Forts Out of Books and Other Childhood Adventures
blackjacktheboss

Frederick Chase sighed, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. Dear gods of Olympus, those three cups of coffee really hadn't been enough this morning.

Absentmindedly, he reached for the now-cold mug of tea that Helen had placed there maybe... oh, a few hours ago? She'd left already; Annabeth still wasn't comfortable with his girlfriend, so Helen always left early mornings before Annabeth was awake. (Today, though, had been a sleep-in day. His daughter was hiding in her room.)

He put his glasses back on, eyeing the computer screen. At least, he reasoned, college didn't start back up for another three months.

The tea was bitter. He typed in another reply and pressed send, feeling very, very tired.

Then, a small voice whispered, "Daddy?"

He felt a little bit of his frustration melt away. There was a tiny flare of annoyance; after all, it was work-time, but Frederick pushed it down. He smiled, wondering if his little blonde-headed daughter had come to show him more architectural designs to get advice on.

He spun around in his office chair, plastered a serious expression on his face, and tapped his fingers together dramatically.

"Annabeth," he said, his voice deep. "I've been expecting you."

She giggled, not at all fooled by his little act but finding it amusing.

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" she cried, running towards him. He bent forwards a little and picked up the five-year old, using his chair to send them both spinning. She laughed.

"What are you up to this morning?" he asked finally, and she gave him a mischievous smile.

Uh-oh.

She hopped back to the ground and began to tug at his hand, insistent. When she looked back at him, her grey eyes were filled with determination and excitement. Just like her mother's...

Finally, he slipped out of his chair, running his free hand through his grey-blonde hair.

"Alright, kiddo," he said. "Lead the way."

It wasn't very far. She pulled him towards his library, right across the hall from his office. He helped push the double doors open...

and caught his breath a second later.

Annabeth had turned his library into a fort. Books had been piled and stacked on top of each other, and fit with the bookshelf itself so it created a miniature building. She'd also dragged in some blankets, creating canopies that stretched between shelves and books.

He couldn't help it. Frederick smiled.

Annabeth was looking up at him with a heart-achingly familiar look. "Do you like it, Daddy?" she asked, her voice quiet but strong.

He crouched so she was at eye-level. Her face was expectant, but her curls were partly obscuring her face and ruining the effect. He pushed them behind her ear, her hand reaching up to follow his movement.

"I mean," he began, watching her face fall a bit. "I like it.. but.."

She frowned. "But what?"

Annabeth had always been a little perfectionist. (Which was a problem when it came to school, gods save their sorry souls please and thank you.)

"But," he said, grinning at her. "I think it'd be even better with ice cream and some pillows and one of those books to read, huh?"

The blinding smile and look of what could only be described as love made him feel more awake and alive than any cup of coffee ever could.

(That was the beginning of the forts made of books and other childhood adventures.)

So when his now-seventeen year-old daughter popped into his office out of the blue one day and asked if he remembered the book forts and maybe, maybe do you think we could... do that again, he just grabbed the tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream with a smile.

blackjacktheboss (in response to an ask for toddler!Annabeth headcanons) - She would sneak into her dad's library and build small forts with his books | her curls were always in her face.

Guys, this was too cute to not write. Go check out Sophii on tumblr, the headcanons are amazing. (And while you're there, ship some Skyphii while you're at it, eh?)

Don't forget you can request headcanons! See you!

achieving elysium