Percabeth: A New Beginning

Zoe's First Birthday!

Percy's POV

Luke turned three a few weeks ago in May. Today was June 22nd, making tomorrow would be June 23rd. Meaning that tomorrow was the day that my little girl was turning one! How was it possible that she had entered my life only three hundred and sixty four days ago and I already wanted her to stop growing up.

She spoke her first word about a week ago, she said, "dadda." Well, it kinda sounded like "dadda," it came out like "abba." Zoe had begun talking a lot earlier than Luke did, though she still hadn't learned "momma" yet. But who knows? Maybe today will be the day.

We had invited all our friends over for Zoe's party in our new house. Well, technically it wasn't new, anymore. We'd lived here for almost a year, nevertheless the kids, Annabeth, and I all loved the house. Luke asked to go swimming everyday, I never said no, because I wanted to swim everyday too. I wondered if Luke would be a Poseidon descendant, but he also had Athena characteristics too. I guess we'd have to wait until he was old enough to go to camp.

Zoe's party would begin at three and go till about five or whenever everyone had to go. Yesterday, Luke and Annabeth went out and bought: balloons, cake, streamers, some birthday presents, and paper utensils. Luke loved the balloons, he loved to watch them hit the ceiling cause he said they made funny sounds. I think we might be making too big a deal about a one year old's birthday, but hey, it's an excuse to see our friends.

"Luke, stay away from Zoe's presents. They're not for you." Annabeth scolded him while she decorated the kitchen with streamers.

"Mommy, I was just looking." Luke whined.

"Hey buddy, wanna help me decorate the yard?" I asked him, who was staring longingly at the presents. 

"Yeah." Luke stood up and reluctantly walked away from the presents.

Luke handed me some decorations and I hung them up, I let him put the centerpieces on the tables. Luke turned to the pool, "daddy, can I go swimming?" Luke asked, tugging my shirt.

"I'm sorry buddy, not now, but maybe later." I sighed.

"When is later?" He asked.

"Later is after the party." I ruffled his curly blonde hair.

"Can you make the water dance? Please daddy?" Luke asked, his green eyes pleading up at mine.

"Oh alright, but don't tell mommy, she hates it when I do this." I chuckled.

I waved my hands and focused hard on the water. I watched the water rise up and the wave began to move side to side, jiggle up and down and glide across the pool's surface. Luke laughed and clapped his hands and jumped up and down. I made the wave take a bow then made a huge splash when I returned it to its original form. "Yeah! Again daddy again!" Luke cheered.

I hoisted him up and set him on my shoulders. "Sorry buddy, but no. We've gotta help mommy. I bet she has cake batter for us." I licked my lips thinking of the bittersweet cake batter.

"Ooh, cake batter. Giddy up horsey!" Luke giggled. I neighed like a horse and galloped inside.

"Can we have cake batter please mommy?" Luke asked as we entered the kitchen.

"Oh alright, the bowl is for you two, but don't eat too much. Save your appetites for dinner." Annabeth ordered, trying to hide a smile. Suddenly I heard baby monitor go off, indicating that Zoe was crying. Annabeth sighed and started to leave the kitchen.

"No, you stay down here and cook. I'll get the birthday girl, your knight in shining armor and his noble steed will rescue the princess from her prison!" I announced, my knight had cake batter all over his face, but smiled and laughed with me.