hurt? Which one?
“Right.”
Does anything else hurt?
“My knee hurts as well. Left knee. My chest hurts when I breathe, and my head is starting to hurt.”
Can you breathe alright?
“I mean it hurts but if I don’t breathe too deep it’s better.”
No neck or back pain?
“..No.”
Alright, Percy. Remember, the ambulance is coming and it’s about six minutes away. I’m going to hang up now, okay? I want you to rest in a comfortable position and have no food or drink from now on, just in case you have to have surgery. Give me a call back here if anything changes?”
“Yep.”
Okay. Take care, now.
The phone went silent. Percy handed the phone back to Annabeth and she put it on the floor.
“What did she say?” Annabeth asked.
“Ambulance is six minutes away, rest in a comfortable position, no food or drink, and call her back if anything changes.”
“Are you in a comfortable position?”
Percy made a face. “No.”
“Do you want to try to move?”
“...No.”
Annabeth rubbed his shoulder.
After a minute or so Percy spoke again. “Could you get my phone from my pocket? I- I don’t think I could get it myself without moving too much and my knee is really starting to hurt a lot.” His voice shook almost imperceptibly, but Annabeth knew him well.
“Which pocket?”
“Right.”
She carefully reached over and slid Percy’s phone from his pocket.
“Oh! We need to tell the group we won’t be making it,” She suddenly remembered, pulling out her phone.
“Wait,” Percy said. “What if, hear me out.”
“Not a good sign when you begin with that,” Annabeth laughed.
“No no no, it’s a really funny idea.”
Annabeth sighed.
“What if,” he continued, “I just send a selfie of me in the ambulance and watch everyone freak out?”
A long pause. Then, “Dating you for seven years must have really rubbed off on me. I’m in.”
“Yes!”
-------------------
In the time it took for the ambulance to arrive the pain Percy felt increased significantly. He had a high pain tolerance but it just kept mounting until he felt like if he shifted just a tiny bit he would scream.
Annabeth felt so helpless. Percy was scrolling on his phone to stay distracted but every once in a while he would grimace or let a pained sound out. He was in so much pain and Annabeth couldn’t do anything. She was so grateful when they heard approaching sirens.
She jumped up and ran to the door, holding it open for the paramedics. They went right to Percy and started asking all sorts of questions.
Soon, Percy had been started on some pain meds and his knee and elbow were in splints. He was transferred to the stretcher and wheeled out to the ambulance, Annabeth close behind. While the paramedics were with Percy, Annabeth had slipped away to pack a bag of useful things for the hospital.
Annabeth strapped herself in on the seat next to the gurney. Percy raised his phone to take the planned selfie. His right elbow was in a splint so it was a bit difficult to position his arm, but he achieved the peace sign. He turned the phone around and showed Annabeth. In the picture it was clear he was in an ambulance, and you could even see a bit of the splint on his arm.
“Yeah, that’s good. You’re sending it in the group chat, right?”
“Yep,” Percy said. He hit send.
Annabeth stifled a laugh and held up three fingers, counting down. “Three, two, one…”
The first text came in. Then a second.
Jason: WJAT
Jason: WHAT
Hazel: Are you ok??????
Will: What happened?
Frank: Hey man you alright?
Jason: WHAT????
Piper: Is that an ambulance?? Are you ok?
Annabeth: Percy fell down the stairs.
Nico: Of course he did
Jason: ARE YOU OK??
Percy: Oops
Leo: Oops lol
Annabeth: So, we won’t be making it to the movie marathon
Reyna: Yeah, I’d think not!
Percy also sent a picture of his knee and a picture of Annabeth texting.
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Many hours later they had finally gotten home from the hospital where all of their friends were waiting to surprise them.
The setup was like this: Percy was laying on the couch, half sitting up against Annabeth with a cast on his knee, a splint on his elbow, and doped up on so many pain meds he could barely stay awake. Leo was sitting cross-legged on the same couch, while Reyna, Hazel, and Frank were on the second couch. Will was in one of the chairs, Nico and Piper were sitting on the floor, and Jason was distributing snacks and beverages. Annabeth was telling the story.
“A broken knee, four broken ribs, a dislocated elbow, and a concussion and this idiot goes I think I just fell for you.”
Their laughter roused Percy for just long enough for him to slur, “Love you Wise Girl.”
Annabeth kissed his forehead. “Love you too, Seaweed Brain.”