The Hate Between Us (Percabeth&Solangelo)

Chapter Thirty-One: What Forever Looks Like

Percy POV:

"How about Giza?" She asked. I looked over at her questioningly and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, you have to know it. The place with the pyramids?" My expression remained blank. She giggled and said: "You know, those big triangular stone structures surrounded by sand. You saw them in that movie, 'The Mummy'."

"Oh, Giza!" I exclaimed. "You should have mentioned The Mummy straight away!"

She laughed and shook her head, and I promptly kissed her cheek, enjoying the way I made her laugh.

"So... pyramids and camels and that big sand cat thing?" I nodded. "That could be cool."

"Sadie and Carter said they go there all the time, they love it," Annabeth agreed. "I'll add it to the list."

"So are we doing this before or after Australia?" I teased. "Because, remember, Magnus recommended Norway and Finland and Reyna mentioned Puerto Rico and Leo mentioned basically all of South America and Frank insisted that we visit him in China when he goes there and Nico keeps on talking about Italy and Hazel said Alaska is wonderful and Chiron recommended all of Greece, and didn't Carter also rave about England?"

She blushed and looked down at the list she had been making, which – by this point – had become a list of every country in the world.

"You're right, maybe it is a little long," she frowned. "It looks like we'll be travelling the whole world for the rest of our lives."

I raised an eyebrow playfully. "That sounds kind of perfect. I could do that."

Absentmindedly, I played with Annabeth's hair between my fingers, enjoying the soft curls. She leaned into me slightly and giggled.

"It will be impossible," she sighed. "Where would we get the money to afford a trip like that?"

"We work."

"Whilst we're travelling?"

"The ocean is big," I pointed out. "I'm sure they'll need a marine biologist all over the world."

"And me?"

"Houses don't design and build themselves," I grinned. "Wherever you go, you'll be able to find work."

She thought about this for a while and then kissed me quickly on the lips. I closed my eyes and let the moment linger. Eternity on my lips. Bliss.

"Then okay," she said decidedly. "We'll travel the world together. Forever..." She looked down nervously. "Forever is a lot to ask."

I breathed in slowly, staring at her lips that I wanted to kiss a thousand times more and her eyebrows that knitted into a frown so beautifully and her eyes that spoke a million words to only me – me – and the hair that fell between my hands. I could imagine her skin wrinkling and her hair greying with age, and I though imagine that, how beautiful would that be? To age with her, grow with her, see the world and experience life with her. I could think of nothing better. The with of it all, where we share what we are and who we want to be and who we have been with each other.

But then I frowned, feeling a fear unknown to me before.

Because I realised, to be with someone means that there's a possibility to be without them. I had let her into my life so completely, I just couldn't imagine – or dare to imagine – what I would become if she left. I simply just wouldn't be me. I would become undone.

She frowned in response to me.

"What's wrong?"

"Forever isn't long enough."