Piper was more chill than Percy expected.

She could breath and smile and hold his hand without being ridged. She could look him in the eye properly. She didn't trip in her heels or over her dress.

The only thing that she did do was look at him whenever a reporter asked a question.

"How did you guys choose each other?"

We didn't. "We, er, have always been close, so, uh, we decided to make it a thing. We were going to get married anyways," Percy said. Because that was really all he had to say.

The reporter's hand flew across the scroll. "Where you guys sweethearts before this?"

No? Do I lie? What? Fricknuggets! "Um, not really. Like I said, really close."

"Do you plan on having any children?"

What the.........? "We didn't discuss this...?"

"Do you want children?"

Help.

The reporter looked up after Percy stayed silence. "Do you want children?" she asked again.

"I quite like children. So I guess so?" Percy said.

"How man-"

"Excuse me!" Chiron interrupted. "Percy is needed."

The reporter put away her quill, looking disappointing. "Of course. Have a nice one, your majesty!"

"You too!" Percy smiled a smile that disappeared when he turned to face Chiron. "What's wrong?"

"You cannot just abandon your princess like that? With an interview? Percy, go look like you're in love!"

"But we aren't."

"You're gonna have to be, so at least make her feel comfortable!"

And there was nothing Percy could do but head over to Piper in her pretty pink gown and her bright eyes that radiates happiness that had to be fake. She was talking to some reporters that weren't reporting, so he had to make a smooth entrance.

"Hey," he said, slipping his hand into hers and pecking her cheek, keeping his mouth close to her face. "I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable," he breathed into her ear.

Piper gave him a tiny nod and then tightened her grip in his hand.

The reporters continued their conversation, but Percy wasn't listening. The only thing he could think about was Piper's hand in his, her painted, long nails digging into his, how any lies he said wasn't going to fix the fact that it didn't feel right. Her hand didn't fit perfectly, the way they were supposed to, the way he wanted them to.

And maybe Piper was thinking the same thing because she too stiffened and her hand may have shook a bit and the only thing Percy could think of doing was excusing both of them from this conversation.

"I'm really sorry," he interrupted, "but I'm going to have to steal her for a moment."

Just like they always did, they nodded and formally addressed him goodbye and then Percy was leading Piper away.

"Where are we going?" Piper asked in a hushed voice. "Mother said that we need to stay in the public eye."

Percy glance around, and then at Poseidon who's eyes said that this was fine. That leading her to his room was going to spark publicity, the way it was supposed to.

"Well, many rumors are going to spark then, aren't they?" He mused, grabbing her arm gently to help her to the room they both new all to well, but would now seem like a stranger.

"You wouldn't," Piper said.

"I am."

"You animal!" she exclaimed, but then she was smiling like she did before.

"You can clear it up. They'll want to know-" Percy started.

"Deal: we say we just decided we wanted to talk about ruling the kingdom when we are pressed about it."

"You're boring."

"And you're an animal, so I suggest you shut up."

They were both grinning when they entered Percy's room. The smile evaporated soon after.

"W-what happened to you're pictures?" Piper asked, pointing to the wall where dozens of pictures that each held a different memory once were strung together on.

"They took them down this morning. Can't have an immature king," Percy said glumly. He placed his crown on his bedside table and headed to the closed. He came out with a box that said PICTURES on it in huge, messy handwriting.

Piper looked horrified. Not at the fact that Percy had said that- the room was soundproof. But the fact that simple pictures of happiness were taken down because it seemed to symbolize immaturity.

"That's horrible!"

Percy shrugged. He expected as much.

Piper kicked off her heels- or attempted too. She ended up having to sit on the bed and pry them off her feet because of how tight they were. When her feet finally were released, they had huge marks on them as if the heels were saying "you aren't getting rid of me".  Piper then lay on the bed, and Percy joined her.

Together, they lay there, asking themselves what were they going to do over and over and over.

Maybe it was the fading light streaming from the closed blinds or the fact that Percy was hungry, or it seemed to be an eternity when they realized that it was dinner time. They weren't required to have a meal with Poseidon and Sally and Aphrodite, so they ordered food to the room.

They didn't eat in silence. They had a conversation over Percy's roasted chicken and Piper's mashed potatoes and asparagus about the wedding.

They were both nervous, very nervous. Piper shook slightly, but she didn't pass out, so Percy took it as a good sign.

There wasn't much to talk about; they both knew the what was going to happen.

After Percy's coronation on his 18th birthday, Percy would give Piper an engagement ring. Then, Piper would move into the castle and oversee the wedding preparations while Percy would do his kingly duties. Once Piper became 18, they could become married. The wedding would be exactly 3 days after Piper's birthday, on the Saturday.

All of this was known. Both of them knew that they couldn't question the marriage, even after Percy became king, because then the reputation of the kingdom would go down.

But even after Piper left the room to go to sleep in her guest bedroom, Percy questioned everything. He wondered what he would do if he had a choice. Who would he chose to be his queen?

Would he even find a person he love loved?

Did he even have a soulmate?

•
••
•••
••••

Hey guys! I'm back! Miss me?

I published another PJO fanfic if you'd like to check it out! It's called Salty Tears and should be found on my profile.

Also big thanks to Im_Dam_Crazy who wonderfully entered me in percyscamp 's Percy Jackson Fanfic Awards! I really appreciate the support!

Xoxo Queen