all of you, all of me (intertwined)

by Imaginmatrix

Summary:

Her head jerked up, eyes narrowing, only to be met with a pair of the most startling sea green eyes she’d ever seen. The nose between them looked like it had been carved from marble, the lips beneath that were perfectly shaped, full. He was tanned, topped with a mop of wavy black hair, and he looked like a Greek god on earth; Annabeth would know. She was the resident expert on Greek gods. It only took a second for these thoughts to cross her mind before she realized he’d said something to her with a smile and she blinked, “What?”

Chapter 1: darling i'm a nightmare (dressed like a daydream)

The first time Annabeth Chase heard the name of the new Classics Professor, it took everything in her not to scoff.

“Perseus Jackson. ”

It had been whispered in a crevice of a hallway between lecture halls, a favorite haunt for horny students and cigarette breaks. She generally enjoyed the walk, warm sunlight streaming through large, arched windows, her heels clicking pleasantly on marble floors, stone pillars climbing along the filigreed walls to intertwine like vines against the ornate ceiling. Annabeth had been so busy admiring the familiar architecture that she almost missed the two girls whispering to each other, tucked away in that secluded corner.

“He’s so tall– ” 

“And so fucking handsome!” 

“What’s his name again?”

“Perseus Jackson .”

A classics Professor named Perseus? Annabeth frowned, stopping in her tracks. Of course she knew there would be a new teacher sharing her department this year. The program had grown so much since Annabeth had begun working at New Athens University, but now faced with the reality that the new teacher actually existed and was here and was named Perseus of all things– well, it piqued her interest.

“God I heard he’s really fun too, his last school offered him like, double his salary to keep him–”

“Ugh, is that why his class filled so fast? If I’d known what he looked like I would have tried harder to get in–”

“Shit, you’re stuck in Chase’s class? She’s such a hardass.”

“I know! It’s going to suck… maybe I’ll drop and take a more general history class instead? At least Professor Rodriguez isn’t a massive bitch–”

That was quite enough of that . Annabeth cleared her throat, standing before the two sophomores with crossed arms and an intimidating expression she had perfected over the last three years. They squeaked and scurried out of the corner, shrill voices stammering out excuses and apologies before disappearing down the corridor. The sigh that heaved from Annabeth’s chest as the students fled her ire was one that had been bubbling up since the moment she dragged herself out of bed. She had woken with it already settled somewhere deep in her lungs, had fought against it as she sipped at her cheap, bitter coffee, and somehow managed to shower and dress without letting it free.

It escaped now, and she couldn’t blame the sigh for wanting out of her boring life.

Her entire existence was distilled into two settings: working or sleeping. And every day, the former became more and more difficult to bring herself to attend to, but she’d be damned if she wasn’t the best at what she did anyway.

So what if this Perseus was popular before even teaching his first class? She knew she was strict. She knew she wasn’t a favorite among students. But she was thorough. Her students left knowing the material and knowing it well . She would be civil with the new professor, of course; he may need her help learning the University’s layout, or preparing classwork, and they’d need to coordinate the introductory classes to ensure their students learned the same material. It shouldn’t be so bad, not if he followed her lead.

She cleared her throat, smoothing out her blouse and adjusting the leather bag slung over her shoulder before continuing on towards the department’s start of semester meeting in the lounge.

The University was old, older than most, and that’s why Annabeth had chosen to study here initially, before any thoughts of being a professor had ever entered her mind. It was the way it was built that caught her attention– the structure. It looked like something out of a fantasy story, and she knew she wanted to build something just as amazing someday. She had enrolled in the architecture program, planning to become an architect herself. She’d even gotten several career offers before graduation, and spent a blissful six months working for her dream firm.

A stark contrast to the past three years of teaching introductory mythology courses, Greek, and numerous other classes focused on the ancient Mediterranean world specifically. It wasn't where she imagined herself to be at this age; it’s not like she expected to own her own firm by now or anything but she'd had hopes and dreams that had faded like dust in the wind with time. Now her focus was on making it through everyday without losing too much of her sanity.

It followed that a very old institute like New Athens with very old buildings would have a very old lounge for teachers. Much to Annabeth’s dismay, there had been some renovations before she even attended classes here as a student herself, so some wings of their campus were too… normal. Bland. Boring. She heard that the lounge in the main building was gorgeous, with an old, giant stone fireplace, antique seating, big wooden beams and large paneled windows looking out into the main courtyard. The one in the annex was… not that.

The halls turned from ornate to office-y. The walls were no longer filigreed with pillars and stained glass– they were plain off white, and the doors had push bars and handles instead of original metal knobs from the 17th century, imported from France. There were little plaques next to each door, with numbers– easier to find your way around but didn’t quite match the vibes of the rest of the school. The door to the lounge was propped open and Annabeth blinked in the fluorescent lighting, already missing the natural sunlight from just minutes earlier. Regular square windows adorned the walls with regular, white blinds that would break with the slightest wrong touch. Regular couches, regular chairs, a regular kitchenette, a regular table. It was all just so… regular.

Much like the rest of Annabeth’s life.

Teachers were sitting and standing around, small paper plates laden with food; doughnuts, fruit, veggie sticks– the kind you get in plastic platters from the supermarket. Annabeth fought the urge to huff. They were one of the most well funded schools in the country yet they couldn’t afford decent refreshments for their staff. Figures. She wandered over to the table, waving “hi” to familiar faces she hadn’t seen all Summer and feeling her spirits lift when she saw that there was one last doughnut in the box, smothered in chocolate. Her stomach grumbled and she reached for it– only to be thwarted as another hand beat her to the punch and snatched the pastry.

Her head jerked up, eyes narrowing, only to be met with a pair of the most startling sea green eyes she’d ever seen. The nose between them looked like it had been carved from marble, the lips beneath that were perfectly shaped, full. He was tanned, topped with a mop of wavy black hair, and he looked like a Greek god on earth; Annabeth would know. She was the resident expert on Greek gods. It only took a second for these thoughts to cross her mind before she realized he’d said something to her with a smile and she blinked. “What?”

“I said,” God, his voice was hot too. “Do you want to split it?” He gestured with the doughnut in his hand.

Annabeth took another moment, reeling a bit. The only other Professor in their department who was close to her age was Octavian, the Latin teacher, and he decidedly did not look like a Greek God. So this must be… Perseus? Finally her brain seemed to process what he said and she shook her head, “No, that’s… it’s fine.”

“I insist.” He tore it in half, chocolate smearing on his fingertips, then he placed one half on a plate (the bigger half, Annabeth managed to note despite the distraction) and passed it to her. “It’s my first day, I can’t afford to be making enemies now, can I?” He smiled again, a blinding smile that nearly knocked Annabeth off balance again. She somehow recovered, clearing her throat and reluctantly accepting the doughnut half.

“I hardly think you’d make an enemy of me over a pastry,” she commented, huffing her bangs out of her eyes before taking a small bite, praying to whatever gods actually existed that she wouldn’t get chocolate all over her face.

“You never know.” His grin was unwavering. “I hear there’s another classics teacher here who’s difficult to please.”

“Oh really?” She bit her tongue, wondering if he knew exactly who she was and this was his version of an icebreaker, or if he was truly ignorant.

“Mmhmm.” He nodded through a large bite of doughnut, swallowing, then continuing, “You probably know her– Professor Chase, I think her name was? Anyway, she’s supposedly this by-the-books, old fashioned sort of teach. You know, the kind who never even thinks to diverge from the syllabus? But I guess the classics profession is full of old crones like that, unable to move on from the past.”

Ignorant, then. Annabeth could feel her nostrils flare at the absolute gall of Perseus Jackson, and she opened her mouth to retort, when the head of their department, Sir Chiron, cleared his throat from the front of the room.

Sir Chiron was older, but not old, his long hair swept back from his face and his beard perfectly trimmed, seated in a wheelchair with a tartan blanket draped over his legs. There was a lot Annabeth didn’t know about him: like his first name or how he had earned the title of “Sir”. Maybe his first name was Sir. And on top of that, the irony of a Classics Department head named for the most famous teacher of heroes from mythology was not lost on her. Perhaps that was why he pursued this profession. Or maybe it was a pseudonym itself.

“I’d like to welcome all of you to a new semester at our esteemed University.” He paused, and a few teachers clapped and whooped. At least morale was usually high among the staff. Everyone truly loved to work here. 

Well , Annabeth thought, almost everyone .

“To begin, a few announcements. As everyone knows, we’ve added a new Professor to our department, so I’d like to welcome Perseus Jackson aboard.”

“Call me Percy.” The man beside Annabeth called above the polite clapping, a smile evident in his voice.

“Percy, then. Well, we’re happy to have you on board. Miss Chase?”

“Yes?” Annabeth could feel Perseus stiffen beside her as she spoke up.

“Would you be so kind as to show Mr. Jackson around and acquaint him with how things work around here? Get him set up on the grading website and everything else?”

“It would be my pleasure.” In spite of her words, her voice even and neutral, Annabeth fought a frown. She had no interest in doing more than was required of her, but she couldn’t say no to Chiron.

Her boss nodded before continuing to drone on about various news, but Annabeth had stopped listening. Her thoughts were on the new teacher beside her– it was hard to ignore the discomfort emanating from his very soul. Or perhaps she was imagining that due to her own irritation. Either way, she couldn’t help feeling smug. He had talked shit, and now would have to deal with the consequences.

The meeting wasn’t long– they rarely were. Annabeth suspected Chiron disliked them more than anyone else though he’d never show it. She readjusted the bag on her shoulder and turned to Perseus. “Well.”

She could see a wince on his features as he faced her. “Uh– about earlier–”

“You couldn’t have known who I was. Have you been shown your lecture hall?”

“Huh?”

“Your classroom, Mr. Jackson.”

“It’s Percy– and yes, but–”

“Then you should be able to find your own way there.” Annabeth practically spun on her heel and strode from the lounge, tossing the doughnut she had forgotten she had been holding in the bin on her way out. She’d lost her appetite. 

Unfortunately, she didn’t get very far before the sound of footsteps behind her made her sigh in exasperation. A glance over her shoulder confirmed her suspicions.

“Did you need something, Perseus?”

“Percy.” He corrected again. “And no. My office is this way.”

Her face burned. Of course. They would probably share one. She elected not to respond and continued on her way back towards the main throughway of the annex. Soon she left the bland, modern wing behind once more and they were back to stone and wood and arches and the things Annabeth loved. It was a labyrinth, but Annabeth had learned to navigate it early. And she probably could find her way better than most tenured professors, being the only one in their department who could tell ionic and doric apart, who could recognize the differences in halls and windows and architectural stylings. 

Annabeth turned a corner and when she reached her office, her earlier fear was confirmed. Perseus– Percy– whatever, followed her inside.

It was small, but in a cozy way, not a cramped way. There were curtained windows on the outer wall and inner, one peering out into a small courtyard only accessible to teachers through the backdoors of their offices (usually used for lunch in the warmer months), the other looking back into the majestic halls of the school. Annabeth’s desk hadn’t been touched since May, but everything was as she left it; books stacked and shelved above on the wall, a few magazine clippings of different buildings she dreamed of visiting (the Parthenon, Notre Dame, a few castles in the UK), jars of pens, drawers of sticky notes, a single photo of Matthew and Bobby pinned to the corkboard behind the desk, a small mirror. She dropped her bag beside it and sunk into her chair, immediately beginning to pull out the reading materials for this semester’s classes, pointedly ignoring Percy who had wandered over to the bare desk pressed up against the opposite wall.

Other than the desks, and a couch beneath the inner window, there wasn’t much more in the way of decoration.

Annabeth got to work immediately and scanned through her syllabus for a class not due to begin for another week, grabbing a red pen and making adjustments as she saw fit. She more or less kept it the same every year, but sometimes new translations were published or editions of textbooks were updated, and she liked her content to be as on trend as possible, even if her teaching style was archaic by certain other professor’s standards.

There was a new translation of The Odyssey, by a woman this time– naturally that would need to be added. And Professor McLean had recommended some other historical sources from a female gaze that Annabeth still needed to research but was itching to add to her classes. If she was going to teach in a profession that was once mainly dominated by old men, she’d need to dig deeper, bring something more to the table than the same stories told from the same perspective by the same people over and over again.

She crossed out a book, added another, jotted a note, rearranged the sections– but a voice behind her cleared his throat and she jumped, having forgotten for a moment that she now shared this space.

Annabeth swiveled in her chair, fighting back another sigh that was once again blooming in her chest, begging to be set free. “Yes?”

Perseus smiled at her, a dazzling smile that Annabeth was determined not to notice or think about or obsess over. “Well, I was just thinking… We’re both going to be teaching the Introductory classes, right?”

“Right…”

“Right. So, I was thinking, maybe we should collaborate, make sure we’re covering the same subjects.”

Oh. Of course. Annabeth nodded, already reaching into her bag to pull out her laptop. “It’s going to be updated but I can email you over the preliminary syllabus you may utilize, I’ll have the final version done this afternoon. I’m assuming you’re familiar with the texts we use, but just in case I do have copies of them all.” She nodded to the shelf above her desk. “Just replace my name and contact information with your own at the top before you print it for students.”

Perseus’s smile did not leave, though it dimmed to a slightly less genuine and slightly more strained variation. “Ah… well, actually, I was thinking we could come up with one together.”

Annabeth stopped amidst typing in her password, pursing her lips. “Well, Mr. Jackson–”

“Percy.”

“Perseus,” She split the difference, determined not to be familiar with this man though only the gods knew why. “I’ve been doing this a long time–”

“You look about my age, it can’t have been that –”

“A long time,” she insisted. “I have a working syllabus. And I can tell you that the system I have works. It doesn’t need improvement.”

He looked surprised. “Everything can use improvement.”

“Not this. Maybe you don’t see the value in a good working syllabus you can rely on.” He winced, probably thinking back to what he had said before, as Annabeth was. “But I do in fact like to stick to what I know will be successful.” She turned from him to finish logging in, her email already up, and it took almost no time to find him in the school directory. “I’ll send it over so you can get a good idea of what we focus on in the first semester, and if you have any suggestions you may offer them.” And I will ignore them, Annabeth finished in her head.  

“Thanks, uh…” he struggled for a moment.

“Professor Chase.” She offered.

“That’s kind of formal isn’t it?”

“Shouldn’t it be?”

“We’re colleagues, I feel like we can be on a first name basis.”

“...Annabeth.” She finally relented.

“Annie?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Fine, fine, Annabeth it is.” He shrugged, wandering back to his own desk, beginning to pull things out from one of the bags Annabeth had not noticed he’d brought with him. She turned back to her email, sending him the draft of the syllabus before directing her attention to the resources Professor McLean had sent.

Piper McLean, expert on Gender Studies and Indigenous Folklore was a godsend when Annabeth was stumped on finding sources– old cishet white men were generally the norm in her area of expertise, and Piper had an uncanny ability to pick out writings and books and papers by people who were decidedly not that, even without being in the field herself. Annabeth had begrudgingly accepted her friendship, but these days she was grateful for someone to talk to. It made long days at the school so much easier.

She scrolled through a study Piper forwarded, cross-referencing on one tab and looking through biographies of the different authors in another. Everything seemed to check out… It would be good for her students to compare Greek mythos to other cultures, and the study was on the effect of western folklore on the understanding of indigenous stories and vice versa.

And so onto the syllabus it went.

She typed away, setting up for the next week’s official start to classes. Some students were already on campus, moving into dorms, attending orientations, doing tours, buying required books from the school store– Annabeth’s mind wandered to the girls from earlier. Which reminded her of their subject matter. Which in turn brought her thoughts back to the man currently arranging seashells on his desk behind her.

She could see him in her mirror, and she stared for a moment, watching as he bent down to dig more shells out of his bag.

And then she caught sight of herself.

Her grey eyes were as stormy as ever, deep and intense and haloed with the little bit of makeup she had applied that morning, some of which had smeared and flecked beneath her lower lashes. She lifted her hand and tried to clean it up a bit with her fingertips; it was a bit too early in the day to be looking like she’d slept in her mascara. Her curly blonde hair was piled atop her head in a messy bun, but the kind that was clearly purposeful, and she tucked a few errant strands back behind her ear. Her eyes flicked back to Perseus– only to find he had stopped his unpacking and was staring at her.

She jerked her gaze away, a heat rising to her cheeks as she spun around in her chair. “Did you need something, Perseus?” Her voice barely contained her fury at being caught looking at herself, the embarrassment of this stranger watching her as she preened. She would have to remember that her office was a shared space now.

He didn’t correct her on his name this time, only shrugging again. “Was just wondering.”

“Wondering what?”

He didn’t respond, instead stooping down to pull out some framed photos and placing them on his desk.

Annabeth cleared her throat. “Wondering what?” She repeated.

“Wondering why you work at a job you hate.” He didn’t turn, his voice nonchalant.

Her whole body tensed. Her first instinct was to deny it, of course, be defensive. He didn’t know the first thing about her, and now he was presuming things about her life, her job, her likes and dislikes, loves and hates.

She forced herself to take a deep breath. “And what makes you think I hate my job?”

Perseus doesn’t answer at first, a habit that Annabeth was beginning to find frustrating as he arranged the items on his desk, adjusting positions and angles. Finally, he responded, “Don’t you?”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Funny, you didn’t answer mine either.” He turned, leaning back on his desk and crossing his arms.

She tried to ignore the way the half rolled up sleeves of his pressed shirt hugged his arms, how the position oozed confidence in a completely effortless way. He wasn’t trying to look cool. He just was.

And it annoyed the hell out of her.

Annabeth opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock on the open door. “Heard this was where all the cool teachers were hanging out.”

The familiar voice made Annabeth’s heart skip a beat and she swiveled in her chair, a smile coming to her face as Luke Castellan leaned into the room.

Tall, blonde, handsome, dressed in casual khaki shorts and a pink polo shirt, he was likely the most popular being on campus. Which was just as well, seeing as he practically owned it. The only thing that distracted from his features was a jagged scar, extending from just beneath his eye all the way down to his jaw. Annabeth always wondered where he had gotten it.

She stood. “Luke!”

“Hey, how’s my favorite professor?” He grinned back, holding out an arm for a half-hug that she happily accepted.

“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask them.” She pulled away after a moment, glancing back at her new colleague who was still leaning on his desk, expression unreadable. “Oh, Luke, you probably already know–”

“Percy Jackson.” Luke’s smile only widened. “Of course I do, I hired the guy. How’s the first day?”

“Oh, you know, other than being shoved in a locker and my lunch money being stolen? Pretty good.” His voice was cheerful and Annabeth hoped that her own expression didn’t give anything away. She wasn’t exactly known for getting along with others, but she was cordial enough to most, and she wasn’t in the mood for rumors going around that her and the new Classics Professor weren’t fans of each other.

Not that she disliked him. He was just… not her cup of tea.

Luke laughed. “Mind if I steal your partner in crime?”

“Be my guest.”

Luke gestured for Annabeth to follow him, and though she didn’t look back, she could feel Perseus’ eyes bore into her from behind, watching her leave.

They strolled through the halls, Luke swinging an arm up and over Annabeth’s shoulders. “I haven’t seen you since… mid July? When we met up for drinks?”

She nodded. “Mmhmm, we went to that bar downtown, what was it… Retrograde?”

“Oh yeah, that was it, right before my trip… I should have called you when I got back.”

“You probably had your hands full getting ready for the new school year, don’t worry about it Luke.” She leaned into him for a brief moment before pulling away. They’d been down that road before, and it wasn’t a happy ending. Plus she didn’t want anyone else seeing them like this, whether they were fellow teachers or her students– rumors traveled fast in universities.

Luke nodded. “Still, I should have made the time. Anyway, what do you think of him?”

“Who?”

“Percy,”

“Oh.”

“That bad?” Luke chuckled. “Look I know he’s not exactly who you’d choose to work with, but you should have seen how much his last school loved him. I had to offer quite a bump in salary to get him to come here instead–”

“So he gets paid more than me too?”

“Relax, HR is contacting you tomorrow to go over your raise. But like I was saying… I think it’ll be good to have a teacher around who loves what they do.”

Annabeth felt miffed. “I love what I do.”

“No, yeah, of course you do!” He reassured her. “Definitely wasn’t implying you don’t. Just… he has this infectious energy, you know?”

“Not really,” she muttered, feeling even more annoyed.

“You’ll come around.” They slipped through an arched doorway to a grassy quad where students were already lounging around in the August heat, and Annabeth paused.

“You didn’t just ask me to walk with you to talk about Mr. Jackson, did you?”

Luke ran a hand through his hair, and Annabeth was struck again by how handsome he was, even more so than when they were in school together themselves. It was no wonder that before she had heard girls whispering about Perseus Jackson in secluded corners, it was Luke’s name that was on their lips.

“Look, Annabeth, I… I know when you initially agreed to come work here, you said it would only be for five years.”

“Yes…”

“And we’re about to start year four so I, uh… I wanted to check in, see if you still wanted to leave after next–”

“I do.” She interrupted, and Luke sighed.

“Annabeth… would you maybe consider staying on longer?” He looked up and must have noticed the expression on her face because he rushed out, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to! I just… running this school is so…” He sighed. “I’m burning out from both ends quickly. And having you here, it… it would really help me out. I know it’s a while off, but just think about it, would you?”

She was quiet in response. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t feel like she owed it to Luke– he was the reason she had this job in the first place.

Finally, she said, “I… I will think about it.”

“Thanks ‘Beth.” She hated the nickname, but had never had the heart to tell Luke as much. He pulled her in for a kiss on the head, which made her cheeks heat up once more but a cursory glance around told her no one was paying any attention to them.

“Want me to walk you back to your office?”

“No, no, I… I can make it back just fine. I’m sure you have things to do.” She pulled away, taking a step back.

“I do have a meeting in Di Angelo Hall in about… five minutes?”

She gaped. “Luke, that’s all the way across campus! You should have said something!”

He laughed, beginning to walk backwards in the direction of the Hall. “I’ll make it. See you for drinks Friday?”

“Friday.” She confirmed, and then he was jogging away and she was left alone to consider what they had discussed.

Percy asked why she hated her job. And she didn’t, not… not really. At least that’s what she told herself. When Luke had first offered her the job, she’d been tempted to turn it down– she only minored in Classics afterall, she didn’t have the experience, the years of schooling and studying, a PhD. But… she needed a job. And Luke was kind enough to offer one when she’d been at her lowest.

Now? She itched to try and get back to doing what she was really passionate about, an urge just beneath the surface, threatening to make her explode if she followed this career path any longer. It’s only two more years , is what she had been telling herself. Now that may not even be true. Luke needed her, and it was hard to say no to him.

She meandered back inside, down the grand halls, back towards her– their office. When she slipped through the door, Perseus was sitting at his now organized desk, typing away at his computer. He didn’t look up as she entered, and relief coursed through her body. She wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.

Annabeth returned to her own seat, waking her laptop from its slumber.

1 New Email:
[email protected]

She glanced back at him through her mirror, clicking on the email. Attached was a copy of the syllabus she’d sent earlier, but as she scrolled through it she could tell things were different. She could feel herself growing peeved, different books added, some taken away, a complete rewrite of the department mission statement Annabeth herself had drafted. She spun around, arms crossed, trying not to let her anger show on her face.

“What is this?”

“What is what?” Perseus didn’t turn, still clicking away at his computer.

“Don’t play dumb. You messed with my syllabus.”

“You said I could give suggestions.” His chair swiveled then and he leaned back, body language matching Annabeth’s.

“Suggestions, not changes.”

“Why not consider them?”

“Because…! Because… Because your ‘suggestions’ are completely ludicrous!”

“How so?”

“Well for one you replaced Euripides' play with The Ballad of Heracles ?! That’s a modern work! You can’t seriously think it’s more important for students to read an adaptation rather than original sources?!”

“If you had read further…” He sounded patient, like an adult explaining a concept to a toddler, and it made Annabeth’s blood boil. “You’d see I included select excerpts from Herakles . I think it’s important for students to see how ancient stories are told and retold, how they change, how we adapt them, and compare them to the primary sources. Plus, it’s more fun.” He shrugged.

“This isn’t about fun , it’s about giving the best education we can!”

“And you think I don’t know how to do so.”

“No!”

His eyebrows shot up. “We’ve just met.”

“And you started that introduction by insulting me, questioning my methods I’ve perfected, and vandalizing my syllabus!”

They stared at each other for a moment. Finally, he sighed. “Whatever. I’ll just make my own lesson plan.”

“We’re supposed to coordinate!” Annabeth insisted. It wasn’t that she wanted to work with him, but she knew that was what was best for the students, so as to not cause confusion. And maybe she was a little bit of a control freak, but he was the one being stubborn about this!

“That’s not a requirement.” He began to turn back to his laptop.

“Ugh!” Annabeth threw her hands up in exasperation. “You’re impossible!”

“And you’re obstinate.”

“Excuse me for knowing what works, Perseus-”

“It’s Percy.” He finally snapped, his even tone finally giving way to something more akin to anger as he spun back around. “And I worked at another school for years before coming here. I have a PhD. I’ve studied, just like you. Do you really think you’re the only person who knows what ‘works’?!”

“You– that– oh, never mind!” She whirled around, slamming her laptop shut and stuffing it into her bag. She’d rather be anywhere but here, with him, now, and she didn’t plan on sticking around to see just how far they could push each other.

They didn’t say another word to each other as Annabeth stormed out, Perseus going back to whatever ridiculous lesson plan he was cooking up. The Ballad of Heracles … As much as she had to admit it was a good book, the idea of teaching it in a Classics course of all things made no sense to her whatsoever. And the nerve to question her, the person assigned to personally help him adjust to the school! She stalked back towards the lounge with its regular walls and windows and couches and tables. There was no way she could work with him sitting just a few feet away.

Tomorrow was a new day. She could calm down by then, be cordial with him, help if asked, but she would not be working with him. On anything. Ever. That much was certain.

She pushed into the fluorescently lit lounge once more, now mostly emptied, and set herself up at a table by the window.

Next week classes would start and she could lose herself in the whirlwind of lectures and grading and translations. She could run her courses as she always had, much better than Perseus, and if– no, when he came crawling to her because his students were failing and his position was in question, then perhaps she would consider lending a hand. Maybe.

 

---

 

Notes:

Hello and welcome to my newest fanfiction! Thank you for reading the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed it! First off, a warning: I will not be posting more chapters of this until I have finished updating the gods are real (and so are we), but the good news is that fic is completely finished writing-wise, it just needs some edits and to be posted!

Second off, this will not be accurate to what it's like to be a Classics professor irl, for various reasons; plot, lack of knowledge, etc. So if you yourself are studying Classics... I apologize haha.

Chapter 2: if a man talks shit (then i owe him nothing)

Annabeth decided Perseus Jackson was impossible to work with.

They seemed to butt heads about every little thing imaginable, especially when it came to their shared space; she preferred to work with the drapes pulled shut, he insisted that they stay open. She hated food in the workspace, he refused to eat anywhere but his desk. She considered herself a maximalist (she was not messy), he had everything in its place, ordered and tidy.

“You wouldn’t lose students’ papers so often if you just used your filing cabinet.” He had commented cheerfully on his way out the door the second week of the semester.

Annabeth nearly blew a gasket then and there.

“What do you mean often?! You haven’t even been here a month!”

He was already gone and she swore before going back to searching for the fifth intro paper she’d lost since classes began.

For the most part they tried to ignore each other entirely. Annabeth came to work, went home, rinsed, and repeated. She would pretend Perseus was simply not there, unless something pressing came up, and he did likewise– at first. But by midway through the third week, he seemed to have grown bored of being invisible to his teaching partner, and insisted on bringing the most asinine problems to her.

“I got locked out of my computer, Annabeth.”

“Call IT.”

“But I can’t remember the answer to my security question.”

“Call IT.”

“You think they know my mother’s maiden name?”

Her brow had furrowed at that, “Well what was her parents’ surname?”

“...Jackson.”

She nearly strangled him.

Then there was the day after that;

“Hey, Annabeth, can you cover my afternoon class?”

“Why?”

“Luke wants to take me for lunch and said you’d be happy to sub.”

Her pencil almost snapped in her hands. Luke always had a bad habit of taking new professors out and treating them to lunches and drinks in an effort to get to know them. It was probably why he was so popular among the staff. But of course she covered– she didn’t want Luke to think she was being uncompromising due to her personal feelings. Besides, it would be a good chance to show his students what they were missing out on.

It was September when things finally slowed down enough for her to accept Piper’s invitation to go out.

There was a bar just off campus that was popular among students and staff– Annabeth always forgot the name. The Gilded… something. Rose? Orchid? She was still racking her brain for the answer by the time she arrived in front of the establishment.

The Gilded Lily , she read off the glowing sign above the door, promising herself she would definitely remember this time, for sure, as she pushed into the bar.

It was only a Tuesday night, but that didn’t stop it from being packed shoulder to shoulder with patrons, and Annabeth had to squeeze uncomfortably between bodies to make it to the back stairs, beelining for the usual spot.

Piper was already perched at a table, and Annabeth wondered not for the first time how someone so tough and foul-mouthed could look so effortlessly dainty and poised. Not that she’d ever say as much to Professor Mclean– Piper would rather die than ever be described as dainty .

“Hey!” Piper spotted her and waved, gesturing to the seat across from herself. Annabeth noted there was a third barstool between them as she approached.

“Are we waiting for someone?”

Piper grinned, “Yep.”

Annabeth raised an eyebrow in question, but her colleague didn’t elaborate.

That’s when she felt cold hands cover her eyes, her vision obscured and Annabeth couldn’t fight the grin that came to her lips. There was only one person who dared to attempt such a move with her.

“Guess who.” Thalia’s breath tickled her ear, and Annabeth turned and threw her arms around her friend.

“When did you get back?!”

“Last night– Jetlag is a fucking nightmare. I slept all day.” Thalia’s thickly accented voice grumbled as her and Annabeth parted and she grabbed the extra seat

“I can imagine… How was London? Is your dad still… you know…” Annabeth gestured vaguely. Thalia snorted.

“Still trying to get me to take over the business and become some boring CEO sitting in an office all day? Yeah.” She paused, looking thoughtful, “Though I’d look damn good in a suit, I can’t deny that.”

“Hell yeah you would.” Piper nodded in agreement, waving down a server to place an order for drinks.

Annabeth watched her coworkers as they asked for the usual– Piper with her sharp features, brown skin, and layered hair was probably the most beautiful person Annabeth had ever seen. Thalia was a close second– spiky black hair that had grown out over the summer, punk clothes, and electric blue eyes that could paralyze men and women alike with a glance.

It was hard to believe she was a school Counselor sometimes.

“Annabeth-” Piper jolted her from her thoughts, “What did you want?”

“Oh, right, sorry.” She placed her order for whatever amber ale they had on tap.

Thalia leaned forward as the server left, “So I hear you have a new guy in the classics department. And I heard he’s hot as fuck.”

Piper cut in before Annabeth could, “Oh yeah, he’s mega dreamy.”

“Well shit,” Thalia chuckled, “If he could get you to take your eyes off of my brother for two seconds, he must be.”

“He’s fine looking, I guess.” Annabeth accepted her drink from the server, surprised at the fast service, trying to seem nonchalant but Thalia wasn’t one to let her off the hook that easily.

“Just fine looking?”

“He certainly has… a face.”

“A really hot face.” Piper added.

“And he’s got hair, which is an anomaly in our department, so I guess if you grade him on a curve–”

“Oh my god.” Thalia laughed, “You hate him!”

“I don’t hate him! Annabeth insisted, maybe just a tad too defensive, “I just don’t see what all the fuss is about.”

“No, no you definitely hate him. You’re doing that passive aggressive thing you do when you don’t like someone– remember Drew in middle school? You complimented her on having ears once.”

“And I stand by the fact that that is, in fact, a compliment.” Annabeth sipped her drink, trying not to meet the stares of Piper and Thalia head on. She nearly cracked, holding firm as best she can, “I think he’s utterly… satisfactory.”

Thalia whistled, “Wow, Chase, breaking out the eleven letter words.”

“There’s twelve letters in satisfactory.”

“Even better. Pipes? Did our dear Annie-bell tell you about this?”

“I’ve told you not to call me-”

“Not a word till now.” Piper reported, “Though she is in the teacher’s lounge more than usual…”

“It’s quiet in there.” Annabeth insisted.

“More quiet than an office for two?”

Annabeth looked between the women, before throwing up her hands in defeat, “Okay, okay, fine. I can’t stand him.”

Thalia and Piper exchanged smirks, and Piper began digging in her purse, “Alright, you win Thalia, you got her to admit it in less than five minutes. Twenty bucks, was it?”

Annabeth blinked, confused.

“Nah you can just buy the next round and we’ll call it even.”

“What… you… what is–”

“Piper could tell you weren’t too fond of the guy– actually I’m pretty sure most of the faculty is aware at this point, knowing how subtle you are.” Thalia sipped her Old Fashioned, “I bet her I could get you to actually say as much out loud.”

Annabeth wanted to feel offended, but instead she just sighed, running her hand through her hair, “Is it seriously that obvious?”

“Yup. You practically sprint out of the room every time he enters it– and if that’s not an option, you glare daggers at him every chance you get.” Piper downed a shot of tequila.

Annabeth groaned, burying her face in her arms, “Well fuck.”

“No one actually cares if you have beef with another staff member as long as you get your work done, you know.” Thalia shrugged, “What’s the big deal? So you don’t like the guy.”

“It’s– he shouldn’t be important enough for me to even dislike! I should… I should nothing him!” Annabeth held back a pout, sitting back up properly and taking a larger swig of her ale.

Thalia rolled her eyes, “You’re being dramatic. He can’t be that bad.”

“He is!” Annabeth insisted, “He’s absolutely the most stuck up, bull-headed, annoying, obnoxious, rude–”

“Okay girlie, let’s cool it on the adjectives, we get it.” Thalia reached over to ruffle Annabeth’s curls, “What did he do to get on the wrong side of your temper?”

“He called me a crone.” She huffed, “And said something about me being old-fashioned.”

Piper cocked her head to the side, “Did he see you before making this ‘crone’ comment? Because you’re like, the opposite of a crone.”

“Well– no– but–”

“And you are old-fashioned.” Thalia pointed out.

“Thalia?” Annabeth asked sweetly.

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

Her oldest friend chuckled, “Fine, fine, but I’m just saying, you used to consider that a compliment.”

“Well that was then and this is now. Piper?”

“Mmhmm?”

“Can you order a round of shots for us? Maybe two?”

Piper smiled, “It would be my pleasure.”

 

---

 

The headache the next morning was nothing compared to the way her head pounded when Perseus walked into their office whistling . Who even whistled anymore?! Annabeth rolled her eyes, nursing a coffee and typing up a quiz on her laptop. Of course, all her focus was out the window as soon as her colleague entered the room. She just hated him that much.

“Will you stop with that infernal whistling?” She finally snapped, spinning in her chair.

Perseus looked at her in surprise, lips still pursed, though the high-pitched tone died in his throat. “You don’t like whistling?

“I have a headache.” She turned back to her desk.

“That didn’t answer my question.”

“Perseus–”

“Percy.”

“I am not in the mood for this.”

“For what?”

“For you.”

He chuckled somewhere behind her, “You could at least pretend to be an adult.”

“I am an adult.”

“Could have fooled me.”

Her chair spun around again, “You’re accusing me of being immature? You, of all people?”

“If the shoe fits, Chase.”

“You are by far, the most annoying, insufferable, pig-headed–”

“Um. Professor Chase?”

A timid voice from the door interrupted her tirade, and Annabeth jerked her head towards the noise. A tiny freshman was standing there, wide-eyed. Shit. Shit.

“Hannah– hi, yes, what can I do for you?” She changed her tone to the professional one she’d been using for years, but she couldn’t keep the strain out of her voice.

“Oh, um… I had a question about the study guide but I can come back later–”

“No, no I can help you now.”

“Really, I think… I think I’ll just…” Hannah gave a small wave before scurrying away, and Annabeth pinched the bridge of her nose, forcing deep breaths. The students at this school were like those at any other– huge gossips. By lunch, it will have spread that Professor Chase and Professor Jackson had been arguing. By two, the story would be that Annabeth had slapped Perseus. And by five, everyone would be talking about the rivalry plaguing the school– Did they know each other before working together? What was their past, their history?

“Well, that will be interesting to deal with later.” Perseus’ voice was light and just as amiable as ever.

“Will you just– ugh!” Annabeth found herself once more stuffing her things in her bag and stalking off to find the teacher’s lounge.

 

---

 

The rumors spread just as quickly as Annabeth had imagined. By the end of the week, it seemed everyone in school was aware of the rivalry, even teachers from other departments. Reyna, a PoliSci professor who Thalia had mentioned on more than one occasion, gave Annabeth a sympathetic look from across the library. 

“Don’t worry, it’ll pass soon.” She had said to her on her way out.

Annabeth tried her best to ignore the rumors as much as she did Perseus. But both were becoming more and more difficult to shut out.

“You’re adults.” She was scolding her class one day, “This is an adult course– so why are you two passing notes ?! Just wait until after class for God's sake.”

The two girls in the back exchanged a look, and Annabeth felt her stomach drop, already suspecting the contents of their nonverbal conversation, “Read it out loud, then, if it’s so pressing.”

“But Professor Chase–”

“This isn’t highschool, you can’t make us–”

“Now.”

The taller girl rolled her eyes, standing and reading out loud.

“‘Do you think Chase is just pissed because we all wish we were in Jackson’s class?’ ‘Probably, did you hear he brought a sword to school yesterday?’ ‘No way! Ugh he’s so cool!’ ‘Hot too.’ ‘I bet Chase thinks so, she probably got rejected by him day one and now is taking her repression out on everyone else.’ ‘She definitely needs a good fu–’”

“That’s enough.” Annabeth took a breath. She was impressed with herself. Her voice was even. Her shoulders were back, her head was as high as ever, and when she spoke again, there wasn’t a hint of the immense anger she held at bay by sheer force of will. “Perhaps in the future, you two should spend more time studying and less time speculating about my sex life.”

The girls blushed, the tall one sitting back down.

Annabeth turned her back on the students, underlining a stanza of the Iliad she had written on the board, “Now, as I was saying about the city of Troy…” But even as she talked about ancient history, her mind was on more current events. Is that really what students were saying about her?! That she needed to get laid? Of all the ways the rumors could have devolved…!

It was true that it had been some time since her last romantic entanglement. She’d had a tinder date here and there, an occasional fling, but the fact was no one ever clicked. And Annabeth felt like her personal life was far too miserable at the moment to inflict upon some poor individual. And really, she hadn’t been serious about anyone since her own days at New Athens as a student herself, not since–

She shut down that train of thought. No use dwelling on her lack of a sex life. And she would absolutely not even entertain going back to her college infatuation. Not after how it ended.

 

---

 

Annabeth was coming back from lunch in the courtyard when she walked in on Perseus and Jesse. Jesse was a Junior Classics Major and top of their class, and the two were leaning over Professor Jackson’s computer, intently discussing something. They barely gave her a backwards glance as she entered the office, and Annabeth felt a bit vexed at being ignored by one of her favorite students– Jesse always seemed interested in her classes.

She cleared her throat. Neither noticed.

“Jesse, so good to see you.” She interrupted, and the student finally looked back at her, surprise painting their features.

“Professor Chase, hi!” They waved cheerfully. Perseus gave a curt nod.

Annabeth strolled over casually, “Did you need help on something?” Surely I could give better assistance than Professor Jackson , she added in her head.

“Oh, no, actually, Professor Jackson invited me to work on his research paper with him!” Jesse grinned, pointing to the computer and Annabeth’s brow furrowed as she stared at the image on the screen.

“The Mycenaean Tablet.” Her voice was chillier than she intended, “We haven’t been able to translate it since its discovery.”

“Well, until now.” Perseus shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning against his desk, “Myself and Jesse here are going to change that.”

“Are you?”

“Yep.”

“I see.” She mentally cursed herself. She had been meaning to ask Jesse to help with her own study, an analysis of development of technology in the Archaic Period of Greece. Less interesting than translating an incomprehensible dialect of hieroglyphs on an ancient tablet, perhaps, but Perseus had somehow already swooped in and poached her best student.

“Is that going to be a problem?” Perseus’ own voice was even, but Annabeth swore she could detect contempt underneath the easygoing attitude. Jesse’s eyes darted between them, and Annabeth put on her sunniest smile despite the fury building within.

“Not at all! Good luck, then.” She retreated to her desk, her grin failing as soon as she turned away. Sure, she could ask any number of Juniors or Seniors to help with her research, but it seemed almost like a personal slight against her for Perseus to choose Jesse– Not that he had any way of knowing how good of a student they were, it wasn’t even a full month into classes yet.

Even so, when Annabeth glanced behind her, Perseus was still studying her intently, Jesse going on and on about the little project the two would be working on. Annabeth had a feeling her colleague wasn’t hearing a word of it, and the way he was looking at her was… odd. It unnerved her.

She tore her eyes away, face heating up as she stuffed her things into her bag and stormed from the office once more.She could feel those green eyes follow her out of sight, and she swore under her breath. Was he trying to knock her off balance? Well it wouldn’t work. It would take more than an intense stare for Annabeth Chase to be shaken.

 

---

 

Annabeth decided midweek that rather than bother with going to her office at all, she’d just head straight to the teacher’s lounge. It seemed like a good idea.

At first.

She heard him before she saw him, his confident voice echoing out of the room as she approached.

“...always so pissy?”

She froze.

“Yeah, usually, moreso since you got here.”

The second voice was familiar, though Annabeth had trouble placing where she had heard it before. It didn’t sound like any teacher in their department. She crept closer, ears straining to hear what the topic of discussion, which she assumed was herself.

“Well I’m honored.” Sarcasm.

“You should be, I hear getting on her bad side is like getting Satan to hate you. It means you’re doing something right.”

“I don’t know about that, I did kinda stick my foot in my mouth the first time we met. I guess I didn’t think she’d hold a grudge this long.”

“Trust me, bro, she’s just like that. There’s no logic to it. Like, she basically hates me for taking too long to fix the AC in her classroom last year even though I told her the part would take two weeks to come in and then Callie wanted me to fix her AC first and Callie is smoking hot, so obviously–”

“Wait, you… bumped her down the list because another professor needed help too?”

Annabeth vaguely recalled the incident, and suddenly the voice clicked– Leo Valdez, the school’s maintenance guy. He’d taken over a month to fix the cooling system, and Annabeth swore he had put her lower on the list on purpose. Now she knew that he had.

“Not a professor, one of the guidance counselors. You gotta see her, Perce, she’s like… otherworldly.”

“And you’re saying Professor Chase is not?”

“She could be if she didn’t have a stick up her–”

Sick of being talked about behind her back by students and now coworkers, Annabeth huffed and marched into the room. Leo was under the sink, fixing the drain, and Perseus was leaning casually against the counter, a mug of coffee in hand. He straightened as Annabeth entered, his expression shocked. He kicked Leo’s foot.

“Ow, one sec! I was saying, she’d so uptight, like, you’d have to be insane to try and tap tha–”

Another kick.

“What?!” Leo glanced up from his spot under the sink, his face going slack as he caught sight of Professor Chase, her arms crossed and mouth pursed. He sat up quickly, banging his head on the underside of the counter. “Ouch– fuck, uh… h-hey, Annabeth, what’s…?”

“No no, continue. I’d like to hear this.” She narrowed her eyes.

Leo coughed nervously, “I was just, uh, telling Percy here about… pipes, yeah! How you’d have to be insane to uh… tap them. With a wrench.” As if to illustrate his point, he knocked the tool in his hand against the piping with a clang . “Gotta leave that sort of thing to the professionals.”

Annabeth scoffed, stalking to the fridge, shoving her lunch into it, and marching back out the door.

Perseus caught up to her as soon as she set foot on the hall tile.

“Wait, Annabeth!”

She whirled, glowering at him, “What is it, Professor Jackson?”

He holds his hands up in defense, “Look, that was out of line for him to say, really–”

“Shouldn’t you be telling him that?”

“Oh… yeah, uh, I was planning to, but then you walked in and–”

“Save it.” She snapped, turning to leave once more.

“Wait,” He grabbed her hand, but then dropped it quickly at the look she shot at him.

“What?!” Her eyes flashed with anger and he backed off.

“... Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Annabeth turned and wasn’t stopped this time as she steamed back towards the office. Perseus did not make an appearance for the rest of the day.

 

---

 

The school was always mostly empty on Fridays. Most classes ran Monday through Thursday, with only a few more intense courses extending to three days a week. Still, Annabeth found herself in her office on a Friday morning; not because she needed to be, but because it was the one day a week Perseus Jackson was not occupying the desk behind her. She could get her work done in peace, without distraction or frustration, and she had just pulled out a stack of papers to grade when the jingle of her phone rang into the otherwise silent office.

Incoming Call
Matthew Chase

She smiled, clicking to answer on speaker phone as she sorted through the pile before her, “Hey Matty.”

“Hey sis, you coming?”

Her brow furrowed, “To…?”

“Brunch?”

“Shit–” Annabeth glanced up at her calendar, realizing just now what day it was. She scrambled to her feet, gathering her things, “Shit shit shit, sorry, yes, I-I’ll be there!”

“Uh, well we’re being seated now, so…”

“Yeah, yeah, um… just, order for me, I’ll be there in–” She glanced at the time, “Fifteen minutes?”

“Okay, the usual?”

“Yup.”

“See you then, ‘Beth.” She winced at the nickname but rather than correct her brother, she hung up and hurried out of the university to the bus stop just off of campus. Annabeth knew how important today was for her family, and yet it had completely slipped her mind. They’d set this up weeks ago, yet here she was, late and not at all dressed properly for a family brunch. She pictured her father’s disappointed face and winced. She was so dead.

Notes:

Did I in fact, make Thalia and Jason British? Maybe. Was it simply because I like the idea of Thalia with an accent? MAYBE.
I also added a section of this chapter AS I was posting it, can you guess which one? :P

I'll be out of town for the next week and will likely not have time for writing, but I'm hoping to get the next few chapters finished soonish! Have a great day!

Chapter 3: combat (i'm ready for combat)

Annabeth all but skidded to a stop in front of the restaurant, a fancy establishment that served rich people brunch, lunch, and dinner, complete with craft cocktails and a dress code, one Annabeth was just barely within the parameters of with her slacks and blouse– generally they expected the women to wear dresses and skirts, which she found backwards for many reasons, and nice pants were only accepted before 2 pm.

Luckily, it wasn’t even 11 yet.

Trying not to dwell too much on how her parents would react to her tardiness, Annabeth smoothed down the flyaways of her ponytail and adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, before striding inside, mustering all the confidence she could fake as she found them seated on the back patio.

Bobby and Matthew were the first to spot her, and matching grins spread on their faces, Bobby hopping up to meet her, already towering over her at his big age of seventeen. “Hey sis! We saved you a spot!” He went in for a hug, turning his head to whisper in her ear, “Mom is piiiiiissed.”

“I’m not surprised.” She murmured back, her own smile plastered on her face when they pulled away and she was led to her seat between the twins.

She took a breath, bracing herself for the inevitable as she began to speak, “So sorry about being late, I got on the wrong bus and–”

“Which bus?” Helen, her step-mother, asked with mock interest, her head adorned with a colorful silk scarf and her perfectly manicured hands folded neatly on the table.

“Um… the F?”

“From your apartment, Annabeth? I thought the F only ran downtown.”

“Not always, and I came from work–”

“And which did you transfer to?”

“The C.” She answered with more confidence.

“Isn’t the closest intersection of the F and the C 12 blocks from each other? Wouldn’t it have been more prudent to walk to take the D line instead? Or perhaps you should have called a Lyft.”

Annabeth wasn’t sure where her step-mother’s near encyclopedic knowledge of public transportation had come from, but it was clear she intended to catch her in some sort of fib. She didn’t plan on giving her the satisfaction. A glance at her father looking far too interested in his phone confirmed he would not now (or ever) come to her rescue.

“I probably remembered wrong then.” She forced her smile to remain in place.

“Perhaps. Well, we’ll expect better next time.” Helen leaned back in her seat, sipping at ice cold water as her dark eyes smoldered with unspoken resentment that Annabeth was far too familiar with.

She didn’t remember the first time she noticed the way Helen treated her and how her father stood by. Perhaps it was when she was six and had accidentally shaved some of her hair off using her father’s razor. Her Step-Mother declared there was nothing to do but to shave the rest, and had buzzed down Annabeth’s golden locks even as she sniffled. Or maybe when she was seven and had tried to run away. After a few hours of wandering around the neighborhood with a suitcase, she’d come back to the house just in time to overhear Helen telling her father, “Don’t be silly, the police don’t need to get involved, she’ll be back soon enough.”

Annabeth had wished she hadn’t proved her right. She didn’t the second time at twelve.

And then, of course, there was the countless snide comments, the passive aggression, the way she wouldn’t let Annabeth hold or play with Matthew and Bobby, the way her father would shut himself in his study and didn’t have the time of day for her.

Annabeth asked many times if she could live with her mother instead. Frederick had always given a vacant smile when he responded, “You know she’s too busy for that.”

And as for her mother herself? Annabeth hadn’t seen her in two years, and that had been on a television screen. There was little time for daughters when one was in public office.

They’d tried to hide it from her, but Annabeth knew all too well that the custody battle after her parents’ divorce was less about fighting over who got to keep her, and more about who got stuck with her.

She was shaken from her thoughts as her father finally put his phone down and addressed the table, “As everyone knows, today is a very special day.”

Helen beamed at him, taking his hand.

“Today we’re celebrating my beautiful wife, her health, her life,” He raised his glass, indicating for everyone else to do the same, “Here’s to one year, cancer free.”

“Cheers!” Bobby and Matthew bellowed, drowning out Annabeth’s own meek “cheers” as their glasses clinked together and everyone took a sip.

The rest of the brunch was about as tolerable as Annabeth had imagined. She focused on asking the twins lots of questions, about Senior year of Highschool, about the various sports they participated in, about what colleges they were looking at and what they wanted to study.

“I’m thinking about going into Physical Therapy,” Bobby had said.

“A sensible career choice.” Helen commended, but Annabeth could hear the unspoken end to that sentence– “Far more sensible than classics.”

“I didn’t even Major in Classics,” She argued in her head with Helen’s thoughts, “I have my Masters in Architecture, remember?”

Not that it mattered. “You are not currently working in that field now, are you?” Came imaginary Helen’s reply.

Because of you. But even in her own thoughts, Annabeth wouldn’t dare say such a thing.

She managed to avoid any further conversation with her parents, at least until goodbyes were being said in front of the restaurant. She accepted hugs from her brothers easily, and awkwardly waved to Helen and her father, “I need to catch the bus back home, so I suppose I’ll–” she gestured vaguely.

Helen nodded, “Of course dear. Though we can give you a ride, if you’d like.” She nudged Frederick, engrossed in his phone once more.

“Hmm? What?”

“Would you like to give your daughter a lift home?”

“Oh, no, it’s really okay!” Annabeth balked. Being in an enclosed space with her family for too long sounded like a nightmare, and as much as she loved the twins, being squished between their lanky figures in the backseat sounded less appealing than the bus.

“If you insist.” Helen gestured to the family to follow as they made their way back to their car. Annabeth bit back yet another sigh bubbling up in her chest. They hadn’t tried very hard to convince her, and that stung, even if she would have continued to turn them down.

She turned and began the walk to the bus stop.

 

---

 

The weekend was about as eventful as most. She graded papers. She read. She wandered her tiny apartment and debated going out for drinks with Thalia (she didn’t). When Monday came, it was almost a relief. Almost.

She had nearly forgotten about Perseus Jackson, but as she walked into her office, there he was, just as annoyingly present as ever. She sighed heavily, making sure she was loud enough for him to hear as she dropped into her chair and pointedly ignored him. Of course, that wouldn’t work.

“Hey.” He casually strolled up, leaning back against the side of her desk and looking down at her. She ignored him.

“Annabeth.” He persisted.

“What?” She sighed.

He raised an eyebrow, “I want a truce.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “We aren’t fighting.”

“Yes we are. Constantly.”

“Professor Jackson–”

“It’s Perseus– I mean, Percy.”

“If I shouldn’t have a problem with you messing with the syllabus, talking about me behind my back, taking the best students for research–”

“Now hang on–”

“ And interrupting me, then please, by all means, give me a reason why I have been in the wrong.”

Perseus-I-Mean-Percy blinked, “Look, clearly you have issues with me. But you haven’t exactly been the warmest welcoming committee.”

“Should I be?” She practically snapped, finally lifting her head to face him only to find his brilliant green eyes inches from her own. Annabeth swallowed, trying to regain her train of thought, trying not to think of how intensely he was staring at her or how she could see so much detail from this close– a freckle on his upper lip, the remnants of sleep in the corners of this eyes, the tiny smile lines already etched into his otherwise smooth face. She cleared her throat, raising her eyebrow in question, “Well?”

“I think,” He almost looked as if he might lean in closer for a moment, before continuing, “I think you overreacted.”

“ I over–?! ”

He held up a hand, “And I could have been nicer. We’re both in the wrong.”

Annabeth huffed, swiveling away in her chair.

“Come on,” Percy reasoned, coming to the her other side so he can obnoxiously continue to invade her line of sight, “Don’t you think this is a little dumb? We’re coworkers, we don’t have to–”

“I have papers to grade.”

“But–”

“I don’t have time for this.” She avoided his eyes. For some reason looking directly at him made her feel… weird. Uncomfortable.

Perseus sighed, evidently giving up as he moved back to his own desk, “Fine. Have it your way.”

Annabeth felt a pang of guilt. Maybe… maybe she was being unreasonable. And stubborn. But… for some reason she wanted to keep away from Perseus Jackson. Something about him felt… dangerous. He was so unguarded, so honest, and she knew why everyone seemed to like him. Students, teachers, staff. But she didn’t fully trust it. How could anyone be that open without hiding something beneath it? How could anyone be that kind without expecting something in return?

The answer was, no one was like that. Not really. So she would continue to keep him at more than arm’s length, would continue to guard herself, because if she slipped up? She couldn’t even imagine what might happen.

Even so, she glanced into her desk mirror and watched his back as he busied himself with whatever it was he did when he wasn’t annoying her. Annabeth couldn’t help herself. He was magnetic. And handsome. It wasn’t really a surprise that so many students talked about how good-looking he was, Annabeth had to admit that much.

She wouldn’t mind him so much if he wasn’t so utterly insufferable.

 

---

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Driving
1 Attachment

Perseus,

I could not help but notice that your car was in front of my bus this morning, and that you stopped for a total of 3 minutes and 22 seconds, holding up the vehicles behind you. Please refrain in the future from doing so, as you made me late for my 9AM class. Attached is a photo of your car blocking traffic, which will be forwarded to the Dean if this continues to be a problem.

Sincerely,

Annabeth Chase
Classics Department, NAU

 

---

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: re: Driving

Hey Annabeth, 

First of all, would you rather I run over the family of ducks that was trying to cross the street? Very evil queen of you, I must say. Second, maybe if you left for work on time you wouldn’t be late for classes. Third, it's kind of weird that you know what car I drive. Have you been stalking me, Chase?

By the way, it’s Percy.

All my love,
Percy Jackson

 

---

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: re: Driving

Professor Jackson, 

Obviously had I known that was the case, I wouldn’t have emailed you about it. I resent being called an “evil queen,” as well as the implications that I don’t leave for work on time or that I’ve been following you– I’ve merely witnessed you leaving and entering your car. Don’t read into things that aren’t there.

Sincerely,

Annabeth Chase
Classics Department, NAU

 

---

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: re: Driving

Hi again! 

Well then it’s a simple misunderstanding, no harm, no foul. But do be careful about watching people and their cars; some might find it creepy, unnerving, stalkerish, etc. I could find more synonyms for you if that doesn’t get the point across.

With best wishes,
Percy Jackson

P.S. It’s still just Percy!

 

---

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: re: Driving

Perseus Jackson, 

Per my last email, it was just a simple observation, my behavior is far from creepy, and you’re being annoying.

Sincerely,

Annabeth Chase
Classics Department, NAU

 

---

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: re: Driving
1 Attachment

What’s up Annabeth! 

Annoying? Me? You wound me. Deeply. I may never recover.

In any case, I attached a step-by-step worksheet that you might find helpful in working through your stalker-ish tendencies.

Yours,
Percy Jackson

P.S. I get that it’s a bit at this point, but you WILL call me Percy before the end of the semester. I’ll get to you eventually!

 

---

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: re: Driving

Hi.

Your sarcasm is noted and not appreciated. 

Sincerely,

Annabeth Chase
Classics Department, NAU

 

---

 

By Thursday, Annabeth was ready to pull her hair out. Between Perseus, her students, her family, and the workload piling up, it just felt like too much for one person to handle. On top of that, Luke had asked her to hang some signs for the welcome back social in the halls, no easy feat with their vaulted ceilings and stone fixtures. She stood atop the ladder, cursing herself under her breath for wearing heels today of all days, thinking back to the conversation.

“Why can’t maintenance do it? Where’s Leo?”

“There’s a busted boiler in the engineering building. It’s a bit more important.” Luke sounded apologetic, holding the fancy printed fabric signs out in his arms, “Please ‘Beth? I’ll make it up to you.”

So there she was, stretching up on a ladder in the middle of the halls. Thankfully they weren’t particularly busy, but students still passed by and Annabeth hated being seen like this.

“Hi Professor Chase!” A couple of students giggled out as they passed below her.

“Hello girls.” Annabeth grumbled, closing her eyes and counting to ten.

When her frustration ebbed, she opened them once more and resumed trying to stretch to hang the fabric from an antique gas lamp that adorned the wall. It was just out of reach, and no matter how close she moved the ladder, she just wasn’t tall enough. She leaned further out, biting her lip, “Almost… there…!” 

She should have known better. The ladder tipped dangerously, and she gasped, losing her footing, falling from that top rung, her eyes squeezing shut yet again as she prepared for impact–

The impact did come, but it was slightly softer than expected. It was accompanied by a deep “Oof”, a crash to the floor, bodies entangled, and strong arms around her. Annabeth heard someone groan beneath her, and her body stiffened at the familiar voice. She kept her eyes shut tight, willing it to be anyone, anyone but–

“You ought to be more careful.” Perseus chuckled. Annabeth wanted to disappear.

She didn’t answer at first, her heart nearly beating from her chest, and she felt him shift, speaking again, this time his voice laced with something she’d never heard from him before: concern, “Annabeth…?”

“I-I’m… fine.” She finally managed, forcing her eyes open to find her cheek plastered to his sweater vest. She sat up quickly, forgetting her hate for a moment, forgetting how annoying he had been, what a jerk he was, “W-what about you? You didn’t hit your head did you?! Why were you walking there?! You could have been seriously hurt!”

“No more hurt than you would have been had I not ran to catch you.” He groaned again, “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

She clambered off of Perseus quickly, realizing with a blush she’d been straddling him, “Catch– you did that on purpose?! ”

“ Duh. ” He sat up, rubbing his ribs.

“ Why?! ”

Perseus’ eyebrows shot up, “Why not?”

“Well because… because… Because we… you and I, we’re… we don’t like each other!” She huffed.

His eyebrows raised, and before he could respond, she was already tugging him to his feet.

“You should go see the nurse, make sure you don’t have a concussion.” She continued.

“I didn’t hit my head– and what about you? Shouldn’t you get checked out too, then?”

“I am not the one who ran to catch a whole person with my body!” Annabeth insisted, already shoving him down back down the hall, “Go, please.”

He looked genuinely surprised, but relented after a moment with a nod, “Fine. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yes! I’m fine!”

With a backwards glance he started back down towards the main building and Annabeth heaved a sigh, leaning heavily against a pillar and raising a shaking hand to cover her eyes. Her heart was still beating a million miles an hour, and she tried to convince herself it was solely from the fall. Nothing more.

But as she closed her eyes, all she could see was Perseus’ expression from beneath her, his green eyes filled with concern and something she couldn’t quite place. His hair was messy from the crash, his lips parted, his own face tinged with pink.

Annabeth smacked herself in the face lightly, trying to snap out of it. There was no reason to think of him that way. He did what anyone would do. That was all. It’s not like she’d be able to just stand by if he was in a precarious situation, no matter how much she claimed– no, no matter how much she did loathe him.

With a sigh, she tugged the fabric banner back down. She would insist that Luke get someone else to hang them, and that would be the end of it.

When Annabeth finally made her way back to the shared office, she poked her head in nervously. To her relief, no one was there, and she quickly gathered her things and headed to her next class, then from there she could go straight home. She wouldn’t have to see Perseus Jackson until Monday, assuming he wasn’t going to the faculty Halloween party, and from there they could proceed as usual. Bickering, Ignoring each other.

She wouldn’t let her heart melt. She couldn’t.

Because if she admitted this new teacher wasn’t so bad, then that meant she was the one who had been a jerk. And somehow, that seemed harder than any other trial she had to endure in her day to day life.

No, it was more bearable this way. In a year and a half, she’d be able to leave and never look back, and she could easily spend that time holding a grudge. Because God forbid she actually started liking him… well. Annabeth simply wouldn’t let that happen.

---

 

Notes:

First off.... woof, getting this chapter done was ROUGH. Second, hey, two updates in one day? Nice. Third, I started yet another fic. You can find it here!

Do you ever write a character who makes very frustrating decisions, who lashes out without thinking, who forces themselves to hold grudges they don't even WANT to keep? Well.... let's just say I want to SHAKE this version of Annabeth lol. And I will continue to want to shake her. Ya'll are in for a ride.

Chapter 4: 'cause all of my enemies (started out friends)

Jason Grace, Thalia’s brother and law professor at New Athens University, somehow always ended up being the one to host the annual faculty Halloween party. And Christmas Party. And any party, really. He didn’t seem like the type to enjoy that sort of thing, but Thalia had once confided in Annabeth that he did it all to have an excuse to invite Piper over without making it weird .

“I don’t know why they don’t just ask each other out already.” Thalia had complained at the time.

Piper had made it clear to everyone but Jason that she would be more than happy to be invited for some one-on-one time, but either he was oblivious or far too nervous to actually bite the bullet and ask her out.

In any case, Annabeth agreed to attend the party, as she did every year, and had already donned her blue-gray dress and apron, a simply decorated straw hat sitting beside her sink. Her hair was already in a braid, and she was lifting the ginger-colored hair spray to her head when an insistent knock on the door interrupted.

“One minute!” She called.

The knocking became more insistent.

With a sigh, she put the can down and stalked across her apartment to the door, peaking through the peephole before unlocking the chain and swinging it open to reveal Silena Beauregard and Charles Beckendorf. Silena was a professor of Fashion Design, and she looked the part; her black hair was thick and shiny, pouring over her shoulders in soft curls like a waterfall, her blue eyes sparkling at the sight of Annabeth. Beckendorf, her husband, was a tall muscular Black man and head of the Engineering department. Annabeth blinked at them.

Atop Silena’s head was a sparkling tiara, and a soft pink dress that wouldn’t have been obviously hand-made to anyone but those who knew her well fell around her feet, draping over her arms and gathered in all the right places. Beckendorf wore a Princely-looking outfit, handsome with a brocade coat and vest, a ruffled ascot at his neck. 

“We’re here to pick you up!” Silena sang.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, though she couldn’t fight her smile, “You’re early.”

“I figured you might need help getting ready.” Silena tossed a plastic bag into Annabeth’s arms, strutting into the apartment. Beckendorf followed, giving Annabeth a sympathetic smile.

A frown came to her face, “Help me–? Silena, I am ready.”

“Oh you are not going as that book character again, are you?”

“It’s a comfortable costume!” Annabeth defended.

Silena stifled a giggle, perching on the couch, her skirts fanning around her in the most lovely way, “Look, just because it was a huge hit at a ComicCon–”

“Literature Con.”

“When you were sixteen–”

“Eighteen.”

“Yeah that– doesn’t mean you should wear it for every costume party ever! Charlie, would you back me up?”

“I’m staying out of it.” He chuckled.

“Oh you’re no help at all.” Silena whined, before turning her attention back to Annabeth, “Look, what’s even the name of this character again?”

“Sophie Hatter, from Howl’s Moving Castle.”

“Isn’t her dress green?” Beckendorf’s brows knit together.

“In the movie it is. I’m dressed as book Sophie. Which I still need to spray my hair orange, by the way, so if you’ll just give me one second–”

“Oh no you don’t.” Silena nodded to the bag still in Annabeth’s arms, “I brought you something, and we are absolutely not, under any circumstances, spraying that beautiful hair of yours orange tonight!”

Annabeth knew that arguing with Silena was futile, so she sighed and headed back to the bathroom, bag still in hand, “Fine, fine, just give me a second.”

She shut the door behind her, Silena calling that they’d need to curl her hair.

There were multiple pieces in the bag, all clearly expertly hand-made by Silena. Annabeth pulled them out one by one, her frown deepening. The material was soft, sure, and the gold bits were pretty, she supposed, but… She absolutely would not go anywhere dressed in such an on the nose, ridiculous, revealing–

 

---

 

When their car pulled up in front of the familiar home, Annabeth was desperately trying to tug down the skirt.

“Could you have at least made it historically accurate?” She complained, and Silena flashed a smile from the passenger seat.

“Nope. Tonight isn’t about accuracy. It’s about looking hot. Which you do.” She looked at Annabeth pointedly, who rolled her eyes before clambering from the vehicle.

Her feet were adorned with brown leather sandals, criss-crossing all the way to her thighs. Her dress was an approximation of a toga, with a short skirt counterbalanced by long drapey bits that fluttered around her legs. A leather girdle of some sort cinched her waist, while gold jewelry wrapped up her arms, matching the accents sewn onto the white fabric of her outfit. Her blonde hair had been curled and pulled into a half-pony, with a band of gold leaves adorning her head. Silena had refused to let them leave until Annabeth had done her makeup darker too, with dramatic liner wings and smoked out shadow. Luckily, she had been allowed to go with a more neutral lipstick.

Annabeth felt ridiculous.

“You look great.” Silena leaned in, her gloved arm wrapping around Annabeth’s waist, “I made this forever ago for a final project in college– it’s meant to be Aphrodite. So, perfect for you!”

The blonde snorted, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know, the goddess of beauty?  You fit the bill.”

If Annabeth rolled her eyes any harder, they’d surely get stuck like that, “Yeah, and love . And I am pretty firmly–”

“Nonsense!” Silena giggled, pulling away to accept Beckendorf’s arm to be led inside, “Who knows, maybe tonight it’ll give you some luck!

“With who?! ”

Silena just winked before being whisked away, leaving Annabeth feeling like a fool on the sidewalk. She debated leaving. But it was a long walk back to her apartment… And anyone who would give her a ride wouldn’t want to leave for at least another few hours. A breeze blew through her, making her body shudder from the chill, and Annabeth decided she certainly could not walk home, not like this. With a huff, she tread across the meticulously cultivated lawn, ignoring the almost too-perfect jack-o-lanterns and calligraphed welcome sign taped to the open door.

Inside wasn’t necessarily an improvement from the freezing outdoors.

Yes, college kids partied. But unbeknownst to most students, so did their teachers– especially those on the younger side. It wasn’t a rager, but every room seemed more crowded than the last, costumed bodies almost shoulder to shoulder, tables ladened with punches and treats, and faces Annabeth only somewhat recognized waving at her as she tried to find someone, anyone she could complain to.

It struck her that maybe Jason didn’t host these parties because of Piper, but because he was one of the only ones with a house large enough to accommodate everyone who would want to attend.

“Annabeth!”

She turned, mouth falling open in surprise as a mustachioed Thalia with slicked back hair and a white tank top pushed her way through to her, “I almost didn’t recognize you! Where’s the Sadie–”

“Sophie.”

“–costume?”

“Silena happened.” Annabeth gestured vaguely to her outfit, “So… this is it.”

“Well you look fantastic.” Thalia grinned, the mustache drooping funnily over her lips.

Annabeth blinked at her friend, “Are you…?”

“Freddy Mercury? Why yes I am.”

“I didn’t realize you were a Queen fan.”

“I’m not all punk music all the time, Annabeth.” Thalia tugged her towards the closest punch table, “I am a fully realized human being. I have multitudes. I have layers.”

“You have definitely been drinking already.”

“Of course.” Annabeth’s hands were suddenly wrapped around a red solo cup, some sort of spooky concoction swirling from within, and Thalia grinned at her, “Now it’s time for you to get on my level, Chase.”

“I didn’t plan on drinking tonight…” Annabeth wrinkled her nose, sniffing the punch. It was way too sweet for her tastes.

“Aw, come on, you don’t know how to let loose without at least one drink!”

The blonde goddess looked offended, “I do too!”

“Sure, sure, drink up!”

With another roll of her eyes, Annabeth found herself acquiescing, bringing the plastic cup to her lips and taking a sip.

Yup. Definitely way too sweet.

“Come on, I think Piper and Jason are around here somewhere. You’ll love their costumes.” Thalia was gripping Annabeth’s wrist again, dragging her past vampires and witches and royalty and comic book heroes.

The house was huge, but it didn’t take them long to find Jason and Piper tucked into a corner in the kitchen.

Jason Grace shared a single trait with his older sister; electric blue eyes. Otherwise, he was almost too… normal . Tall. Blonde. In shape. He had a small scar on his upper lip, but that did little to marr the brilliant smile on his face as he gazed down at Piper. At first, Annabeth thought he might have been dressed in regular work wear, with his glasses and button up shirt and slacks, but as they came closer she realized the shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a Superman t-shirt beneath. Figures.

Piper had donned the most elaborate Wonder Woman costume Annabeth had ever seen, leather armor with metal adornments, a gold circlet on her head, and a whip tucked into her belt. She was explaining something to Jason, voice strained to be heard over the noise, “So the creator, he had this BDSM polyamorous relationship, right? And he based the character off of his girlfriend and wife, and his girlfriend would wear these metal bracelets, you see, and she– Oh!” Her eyes widened when she caught sight of Annabeth, “Holy fucking shit!”

Annabeth once more wished she had simply told Silena “no”, but that had almost never been something she was capable of.

“Ann! A! Beth!” Piper exclaimed every syllable of her name and despite herself, Annabeth allowed for a small smile to grace her lips. “You look amazing!”

“Thanks, Piper.” She self-consciously tugged at the back of the skirt again. It was definitely too short.

With a grin, Piper grabbed Annabeth by the arm, dragging her closer to the counter and turning to mix some beverages, “What kind of drink do you want? A cocktail, a beer, a–”

“I already have punch.” Annabeth held up her cup and her colleague snorted.

“Which you should be downing right now. Come on, we’re on a time limit, don’t make me bring out the tequila shots!”

Annabeth’s nose wrinkled, but with a sigh, she knocked her punch back. It was still too sweet– dangerously so. She could barely taste the alcohol, though the tell-tale fuzziness of her head when she finished told her it was much stronger than it tasted.

“Well? What would you like?” Piper was grinning, and Annabeth sighed.

“A… margarita?”

“You got it babe.”

Annabeth hovered between Jason and Thalia as she waited for her drink to be made, listening to them bicker quietly;

“Why aren’t you wearing the full suit we got you?”

“It was too tight! It showed… way, way too much.”

“It’s Halloween, Jason. You’re allowed to be slutty.”

“I don’t think anyone I work with wants to see me be that slutty.”

In no time, Annabeth’s hands were wrapped around a new cup, this one with her name written on it in permanent marker. Their little group found a spot to sit in Jason’s living room, and Annabeth scrolled idly on her phone to pass the time, giving noncommittal hums every time someone tried to invite her into the conversation.

Then, just as she was mustering up the courage to ask Thalia to drive her home, everyone’s attention was diverted.

“Holy shit.” Thalia began laughing, a grin spreading on her face as her eyes caught sight of something near the front door. “Pipes, you seeing this?”

“I sure am.” Piper herself was smiling ear to ear, glancing back at Annabeth with a smirk.

Annabeth tore her eyes from her phone, following Thalia’s gaze with a frown that only deepened when she spotted what everyone was looking at. Perseus Jackson had arrived, adorned in a toga, laurels on his head, and a rubber chicken in hand.

“You match! ” Thalia cackled, clapping her hands in delight. Annabeth wanted to rip that stupid mustache off her in retaliation, but instead she snatched the drink from her friend’s hands and downed it, dismayed to find it was filled with more of that sickening punch. 

“Hey!” Freddie Mercury complained, pouting, “I could have gotten you another one–”

“Oh he’s coming over here–” Wonder Woman interrupted, and Annabeth averted her gaze as the shirtless professor draped in what looked like bedsheets approached.

“Hey guys,” Perseus grinned, waving a hand.

“What’s with the chicken?” Jason nodded his head at the toy in Percy’s hands.

“Oh, this? I’m–”

“Diogenes,” Annabeth interrupted, “Plato famously defined man as ‘a featherless biped.’ Philosophers loved it, but Diogenes–”

“He burst into Plato’s school with a plucked chicken and declared it to be ‘Plato’s man.’” Perseus finished with a chuckle. Jason nods.

“Clever.”

Annabeth could feel Perseus’ eyes burning a hole right through her, though she refused to meet his gaze, and at last he says, “Aphrodite, right?”

“Athena.” She disagreed for the sake of denying him the satisfaction of being correct.

His eyebrows raised, “Shouldn’t you have armor?”

“This is her casual wear. Who would want to wear armor to a party?”

She didn’t intend it to be funny, but Perseus laughed all the same, “Ha, even still, either could work. Athena was beautiful too.” And with that, he turned and walked off.

Annabeth blinked. Her face felt warm and she could feel the eyes of her colleagues on her. Before any of them could say anything, she stood, storming off after Perseus.

She found him near the punch.

“ Excuse me?!”

“Oh, here.” He moved out of the way, pressing a cup of punch into her hands.

“No not– what did you mean by that?! ”

“By what?”

“By… the… you know what!” She huffed, taking a long drink from the cup he had handed her despite herself. Her head felt fuzzy, her speech slurred slightly, and she felt like leaning on the nearest person– but seeing as that person was Perseus, she fought the urge.

He shrugged, “Sorry, not sure what you’re referring to.

Annabeth frowned up at him, scowling, opening her mouth to tear into him when she thought better of it. They were surrounded by people, coworkers, and she didn’t want to give them more ammunition for the rumor mill. “Not here.”

He frowned, “Not here?”

“Not here,” She confirmed, glancing around at the numerous bodies around them, before setting her cup on the table and grabbing his wrist, dragging him towards the stairs. She caught sight of Leo in the shittiest Party City Batman costume she had ever seen, squeezing between Piper and Jason on the couch now that Annabeth wasn’t hanging around. She saw Luke, schmoozing some teachers dressed as Anakin Skywalker. She saw witches, vampires, and ghosts, but she ignored them all, taking the steps two at a time when she reached them. Perseus, for what it was worth, kept up with her easily. 

Up here it was quieter, but they still could be seen from below, so she opened the first door she could find and gestured for Perseus to step inside. He raised an eyebrow, but obliged, Annabeth following behind him.

What she expected was a bedroom, or maybe even a bathroom. What she found was the tiniest closet imaginable, and she felt her face burn red as the door closed behind them, the automatic light clicking on.

It was quiet. Annabeth’s head was swimming from the punch and the much too strong margarita Piper had made for her, and Perseus was waiting patiently for her to begin speaking. Finally, she jabbed a finger at him.

“Don’t mock me!”

He exhaled, “What part of what I said sounded like mockery, princess?”

Annabeth felt her blood begin to boil and she sputtered indignantly, “Y-you just did it again!”

“Did what?”

“You’re making fun of me!”

“I promise I’m not.” 

They stared at each other, Annabeth glowering, her grey eyes filled with anger, Perseus looking defiantly back, neither one planning on backing down.

Annabeth was suddenly too aware. Despite the brain fog from the drinks, the world around her sharpened– Her chest pressed to his, the feel of soft coats brushing against her bare arms, the way he was looking at her… He didn’t look angry. In fact, he was entirely unreadable. And close. Annabeth sucked in a breath, trying to steady herself and maintain her anger as she stared up at him.

Finally, she spoke, “You’re… just… insufferable.”

“And you're annoying.” Came his quick reply.

“Well you’re presumptuous!”

“You’re judgemental.”

“Prick!”

“Spoiled–”

“Contemptible–”

“Bratty–”

“Arrogant–”

“Stuck up–”

“I loathe you!” She finally declared, placing a hand on his chest and shoving lightly. Of course, there was nowhere for him to go, and his eyes flashed with that same something that Annabeth couldn’t place.

“And you expect me to answer with the same?” He countered, leaning forward, looming over her. Annabeth swallowed, her heart beat picking up. His voice was dark, low, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Her eyes darted from his eyes to his mouth, where she could just make out that freckle on his upper lip.

“Yes.” She breathed, realizing they were inches away from one another.

“Mm.” He moved as if to pull away.

And Annabeth, head swirling with alcohol, inhibitions lowered, heart beating harder than it had in so long, did the stupidest thing she could imagine.

Her hands grabbed a fistful of his toga, dragging him down to her level as her mouth pressed to his.

All at once, her body was flooded with warmth, her head spinning and the closet tilting on the earth’s axis as her heart nearly beat out of her body. Yes, Annabeth Chase loathed Perseus Jackson. She loathed him for his impossibly good looks. She loathed his smile, crooked, but in a way that only added to the perfection of his face. She loathed how effortlessly charming he was. She loathed that he changed her syllabus, argued with her, picked the best students for the most interesting jobs, and that he’d called her a “crone” that first day. But most of all, she loathed that he was everything that she wasn’t– what she couldn’t have.

But in milliseconds, the rational part of her brain caught up with her. And Annabeth pulled back with a gasp, looking horrified with herself, “Oh, God, I– I’m so sorr–”

She didn’t even have a chance to get the apology for her reckless behavior out. Because Perseus Jackson was grabbing at her, kissing her, one hand tangling in her curly hair while the other caught fistfuls of her dress, grabbed her hip, wrapped around her waist. There was a dull squeak as the stupid rubber chicken fell to the floor. Her surprise at this response ebbed quickly, and soon Annabeth was matching his ferocity, biting at his lower lip, tugging on his hair, pressing up against him as he roughly pushed her back into the wall.

Somehow it was seamless. She lifted her leg to hook it around him and he reached down to grab it, rubbing her thigh, never stopping in his barrage of kisses. Annabeth whimpered softly, and he shushed her, “You don’t want to get caught, do you Princess?” 

The auto light shut off, but neither stopped. It was like a dam they’d both been holding back had broken, and neither could get the flood that followed under control. He worked his way from her lips to her jaw, down to her neck, and Annabeth swore she saw stars as he began nipping and licking at the sensitive skin there, shivers rushing through her yet again. 

He pressed a kiss to her throat and chuckled, a low sound in the dark, “What was that you were saying about ‘loathing’ me?”

“Sh-shut up!” Annabeth groaned, grabbing his face and pressing their lips together once more. His leg was positioned firmly between hers and she rubbed herself on him, eliciting a hiss from Perseus’ throat.

“ Annabeth… ” He murmured her name, and God it sounded good when he said it like that, filled with desire, just for her.

“ Percy… !” She gasped as the hand tangled in her hair relaxed to cup her head, and he chuckled again. Annabeth couldn’t help but ask, “S-something funny…?”

“I told you I’d get you to call me Percy before the semester was out.” He teased.

Before she could say anything more, their lips crashed together again. Annabeth let her hands wander, feeling his bare chest, the thin fabric of the toga, stretched her arms to drape over his shoulders, her fingers tangling in his mess of a black mop once more. He bit and sucked at her lips which were already becoming swollen, and Annabeth moaned into his mouth. No one was up here. No one would hear them.

After another breathless moment of roaming hands, rough touches, and rougher kisses, Percy finally pulled back, breathing heavily. Annabeth could barely make out his face in the dark, but she knew if she could see him his face would be flushed and his pupils dilated. She would kill to know what expression he wore.

“How many… drinks have you had…?” He finally asked.

Annabeth did a mental tally, “Four…? No, wait, three and a half…”

She could feel his nod more than she could see it, “Then we stop here.”

“But–!” A finger to her lips cut her off, and his laugh made her heart skip a beat.

“Yeah, I know, you want to jump these bones and have since the day you laid eyes on me.”

“That isn’t–”

“But,” He continued as if she hadn’t interrupted, “I was in the midst of getting my first drink when you so kindly interrupted me for… this . Seems a bit unmatched.”

Annabeth could feel Percy lean in again, could feel his soft lips press to her cheek, and she let out a huff of frustration. This seemed to amuse him.

“You’re more impatient than I would have guessed.”

“You’re just as annoying as ever.” Annabeth grumbled back, her heart finally beginning to slow down and her brain nearly catching up with the situation. She was being… stupid. Utterly idiotic. Kissing him, of all people… Not only kissing him, throwing herself at him, and he was the one who decided to be responsible. She wanted to disappear into the coats, slip through them and discover some magical land with lampposts and talking lions rather than face the consequences of her actions.

But this wasn’t a fantastical children’s book. This was real life. A real life she needed to return to. She barely caught that Percy was speaking to her, so lost in the minutia of their situation she was.

“So should we go downstairs together or–”

“No!” She responded perhaps too quickly, “No, no I… this… I wasn’t…”

“Then I’ll go first.” There was a grin in his voice, and she caught just a peek of it as he swung open the door to let the light in, before he disappeared and she was left in the dark once more.

Annabeth counted to ten. Then twenty. Then thirty. She steadied her breaths, her heart, her body. Then, she opened the door herself and slipped out onto the landing. Percy had already disappeared back into the crowd below, and she carefully descended the stairs, making her way back to her friends. Leo spotted her first and he blanched.

“Uh, be right back guys, vengeance calls!” He swooped away, his shitty cape billowing behind him.

Piper raised an eyebrow, “What was that abo– Oh God, Annabeth! What happened to your hair?!”

“My hair?” Her brow furrowed and she reached up a hand to try and feel the problem.

“It’s a mess– come here.” Piper tsked softly, her hands already working to separate Annabeth’s curls and smooth them out as she frantically tried to think up a possible excuse.

“Um, it was hot, upstairs, so I opened a window and… it was the wind.” Annabeth finally spoke. Confusion painted Jason’s features.

“Upstairs? Why were you–”

“Bathroom. The one down here was occupied.”

Jason nodded. Thalia was studying Annabeth carefully and she took a step forward.

“Your lipstick is smudged. Here,” She rubbed her thumb under her lip and Annabeth flushed, pulling away and wiping at her mouth.

“It’s fine, that… does it look alright now?”

Thalia nodded, “Mmhmm. You feeling okay?”

“Actually, could you give me a ride home?” Annabeth tugged at a wayward curl.

“Yeah, but it’s not even eleven, you sure…?”

“I’m sure.”

They said their goodbyes and Annabeth followed Thalia to the front door, glancing behind as they left. Percy was standing there, his eyes on her, his expression as unreadable as ever, but Annabeth swore she caught that same something in his eyes that always eluded her, a quirk of his lips, and then he–

To her horror, he winked at her.

Flushing deep red, Annabeth hurried out the door, wondering what on earth she was going to do come Monday morning.

 

---

 

Notes:

I couldn't keep this chapter in. So.... early update!

I hope you enjoyed everyone's costume choices, I was pretty happy with them myself haha! Also, lucky for you all, this is not a slow burn. So........... enjoy that lol.

I told myself this wasn't going to be as long as TGAR, but I'm counting up all the things I want to happen and it's.... a LOT. Oops!

EDIT: surprise for new readers and rereaders who haven't seen it on tumblr yet- I got another commission from windbyfire! Went ahead and embedded at the end of the chapter for you guys, I hope you like it!

Chapter 5: they say i did something bad (then why's it feel so good?)

Annabeth awoke Sunday morning already steeped deep in regret.

It sat somewhere around her gut, unlike the numerous sighs that usually occupied her lungs. It hung around her like a shadow all day as she tried to busy herself and focus on anything but her actions the night before.

She kissed Perseus Jackson. She kissed him.

And then he kissed her back .

She wasn’t sure if that was better or worse.

And as for why she kissed him… Annabeth had theories. Theories she’d developed despite purposefully not thinking about it. They came to her as she did the dishes, as she showered the remnants of her makeup and hair spray off, as she sat cross legged on her couch, eating pasta straight out of the pot and watching trashy reality shows. 

Theory one was a popular thought in her brain; she had actually lost her mind. The stress had gotten to her and she had suffered temporary insanity that resulted in kissing the one person from her work who had been unfortunate enough to have been close to her at the time.

Theory two wasn’t nearly as exciting, but still a strong contender; it had been so long without kissing or touching another human, that like the insanity theory, she had a moment of lapsed judgment and had inflicted it upon the closest human being.

Theory three was deeply distressing; she didn’t hate Percy as much as she wanted to. 

Now as for why this was deeply distressing remained a mystery, but Annabeth’s brain seemed determined to suss it out, even as she begged it to just drop the subject and let her have a moment’s peace. 

‘We can figure it out tomorrow!’ Annabeth protested as her mind spun like a hamster wheel with possibilities.

‘Nope. Now.’ Came the disappointing reply as she once again went over what exactly she didn’t like about Percy.

He was… well, he’d been frustrating. He changed things. He talked about her without knowing her. But her focus grew hazy, and Annabeth carefully placed her pasta pot on the coffee table, flopped on her side, grabbed a pillow, and emitted the most pathetic scream she could muster into it.

Why was it so important to hate him anyway?

‘ He said I didn’t like my job!’ Annabeth reasoned.

‘You don’t like your job.’ Her brain pointed out.

‘He called me a crone.’ She argued back.

‘He didn’t know that was you.’ Her brain persisted.

‘He said I had a stick up my–’

‘Leo said that. Did you even hear Percy actually agree with anything he said?’

Annabeth paused, lowering her pillow slightly just in time to catch two reality show contestants smooching.

“Oh come on. ” She complained out loud to no one in particular, “What about Casey?! She’s been right there the whole– and you kiss Derek instead?! Ugh, Sierra better get voted off…”

‘You’re avoiding the question.’ Her brain pushed again, and Annabeth threw her pillow at the tv screen, huffing and stalking back to the kitchen to search for an after dinner snack. She’d had enough of this annoying back and forth; even if it was with herself.

 

---

 

Monday came. Annabeth straightened her blazer, checking her reflection in a window before striding down the halls of the empty school, students having yet to begin trickling in. She had begged herself not to do anything special. It was just a regular day with a regular coworker, nothing more. Yet here she was, her lashes thick with mascara, her skin tone evened with a tinted moisturizer and her cheeks blushed. Her hair was clipped back messily, but an intentional mess, and she’d worn a skirt rather than slacks.

When she entered the office, Percy was already there, sorting papers. He looked up and smiled at her, which she did her best to not acknowledge as she slid into her seat and began pulling out her laptop, begging him to ignore her. Or notice her. Which did she want again?

She heard the wheels of his chair spin as he kicked away from his own desk and slid over to hers, grinning broadly once he had successfully glided up next to her.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” She didn’t look at him.

“So about Saturday…”

“Mmhmm.”

“We made out.”

“Yes.”

“We made out a lot .” He leaned forward, and Annabeth was unable to keep herself from turning to face him, their eyes locking, grey to green.

“And?”

“And I think we should do it again.”

She snorted, “We’re at work.”

“I didn’t say now, did I?”

“I’m busy tonight.”

“I didn’t say tonight, either.”

Annabeth felt her brows raise, “So when did you mean?”

“Soon.” He said simply.

“Soon.” She repeated, trying to keep the incredulousness out of her voice with little success, “Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s a good idea–”

“Oh it’s a terrible idea.” Percy agreed easily, “That’s why we should do it.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, turning back to her laptop, “And why should we do something that’s a terrible idea?”

“Because last night was the closest we’ve ever come to getting along and I liked it.” Percy rested his chin in his hand, his elbow on the edge of her desk, “Come on, Annabeth. Make out with me more.”

“And is that all you want? To makeout with a coworker who doesn’t even like you that much?”

He gives her a lopsided smile, “I think you like me more than you let on, considering you kissed me first. And I wouldn’t complain if we did more.”

“From what I recall, you’re the one who put an end to that on Saturday.”

He gives her a look, “Please, I’m not perfect but I’m not going to hook up with a girl who isn’t sober. That’s just…” Percy made a face.

“Right.” For what it was worth, Annabeth didn’t think she was that drunk, but she could appreciate the fact that he wasn’t an awful human being. Someone had raised him right, at the very least.

“So…?” Percy looks at her expectantly.

“So what?”

“Do you want to fu–”

A knock on the open door had both their heads jerking, and Annabeth felt her face flush red, both wanting to hear the end of that sentence and worried someone else may have overheard their conversation.

Jason Grace smiled, holding up the rubber chicken, “Someone left this in my upstairs closet?”

Annabeth’s jaw dropped, her eyes widening. How had they forgotten such a stupid thing?! But before she could panic too much, Percy was speaking from behind her, “Hey, man! Thanks for bringing that back, I was wondering where it went!” He laughed, holding up a hand to catch it as Jason tossed it over Annabeth’s head. It squeaked pitifully.

“What were you doing in the closet, Jackson?” Jason’s accent lilts through his words but it can’t hide the curiosity. Annabeth looked back at Percy in time to see him shrug.

“No clue, that punch last night was way too strong. Is your Christmas party eggnog like that too?”

“Usually,” Jason chuckled, “Those guys from the theater department actually usually provide the booze, I have nothing to do with it.”

They chatted idly, and Annabeth turned back to her computer, trying to tune them out, trying to force her heart to beat a normal amount at a normal speed.

At last, Jason gave a wave, “See you Friday for the game, Percy?”

“Nah man, I told you, I have papers to grade.”

“Right, right, well, next time!” And with that, he was strolling back down the hall, whistling cheerfully.

Annabeth turned back to Percy, crossing her arms, “Really? The chicken?! We could have gotten caught!”

“Why, you don’t want people to know you made out with me?”

“Yes.”

“Relax, I handled it.” He tossed the poor abused toy back to his desk, “I think it could really help your reputation if people knew we were macking.”

“ Macking?! What, are you from the 70s?” Annabeth sighed heavily, rubbing her temples, “Listen, I… I just think we… should take this a day at a time.”

“And this is…?”

“I don’t… know.”

Percy nods, “Alright, that’s fair enough.” He moved to roll back to his own desk but Annabeth caught his arm, averting her eyes. 

“Look I… I just… it’s been a while, that’s all. This doesn’t mean that we… that the two of us…”

Percy leans in, “Hey, it’s alright, I get it. No pressure.”

“This was a one time thing. It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

Percy nods. She let go slowly, and he kicked his way back across the room. Annabeth gnawed on her lip, watching him in her little desk mirror. He seemed so… unbothered. Nonchalant. He was taking this in stride. Did he even think about her? Did he too spend the entire rest of the weekend agonizing over what they were, how they felt about each other?

Annabeth forced her attention back to her laptop, setting up for a day of classes, forcing thoughts of Percy from her mind. At least, she tried to. 

 

---

 

If Annabeth Chase was good at one thing, it was avoidance. She’d perfected it, living in a home that saw her as always being underfoot. And yet wherever she went, this week, Percy Jackson was there. He was in their office, of course, this was expected– But when she thought she might go to the lounge instead, he was there too. When she braved the cafeteria for lunch for once, there he was in line for sushi. He was in the quad. He even poked his head into her class one day to ask if he could borrow Jesse.

They were more cordial than usual to each other, but Annabeth still refused to do more than that. She still tried to ignore him every chance she got, and for now, it seemed he accepted this and didn’t push it. Part of her felt a twinge of disappointment, which she promptly shoved into a box and locked up tight deep inside her. 

She needed a drink. Friday came far too quickly, and Annabeth found herself more stressed than when she started the week. Her home was too cluttered– there had been precious little time to clean recently between grading assignments and otherwise doing her job, and there wasn’t alcohol there anyway, so she ventured out to one of the less crowded bars she knew of.

Retrograde was more of a speakeasy than a bar– its door was hidden in an ice cream shop, disguised as a fridge. It was a neat setup, and not too many people knew of it, so Annabeth took the 7 bus to Bonnibelle’s Ice Cream, knocked on the cool steel door, and slipped inside once her ID was checked.

The lighting was dim, blues, purples, greens. There were spots of light at tables, lamps providing more visuals, in case you were the kind of weirdo who liked to actually see the faces of people you were with. Annabeth shrugged off her coat, beelining for the bar when she stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes fixed on a table in the corner.

Not again.

What was he doing here?!

Percy Jackson was tucked away in his booth, his table spread with papers, a laptop, and a drink, looking focused. He wore glasses– Had he always worn glasses?! Annabeth had just decided to turn tail and find somewhere else to go when his eyes flicked up and met hers. A smile spread across his face, the kind of smile that had Annabeth’s whole body feeling hot and he gestured for her to come over. 

She glanced around, confirming no one else they knew was there, before sighing heavily and slouching over to his table.

“Fancy meeting you here.” He spoke as she draped her jacket over the back of a chair across from him.

“How do you know about this place?”

Percy quirked a brow at her, pushing his glasses up his nose, “Hello to you too.”

“Hi. How do you know about this place?”

“A friend recommended it.” He leaned back, running a hand through his hair and stretching, “You can’t call dibs on a semi-public bar, you know.”

Annabeth blushed, rolling her eyes as she sat, “Ha ha. Very funny. I just ask because it’s kind of… hidden.”

Percy smiled, “That’s what I like about it.”

She nodded, “Me too.” She glanced at the papers and wrinkled her nose, “But who grades classes in a bar?”

“Ah, right, well…” Percy shrugged, “I like the vibe here. Helps me focus. You want a drink?”

“Oh, no, I can get–” But it’s too late. He called a bartender over.

“What would you like?”

Annabeth sighed before ordering an Old Fashioned. Percy whistled as the bartender whisked away, “Classy choice, Chase.”

“Well if it’s on your dime I better not waste a cent.”

He laughed, “You could order the trashiest cocktail you could think of and I promise I would not care.”

“I would.” She insisted, tugging out her phone.

“So what brings you out alone on a Friday night? Hoping to score a hot date?”

Annabeth glanced around the nearly empty bar– there were a few couples, a distinguished looking older man, a group of girls, who she had to admit were pretty cute but not really her type, and that was about it. She looked pointedly back at Percy, who took the hint in stride.

“Guess you wouldn’t come here if that were the case, huh?” He chuckled, “Still, maybe you’ll get a hot date anyway.”

Her brow furrowed, “Who?” Then his implication struck her, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, “No.”

“Hey, just joking.”

Her drink was placed before her and she thanked the bartender, reaching for it and taking a sip before responding, “Like we decided, it was a one time thing.”

“Like you decided.”

“As if you don’t think that wasn’t the best decision.”

“In fact, I don’t.”

At that she does roll her eyes, “Please. We don’t even get along. Hooking up would just lead to an embarrassing encounter where neither of us have a good time and we both leave feeling worse than before then we go back to hating each other.”

“So you have imagined what it would be like!”

“Shut up.”

“So you think it would be a disaster, then? Physically?” He studied her intensely, his green eyes reflecting the multicolored lights.

“Of course.” She took another sip of her cocktail.

“And I suppose that night in Jason’s closet was just… a fluke?”

“Naturally.”

“Hmm…” He scratched his chin, then shook his head, “I don’t buy that.”

“Well why not ?!” Annabeth huffed, already frustrated with this conversation.

“Because I felt the way you kissed me, Princess.” He smirked at her, leaning across the table. Annabeth’s toes curled at the nickname, “And that wasn’t a kiss between two people who don’t click physically.”

She sucked in a breath, forcing her heart rate to remain even, “What was it, then?”

“Do you really need me to spell it out for you?”

“Why are you so desperate to convince me that we should… do that again?”

“I wouldn’t say I’m desperate. But I believe in pursuing things that are pleasurable. I’m not going to pass up an opportunity to feel good just because something like negative feelings might get in the way.”

“Sounds self-destructive.”

“I prefer hedonistic.” He gave her that lopsided grin, and her heart skipped a beat.

Annabeth leaned forward, meeting his gaze, “And you’re saying that kissing me was pleasurable enough to be worth it for you?”

“I’m saying… ” he paused, gathering his thoughts, “I’m saying that you… you’re… you’re not hideous.”

“What a glowing compliment.”

“I try.” He smirked, finishing off his drink.

Annabeth sighed, taking another sip of her Old Fashioned and rubbing her brow with her other hand, “Okay, so… what, you expect me to throw myself into your arms because you deigned to tell me that I am not hideous?”

“Not at all. But I think you find me to be not-hideous as well. In fact, I think you want me.”

“In your dreams.”

His smirk deepened, “You’re the one who kissed me , Princess.”

“Would you stop calling me that?”

“Why, you don’t like it?” He looked unconvinced at her nod, “Okay, how about this; I’ll stop calling you Princess when you’re honest about wanting me. Deal?”

“You’re impossible.”

“I think I’m being very reasonable, actually.” He waved for the check as Annabeth finished her drink.

She sighed, standing and pulling on her coat. She hadn’t been here long, but her brief excursion outside of her apartment was already exhausting her. “This has been all very… enlightening, but I should probably get to the bus stop.”

He nodded, “Want a ride home?”

“No, thank you.” The last thing she needed was him knowing where she lived.

“Right. Well… think about what I said, at least?”

“Which part?”

“All of it.”

Annabeth studied him, her hands resting on the back of the chair in front of her, “Why do you want this so badly?” Why do you want me?

Percy shrugged, “I don’t know. You happened to be the first person to kiss me in a while, and this town is… well, I don’t plan on dating anytime soon.”

Ah. So she was simply filling a void, serving a purpose that almost anyone could do. At least that made sense to her. Annabeth could work with being a placeholder.

“Well… goodnight.”

Percy nodded, gathering up his papers, “Night.”

Annabeth turned and walked from the bar, out into the night.

Unfortunately, the night was storming.

She huddled under the awning, her coat far from thick enough to keep her dry were she to make the run for it to the bus stop– and then of course, she’d have to wait the fifteen minutes for the bus to arrive anyway. Annabeth gathered her courage, preparing to step out into the pouring rain, when Percy walked out the door, a laugh already on his lips.

“Oh you can’t seriously be stubborn enough to turn down a ride now , can you?”

Annabeth huffed. She sure could be that stubborn, thank you very much. But another glance at the sky had her resolve wavering, and at last she sighed, giving in, “Fine, just… fine.”

“I’m in the back.” He nodded towards the side of the building, pulling his jacket over his head before walking briskly into the rain. Annabeth followed suit, the torrent immediately plastering her hair to her face and soaking her to the bone, but she rushed after him to the back of the building all the same.

His old Camaro was a familiar sight, and she picked up her pace, wanting desperately to get out of the rain.

“Can you believe this?!” He turned, a wild grin on his lips, water running down his face like rivers. 

Annabeth open her mouth to answer that yes, she could believe it, they got rain like this often in the fall, but before she could get the words out she skidded on the slick ground beneath her, falling forward after a second of wobbling to keep her balance.

Percy’s arms caught her easily around the waist, his jacket falling, and when she looked up they were nose to nose, their breath mingling in the wet air.

His eyes were wide, but after a moment, they softened and his smile was back, “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

“...Shut up.” Annabeth grumbled, moving to pull away, but his arms held fast. Their eyes met again. She sucked in a breath, feeling the cool air on her cheeks, the way his arms held her, the way he was looking at her…

‘This is a bad idea.’ She reiterated in her head.

‘Is it though?’ The voice whispered back.

That was all the pushback she needed.

Once more, Annabeth Chase found herself kissing Percy Jackson. And once more, he was kissing her back.

There were fireworks again as her eyes squeezed shut. His grip on her tightened. His lips were smooth, wet from the rain. She could feel water dripping down her nose, down her back, but she didn’t care. Her focus was on one thing and one thing only.

Their mouths molded together like they were made for each other. Her breath hitched when his tongue swiped across hers, and Annabeth moaned softly, clutching at his shirt, taking a step forward to press him back against the hood of his car. He seemed to like that as his kisses grew more ferocious, more eager, and Annabeth had to be the one to pull back and ask, “Car?”

Percy seemed to understand, nodding as she took a step back. He stooped to grab his jacket off the ground before moving to open the passenger side door for her which she slipped inside easily. The rain could be heard thrumming against the roof and windows as he rushed around to hop into the driver’s seat, tossing his things into the back. He smiled at her, that damned crooked smile that had her heart racing as he said, “Where were we, Princess?”

She didn’t deign to answer that with words, and instead elected to tug him across the center console, their lips pressing together once more.

In the relative warmth of the car, Percy became more bold with his touches, one hand gripping her thigh, massaging it firmly as the other came to cup her face, tangle in her hair. She moaned again, softer this time, but of course he heard it. She felt his lips grin against her, felt the tickle of his breath as he whispered, “Where?”

She wordlessly reached for the hand on her thigh, gliding it further up her leg. Her other hand took the one that touched her face and brought it down to her chest, where he very eagerly cupped her breast, rubbing at her through the layers of fabric.

Annabeth’s body was on fire. She gasped, all of her desires distilled into a single need; Percy. She needed him, needed more and she shrugged off her coat, refusing to break the kiss, the contact as she did so.

Percy let his fingers trail up and down her inner thigh, getting higher every time. Annabeth whimpered as he ghosted over where she wanted to feel him most, finally reaching down and pressing him insistently to touch her there. He obliged, another low chuckle leaving his throat as she rolled her hips against his hand because oh God, yes…!

Her own hand found its way between his legs, and Annabeth rubbed him in slow but firm strokes, listening the the almost imperceptible changes to his breath, his voice, the way he exhaled through his nose and his grip on her became rough. It felt good. Amazing even.

Annabeth hadn’t dated in a while, it was true, but the need she felt in Percy Jackson’s car behind an Ice Cream shop in lower downtown…? It was unlike anything she remembered experiencing before.

Percy groaned into her mouth, and she parted her lips, inviting him inside. Instead, he pulled back, his eyelids low, his lips red and his face flushed to match. “Look… if we go any further we’ll… We won’t stop. And I don’t think… well I…” He cleared his throat, and for the first time, it occurred to Annabeth that he might be nervous too. Finally, he seemed to gather his thoughts, “Your place or mine?”

 

---

 

Notes:

I told myself I wasn't going to update tonight.... and then I did. Oops!

Happy Friday!!

Who else has a brain like Annabeth that argues with them? (me, I do)

Chapter 6: this is how the world works (now all he thinks about is me)

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains explicit sexual content

The drive was slightly less heated than the previous few minutes had been.

Part of Annabeth wished her life was a movie. Percy would have asked “Your place or mine?” and then there would have been a smash cut to them making out against his apartment door or something.

‘But this is real life.’ Her brain reminded her for the second time in a week.

So unfortunately, Annabeth had to live through every agonizing second of the drive to Percy’s apartment. She had to exist through walking up three flights of stairs, Percy fumbling with his keys in the hall, and stumbling through his door, unsure if they should start kissing again now or–

But that meant she had time to think. And so when Percy Jackson turned from deadbolting his door, gave her that lopsided grin and began sauntering over, she knew it was now or never, before her resolve wavered.

She held out an arm, stopping him from coming closer with a hand to his chest. His eyebrows raised.

“First,” She started, “We talk.”

Percy seemed to mull it over. “No.” He finally decided.

Annabeth wrinkled her nose, “Excuse me?!”

“No.” He leaned in, “I think first, you need to change. And get warm. And then we can talk.”

She hadn’t realized she had been shivering.

Percy loaned her a tshirt and some boxers that were far too large for her. It was strange, wearing the underwear of a man she hadn’t even had sex with yet. ‘ Yet.’ Her brain repeated. Annabeth ignored it as she pulled her damp hair into a messy bun, padding back out to the living room.

Professor Jackson had the kind of apartment you’d expect from a bachelor, but not one you’d expect from an academic. It was cool toned, blues and greys with splashes of yellow.  There was a dining room table with two seats, but only one half of it was covered in papers and signs of living. The couch was deep blue and plush when Annabeth sank into it and crossed her legs. The desk in the corner looked equally lived in. However, it was surprisingly clean, surprisingly minimalist, at least in the living areas, and surprisingly devoid of books. Annabeth had never met a professor with no bookshelves.

And then there was the cat.

Annabeth wasn’t against animals. She loved big ol’ dogs that could tackle you in a pounce. But she’d never been around many cats, and so it was a bit of a shock when the tiny black creature came scampering from around the corner and hopped right into her lap.

“That’s Blackjack.” Percy called from the bedroom. And Annabeth tentatively scritched the kitten under the chin, eliciting many happy purrs.

Soon enough, Percy was sitting across from her, shirtless, in sweats, his glasses gone once more. Annabeth avoided looking directly at him, trying not to think about how fit his body was. He watched her with the cat intently, silent, waiting for her to speak.

Annabeth cleared her throat, “So… I think we should establish some rules.”

“Rules…” He repeated slowly, obviously not sold on the idea, “Well this is a total mood killer.”

“If we’re going to sleep together we need to have ground rules so it doesn’t get messy.”

“I think we’re going to do more than sleep.” He waggled his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes.

“You know what I mean.”

“Okay, so what are they?”

“Rule number one should be obvious.”

Percy’s smirk returned, “Enlighten me, Princess.”

She brushed past the nickname, “Rule number one is that you don’t fall in love with me.”

He chuckled, “And I suppose rule number two is vice versa?”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Awfully confident, to think that I’d fall for you but there’s no chance of falling for me. One might even call it hubris.”

“Will you save your classics themed jokes until after I’ve finished?!” Annabeth took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure all whilst Blackjack headbutted her hand insistently. “Rule number one; neither of us will fall for the other.”

Percy nodded, “Noted.”

“Rule number two;” she continued, “no sleeping over at each other’s homes.”

“...Why?”

“To help facilitate rule one.” Easier to accidentally catch feelings if you’re cuddling after and waking up together, Annabeth reasoned.

But ever the contrarian, Percy shook his head, “No. No way.”

“Why not?!” She demanded.

“Like hell I’m letting you take the bus home in the dead of night.”

She huffed, “I’ve done so plenty of times. You aren’t my father.”

“Maybe not but I could be your daddy–”

He was cut off by a pillow to the face.

They decided to table rule two for the evening.

“Rule three,” she resumed, “no telling anyone.”

“Embarrassed to be seen with me?”

“Yes.”

“Fair.”

“Four is that we will act like nothing has changed between us at work or around friends. Five is that if any of rules one through four are broken, we stop this. Immediately.”

“Sounds strict.”

“I’m just trying to ensure we aren’t making a mistake, doing this.” ‘And to make sure I protect myself.’ She added silently.

“And that’s all?”

Annabeth nods, “That’s all.”

Percy pushed out of his chair, approaching her briskly, scooping a complaining Blackjack out of her lap before tugging Annabeth to her feet, pressing their bodies together, “Then what are we waiting for?”

Her eyes widened slightly, the reality of the situation crashing down around her ears, “Oh, um–”

“If you don’t want to, I can take the couch.”

“No, it’s… it’s not that.”

He looked down at her, waiting.

The fact was, the last two times they had kissed, it had been unplanned. Spontaneous. Unexpected. And that had worked for her. Annabeth knew she was an overthinker. And it was plaguing her now that they’d had space between the moment behind the bar and the current situation. She took a breath. Then another.

“Close your eyes.” Percy spoke up. It didn’t sound like a request.

“What are–?”

“No arguing.” 

“But–”

“Ah ah.”

Annabeth grumbled under her breath but obliged, closing her eyes.

She felt his hands first. The palms were soft, but the fingertips tracing every feature of her face were calloused, like he used them often. She idly wondered if he played guitar, but soon there was no room for anything but what was happening now as his fingers trailed from her cheek to her jaw then her throat, sending shivers through her body. She felt hot breath tickle her ear, an errant curl brushed from her face.

“Relax.” Came his voice, low, caring, “If you want to stop, we stop.”

“I wasn’t worried about–” She cut herself off. Then she nodded.

He nipped at her lobe before pulling back. She felt the hand on her throat move even lower down her body. His touch had a fire burning low in her stomach, tingles sparking against her skin, and her chest tightened, her body reacting almost immediately to him. Her eyes fluttered.

“No peeking.”

Annabeth didn’t mean to whimper, but she did. Percy chuckled, and she felt his lips brush against hers, their noses bumping together. But when she leaned in to close the little distance between them, he pulled back.

“Impatient, aren’t we?”

Her eyes flew open, her nostrils flaring, “If you’re not going to kiss me then I’ll just–!” She turned as if to leave, but then his hand was grabbing her upper arm and pulling her back into him and his mouth was on her own and his other hand was gripping her hair and she was absolutely lost and found at the same time.

Which was too stupidly poetic to think considering this was a no strings attached arrangement between two colleagues who decidedly did not like each other.

But there was no time to dwell on that, because the tip of his tongue was gently tracing her lips and she parted them and that grip in her hair was getting tighter and suddenly he was yanking her head back, not painfully, but firmly, and his teeth were at her throat and she was moaning and grabbing at his bare skin, her nails digging into his shoulders and–

His hands came down to grip her ass, pulling her up and Annabeth understood immediately, wrapping her legs around his waist as he continued his ministrations and carried her to the bedroom.

‘Ah.’ She thinks, ‘ Here’s all of his things… ’

She doesn’t have time to think too hard about it, but the room was a far cry from the minimalist bachelor pad the rest of his apartment was. There were a few shelves of books, still less than she would have expected, but books all the same. There were several boxes, still taped tight. And there were pictures. So. Many. Pictures.

But before Annabeth could get a good look at a single one, Percy was tipping forward, dropping her on the bed and crawling over her, a hungry look in his eyes.

Oh. That was the ‘something’ she had been seeing when he looked at her.

He had been famished.

And Annabeth was his meal.

He tugged her hips to meet his, biting into the soft smooth skin of her neck, and Annabeth bit back yet another cry.

“Don’t do that.”

“D-do what?” She stammered out.

“Don’t hold back with me.”

  Annabeth nodded, any argument she had died in her throat as they kissed again, desperately, eagerly, almost vicious in the way they bit and scratched and pressed into each other. But everything Percy did, Annabeth went toe-to-toe with, meeting him halfway. It felt so… easy.

After who knew how long, Percy pulled back, the hungry look in his eyes still far from satiated. Annabeth sucked in a breath as he pulled up the hem of her shirt and began planting soft kisses along her stomach, down to where the thin boxers met her waist. He tugged at the waistband with his teeth, his green eyes fixed on her face.

She bit her lip, reaching down to run a hand through his hair before grabbing a handful, “Well?” Annabeth breathed, expectant.

“‘Well what, Princess? Use your words.”

“Well, aren’t you going to…?”

“To…?” He wasn’t going to let her get off that easily.

She groaned, lifting her hips off the bed but he pulled away teasingly. 

“Please, just… just eat me out already!”

This seemed to be what he wanted to hear, and he grinned at her wolfishly before dragging the boxers off of her in one swift motion. Annabeth didn’t even have time to think about being embarrassed before his mouth was on her and oh GOD it felt good. 

Her thighs pressed tight around his ears instinctively, her back arching off the bed as his tongue swirled around her clit, sucking and licking and making her head feel fuzzy. He seemed to be testing different rhythms, seeing what had her moaning louder, what made her grip on his head tighten and her body vibrate with pleasure.

And he figured it out quickly. Too quickly. 

The minutes of absolute pleasure passed.

Annabeth gasped, feeling that familiar ache for release build in her core, so soon, too soon, but she wanted it, she needed it, she closed her eyes, her legs shaking as she–

Stopped. Percy lifted his head away and Annabeth’s body collapsed back on the mattress in disappointment, her face hot, her heart racing, her body protesting the sudden lack of friction, and her eyes fluttered open in confusion.

“What was that for?” She demanded.

“That,” Percy licked his lips, his eyes flashing when he met her gaze, and smirked, “was for calling me insufferable.”

Her eyes widened, memories of their closet excursion rushing back, “You–!”

He was over her suddenly, his chest pressed to hers, his knee between her legs and Annabeth gasped again, unable to tear her eyes from his even as they were inches from each other, “I’m going to have my fun. For every name you called me that night, I’m going to deny you. And only when I’ve felt you’ve suffered enough, when you’ve earned it, will I let you cum.” He leaned in and his lips brushed against her ear, volume dropping and taking on a more gentle tone, “Just let me know if you want me to stop, okay?”

She shivered, her heart rate picking up again and every part of her body responding to his words. She… wanted that. Annabeth nodded, but when he pulled back she had her patented glare fixed on her face, “What about you? You called me names too.”

Percy laughed, “I think holding back is punishment enough for me.”

Annabeth opened her mouth to respond but all rational words left her mind as his hand slipped between them, grazing his fingers against her dripping wet pussy and making her body shudder. He rubbed slow circles against her, almost lazily, but if Annabeth tried to shift closer he’d pull away again, that infuriating smirk on his face.

“Wh-what insult is this one for…?” She panted.

“Arrogant.” He rubbed his fingers between her folds, getting them nice and slick while Annabeth whimpered beneath him, and in moments he was slipping a digit inside. Annabeth gripped his shoulder, almost holding her breath as the finger curled and brushed against that spot that had been aching to be touched since they started this.

“At least that one was true…” She muttered, and he stopped his movements, holding himself inside her.

“You think I’m arrogant?” He sounded more amused than anything.

“Are you claiming you’re not?”

The digit began to pull out and she was about to let out a huff of frustration when it suddenly, without warning, slammed back inside her, back and forth, fast and rough and oh God she couldn’t control the sound that tore from her throat as he finger-fucked her. He slipped a second finger in and stretched her walls, whispering huskily in her ear, “What do you want, Princess?”

“I-I…!” She couldn’t bring herself to say it, her body reacting and squeezing around him.

“I won’t forgive you if you won’t tell me.” His voice had almost a sing-song lilt to it, and it sent Annabeth’s body into overdrive.

“I want to cum!” She cried out, feeling the familiar build up once more, the sensation of approaching the precipice, knowing that if he just kept going, just a little more, she’d–

He pulled away again and Annabeth could nearly scream with frustration as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her temple.

“I-I thought you said you’d… if I said it…” She managed out, her whole body shaking.

“I said I’d forgive you. Not that you’d be rewarded.” He was hovering over her again, pressing his hips to hers, rolling them, and she can feel how hard he is, his clothed member rubbing against her in the most delicious way.

Annabeth whimpered, not sure how much more of this she could take before breaking entirely. Percy leaned in and nipped at her lip, “Had enough?”

“N-no!” She said it defiantly, jutting her chin out though she could feel herself quivering.

“Mmm…” He hummed, taking her jaw in his hand and squeezing her cheeks. “But I have.”

Disappointment and fury flooded her. She was about to protest, to ask him not to stop, when his hands were on her, flipping her onto her stomach, and with a small ‘ oh.’ Annabeth’s brain caught up to the situation. He didn’t mean enough of her . Just enough of teasing her.

His hand was on her back, forcing it to slope downwards as he pressed insistently against her ass, leaning over her to chuckle into her ear, “I think next time I could be meaner. But I want you too badly.”

Annabeth whimpered in response. He wanted her. She was desirable. She felt the heat of his chest move away and heard the shifting behind her as he removed his sweats.

“D-do you have a–”

“Of course.” He reached over her to the backboard of the bed, grabbing a foil square off the shelf there. Annabeth tried to roll over as he was preoccupied with the condom, but a swift slap to her ass put an end to that notion quickly. “I didn’t say you could move yet.” Percy chided.

Annabeth's past partners had never been so demanding in bed. But she couldn’t say she hated it as she felt him line up with her entrance and slowly, slowly press forward, eliciting a positively sinful moan from her lips as his hand pressed against her back once more, keeping her positioned properly. Her fingers dug into his sheets, her eyes squeezing shut as he spread her inch by inch.

And then his hips nestled snugly against her own, and Annabeth fought against her instincts to rock against him. She didn’t want to be denied a third time.

Soon he was pulling out again, and it felt even better, making her moan into the mattress. A hand found her hair and pulled her head back, forcing a hiccup of surprise out of her.

“I want to hear you.” Percy said simply, before slamming himself back inside. 

The scream that came from her throat was unlike any sound Annabeth could ever recall making before. 

She’d always considered herself relatively quiet in bed. At the very least, she’d had the self control and self awareness to keep all the sounds she’d wanted to make inside. But something about the way she and Percy fell together so easily, fit so perfectly, had her mind racing. Annabeth began babbling as he began fucking her hard and fast, the words spilling from her lips like honey;

“Please please please don’t stop, don’t stop, f-fuck me, god, oh my god, ohmygodohmygodohmygod Percy!” After being edged twice, it didn’t take her long to finally plummet over the peak of her climax, her throat raw from crying out his name, her body sore from arching her back and spreading her legs. But Percy hadn’t finished yet. He pulled out, flipping her back over and pressing her legs back against her shoulders as he slammed inside again.

The sound of skin against skin echoed throughout the room as he pounded into her oversensitive pussy, Annabeth still reeling from the high of her orgasm. Finally, he groaned, low and long. She could feel him harden then relax as he joined her in bliss, and her toes curled as he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily. 

The two of them lay like that for a minute. Then another. Listening to the other breath. Feeling their hearts beating, asynchronous, off tempo with each other. Neither dared to speak at first, afraid of breaking the spell. What if… what if it was bad for him? The thought crossed Annabeth’s mind and began to take hold, which sucked considering for her it had been rather mind-blowing, and just as she was debating whether this whole thing was a mistake, Percy’s voice filled her head.

“That was incredible.”

“Really?” She didn’t mean to sound shocked, and Percy pulled back, brow furrowed.

“Why did you say it like that? Was it bad for you?”

“No! No not at all, I just… I need validation sometimes.” She blushed, and his gaze softened.

“I think we all do.” A beat. “Now it’s your turn to say it was incredible too.”

Annabeth couldn’t hold back a snort, “It was incredible.”

He mulled this over, “Hmm. Well now it doesn’t mean as much since I told you to say it.”

“Fine, it was amazing.”

“Not as good of a word as incredible.”

“Okay, then it was…” She searched for a word better than incredible, “Godly.”

Percy nodded. Her answer had been accepted.

He pulled out of her slowly, rolling over and slipping off the bed to dispose of the mess they had made together. As he walked, he called back, “Do you need anything? Water, a snack, a sweater? Are you cold?”

“Water is fine.” She yawned, crawling under the sheets. It was true they had decided to ignore the second rule, just for tonight, but part of her wondered if it would be better for her to get dressed and hop on the next bus home. But his bed was warm, her limbs were sore, and she was tired. She didn’t want to take the bus home in the middle of the night in slightly damp clothes. She wanted to curl up and go to sleep.

The curling up part was easy. She reached over the side and dragged Percy’s comforter back onto the bed, wondering if it had mistakenly slipped off or if he preferred to sleep without it. Annabeth tucked herself in, snuggled into a pile of pillows, and closed her eyes.

She heard Percy quietly pad back into the room. She heard him softly call her name, a question, seeing if she was asleep. She didn’t respond. She heard the light click off, felt the bed sink as he climbed in beside her, heard the sigh he heaved as he lay down.

And then an arm was around her. Only for a moment. It squeezed her tight, hugging her close, before it was gone, and he was rolling over, their backs to each other.

Annabeth, who had been ready to pass out mere seconds ago, suddenly found herself very much awake.

 

---

 

Notes:

So uhhhh.... that sure was something

Chapter 7: make sure nobody sees (you leave)

Somehow, at some point in the night, Annabeth fell asleep.

She awoke to sunbeams streaming in through the window. There was a small lump between her knees and a downwards glance confirmed that Blackjack the kitten had decided to curl up there to sleep. Her body ached, but that good kind of ache you get after a hike or a particularly effective workout. 

Annabeth stretched out and sat up, glancing down at Percy’s sleeping form before turning carefully (so as not to disturb the cat) to get a good look at the pictures on the walls in the daylight.

They were almost all polaroids; photos of ancient Greek ruins, marble statues, the ocean. Some were dated, others were labeled with names. She saw people too– a kind looking middle-aged woman hugging a boy with a shock of black hair from behind. A girl with curly red hair sharing popsicles with the same boy. And–

Her eyes widened in shock, and she got on her knees to better examine the picture that caught her eye. Percy had his arm around a guy about their age, with curly brown hair and a goatee. They were grinning at the camera, wearing matching orange shirts and green lanyards.

Annabeth heard Percy stir beside her, felt the way his body shifted the mattress as he sat up in bed.

“Mmm ‘morning,” his voice was husky and low, “did you sleep alr–”

“You know Grover?” She looked back at him in time to see his features change to surprise.

“Uh… Yeah,” Percy cleared his throat, brow furrowing, “yeah, we volunteered together on a restoration project in Greece several summers ago. He’s probably the closest thing I have to a best friend.” He frowned, “How do you know him?”

“We grew up together.”

Percy froze. “...Wait, seriously?!”

“Yes.”

“You… oh fuck.” He groaned, falling backwards onto the mattress, covering his eyes with an arm, “Shit. Fuck.”

“What?! What is it?”

“You’re that Annabeth?!”

“What do you mean that Annabeth?!”

“The one Grover was always talking about! He said he had a friend minoring in classics and—“ Percy stopped. Annabeth winced. He lifted his arm from his face, staring at her with confusion, “You… you only minored in classics?”

Annabeth felt her face grow hot, “I… that…”

“No way.” He sat up, “Annabeth Chase, classics professor, doesn’t even have a Masters in the field?!”

Annabeth groaned, covering her face with her hands.

“How the hell did you get this job?!”

“It’s… it’s complicated!” Her cheeks burned red hot. Percy had been the absolute last person she wanted to find out about this and now he had figured it out by sheer coincidence. Annabeth peeked between her fingers, but to her surprise, Percy looked impressed . 

“It’s hard for people with degrees to get these kinds of gigs,” He bulldozed forward, full steam ahead, and Annabeth felt indignant.

“I have a degree! It’s just… it’s just not–”

“What’s it in?”

She struggled to answer. It’s not that it mattered if he knew or not, but if she said she majored in Architecture he’d have questions. Questions she didn’t feel like answering. Questions she didn’t want to confront.

“Um… it’s… it doesn’t matter!” Annabeth huffed, crossing her arms. Percy’s eyebrows raised but he didn’t push it, and it dawned on Annabeth that something was strange about what he said, “Wait… he told you he knew an Annabeth who was in classics in some capacity and you never connected that to me?”

He shrugged,  “I pretty much had forgotten all about that until you brought it up. I mean, Annabeth could be a common name–”

“It’s not.”

“Right.” He grinned, “Well, to beat out other candidates with masters and PHds for this job, you must be really something.”

“I have a masters!” She complained again as he got out of bed and pulled on his sweats. She averted her gaze. Despite sleeping together, she still hadn’t really gotten a good look at his body, and it was something she still felt a bit shy about.

“Not in classics though.” He sent her a smirk over his shoulder as he stretched and headed out towards the kitchen. Blackjack had awoken and he scampered off the bed after his dad. “You want breakfast?”

That was a bad idea. Annabeth knew it was a bad idea. But then her stomach growled and while her brain was saying, ‘ No, I can’t, I should go. ’ what her mouth said instead was, “That sounds great.”

She found the boxers he’d given her to wear the night before tossed beside the bed and pulled them on, perching on a stool beside the island counter as Percy bustled around the kitchen, pulling out ingredients and filling a bowl with wet food for Blackjack which the cat happily pounced on as soon as it was placed before him. 

“Waffles okay?”

She nodded.

“With strawberries and cream, or syrup?”

“Both?”

“I can do both.” Percy began mixing the batter as Annabeth picked up her phone where it had been charging on the counter, scrolling through emails and texts. A student wanted an extension, a fellow teacher needed a resource, a potluck was coming up– nothing particularly exciting. She yawned, rubbing at her eyes.

“Did you sleep okay?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, I slept fine.”

“You were kind of restless.” He began scooping the mix into the waffle iron.

Annabeth sighed, “That’s just kind of how I sleep.”

“You move around a lot?”

“Yeah.”

It was quiet for a moment, then–

“I can drive–”

“I’ll walk–”

They spoke simultaneously and Percy laughed, “I guess we had the same thing on our minds?”

Annabeth nodded, “You don’t need to drive me home after breakfast. The bus stop isn’t far from here.” 

“You sure?” He opened the waffle maker, navigating several pristine waffles onto a plate before adding whipped cream, strawberries, and passing it to Annabeth along with the syrup and a fork. Annabeth stared down at the plate, for the first time realizing that the waffles in front of her were bright blue in color.

“Annabeth?” He nudged her for an answer, but all that came out of her mouth was–

“Why are they blue?”

Percy laughed, already making up his own plate and coming around the island to sit next to her, “It’s this thing from when I was a kid. My mom made blue food for special occasions and it just became habitual.”

“And this is a special occasion?” Annabeth raised an eyebrow, poking at her breakfast with her fork.

Percy shrugged, giving a noncommittal hum before changing the subject, “Seriously, I can drive you.”

“And risk someone seeing us? Bad idea.”

He laughed again, “Who would see us? It’s a big city.”

“With my luck the entire faculty will be outside your door when I leave.” Annabeth muttered, scooping some waffle into her mouth. Her eyes widened and an inadvertent moan escaped her throat.

“Good?”

“God yes.” She ate another piece with a happy hum, stabbing a strawberry with her next bite, “I didn’t realize waffles could taste like… that breakfast cereal, with the cinnamon? What did you put in this?!”

A smile flitted across Percy’s lips, “You got one ingredient already. I just add a few teaspoons of cinnamon and half a cup of brown sugar.”

“Well you’re a genius.”

“Never thought I’d hear those words coming from your lips.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “A cooking genius, that is. It doesn’t count.”

“Fine, fine.” They ate quietly for a few moments, then, “Hey, you got something on your face.” He pointed to a spot on his cheek.

Annabeth frowned, reaching up to wipe at it, “I do?” 

“Yup– other side, no, not– Here.” Percy leaned forward, taking her face in his hands and licking her cheek.

Annabeth instinctively pushed away, brow furrowing, “You couldn’t have used your hands?”

“Nope. Don’t want to waste any.” He chuckled, though he didn’t move away. Annabeth tilted her head at him, frown still in place as she rubbed at her cheek. 

“What?” She asked, feeling self-conscious.

“You have something on your lips too.”

Annabeth blinked, “Is this your way of coming on to me?”

“Is it working?” His gaze was unwavering, even as she rolled her eyes and huffed.

“I need to get home!”

“Why?”

“Because I have… things to do!”

“What things?”

“Just… stuff!”

“Annabeth, if you don’t want to fuck this morning you can say so. You don’t need to make up an excuse.”

Her face burned as she stuttered out, “That– you… I’m not–! Ugh! I didn’t say that!”

Percy smirked, catching some whipped cream on his finger and reaching forward to dollop it onto her nose, “So you do want to?”

Annabeth huffed, going cross eyed for a moment at his gesture and reaching for a napkin to wipe it away, “I didn’t say that either!” She rubbed her nose clean, “I don’t think it’s… We shouldn’t… make this a habit.”

He raised his brow, “Really? Because I thought all the rules we made last night implied that this would be a habitual thing.”

“Okay, maybe, but I mean like… we just slept together not even 10 hours ago and you already want to–?”

“Yup.”

She sighed, picking another strawberry off her plate and popping it in her mouth as she mulled it over. True, it was probably a bad idea to do this too often, but… She kind of wanted to try it again. Make sure their crazy sexual chemistry the night before wasn’t a fluke. For science. Yeah. For science. Just this once.

“Okay.” She said.

“Really? You’re sure? You don’t feel pressured or–”

“I’m sure.” She replied, hopping off the stool and turning to make her way back to the bedroom when Percy caught her around the waist.

“Now where are you going?”

“To… to bed?”

He chuckled, and Annabeth cocked her head to the side. “What?!”

In moments, both his hands were on her hips and he was lifting her and she found herself perched on the counter, Percy’s arms on either side of her, trapping her in. “Mmm, we already fucked in the bed.”

“... So we can’t again?”

“We can , but…” He reached behind her, pulling back with a can of whipped cream and a mischievous smirk, “I’d rather not make it too messy, you know?”

 

---

 

Annabeth complained loudly the entire ride home, slumping down as far as she could in the passenger’s seat while Percy looked amused beside her.

“I told you I would take the bus!”

“Yes, you did.” He agreed.

“This is not the bus!”

“How astute of you to notice!” Her glare was met with a grin, and Annabeth huffed, sinking even lower in her seat as they stopped at a red light.

“You know it’s not safe to sit like that–” He began.

“Shut up and drive Jackson.”

But, of course, he didn’t seem capable of shutting up, and a beat of silence later, Percy was talking again.

“Why are you complaining, I’d think my rad camaro with leg room and no people would be better than a bus.”

“ You’re people.” She argued.

“Other people.” He countered.

Annabeth grumbled, “I’d prefer the bus to your stupid car, thanks.”

Percy patted his dashboard apologetically, “She doesn’t mean that, baby.”

Annabeth stared at him, then groaned, “Please say you’re not one of those weirdos who talks to their car like it’s a girlfriend.”

“Hey! I don’t!” He thought for a moment, “Well, not all the time.”

“Let me out, I’m walking the rest of the way.”

“Nice try. That’s a no.” He turned at the next light glancing at Annabeth again and chuckling to himself, “Come on, you can’t hate my presence that badly. You seemed pretty pleased with it last night, in fact. And this morning–”

“ Please stop talking.”

“I’m just saying, you got pretty creative with that whipped cream–”

“You are actually the worst.”

“I’m just stating facts.” He shrugged, “And the fact is, you like having sex with me.”

Annabeth grumbled under her breath, covering her face with her hands, “Well don’t get too full of yourself. It’s been a while so I’m pretty sure any attractive person showing interest would have gotten the same treatment.”

“So you admit I’m attractive.”

“You’re passable.” 

“And you’re saying you slept with me anyway, after a dry spell?” Annabeth realized her mistake too late as he continued, “So really that’s even more flattering, because you could have chosen to hold out for someone more than ‘passable’ and yet you still ‘settled’ for me.” Percy glances at her with a grin. She was annoyed at how much he’d been grinning since that night at the Halloween party.

“That– that wasn’t… oh you’re impossible!”

“I try.”

They turned onto her street and Annabeth reached to unbuckle quickly, ready to shower and change out of the clothes she had been wearing the day before and to maybe read a book or grade papers or watch more trashy tv before curling up in her fluffiest pajamas for a long weekend rest.

Percy’s hand covered her own, stilling her movements, “Wait.”

Annabeth swallowed, not looking at him, “What?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay through Sunday?”

“...What?!”

“I’m just saying, we can drive back right now, no questions asked.”

Annabeth stared at him, aghast,  “You’re… insatiable!” She undid the buckle and scrambled out of the car, Percy laughing behind her.

“Don’t I get a kiss goodbye?”

“In your dreams, Jackson!” She slammed the door shut, and spun on her heel, marching into her apartment building and grumbling under her breath, cheeks feeling warm despite the drizzly weather.

When Annabeth stomped into her apartment and slumped against the door, the night before as well as her morning played in her head on repeat. She lightly smacked her cheeks with her hands, trying to snap out of it.

She had slept with Professor Perseus Jackson. And she had liked it.

With a groan, she pushed off from the door and headed to the shower, hoping she could focus on something, anything else.

Annabeth spent her day after her showers in fluffy pajamas, as planned, grading papers while yet another trashy dating show played in the background. Those had been Piper’s fault– They hung out once at home and she had gotten Annabeth hooked on “Love and Robots”, where contestants had to e-Date each other and guess whether they were talking to a real person or an AI. And then Annabeth had finished the season on her own, and found another show. Then another one.

‘I used to watch educational things.’ She mused silently to herself.

‘This could be educational.’ The voice in her head reasoned.

‘How so?’ She asked herself.

‘Well, it could fix your abysmal dating life.’ 

Annabeth huffed through her nose, her thoughts already annoying her, ‘ I got laid literally twice in 12 hours, I think I’m doing okay.’

‘Ah, but you’re not dating him.’

She slammed down a paper, realizing she had been reading the same sentence over and over again, ‘ And that’s a good thing!’

‘Is it?’

She kicked her legs off the couch and stalked to the kitchen for a popsicle, muttering under her breath. She didn’t want to date Percy! That’s why they agreed to this arrangement– no strings, no feelings, no hurt.

So why couldn't she stop thinking about him?

 

---

 

Sunday morning, she was awoken by her cellphone buzzing. Groggily, Annabeth reached for it, clicking it on and holding it to her ear, “Hello?”

“Mom collapsed.” Bobby’s voice echoed in her head and Annabeth jerked to sit up.

“What?! When?”

“Just now,” He sounded scared, “Dad is taking her to the doctor, I… Matthew and I are home.”

“Shit…” Annabeth exhaled heavily through her nose, rubbing her temple, “Okay, okay, I’ll be over in a few. Do you guys want ice cream?”

“We’re not really– yeah. Yeah ice cream would be good.”

Annabeth hurried to dress as soon as they said goodbye, speed walking to the convenience store on the corner of her street to grab the aforementioned ice cream. Three pints; one for each of them. Then, it was simply a matter of catching the next bus to the suburbs and she was walking in the front door, greeted by the solemn faces of her brothers.

They didn’t say anything– they didn’t need to. Wordlessly, Bobby got spoons and Matthew grabbed bowls, while Annabeth set the melting ice cream on the counter. They’d been through this before. Everyone knew the drill.

Once they were settled in the living room with their ice cream, Matthew turned on cartoons, but no one was really paying attention to them. Annabeth scooped a chunk of cookie dough into her mouth, mulling over what would happen if the cancer was back.

“Was Helen conscious?” She finally asked.

Bobby nodded, “Yeah, yeah she seemed fine, she just kind of… fell over while making breakfast. Dad insisted on taking her to get checked, you know, just in case…” He trailed off, sniffing before digging back into his chocolate fudge.

“I’m sure she’s fine.” Matthew piped up from his seat on the floor, voice strained despite the casual tone, “Chemo did a number on her, it’s probably just… that.”

“Probably.” Bobby repeated, but he didn’t sound convinced.

Annabeth sighed, putting her bowl on the coffee table, “Look, guys, Helen is a strong lady. She’ll be okay, no matter what. And she has you two to support her, and Dad… and me. Let's just take this a step at a time, okay?”

The boys both nodded slowly, before turning their attention back to the television and cartoon hijinks. Annabeth gnawed on her lip, holding in her own concern. Matthew and Bobby were only 17… that was way too young to lose a parent.

‘ You’d know.’ The voice in her head said.

‘My mother is still alive.’ Annabeth thought back.

Her brain didn’t respond, but the fact that Annabeth had lost her mother long before she could even comprehend it weighed heavy on her heart. Sure, she was out there, somewhere– Annabeth saw her on the news sometimes, campaigning. But that was the extent of their interactions, and always had been. One-way, distant, loveless.

The boys had a mother. One who loved them and cared for them, one they may have to watch fade away, and Annabeth couldn’t find it in herself to feel pity for her own situation when her brothers were facing something far worse.

She fiddled with her phone, lost in thought, not even registering the cartoon duck getting smashed by an anvil that should have killed him, nor the slowed breathing of Bobby as he drifted off to sleep on the couch beside her, nor Matthew leaving the room, mumbling something about it being “raid day” on his computer.

If the cancer was back… would it be like last time? No, it couldn’t be… the boys were grown now, and her dad–

Well. It might be a bit like last time, regardless of how old or capable Bobby and Matthew might be.

A few hours passed. Annabeth cleaned up the ice cream, and the kitchen as well, still messy from the unfinished breakfast of that morning. She could hear Matthew talking with some buddies over headset in his bedroom; video games always helped him relax, and she had fond memories of watching him, perched on his bed, listening to him explain mechanics and storylines to her.

Bobby reacted to strain a bit differently. He boxed. And he slept. Annabeth remembered picking him up from the gym and how he’d pass out in the car on the way home. He napped in the afternoons. He’d sleep through dinner. Annabeth even got one or two calls from their school, complaining that he was sleeping during classes.

“Stress response,” the doctors had said when Annabeth took him to get checked up. They’d prescribed an anti-anxiety medication and it was just one more thing their family had to worry about.

She was finishing the dishes when her parents walked in, Frederick helping Helen to the stairs without so much as a backwards glance at Annabeth.

“Is she okay?” Annabeth called after them.

“They ran some tests.” Her father waved her off, “We’ll know more later in the week.”

That was it. No “Hello”, no “Thank you for coming over”, no “Oh you didn’t have to clean!” But Annabeth knew what to expect by now. She checked on Bobby, still passed out on the couch, before poking her head into Matthew’s room.

“Hey, I’m leaving.”

Matthew nodded, focused on the computer screen, “See ya, ‘Beth.”

She knew he couldn’t pause an online game, but part of her still ached for a better goodbye. Sighing, Annabeth gathered her things, took one last look at her childhood home, then walked out the door and began her trek back to the bus stop and her lonely little apartment.

 

---

 

Notes:

I am currently writing the morning sexcapades if anyone is interested in reading that! It should be finished in the next few days or so!

EDIT: if you would like to know how their morning went I have now written and posted it under he calls her "sugar" 'cause she's the sweetest thing, so..... feel free to check it out! (Obvious warning for explicit sexual content!)

Chapter 8: what was shining (now it’s all rusted)

With all her focus being on her family on Sunday, Monday hit Annabeth like a train. It’s not as if she had forgotten how the start of her weekend went; no, the memory of those two days were extraordinarily vivid in her mind’s eye. However, she wasn’t quite prepared for her body’s reaction when she walked into her office to find Percy sitting at her desk, draped lazily in her chair, grinning at her.

Her heart seemed to forget how to beat for a moment and she cleared her throat, mustering her best no-nonsense teacher voice, “You’re in the wrong seat, Professor Jackson.”

Percy’s smile only widened, perfectly crooked as he hopped to his feet, “I’ve been looking for you, Professor Chase .” He enunciated the title in mock propriety, giving a little bow as he pushed out of the chair and stepped aside with a flourishing gesture to the seat.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, fighting a smile as she slid into her rolling chair and began pulling her laptop from her bag, “Me? Whatever for?”

“I wanted your opinion on something.” She felt him lean in behind her, felt his breath tickle her ear, his lips brushing against her lobe and making her shiver, “My place? Seven o’clock?”

She fought her immediate instincts, shaking her head, “That isn’t a very good idea.”

“And why not?” He nudged his nose against her jaw, his lips ghosting over her skin, and it took everything Annabeth had to gather her wits.

“It’s Monday.”

“And your point…?”

“And… Rule four,” She finally managed, pulling away from him and spinning in her chair to face the man who seemed determined to plague her, “we’re to act as if nothing has changed at work, remember?”

He cocked his head to the side, “No one is around. Does it really matter that much if no one can even see us?”

“Yes. Because someone could see.” She turned back to her desk, pulling out a stack of ungraded papers.

“Well, either way, you didn’t answer my question.” He came around to the side, leaning back on her desk and crossing his arms. Annabeth tried not to focus on how good he looked doing that, his sleeves half-rolled up, his skin smooth and tanned and muscular. She remembered how the rest of those arms looked too, as well as the bare shoulders they connected to, the chest and abs and–

“It’s a bad idea because… because I have midterm exams to grade and so do you!”

“Oh I finished that over the weekend.” He shrugged, “You haven’t said no yet.”

Annabeth huffed, refusing to look at him, “I’ll think about it.”

“Good enough for me.” He pushed off her desk and she could see him in her mirror swaggering back to his own side of the office, a whistle on his lips. Annabeth rolled her eyes, determined to ignore him as best as she could manage for the rest of the day.

 

---

 

First, it was the coffee. Annabeth had a bit of time before morning classes began, so she idled her way into the lounge, following the earthy scent that was already making her perk up a bit without having even tasted it yet.

She slipped through the door, ignoring Percy chatting with Octavian, the more handsome of the two looking thoroughly unimpressed with a mug in his hand as the blonde man droned on about the superiority of the Roman Empire– it was a familiar one-sided conversation, one that nearly every professor in the department had had the misfortune of experiencing. Guess it was simply Percy’s turn as the newest staff member on this side of campus.

Hiding a smirk, Annabeth avoided even so much as glancing at the pair as she reached for the pot, grabbing a mug from the clean stack beside the sink. The urge to smile quickly died on her lips when the pot was lifted far too easily and a flicker of irises downwards confirmed it was empty.

She turned, holding up the offensively light glass and looking accusingly across the room. Much to her surprise, Percy was already staring at her with that intense, unreadable look in his eyes, but somehow, even as her heart skipped a beat and her breath threatened to catch in her throat, her own expression remained hard.

“Professor Jackson.”

“Yes?” He asked innocently, taking a sip of his mug, Octavian huffing grumpily as his recounting of Roman legions ranked in order of least to most adequate was interrupted.

She shook the pot a bit, letting the dregs speckle the sides of the glass, her eyebrows raised.

He shrugged, “Is it a crime to drink coffee?”

“No, but you had the last of it, and–”

“I don’t think you can call dibs on communal company coffee, Annabeth. Just make a new pot.”

“That’s the point! ” Her arms crossed awkwardly, pot still in hand, “ You should make a new pot if you finished off the first one. It’s basic workplace etiquette.”

“Ah.” He shrugged, a grin that wasn’t nearly sheepish enough playing across his lips, which Annabeth was definitely not staring at. “Sorry, my last school had a Keurig. I’ll remember next time.” He downed the rest of his mug in a gulp.

“You will make a new one this time.” She insisted.

“No can do, Chase.” He had already begun to make his way towards her, reaching past where she stood to place his mug in the sink. His arm brushed hers, making goosebumps prickle the back of her neck. “I got class in five.” He twisted to give a half wave to Octavian as he walked backwards out the door, “Raincheck on the lecture, Professor Nero. Later!”

Octavian looked just as affronted as Annabeth felt, and she whipped around, seething as she slammed the coffee pot dangerously hard onto the counter. She had no time to brew a fresh batch now, a problem she wouldn’t have had if he had just refilled it in the first place.

“Did… did he just call me Professor Nero?” Octavian sniffed haughtily behind her.

“Yes.”

“Does he not know my last name is Nielson?”

“Does it matter?”

Annabeth did not have the energy to feel any remorse as Octavian scoffed and stormed from the room, taking a beat before making her own exit in the same mood.

 

---

 

Next was the printer. Annabeth had queued up study packets for her classes to be copied before wandering off to get herself a snack from the vending machine, coming back, protein bar in hand, to find that not only had her stack of papers not been printed, but Perseus was standing at the machine, brow furrowed in concentration as he messed with the controls.

“What are you doing?!” She demanded and he glanced up, expression softening ever so slightly. Annabeth pretended not to notice.

“Oh, I was just printing off a book list for Jesse for this tablet thing. One sec, I’ll get it working again.” 

“ Working?! ”

“Yeah, I think I messed something up because whenever I do this,” he pressed the green button and the poor machine made an angry whirring noise, “that happens.”

Annabeth took a deep breath, “Are you saying you came in here, saw something was already printing, and decided to– what, cut in line?!”

He shrugged, turning his attention back to the printer which ceased the whirring noise for now, “It’s just one page and you’re printing like, 200. I figured I’d have it done before you got back but–”

“But you broke it.”

“It’s not broken, just… okay, yeah, maybe?” Perseus gave a cheeky grin, which did little to stifle Annabeth’s annoyance, no matter how adorable it was.

“I need those packets printed by my next class! There’s only about…” She snatched the meager stack up, “there’s only eight here!”

“Okay, chill, I’ll call Leo.”

Annabeth huffed, having no intention of speaking to Leo Valdez after their last interaction, and turned to leave, “Those papers better be on my desk in the next fifteen minutes.”

“Yes ma’am.”

They were not.

 

---

 

Things came to a head when Annabeth returned to her office for hopefully the last time that day to do some work before heading home, only to find a gaggle of giggling girls (and a couple guys) surrounding Professor Jackson’s desk.

Great.

Ignoring both the noisy group and her annoyance (which was now reaching its boiling point), Annabeth slid into her chair and turned her attention to the pile of worksheets that needed to be graded. Unfortunately, this proved to be more and more difficult as the shrill voices behind her wormed their way into her brain.

“You were really there when they discovered the Labyrinth in Crete?” One of the girls gushed– the very same who had been passing notes in Annabeth’s class. Betty? Becky?

“Well I was on the dig but to be honest I missed the moment we actually found it.” Percy chuckled good naturedly and it was like nails on a chalkboard in that moment.

“How come?” Another girl piped up, “Were you working on something else?”

“Nah, me and a few others went out for drinks the night before, had a bit too much, so when they found the entrance at 6 am I was… you could say I was incapacitated.”

The students laughed a bit too hard at that.

“But you did work on the excavation, right?” Becky insisted.

“Oh yeah, absolutely.”

“So it was all real then?” A new voice asked.

“Was what all real?”

“You know…” The guy who had spoken turned a bit red in the reflection of Annabeth’s mirror, “The myth and stuff, the minotaur…?” This was met with more guffaws that had Annabeth all but slamming her head through her laptop screen.

“Hey now, it’s a fair question.” Professor Jackson quieted them easily, his command over their attention impressive. And also annoying. “Obviously a half bull half man didn’t exist. We don’t know if Minos was real, or Daedelus, or even what the function of it was, though if you all read last week’s assignment you’d know the most prominent theory is that it was used as a prison of some sort– perhaps even housed gladiatorial-esque games for criminals. In fact, there were even proto-Athenian coins and trinkets discovered in some sections of the construct, which indicates there’s some truth to the Theseus myth that Crete at some point had demanded human tributes from that area.”

“But no minotaur?”

Annabeth glanced in the mirror behind her desk again, watching the other professor look pensive with his hand massaging his jaw, “There’s no proof of a minotaur. But… Well, we know how the ancient world felt about disfigurement. Disability. ‘Otherness’. It wouldn’t be a stretch to think someone may have been down there, say, a child who was born and sentenced to grow up in isolation due to his appearance, some poor man who others feared. Of course, that’s just conjecture, but the more we uncover the labyrinth, the more we study, well… something like that may come to light.”

Everyone else nodded solemnly.

“Although,” Percy’s grin spread across his face once more, leaning in conspiratorially, “Here’s something most textbooks and papers won’t tell you,”

The students seemed to tense in anticipation.

“The beginning of every corridor and passage was marked with a ‘delta’.” 

“Delta…?” The girl next to Becky tilted her head.

“The letter ‘D’ in latin, dumbass.” Becky incorrectly corrected her.

“Yeah, but that means… Do you think Daedelus…?” One of the boys said in awe.

“Maybe, maybe not. It is an interesting coincidence either way.” Perseus stretched, and Annabeth swore she could see one of the girls swoon in the mirror. It was the proverbial straw that broke her back. She slammed her laptop closed in annoyance and spun her chair around, done with the impromptu lecture in her workspace.

“Excuse me, but would you mind moving the conversation to a more public setting?” She kept her voice as level as she could manage, wondering why exactly her skin felt all prickly and her head hot. “I know for a fact you all have assignments to complete, and several of you have grades that cannot afford missing another due date.” It took everything in her power not to look directly at Becky, who she could clearly see rolling her eyes out of her periphery anyway.

Some opened their mouths to protest, but Percy interrupted them as he stood, “Professor Chase is absolutely correct, I’ve monopolized far too much of your time. If you have more questions, We can speak tomorrow during my office hours.”

The students began to shuffle out with a smattering of “goodbyes”, and Annabeth nearly gave a sigh of relief but Becky remained, idling next to Percy’s desk even as he began to turn to his own work. Annabeth spun in her chair back to her laptop, but her ears were attuned to the happenings behind her.

“Professor Jackson?”

“Do you need something, Miss Cunningham?”

“It’s Rebecca.” Annabeth could hear the sickeningly sweet smile in the girl's voice and nearly broke the pencil in her hand. “I was just wondering if we could meet one on one? For tutoring? I’m having a hard time in some of my classes and–”

“Why don’t you ask your own Professor? She’s right over there.”

“Well, Professor Chase’s office hours don’t really work with my schedule, and…” Her voice dropped to a level Annabeth frustratingly could not make out.

“I see.” Perseus cleared his throat, “Well, I’m afraid I barely have enough time with my students as is, you’ll simply have to make it work with Professor Chase. Perhaps see if there’s any moments where your schedules do line up. She’s very accommodating.”

Becky scoffed, but when Annabeth glanced into her mirror, she could see the girl nodding, “Okay, well, thanks, I guess.”

Perseus leaned back in his chair, “No problem.”

Rebecca made her way to the exit.

“Oh, and Rebecca?”

She turned eagerly at Percy’s call.

“Don’t you ever call another student a ‘dumbass’ in my presence again.”

She flushed and scurried out, the door slamming behind her.

Percy stood and stretched once more, though Annabeth was strong enough to resist swooning, and he flashed a wolfish grin in Annabeth’s direction, “That mirror must be the handiest tool with how much you use it to spy on me. Maybe I should get one.”

“It’s not spying if you’re talking loud enough for the whole department to hear you.”

“Someone’s in a mood.” He whistled nonchalantly as he strolled over to the interior windows that faced the hall, tugging on the strings to close the blinds, before reaching for the door knob.

“Gee, I wonder why?!” Her voice was so frosty she swore she could feel the cold of her own breath on the back of her teeth.

“Bad day?”

“I wonder who’s fault that is.”

“Who, me?” He crossed to the windows overlooking the courtyard, pulling them shut as well.

She pushed her chair back, spinning once more to squint at the unbothered Professor, “The coffee? The copier? The groupies who invade my space–”

“Our.” He corrected, flicking on the lamp on his desk.

“It was mine first–”

“And now it’s ours.” He was now at the lamp beside the plush sofa, turning it on as well.

“Whatever, it’s a shared space, and you simply– what are you doing?! ”

Percy had flicked the overhead lights off, leaving only the warmth of the two lamps. His face was in shadow, the little lumination that remained emanating from behind him. “I like cozy lighting.”

“See, this is what I’m talking about! You’re so… you’re so inconsiderate! I’m trying to grade papers and I can’t even see them like this.” He was already making his way across to her as she complained, reaching past her as he had with the coffee mug earlier to flick on her own lamp. His face was suddenly bathed in orange, his usual green eyes dilated and reflecting in such a way that it looked like smoldering coals had taken residence in place of his irises. He did not move his arm away.

“Grade them at home.”

“I want to grade them here.” She felt her stubborn inclinations rear up, determined to beat him. At what? She wasn’t sure.

“You can’t grade them here.”

“Why?”

“The lighting is bad.”

“So turn on the lights!”

“Can’t.”

“Why not?!”

“I like to have some atmosphere when I’m kissing beautiful women. Fluorescents just don’t seem to cut it.”

She gaped for a moment, her lips working to form words but no sound coming from them. Finally, she began to turn back to her desk, trying to channel indignation even as her heart sped up and her core got warm and fuzzy. “We’re not kissing.”

“Why not?” His free hand reached up to grip the back of her chair, spinning her back around and completely encasing her between his arms.

“We literally talked about this this morning, do you have the memory of a goldfish?!”

“Actually, goldfish can remember stuff for up to five months. The whole three seconds thing is a myth.”

“That is so not the point right now!” Her arms crossed, every part of her screaming to just give in but that stubborn part of her head would simply not allow it. “Rule four.”

“I seem to recall something about that.”

“So you know we can’t.”

“ You decided on those rules, Princess.” He didn’t move to close the space between them, didn’t make an attempt to cross the line quite yet, but his eyes flickered to her lips and she could feel his grip tighten on the head of her seat. “So we certainly can. We’re adults.”

“We set those rules for a reason.” she averted her gaze, refusing to meet his, worried about what might happen if she did.

“Which was…?”

“Boundaries. We need a separation of work life and personal. We aren’t friends, we aren’t partners, we… we…”

“We just fuck sometimes?” He supplied.

“Yes. And that’s all.”

“Because you might fall for me?”

“Ye– No!” Her head snapped back to glare at him, “There is zero percent chance of that happening!”

“You said something like that before.” His head tilted to the side, “So then what’s the harm in bending the rules sometimes? Why the boundaries? If it’s impossible for you to fall for me… we don’t need to be that careful, right?”

“...Someone could see…” she finally murmured out, swallowing as her gaze dropped to his chest, the intensity of the way he looked at her– that hunger from before– it was hard to bear.

“I locked the doors already.”

“But the windows–”

“The blinds are shut.”

“Custodians have keys, what if they–”

“I can hang a sock on the door if you want.” He chuckled when she shot another glare in his direction, “I told you, Annabeth,” His hand came up to brush some hair from her eyes. She managed not to flinch away, instead the almost tender touch made her melt a little, “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to make excuses. I can read between the lines, but I want you to be comfortable enough to straight up tell me you don’t want to. Or aren’t in the mood. I won’t pressure you, and if me teasing causes you to feel that way I can sto–”

“It doesn’t.” She interrupted, not dropping her eyes this time.

Percy nods, “Good. I don’t want that.” He straightened, beginning to pull back his arms from either side of her but before she could think about what she’s doing, Annabeth placed a hand on his chest, stopping him.

“Don’t… don’t move yet.”

His eyebrows raise, “But you–”

“Stop talking.”

“Why–”

“I’m thinking.”

Percy waited patiently while she gnawed on her bottom lip, her eyes closed. Finally, she fixed her steely gaze on him again, “Okay.”

“Okay…?”

“We can kiss.”

Percy shook his head with a low laugh, “You sure know how to wine and dine a guy.”

“Is there a problem?”

“I set this great mood and you just… barrel straight through it. It’s pretty incredible actually, the level of bluntness you manage to achieve.”

“I– that– you– ugh!” She shoved at his chest, feeling defensive as her cheeks heat up, “Sorry I’m bad at being romantic–”

“Why are you sorry? I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”

She doesn’t know what to say to that.

“And,” He continued, leaning in again, her hands still on his chest, “You’re plenty good at being romantic. You just aren’t that subtle.”

“Good thing we don’t need subtlety, then.” She mumbled, her fingers idly tracing a paisley pattern on his tie, “Or romance at all, for that matter.”

“No romance huh?” He’s so close now, his head dipping to ghost his lips along her jaw, his breath hot on her skin.

“None.” She breathed out, her own voice getting softer, huskier, the vocal fry that always sat at the back of her throat more pronounced.

“How do you figure?”

“You said it before,” She slid a hand up to grip his jaw, directing him so that their noses were brushing against each other, their eyes meeting, “We’re just two people who fuck sometimes.”

And then she broke Rule Four.

 

---

Notes:

so uh... this is awkward lol

SO sorry about the impromptu unplanned 6-month hiatus! To be real, I got stuck on a plot point in the chapter and just could NOT for the life of me figure out what to do, and then I got sucked into FFXIV, and THEN I got a puppy, and THEN I moved, so it was a wild end of the year.

The good news is, now that I HAVE figured out this dumb chapter that plagued me for way too long, it's like the flood gates opened and I have now typed about 5000 words in 2 days, so hopefully updates will be WAY more consistent again. Thanks you if you hung in there and even still care about this fic after so long! <3

Chapter 9: this slope is treacherous (and i like it)

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains explicit sexual content
you can expect light domming, mild spanking, and a libido that might stretch the limits of your suspension of disbelief

Percy’s body crowded into hers, the chair slipping backwards on its wheels until it hit the desk, but that didn’t seem to hinder his mission at all. He didn’t so much as stumble, his hands gripping the desk behind her as their mouths were locked together.

The last few times, Annabeth hadn’t had the focus to notice the way Percy kissed her. But now, she was almost too aware. It was… needy. Hungry. Passionate with just a hint of possessiveness. Not in the “You’re mine no matter what” sort of way. In the “I want to call you mine if you’d let me” sort of way.

Or maybe she was just overthinking again. She couldn’t discern all that from a kiss! That was preposterous. But still… there was a vibe.

She was coaxed from the distraction that was her own thoughts with Percy’s hand moving from the desk to the arm of the chair, then from the arm to her waist, and from her waist he worked his way up, before finally he pressed his palm against her breast, squeezing and massaging as his tongue swiped between her lips that had parted to allow for the gasp that tore from her throat.

He seemed to know what she wanted before she knew she wanted it; the pace and tempo changed from hot and heavy to slower and more sensual, then back to aggressively wanton as soon as her mind began to wander again, dragging her back to the moment.

Her own hands gripped his collar, his tie, tugging him against her as best she could, the height, angle, and arms of the chair making it difficult to truly close the space in the way they both clearly wanted. Percy’s knee slid between Annabeth’s legs, parting them as he whispered a curse into her mouth.

“Fuck… hang on–” He gripped her thighs and lifted her easily, turning to set her on the nearly empty side of the L-shaped desk, papers being pushed out of the way and several fluttering to the floor.

Annabeth briefly considered chiding him for that. It would take forever to reorganize them. But then he pushed her long skirt up past her hips, tugging her forward so far beyond the edge of the surface she had to lie on her back to avoid falling straight off, and pressed his groin to hers, leaning over her and crashing their lips together again to drink up the cries she had tried so hard to stifle.

Luckily, he did a fine job muffling them all on his own.

Annabeth had never had a problem being silent if needed. Not that she’d ever been one to get particularly intimate in semi-public spaces, but the absolute lack of control she felt in this moment…

It didn’t help when his hips began to move, grinding the sizable bulge in his slacks against her thin stockings layered over her thin panties. And then she forced herself to overthink before they both did something utterly inappropriate– or at least, more utterly inappropriate than their current position.

“Percy, we… we’re at work, we… we can’t just–!” A hard thrust cut her off, and he captured her lips again to quiet the moan that was forced from her. After a moment, he pulled back slightly, burying his face in her neck with a frustrated groan.

“…Percy…?”

“God I just want to rip a hole in those fucking tights and fuck you.”

She shivered at his words, a small whimper slipping past her lips when he rolled his hips against her again, clearly losing an internal battle with himself.

A battle Annabeth was also struggling with. Because she wanted him to do exactly what he said. But her common sense was slowly winning out. It had been barely three days since their strange new arrangement, and she wasn’t so unprincipled to throw caution to the wind and have sex at work. Which, if work alone wasn’t already bad enough, was a school. They’d already careened far beyond when this should have stopped, and she didn’t want to have the impulse control of a highschooler on prom night.

She was better than that.

Annabeth reluctantly reached up to brush her fingers along his cheek, guiding his face from where it had been comfortably pressed against the sensitive skin of her neck so their eyes could meet, their noses bumping against each other. She was tempted to kiss him again. She held strong.

“This morning…”

“Mmhmm…?”

She swallowed, the dazed way he responded mirroring the fog clouding her own mind. “You said… your place… seven o’clock?”

His lips twitched, then pulled up into a goofy grin, “So you’re taking me up on my offer, then?”

She nods.

“Would have been nice if you had decided that about 8 minutes ago.” He planted a kiss on her nose– which was almost too familiar and relationship-y for Annabeth’s liking– before slowly standing.

Annabeth quickly tugged her skirt back down to a more appropriate state before accepting his hand for assistance standing, her knees a bit wobbly. His hair was disheveled, his tie loose, his collar askew, and that lopsided grin was still on his face, eyes fixed on her.

Rather than call him on his stare, and feeling a bit self-conscious, she opted to ignore it, turning to stoop and pick up the papers scattered on the floor. She would organize them tomorrow. Percy seemed to take the hint, strolling to his own desk to pack up his things, “So I’ll meet you at the car–?”

“No.” She shuffled the papers so they’re at least a little more neat.

“So you’ll walk with me to the car…?”

“I’m taking the bus.”

“...Don’t be ridiculous Annabeth.”

She rolled her eyes as her hands moved to get her things situated in her leather shoulder bag, “I can’t be seen getting into your car . It would look suspicious.”

“Most people are probably home already.”

Annabeth snorted, “This is a University campus, Percy. Half the faculty and more than half the students practically live here.” And the other portion of students literally did live here in the dorms.

“Then let them think we made up. We can be friends and secretly have sex, you know.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“We have nothing in common.”

It was his turn to snort, “We literally teach the same subject. I’d say that’s a lot in common.” 

“Will you drop it?!” She couldn’t explain why she was so adamant about this. She just was.

“Fine, fine.”

It fell silent, and Annabeth was now rethinking things. She could just go home instead. Curl up with some canned soup and a trashy romance novel after wrapping up some work– she still needed to finish grading the midterm exams, but after that she could afford to take a half-night off. That would be the wise choice, instead of getting laid, and when she took into account the cumulative near hour to hour and a half of public transportation to get to and from his place…

She brushed past him out the door he was already holding for her, gnawing on her lip as she headed in the direction of the south exit, not even giving so much as a wave goodbye. She could shoot him an email once she got to the bus stop, let him know the change in plans, he’d probably whine but he’d get over it–

“Why are you following me?!” She finally snapped, whirling on him, “Have you forgotten that the parking lot is not in this direction?!”

He raised his hands up in defense, an eyebrow raised and his lip twitching as he clearly fought a smile, “I’m not going to the parking lot.”

“...What?”

“I’m taking the bus.”

She stared at him. He met her gaze defiantly.

“You have a car. Why would you take the bus?!”

“Because it seems silly to take two different modes of transportation if we’re going to the same place.”

“You can’t just leave your car here!”

“Sure I can.”

Annabeth glowered up at him, “I changed my mind. I’m going home.”

“Even better, I’ve been wanting to see your place.” He strode past her, much to her chagrin.

“You aren’t invited!” She hurried after, her long legs still struggling to keep up with his steps.

“So you’re rainchecking tonight…?” His steps didn’t slow, but he did turn to walk backwards, fixing her with that stare that made her feel way too many things once more.

“I might rain check this whole thing...” She muttered, then, louder, “Yes. You’re annoying me. And as I said earlier, I have midterms to grade.”

“You don’t have to post those grades for another week at least.”

“I like to be on top of things.”

“Really? Maybe we can try that tonight–”

Annabeth whacked him with her bag.

Still, he persisted even after she marched forward once more, managing to continue to keep pace despite not being able to see where he was going, “You change your mind pretty quickly, huh?”

She didn’t respond.

“Pretty indecisive, I think.” And then Percy stopped in his tracks, too fast for her to avoid crashing into his chest. His hands came up to grip her arms, she thought it might be to steady her, but then his head dipped and his hot breath tickled her ear, “Tell me you don’t want me to come over.”

She froze. Her first thought, of course, was someone might see– they were in the middle of a corridor, in plain sight, where anyone could turn a corner and spot them. But oddly, it was fleeting, quickly replaced with the sensation of his lips so close to the shell of her ear, barely brushing it, his hands gripping her arms forcefully but not painfully, their bodies pressed together. And then the memory of not even ten minutes ago flooded back and she was reminded of what made the risk worth it. At least, worth it for now.

“No…”

She could feel a breathless chuckle tickle her skin.

“It wasn’t a yes or no question.”

“I mean no, I… I won’t tell you that.”

It was almost as if she could feel the excitement rise in him, tensing his body, making him squeeze her slightly before loosening his grip, almost as if out of fear of hurting her, “And why is that?”

“Because it’s not true.”

One of his hands trailed down her arm, fingers brushing in a way that would make her shiver if there hadn’t been a thick cardigan barring them from true contact. The other hand moved up instead, tilting her chin up to look at him as he pulled back, the lopsided grin gone.

“Then tell me what you want and I’ll do it.”

Annabeth swallowed, “I want you to go to your car. I can text you my address if–”

“I remember how to get there.”

She nods, “Okay… just… here.” She pulls out her keys, clumsily, almost dropping them, and finally tears her gaze away to tug one off, “You’ll get there before me so let yourself in and just keep the door unlocked. The building code is 0943.”

He gives a low whistle, accepting the key, “Wow, Chase, the key to your place? I don’t know, this is a big step, maybe we’re moving a little fast–”

“Knock it off, it’s not to keep and you know it!” She huffs her bangs from her face in frustration, Percy chuckling.

“Alright, alright.” He winked, strolling down the way they had come back to where his car would be. Annabeth took a breath before hurrying in the direction of her stop. The distraction that was Percy Jackson had consumed precious minutes that could be the difference between getting home in 45 minutes and getting home in an hour and 45 minutes.

The state of public transit in this city was truly abysmal.

 

---

 

Luckily, she made it to the bus in time, but as she finally reached the doors of her building, her anxiety was far too high. About twenty minutes into the drive, she realized in horror she hadn’t cleaned. There were dishes in the sink, papers strewn over nearly every surface, probably some errant articles of laundry– Annabeth could be tidy. But the ADHD got in the way of that sometimes.

She took a breath, punching in the building code and trudging reluctantly to the elevators, mortification already welling in her chest as she thought about Percy’s first impression of her home being what it was. If she’d had time to plan, she could have at least made it suitable. This was the problem with spontaneity; it always came back to bite her somehow.

The door was unlocked, as instructed, and she pushed inside.

And what awaited her was not what she had been expecting.

The papers were as they were– everywhere. But the rest…

The laundry had been gathered into a hamper next to the hall. The blankets and pillows that were on her sofa were folded and stacked neatly. Her kitchen counters had been tidied and wiped down, and Percy glanced up from placing the final pot in her dishwasher, eyes lighting up, “Glad to see you made it in one piece.”

Annabeth’s brow furrowed, “Of course I did, but– what– how did you have time to…?”

Percy shrugged, “I got here pretty quick. May have… sped a little. And then got bored. So…” He gestured, reaching under the sink to grab a detergent pod and snapping it into the door of the dishwasher, closing it and pressing a button. “I didn’t touch your papers, figured you had some sort of system I would mess up, but I hope it’s okay that I uh… tidied a bit.”

Annabeth felt her cheeks grow hot, hanging her bag by the door and slipping out of her coat. It was slightly less embarrassing to not have to witness him seeing her mess in all its glory, but to have a casual hookup partner clean for her…?!

“It’s… fine.” She managed, “You really didn’t have to do that though–”

“Well, to be fair, I couldn’t exactly cook us dinner with the kitchen looking like it did.” He said it so nonchalantly Annabeth almost missed it.

“You– you came over for… for a… for a dalliance , not to cook!”

“A dalliance ?” He smirked, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest, “Yes, I did come for a rendezvous, a liaison, maybe even a bit of coquetry and frolicking and hanky–”

“Stop showing off your SAT words, it was the first term that came to mind!” She groaned, dragging her feet forward after kicking off her shoes to stand at the opposite side of her kitchen, mirroring Percy’s stance.

“Fine. My point is, once we work up a sweat, we’re gonna be hungry.”

“So pick up a Crunchwrap Supreme on your way home.”

His eyebrows lifted, “You know my Taco Bell order?” 

Her blush deepened, “I– it’s not like that! It’s hard not to notice when you have one for lunch every other day!”

“Right.” The twinkle in his eyes told her he was more pleased than she thought he should have been, “So that’s it, we’re going to enjoy an entanglement –”

“Stop it.”

“–and then I get the boot, is that right?”

Annabeth hesitated. Sure, that would be the smart thing to do, rather than be tempted to break Rule Two a second time… but it seemed a bit heartless to use him for sex and then kick him out. She huffed.

“Okay, fine you can stay and eat before going home, but you’re not cooking.”

“Oh, you want to cook? I can help then.”

Annabeth absolutely didn’t want to embarrass herself further with the lackluster meals she usually made for herself. But if Percy cooked for her, it felt too much like a date. “We’ll order something.”

“You think any place will be open past 8pm on a Monday night?”

Her brow furrowed, “It’s barely 6:15?”

“Sure is.”

“Then why would we be ordering after–?” His cocky grin explained everything, and she rolled her eyes with a scoff, “You’re awfully confident in your abilities.”

“Am I? Have I disappointed so far?”

She eyed him skeptically, “You’ve been adequate, I suppose…”

Percy pushed off the counter, swaggering over and stopping about a foot away, leaning down slightly, his hand pressing to the wall behind her, “Just adequate…?”

“I…” Annabeth swallowed but kept his gaze, her voice steady, “Yes. Just adequate.”

“Well then, that won’t do at all.” His voice lowered slightly, but the distance between them didn’t close yet, and Annabeth found herself disappointed, “Because you have been far more than adequate, and I want to make sure the favor is returned equitably.”

A sense of pride bubbled up in Annabeth’s chest, and she bit her lip, dropping her eyes, gathering her thoughts, “...Chick-Bop.”

“Chick-Bop?”

“Korean barbeque chicken place. It’s open until midnight. Even on Mondays.”

“Works for me.”

And then silence fell. Percy didn’t move, which went against what Annabeth had anticipated, and she looked back up with a small frown as he stared expectantly at her, waiting for something.

“...Well?” She finally asked, getting impatient and feeling more than a bit self-conscious.

“Well what?”

“Aren’t you going to… you know…”

Percy chuckled, “Maybe I want to be the one to be seduced this time.”

Annabeth blinked, “Are you saying I haven’t been doing just that?”

“Mmm, I just want to see what you’d do if you really applied yourself to it, you know?” His hand dropped, and he began to turn, “Otherwise I guess we can just have dinner now instead  and I can go–”

“ You were the one who invited himself over! And decided we should do this tonight! And seduced me in the first place!” Annabeth grabbed his hand despite how annoyed she was now, “So now you want me to… what? Give you a lap dance?!”

“I mean, now that you’ve suggested it–”

“It wasn’t a suggestion, and I will not be doing that. We aren’t college students.”

A sly smile played across his features, “Do college students usually do that?”

Annabeth stiffened, “I don’t know, I… I guess?”

“So that suggests to me that you have in fact given lap dances, probably as a college student yourself.” He squeezed her hand in his and she pulled away with a huff.

“...Let’s change the subject.”

“Did you?”

“I’m not answering that.”

“Were you a partier, Chase?”

“Do you want to get laid or not?!”

Percy didn’t even bother to answer her question, leaning in again, “So, who was the lucky guy?” Something burned in his eyes once more though it was a bit different than what she was used to seeing there– It was that hunger again, but something darker was just behind it, too difficult to fully make out.

“I… I don’t know!” She was already utterly exasperated by the topic.

“Mmm.” He straightened again, giving a yawn and a stretch, his white T-shirt that had hid beneath his discarded button-up lifting just enough to get a peak at his tanned skin, the dips of the v that disappeared below his slacks, “Well, if you decide to seduce me, I’m all for it, but if not, I guess we should just order food now.” He turned and tugged his phone from his pocket, leaving Annabeth gobsmacked.

“I… you… you’re so frustrating! ”

“I’ve gotten that before.” He didn’t even look up, already scrolling through menu items.

“Put down the phone.”

“Make me.”

She moved to grab it from his hand, but he was too fast, holding it up beyond where her fingers could reach, “Too slow, Princess. Gonna have to work harder than that.” There was a challenge in his eyes– and no matter how annoyed by the sudden turn in the situation Annabeth was, she never could resist a challenge.

Her own chin lifted defiantly, her arm stretching up and her heels lifting as she stood on her toes. She already knew she couldn’t get to it like this, and it was beneath her to try and jump for it, but the action brought her at least somewhat closer to his eye level, chest pressing into his in a way she knew would be hard for him to ignore.

“Give it to me.”

“If this is your plan, it’s a pretty weak attempt.” He didn’t seem flustered, but she could notice the slight differences– a lower timber in his voice rumbling from the back of his throat, a slight hitch in his breath, his own body leaning into hers.

Her fingers brushed his wrist, then began trailing down his arm, tracing the skin until she reached his sleeve, then her own arm draped forward over his shoulder, fingers tangling into the thick hair at the nape of his neck, giving the slightest tug. His lips parted, warm breath mingling with her own.

Her other hand glided up his slacks, slipping beneath the hem of his T-shirt and tracing the dips of his abs. His skin was hot to the touch. Annabeth blinked up at him, feeling how his free hand came to rest on her hip, his thumb rubbing up and down through her skirt, “Do you want me to tell you what has been running through my head all day every time I looked at you?” Her voice is low. It may have been a while, but she definitely still knew how to speak in a way that got all of her past partners hot and bothered.

It seemed equally effective now, Percy’s grip on her hip tightening, “I thought you were pissed at me all day.”

“So? Do you want to hear or not?”

He nodded.

“Then put the phone away.”

He lowered his arm, tossing the phone haphazardly on the counter behind her.

Pleased, Annabeth lightly ran her fingernails over his stomach, teasing the edge of his pants, “Every stupid thing you did couldn’t distract me from the thought of your cock inside me this past weekend.”

“Oh really now?”

Her body pressed more incessantly into his, “You fucking me dominated my every waking thought from the moment I saw you in my chair this morning. I wanted to climb on top of you right then and ride you for anyone who passed by to see.”

“Kinky.”

Annabeth huffed, annoyed at his response, “As if you didn’t want the same thing.”

“I did. That’s why I nearly fucked you on your desk before you became the voice of reason between us.”

“I have a desk here.”

His eyes closed, a breathless chuckle tickling her face that barely concealed his need. His hand was clutching a fistful of her skirt now, tugging her slightly towards him even though it was impossible to get much closer, “Mmm… then how about I take you–”

Her hand tugged at the hair between her fingers, “Not yet.”

His eyebrow raised as his eyes opened to look down at her.

“I haven’t finished describing what I’ve been thinking about today.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm.” She let her hand dip just below the front of his trousers before pulling them back out to run along the center of his core, “Every time you opened your mouth I just wanted to shut you up.”

“With your mouth…?”

“Think lower.”

That elicited a groan from him, his free arm wrapping around her waist, “Tell me how.”

“Pushing you to the ground. Straddling your face and riding your tongue until I cum more times than either of us can count. Then maybe once I’m satisfied… letting you turn the tables. Throw me to the floor. Take me, use me for your own pleasure.”

His head dropped to press his face into her neck. He murmured something incoherent.

“What was that…?” Annabeth moved her hand to palm at the growing bulge between his legs, making Percy shudder.

“If you don’t stop, that's exactly what I’m going to do.”

“Mmm… and if I do stop?” She moved as if to pull away from where she was rubbing his front, but the hand previously clutching her skirt was too fast, grabbing her wrist and holding her there. His teeth nipped at her neck before he pulled away just slightly so she could see the hungry look on his face.

“I’ll do it anyway.”

Her own breath hitched.

“Mm, but you said you wanted to just order dinner and go home–”

“Oh you are such a fucking tease! ”

She couldn’t stop her breathless giggle as he huffed against her skin. He was the exasperated one this time.

“I think you like to be teased almost as much as you like teasing.”

“Well if you keep going, then you’re really going to be asking for it.”

“Asking for what?” She questioned innocently, though she squeezed him slightly through his trousers.

“This.”

In a moment his lips were on hers, ferocious, aggressive, teeth tugging at her bottom lip, a tongue swiping over her own, his arm gripping her tighter as he–

Annabeth didn’t give him time to do more, pushing him hard enough that she managed to catch him off guard, and he stumbled back slightly with a furrowed brow. Before he could worry about if he went too far, however, Annabeth was striding forward to press him against the opposite counter, her arms on either side of him, and his confusion turned to a grin.

“You really are trying to take charge this time, aren’t you Chase?”

“I’m not trying, I’m succeeding.”

“Sure about that?”

She opened her mouth to respond but he was on her again, their bodies tripping through the kitchen as they both tried to outdo the other. There was no doubt Percy was stronger, but Annabeth held her own– though she had a feeling he was going easy on her, playing with her. Before she knew it, they had stumbled into her small home office, though it was rarely actually used for work– Annabeth normally found herself grading and reading papers on the couch, or at the dining room table.

And then something dawned on her.

“You snooped.” She muttered against his lips when she pulled back a millimeter for a breath, and she could feel his stupid grin.

“How’d you guess?”

“You knew where my desk was.”

“Guilty as charged.” His hands dropped to grab her thighs, lifting her easily so she could wrap her legs around him, her long skirt bunching up, and he popped her onto the surface of her desk, which was luckily much tidier than her one at the University. She didn’t want even MORE papers to reorganize.

His lips had found their way to her throat again, pressing kisses but still respecting her no-hickies wish, something she once again was regretting instating in the moment. A soft gasp tore from her and her body arched. Percy’s hands explored beneath her skirt, running his fingers over every inch of her, massaging her thighs, tugging on the hem of her stockings on her hips…

And then she moaned.

“I win.”

Annabeth blinked, “W-what?”

“I said ‘I win.’” His lips murmured as they traveled up her neck.

She frowned, “What do you mean you win? Why do you win?”

“Got you to moan.”

“That wasn’t a rule!”

“‘Course it was.” He mouthed at her jaw.

“It doesn’t count, you didn’t tell me that.”

“Not my fault you don’t know the rules.”

“But you moaned lots of times!” She protested, though she didn’t push him away.

“One, I groaned–”

“It’s the same thing!”

“–two, I don’t have the same rules as you.”

Annabeth can feel the furrow in her brow, “Then what makes you lose…?!”

Percy pulled back with a wolfish smirk, knocking his forehead to hers, “Gotta figure that out for yourself, Princess.”

“But–”

She was interrupted by her own gasp as he suddenly flipped her over, her torso bent over the desk, her feet awkwardly planted on the floor, knock kneed and wide eyed. One of his hands was flat-palmed on her back, pressing her down, the other squeezed her ass. His body leaned over hers, his lips brushing against her ear and making her shiver.

“I’ve wanted to get you into this position since the first week of school.” He murmured and her eyes widened.

“I–”

“No talking.” He was already standing straight again, lifting Annabeth’s skirt up to her waist and pressing his groin against her, lazily rubbing up and down.

“I thought you ‘wanted to hear me.’” She grumbled, wiggling a bit and earning a light slap to her ass. It wasn’t even hard enough to hurt, but it surprised her enough to make her gasp.

“Sure I do. But Friday and Saturday we worked on not moving until I said so. This time we gotta work on self-control in other areas.”

“I thought all that was about me letting go of control–”

“Over situations. Not yourself. Not yet, at least.” His hand massaged where he had ‘spanked’ her, if it could even be called that. She wanted him to do something that could almost certainly be called that.

“So you’re restricting when I can speak…?”

“Mmhmm.”

“How feminist.”

He chuckled, leaning over her again, “I think giving a woman exactly what she wants is very feminist. Glad you agree.”

“And you think I…” Annabeth trailed off. Who was she kidding? She loved this. She was playing a role that other men had wanted her to fill, but it had never felt right then. For them it was about controlling her for their own power fantasies. Subduing her so they could ‘feel like a man’. For Percy… it was about her. She was pretty sure he would be perfectly confident with his masculinity no matter what part they played for each other, though it was becoming clear what role he preferred. If Annabeth expressed any discomfort, if she said no, if she said she wasn’t interested, she had no doubt he’d stop and see what she wanted instead. Even if that meant no sex at all.

He said this was about her own ability to moderate her self-control, choosing to give up the reins to someone else, but it was more than that. No, he didn’t want to control her beyond what she wanted– in a way, she really was the one really in charge. He would do whatever it was she desired. And at the moment, she wanted him to play with her until she was a mess beneath him.

“So I can’t talk?” She finally said as his touches had begun to slow, letting her think.

“You can’t make noise.”

“At all?! ”

“Nope.”

Annabeth huffed, her cheek pressed to the smooth wood of her desk, “Okay, and if I do let something slip you… what, start over again like last time?”

“I had something more…” He searched for the word, “...’thrilling’, in mind.”

“Define ‘thrilling.’”

His voice in her ear got huskier, “Making your ass so red you can’t sit tomorrow without thinking of the way I used your body tonight.”

She swallowed, sucking in a breath and wiggling beneath him again, “I… Mmm.” Annabeth nodded, “Please.”

He nipped at her ear, “If you want to stop, what should I listen for…?”

She knew what he was asking, and after a moment to think about it;

“Aristophanes.”

Percy laughed at that, “Maybe something easier to say, Princess.” And then, anticipating her protest, “I want it to be perfectly clear to me if you’re saying we need to stop.”

“Fine. Ovid.”

“Ovid it is.” He pulled back, “No speaking. No gasping. No moaning. No crying out, whimpering, or screaming. If you make any sound above what it sounds like to breathe–” A crack broke the air, muffled by her stockings but hard enough to make her immediately break the rules with a gasp. It had smarted, but it didn’t hurt nearly as much as the sound would suggest. Of course, she was rewarded with another slap. She managed to hold in her cry this time. “Already learning… I bet you were a straight A student.”

She fought the urge to make a snarky comment back, breathing deep through her nose.

His fingers were drifting around to the front of her, pressing against her already wet panties, her stockings, to begin to rub in slow circles. Annabeth bit her lip.

“Were you a teacher’s pet, Chase?” His voice was a husky whisper, his hips thrusting ever so slightly into hers. “Early to class, staying late… You probably studied hard, huh?”

She held firm even as her body began to burn, her lungs protesting at all the sounds they desperately wanted to push out that she forced back.

“I bet you were almost top of your class.”

She stiffened with a frown.

“You would have been second to me, of course.”

And of course, his provocation worked perfectly.

“You–!” Annabeth barely got a word out before he swiftly exacted his punishment, eliciting a cry that she absolutely could not hold back. The noise earned her another slap.

“I…?” He asked.

She bit her tongue.

Percy chuckled, “You’ve put me in quite a dilemma, Chase. Because I am absolutely dying to know what creative name you were going to bestow upon me this time, but I certainly can’t ask you to break the rules.”

His thrusts against her were getting slightly harder, more purposeful, though of course it wasn’t quite at the level either of them would want it to be. His fingers played with her front still, slow, steady, driving her crazy. She rolled her hips, torn between friction in either direction.

And then his movements against her clothed pussy intensified.

She moaned.

Crack!

A gasp.

Crack!

A cry.

Crack!

Annabeth had been woefully underprepared for this, but while every smack smarted more than the last as they layered atop each other, she felt a thrill go through her spine, making her toes curl, even as she fought her whimpers back, shaking.

Percy tsked, “Mmm, you’re trying so hard and yet…” He massaged her hip, tugging her back to meet his thrusts, “Alright, I’ll cut a deal with you; If you can keep quiet for the next minute, you win.”

Annabeth’s eyes watered, but she nodded slowly.

In seconds his hand had slipped over the top of her stockings, her panties, fingers rubbing furiously at her clit now that he had direct access.

She wanted to scream. She held her breath. She fought it, determined to win. He pressed harder, then lower, teasing her slit, then back up. The fingers of his free hand dug into her hip so hard she swore she would almost certainly have bruises the next morning.

Her lungs burned and her breath finally was let out, heavy, ragged, but never louder than permitted. She squeezed her eyes tight. 

After what felt like the longest minute of her life, Percy, without slowing, said, “You win, Princess. Let it out.”

She screamed his name.

He pleasured her for a moment longer before pulling away, both hands coming to grip her thighs and spread her legs. A stream of gasps and heaving breaths and whimpers dripped from her lips. She felt fingers trace the seam of her stockings as he leaned over to whisper in her ear again, “You okay…?”

Annabeth nodded, her throat dry, “Y-yes…”

“So…” She felt his touch drag up and down, “About what I said back at the school…”

“W-which… thing…?”

“The whole tearing your stockings open thing.” He rolled his hips haphazardly into her as he waited for an answer.

She didn’t hesitate, too overwhelmed, “Yes.”

“You sure? I don’t want to ruin them if they’re nice…”

Annabeth moaned softly as she grinded back into him, “Th-they’re a pack of five for $30.”

“That expensive?”

“Are you kidding, that’s a steal–”

He didn’t wait for further explanation, pulling back just enough to grip the tights in his hands and to rip them right down the middle. Another beat to push her panties aside, and his fingers were rubbing against her entrance, getting slick with her juices, before one pressed inside.

Her voice came out strained, nearly unrecognizable.

“What do you want, Chase?”

“I-I want… I want you…!”

“Gotta be more specific than that now that you have your voice back.” He slipped another finger in.

“I-I want you, I need you, p-please, please fuck me, please, I-I need you to fuck me Percy–”

“Need?”

Annabeth nodded quickly, her fingernails digging into the surface of her desk.

“Well, I’m not one to deny someone a need.” She felt him pull his fingers from her, heard the clink of his belt being unbuckled.

“W-we need a–”

“Already have one.”

She pushed up off the desk enough to twist and fix him with an incredulous stare as he pulled the foil packet from his pocket nonchalantly.

“...Did you walk around with that in your pocket all day?!”

“Yeah, why?”

“At work?!”

“Mmhmm.”

“But–”

“No one is going to be going through my pockets without me knowing about it, Princess.” He placed a hand on her back and began to push her back down to her previous position.

“But you didn’t even know if I’d say yes to–”

“I hoped you would.”

She feels hot all over as he pressed her flat against the desk once more. She hears the rip of the foil, feels his hands grasp her hips again as he positions himself, and Annabeth tried to press back despite Percy holding her firmly.

“Want something?”

“Yes.”

“How bad?”

“Very.”

“Mmm…” He chuckled behind her, his tip teasing her opening, “You’re lucky I want something very badly too, or else I might have made you beg.”

Before Annabeth could even process that, he slammed inside her, and her nails scrabbled against the hard surface of her desk as pleasure shot up her spine.

He didn’t move right away. He seemed to be relishing in the feel of her walls, tight around him, throbbing ever so slightly. Annabeth let herself adjust. Their prep hadn’t been as thorough this time, and it was a bit more of a squeeze. Maybe that was why he was waiting?

Eventually, when her own body had relaxed, he began to move, and that confirmed her suspicions. He was ensuring her comfort. He didn’t want to hurt her.

Well, outside of ways she wanted to be hurt, which was a thought that briefly crossed her mind as he grabbed her ass and the skin smarted from her earlier “punishment”.

Annabeth buried her face in her arms, her moans getting louder and more consistent as they found a rhythm, but a tug on her hair had her head forced up and her various noises ringing out into the office with nothing to muffle them. Her back arched as he pulled, the sound of skin slapping against skin matching the sped up beats of her heart.

She was close, so close, so quickly too, and Percy seemed to already be an expert in reading her body because his hand reached around to begin to rub circles against her clit like before as they fucked. With a cry, Annabeth tumbled over the edge, body quivering and mouth hanging open.

Percy pulled out, and she thought it might be to give her a moment to recover, but in a moment she found herself hastily flipped onto her back, her legs hooked over his shoulders, and he thrust back inside, his pace just as hard and fast as before. Annabeth’s eyes would have widened, if the overstimulation of him fucking her through her orgasm hadn’t forced them to squeeze shut.

It went on for what felt like hours (Annabeth reaching her peak at least twice more when his thumb began to service her clit again) before Percy finally came with a groan, draping his body over her and pressing his face into her hair.

“Annabeth…” He murmured it against her skin, and something tugged at her heart– she couldn’t recall if he had ever said her name as he climaxed before.

 They were both panting. Slick with Sweat. Mostly dressed. Annabeth felt hot and sticky, and she let her head fall back against the desk, practically folded in half but too spent to move. At least a minute passed before Percy pulled back just enough to grin down at her, “Ready for another round?”

She stared at him.

“I’m just saying…” His hand drifted down and came back up with another familiar square foil.

“...You had two in your pocket?!”

“Actually, three, there’s another one still in there I think.

“And you seriously think you can last that many rounds?!” Her incredulousness only seemed to spur him onward.

“Wanna find out?” His eyebrows waggled.

“You’re a monster. A freak of nature.”

“So you don’t want to–?”

He was interrupted by Annabeth tugging him down to smash their lips together once more.

 

---

 

It was about 9’o’clock when their food arrived. Things settled down at one point or another. Apparently Percy did have a limit, so he wasn’t a total scientific anomaly that would one day be carted off by men in black for experimentation and studying, but Annabeth was convinced at this point he was some kind of superhuman when it came to sex. Or god. Or demigod.

She had showered as soon as they put in their Doordash order, her body sore and aching, her legs wobbly, and she spent way too much time just leaning against the wall as hot water pounded against her back.

Annabeth couldn’t remember ever having so much sex in her life. Only one past relationship had come close. And she did not want to think about that time in her life.

She groaned, pressing her forehead against the cool tile, a nice reprieve from the steam that rose up around her in clouds. 

This was insane. Casual sex with a coworker–one she didn’t even like, regardless of what that nagging voice in the back of her head said–was insane. And so farfetched from the person she saw herself as. And while she had been satiated for now, she could feel a spark still in her stomach, a need to do this again– not immediately, of course, she was completely exhausted, but… She couldn’t stomp down that part of her that felt like something had fallen into place. Something that was a long time coming.

Annabeth thumped her head against the wall before turning off the water with a huff.

Her and Percy sat side by side, legs crossed, only close enough for their knees to occasionally brush against the other’s. He was clad in his boxers, and had only pulled on his t-shirt after Annabeth’s insistence, both garments previously lost in the fray.

She herself had her wet hair pulled back in a braid, an oversized shirt from a long past fling covering her body. Pants didn’t seem necessary.

“So who are these people again?” Percy spoke around a mouthful of noodles, brow furrowed as he gestured at the tv with chopsticks, completely captivated by The Love Nest, which was probably the trashiest of the reality shows Annabeth watched. But it was the only one airing at this time of night, so here they were.

“That’s Henry, Sierra, and Kip.”

“And what are they doing…?”

Annabeth sighed, having explained this about five times already, but she dutifully swallowed a piece of chicken and pointed, “Sierra is trying to make an alliance with Henry and Kip, because Casey found out Sierra made out with Derek after leading her on for half the season, which is bullshit because Casey has literally been the only one there for Sierra after the Egg Incident–”

“The what?”

“I’ll explain in a second,” Annabeth shushed him, “ Anyway , then Derek found out Sierra had promised her immunity token to Casey, so he got pissed. Somehow Sierra wasn’t voted off last week even though she SHOULD have been!” She raised her voice pointedly at the TV as if anyone in the show could hear her, “But Sierra knows she’s on thin ice, so she’s trying to convince Henry and Kip to not vote her out of The Nest–”

“But they’re in a house?”

“They call it The Nest. Honestly, it’s a smart plan, everyone likes Kip, they’re literally the only person who seems genuinely cool, so if they decide to keep Sierra on most people will go with their decision, but Henry is a bold move seeing as he’s been hooking up with Hannah and Jace, who both pretty much hate Sierra after the Weight Bench Incident–”

“I thought you said it was an egg incident?”

“There were two incidents.”

Percy was staring at her, “...And you watch this?”

Annabeth felt defensive, stabbing at a piece of chicken with a chopstick, “It’s… it’s entertaining!”

“Hey, I’m not judging, I’m totally into it.” He chuckled, “I just figured you’d be the kind to watch boring documentaries on like… I don’t know, the history of butter churning.”

“I’ll have you know my taste in documentaries is far from boring.” She sniffed, “I just like this too.”

“Well, you’ve got me hooked– Okay, now who is that guy?!”

“Oh, that’s Jace’s brother Jonathan, don’t even get me started on him, he’s the literal worst.”

“Try me.”

 

---

 

It was during a commercial break that Percy asked, “So you sleep on the couch, or…?” He nodded at the pillow and blankets he had neatly folded and stacked earlier.

Annabeth set her empty plastic bowl on the coffee table, leaning back, “Sometimes, I guess… If I’ve had a bad day. Or week.”

“Was yesterday a bad day?”

Annabeth eyed him, debating on how much detail to go into, “You could call it that, I guess.”

“Why the couch?” His arm draped over the back of the sofa, “Wouldn’t you want the comfort of your bed if you’re feeling shitty?”

She shrugged, “I used to pretend to sleep on the couch as a kid, so that my dad would carry me to my room. It made me feel cared for. He stopped doing that when I was pretty young, like, 7 or 8, but it kind of became a habit. I guess I hoped that maybe he’d… I don’t know.”

“That he’d… continue to show he cared?”

Her fingers played with a frayed corner of a throw pillow, “It’s not that deep.” Percy didn’t respond, and when Annabeth glanced at him he was looking at her, waiting patiently.

“What?” She asked, feeling self-conscious.

He raised his brows.

Annabeth huffed, “Okay, yeah, fine, I guess I may have conflated him putting me to bed with him giving a shit, and maybe if you wake up alone on the couch in the morning one too many times as a kid it makes you feel like… like…”

“Like?”

Her attention turned back to the unraveling threads of the pillow, “Can we change the subject? Please? I don’t… I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Only if you finally tell me what the ‘Egg Incident’ is.”

Annabeth was able to relax as their focus was captured by stupid 20-somethings making bad decisions on the television once more, but there was an ache in her chest she hadn’t felt in a long time. Or at least, it was always there, but it had gone unnoticed and ignored.

It got late. Annabeth, despite her best efforts, despite insisting to Percy she was perfectly awake and it would be fine if she layed on her side for just a minute – she drifted. Her eyes were heavy as she curled into herself, way more tired than she thought she was.

She was vaguely aware of arms scooping her up, of a warm body carrying her across her apartment and depositing her in her bed. It moved as if to leave, and she reached out to grip their hand before they could, silently asking for them to stay. Just for a bit. Please.

The warmth returned as Percy slipped under the covers beside her, wrapping her in his arms.

 

---

Notes:

1. I uh... did not mean for this chapter to be double it's usual length, but it seemed right, so here we are. I'm sorry. Or you're welcome?

2. I did not mean for their sex life to verge on the precipice of bdsm the way it has so once again... I'm sorry. Or you're welcome...?

3. I finally posted the oneshot spin off for chapter 7, so if you want to read about messy morning-after shenanigans, go read he calls her "sugar" 'cause she's the sweetest thing! You're welcome! (No I'm sorry)

4. I was so eager to just post this chapter and be done with it that I did not proof read the last several sections, so if there are any egregious mistakes PLEASE tell me. I'm sorry. (No you're welcome.)

Chapter 10: clandestine meetings (and longing stares)

The smell of bacon was what roused Annabeth from her sleep.

She stretched, rolling over and becoming more entangled in the covers as she tried to squint at her clock– it was still dark outside, and she hadn’t heard the alarm go off yet, so it must have been early.

The numbers that glowed back at her confirmed that it was, in fact, early.

With a groan, she flopped back, flyaway curls that had escaped her braid in the night tickling the skin of her neck, and memories of the evening before flooded her mind. And she had made the mistake of allowing all that to happen on a weekday . Annabeth wanted nothing more than to tug her comforter over her head and pass out for at least 8 more hours, but of course, she had a job to get ready for.

The scent of coffee was now permeating from her kitchen, beckoning her to come get a cup. And that’s when her brow furrowed.

Bacon. Coffee.

This situation already had the makings of a habit, and she did not like it one bit.

Ultimately, it wasn’t the promise of a delicious and caffeinated breakfast that finally dragged her from bed. It was the itch to harangue the man who was making himself far too comfortable.

After tugging a pair of sweats from her half-opened drawers, Annabeth padded into the kitchen rubbing her eyes. Percy was dressed as he was the night before, his clothes probably still strewn throughout her home office. He flashed her a slight smile as she entered with crossed arms, clearly groggy.

“I was just about to come wake–”

“What are you doing?” The demand blurted out before she could even let him finish.

Percy chuckled, turning back to the eggs sizzling in a pan Annabeth couldn’t remember the last time she had cooked with, “Morning to you too.”

“Why are you here?”

“You invited me?”

“You invited yourself!” She huffed, though it was hard to maintain any amount of frustration at an attractive man cooking breakfast for her in her home, “What I mean is, why are you still here?!”

Percy’s own brow furrowed, “Oh, uh, do you not remember last night…?”

“I don’t mean that either!” Annabeth rubbed at her forehead, “I mean this morning! Shouldn’t you go home and… I don’t know, change?”

“...Change for what…?”

She was flabbergasted, “ Work?! ”

“Ah, nah, I have an extra set of clothes in my car.” He turned back to flipping the eggs as if that was the most normal thing in the world to say.

Annabeth blinked, “You… you planned to stay over–?!”

“Don’t get yourself all twisted up, Princess, I like to keep a set of work clothes handy.” At her disbelieving look, Percy sighed, “I like to work out in the mornings before school. If I didn’t have a button up and slacks at the ready… Let's just say I forget to pack those things over half the time. I don’t want to risk being late to work, so I over-prepare.” And when Annabeth continued to stare him down, “Okay, and yes, it comes in clutch if I have a one-night stand. Satisfied?”

‘Satisfied’ wasn’t necessarily the word Annabeth would use, but she accepted it and leaned against the counter, her eyes not leaving him, “What about Blackjack…?”

“He has an automatic feeder and a water fountain, he’s fine on his own for a single night.”

Annabeth nodded, watching him cook for a moment, then a thought occurred to her, “Wait, I… I don’t have eggs in my fridge! Or bacon?! Where did you…?”

“Did you know the supermarket two blocks away is open 24/7?”

“You… you went to the store?! ”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He snorted as the toaster popped, and Annabeth realized with a start there were already two slices of toast with avocado spread and a few pieces of bacon on top sitting on a plate, waiting for the final touches. Percy turned off the stove, moving to dress the newly made toast the same way, “I Instacarted this stuff. Why is your fridge so empty?”

“I– that– that’s none of your business–!”

“I’m just saying, it’s hard for a guy to cook something nice if there’s nothing much to work with.”

“I didn’t ask you to cook!”

“You didn’t need to.” He scraped an egg onto a slice of bread on each plate and then passed both servings to Annabeth who, as much as she resisted verbally, had no qualms taking the food and grumpily walking it to the table, pushing several scattered piles of papers to the side to make space for two people to eat.

She went back for silverware, Percy having already found the mugs, “How do you take your coffee…?” He shook the bottle of creamer, which was dangerously low.

“...Black is fine.”

His eyebrow raised, “You sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. You asked, I answered.”

“I could have sworn you put like, ten of those mini creamers they have in the lounge in your cup last week.” 

“First off, it wasn’t ten , second, you use like a million creamers yourself, so don’t even begin judging me–”

“Who said anything about judging–?”

“And second , I drink it black too, so it’s fine!” She huffed, moving to stalk to the fridge to grab some hot sauce. Percy chuckled, shaking his head as she went.

“I think you’re a liar.”

Annabeth shot him a look, “Which one of us is holding an assortment of forks and knives right now?”

His gaze glanced down at the sharp objects in her hand, then back up, seemingly undaunted, “I think you’re just trying to be nice since there’s just enough left for one cup.”

“In your dreams.” She scoffed, turning her attention to her fridge, which was… way better stocked than previously, with much more than breakfast food. What…?

“Nah, you’re much meaner in my dreams.” Percy split the small amount of creamer between the two mugs. It was barely enough to make much of a difference in either drink now, so the act felt meaningless to Annabeth. It would have made much more sense for just one person to use the rest, so at least it could be enjoyed by someone. But she didn’t mention that as he slid into his own seat, passing a mug to her as she joined him.

Instead she said, “Well, you seem to have a thing for mean girls, so I guess lucky me. Or lucky you. Or unlucky us–”

“I said you were mean in my dreams, not in real life.”

Annabeth wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, because in her expert opinion, she was most certainly a frigid bitch in ‘real life’, at least it had been that way for the last couple of years, so she pushed past it, taking a sip of bitter coffee before tackling the more pressing matter at hand, “Well you’re about to change your mind, because this?” She gestured between them, the food, the domesticity of it all, “This is not gonna be a regular thing.”

“Pretty sure you said that Saturday too. And something similar last night. But face it, Chase,” He leaned in, eyes bright and glittering, “You can’t keep your hands off me.”

“I– that– I don’t mean the sex stuff!” She rolled her eyes, shoving him back lightly with her free hand, “I mean the… staying over, making food, on a school night no less…!”

“Why not?”

“Because… because I… because I have papers to grade and you’re a distraction and now you’re loading my fridge with food I have no hope of ever eating on my own, so it’s going to go bad and I’ll have to throw it out–”

“Oh, I actually have a solution for that!”

Annabeth eyed him suspiciously, “...And what is it?”

“We make this a regular thing and I help you eat it all.”

She snorted, unable to help herself as she picked up the hot sauce, “You’re impossible.”

“More importantly,” he swiped the bottle from her as soon as she got the top unscrewed, giving a cheeky grin, “I’m charming. So no matter how impossible I am, you–” he upturned the hot sauce to flavor his avocado toast, but Annabeth had forgotten to mention the stopper that made it drip out slowly rather than all at once had broken, so it burst out far too fast, drenching a slice of toast as well as Percy himself.

And then Annabeth really couldn’t help herself. She burst into uncontrollable laughter, covering her mouth as Percy stared at the bottle, then her, incredulously.

“You… did you set me up, Chase…?”

“N-no, no I– oh my god, your face , that was– holy shit you should see yourself, you look like a war zone! ” She managed out between gasps for air.

“Oh? You think this is funny?”

“Y-yes!” She guffawed.

Percy stood, “Then you wouldn’t mind a hug right now, right…?” His arms stretched out as he took a step towards her, Annabeth already scrambling out of her chair, holding up her hands to block him though the laughter didn’t die.

“W-wait, no– no stop right there, Percy, do not come any closer–!”

“Why? It’s just a hug!”

Annabeth continued to back up, sides hurting from fighting for air, tears pricking at her eyes as she giggled nervously, “Percy– I just showered last night–”

“You can take another one with me.”

“Perseus Jackson, don’t you dare, don’t you–!” She screeched as he lunged at her, dancing out of the way so that he just barely missed, and of course that incited a more tumultuous chase as she scrambled over the sofa to avoid him again, “Stop, stop, you’re the worst, the worst! Do not come near me, I-I said–”

“What’s the safe word?” He smirked.

“What?!” She burst into a new round of giggles, and that’s when he saw his opening, grabbing her up in his arms and pressing her body to his own, getting them both gross and slimy with half the bottle of hot sauce between them. Annabeth squirmed, “Noooooo, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you Perseus Jackson…!”

“That’s the second time you’ve used my full name this morning, which means I gotta punish you more.” He pressed his hot-sauced cheek to her own, rubbing it back and forth.

“W-wait wait wait, too close–”

“Not close enough.”

“–too close to the eyes –!”

“Oh– oh fuck .” Too late. She heard Percy gasp, his grip loosening and she slipped away, turning to see his eyes squint shut, watering profusely. He raised his hands as if to try and wipe at his lids, before thinking better of it, opting to fan his face as he blinked rapidly, “Fuck, shit, fuck that hurts! ”

“Th-that’s what you get!” Annabeth huffed, panting for air, but despite her words she grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him to the sink, running the water and grabbing a cup from the cabinet to flush out his eyes easier with.

Things managed to settle a bit. Annabeth rinsed the hot sauce from her skin and changed her shirt despite knowing she was just going to change again before work, and Percy mostly recovered, if not a little bloodshot, the skin around his eyes red as well. He had foregone wearing a shirt at all. 

Despite his protests, Annabeth had insisted they switch servings, as she only planned to eat one half of avocado toast anyway so the one destroyed by Hot-Sauce-geddon wasn’t a total waste.

She finished fast, and it was only when she began to gather empty plates and dishes, while Percy examined his eyes in his phone’s front-facing camera, Annabeth realized she couldn’t remember the last time she had bacon. Or an egg that wasn’t hard boiled. Or anything for breakfast that wasn’t a protein bar for that matter.

Her gaze drifted back to Percy as she washed the dishes. He was making faces to get a better look at the damage, eyes widening, jaw dropping, lips curling in, the way someone might look when applying mascara. She fought the urge to giggle, instead loading up the dishwasher– Percy seemed to have emptied it in the early hours of the morning as well as all the other chores he had managed to accomplish, and she couldn’t fight how weird it felt to have someone just… do things for her. Things that she’d had to do for herself for as long as she could remember.

Percy ran down to his car for his change of clothes and gym bag, hopping into the shower as Annabeth got ready for her day. The sun was just barely starting to rise, so she had plenty of time, but there was a sense of urgency as she tugged on her high-waisted black slacks, her pointed boots, her blouse… She sat at her vanity in her bedroom, watching the iron as it heated up so she could smooth down her curls.

But then something Percy had said Saturday morning after their romp about liking her natural hair popped into her head for seemingly no reason other than to annoy her, and she let her thumb hover over the “off” button.

And then she decided it was ridiculous to change her routine because the stupidly hot but equally annoying colleague who she slept with sometimes said that he liked it better without the heat styling– an opinion that was objectively wrong , anyway. Annabeth had never been particularly skilled at taking care of her natural hair. When she saw herself with those curls that formed with no assistance, all she saw was frizz. Mess. There was no beauty in it. So she had to mask it as best she could, as she did every day.

She was ready to go by the time Percy swaggered from the bathroom, a towel around his waist, another being used to rub his hair dry. She ignored how fucking good he looked, trying to focus on marking up a few worksheets that were turned in late that she had put off grading.

The sound of him whistling made it pretty hard to neglect him further, but she fought it.

She recognized the tune, some Buddy Holly song. And it drove her nuts, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. This was… all wrong. It was supposed to be sex, nothing more. They had rules. Yet they’d ordered takeout, watched a stupid dating show, slept next to each other, he made her breakfast, they teased, and chased, and–

Annabeth stood suddenly, stuffing the papers into her work bag that she had slung across the back of her chair. Percy poked his head from her bedroom, half dressed, his dark hair curling up at the ends as it dried, “Leaving already?” She didn’t have to look at him directly to know he was frowning.

“I need to leave now if I want to get to work early, I was hoping to get a headstart on those midterms I wanted to grade last night and the bus leaves in twenty.”

His exasperation was felt before he even opened his mouth, “Annabeth, I will drive you, it’s silly to–”

“I told you, we can’t be seen commuting together! People will… people will talk!”

“And…?” He leaned in her doorway, buttoning the cuffs of his sleeves.

“It’s inappropriate.” She turned to face him head on, trying to brush past how attractive he was in his current state.

“Guess I better tell Silena and Beckendorf that.”

Annabeth frowned, “I– what?”

“Well, you see, they are married, Annabeth, and they travel to work together, at a school, where they are both employed.  Everyday. Get out of the same car and everything.” Percy faked a shocked look, “Wait, do you… do you think they’re sleeping together too?!”

“Oh shut up! You know this is different!” She rolled her eyes, making as if to head for the door.

A hand caught hers far faster than she thought he would be able to move, “Okay, okay… I have a compromise.”

She caught his stare, those bloodshot eyes melting her resolve a little bit.

He took her silence as consent for him to continue, “Look, it’s selfish, but I’d feel super… weird, about letting you take public transportation when it would be so much faster and easier for me to drive you.” Percy held up a finger to cut off her burgeoning objection, “But, I want to respect this… need for privacy. And our rules. So… it’s ridiculously dumb, but if you let me drive you, I will be willing to drop you off at the bus stop. Then you can walk from there and no one would be the wiser. That way, we’re both happy.”

Annabeth considered this.

“I… I don’t know, someone still might see you dropping me off that close to the school…”

“Then I’ll drop you at the one around the corner. It’s less busy over there.”

“But… the B route doesn’t go to that location…” It became harder to find an excuse, especially since she truly didn’t like taking the bus all that much in the first place.

“Annabeth, I sincerely do not think anyone pays that much attention to what bus lines you use and which ones drop off where.” His eyes were determined. There was no talking him down.

She finally relented, “God, fine, fine, okay, you can drive me, just… be careful, and this is the only time. I don’t want any more sleepovers on work nights.”

Percy grinned, “I pinky-swear.”

---

Percy slept over once more in the course of the rest of the week, and three times the next. Wait, no– the third time, Annabeth had ended up at his place. 

This was not including weekends.

Week three, Annabeth put her foot down; they could only hook up once between Monday through Friday, and absolutely no more sleeping over.

They had about a 50% success rate, which was seemingly good enough for the both of them, because neither brought it up if they ever had a “cheat” night.

And so they settled into a routine.

At work, Percy was just as frustrating as ever. He caused an uproar in her lecture room when her class caught sight of his sitting in the grass out on a warmer day than was normal for November, the students turning around to beg her to let their lesson be done in the quad as well. He allowed groupies to continue to surround him and follow him around, Becky even irritatingly reappearing much to Annabeth’s dismay. He forgot to return coffee mugs to the lounge, frequently letting them gather in a hoard on his desk until begging Annabeth to help him carry them all back at once.

“Will you turn that off?! ” She complained for the third day in a row, swiveling in her chair as acoustic guitar and piano and whiny vocals filled every crevice and corner of their office. He liked to work to music, but forgot his earbuds more often than not, regardless of how much Annabeth nagged him.

“Sorry, I can’t hear you, it’s too loud.” Came his cheerful response as he cranked it up.

He paid for that later that night.

“Where are my notes?” He asked Friday of the same week, searching through papers.

“The ones you left on my desk for four days straight?”

“Yeah, those.”

“I recycled them.”

He jerked up, mouth agape, “You did what?! ”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Well I assumed you didn’t need them since you ignored my every request to take them back–”

“You asked one time when I was about to meet with Chiron!”

“And yet you still didn’t.” She circled a word in red pen on a student’s paper, “If you hurry, you could probably catch Mr. Valdez before he dumps them.”

Percy cursed and bolted from the room.

Annabeth was the one who had to deal with his payback all weekend long, but she felt it was worth it. Besides, he got his notes before they were gone forever anyway.

They bickered. They argued. Every little thing seemed to cause a debate between them, from which ancient Greek mystery cults were worth planning a lesson around to if it was possible to chew gum too loudly (which it totally was, in Annabeth’s opinion). And it seemed like they didn’t really care about who was witness to their open distaste, students, staff, even Chiron, who did make an attempt to get the two to at least try to get along in the form of a very exasperated email.

And the whispers that Professor Chase and Professor Jackson hated each other died down as it became an accepted fact that they absolutely did.

Which suited them just fine.

Because in between the petty disagreements and even the occasional raised voice, sometimes Percy would grab Annabeth by the elbow and drag her into an alcove to steal a kiss and whisper what he wanted to do to her that weekend when no one was looking. And sometimes Annabeth would interrupt his class to give him a notice about an important change to the course requirements, only to hand over a dirty note that she swore made him blush despite his even-voiced ‘thank you’ as she left.

Glares changed to knowing looks as soon as anyone near them turned away. If they were seated next to each other at a faculty meeting, they’d grumble and roll their eyes, but beneath the table their knees would bump together and their feet would be closer than they should have been. When they passed paperwork between them, their fingers would linger just slightly too long, and when they fought, Annabeth could see Percy’s eyes burn bright when they met hers, giving away the facade of his irritation.

It was December when Annabeth had finally felt caught up enough with work to join Piper and Thalia for lunch, which they both complained very loudly about as she settled onto the sofa in Thalia’s office. The counselor was situated in one of the newer, fancier wings of the school with airy windows and more room than most other staff had. Thalia said she needed the extra space for a sitting area if the students were going to feel comfortable sharing their needs and secrets, but Annabeth knew her friend liked to take afternoon naps whenever possible, and Luke could never say no to her.

“Have you been avoiding us, Annie-Bell?” Thalia teased, kicking Annabeth’s foot lightly, “It’s been, what, two months since we actually hung out? Three?”

“I told you, I’ve been really busy with course work this semester.” Annabeth smiled despite herself, unpacking a tupperware of leftover pasta Percy had made for the two of them the weekend before, “When winter break hits, I’ll come out more, I promise.”

“You better.” Piper spoke around a mouthful of sandwich, “Being cooped up alone in your apartment every night can’t be good for ya.”

Annabeth refrained from mentioning she had spent the weekend at someone else’s apartment, so she had been neither alone nor cooped up.

“As the resident mental health expert, I agree.” Thalia cracked open a pepsi, “When are you going to get yourself a hot date?”

Annabeth nearly choked on rotini, “I–”

“Ooh, yeah! You deserve some fun!” Piper nodded enthusiastically, interrupting Annabeth’s protests, “I know a guy who teaches gym at the middle school downtown, I could get you his number?”

“That–”

“No. No way, uh-uh, Annie-Bell deserves way more than some middle school teacher.” Thalia cut her off too, shaking her head.

“Thalia, there’s nothing wrong with a middle–”

“Okay, so… a highschool teacher?” Piper offered.

This was considered, “That’s better, I think.”

“It most certainly is not–”

“Oh, I know, one of Jason’s college buddies works for a massive legal firm downtown!” Thalia snapped her fingers.

“Okay now we’re talking!”

They both turned expectantly to stare at a stunned Annabeth, who barely managed to stammer out, “I… I have no interest in dating right now!”

A twin set of eyebrow raises met this declaration.

“I don’t!” She insisted, “I have work, and family stuff, and… just… I don’t have the time!”

“Ah, but you didn’t say anything about time , just interest , so which is it blondie?” Thalia took a sip of her soda, “Is it that you do want to date, and just need to free up your schedule a bit?”

Annabeth huffed, “Why am I the one on trial here, neither of you are seeing people either!”

Piper rolled her eyes, “Please, Annabeth, Thalia has been mooning over that Poli-Sci professor for like, a year and a half–”

“And Piper and my brother have been dancing around finally just asking each other out for way longer.” Thalia smirked, then her brow furrowed, “And I don’t moon over people, I lust after them.”

“What’s the difference?” Piper popped a chip in her mouth.

“Lusting is sexier.”

“Mooning can be sexy!”

“Depends on which kind you’re referring to.” Thalia waggled her eyebrows and even Annabeth couldn’t fight a snort of laughter.

Piper quipped back, “Yeah, I’m sure Miss Ramírez-Arellano would just love to hear you’ve been objectifying her.” 

“One, at least I’m objectifying her from a female-gaze, so it’s better than if I were a guy, and two,” Thalia’s grin widened, and she reached into her pocket, tugging out a small, folded piece of paper between two fingers, “pretty sure my days of mooning are about to be over, seeing as I scored her number.”

Both Piper and Annabeth gasped, eyes widening, “You…? When?!” The blonde finally managed out.

“About three days ago.” The note was tucked safely back into the leather jacket from whence it came.

“...And you still have it with you because…?” Piper cut in.

“I’m a sentimental bitch, that’s why.” Thalia leaned back in her armchair, “So that’s that. I’m going to start casually dating Reyna, which will inevitably end with her falling in love with me– I’m thinking a fall wedding–”

That earned a roll of the eyes from Piper, “Narcissist.”

“I know plenty of perfectly nice and functional narcissists, thank you, so nice ableism. But as I was saying … I have Reyna, Jason is finally asking Piper out at his Christmas Party in a few weeks–”

“He’s what?! ” Came the screech beside Annabeth.

“–so that leaves you, babes.”

Annabeth blinked, Piper panicking beside her and scrolling manically through her phone, fretting about what to wear (which Annabeth had never heard her friend care about before). 

“Why… are you suddenly so concerned with my love life?” She huffed, putting her tupperware to the side, suddenly not hungry anymore.

Thalia shrugged, exchanging a look with Piper who had paused her frantic planning, “It… it’s not that we think you need to date. It’s just… well, since moving back home, you’ve not really… done much other than work. We’re just worried, that’s all.”

Piper nodded in agreement, “I mean, as long as I’ve known you, you rarely go out, and you don’t talk a lot about your personal life. We just want to make sure you’re okay, and like… living the way you want.”

“I am.” Annabeth assured them. It was an easy lie, because it was what she told herself every day. 

They didn’t look convinced.

“Look, it’s hard to date when apparently everyone thinks I have a ‘stick up my ass’.” She grumbled.

“What?” Thalia frowned, “You don’t have– wait did someone say that to you?!” 

“Not so much as to me rather than about me.” At their continued staring, she suddenly felt self-conscious, especially knowing Piper was close with the person who had said such a thing. “I… wasn’t really meant to hear it.”

“Who was it?” Piper demanded, “I’ll kick their ass for you.”

Annabeth couldn’t find it in her to lie, “I… it was Leo.”

“...Oh he is so dead.” Piper growled, “That twerp, I’ve told him so many fucking times to watch what he says about women! He can be so– ugh!” She was already pulling her phone back out, evidently to text him.

Annabeth panicked, “W-wait, no, please don’t message him right now, I… I just would rather not deal with it.”

Much to her relief, Piper relented, and the topic petered out as she turned on Thalia to chastise her for ruining the surprise with Jason, though Annabeth was pretty sure if Thalia hadn’t told her she would have been scolded for that too after the fact.

When she pushed back into her office, half-eaten tupperware in hand, she was surprised to see Percy there– not because it was weird to see him in their shared office, but because he hadn’t been in for morning classes.

` “Afternoon.” He greeted cheerfully as she closed the door behind her.

“Mm. Where were you?” Annabeth asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but it came out far more curious than she intended as she slid into her seat.

“Took Blackjack to be spayed this morning.”

“You mean neutered.” She corrected him as she began rifling through lesson plans for the next week.

“Huh?”

“Girl cats are spayed, boy cats are neutered.”

“Ah. I didn’t realize they called it different things.”

Annabeth frowned, looking back at him incredulously, “You… have you never owned a pet before…?”

Percy was studying a folder in front of him, squinting in consternation, “Nope, first time– so wait, why does this paperwork say ‘spayed’ then?”

“Let me see that.” Annabeth glided over in her chair, taking the folder from him, “...Percy, this says Blackjack is a female.”

“He is?! ” Percy grabbed the papers back, eyes widening.

“ She is.” Annabeth fought a smile, “Did you never think to check?!”

“The shelter had him marked as a ‘he’, I just… took their word for it!” Percy chuckled, tossing the folder onto his desk, “What about you? You’ve been to my place dozens of times by now, why didn’t you notice?”

“Because I–” She blushed, “Because I… took your word for it.”

“Mmhmm.” He shrugged, “Doesn’t really matter, he’s still cute either way.”

“She.”

“He’s a cat, Annabeth, I don’t think he cares about pronouns.”

She opened her mouth to argue but– well, yeah, a cat probably didn’t have any level of complex understanding of gender. “So she’s– he’s still going to be your little man then?”

“I guess. It feels right.” He leaned forward, their legs closer than probably appropriate for colleagues who decidedly did not like each other. “So.”

“So…?” She met his gaze, despite the impulse to look away.

“It’s Friday.” His hands were idly exploring her legs, his thumb rubbing her knee, the other hand trailing up and down her thigh over her skirt.

“It is.”

“My place or yours tonight?”

Annabeth worried at her bottom lip, trying not to be swayed by his burning green eyes of Greek fire, or the way he touched her so casually; she should tell him “not this weekend” or “I have first draft essays to review”, but what came from her lips instead was “Yours.”

“I’ll pick you up at the stop after 5 then?”

Annabeth nodded, just as a knock came at their door.

Percy gripped her armrests and gave a push, letting her roll back to her own desk still tingling from his hands, as he answered, “Come in.”

The rest of the school day was uneventful enough. At 5:15, Annabeth got into Percy’s Camaro. At 5:24, she let her hand rest on his thigh as he drove, watching his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed and she gave him a bit of what he had treated her to in the office earlier. At 5:38, they picked up Blackjack, who Percy had nearly forgotten to get from his appointment before Annabeth reminded him. At 5:45, they stumbled into his apartment, Percy making the drugged up cat nice and comfortable, before tugging Annabeth against him. Unable to help themselves any longer, they spent pretty much the entire weekend tangled in sheets, ordering pizza, and watching stupid reality shows about finding true love. Nevermind that 99% of the couples who ended up together in the season finales broke up.

Monday would come too soon, as it did every week, and it was back to near-shouting matches, grumbled remarks, and annoying each other to no end.

But when Annabeth opened her email for the last time that afternoon before heading to the bus stop, she was pleasantly surprised to see a new message in her inbox.

[email protected] - gonna be in town for xmas!!!

---

Notes:

So often when I write these chapters something happens that was ENTIRELY unplanned. So I am gonna start writing them down.

Things that surprised me this chapter:
The Hot Sauce Apocalypse

ANYWAY, next week's chapter is going to be... so. long. Again. Totally unplanned. Also I am using a new keyboard and the 'i' and 'y' keys stick, so if you see any doubles that snuck their way in there, no you didn't (just kidding yes you did please tell me so I can fix it!!!!!)

Lastly, I am gonna try to maintain a posting schedule of every tuesday/wednesday around 12pm MST, and am trying to get a backlog of chapters so that missing updates will be less likely- next week's chapter is done already (just needs some edits), and it is a whopping 21 pages long (my goal is usually 10!), so as long as that doesn't become the norm, pumping out enough to get ahead shouldn't be too difficult.

Actually, second Lastly: I realized yesterday that I hit 56k words for this fic! but the wild thing is that is half of how long tgar was, but in 1/3 of the chapters. So. When I said this wasn't gonna be as long as tgar.... that was a lie, especially since now I've plotted out the beats for this fic and it's gonna be 35 chapters, just like tgar. Oops? You're welcome? I guess? Slightly scared to see how long it actually ends up, haha!

EDIT:
Wrote a oneshot that would take place during this time period, which you can read here; i can see you (up against the wall with me)

Chapter 11: forever going with the flow (but you're friction)

It had been nearly two years since Annabeth had seen her childhood best friend– though she would never hold it against him. Grover was living out his dream, and all she felt when she wondered what adventures he was off on was a deep sense of pride.

The weekend came once more, and Annabeth glanced back at Percy across their office as she packed up her laptop, “Are you going to Grover’s thing at the Gilded Orchid tonight?”

“No, but I will be attending Grover’s thing at the Gilded Lily tonight.” He shot a cheeky grin in her direction and Annabeth rolled her eyes.

“You knew what I meant.”

It was the first Friday in weeks that they didn’t have concrete plans to spend the night together. And if Annabeth was being honest, it felt… weird. Of course, there was no telling where the night would end up after a few drinks, but they’d have to be extra careful with so many mutual friends and acquaintances around.

Annabeth cleared her throat, “Did you tell Grover about us…?”

“I told you I wouldn’t tell anyone, per your rules.”

“No not– not about that .” She tucked a few folders containing the final drafts of her student’s essays into her bag, “About us um, not really… getting along?”

“Nah, never came up. Not like we’ve been able to talk much– he’s been without internet in the Amazon for what, two months…?”

“Three.”

“Right.” He slung his bag over his shoulder, before coming to Annabeth’s desk, holding out a hand expectantly.

She stared down at it, then back up at him, “...What?”

He beckoned with his fingers.

“Are you asking for a tip?”

“No, give me your bag.”

“What?! Why?”

“Because there's no time for you to go home before we meet up at the bar—that would be silly anyway seeing as the Lily is a short walk from here—and I doubt you want to go out with friends with your work hanging off of you. I’ll stash it in my car so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“I– won’t someone question it if they see you walking down the hall with my bag…?” Despite her words, Annabeth was already handing it over.

“I don’t think anyone is gonna pay that much attention, Chase.”

“But won’t it look weird if you have two bags?”

“Your lack of faith in my improv skills is disturbing.”

“Wow, quoting Star Wars now?” She rolled her eyes, “Nerd.”

“Annabeth, we’re Professors who spend all day reading and teaching about dead stuff, and you are the one who caught the reference, so I don’t know how to tell you this, but you’re just as big of a nerd.” He grinned at her, his gaze lingering for just a moment before he ducked towards the door, “See you there then…?”

“Yeah.” She gave a wave, feeling strangely naked without her laptop and life hanging off her shoulder, but after waiting about thirty seconds, she followed after him, locking the office door before heading towards mainstreet and the Gilded Rose. Lily. Whatever.

The air was near freezing, just warm enough to allow for the snow forecasted for later that night, and Annabeth was grateful for her coat as her breath came out as a fine mist. She had made it across the beautiful entry lawn of campus (the trees now devoid of leaves and the grass gray) when a voice called to her.

“‘Beth!”

She turned, a small smile flitting across her lips as Luke jogged over, “Hey, Luke!”

He pulled her into a brief squeeze, “Headed to see Grover?”

“Of course.”

“I gotta grab some things from the Dean’s office, but if you’re willing to wait we can walk over to the Lily together…?”

Annabeth nodded, “Sure, I’ll come with you.”

“Great!”

They headed towards the administration building, and it dawned on Annabeth that it had been several weeks since Luke had popped over to her department to say “hi.”

“What have you been up to?” She asked as he opened the door for her, passing him.

“Oh you know, wrangling things. The library needs a system update, Coach Hedge is out on paternity leave so La Rue has had to take over his exercise science classes, we’re in the middle of a whole rework of the Olympian Scholarship, and every other day there’s a new fire to put out.” He chuckled, “So, the usual.”

“Sounds busy.”

“Nothing I can’t handle.” He unlocked his door and flicked on the lights as he pushed inside, heading for his desk, “Have you thought about my request any?”

Annabeth’s brow furrowed, “Request…?”

“About working beyond our five-year agreement?”

“Oh.” She sighed, “I… a bit. Do you need to know soon…?”

“Nah, it’s not that urgent since it’s a year and a half away, just was curious if you had an answer yet.” He clicked his tongue as he flipped through a folder.

“I’ll have to think about it some more.” She idly examined the diplomas on the wall, though she had seen them all before, “It’s just… a big decision, you know? And I’m not sure what… well, you know the situation with Helen.”

Luke nodded in understanding, pulling a few pages from the file and tucking them into his brown leather briefcase, “Yeah… she’s been cancer-free a year now, right? So–”

“She collapsed a few weeks ago.”

“Woof.” He snapped his case shut and straightened, “Do they know if…?”

“They ran some tests, we–” Annabeth realized with a start she hadn’t called her family since then to see if there were any updates; guilt settled in her gut. What kind of daughter– no, what kind of sister was she?! “We… don’t know the results yet.”

“Fingers crossed it’s nothing major.” He swung his case as they exited the office, and Annabeth silently agreed with him as they dropped his things in his car.

“Do you want to keep your stuff in my trunk too?” He offered, and Annabeth felt a heat rise to her cheeks.

“Oh, no it– it’s all the way back in the office, I–”

“It’s no problem, we can–”

“Really, it’s okay! I just want to see Grover as soon as possible.”

This was accepted, and they started towards the bar together making idle chit chat and reminiscing a bit. But Annabeth’s mind was elsewhere. She should text the group chat with her brothers, check in, make sure they were okay. That could wait until the morning. She doubted either wanted a reminder of their mother’s situation on a Friday night when they should be relaxing and hanging out with friends, but even with the decision made a pit had formed in her stomach.

Luke slung an arm over Annabeth’s shoulder casually. It did little to distract her, but the familiarity of it was somewhat comforting, “So tell me more about how your semester went. Finals for your last class are Wednesday, right?”

“Mmhmm. It’s been… okay.”

“Just okay?” He chuckled, “I shouldn’t be surprised, seems things with Professor Jackson haven't gotten much better…?”

“...Not really.”

“If you’d like, I can see if we can switch around office assignments, though it would be a bit hard this late in the school year–”

Her heart skipped a beat, though she refused to dwell on why. “Don’t worry about it Luke, I’ll manage.” 

“You sure? It’s important to me that you’re comfortable.”

“I’m positive.”

He squeezed her shoulder lightly as they rounded the corner to the front of The Gilded Peony–dammit, Lily –the warmth from the large windows bathing them in orange light. The balcony had plenty of people crowded on it despite the chill, lights strung up, surrounding shops and restaurants decorated for Christmas. Luke’s arm didn’t drop from her until the moment he reached to open the door to allow her to enter first.

It was hot inside from all the bodies crowded together. Students and teachers alike celebrating the end of the semester and exams, locals and regulars rejoicing over the weekend’s beginning, and a group of familiar faces seated at a long, high table by the windows.

“Annabeth! Luke!” Thalia called as the two approached, hopping from her bar stool to all but skip over to them. Annabeth only had to take one glance at the gathering to know why the guidance counselor was in such high spirits, as Reyna was sitting next to the now vacant seat, looking a tad awkward but nodding politely as Leo talked her ear off.

And then there was Grover at Thalia’s heels, still lanky but more filled out than last Annabeth had seen him, goatee thicker than it was when they were teens, curly hair longer than she’d ever seen it, but Grover all the same.

He tackled her into a hug, which Annabeth returned with gusto.

“ God I missed you!” She laughed as they swayed slightly.

“Me too!” He cried, “It’s been a million years!”

“Something like that.” She agreed, and they parted, Grover leading her back to the table and the free space to his left as he took the head.

And of course, Percy was just across from her on Grover’s other side.

Annabeth ignored him, carefully removing her coat and flopping it onto the stool before lifting herself up, but it was… hard. Because Percy was staring at her with a look she had seen in passing before but still couldn’t quite place.

She shot him a glance, one that should convey “Stop looking at me like that where people can see!” but he only took a sip of his beer in response, ignoring the silent request.

Grover wasted no time, “So! You two are in the same department!”

“Same office, even.” Percy responded, still not taking his eyes off of Annabeth, which was beginning to be a bit unnerving.

“That’s awesome. I bet you two are having a blast.”

A snort from next to Annabeth had all three of their heads turning, even Percy’s much to her relief, and that was when she finally noticed that Leo was the one seated next to her. He turned red as he was now the center of attention, suddenly very interested in his drink.

But luckily he didn’t have to squirm for long, because he wasn’t the only one who heard Grover’s comment, “Oh yeah, such a blast, but in more a literal, minefield-esque sense.” Piper called over Leo’s head, and Annabeth felt her cheeks grow warm.

Grover frowned, brows knitting together, “What does that–?”

It was Thalia’s turn, leaning around Reyna, “Oh yeah, these two? Oil and water.” that elicited a few chuckles.

At the look on Grover’s face, Annabeth shrugged sheepishly, “We have different teaching styles is all.”

“And different ‘everything’ in general.” Leo mumbled, though he shrank under Annabeth’s glare.

“I was in the humanities wing the other day and you could hear the two of them shouting at each other from three halls down.”

“Oooh, what about?” Thalia leaned towards Piper to get the details while Annabeth protested.

“We don’t shout at each other–!”

“You kinda do.” Jason surprised Annabeth with his input, and the nods of agreement had her growing more annoyed.

“Oh hush, you don’t even work on our side of campus!” She snapped, but it was hard to be too upset when everyone was just poking harmless fun. Her gaze found Luke’s, and he winked at her. She turned quickly with a small blush, just to find Percy staring at her again, that something there once more. It wasn’t the hunger she had figured out previously. It was something… darker.

“Well fuck,” Grover complained, a whine in his voice, “my friends hate each other. Just great.”

“We don’t hate each other.” Percy finally spoke, voice even, eyes still seeing right through Annabeth in a way that had her squirming. “We’re simply passionate .”

“Well that’s good to know, at least when one of you inevitably murders the other you can claim it was a crime of passion and get a lower sentence, right Jason?” Thalia flicked her crumpled up straw wrapper at her brother, catching him on the cheek.

“Wh– well that’s not exactly how it–”

“Right. Hey, let’s get a server over here, some of us don’t have drinks yet! Anyone want to get some nachos for the table?” Thalia waved down a staff member while Annabeth turned back to Grover, who still didn’t look relieved by the good-natured heckling.

“It’s cool, really.” She patted his arm with a light smile, her eyes darting at Percy who had finally dropped his gaze for a moment to scroll through his phone, “Not everyone is gonna get along.”

“Yeah, but you two should .” Grover grumbled, folding his arms on the table, “You’re so… so…”

“We aren’t that similar.”

“That’s not what I was going to say.”

“...Ah.” She rested her chin on her palm, “Then we’re so…?”

“Nevermind.” Grover waved it off, clearly trying to move past it though the casual smile he put on was more strained than it should have been, “I think it’s your turn to order.”

 

---

 

A couple drinks in had Annabeth relaxing, though every once in a while gray met green as her eyes would catch Percy’s and she’d hurriedly look away, trying to focus on her conversation with Grover about his recent work in Central and South America.

But it was Thalia who commanded Annabeth’s attention now, leaning across the table with a conspiratorial look, “So, you’re taking the F line to school these days?”

The blonde nearly choked on her Tequila Sunrise, “I– huh?!”

“The bus– I see you walking past my window in the mornings sometimes and the only bus stop there is for the F line.” Her eyebrows raised, a smirk forming on her lips, “But the F comes from the opposite direction of your apartment, doesn’t it…?”

Annabeth gave Percy a swift kick to the shin under the table. He coughed.

But Piper had already caught wind of the conversation and she cut in before Annabeth could respond, “Oh? So are you coming from someone else’s place?!”

Thalia nodded to her, “That’s my thought exactly! No wonder she was so against it when we offered to get her a date–”

“Wait, that’s not–”

“Why didn’t you say something sooner!” Piper shooed Leo, making him switch seats with her, “Who is he?”

“Is he hot?” Thalia interjected.

“Good job?”

“Is he rich?”

“Can he provide for you?” 

“How long have you been dating?” 

“Is it serious?”

“Holy shit stop talking!” Annabeth felt like her face was going to spontaneously combust at any moment from how hot it now felt from their barrage of questions, “I am… I am not seeing anyone!”

“Why not?” Heads swiveled as Luke chimed in, a light playful smile on his lips, “Just saying, Professor Chase is truly the full package.”

Thalia squinted at Luke, almost suspiciously, while Piper ran with his comment, “Oh? Full package? I’m not disagreeing, but care to elaborate, Mister Castellan?”

He shook his head with a chuckle, “I’m afraid if I say more I might break workplace guidelines for appropriate conduct between a boss and his employees.”

This did not help with Annabeth’s “face on fire” situation.

“Maybe you’ve already broken them and you’re both seeing each other–”

“I just said I am not seeing anyone!” Annabeth groaned, burying herself in her hands.

“Then why the F line?” Thalia’s voice had a sing-song lilt to it.

“I…” Annabeth sighed, dropping her hands and rolling her eyes, trying to compose herself and oh god whatever you do do not look at Percy– “I’m coming to campus early right now to use the free gym. Get a headstart on resolutions. I’m not walking from the bus stop, just the phys ed wing.”

“Oooooohhhh.” Thalia leaned back, clearly disappointed, but then perked up again, “Hey Jason, can we get Michael’s number–?”

“ Thalia .”

“Fine, fine.” She raised her hands in defeat at Annabeth’s admonishment, “Just saying, we can hook you up with a smoking hot lawyer in two seconds flat.”

“But not Michael.” Jason chuckled.

“What? Why not?”

“Because he’s gay, Thalia.”

“Huh?! Geez, he didn’t set off my gaydar at all… How about Dakota?”

“He’s kind of a drinker…”

As the two dissolved into Thalia naming every person her brother went to law school with and Jason naming why each one was unsuitable, Annabeth went back to sipping her drink. She didn’t have to look up to know Percy was staring at her again.

It was… too much. She was overstimulated. She felt like she did as a child, too many lights, sounds, people, it used to send her into hysterics. ‘Tantrums.’ But she was an adult now and couldn’t exactly break down into tears and hyperventilation because of things being too much , so she did the adult thing.

Annabeth turned and slipped off her stool, drink in hand.

“Going home?” Grover asked quietly.

“No, I just… need some air.”

He nodded in understanding, “The alley is open tonight, there are less people back there than on the balcony.”

“Where they have the food trucks in the summer?”

“Yeah, there’s some sort of fancy hot cocoa stall there right now.”

Annabeth smiled, squeezing Grover’s arm before heading to the back of the bar, but the call of her name had her turning before she could make it even ten feet away.

Leo stood awkwardly, fidgeting with his hands, “Hey…”

Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

“Look, I–” He took a breath, “I’m sorry. About… what I said before.”

She studied him for a moment. “Did Piper put you up to this?”

“What? No! I mean, she talked to me… well, more like threatened to curse me and any future generations I may have, but I… I wanted to apologize already, I just… you’re kind of scary, you know?” Leo gave a nervous chuckle, “I swear, this isn’t just because of what she or Percy said–”

“Percy?” She felt something well up in her chest, “What did Professor Jackson say…?”

 “God, after you left that day he came back and chewed me out worse than my abuela ever has, I thought I was going to die. He digs up dead things all the time, he probably knows how to bury them and get away with it too.” Annabeth was speechless for a moment, which seemed to indicate to Leo he needed to keep talking, “Anyway, after that I really did want to apologize, I… I felt terrible, I shouldn’t have said that shit. Piper was just the kick in the pants I needed to actually follow through, you know?”

“I… I see.” She cleared her throat, “Well I hope– I hope you won’t talk about any woman like that again.”

“Yes ma’am. I’m going to be sitting in on one of Piper’s gender studies classes too for good measure.” At her look, he sheepishly added, “Okay, yeah, that is something she’s making me do.”

Annabeth actually laughed at that, “I appreciate the apology. Thank you.”

He gave a little casual salute before hoping back to the table.

She shook her head, beelining for the back door once more.

It was only when she dropped off her glass of ice at the bar and stepped outside that she realized she had forgotten her coat, and while the cold air made her shiver, Annabeth didn’t feel like going back for it.

There were small groups of patrons huddled here and there, conversing quietly, a few smoking, many cupping mugs of–

Okay, “fancy hot cocoa” had been a massive understatement.

The mugs were piled with fixings, whipped cream, candycanes, piroulines, sprinkles, fruit, you name it. There were even a few that appeared to have melting ice cream scoops atop, which seemed to negate the whole concept of “hot chocolate” to Annabeth, but she couldn’t deny it looked good.

With a sigh, she leaned back against the cool brick of the building, staring up at the sky. It was cloudy, but it wasn’t as if she could see stars here anyway with the light pollution. More string lights criss-crossed above her. She could hear the rock song playing in the bar clash with faint Christmas music coming from somewhere else nearby. Her eyes closed and she just let herself feel .

The cold gave her something to focus on. The quiet calmed her sensory overload. The panic that had previously been growing began to abate.

She heard the sound of footsteps as someone emerged from the door beside her, but her eyes didn’t open.

They didn’t need to.

She already knew who it was.

There was a rustle as Percy leaned against the wall beside her, a breathy exhale that certainly drifted from his lips like smoke, a vague awareness of his hand brushing hers. Her lashes finally fluttered open, and she pivoted her head on its comfortable lean on the wall to glance up at him.

He didn’t look back at her this time, his own eyes shut. His jacket was on his arm rather than his body.

“Why aren't you wearing your coat?”

“Why aren’t you wearing yours?”

“I forgot it.”

He nodded, eyes opening though he still didn't meet her gaze “I know. That’s why I’m not wearing mine.” Percy moved his arm so that the draped coat was directly in front of her.

Her brow furrowed, “Why didn’t you grab mine too so that neither of us would be cold…?”

“Because if I were to take your coat and follow you in this direction, best case scenario they figure out something is going on between us, worst case they think I’m a dick who’s pettily trying to steal your coat and leave you freezing for the rest of winter.” He pressed it insistently into her hands, and she reluctantly took it, her protests dying in her throat because what use was arguing with him about it, really?

“So then what was your excuse for leaving…?”

“Said I wanted to try to get the bartender’s number.”

Annabeth laughed, tugging on the jacket and snuggling into it, the interior far softer than expected, “So they’ll end up thinking you’re a dick anyway for harassing a service worker.”

“Worth the risk, I think.” Percy still didn’t look down and it was starting to bother Annabeth more than the incessant staring, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.

“And if someone comes out here and sees me in your coat and us talking like civilized people…?”

“Probably isn’t that big of a concern for you since you took it without bringing that up first.” He finally did glance at her then, for a moment, “If that happens, you can punch me in the nose and run. I’ll say you robbed me and our secret will be safe.”

“So now I’m the one they'll see as a thief instead of you.” She paused, then, “And a violent one at that, apparently.”

“You’re prettier than me, you’ll probably get off with community service while I’d be sentenced ten to life.” He finally turned to look down at her properly as she stifled a giggle, “Besides, I told the bartender to play Welcome To The Black Parade next, that will buy us about six minutes since Thalia won’t let anyone leave until they sing it all the way through.” Sure enough, the dulcet tones of Gerard Way began to waft out from the cracked door.

“True.”

Despite the levity of the conversation, Percy’s expression was unreadable. Something was… weird. Annabeth bit her lip, searching for any hint she could find on his face, in those burning eyes, and came up with zilch.

“I–”

“So you’re close with Luke?”

Oh.

It was nonchalant, but that question made things click into place.

“Yeah… We met when I went to New Athens for my Bachelors.” And then she added, suddenly feeling it was very important for him to understand the extent of their relationship, “We’re… friends.”

“And that’s all?” He cursed under his breath before she could so much as formulate a response, “Fuck, sorry, that…” Percy rubbed between his eyes, “That was inappropriate of me. Forget I said anything. It’s none of my business.”

“It’s… it’s fine.” The question should have made her angry. Normally it might have. But she didn’t even feel so much as a spark of irritation. Instead, as they fell quiet, she shifted ever so slightly closer to him, letting their fingers graze. She could feel the way he tensed, the hitch in his breath, things that previously she either couldn’t sense or he had been better at hiding.

He briefly intertwined their fingers before letting go, then turned so that he stood in front of her, “Want some hot chocolate?”

Annabeth glanced at the booth; “Cocoa Loco” was emblazoned on the tent above the outdoor stoves and the counter to order at.

“Are you buying?”

“Seeing as you left your wallet inside, guess so.” He smiled, and some of the tension between them dissipated.

There was no one in line as they strolled over, and the person manning the counter sat up, tossing the phone they’d been idling on and sliding a laminated menu to them, “Specials on the front, flavors and fixings for build-your-own on the back.”

Every picture featured giant mugs that looked more like bespoke milkshakes than hot chocolate. Annabeth’s mouth watered slightly, tempted by a cookie-dough themed option, but it would take much too long to drink and their friends inside would get suspicious if neither she nor Percy returned soon.

She gnawed her lip, then handed the menu back, “I’ll just take a regular hot chocolate please.”

The booth worker frowned, as if they could not fathom someone ordering just ordinary hot chocolate, but they turned to Percy without comment, “And you…?”

“I’ll have the same, though I wouldn’t mind trying the peppermint flavored mix instead of regular if that’s okay?””

They seemed weirded out by the plain orders, “Anything else…?”

“Oh! Mini marshmallows in both.”

The worker nodded, heading back into the tent to prepare the drinks. It didn’t take long, and soon Annabeth and Percy were leaning against the wall again, sipping gingerly. 

“Good call on the marshmallows.” Annabeth hummed.

“My mom used to get these blue ones for us whenever we would visit our cabin in Montauk. No idea where she got them from though.”

“Those must have been special occasions.”

Percy smiled down at his drink, “Yeah.”

Annabeth drank her cocoa quickly, nearly burning her tongue but getting nervous about being gone too long and someone coming to look for her. The cocoa employee left the booth to head down the alley for a smoke. Everyone else had disappeared inside the bar once more. The air felt colder as the last drops of cocoa hit Annabeth’s tongue, and she wiped her mouth,  “Well, I better head back, I think–”

She barely so much as turned when Percy grabbed her arm, the empty paper cup falling from her hand as he yanked her into a kiss.

And despite her initial surprise, she melted right into it.

He cupped the back of her head, fingers tangling in her curls, slightly chapped lips parting. It was… different than their usual desperate kisses, though there was a need there. Her arms seemed to move on their own, trailing up so she could clutch at the collar of his shirt.

Their mouths molded together, their breath mingling, her face flushing hot, and then something wet hit Annabeth’s cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open as they separated, her gaze tilting up as giant fluffy flakes fell from the sky, some sticking to her eyelashes, dusting her hair, her clothes, melting on her lips. Where it had been clear not 30 seconds ago, now was a white flurry of winter.

Annabeth gazed around them in wonder, unable to stop the amazed smile that spread on her face. And then the hand that was in her hair directed her eye-line to be level with Percy’s once more; he was still staring at her, as if the sudden snow hadn’t even phased him, but his expression was soft. Annabeth couldn’t help herself as she stood on her toes and kissed him once more.

When they broke the second time, she felt winded, light-headed, giddy. She didn’t want to dwell on why she felt those things–that would come later. For now, she simply wished to enjoy the moment, the magic of it.

Percy lightly knocked his forehead against hers, and Annabeth took a deep breath, “What… what was that for…?”

“To stop you from waltzing back in there still wearing my jacket.” His voice was low and sensual, and she felt her face heat up, which was incredible considering how warm it already was. His hands carefully pushed the coat from her shoulders, “I think that might be a bit of a giveaway.”

Annabeth laughed nervously, breathlessly, now not even noticing the cold through her light sweater, “Ah, r-right, thank you…”

Percy nodded, then ducked to brush his lips to her ear, “Will you do me the honor of letting me take you home tonight?”

Annabeth fought a shiver, “Mine or yours?”

The deep chuckle meant only for her ears made the fight utterly futile.

“Whichever one you’d like. You can let me know your preference later.” His lips pressed to her cheek before he pulled away, his hands spinning Annabeth around and giving her a little push towards the door, “Go before you get too cold.”

She walked back into the bar in a daze, the snowflakes in her hair and on her clothes melting as soon as the warmth of packed bodies washed over her once more.

Annabeth managed to pull it together by the time she reached the table, sliding into her seat as her friends raucously welcomed her back.

“Damn, your hair is soaked!” Piper ruffled Annabeth’s damp curls, “Guess the snow caught you by surprise, huh?

Annbeth nodded as Grover passed her a shot glass from the platter the group had evidently ordered in her absence, yelping when their fingers brushed, “Jesus, Annabeth, your hands are like ice! You were out there a while, if I’d have known it would be that long I would have brought you your jacket!”

“I’m fine, Grover.” She gave him a small smile, knocking back her shot.

“Yeah, the cold doesn’t bother her anyway!” Annabeth made a face at Thalia at the reference, who stuck her tongue out in return.

Luke slid into Percy’s vacant seat across from Annabeth, shaking his head, “Thal, you know Annabeth hates that movie. Why antagonize her?”

“Because it’s fun .”

He chuckled, turning to Grover, “So, what’s next for you, big guy? Hunting whalers in the East? Vandalizing an animal testing facility? Protesting the murder of harp seals in the north?”

“Actually, as much as I find killing and eating animals distasteful, the seal thing I give a pass.” At Luke’s raised brow, Grover hastily elaborated, “It’s not like there’s much in the way of farming up there, and who am I to tell an indigenous group to leave their homeland just because I’m uncomfortable with how they’ve provided for themselves for thousands of years?”

Luke laughed again, clapping Grover on the shoulder, “Never change. But that didn’t answer my question.”

“Right,” Grover smiled, “I’m actually going to stick around here for a bit, maybe a year. The Sentries are giving me some time off–well, forcing me to take time off…” He flushed, “And it will be nice to be home for longer than a week.”

“It’ll be good to have you around again. Maybe you can talk to some of our classes about sustainability and ethical practices in Archeology while you’re here, I know you have first hand experience with that.”

“Yeah, that would be– Hey, Perce!” Grover waved as Percy took Luke’s old seat at the opposite end of the table, his hair dripping from the snow as he shrugged out of his coat, “Did you get her number?”

Percy shook his head with a small smile, “Nah, turned down flat.” His eyes flashed to Annabeth’s for just a moment.

Thalia nudged him, “Yeah? Then what took you so long to get back here?”

“Shame. Had to nurse the wounds of my bruised ego before facing this ruthless group of villains again.” Several voices raised in protest, arguing that they were perfectly nice, Percy laughing as he became the center of a collective mock fury.

Annabeth bit back a smile, sipping at her neglected water. 

Luke craned around Reyna, who seemed perfectly content to observe the rowdy group while she finished off her nachos, calling to Percy, “We’d have razzed you far more if she actually said yes, so consider this a bullet dodged.”

Percy raised the beer he’d returned with in Luke’s direction, “Then here’s to rejection. May it bless each of us.”

“Okay wait a second –”

“Percy no! ”

“You can’t do this to us man!”

“God maybe Annabeth’s right, you are a dick!”

“Boooo!”

Everyone cried out at once, pelting Percy with crumpled up napkins as he ducked with a shit-eating grin.

Annabeth couldn’t stop it this time, covering her lips with her fingers to hide her own laugh.

Reyna glanced at her, luckily the only one who seemed to have noticed, and Annabeth attempted to sober herself. But the Poli-Sci teacher just gave her a knowing look, the corners of her lips threatening to pull up into a smile of her own, before turning back, joining the fray with, “Professor Jackson, if the woman to my right suddenly dumps me this evening, I am blaming you.”

That only made everyone grow louder, laughing and heckling one another, Thalia looking gobsmacked, “You–that–is this our way of telling me you want to be official?!”

Annabeth’s ears had to strain to hear Reyna’s response over the din, “ You’re the one who asked me out in the first place, are we not already official….?”

“No! I mean, y-yeah, if you want to be…?”

Reyna rolled her eyes, leaning in to whisper something in Thalia’s ear, and Annabeth shook her head, taking another gulp of water.

Grover sighed contentedly, “God I missed this… Even if I don’t know like half of these people.”

“You do now.” Luke leaned across the table, and before Annabeth realized what was happening, his fingers were brushing against her cheek, swiping something away. At her questioning look, he smiled, “Eyelash.”

“Oh, thanks.” She knew before she even looked that Percy’s eyes were back on her.

Eventually, people got tired.

Thalia and Reyna were the first to dip, Thalia half-dragging the other out the door with a cheeky grin and a hearty wave goodbye, Reyna rolling her eyes but there was a distinct blush on her cheeks.

Next was Jason, the designated driver for the more than intoxicated pair that was Piper and Leo, the latter two whining and complaining about not wanting to leave as they pulled on their coats, but Annabeth saw the way Jason helped Piper into her jacket, how her friend looked absolutely euphoric as the three departed.

Percy scooted closer, next to Luke now, drinking water and picking at what was left of the chips. The remaining group made idle conversation, talking about the last of exams in the next week, winter break, the upcoming faculty Christmas party at Jason’s, potential New Year’s plans… Annabeth mostly kept to herself, listening and chiming in every once in a while, but she avoided directly interacting with Percy.

Finally, Grover let out a yawn, “Ugh, I’m still jet-lagged…”

“...Dude, you were only two time zones away at most .”

“I can still be jet lagged! Travel is exhausting!” Grover insisted as Percy smirked and rolled his eyes.

“It’s late anyway, I don’t think you need that as an excuse buddy.” Luke stretched, looking across to Annabeth who was giving a big ol’ yawn herself, “Come on, ‘Beth, I’ll drive you home.”

She jolted at the suggestion; her plans had not included going home at all, at least, not with Luke, “Oh, no, I– it’s fine! I’m just gonna take the bus.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, the roads are terrible.” The tall blonde hopped from his stool, beginning to pull on his jacket.

“But… it’s so out of your way…”

“You know I don’t mind.” He wound his scarf around his neck before coming to help Annabeth bundle up as well.

Her mind was racing a bit, “I– I insist, I really don’t want you to be out in the storm that late. I would really prefer the bus.”

“Then I’ll at least walk you to the stop.” Luke lifted his hand in farewell to Percy and Grover, “See you both next week. You still coming to the school for lunch Monday, Groves?”

“Yeah, absolutely.” Grover got up to hug Annabeth goodbye, and she could see Percy over his shoulder, staring at the ceiling and chewing on an ice cube.

“Night Jackson!” Luke called.

“Night.”

Helpless to come up with any sort of believable excuse, Annabeth was shepherded to the door.

They got fifteen feet towards the stop when she finally thought of something that could work, “Oh, wait, my bag, it’s… it’s in my office. You can go on ahead, I’ll just walk myself!”

“Nonsense.” Luke hooked his arm with hers as they strolled through the snow, which was gathering quickly and muffling the usual noisiness of the area, “We have time before the bus arrives, I’ll go with you.”

Her bag was not in her office. It was in Percy Jackson’s car. In a panic, Annabeth blurted, “Actually it’s… it’s at home.”

His eyebrow raised as he glanced down at her, “Your work bag is at home…?”

She nodded vigorously, “Yes, I… I didn’t bring it this morning. I forgot.”

“Gotcha. Well, at least it’s less walking.”

Annabeth resigned herself to her fate. She thought she might loop back around to the parking lot of the school once Luke left her at the stop, but he seemed determined to make sure she got on the bus safely. So she did the first thing that came to mind.

She got on the wrong bus.

Luke tilted his head in confusion as she waved down the G line, “You ride the B, don’t you?”

Annabeth gritted her teeth– why did everyone in her life seem to have some weird knowledge of the various bus routes and which ones she took? But she managed to wave it off, “The G connects with the B later on, I’ll get home faster this way.”

A straight up lie, but to her relief, Luke’s knowledge apparently didn’t extend that far.

“Alright. Goodnight, ‘Beth.”

“Night Luke.”

They hugged, Luke placing a brief kiss on her cheek, and she found her way onto the bus, taking a seat, trying to calm her breathing.

The moment Luke turned and the bus peeled away from the sidewalk, Annabeth tugged the red line to indicate the next stop was hers.

It was only a few blocks, but she was still nervous she wouldn’t make it. She ignored the driver’s grumbling about how she could have walked when she hurried out the exit. She ignored the cold of the wind on her cheeks as she ran back towards the school. She ignored how much it smarted when she slipped on a newly formed patch of ice, falling on her ass, scraping her palms– Annabeth just got up and kept running.

She rounded into the parking lot just in time to see Percy unlock the passenger’s door of his car, about to toss his coat inside, and her pace picked up, “W-wait!”

He turned, more surprised than she had ever seen him, and she skidded to a stop as soon as she was close enough, bending over and leaning on her knees as her lungs burned.

“Did…” Percy seemed at a loss for a moment, “Did you run here…?”

Annabeth held up a hand as she tried to catch her breath, “Y-yeah, just a–”

She was interrupted by him grabbing her wrist, “Your hand! What– Did you fall?! ”

“I’m fine!” One more deep breath was enough to finally be able to form proper words again, “It’s icy.”

“Yeah, no shit!” He shook his head, “You could have texted me to wait.”

“I’d rather not have evidence of us speaking on my phone.” She tugged her wrist out of his grasp.

“So? Just name my contact something unassuming. Like ‘Chiropractor.’”

“Are you going to take me home with you or not?!” She huffed, crossing her arms.

Percy seemed to consider his options, rubbing his chin in an exaggerated caricature, and Annabeth rolled her eyes.

“Mm… So you were that desperate for a booty call, huh?”

“Please, I just would prefer to be in a car during a blizzard than on the bus.”

“So then why didn’t you accept Luke’s offer if that was all you wanted?”

Annabeth didn’t have an excuse for that, scoffing in the place of an answer.

Percy waited.

“...Are you really gonna make me walk back to the bus stop after I drew my own blood for you?” She held up her twin scraped palms once more, and Percy laughed, taking both wrists this time and tugging her into him.

“Now how could I refuse when you put it like that?”

 

---

 

They were halfway back to his apartment when he turned down the Christmas music crooning out from the radio.

“Does Luke call you 'Beth’ because you’re close enough for you to like the nickname from him, or…?”

Annabeth had the feeling he had been itching to ask that. “No. I hate Beth. Even from him.”

“Does he know that?” He side-eyed her and she pretended not to notice, drawing little hearts in the fogged up window.

“He might.”

“Have you told him?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Annabeth breathed against the hearts, fogging them up once more though they didn’t go completely invisible, “It’s… complicated.”

Percy nodded, understanding she didn’t want to be pushed for answers at that moment, and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” grew louder once more.

  The absence of conversation only lasted a moment before Percy sighed, “This song is gross, right?”

Annabeth shrugged, “Depends.”

His eyebrow raised, “Now I thought you of all people would be a staunch critic in this case. Explain.”

“Well, first, it’s fun. Flirty. Playful. It’s clearly between an established couple. But also you gotta consider historical context.” At his expectant glance, she continued, “Look, this song was written in a time where women didn’t have control of their own sexuality. If a guy asked you to stay the night, and you wanted to, but you also wanted to be a ‘good girl’ and not be considered a hussy by the neighbors–”

“A ‘hussy’...?” He smirked. 

“Shush. Anyway… you couldn’t just say yes. You had to coyly insist that you couldn’t possibly, you had to be convinced, seduced– then you could have plausible deniability later. ‘Oh, I tried to go home, but he was just so charming and it was so snowy outside, how could I leave?’” She mimicked a high-pitched approximation of a transatlantic accent.

“Hey, you sounded just like an old movie.”

“Thanks. My dad and I used to watch those kinds of films all the time.”

“Cool.” His fingers tapped the steering wheel, “So the song… it’s not gross?”

“It’s… well, in a way, it’s nonverbal consent. Her voice, the flirting… Today, yeah, if a guy keeps pestering a girl to stay the night when she says no or that she can’t, he’s a total creep. If a guy says ‘oh but she was flirting, her eyes said she wanted it,’ he’s a piece of shit. And the way society worked at the time, making it so that women didn’t feel like they could be upfront about their desires, that they had to be coy and refuse what they wanted, and on top of that teaching men that no means yes? That’s gross.” A pause, “I like the song well enough. This version, anyway. They both seem into it, almost like a game.”

He seemed to be thinking, “So… like us clearly having a boundary that we won’t spend nights together and then consistently breaking it, would you say that’s similar?”

Annabeth had not made this connection.

“I… I hadn’t thought about–”

“I don’t make you uncomfortable, do I? Asking you to stay so often?”

Annabeth was grateful that he didn’t point out that she rarely tried to even leave these days, pretending there was no rule and letting him sleep over or forgoing the bus in favor of lying in his bed just as regularly as he asked her to. “No, you don’t make me uncomfortable.”

“You’d let me know, right? I know I like to tease and whine, and you like to protest and huff and be indignant–”

“I’m not indignant!” Annabeth huffed, protesting indignantly.

“But I worry that I’m actually pressuring you. I don’t want to do that.”

“Believe me, if I didn’t want to, there would be no doubts.” She fidgeted with a button on her coat, “It’s fun.”

“What’s fun?”

“Teasing. And… and being convinced that I…” That I’m wanted . “I… You’re just coaxing me into doing what I want instead of what I think I should. If I wasn’t ready for that, if I didn’t like it, if it made me uncomfortable, I’d be clear.”

Percy relaxed slightly, giving her a grin when she looked at him, “And if you have any trouble with that, our good buddy Ovid is always an option.”

It took a second for her to remember the relevance of a long dead Roman poet, as she had never had a reason to invoke his name so far, and a smile came to her lips as well, “Mmm. True. Though I don’t really foresee needing to use him…”

“Doesn’t hurt to have that sort of failsafe in place.”

Annabeth couldn’t deny it any longer. Percy was a good guy.

But before she could do something as silly as tell him as much, the music faded from “Baby It’s Cold Outside” to “Blue Christmas,” and that was when her expression turned to disgust, “Ugh, you want to talk about gross people? Elvis. There’s a guy to be mentioned if we’re complaining about inappropriate behavior in the music industry.”

“Can’t wait to hear about this one.” It sounded facetious, but one look at Percy’s face, and Annabeth knew it was the truth. He really did like hearing what she had to say.

That night–after they tripped over themselves into the apartment, after Percy fed Blackjack, bandaged Annabeth’s hands (despite her insistence they were fine), and their teeth were brushed–clothes became strewn throughout various rooms as they usually did. Bodies intertwined beneath twisted sheets, frenzied lips found each other, and even more desperate touches left permanent, invisible marks.

Annabeth cried out into the dark, riding Percy as he gripped her hips, her head falling back as they both tensed and then collapsed onto the bed. She rolled off, panting softly while he went to clean up, returning with a glass of ice water to share.

And that night, when she curled up to sleep with no thought spared towards even pretending to want to head home instead, when his arm wrapped around her middle and pulled her close, when his face buried into her hair and he inhaled deeply, contentedly, it felt like this most natural thing in the world.

 

---

 

Notes:

I Am. Currently editing. As I post this. Because my neurodivergent brain has decided I am not allowed to post after 6pm (my time) and... I am not ready, so if this updates randomly or you see glaring mistakes, I am SORRY I am WORKING ON IT. Please standby

EDIT: OKAY there we go, a quick and dirty edit.

Tbh this was one of my favorite chapters to write so far. There were so many unplanned surprises. Plus... glimpses and Jealous Percy™ make me Very Happy™.

Also. I will never not defend Baby It's Cold Outside. I'm sorry. I love it. (Well, I do hate SOME versions that MAKE it creepy.)
Hope you all enjoyed!

Chapter 12: wait for the signal (and i'll meet you after dark)

Jason’s home was once more dancing with light. Conversation and Christmas music could be heard a block away, and the lights decorating the home twinkled in the dark. Annabeth was late, her heels clicking on the sidewalk, her coat draped over her shoulders, the snug black dress she wore tailored to perfection thanks to Silena (yet again.) The bus schedule had let her down once more, her ride arriving a good 15 minutes late, and of course that threw off her plans entirely.

Part of her regretted turning down Percy’s offer for a lift, especially after the discomfort of wearing a fancy cocktail dress on public transport, but paranoia over arriving at the same time had won out. Plus, the present she had hidden in her waistband would have been too tempting to give to him immediately if they had spent an entire car ride together.

Annabeth brushed a curl back from her face, hoping the purposefully-tousled updo she’d tried to recreate from some Pinterest image was good enough. Not that it would matter– it was a work party. No one would really care unless you arrived in jeans, and even then it would only raise a few eyebrows.

The door, as usual, had a sign indicating that guests should let themselves in, and Annabeth did as instructed, stepping into light and warmth. The biggest Christmas tree she’d ever seen greeted her, nestled against the curve of the stairs’ banister. Colleagues were laughing and talking, many nursing glasses of wine and mugs of eggnog and cider. Red solo cups wouldn’t be found here– that was a staple of the Halloween parties.

Department heads were actually in attendance for this particular event as well; it was one of the only occasions they bothered.

Before Annabeth could worry about inserting herself into a social situation she would rather avoid, Reyna was at her side, looking gorgeous with her long, thick hair loose from her usual braid and a floor length purple dress swishing against the floor.

“Piper and Thalia are in the den at the back of the house.” The brunette said, surveying the crowd with the intensity of a general preparing for battle. “And if they’re not who you’re looking for, Professor Jackson is in the study with several others.”

Annabeth looked to the taller girl in alarm, “I… Why… Why would you think I was looking for Percy– eus?” She corrected herself from calling him his nickname at the last moment, but it was pretty clear already that there would be no fooling Reyna. But to her relief, the other woman merely shrugged as she helped Annabeth out of her coat, draping it over her arm.

“My mistake, then. I’ll drop this in the spare bedroom for you.” Reyna slipped back towards the stairs, and Annabeth suddenly felt far too warm even with her lack of sleeves.

Despite the urge to beeline for the study that the Poli-Sci Professor had inexplicably guessed at, Annabeth forced herself to wander towards the back of the house.

Even now, she was amazed at the size. The ground floor alone had a sitting room near the front door, a den at the back, and a living room near the kitchen. There was a dining room, a breakfast nook, and a bar in the basement, which inexplicably had a fourth living room. The upstairs landing had a fifth.

And don’t even get her started on the amount of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Annabeth wondered if it was lawyer money or CEO-father money. Maybe a bit of both.

“Miss Chase!” She turned as a familiar voice called out, the bodies parting as Chiron wheeled his chair towards her.

Her smile was genuine, “Professor Chiron–”

He waved his hand, “Bah, we aren’t at the school, just Chiron is fine.”

“Chiron, I hope you’re having a nice evening? You don’t come to these things very often.”

He took her hand, patting it warmly, “Well now, I admit my curiosity finally got the best of me after hearing about these carousals for so many years.”

“Carousal…?” She fought a smile.

“Oh, you know… a rave, a blow-out, a kegger–”

“I know what carousal means, Chiron.” Though this event was certainly not any of the other words he had just used.

“Of course you do, dear girl, you always were a smart one. I very much enjoyed having you in my classes when you attended NAU.”

“Well, they were some of my favorites.” She squeezed his hand fondly, “Was there something you needed, Chiron?”

“Well yes, I was hoping to get myself a mug of wassail before convincing some strapping young students to assist me onto the sofa—it looks far too comfortable not to experience and my legs are acting up this evening, I’d rather avoid a tumble—but the fact of the matter is, the route to the kitchen is far too crowded… and while that normally would not stop me, Professor Nielsen is in rare form and I would prefer not to be cornered by him to talk shop when I’m trying to relax.” He paused, “And he makes me deeply uncomfortable on a good day.”

Annabeth glanced at the clusters of faculty members and their plus ones clogging the walkway, Octavian droning to the group about Roman superiority again. “Want me to kick them out for you?” 

“I have no doubt you could do so with ease, but I was simply hoping you could bring me the mug so that we both might exert the least amount of effort.”

She laughed, “Of course. Let’s get you situated on the couch first, then.”

He nodded in agreement, maneuvering his chair back and forth until he was able to roll next to the plush sofa. Annabeth offered an arm as she had done on occasion before, and he took hold, using her to keep balance as he slowly shuffled his thin legs enough to sink down to the new seat with ease, a sigh of contentment escaping him, “Ah. Thank you, Miss Chase, your assistance is always appreciated.”

“My pleasure.” She smiled, gesturing to his chair, “”Would you like me to…?”

“Please.” He nodded and she rolled it beside him so as not to block the way, “I almost used my cane tonight, thought it would be nice to see everyone from a new exciting angle, but… well, as I said, my legs aren’t at their best right now. I decided I preferred to ask for some assistance tonight when necessary than be forced to leave far too early to enjoy myself properly due to exhaustion.”

“Well I am very glad you made it at all, Profess– Chiron.”

“Oh well I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to cause a bit of mischief.” He tapped the arm of his chair beside him, eyes twinkling, “You should see how some of the newer Professors act around me. I admit, I have… far too much fun taking advantage of their terror at making a wrong move.” As if to illustrate, he beckoned a nearby man over, raising his voice, “Mr. Stoll, would you come here please?” 

The man jumped, eyes widening as he trailed over, away from the group he had been speaking animatedly with a moment before, “Y-yes Sir…?”

“That lamp over there,” Chiron nodded to the tall lamp on the opposite side of the room, “I would very much like to have some light would you mind…?”

“Oh, uh, yeah!” The nervous man was quick in bringing it closer, the cord trailing across the floor.

“Bless you, that is much better. Though it seems to have created a tripping hazard… You.” He pointed to one of the other men who had been in the group, snickering at Mr. Stoll’s anxious obedience. The man immediately straightened, now looking just as flustered, “That piano against the wall, would you be so kind as to assist Mr. Stoll in arranging it over the cord so we may avoid any accidents?”

“I– yes Sir, of course.” He and Connor (Annabeth remembered “Mr. Stoll’s” first name now, a sociology teacher) exchanged a look before they moved to roll the heavy upright piano, effectively protecting the wire along the floor from hurting anyone, but also blocking the way to the kitchen. 

“Yes, very good– oh, but now the path is obstructed, we should perhaps open up the other exit since foot traffic will be a bit more crowded. Might you all try to move the arm chairs by the front door to a more suitable place? Yes, in front of the tree would do– though perhaps we shouldn’t, we don’t want to ruin anyone’s enjoyment of Mr. Grace’s lovely decorating. Then by the window there…” In mere minutes, Chiron had the whole group running around, rearranging Jason’s sitting room in increasingly ridiculous ways.

“Oh, Mr. Stoll, would you be willing to get me a warm mug of wassail from the kitchen? I’m quite in the mood for some holiday cheer.”

“Yes Sir!” An out of breath Connor turned, remembered the piano in the way, and then with a sigh and slumped shoulders headed the opposite direction to make the trek around the house to do as requested.

Chiron chuckled, “If they simply treated me as they would anyone else without an obvious physical accommodation, I wouldn’t feel the urge to have fun with them like this. Alas, they make it far too easy.”

Annabeth watched the mess being made, “I said I would get you the drink, Professor.”

“Yes yes but you’ve wasted enough time with an old man like me already, you ought to be socializing–Mr. Fletcher, the plant there, I think it would look better atop the piano.” Other people were starting to watch the spectacle, giggling and whispering to each other.

Annabeth patted Chiron’s hand again before standing, “Never a waste to speak with you, Chiron.” They shared one last smile before she slipped through the tiny space around the piano.

She could hear the department head behind her musing to one of the panting teachers, “Now perhaps we could have just plugged the lamp in over here and avoided the whole mess… no matter, much too late for that now. I think the rug should be rotated about 90 degrees clockwise, don’t you…?”

Annabeth shook her head, traveling through the kitchen to the den, but somehow her feet took her the opposite direction and before she knew it she was standing in the archway of the study. Several teachers were idling in a circle, swirling wine, talking work (aka, gossiping.)

Her eyes found Percy immediately. A frown came to her face, and it was not the fake one she had practiced to perpetuate the idea of their dislike of each other.

The woman was someone Annabeth recognized as one of Thalia’s fellow guidance counselors; Callie, Annabeth thought her name was. Her caramel colored hair was pulled to the side in a carefully arranged braid, a decorative gold circlet on her head, and a flowing white dress that accentuated her petite frame.

Oh, and her hand was resting on Percy’s arm. Her eyes were on his face, laughing and conversing and ugh god is she flirting with him?!

Annabeth felt her eyes narrow, felt some odd, heavy weight in her chest sink to her core.

And then there was the sudden inexplicable urge to dump wine over the front of that stupid white dress with the neckline that could have almost been too low for a work event.

Instead, she turned on her heel and beelined from the room, towards the den– for real this time.

When she arrived, Piper and Thalia had evidently already moved on, and Annabeth huffed in frustration, feeling way too uncomfortable amidst chatting colleagues. Most of them she didn’t even know. The ones she did, she wasn’t close to beyond knowledge of their name and a vague awareness of what they taught.

She was debating between searching out her friends or just giving up and going home when a voice called her name.

A glance confirmed Leo was weaving through bodies towards her, a few of the people he passed looking confused. Annabeth didn’t blame them. She had a reputation for being unfriendly, whereas Leo was the opposite. Not to mention the pretty large difference in positions at the University– not that Annabeth ever looked down on maintenance men and custodians, but she figured people assumed she did.

Leo had two glasses of wine, one of which he extended towards her, and Annabeth cautiously accepted it with a raised eyebrow.

“I hope you like Cabernet.” He cheerfully took a sip of his own drink, then grimaced, clearly not a red fan himself.

“Depends on the kind.” She swished the contents of the glass but did not drink yet, hugging her free arm to her body, “Why did you get me this…?”

“Peace offering.” He shrugged.

“You already apologized.”

“Yeah, but… still, I wanted to make it up to you by giving you something nice.”

She held her stare, wanting to make him squirm a bit and pretty sure that wasn’t the truth, “So you got me something you weren't sure I would even like?”

“Okay! Okay, fine, you caught me. The wine was for Piper, but she disappeared to where-the-hell-knows and I got tired of looking and you seemed like you needed it more than her anyway.” He took another way too large swig from his glass, gagging comedically once he swallowed.

She finally took a small sip of her own. It wasn’t bad. “What are you implying?”

“Hmm?”

“That I ‘need it more?’”

“Ah! Just, like, you know… you’re wandering around alone at a party…?” He looked ever so slightly stiff, as if expecting a verbal lashing.

Annabeth just shrugged, taking another sip, “Fair enough.”

Leo relaxed, “Come on, wanna find the others?”

With no reason to say no, she nodded, “Lead the way.”

The two of them strolled through the enormous house, checking the packed home bar in the basement, the lights dimmed and people lounging on couches, old Christmas movies playing on the massive tv mounted on the wall.

They passed a gym fully stocked with any equipment one might need, which had Annabeth in the beginnings of resenting Jason, just a little bit.

By the time they stumbled upon the library, she loathed him entirely.

“Leo?”

“Mmhmm?”

“You live here with Jason, right?”

“Yerp. Me and a few other people, Thalia sometimes when she’s between apartments.”

“I hate you too.”

He looked confused, but went with it, “I guess I’m pretty hateable, but what for this time?”

“This… this house!”

“Yeah, it’s pretty insane.” Leo agreed, wandering down a hall as Annabeth followed.

She was quiet. Her empty wine glass that had been left on a random console table in a hallway somewhere informed her slightly woozy head, then something occurred to her, “Hey, you… you know that guidance counselor who’s in the same hall as Thalia, right…?”

Leo brightened, “Callie? Oh yeah, absolutely, she’s such a–” He cut himself off, looking sheepish. Annabeth stared at him expectantly. “...I was gonna say babelicious hottie hot hottie, but I haven’t gotten far enough in Piper’s gender class yet to know if that’s an okay thing to call someone.”

“Depends,” She said, casually opening doors to peer into empty and occupied rooms in a lazy last ditch effort to find their friends, “Are you dating?”

“Fuck I wish! ”

Well shit. So then there was a chance that Callie was flirting. And Percy would have no reason not to flirt back.

Annabeth picked anxiously at the edges of the bandaid still on one of her palms from last weekend’s slip, “In that case, I’d play it by ear. Probably avoid calling her that to her face though.”

“Yeah, duh. I don’t have a death wish.”

They rounded a corner, and Annabeth hadn’t even realized they’d made it up to the second floor. The landing that overlooked the entrance confirmed they’d gone in a big circle. The closet where she had first made out with Percy was in her periphery, and she refused to look at it.

“There!” Leo pointed below, Thalia and Piper conversing with a few other people amidst a disastrously rearranged foyer.

He and Annabeth made their way down to them, greetings exchanged, gushing compliments foisted on each other (“No, YOU look like a poetic, noble land mermaid!”), Piper clad in a forest green gown, Thalia in a deep maroon suit jacket.

“Where’s Jason?” Annabeth finally asked as Leo dashed off to get them more wine.

“Ugh, fuck if I know! I’ve barely caught sight of him since we got here!” Piper complained, crossing her arms.

Thalia rolled her eyes, “You’re being dramatic, you know where he is. I literally told you because you threatened to never speak to me again if I didn’t spill his exact plan to you–”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about and I have no knowledge of any sort of ‘plan’ that you refer to.” Piper tossed her hair, but no matter how much she denied it, Annabeth could feel the excitement and anticipation rolling off of her friend.

A few months ago, Piper was no more than a begrudging acquaintance. Now she was a friend .

As if on cue, a voice managed to be heard through the conversational noise, a cleared throat from above, and everyone turned, Jason dressed to the nines, a neatly wrapped present in hand, grinning down as if Piper was the only person in the room. Her hand flew to her heart, a genuine smile coming to her face as well as a less-than-genuine look of surprise.

Jason began to descend slowly, speaking as he did, all eyes on him, “Four years ago, I was assigned to my first trial. A trial that would change the course of my–what happened to my living room?!” He paused on the steps, brow furrowing in confusion at the state of his house. Annabeth glanced back to Chiron, who was innocently sipping from a mug.

“You have like 10 more, who cares! Get on with it!” Thalia heckled, and it seemed to jar Jason from his confusion.

“Right. Yes. I… okay.” A deep breath, “That first trial changed my life, because it let me meet the beautiful woman you see right there.” He pointed to Piper, who now had completely legitimate tears shining in her eyes.

“She was the one on trial, if you'd believe it. I won’t detail the circumstances to respect her privacy–”

“I vandalized a statue of Andrew Jackson.” Piper called out, then after a beat, “...’allegedly.’”

That earned a few laughs.

“She wouldn’t speak to me at first. And I don’t blame her. I’ve met my fair share of young white men with law degrees. We kind of suck. But… well she warmed up. She didn't have to, but she gave me a chance to be her friend. I have never been so glad to lose a case.” He took another deep, shaky breath, “And then she let me continue to be a part of her life. She taught me things I had never even wondered about, she was patient when I said stupid stuff, and I am a better man because of her. She didn’t have to take the time and patience to deal with my crap, but she did.” He was at the bottom of the stairs now, slowly walking towards her as the crowd parted and Annabeth and Thalia took a few steps back themselves.

“If this is what asking her out looks like, I’d hate to see how much bigger a proposal would be…” Annabeth murmured. Thalia snickered.

“Two years ago, we both ended up at NAU. And to show my gratitude and love–”

Leon skidded into the room, mugs sloshing slightly in his hands, eyes wide, “Did I miss it?!” He whispered to Thalia.

He was promptly shushed.

“...To show my gratitude and love, I brought gifts.” He held up the box. Piper took it gingerly, glancing around, seeming shy at the attention for the first time since Jason’s speech began.

Slowly, the bow was undone, the paper ripped off, and Piper opened the box, her eyes widening, “Oh!” Her hands pulled out a beautiful turquoise necklace.

“First, a necklace that can never outshine your beauty, but may be the only thing that could come close enough to complimenting it.

Piper stared at him in wonder, “But this is…?!”

“I… may have called your dad. He said it was your mother’s.”

Piper nodded, clearly more than a little choked up.

“There’s more.”

She reached in again, pulling out a small plastic rectangle, “A… gift card to ‘Tofunky Fresh?’”

A bit of a let down after the sentimental necklace, Annabeth thought to herself, but then Jason spoke once more.

“You told me once about what you were teaching in classes, a courting practice among some Cherokee tribes.” He cleared his throat, speaking carefully, trying to make sure he didn't get it wrong, “You said a young man would go out and kill deer, then bring the venison back as a gift for the woman he wished to be with. She in turn would cook the meat and present it back if she accepted his feelings.”

“Close enough.” Piper gave a choked up laugh.

“I… don’t have a particular interest in hunting, and I’m pretty sure you yourself would murder me if I killed any sort of animal, let alone presented you with a hunk of its meat. So, this is dinner on me at your favorite vegan place, and if you want me there with you… I’d be so grateful.”

Piper cleared her throat, parting her lips to respond, but he spoke first, “There’s one more.”

She reached in once more, necklace and gift card tucked under her arm, pulling out a piece of paper. Her brow furrowed as she tried to discern what she was reading. And then she gasped, looking back at Jason. 

“You… but… this is…?!”

“His itinerary.” Jason confirmed. “I… I know you were really upset about not being able to fly to the reservation to spend the holidays with your grandfather this year. So… he’s coming here. Everything is paid for, we pick him up tomorrow.”

Piper’s jaw worked up and down as she tried to find the words, placing the gifts carefully back in the box and passing them back to Thalia.

Jason seemed to grow nervous as he finished his speech, “I… I want to meet him. And I wanted our first Christmas as… as partners, if you’ll have me, to include–”

He didn't even get the last of the sentence out before she was kissing him.

A cheer rang out, and the new couple was crowded with well-wishers and “ finallys! ”

Annabeth shook her head. It was so over the top, yet so… perfect for them. It was clear that while Piper had managed to weasel out of Thalia the method of how Jason would ask her out, the gifts themselves had remained a tightly guarded secret.

She took a step to offer her congratulations as well, but something caught her eye, and it made her freeze. Callie had tugged Percy down to her level and was whispering in his ear. His expression betrayed nothing, but hers – there was no way she wasn’t suggesting something that would make Annabeth’s nausea reach new heights if she knew exactly what was being said.

Those green eyes flickered up and met hers.

She turned and beelined for the kitchen, the den, the bar, the gym, the halls, all devoid of people as everyone had gone up to watch Jason and Piper’s moment. She felt her lungs crumple in on themselves, her stomach became a void, her heart–

No. Her heart would do nothing. This wouldn’t bother her like that . They weren’t a couple. They weren’t Jason and Piper. They didn’t even like each other!

If she repeated it enough, it would stay true.

It had to stay true.

She finally found herself in the library, the oak doors slamming behind her as she paced, slapping her cheeks lightly between her hands, fanning her face, forcing deep breaths.

She didn’t care. She wouldn’t care. There was nothing to care about .

They were nothing. Nothing serious. Nothing real.

So what if some tiny model-thin guidance counselor with a pretty smile and a nice personality took his attention? Things would go back to normal.

But… she didn’t want normal.

That was it. It wasn't that she wanted Percy per se, she wasn’t in love with him, she didn't want to date him–it was that he had broken up the monotony of her life with great sex, and she didn’t want to go back to waking with sighs already in her lungs and loneliness in her bones.

She gave a breathless laugh of relief.

“Annabeth?”

She spun as the door behind her opened, Percy slipping inside and closing it once more quickly. His stupid face revealed just as much as it ever had–nothing at all.

“Did you… follow me?!”

His eyebrows raised, “Why wouldn’t I? I haven’t been able to find you since you disappeared from the study earlier.”

She crossed her arms, “Were you actually looking?”

He stayed quiet.

Annabeth struggled to keep her mouth from spilling what she burned to actually say, and surprisingly, just this once, she was successful. “Have you had a nice night?”

“It’s been… okay.” He shrugged, leisurely walking past tables and plush armchairs, letting his fingers run over different knicknacks displayed here and there; a globe, an astrolabe, a paperweight.

“You seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

“Mmm, then you must not be very observant.” The corners of his lips twitched when she huffed.

“So you're not having a nice night…?”

“Nice is actually the perfect word for it.” He picked up a figure of Buddha, rotating it in his hands, “Not good. Not bad. Just nice.”

Annabeth couldn’t quite tell what he was getting at, “Did you hope for something different out of a holiday work party…?”

“Yes, actually.” He placed the little guy back down, striding right up to Annabeth until there were mere centimeters between them. She managed to keep her eyes from widening and didn’t back up as her instincts wanted her to, which was quite the feat.

“And what did you hope for?”

“I wanted to be dragged into another closet by a beautiful woman who’s obsessed with me again.”

Annabeth jerked away, “I am not– I am not obsessed with you!”

His eyebrow raised, a hand coming up to play with a loose curl that had fallen from her updo, “That’s a shame. Because I’m obsessed with you .”

“I… you… you are not , stop it!”

“Sure I am.”

“You’re teasing me.”

“Yeah, but I’ve found the truth can make you blush more than any lie I could come up with.” His fingers drifted from the lock of hair to her cheek, her jaw, her neck, trailing up and down in a way that had her nearly melting into his touch.

Nearly .

Annabeth swallowed, trying to remain composed, “Why did you follow me in here?”

“Pretty sure I’ve made that obvious.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

His thumb traced her chin, then just below her bottom lip, “Because if the beautiful woman I’m craving with every bone in my body– And I mean every bone–”

She snorted.

“–if she isn't going to drag me off to do despicable things to each other at a work party, I figured I might as well be despicable all on my own and try to seduce her.”

“Did you grow bored of Callie then?”

It slipped out before she could even think about it. Goddammit.

His expression became one of surprise, but it was clearly just as authentic as Piper’s had been when Jason appeared on those stairs mere minutes ago. Maybe she was getting better at reading him.

“Who?”

She rolled her eyes, moving to pull away from the hand still tracing shapes on her skin, but his hand moved to grab her jaw, forcing her head to tilt up towards him. She frowned, “You know who.”

“Do I?”

“As if she hasn’t been hanging off of you this whole time.”

“Mmm…” He let his grip briefly slip down to squeeze the sides of her neck ever so slightly before coming back up to keep her attention on him, “If I didn’t know better, Chase, I’d say you’re jealous.”

“What is there to be jealous of?” She dodged answering directly, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“The thought of me with another woman.”

“Why should I care about something like that? We aren’t exclusive. There is no rule about not sleeping with other people.”

“Well there should be.”

Her brow furrowed, “What? Why? What purpose would that serve if we aren’t even–”

“Hygiene? STD avoidance?”

She paused.

“...Okay, fine, I accept that line of thought.”

“So… unofficial sixth rule?”

She bit her lip, the steady, forceful pressure on her jaw where he refused to let go definitely clouded her judgment a bit.

“For health reasons.”

“For health reasons.” He agreed, taking a step forward and forcing her to step back as he did. His other hand had slipped down to grab her hip, taking a handful of her black skirt and tugging her into him simultaneously.

Annabeth felt her breath hitch in her throat. Her eyes lidded, and his thumb moved forward again to drag against her lips for just a moment.

“What do you want from me…?” Came her breathless question.

“You know what I want.” His voice got low, almost a growl in her ear as he ducked down, his grip tightening again, “I want you. All of you.”

A soft moan managed to escape her lips and that pushed them both straight over the edge.

He surged forward, capturing her lips as she was forced backwards, feeling the bookshelves pressed against her as she was pinned. Her hands gripped at his nice shirt, his suit jacket open and the collar unbuttoned beyond where it might have been appropriate for a work function.

Still, his fingers dug into her, hand gliding down to once more squeeze ever so slightly at her throat. Not enough to be considered choking. But enough to send a thrill up her spine. His grasp on her skirt dropped only for him to hike her leg up to his hip, and she wrapped it around him as she understood the silent command. 

It was biting. It was rough. It was demanding, a constant pulse of more . In a daze, Annabeth felt that she would give everything to him, and gladly.

And in a moment of honesty with herself, she admitted he already had everything she could give.

But that thought was stuffed down and swiftly forgotten as his knee pressed between her legs, and she grinded against it similar to how she had in the closet a month and a half ago. Percy groaned, pulling her, and she instinctively hopped to wrap both legs around his waist. He braced her with one hand, the other still seemingly glued to her throat, massaging the sides lightly. Finally, it crept around and up into her hair, the meticulously styled bun she had falling loose.

She somehow couldn’t find herself to be irritated by the destruction of her hard work.

Lips. Tongue. Teeth. Furious, desperate, insatiable kisses with their bodies pressed together, the tiers of the bookshelves digging into her back, the way they moved, both anticipating how the other might act and react next. 

Something whooshed past Annabeth’s ear, accompanied by a loud “thump” and she flinched back, the book that had been knocked from its place above her now lying innocently on the floor. It reminded her of where she was.

Percy, apparently unphased, continued to mouth down her jaw, to her neck, not giving her a moment of peace as her brain worked to form a single coherent thought through the haze of her urge to let him have his way with her, here, now.

“Percy…”

“Nnn…?”

“Percy, there are people here…”

“There are people everywhere.”

She huffed, though the way he began to suck lightly where her collar bone curved made it very hard to be annoyed, “But they could walk in! ”

“Let them.” He murmured back against her skin.

“But–”

“Give me just… one more minute.” It was the closest she’d ever heard him come to begging.

Annabeth swallowed, then nodded, biting her lip as he began to calm down, slowly, surely. His breath was shallow, his body trembling slightly from holding her up for so long. But he didn’t seem to want to let her go.

She did the only thing that felt natural, one of her hands coming up to stroke his dark silky hair gently. Her legs loosened and he took the signal, finally letting her slip back down to standing. Annabeth swore her knees were jelly.

Percy huddled over her, his face still buried in the crook of her neck, his hands now grasping the mahogany shelves on either side of her. 

“Percy…?” She asked gently, and he gave a slight nod in response.

“Do you want to go home…?”

A pause. Then another nod.

“Do… Do you want me to go home with you?”

No pause this time.

The change in atmosphere was…somehow it felt intimate. More so than whatever they had experienced between them before. She wasn’t sure what happened, if she had done something wrong, or if Percy had merely realized the lack of control he’d been exhibiting, but… something had changed.

Maybe even something important. 

But it was only a few more moments before Percy relaxed, pulling back enough so she could see the grin on his face, his nose bumping hers, his eyes shining with yet another hidden thing she couldn’t figure out. There had been desire, then jealousy… she was determined to uncover the meaning of this third gaze as well.

Her fingertips traced his jaw, “Where are you parked?”

“Around the block.” He breathed back, his breath smelling of wine and cranberries.

“Meet you there?”

“I’ll wait for you at the stop sign.”

She didn’t have the heart to argue when he seemed so… earnest. Annabeth nodded, and he finally pulled back, straightening the askew collar of his shirt. Annabeth reached up and he bent down to allow her to rearrange his mussed hair into something more respectable.

And then he kissed her again.

Not like before. The same different that had been in his eyes was on his lips too. It was sweet. Simple. And despite all they had done together, there were butterflies in Annabeth’s stomach.

And then he pulled away.

And then he was gone.

Annabeth tried to wrangle her emotions, counting to ten, then twenty. She straightened her dress and combed through her hair with her fingers, then stooped to pick up the book that had fallen.

Pride and Prejudice .

She snorted, putting it back on the shelf before slipping from the room, the present still tucked in her waistband all but forgotten.

 

---

 

Notes:

Thank you to Ellie Collins for being my sensitivity consultant on Chiron's dialogue! I wanted to make sure I was true to a wheelchair user's experience without causing offense, and they were extremely helpful.

So Jason's house... tbh I literally based it off of my cousin's house growing up. Yes, they have had 5 'living rooms' in at least a few of their homes. I don't understand why they need so many. There were only 6 people in the family. Did they each need their own living room? Did two of them have to share? I don't understand rich people tbh I had free lunches in school as a kid because we couldn't afford food sometimes 😅

ANYWAY hope you like Jason doing the MOST, Annabeth being not-jealous, and Percy being.... like that.

Chapter 13: see the vultures circling (dark clouds)

The next week of holiday festivities was a whirlwind. Annabeth dragged herself from Percy’s bed the day after the Christmas party despite the near irresistible urge to snuggle back under the covers and stay like that the entire weekend. It was even harder to dress and leave with Percy trying to carry her back to the bedroom.

But she had put certain things off long enough.

First, gift shopping.

Every year, it was last minute, and every year Annabeth told herself “Not this time!”

Inevitably, it was every time.

There were more people to shop for than usual. But careful saving for the past several months meant she could afford to splurge on those she cared for.

Matthew had not stopped talking about the latest video game console since it was announced near the beginning of the year–they were hard to come by, but Thalia knew a guy who could get “stuff”.

“What kinds of stuff?” Annabeth asked, suspicion clear in her voice.

Thalia waved her off, “Don’t worry about it babe.”

Seeing as how it was working in Annabeth’s favor, she didn’t push it.

Bobby had been wanting a new pair of boxing gloves, and a very nice punching bag. Annabeth couldn’t help herself when she saw personalized gloves were an option.

Thalia would get the latest Green Day album and three tickets to see their show the next summer– one for her, one for Reyna, and one for Annabeth herself to tag along.

Piper had already gotten some pretty unbeatable gifts, so Annabeth went with the newly released autobiography of a Middle Eastern journalist famous for her women’s rights activism around the world.

Luke would find a second edition copy of his favorite book, The Count of Monte Cristo, (which Annabeth had just happened to stumble upon hidden in the recesses of the internet for a steal of a price) in his mail cubby.

Helen would get a nice bottle of her favorite wine. Annabeth’s dad, a rare vintage WWII model plane set of a P-51. A card that would likely go unanswered was mailed off to her mother.

Percy–

Percy.

Percy was a dilemma.

She had a gift for him. One she completely forgot to hand over at the party as she had intended to. Her mind had been on… other things. But it didn't feel like enough, considering how much thought she had put into the other presents.

Yet, getting him anything more seemed like it crossed a threshold that shouldn’t so much as be toed over. They had well-established the fact that they were not to be anything more than… well, what they were.

Annabeth went back and forth every time she’d gone out shopping in the week leading up to Christmas, and neither answer seemed right.

Then she saw it.

And it was simply impossible for her to not purchase it on the spot.

The week leading up to Christmas Eve went far too quickly. It was also the first time she had gone more than about four days without touching Percy Jackson. If she counted the longest without seeing him, it went down to two.

It wasn’t solely Annabeth’s fault though; he was the one who had waited until the last minute to tell her he would be going to New York for five days in a last ditch effort to entice her to stay with him until his flight on Wednesday.

It almost worked too.

“I’ll see you when you get back.” She argued with him Sunday morning, draped over his shoulder as he had scooped her up for the third time to try and carry her back to bed. The stunt had been almost cute the first time, old the second time, and now she was simply annoyed. At least, she told herself she should be annoyed.

“That’s over a week from now.” He flopped her onto the mattress, easily climbing on top and looking down with what she assumed was the most bewitching smile he could muster. At this point, she knew the phases of his persuasion– first, a casual suggestion. Then, temptation, the promise of nights of pleasure and days of comfort.

On the occasions the first two attempts failed (and they rarely did), she was treated to the third, last ditch effort; whining and eyes that could rival a puppy’s.

Not that she disliked him trying to convince her to stay. It truly felt like a game– a fun one at that. One that made her feel good and gave her an excuse to throw caution to the wind and focus on something other than poorly written papers and pop quizzes marked up in red ink

And he checked in nearly every week or so to make sure she was still comfortable with his coaxing.

Somehow, Annabeth managed to repel him this time. And god did she regret it.

Sunday, she left his apartment, proud of herself for resisting

Monday, she was already bored at home and tired of running last minute errands. She realized too late she hadn’t decorated her apartment, and it felt like there would be no point now.

Wednesday, she was kicking herself, knowing his flight was leaving in a handful of hours and she could have spent the past four days getting her fix of him before the nightmare of her weekend of family bonding began.

Friday, she was already tired, dreading the fact she’d be ignored by her father and negged by her step-mother until freedom on Monday.

Which was more or less how it shook out.

Annabeth regrettably never worked up the courage to text her brothers, or even her father, concerning Helen’s health. She was afraid of them wondering what took her so long, shaming her for being a neglectful “member” of the family. Not that she had ever felt like one to begin with.

Even more frightening though, was what the news might be.

It was unlikely the tests would return with an “everything is fine” result. It could be the worst possible scenario; it was back, it was big, it was terminal. Most likely, it would be “inconclusive, come in for more tests.”

Her only comfort was that if the cancer had returned, her brothers would have told her already, or even her father as he had done with the first diagnosis.

At least, she hoped she hadn’t become so unreliable that that wasn’t the case.

Christmas Eve came. Annabeth took the bus to her childhood home, overnight bag in hand. Presents went under the tree. Her brothers gave hugs, her dad an absent squeeze, Helen a tight lipped smile that looked more like she had eaten a sour grape than anything else. Annabeth gladly noted that the woman didn’t look any paler or frailer than usual.

The test results were inconclusive.

She helped in the kitchen for most of the day, which she could tell Helen wasn’t particularly grateful for. As long as Annabeth had been fending for herself, cooking had never been a strong suit.

Still, when her step-mother inevitably got fatigued, she reluctantly allowed Annabeth to complete the preparations.

Extended family began to arrive soon after, mostly from Helen’s side, meaning Annabeth did her best to avoid them. Her own aunt and uncles arrived, though she was disappointed her cousin Magnus was not with them.

“He’s backpacking across Europe with Alex!” Aunt Natalie had gushed when he was asked after, and Annabeth felt a pang of jealousy. She wanted to travel the world with a partner, skip out on awkward family reunions, see great architecture, share it all with someone she loved–

“That’s amazing, tell him to send me a postcard!” Annabeth responded with a smile, shoving the intrusive thoughts away.

They had dinner–Helen commented “The greens are far too wilted and the garlic not diced nearly fine enough.” which Annabeth figured was the closest she’d get to a compliment–then when at last the house was back to just the five of them, the holiday tradition of watching “It’s A Wonderful Life” as a family came next.

Annabeth hadn’t seen the end in years, as much as she had once loved the film.

It used to be a tradition with just her and her dad–the boys hadn’t been born, and then they had been too young to stay up on Christmas Eve to watch it anyway. Helen would always find an excuse to not be in the room, so it had been just father and daughter. It was their thing. Watching old movies with him, watching this movie with him, those were the only times she had ever felt a real connection with her father.

He would talk to her–actually to her, not just at her–about trivia, about the stories he loved and the ones he hated, and even more, he would listen when Annabeth had something to add.

But then the boys got older, and they wanted to watch too. Annabeth had been glad for it, but when that meant Helen would join, it became clear something that had been so dear to her would be fundamentally changed forever.

Helen didn’t like talking during movies. Annabeth knew for a fact her step-mother didn’t care much for this one, and they had seen it dozens of times anyway, so this felt like bullshit.

Of course, her step-mother now perched on the couch next to Frederick Chase on movie nights, where Annabeth herself once did. Annabeth’s father, once impassioned by the movies he loved and bursting with fun facts and history, barely paid attention these days,  scrolling through his phone idly instead. Matthew and Bobby usually sprawled around them on the couch too.

Which left Annabeth curled into herself alone on the love seat.

So for nearly the past decade, when George Bailey was at his lowest, she would quietly excuse herself and pad off to bed.

Tonight, her breaking point seemed to come earlier. As George vehemently and fervently exclaimed he would never be married, never be trapped in a job he hated, a life he didn’t want, Annabeth felt a wave of nausea come over her. When he and Mary embraced, her discomfort had her slipping from the room before she even realized she had left the couch.

No one noticed. Or at least, no one acknowledged her leaving.

Annabeth tip-toed on the stairs as she always had since she was a child. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. She made her way to her old bedroom– it was now a home office for Helen, who had never even had a job before the cancer, so it was mainly utilized as a space for her to crochet or gossip on the phone away from her teen sons and absent-minded husband.

The guest bedroom was currently crowded with storage and boxes, so Annabeth got to sleep on the futon instead.

She curled up on the stiff mattress, wrapping herself in the comforter she was provided with, suddenly desperately wishing she could be anywhere else but here.

Well. Not anywhere else.

One place specifically.

She had avoided texting him since he had left. But now, it seemed dumb to deny herself something that would have made this whole day far more bearable.

It was late though. Probably too late.

Tomorrow, then. Maybe.

Annabeth lay there for what felt like hours, before finally drifting to sleep, a familiar sigh caged somewhere deep within her chest.

 

---

 

Christmas itself would have been more of the same without the buzz of a text that jarred her from her dreams.

She fumbled for her phone, squinting at the time, before her eyes flickered down to the message. And she smiled.

7:13AM DIOGENES
Wanna pick me up from the airport tomorrow?

Annabeth bit her lip, fighting the urge to roll her eyes, because of course he finally messaged her only to ask for a chore .

Except there was certainly a different request just below the surface of the words, an invitation of sorts.

7:15AM PRINCESS
You do realize you’ve asked the absolute worst person this, right?

7:15AM DIOGENES
Why?

7:16AM PRINCESS
I literally don’t have a car.

She yawned, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she watched the little three dots that indicated he was typing appear and disappear. Then finally:

7:17AM DIOGENES
Well, my car is actually in airport parking
I was kinda thinking you could take the rail and then we could drive back to my place together
…For more railing. ;)
If you wanted

7:17AM PRINCESS
Wouldn’t just picking me up from my apartment accomplish the same thing?

7:18AM DIOGENES
I guess
But that adds an extra 30 minutes to getting to see you again

7:18AM PRINCESS
I could just say I don’t want to see you until the new year

7:18AM DIOGENES
…
>:(

7:19AM PRINCESS
Just saying.
You’re asking for a lot of effort from me here, and my apartment is between y our place and the airport anyway

7:19AM DIOGENES
Fine, fine, I’ll pick you up
Also
Merry xmas!

Annabeth caught her smile, even if there was no one around to see it. She couldn't afford to get lazy with her emotions or reactions, especially not if they’d continue to be around other people.

She shot back a quick “ You too .” before forcing herself from the futon (which was harder than she expected) to pad downstairs for Christmas morning stuff.

Her presents went over well. Matthew and Bobbie both lost their collective minds, Bobbie already making plans to borrow a friends truck to pick up the punching bag later that day. Her father’s own face broke into a— well, not a grin, but his excitement was palpable as his lips twitched upward and his eyes sparkled and he rattled off facts about the plane in the model kit.

Even Helen came close to an actual compliment, “Mm, this was a good year. What a lucky happenstance, you picking a quality bottle.” As if Annabeth wasn’t familiar with wine or knew how to do research.

As for her own presents…

The only one she particularly cared for was the architecture book Matthew and Bobby had went in on together. She was touched they’d gotten her anything at all— between sports and exams, neither had much time for an after school job and Annabeth had always felt an allowance should be used for personal spending.

Helen gave her a Bath & Bodywork’s lavender body wash and candle set. Which might have been nice had lavender not been a scent that tended to trigger uncontrollable sneezing on Annabeth’s part. Something she had mentioned after last Christmas when she had been gifted a nearly identical lotion.

Her father’s present to her was a blue-ray of Hollywood’s latest attempt at updating some Greek myth based story for a modern audience. Annabeth had mentioned to him in the past that she despised the film. It was also very much available on Netflix, so buying it at all seemed moot. This stung more than the allergy inducing soap, if she was honest with herself.

They had a late brunch. Frederick Chase disappeared into his office to start on the model. Helen began the process of deconstructing the Christmas decorations— even though Annabeth felt it was ludicrous to do so before the day was even over.

She helped Matthew set up the gaming console, Bobby watching from the couch as he admired the boxing gloves with his name embroidered inside each.

All in all, she couldn’t find it in herself to complain. Bobby eventually excused himself to sprint out to his friend’s truck to pick up his present. Matthew became engrossed in some new open world rpg that Annabeth had preinstalled— ironically, it was set in Ancient Greece.

She watched for a bit, then wrinkled her nose, “Wait wait wait—go back to that screen,” Matthew switched through the options in character customization, “The gods’ symbols… what exactly are you selecting here…?”

“Your character’s godly parent. You play as a demigod.”

“…So why is Athena there?!”

Matthew shrugged, reading through the stats and abilities of each of the options idly, “Why shouldn’t she be? Wasn’t she like, your favorite in highschool? I thought you’d be mad if she wasn’t included.”

“But she was a maiden goddess!”

“Yeah, I know she’s a girl…?”

“No, no—Matthew, ‘maiden’ means ‘virgin.’”

It was his turn to wrinkle his nose in a nearly identical expression— they were siblings, after all; “Ew, gross ‘Beth! You’re my older sister, you’re not supposed to even know what sex is! ”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Well, this game is inaccurate. Athena didn’t have kids, and if she did it would break her vow and remove an important aspect of her divinity—“

“Yeah yeah, I’m sure they explain it—oh sick , Hephaestus gives crafting bonuses and fire resistance? Fuck yeah, it’s like an artificer!”

“Language.” She said it out of habit, though neither of them really cared.

After a few hours of him playing the game, interspersed with unsolicited comments from Annabeth (“Ugh they used the Roman spelling of Heracles’ name! Why do people keep doing that?!” “Those two heroes didn’t even exist at the same time!” “How come you can farm tomatoes? Those didn’t exist outside of the Americas at this point which Europe hadn’t even realized existed yet—!”) Matthew finally sighed out, “Hey, ‘Beth, not that I don’t enjoy your commentary and stuff, but…you’re kinda breaking my immersion.”

She snorted, but took the hint, standing and mussing his hair, “Fine, fine. Just trying to educate you, expand your mind.”

“I could probably expand it more if you let me buy weed from your friend—“

She threw a pillow at him, glancing around frantically to make sure no parents overheard that, “I told you she is an adult and a guidance counselor, she is not going to sell you, a minor, drugs!”

“Yeah but she bought us beer that one time which studies have shown is way worse for you—“

“That was nonalcoholic beer Mattie.” Annabeth laughed at his gobsmacked expression, shaking her head as she started to pad from the room.

“Wait—that—no, shit, that can’t be true! Megan Stoves totally made out with Johnny Talverson at that party, and they never would have done that if they weren’t… oh my god Annabeth I tried to breakdance on mom’s nice table! I had to have been— shit! ”

“Language!” She called back again, laughing to herself as she made her way to her makeshift room.

She packed quickly. She put the futon in its proper position, carried the sheets downstairs and started a load of laundry. She made sure she had everything together, her presents, her keys, her wallet. She stopped by her Dad’s office.

“Hey, I’m heading out.”

“Mmm.” He barely acknowledged her, tongue poking out in concentration as he carefully glued a miniscule something to another miniscule something. The pieces were utterly unrecognizable, devoid of the context of the instructions and model.

Annabeth felt his singular focus was a bit endearing every once in a while, and despite wishing for a proper goodbye, this was one such occasion. She was the same after all, when it came to what she loved. She could spend hours entirely focused on sketching a design. Thalia would have a full conversation with her and Annabeth would remember none of it. The fact that something she had gifted him with stirred a reaction of utter excitement that only his work could achieve these days made her feel oddly proud. He wasn’t being distant now due to work or because he didn’t know how to be a father. He wasn’t dissociating the same way Annabeth did when she was overwhelmed and beaten down. She had done something, and it had made him so happy he couldn’t think of anything more.

So, worth it, she supposed.

Annabeth turned to leave.

“Hon’?”

Surprised, she turned back, her dad looking over his spectacles in her direction but avoiding eye contact as he often did, “You made this a pretty good Christmas.”

If the shock of being addressed directly wasn’t enough to push her completely over, the befuddlement she felt now hit like a freight train. “I… what do you mean…?”

He shrugged, “Your stepmother… She does try, but she also tends to… get others what she thinks they should want. Your brothers with their expensive watches that they will never wear, letter jackets they explicitly told her they didn’t want to waste money on, and autobiographies of great doctors and lawyers—“

“She still on that?” Annabeth fought a smile at hearing her dad complain about his wife. It didn’t happen often—he truly did love her despite her flaws—but when it did she felt like they had something to commiserate together on.

“ Yes. ” He grumbled, “She’s not fully satisfied with Bobby wanting to be a physical therapist, but at least she accepts that as being close enough to a ‘real’ Doctor as she puts it,” he rubbed his eyes under his glasses. Annabeth was familiar with the old argument about her dad’s Doctorate as well. “Matt however… I don’t think she will accept it until the day he comes home with that diploma.”

“He’ll still be in STEM.”

“Yes, but well, you know how she feels about video games already. And then what she got you, the candles from her, the movie meant to be from me…” Frederick Chase shook his head, Annabeth realizing he hadn’t actually picked that disaster of a film himself. Did he even try? “But really it’s…she remembers important things about people, but not why they’re important. I wonder if the chemo—“

“No.” Annabeth interrupted without thinking, then cleared her throat, “No, she…she’s always been like that.”

Her father frowned for a moment, then began to turn back to the model.

“…Hey dad, you know you can do your own Christmas shopping, right?”

His brow furrowed as he used the tiniest paintbrush Annabeth had ever seen to add detail to his project, “But your mother always does the shopping.”

“ Helen does so because you have proven yourself incompetent, dad.” It was impossible to hold it in any longer. “You go out for groceries and get things that weren’t on the list and leave out things that are needed, she asks you to do dishes and you load the washer without adding detergent, hell, you forgot to pick up Bobby and Mattie from lacrosse, soccer, and football practices more than I can count on both hands.” Annabeth didn’t feel so much as anxious as she stated the cold hard facts for her clueless father who looked positively taken aback.

“I… well, yes, perhaps I’m a bit absentminded, but—“

“Dad, when’s the last time you did a chore? Or did something for your family? Taken the boys out without Helen planning it? Or even taken Helen on a date that she didn’t plan for you?!”

“Well I—she couldn’t do much of those things when she got sick and they still got done so—“

“Because of me , dad.” She would have expected anxiety to flood her, saying things like this, being this blunt, but she couldn’t find it in her to sugarcoat it, “You asked me—no, you begged me to come back here when Helen got sick. You said you couldn’t do it alone. You didn’t know how to care for your house or your kids or your wife. So I quit my job—my dream job. I sold my car so I could afford the move. And I came back because you needed me to, and honestly? I don’t think you’ve ever said so much as thank you.”

He stared at her. She stared back.

“Do you remember that first year?”

“I… Honey it was such a hard time for all of us, my memory is so—“

“Well I remember all of it. I worked a lot of odd jobs before Luke got me an in and NAU. I would get up at 5am so I could bus over here and make sure the boys got to school on time. I’d work, and then I’d come over again so I could use your car to pick them up from practice and after school clubs and take them to appointments so their lives could remain as normal as possible in the shittiest situation ever. Then I’d make dinner. Then I’d go to work again.”

“Annabeth—“

“And then guess what? You still didn’t do anything! Sure, you’d drive Helen to appointments. Because that was real, and scary, and tangible to you. Bobby and Matthew had to learn to fend for themselves. They did chores without being asked, they figured out their own carpooling schedules to give me a break, they learned to cook and clean and they still had highschool and homework to worry about! They should have spent the past few years with friends, making memories, preparing for their futures, and because of you , they’ve had to manage that all on their own. I tried, but I’m not their parent. I’m their sister. I’m still trying to figure out my own life, and you made me responsible for theirs too.”

“I…we…we needed help—“

“We needed your help!” She wasn’t shouting, but her voice was raised much louder than she had intended, “The only reason any of us survived this—prevented the house from falling apart, kept the twins from being kicked out of school, kept food in the fridge, kept appointments and med refills and every other little thing—was because of me. And Bobby. And Matthew. And even Helen, who would literally sometimes push through her exhaustion from fucking chemotherapy to cook and clean when things got a little worse than your kids could handle. They needed you . And you couldn’t step up even then. So I think the least you could do is buy some damn Christmas gifts yourself.”

The study was silent. Frederick’s jaw worked up and down, but no sound was produced. Annabeth sighed, turning again, “I’m glad you like your plane, dad. Merry Christmas.”

In the thin hall that couched the stairs that led to her father’s office, she found Helen leaning against the railing.

Annabeth met her gaze, firm, daring her to say anything.

“You shouldn’t speak to your father that way.” The woman finally spoke, moving out of the way slightly so Annabeth could slip past.

“But,” the conjunction made Annabeth pause, the top step creaking beneath her feet, “Thank you.”

That was certainly a first.

Annabeth took a breath, then without a word back headed to where she’d left her bag near the front door.

Matthew’s game was paused, him eyeing her, “Were…were you and dad fighting?”

“That’s not really the word for it.” She slung her bag over her shoulder.

“I heard your voice, you sounded like Mom when she gets pissed at me about college stuff.”

She wasn’t sure she liked being compared to Helen in any capacity, “How much did you hear?”

“It was too muffled to make any of it out.” He turned back to the tv but instead of unpausing, he saved and quit. Annabeth swore she could see a small smile hiding in the corner of his mouth. “Come on, I’ll drive you home, I don’t think mom will mind if I use her car.”

“Better ask her first.” Annabeth crossed her arms.

“Ugh, fine .” He trudged away to do just that.

Annabeth thought she might feel better once she got home, but her apartment just felt…cold. Empty. Lonely. Her energy was utterly drained, and after a dinner of microwave ramen and a rerun of some old tv show she didn’t really care for, she flopped into bed early and took comfort in the fact that Percy would be back the next day.

 

---

 

Notes:

EARLY CHAPTER
Anyway
Here we are
This one was uhhhhh cathartic and we will leave it at that

I rushed home to post this so pls validate me in the comments if you so choose, especially since this chapter doesn't have a lot of the witty Percabeth banter that we know and love and crave

also if you were a tgar reader.... u KNOW I can't resist a good text exchange they're just too fun to write

Chapter 14: you did a number on me (but honestly, baby, who's counting?)

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains explicit sexual content

Monday afternoon, Annabeth found herself awkwardly standing by baggage claim carousel number 7, the airport fairly packed with people returning from holiday visits.

Why was she here? If someone were to ask her, the response would be “If you know the answer, please tell me!”

Percy had texted her the details that morning;

9:28AM DIOGENES
Flight gets in at 5:30-ish, so I’ll be around to pick you up at like…
A little before 6:30? Depending on how long it takes to get my bags

9:28AM PRINCESS
Sure.

And then Annabeth tossed her phone to the side, determined to not let the sudden feeling of something soft and light expanding in her chest distract her from enjoying her day as she normally would.

And she was super successful at it.

She successfully only checked her phone once every hour instead of every half an hour.

She successfully showered. Self care is important.

She successfully applied makeup. Who says it’s only worthwhile if you're leaving the house?

She successfully refrained from styling her hair, letting the curls dry naturally. Not for any particular reason. It was just time to try and embrace them.

She successfully didn’t leap to snatch up her phone when it buzzed from a “ boarding now! ” text from Percy.

She successfully fought the stupid grin that wanted to come to her features when it was followed up with “ see you soon <3 ”, settling on a small smile instead.

She successfully left her apartment to pick up some tea from the coffee shop down the street.

And then suddenly, she wasn’t so successful.

Annabeth got her tea. She stepped outside. And then her feet carried her towards the bus stop instead of home. The bus brought her to the rail station, which in turn brought her to the airport, which in turn brought her to the now, worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth, fingers picking at a stray thread in her jacket.

A whole day of hard work, gone to waste. And she had been so good at acting like she didn’t care too! Well… good at acting like she didn’t care that much.

‘Who are you performing for?’ Mused the little voice in her head.

She ignored it.

Instead, her eyes studied the digital screen announcing arrivals. Percy’s flight was marked as “Arrived” only 15 minutes ago. Yet she got antsier and more annoyed the longer it took for him to show up. He was doing this on purpose , making her wait–ignoring the fact that he didn’t know she was here, she just knew he somehow was trying to get under her skin anyway. She leaned back against the concrete pillar behind her, trying to fight the nerves that made her skin prickle.

A new large group of travelers emerged from around the corner, dispersing to their different carousels and chatting about their trips. Annabeth searched the crowd, that thread between her fingers snapping off when she caught sight of the black wavy hair curling up around the edges of a knit cap.

Percy took a moment longer to spot her, thumb tapping away at his phone as he walked. The buzz in Annabeth’s pocket barely even registered, because then he looked up and there she was.

The surprise on his face was worth being unsuccessful.

And then he was jogging towards her and before she could protest, his arm was around her waist, his hand in her curls, his lips pressing to hers greedily and freely.

Annabeth was only human. Who could blame her for kissing back once she got past her initial shock? But as the seconds ticked by, she finally pushed him away, glancing around with mild panic though it was hard to be too worried with his body so close and his fingers twisting her curls.

“We– we’re in public!” She finally managed, breathing slightly heavier than usual.

Percy’s smile didn’t leave his lips, his gaze on her face unwavering as he leaned down to try for another kiss, “We are.”

Her hand came up to block him, her brow furrowed, “Someone could see us!”

His brow raised, “So?” Percy murmured into her fingers, “No one we know is here.”

“That we know of!”

“Come on, Chase.” He coaxed, tilting his head to press a kiss to her palm, his eyes smoldering and still locked on hers, “It’s a crowded airport. The likelihood of randomly seeing anyone who happens to know us both is super low.”

She huffed, pursing her lips and furrowing her brow; it was difficult to concentrate with him looking at her like that, his slightly chapped lips tickling her hand that she still held steadily between them, “Even so, you’re acting like… like we’re dating! Don’t only couples have wildly romantic reunions and kisses in the middle of airports?”

“You think I’m wildly romantic?” Despite not being able to fully see it, Annabeth could tell his grin was widening.

“I– that isn’t the point! What I’m saying is–” Her train of thought was interrupted once more as his tongue dragged across her palm and she yanked her hand away, making a face of disgust, “Ugh! What are you, twelve?!”

“Maybe.” They were still entangled and he leaned forward to press her against the pillar, “Look, I was planning to do that when I picked you up. But seeing as you’re here… well, I adjusted accordingly. You’re the one who switched it up on me.”

“I—I was in the neighborhood!”

“Uh huh.” Percy bit his lip, his giddiness palpable and unfortunately, infectious, though Annabeth tried to fight it—and pretend she hadn’t been feeling the same before he even arrived.

“ Anyway , as I was saying, people are looking, and they might think we’re together.”

His eyebrow raised, “But… we are together.” He gestured to the tiny amount of space between them.

“…You know what I mean! We aren’t like that!”

“And why should it matter to me what strangers assume about us? Doesn’t change the truth.” He straightened, readjusting the backpack on his shoulders, meanwhile Annabeth’s brain worked overtime to understand this concept of what others thought not mattering.

Not caring what her students or other teachers thought was one thing—okay, and maybe that was a bit of a lie too. She did care. She wanted them to see her as someone who took her job seriously, who wasn’t there to be nice, or make friends, or coddle them. In fact, it mattered to her very much that they saw her in the way she wanted them to.

Of course, Percy hadn’t really seemed to ever quite fall for the act. Maybe that was why he was so frustrating.

Annabeth was jogged from her thoughts as Percy took her hand, giving it a squeeze, “Come on, let’s get to the car.”

Her brows knit together, “But… your luggage?”

“Oh, I just have this.” He tugged on the straps of the backpack.

“But… but your text…! You said—you said you had to get your bags and… why…?“

“Oh yeah, that, I was just trying to buy some time so I could make a pit stop on the way to your place to pick you up some coffee.” He reached up to tuck one of her stray curls behind her ear, “So, since you’re here already…”

“I…” Her mind blanked at the casualty of the touch, the idea that after a long trip he’d already be thinking of her, of getting her things, of surprising her, of kissing her hello…

Annabeth stamped those thoughts down to the land of ‘Ignore Forever (Or Until It Bites You In The Ass)’.

“Lead the way.”

She dropped his hand as they headed to the garage. If he minded, his face didn’t show it.

“You in the mood for Taco Bell? ‘Cause I’m starved.” Percy asked as he sped onto the highway.

“I could go for fake Mexican food, sure.”

He chuckled, “I’ll treat you to something nicer than fast food tomorrow night.”

She scrunched up her nose, “Like Noodles and Company?”

“...That’s still fast food?”

“Nah, it’s fast casual.”

“Alright, fine, but not what I had in mind.” His tone was light, but it piqued Annabeth’s curiosity.

“Okay, so you have somewhere specific picked out?”

“There’s a new hotpot place around the corner from my apartment.”

“And they deliver?”

“No.”

Her anxiety spiked, “So… you want to go out to eat?”

Percy shrugged, “Don’t you get sick of takeout?”

“Well, yes, but…like a date?”

“I prefer to think of it as two colleagues who sometimes have sex enjoying a meal together–one not on my couch for once.”

“We ate at your table two weeks ago.” She reminded him and he snorted.

“Come on, you know what I mean.”

Annabeth chewed on a hangnail, weighing her options. On one hand, it sounded nice to just be outside together. On the other hand, it was risky…

“If anyone we know shows up, I’ll duck under the table.” Came his offer and she rolled her eyes.

“Okay, okay, but only because I know the restaurant you’re talking about and it looks really good.” A beat. “You’re paying though.”

“And here I thought you’d insist on going dutch so that it wouldn’t feel like a date.”

“Consider it my fee for having to be seen in public with you at all.”

It didn’t take long before they were slipping inside Percy’s place, stomping snow from their shoes, Taco Bell in hand. Blackjack came bolting from the bedroom, meowing indignantly at not seeing his dad in so long. 

“I know little guy,” Percy cooed at him, “did you have fun with Jason? Yeah?” He planted a kiss on the kitten’s head before tossing him to the sofa. This seemed to ameliorate the little cat’s mood, because he scampered off.

Annabeth was so busy smiling at the pair that she only just noticed the state of his apartment.

Lights. Decorations. A smaller Christmas tree, but a Christmas tree all the same. She blinked, because none of those had been there when she had left his place that Saturday. And then four days later, he was in New York–he wasn’t even home for the holiday! Yet, he decorated all the same.

“Why…?” She looked at him questioningly, and he shrugged.

“Why not? Thought it would be nice for you to open your presents with a matching atmosphere to get you in the mood.”

“I–you…?! Presents?!” Plural?! Had he done this solely for her? There was no way… yet she couldn’t think of a more logical explanation than the one he had offered up.

“Yeah, presents.” He sipped at his blue iced drink, gesturing vaguely, “We can do presents first, or tacos first. Your choice.”

Annabeth couldn’t even find the words to respond, her shoes kicked off, her coat hung up, padding to the tree and kneeling next to it, her bag slipping from her shoulder. Sure enough, there were two wrapped gifts underneath.

“But… why did you?”

“Why did I what?” Percy was unpacking their food, now in just a long sleeve shirt and jeans.

“Why did you get me gifts?”

“Why wouldn’t I? It would feel pretty rude if I didn’t, considering how often I see you.” He paused, then hastily added, “Not that I think you’re rude for not getting me anything.”

“Oh. I… I did get you something, actually.” She glanced back at him just in time to catch a look of surprise flash across his face. It passed, replaced with a smile.

“See? Then it would have been definitely rude if I had nothing to give in return.” He strolled over, sitting on the floor beside her, “Don’t suppose you have my presents with you…?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, fighting her own smile as she pulled a wrapped gift and something small out from her bag, “I guess I’ll just give you this one first… I didn’t really think it was worth wrapping, and I meant to give it to you at Jason’s but I… I forgot.” She sheepishly pressed the key into his palm.

Percy looked down at it, expression nearly unreadable other than the slight widening of his eyes. And then he burst out laughing, “This–oh God, Chase, is this what I think it is…?!”

She suddenly felt self conscious, defensively trying to explain, “You… you’re just over so often and it’s annoying to have to give you my key, and I don’t want you hanging around my building where people can see you so I– what is so funny?!”

“Just–just here.” He handed her the small box, and Annabeth realized what was inside as soon as she took it.

“You… you’re kidding!” Sure enough, there was now a key in her hands as well. And for some reason, he had paid extra for a custom design, little stars decorating the deep blue color of the metal.

Percy nodded, chuckles still escaping here and there, “Guess we had the same thought. Plus, I guess it’s only right, seeing as your shampoo and conditioner is cluttering up my shower and we each have like five changes of clothes in each other’s dressers.”

Annabeth felt very warm. This felt like something partners would do, not fuck buddies. 

But she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

“Go on, open the other one.”

She reached for it, mind racing with what he could have possibly gotten for her–how well did he actually know her? On that note, how well did she know him? Other than their shared job in humanities? But as the paper fell away, those worries disappeared too.

“I wasn’t sure if you liked this genre, but when I looked up old movies those were both listed up there as some good ones, and I couldn’t find them on any streaming services either, so I thought it could be a safe bet, but if you don’t like them or have one or both already I kept the receipt so you can pick out something else–”

“Percy?”

“Yeah?”

“How the fuck did you manage to get me my favorite romcoms?!” She tore her gaze away from His Girl Friday and Roman Holiday , one in each hand, to stare at him. The slight anxiety in his features dissipated, a grin once more on his lips.

“Well, you said that you liked old films, and I read the concepts and just…” He shrugged, “A woman making it in a man’s world in the 40s? Bickering with her ex-husband, uncovering a government conspiracy, sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong… I had a hunch.”

“When have I ever stuck my nose where it doesn’t belong?” She gave him a light shove.

“It just seems like something you would do.” 

“So… what about Roman Holiday …?”

He reached for the last present, “Not sure. A lost princess discovering the world, Rome, a streetwise reporter, deception but…true feelings coming from it. It seemed sweet.” Percy paused his careful undoing of the bow, “Plus I hear Audrey Hepburn is an icon. We can watch one of them tonight if you want, I’ve never seen either.”

“Really?” She perked up, the excitement impossible to keep out of her voice.

“Really–oh holy shit! ” Percy started to crack up again, holding up the box that portrayed the comical bobblehead within; Diogenes, in a toga, clutching a plucked chicken in hand.

The delight on his face filled Annabeth with relief. She worried it was too kitschy, but Percy struck her as someone who liked silly, cheap things.

“I just thought you’d enjoy–” She was cut off as Percy dragged her into a hug, his arms enveloping her. She stiffened slightly, “I– it’s… it's just a bobblehead…”

“I know.” She felt his face bury into her hair.

Her brow furrowed, but slowly her arms lifted to hug him back, “Do… Do you like bobbleheads?”

“I love bobbleheads.” He murmured.

“...okay, I give up, why are we hugging?”

Percy pulled back with a grin, “Guess I’m just glad I’m home. And kissing you seemed like it might be a bit too much of thanks for a toy, no matter how much I like it.”

Somehow, the hug felt far more intimate than if he had kissed her.

Annabeth shifted, biting her lip, her eyes flickering to his own, “Well, I… it’s nice. To have you back.” 

His eyes seemed to twinkle–or maybe that was just the lights of the Christmas tree reflecting in them, “Glad you think so, Chase.” He pulled himself to his feet, stretching before reaching down to help Annabeth up, “So, which movie?”

“Roman Holiday.” She answered without hesitation.

“Sounds good to me.”

A few minutes later, Annabeth was perched on the sofa, wrestling the new key onto her keyring while Percy set up the movie. She’d changed into one of his t-shirts and some shorts, her hair pulled up into a messy bun, Percy had likewise gotten comfortable, though his t-shirt was much tighter on him than it was on Annabeth, and his gray sweatpants…suddenly Annabeth understood why the internet was so obsessed with them.

He hopped onto the couch beside her, pulling a handful of hot sauce packets from the paper bags they had moved to the coffee table.

“Man that’s wild.”

“Hmm?”

“How similar Rome looks today as it did in the 50s.”

Annabeth wrinkled her nose, “I mean… it’s been that way for thousands of years, I don’t think another 70 would change it much more.”

“Still, it’s just… really nice to know that some things man-made are permanent.”

“And woman.”

“Huh?”

She paused in sipping her Baja Blast, “And woman-made.”

“Okay, people-made then.” He leaned back, munching on a half unwrapped crunch wrap supreme, “Just… It's incredible. I wonder if they knew that what they were making would still leave future generations awestruck long after their names are forgotten.”

Annabeth shifted slightly, a pang going through her chest at the reminder of what she wanted to be doing, versus what she was doing instead. Nothing permanent would be built by her own hands at this rate.

Luckily, she didn’t have to formulate a response, “Oh shit, Gregory Peck?”

“Mmhmm.”

“My mom loves To Kill A Mockingbird, damn he looks young…”

“He was actually pretty depressed when making this movie,” Annabeth focused on spicing up her burrito, not wishing to cause another hot-sauce-pocalypse, “He and his wife had just divorced, and suddenly he was in Italy filming a romance.”

“Sounds like a bummer.”

“It turned out okay though. He met the woman he would spend the rest of his life with while filming in Europe.”

“Hepburn?”

“No, a French woman. But he was a big champion of Hepburn’s, he pushed for her to get the main billing even though she was unknown before this–told the director she was going to win an Oscar, and he was right.” She glanced at him, “Are you gonna make me answer questions and talk the whole movie?”

“Maybe.” He stuck out his tongue, turned blue from his drink, “But I think you like it.”

Annabeth huffed in feigned exasperation, but… well, she couldn’t help it if she was happy to finally have someone listen to her useless film trivia.

The movie went on. When the food was gone and their cups drained, Percy’s arm remained draped behind Annabeth. A blanket was spread across their laps, and she was acutely aware of the distance between them.

They weren’t close enough to touch, but they were close enough for her to be tempted to throw caution to the wind and snuggle against him, rest her head on his chest and feel his arm wrap around her as she knew it would.

It dawned on her that they hadn’t seen each other in a week, yet… instead of getting straight to business, moving to the bedroom, they’d opened presents. And had dinner. And watched an old romance movie that she loved.

She settled on hugging her knees, keeping her focus on the screen, resisting the compulsion to be too familiar with a man who had somehow dominated her life and thoughts recently.

Annabeth offered fun facts here and there, but the last few minutes of the movie was spent in rapt silence, interrupted only by Annabeth’s sniffling.

The credits rolled.

“Wait…” Percy stared at the screen, “Wait wait wait, that can’t be it– that’s how it ends?! I—are you crying?!”

Annabeth hurriedly wiped at her tears, trying to play it off, “No, no it’s… it’s nothing, it just… I can’t help it!” She gestured towards the tv, “Everytime, I know what’s coming, and I think maybe… maybe this time, it will end differently. Maybe this time they can… they can be together.” She glanced at Percy, feeling a blush come to her cheeks, “Why are you staring at me?!”

“Chase, I need you to give me a straight answer,” He leaned in, “Are you a hopeless romantic?”

“Oh fuck off! ” She groaned, pulling the blanket over her head.

Percy’s laugh followed her, as did the rest of him as he joined her in the dark, “No shame in it! I am too! Just didn’t think you were the type!”

“It’s just a good movie okay!”

“Yeah, but I think it was misnamed–that definitely wasn’t a romcom.”

“It was funny!”

“Yeah, sure, but ending it like that?!” He shook his head, tugging her close beneath their makeshift blanket fort despite her grumbled protests, “Why would they do that?”

“Because it’s reality.” Annabeth begrudgingly allowed Percy to pull her into his lap, the blanket falling away, “Sometimes it doesn’t matter who you want to be with or what life you want to have. Responsibilities have to come first sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” He teased, nosing along her jaw.

“Most of the time.” She squirmed, “What are you doing?”

“Cheering you up.”

“I don’t need cheering up!”

“Maybe not, but your tears stopped at least.” He reached up to brush a few curls from her face. A wave of shyness washed over Annabeth, her eyes a little red and a few sniffles still escaping here and there–his face was so close, his eyes seeming to want to take in every inch of her.

“I guess… But if a movie is good enough to make me cry, I don’t mind it so much.”

“Well, I hope good movies are the only thing that make you cry.”

“...You’re acting weird.”

He chuckled, “How so?”

“You’re being…” She searched for the right word, but only one seemed to fit, “...sweet.”

“Am I not allowed to be sweet?” Percy’s fingers trailed lightly up and down her spine, making a pleasant, shivery feeling spread through her body.

“No I… it’s just weird.”

“Well, I missed seeing you, I guess.” He shrugged.

Annabeth swallowed, finally turning her gaze to meet his, their noses bumping, “Should we be missing each other?”

He seemed to mull it over, “I mean, I don’t see why not. If you see someone every day at work and on the weekends to boot, I think any prolonged time away from each other would invoke some sort of ‘missing’ sensation.” His forehead pressed to hers, “Even if the two people in question hate each other like we do.”

The tease in his voice made Annabeth want to protest on principle but she caught herself–maybe they didn’t hate each other at this point, but it suddenly seemed very important to her that they keep up the pretense. If that wall fell…would any other form of protection remain between them?

Instead she brushed past it, “What did you miss about me.”

His eyebrow raised, “I didn’t hear a question there.” 

“Because it wasn’t one. It was a demand.” She tightened her grip on the front of his shirt, “Tell me.”

Percy grinned as if he’d been waiting for this his whole life, “Mmm… Well I missed your curly hair ending up in my mouth in the mornings.” He laughed at the face she made, “It gets everywhere, Princess.”

“Yeah, but why would you like that?!”

“Because I also missed how it smells like lemons.” He let his fingers play with the curls now cascading down her back–Annabeth hadn’t even realized her bun had fallen out. “I missed you trying and failing to pick a fight every 2 minutes.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Okay masochist.”

“Who’s the masochist–the one unbothered and thinking it’s cute, or the one picking fights that she knows will inevitably not pan out and she’ll end up blushing instead?”

“...Let’s move on.”

“Fine. I missed your gray eyes glaring at me–yeah, just like that.” She squirmed as if to get off of him, but his hands slipped down to maneuver her so she was straddling him instead, his hands holding her hips firmly in place.

Annabeth blinked at the smoothness of the transition, “How–?!”

“I missed your body.” His voice is low now, his eyes lidded and his hands slowly sliding up to push the hem of that oversized shirt away, gliding over smooth skin, “I missed seeing the face you make when I push inside you.” That earned a wide eyed look from Annabeth, her lips parting as she fought to find words at the sudden change in mood. But that seemed to encourage him, one hand reaching to grab the back of her head and yank it down so he could whisper in her ear.

“I missed hearing you beg for me, Annabeth.” His voice almost growled in her ear, and she shifted with a whimper, pressing against him now. The memory of the past week’s dryspell combined with his touches, his words, it had her suddenly desperate to feel him again.

“I missed wrapping this blonde, curly, citrus scented hair in my fingers and pulling until you gasp.” He demonstrated, tugging her head back, biting at the pale, smooth skin now accessible.

“I missed playing games with you. I missed your sweet voice crying my name. I missed feeling you tremble in my arms as I unmade you over and over and over again. I missed the taste of your lips, your skin.” He bit her again.

Annabeth moaned softly, “N-no marks!”

“Mm, are you planning on seeing anyone but me until New Year’s Eve?”

That made her pause, “I…well no, no concrete plans but—”

“So let me.” Percy nipped her neck again, eliciting another soft noise of pleasure. “Or is there another reason I can’t mark you so that every time you look in the mirror for the next week you know exactly who belongs to you.”

Annabeth gives a breathless laugh, “Don’t you have that backwards…?”

“Hmm?” He was pressing kisses to her throat, making it hard to focus.

“Isn’t it supposed to ‘exactly who you belong to,’ not ‘who belongs to you?’”

“I didn't misspeak, if that’s what you're thinking.” His teeth grazed her sensitive, unblemished skin once more, “If you want me to mark you, I will. If you don’t I won’t. If you want me to crawl on all fours and be at your beck and call, I will. If you want me to claim you belong to me, when we both know the truth, I’ll be glad to live out that fantasy.” She felt his nose trace her jawline, breath hot, “But don’t think for a moment I’m not yours to use as you wish.”

Her grip on the front of his shirt tightened, head still firmly tilted with her closed eyes towards the ceiling.

“Then… then use me back.” Finally came her response. 

His breath hitched, but Percy’s voice remained steady, almost a whisper, “Sure you’re prepared for that, Princess?”

“Make me yours too.”

In seconds Annabeth’s head was pulled towards him, their lips crashing together in a frenzy that made her lightheaded. Percy's hips lifted to grind against her, and she responded in kind. Evidently, it was not nearly enough for either, as Annabeth felt herself flipped onto her back, Percy on top of her, rolling his hips as his head dipped down once more to bite and suck and darken her neck with bruises.

She moaned, back arching, hands grasping and pulling at his shirt until it bunched up enough for her to touch his skin, to dig her nails into his shoulders, to feel the heat emanating from him.

“Percy… Percy…!” Annabeth’s own voice was a strained whisper, crying out his name over and over again, which seemed to spur him on. The hands on her hips tugged her shorts and underwear to her thighs, pinning her legs together in a way that made it impossible to spread them.

She reached for the tie to his sweatpants, and Percy finally lifted his head from her throat, pressing their foreheads together, “I gotta… get a condom.” He panted, clearly hating the idea of parting even for a second.

Annabeth bit her lip. “I’m… I’m on the pill, if um… if you want to just…”

He stared at her for a moment. Then with a groan his face dropped to bury into her neck once more, “Why couldn’t you have brought that up twenty minutes ago?!”

“Wh-what difference does that make?!”

“Because I am not letting you make that decision when were both horny as fuck.” With another grumble, he rolled off of her, heading for his backpack.

Annabeth sat up slightly, a protest already on her lips, before her brow furrowed, “Did… did you bring condoms to New York…?”

“Nah, bought them in the airport on the way home. Almost forgot I was out.” She breathed a sigh of relief–they’d already established the unofficial 6th rule, so she couldn’t say why she was so concerned about him sleeping with someone else in his hometown. 

“Leave those shorts where they are or I’m going to leave much bigger, darker marks on your body than just hickeys.” Percy didn’t even glance back as he dug around for the box.

Annabeth’s hands quickly dropped the bow she’d been attempting to get undone, giving an innocent smile when Percy turned back around, silver foil in hand. He stormed back, climbing on top of her once more, pushing her into the plush cushions as one of his hands dipped between them to softly stroke pussy. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip, fighting the sounds that threatened to spill.

“You’re just begging for trouble, huh Princess?”

She bit back a moan, “I-I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

He rubbed slow circles against her clit, “Mhm. You know the rule.” Percy’s fingers stopped pleasuring her, much to Annabeth’s frustration, and he lifted them to her lips instead, “If you aren’t going to use your pretty little mouth to moan like you’re supposed to when we’re together, then I guess I’ll just have to use it in other ways.”

Annabeth’s eyes widened as two of his digits pressed against her tongue.

“Suck.”

She did as commanded, feeling him shift so that his still clothed member could grind against her aching pussy. His fingers pumped in and out, letting her coat them with saliva as their hips moved in tandem.

Though muffled, she didn’t hold back her cries this time. The friction between them built, and she struggled against the shorts that held her in place–she wanted to spread her legs, to beg him to take her, but as enticing as his threatened ‘punishment’ was, it had been an agonizing week without him and she didn’t want to prolong this any further.

Unfortunately, Percy seemed to think she deserved a bit more excruciating anticipation.

He finally pulled his fingers out, a small strand of spit breaking as they pressed back against her opening. They teased up and down, stimulating her clit once more, just barely dipping into her slit before pulling back while she lifted her hips in frustration.

Finally, Percy grabbed her, flipping her onto her stomach and pressing her back until it sloped the way he wanted it to. Slowly, he pressed his middle finger inside, careful not to hurt her. It was tighter than Annabeth was used to, but it also felt fucking incredible . 

But Percy was meticulous. She wondered if he was drawing this out out of care, or if he just wanted to make her squirm, make her reach the precipice. And at this rate… that was where she was headed.

Her body trembled as he added a second finger, and then another, his free hand reaching around to rub at her clit again. It was too much. It was not enough.

Annabeth hadn’t even realized how close she was when she tumbled over with a cry, burying her face into a throw pillow as she spasmed and whimpered and felt her walls throb around Percy’s fingers, which refused to let up.

And then his voice was right by her ear, “It seems that no matter how plain I say it, you still haven’t grasped the concept of ‘I want to hear you.’”

The treatment between her legs ceased, and she could just make out the crinkle of foil, the rustle of clothes, before a hand was in her hair again, yanking her head back just as she felt Percy’s cock thrust inside her.

And she was suddenly very thankful for the frustrating amount of foreplay and preparation.

Her keening echoed throughout the apartment, because it was so goddamn tight but so fucking good . There was some discomfort, she expected that. But it was more than balanced out by the way he managed to hit exactly the right spot inside her. A breathless whisper from just above could be heard as her cries died down;

“Is this okay?”

She nodded furiously.

So he moved.

If the inward shove had been good, then the drag out was bliss. It felt impossible, the way they fit together, how narrow she felt, yet how he managed to work her up to the point of barely even noticing the slight sting–and then with a few more thrusts, nothing even resembling pain remained. Percy grunted, clearly feeling just as good.

“ Fuck Annabeth…!” He rocked into her, and she squeezed around him just to test it.

She felt his body fall forward, his arms caging her beneath him, his breaths ragged, “Shit–don’t do that or I’m–”

“D-do what?” She asked with feigned ignorance, squeezing him again.

She heard him groan, his body atop her shaking, his hips nestled snugly against hers.

“Fuck fuck fuck! ” She felt his fist hit the seat of the couch next to her and felt a sense of pride–Percy wasn’t a silent lover, but he wasn’t nearly as vocal as Annabeth was either. “God fucking dammit Annabeth, I wanted to take my time –” 

Before she could be too smug, she was empty–but not for long as Percy flipped her again, pushing her legs up and to the side to rest on one of his shoulders as he pushed back in, fucking her hard, fast, desperately, “–but you just had to make yourself too–” Annabeth gasped, “–fucking–” then a cry, “–tempting!”

“Oh–oh G-God, P-Percy…!”

“Say it again.”

She didn’t have to ask to know what he wanted. “Percy!”

“ Again .”

“ Percy! ”

They both climaxed, Percy hitting her as deep as possible and holding himself there, bodies shuddering and jerking. Annabeth’s screams were almost too loud for her to hear the way he whispered her name under his breath as they came together. Almost.

They stayed like that for a moment. Then two. Then ten. Percy slid his hand up Annabeth’s legs, pulling the shorts off of her so that she had free use of her body again, and she maneuvered as best as she could in her current state to wrap them around his waist, holding him inside her for just a little longer. His face buried itself into her shoulder and she reached up to stroke his dark hair, sweaty strands sticking to the nape of his neck.

“You’re staying for New Year’s… right?” He murmured against her.

“I suppose I could come back over then…”

“No.”

“No?” Annabeth’s brow furrowed.

“No. I want you to stay here until the first.”

“That’s nearly a whole week…” She replied breathlessly. They had never spent that many days together in a row.

“That doesn’t sound like a ‘no.’”

“That’s because it isn’t.”

Percy hummed, the vibration tickling her already sensitive skin, “A whole six days with Professor Annabeth Chase all to myself…I should buy a lottery ticket.”

“Shut up.” She huffed, but she knew the smile in her voice was evident.

They’d probably get sick of each other by day four anyway.

 

---

 

Notes:

I think writing Annabeth as a strong independent woman who consistently uses public transportation is a power fantasy for me because the few times I have had to use a bus on my own have made me want to DIE and I have the utmost respect for people who can just… do that. How. How do you leave your home even earlier than most people with a car would need to, walk to a stop, wait for the bus, sometimes transfer, get off on the right stop without missing it, get to the buses on time in general… an actual ADHD nightmare for me 😭

 

And then sometimes YOU do everything right and THEY are late and there’s nothing you can do!!!!!!

So I also learned that Roman Holiday is a cliché in Percabeth fanfic AFTER writing this chapter, but...I love that movie and the resulting conversation was too perfect sO you guys get to deal with the cliché lol

ALSO ALSO yes this is being posted early on a Sunday because I think I want to change my post schedule to Sundays/Mondays, so… Happy Early Valentine’s Day! (I actually have a Valentine’s Day chapter written for this and am kicking myself that I didn’t time it to be posted this week lol)

Chapter 15: you taught me about your past (thinking your future was me)

The day after he got back, Percy kept his promise, taking Annabeth to the hotpot place. She glared daggers at him from across the table, which Percy seemed entirely unbothered by, much to her annoyance.

“Shrimp?”

“I hate you.”

“So…no shrimp?”

“I hate you.” She snatched the shrimp from him with her chopsticks.

“I think you’re being a bit overdramatic, Princess. You look very cute in that turtle neck.”

“I wouldn’t have to wear a turtleneck if you hadn’t–” Annabeth glanced around quickly, before hissing, “If you hadn’t made my entire neck bruised worse than a peach in a jumproper’s metal lunchbox!”

He laughed, “Wow. That’s a new one. You do recall the whole ‘make me yours too’ thing, right?” 

“ Shh! ”

“What’s wrong? You don’t want me to talk about how you begged me to–” he was interrupted by a piece of cooked shrimp smacking him in the forehead.

 

---

 

Wednesday, they lounged on the sofa, trashy reality tv playing as Annabeth fiddled with Percy’s keys, trying to make the key to her apartment that she had gifted him join them on the ring.

“You are not, under ANY circumstances, to show up uninvited.” She admonished as she finally got the stupid piece of metal attached to all the other stupid pieces of metal.

Percy nudged her with his foot, stretched out on the sofa, “But what if I want to surprise you?”

“Oh, well in that case…!” 

Percy perked up, only to be met with a pillow to the face. 

 

---

 

Thursday, Annabeth was shocked at how neither of them seemed antsy yet. That morning, she woke first for once, stretching and moaning as she rolled over in bed. Percy was sound asleep, and she bit her lip, deciding to give him something pleasant to wake to as her head dipped below the covers.

He made it extremely clear after the fact that he was a BIG fan of this and that she should do it every morning. Annabeth rolled her eyes as she mixed up ingredients for cookie dough, responding with “In your dreams.” 

And when Percy made some sly comment about  “Actually, yeah, that is in my dreams” she flicked a handful of flour at him.

It devolved from there until they were both covered in baking materials.

 

---

 

New Year’s Eve they ventured to the grocery store, grabbing snacks, champagne, and stupid party hats. Percy raised a brow as he picked up the packaging Annabeth had just tossed into their cart, “Ghost pepper chips?”

“They’re good.” She insisted, adding sour cream to the groceries while Percy wrinkled his nose.

“And they don’t melt your face off or anything?”

“People over exaggerate. If they were that spicy they’d never be able to sell enough bags of these to make a profit.”

“Fair enough.”

Percy cooked dinner, going all out with fancy sauces and garnish and veggies to compliment the salmon, while Annabeth flipped through apps on the tv, a flute of champagne already in hand as her brow furrowed.

“Do you know if the ball drop is being shown on YouTube?”

“Usually is.” He glanced up from mincing garlic, “But I don’t watch the ball drop.”

“Oh? Then what do you do?”

“My step-dad introduced this thing to me,” Percy turned to mix the chopped spices into the glaze simmering on the stove, “if you start Star Wars at just the right time, the Death Star explodes at midnight.”

“…God you’re a nerd.”

“Yup.”

Annabeth paused for a moment, then, “What time do we need to start it at then…?”

At nearly 10:03PM, they pressed play on the movie. At 10:30PM, Percy’s arm had made its way over Annabeth’s shoulders. At 11:00PM, Annabeth had somehow allowed her body to curl against his—the champagne’s fault, of course. And at 11:45PM, the tv went dark; as did the entire apartment.

“Shit.”

Percy disentangled himself from Annabeth, heaving off the sofa to find some light, “Of all nights—don’t move until I—“

“ MroOWW! ”

“Goddammit Blackjack, maybe you shouldn’t run into my ankle if you don’t want to be stepped on!”

Annabeth stifled a giggle, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah he’s just a drama queen, I barely even touched him.” Percy grumbled from the kitchen, and when he returned he had a flashlight, a couple candles, and a lighter.

It was cozy.

Percy’s phone was set up with a countdown, and they kept their eyes on it, candlelight casting a warm, flickering glow on their faces. Annabeth hugged her knees, watching the minutes tick down.

“What are you hoping for in the New Year?”

She bit her lip, mulling over Percy’s question, “I don’t know…same things as everyone else I guess.”

“Which is…?” He prodded.

“Um…health, I think? Success? Money? Happiness?”

His shoulder knocked hers and Annabeth suddenly realized she had been avoiding looking at him–the low lighting was just…too intimate, too close and comfortable and real . “But I didn’t ask what other people want. I asked what you want. Something specific.”

“You’re being rather bossy…” She grumbled.

“It doesn’t have to be deep or anything.”

Annabeth rested her chin on her arms, “…I want…a burger from In-n-Out.”

“…That fast food chain across the country?”

“Yes. I haven’t had one in forever.” She smiled, finally tilting her face to look at him. Of course, his eyes were already on her. “What about you? What’s your New Year’s wish?”

“Oh I know exactly what I want.”

“Okay. That doesn’t answer the question.”

Percy seemed to be thinking about something, then finally “I want a glass of lemonade.”

Annabeth could not help the snort of a laugh that escaped her, “What kind of—what?!” She giggled, “That’s ridiculous.”

“I thought since you said a food, I should answer with a drink.”

“Well I can just get up and get you one right now.”

She moved as if to stand, but his hand caught her wrist, tugging her back down, “Later. You’re not allowed to move until the countdown is done.” Percy nodded to his phone— 30 seconds.

“I’m not allowed?”

“Nope. I forbid it.”

“Forbid, huh?”

“Yup.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because I need someone to kiss at midnight and I don’t think Blackjack would be too into that.”

20 seconds.

Her brow furrowed, “Kiss..? Us?”

“We literally do it all the time, why do you sound so surprised?”

“That…that’s different!”

“How?”

“Because…because it…this is for couples!”

“Strangers kiss on New Years. I figure since we are somewhere between ‘strangers’ and ‘couple’, we’re probably in the clear.”

10 seconds.

Annabeth bit her lip as Percy leaned in, bumping their foreheads together.

8…

The candlelight flickered in her periphery, just bright enough to reflect in his darkened eyes.

6…

“Do you not want to?”

5…

She shook her head, “I didn’t say that.”

4…

His nose bumped hers.

3…

The phone beeped in time with the final seconds of the countdown.

2…

She couldn’t wait.

Annabeth closed the gap, pressing her lips to Percy’s as the final second led into a tiny fanfare of trumpets and music echoing tinnily around the living room. She couldn’t hear it, her hands coming up to cup Percy’s face as he did the same. They fell back into the cushions, even as the music died out after about thirty seconds, even as the first minute of the New Year came and went.

Finally, they parted, Percy chuckling softly, “Happy New Year, Annabeth.”

“Happy New Year, Percy.”

Their lips met again, and the two found themselves unable to help it as the kiss became something more, bodies molding against each other as they rang in the New Year in style.

 

---

 

Annabeth ended up staying nearly two weeks with Percy. To be fair, he had attempted to drop her off at home once–but they ended up just spending the night at her place instead, and then it was back to his the next day.

They didn’t stay cooped up inside the whole time either despite the bitter chill of January, and Annabeth grew slightly more lax about going to grab lunch, or coffee, or go bowling.

She couldn’t believe Percy had gotten her to go bowling , of all things.

Of course, it had to end eventually. The start of spring classes were only a week away and Annabeth had so much to do.

It took some convincing, but eventually Percy reluctantly drove her home—for real this time. 

Well. Kind of.

“You don’t expect me to just not see you before the new semester!”

“We literally just spent most of winter break together.”

“And?”

So Percy visited a couple more evenings, but Annabeth insisted that he didn’t stay for more than one night at a time, which he agreed to despite his grumbling.

And then it was back to reality.

Annabeth slipped behind her desk, trying to not look at Percy as she entered their shared office. She didn’t think she could help but smile at him if she did—not that it mattered. She was smiling anyway as she pulled out her laptop, having spotted the Diogenes figure next to his lamp.

The day was a blur, and Annabeth realized too late she had not done nearly enough to prepare for the start of classes again.

Half of the students were rowdier than usual, the other half exhausted or hungover from the extended break. There were a million new worksheets and quizzes and tests and study guides to print. Several students stopped by to either complain about their grade on the final or beg for a makeup test.

Annabeth was in a generous mood, so she agreed.

Piper stopped by around lunch, complaining loudly, “Where were you all break! I wanted you to come out with me and Jason and Thalia for New Year’s Eve and you never answered our texts!”

That, Annabeth did feel guilty for, “Oh, sorry, I…spent it with my family and my phone was dead.”

Piper scoffed, “Ugh, we were going to introduce you to this guy Thalia met at at the gas station—“

“I’m sorry, what?!”

“Before you judge, he’s really hot, and he said he’s a vet!”

“Great, that makes it totally not sketchy then!” Annabeth could see Percy sorting through papers out of the corner of her eye, a smirk on his lips even with his eyes focused down.

“Come oooooon he really liked the photo we showed him of you—“

“Cool, cool cool cool, you showed a gas station stranger what I look like. Fantastic cognitive reasoning skills, I’m sure that won’t end in my murder.”

“His Instagram checked out!” Piper protested, already swiping through her phone.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Well if his Instagram seems legit then clearly it’s fine.”

“Oh relax, you know we wouldn’t do anything if we thought he was dangerous.” Piper shoved her screen in Annabeth’s face, “Look at him! Look at him! Look at those tattoos!”

“He does have tattoos.” Annabeth agreed.

“Oh come on, you can’t say he’s not sexy, even Jason said the guy is hot!”

“Great! You two can date him then!” Annabeth lightly pushed the phone away, Piper pouting.

“Annabaaaaabe! Thalia and I are dying to go on a triple date with you, just let me give you his number, you don’t even have to text him! Promise me you’ll think about it?”

Annabeth fought the urge to glance at Percy, “Fine, fine, I’ll consider it.”

Piper grinned, “You won’t regret it! I’ll text you his details!” And then she bounced out of the room.

“…Annababe, huh?”

“Shut up.”

 

---

 

Their next visitor had Annabeth less than psyched.

Callie gave a cute little knock on the open door, smiling at Percy in a way that had Annabeth grinding her teeth.

“Afternoon, Dr. Jackson. Professor Chase.” The guidance counselor added as an afterthought.

“Just Percy is fine, Dr. Atlas. Something I can help you with?” Percy asked cheerfully as the woman strolled closer, her skirt swishing around her legs.

“If Percy is fine then so is Callie.” She smiled, leaning against his desk.

Annabeth itched to leave, but her curiosity was too great to resist.

“I had fun at the faculty party, but you left in such a hurry. I was bummed I didn’t get a chance to say ‘bye.’”

“Ah, I’m a big fan of Irish exits. If I talk to anyone on my way out, I end up staying for another hour at least.”

Callie giggled. It was a bad laugh from a bad person. Not that Annabeth knew anything about Callie beyond her job—but she just felt evil.

“Mmm, well perhaps I should give you my number so you can finish telling me that story about your first trip to Greece over coffee sometime.”

Totally, definitely evil.

Much to Annabeth’s dismay, Percy didn’t shoot down the idea, taking Callie’s phone to add his contact, “Sure, but there’s not much more to the story, kinda ended after the tour boat capsized.”

“Then you can tell me about your second trip.” 

“Sounds like a deal.” He smiled, handing the phone back.

“It’s a date.” Callie gave a little wave to them both, and then she was gone.”

The office was quiet other than the shifting of paper and clacking of keys, then, “‘It’s a date,’ huh?”

“A friend-date. Between colleagues.” Percy hummed, seeming unbothered.

Annabeth huffed, “Does she know that?”

“Sure.”

It was hard to focus, Annabeth feeling far more annoyed than she had any right to be.

Luckily, as the hours came and went, she relaxed, the irritation passing as she focused on preparing more materials for the first quarter of spring.

She glanced at the clock, noting that it was already past 5, but she would rather stay late today than struggle to keep up with work the rest of the year.

It was dark when a yawn behind her broke her focus with a start—Percy stretched, and Annabeth stared at him.

“…You’re still here?”

He nodded, “Yeah, I never left.”

“Why?”

“Got stuff to do. Why are you still here?” He spun in his chair, crossing his arms and leaning back with a lazy smile.

“I…got stuff to do.”

“Mmm.” Percy pushed himself to his feet and swaggered over, “Well I think you’re done for tonight.”

“Oh do you?” Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Lucky for me that you aren’t my boss.”

He glanced at the window, “You do realize it’s past 9, right?”

She blinked, “…It is not! ” Alas, the time on her laptop confirmed and she groaned, rubbing her eyes. “Shit…ugh, I’m almost done.”

“Take your time. I’ll drive you home.”

“No, no, I don’t want you to wait for me.”

“I wouldn’t be waiting. I told you I have stuff to do.” Despite his words, Percy remained leaning against her desk.

“…So why are you still standing here?”

“Because I’m waiting.”

“You just said—?!”

“I said I wouldn’t be waiting on you to take you home, but I am waiting to do the stuff I gotta do.”

Annabeth massaged her temples, squeezing her eyes shut, “…Percy, what are you even talking about?”

“I want to show you something.”

“Have you even been doing anything work related the whole time we’ve been here?”

“Nah, I was done with all that at 5.” He said cheerfully.

“Let me get this straight; you stayed four hours after classes ended, which is actually six hours after your own last class…to show me something?”

He chuckled, “To be fair, I only decided on that a couple hours ago. I was worried you were gonna overwork yourself, and lo and behold, I was right.” Percy spun Annabeth’s chair to face him and she opened her eyes, brow furrowed. “So, you are going to finish what you need to, and then we’re going to pack up our things, throw them in my car, and I’m going to show you something.”

Annabeth eyed him suspiciously, “If this ‘something’ is your pe—“

“It’s not.” A beat, and then a smirk crossed his features, “Unless you want it to be.”

She huffed, turning to close her laptop and tuck her things into her bag, “This better be good.”

“I promise it is.”

It was late enough that Annabeth didn’t worry about running into anyone, so she and Percy walked toward the lot together, though she still insisted on keeping a few feet of distance between them.

Annabeth tossed her bag into the Camaro, but as she started to climb in herself, Percy shook his head, “We aren’t driving.”

“…Okay?” Confused, she followed him across campus.

They reached the Physical Education buildings, and Percy pulled out a ring of keys, selecting one and unlocking a side door.

“Did you steal those?!”

He held the door open for her, “Nah, Leo owed me a favor. But if he hadn’t handed them over I definitely would have borrowed them anyway.” He slipped inside after her, the hall dark as the door closed.

They came to a second door, which he unlocked as well, and the humidity told Annabeth where they were going before she even laid eyes on the pool.

The water was a clear blue-green, steam rising to fog the massive windows that covered one wall and stretched overhead to make up most of the high ceiling. The lights were off and the world outside was inky black, the pool itself the only source of light, which bathed the bleachers beside them in the rippling dance of its reflection.

“Wanna go for a swim?”

She turned as Percy locked the door, a grin on his face and already shrugging out of his jacket.

Annabeth stared at him, “You do realize you’re a teacher here, right? Not a frat boy freshman?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Just curious.” She glanced back at the heated pool, “I don’t…I don’t have a swimsuit.”

“And you think I do?” The rustle of clothes drew her attention and Percy tugged off his cardigan, beginning to unbutton his shirt.

“What if we get caught?”

“The whole building is locked up.” The shirt was tossed behind the bleachers, the shoes and socks next, and the pants went last, leaving him in black boxer briefs.

God he looked good.

“But what if someone with a key–”

“You’re in or you’re out, Chase.” And with a little salute, Percy dashed past her to cannonball into the pool.

“No running!” Annabeth shouted when he surfaced with a grin, and with a roll of her eyes she got to work undressing down to her bra and panties, putting her clothes and bag behind the bleachers as Percy had before padding over and sitting on the edge, letting her feet dangle into the water, which even for a heated pool was far warmer than expected.

Percy splashed over to her, crossing his arms on the tiles and looking up to meet her gaze, water dripping from his slicked back hair. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” She bit her lip but it didn't stop her smile, “So, when’d you ask to borrow Leo’s keys?”

His face furrowed in concentration, “Probably like…the week after that night at the bar with Grover?”

Annabeth’s eyes widened, “You—you’ve been planning this for that long?! How has he even been working if you have his keys?!”

“Because he gave me his spares. And yeah, thought I might save it for a rainy day.” He shifted, floating so that he was just in front of Annabeth, fingers touching Annabeth’s legs lightly, tracing up and down, “Plus, it’s fun.”

She shivered, “And today is a rainy day?”

“You could say that.”

It grew quiet, the two of them just enjoying each other’s company. Annabeth’s thoughts drifted toward earlier, and a question that had always been at just the edge of her conscious thoughts suddenly blurred out;

“Why does nobody call you ‘doctor’ if you have a PhD?”

He looked surprised, tilting his head, “Because I ask them not to.”

“But…why? Isn’t that something to be proud of? Especially since you seem pretty young to have a doctorate…”

Percy sighed, leaning forward to rest his chin on her knees, “Guess I just…don’t really feel like I earned it.”

“You had to have worked really hard to get there though, it would have taken you…what, at least six years?”

“Three.” At the way she jerked back in shock, he added hastily, “technically four if you include my fellowship.”

Annabeth stared at him. “That… that’s impossible.”

“Just highly improbable.” He shrugged.

“But that…you… how?! ”

Percy was suddenly very focused on the glass ceiling, “My middle school offered a Latin class, and I got…really into it. I started in an after school program to learn Ancient Greek too, the very next year; I got fixated on the idea of reading The Odyssey in its original form and it kind of went from there.”

“But that doesn’t explain—?”

He maneuvered to hop onto the side of the pool next to her, “I had a tough time in school. ADHD and dyslexia and my home life, it…” he shook his head, “I got kicked out of every school I’d ever gone to by 6th grade. My dad wasn’t…my mom said he died when I was a kid, a sailor lost at sea, but I didn’t really buy that. Sounded too romantic, like a fairytale. And then my step-dad at the time was—“ Percy cut himself off, and Annabeth didn’t need any further explanation to understand.

“It’s okay.” She rested her hand on his arm and he glanced at her gratefully.

“Anyway, I just kind of…threw myself into this world of gods and monsters and old stories of flawed heroes. Having the name I do was probably part of that fascination. It was the first time I felt like I was meant to do something. I became less…angry. I hated the world less. And for the first time I cared about school, because I wanted to get to the part of doing this for the rest of my life as soon as possible.”

Annabeth could understand that. Architecture had sparked a similar passion when she discovered it.

“So for high school my mom found a place that offered dual credit for college too, so I got my Bachelors pretty quick after that. I did an accelerated Masters program, and then for the PhD…I just…didn’t really do much of anything else for those years. Didn’t sleep much either.”

Annabeth listened to the gentle lapping of the water around them. “So then why do you think you don’t deserve it? Sounds like you worked harder than just about anyone…”

“Did I?” He leaned back on his hands, “I haven’t worked as long as so many others have to get here. There’s tons of people who have been trying to achieve what I have for years.”

“Hey Percy?”

“Mmm?”

“You realize you’re expressing imposter syndrome to someone who has been working here with just a minor in Classics, right?”

He laughed, “Okay, yeah, fair.” His eyes studied her for a moment, curious, “How’d you end up landing this job again?”

“I…” Annabeth looked down to the water, “I’d really rather not talk about it.”

“And after I gave you my deep dark backstory.” Percy teased, but to her relief, he didn’t pry further.

She gave a little kick in the water, “So…you capsized a boat in Greece?”

“Whoa, hey, no one said that I did it!”

“So then what happened?”

“…Okay, it was kind of my fault…”

Annabeth giggled, nudging him, “I guess your trouble making days didn’t stop in middle school, huh?”

A mischievous grin spread on Percy’s lips, “They didn’t stop with the doctorate either.”

“What do you—?”

Suddenly his arms were around her and before she knew it they were falling forward into the pool as he tackled her.

The squeal she made died as they hit the water, the world going quiet around them. 

Annabeth surfaced quickly, Percy already above water and laughing as she started splashing him, “You asshole! I wasn’t ready!”

“Sorry, sorry! I couldn’t help it!”

“I got water up my nose!” She complained despite her smile.

“The horror! Come here, let me see.”

She kicked away from him, hands in front of her defensively, “No, you’re going to dunk me!”

“I’m not! Just need to take a look up your nose to see if I’ve inflicted permanent damage.” He paddled towards her—how was he so fast?!

“That’s such an obvious lie, it isn’t even funny!”

“I think it’s kind of funny.” He grabbed her around the waist, holding her close, “Come on, tilt your chin up.”

She stared at him incredulously, “You can’t be serious.”

“Came this far, gotta commit to the bit.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes but tilted her chin up as he examined her nostrils.

“Oh no…” Percy declared after a moment, “I have dire news.”

Her brow furrowed, wondering what unhinged thing was about to come out of his mouth.

“You have the biggest booger I have ever seen—“

Annabeth shoved away from him, rubbing under her nose furiously, “Oh my god, I do not! Gross!”

“I never lie. Come here, let me get it for you—“

“That is disgusting —stay away from me— Percy! ” She shrieked, a laughing Percy splashing after her as she swam to the other side of the pool. Once more,he caught up to her with ease.

“Don’t you touch my nose!”

“Fine, fine, I won’t.” He chuckled. His arms were around her waist again, the two of them bobbing in the deep end. “But what if I touched it with my nose?” Percy leaned in as Annabeth turned her face away, blushing furiously.

“If you think I’m going to let you kiss me after that —“

“After what?” His voice was innocent even as he pressed his lips to her temple.

“After being that gross —“

“Everyone gets boogers, Annabeth—“

“Would you stop —“

The sound of a door slamming made both their eyes widen. The jangle of keys, the rolling of wheels, someone whistling a tune…

Percy grabbed Annabeth’s arm and guided her below the diving board with him, both low in the water, hanging off the side of the pool as the custodian began emptying the garbage cans across the room. It was dark, but there was still a good chance of them being spotted.

Annabeth held her breath, exchanging a look with Percy who was clearly doing everything in his power to not burst out laughing.

So of course, that made it much harder to fight her own giggle.

His freehand found her hip, and he tugged her closer, causing a few ripples around them.

“ Percy! ” Annabeth hissed, her heart feeling like it was going to thump right out of her chest.

“Shhh.” He quieted her with another nod towards the janitor. And then Percy did the most infuriating thing, pressing their bodies together as he began to mouth at her jaw, her neck.

Annabeth sucked in a breath, eyes flickering furtively to the man who was gathering the last of the trash bags. A thrill went up her spine despite her scruples, Percy’s lips pressing against all her most sensitive spots, making it extremely difficult not to make noise.

And then, what felt like a lifetime later, the man wheeled his cart out, the sound of the door closing behind him allowing Annabeth to let out a breath of relief.

“Percy…” she mumbled, half-annoyed, half-enjoying the attention, even at the risk of being caught— especially at the risk of being caught, much to her surprise.

He didn’t respond, instead letting his hand drift lower to cup her ass.

“ Percy! ”

“I love when you say my name like you want to kill me.” He murmured against her skin, lifting her body and she took the cue to wrap her legs around his waist despite her only partially feigned frustration.

“We could have been heard…” Annabeth let her head fall back with a sigh as he continued to pepper her throat with kisses.

“I’ve decided I’m okay with that outcome.”

“Maybe you are but—mmm.” Her nails dug slightly into his shoulders, “Don’t think you can just…just make me feel good and I’ll…I-I’ll just forgive you—”

“I don’t really think I’ve done anything that requires forgiveness, personally.” Percy finally pulled back, pressing his forehead to Annabeth’s with a breathy chuckle, “I think you should be thanking me instead.”

“Oh do you?” She scoffed.

“I do.”

“You’re quite confident in that.”

“Because I know I’m right.” His eyes flashed, “Kiss me.”

“I’m not sure that I should reward your egotism.”

Percy shifted so that she was between him and the wall, his hands gripping the tiles on either side of her, “It’s not a reward. It’s simply what we both want, and I’m not one to deny myself. So kiss me.”

The command made her toes curl, and she didn’t let herself hesitate again. Annabeth leaned in, pressing their lips together, parting hers and giving a soft moan when he swiped his tongue between them.

The kiss deepened, both of them escalating to match the other in enthusiasm. Warm water splashed around their bodies as they rocked on each other, and reluctantly Annabeth pulled back, panting softly, “We…we should, um…”

“Yeah.” He rolled his hips against her one more time before pulling back to kick out from under the diving board, “My place?”

Annabeth nodded, following after him, her whole body feeling like it was burning up despite the water surrounding her.

They hopped out of the pool, Percy grabbing some towels from the locker rooms to dry off. They dressed. They slipped outside.

It was late. No one was around. So as the pair headed to the parking lot, devoid of cars other than Percy’s Camaro, Annabeth reached out to take his hand, letting their fingers intertwine.

 

---

 

Notes:

gotta love a midnight pool scene

Also I think I have been pretty clear but I AM.........NOT A PROFESSOR LOL so there were some artistic liberties taken here and there, but I did have the option to do dual college/high school credit as a kid and graduate with both degrees (and then didn't because...I don't even know at this point haha) so I figured Percy could fast track his life a bit that way. ANYWAY. Just assume he is a classics prodigy. It's fine.

Also if your friends EVER try to set you up with a guy they met at a gas station, slap them. Just right across the face. They'll understand. Unless he's like, REALLY hot, then it's okay. (for legal reasons, this is a joke.)

*EDIT*
I made a gif collage and it looks shitty on ao3 mobile so go look at it on desktop or my tumblr or something IDK I AM PROUD OF IT

Chapter 16: washed up and ranting (about the same old bitter things)

Notes:

I’m sorry. (Mostly.)

Valentine's Day was a disaster.

The weeks leading up to it were perfectly fine; Annabeth settled back into her routine with classes, grading, and sneaking around with Professor Jackson.

But the morning of the 14th…

Annabeth walked into their office and her mood was soured immediately by Becky giggling at Percy’s desk, tossing her hair, batting her eyelashes, and being generally irksome.

What was with these women constantly hovering near him?

He wasn’t that attractive.

…Who was she kidding, he absolutely was.

Still, the feelings that rose in her chest had her more annoyed at herself than anyone else. It was obnoxious, not to mention her thoughts felt deeply misogynistic—Becky was just a flighty sophomore, and Callie had no way of knowing that Percy wasn’t single.

‘No, he is single. He’s just not available.’ Annabeth chastised herself as she slid behind her desk.

“That’s so cool that you’re being featured in that magazine, Professor.”

“Nah, you work on enough digs and write enough papers and you usually wind up in a Buzzfeed article eventually.”

“But it’s not a Buzzfeed article!” Becky protested with a giggle, “It’s—what was it?”

“ National Geographic. ”

“Right, that!” She reached in her purse and pulled out an envelope, “Anyway, me and some of the other students got you a card for V-day, just as a thank you.”

Annabeth watched him accept it through her mirror, as well as a bag of candy. Percy opened it and smiled before placing it on his desk, “That’s thoughtful, especially considering it looks like about half the signatures are not enrolled in any of my courses. Thank you.”

She blushed, nodding, “So like—“

“Aren’t you going to give Professor Chase her card?”

Becky blinked, “I…for Professor Chase?”

Against all odds, Annabeth kept her expression neutral, giving no indication she was even listening to their conversation.

“Well, she’s your teacher, it would be awfully rude for you to present me with this lovely card and not do the same for her, so I can only assume you have another hidden somewhere?”

Becky cleared her throat, “Yeah, um, of course, I think I…yeah, oh my god, I definitely gave it to Hannah to hang on to, let me go find her!” She rushed from the room and Annabeth bit back a laugh.

Percy turned and winked at her through her view in the mirror, “You’re welcome.”

“I don’t actually care about getting any sort of card.” Especially not from her.

“I mean ‘you’re welcome’ for scoring you free candy.”

“You know that Becky has no intention of returning with anything for me.”

“ ‘Wow, gee, thanks Percy! You’re so hot and cool and nice!’ ” He mimicked in a high pitched voice before adding, “Catch Chase.”

She barely turned in time to grab the bag of candy out of the air and prevent it from pelting her in the face, “Yeah, sure. Hot and cool and nice, got it.” The baggie was tucked into a drawer. And the day went on.

At lunch she wandered to the cafe for once, having a longer break than usual between classes this semester, and a familiar voice calling her name had Annabeth’s head turning.

Silena waved her over, her husband Beckendorf beside her, both sharing packed lunches of bento boxes.

Annabeth smiled as she sat at their table, “Hey! It’s been a while!”

“Oh god I know! ” Silena gushed, bouncing slightly in her own chair, “I was just telling Charlie how bummed I was to miss the Christmas party!”

Beckendorf chuckled, nodding, “She was.”

Annabeth carefully unpacked her leftovers that Percy had insisted she take for lunch, “I was surprised that you didn’t come, you love those sorts of things.”

“Well it wasn’t really my choice.” Silena glanced at Beckendorf, positively beaming. Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

“So you didn’t want to go?” She turned to him, and he shook his head.

“I’d have been fine going. Wasn’t my call.”

Annabeth’s brow scrunched, confused, “Then…who…?”

Silena looked at her expectantly, and when Annabeth shrugged, she leaned in a bit, “Let’s just say I had…a sudden bout of nausea that week.”

Annabeth blinked. And then she gasped.

“You…?! Oh my god , congratulations! How far along?”

“Just over 3 months!”

Annabeth couldn’t hide her bemusement, “You’re barely showing!”

“I know! Crazy right? But I probably will soon–we have our first maternity shoot this weekend for the announcements, but I’ve been dying to talk about it.”

Beckendorf chuckled, “You’re the one who wanted to keep it a secret, Sel.”

“I knooooooow but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to tell people!” She whined, before turning back to Annabeth, “We’ve let family know, of course, and a few friends. I just absolutely need  to have someone other than Charlie tell me that I’m ‘glowing’ every week or so or else I feel like I might just explode.”

There was a beat of silence as Silena smiled at Annabeth, who with a start realized she was waiting for just that, “Oh! Oh wow, Silena, you’re just…you’re just glowing!”

“I know, right?” She tossed her sleek black hair over her shoulder, “I think pregnancy suits me. Which means we need to have at least 5 more kids after this one, right Charlie?” Silena batted her eyes at him, and Beckendorf gave a nervous laugh.

“Let’s…let’s see how this first one goes first.”

Undaunted, Silena turned back to Annabeth, “Anyway, we literally found out the day of the party, and I felt terrible, so we skipped. Which sucks because I was hoping to force you and Professor Jackson together again.”

Annabeth choked on a piece of salmon, coughing, “I— what?! ”

Silena giggled, “You didn’t think that Halloween costume situation was a fluke, did you? Percy told Charlie who mentioned it to me that he was gonna dress as some dead Greek dude, so saw an opportunity—“

“An opportunity for what? ” Annabeth’s mind raced. How much did Silena know? Had she noticed the closet incident?

“To force you two to get along, of course.” Silena waved her hand, using her chopsticks to pick a piece of spam cut into a heart shape from her box, “I thought at the very least it could start a conversation that wasn’t openly hostile, but based on eye witness accounts at the party, plus the rumors…” A dramatic sigh was heaved, “Guess I’ve lost my match-making touch. I blame the pregnancy.”

“You weren’t pregnant yet babe.”

“Still.”

Annabeth cleared her throat, face feeling like it was on fire, “When you say match-making…”

“Not romantic, of course, though I thought maybe if it went well enough—“

“ Sel. ”

“Fine, fine,” She patted her husband’s arm, leaning against him, as her eyes fixed back on Annabeth, “I’m just saying, sometimes hate-sex—“

“ Silena! ” 

“Okay! Okay, I’m dropping it.” She playfully pouted at Beckendorf, and Annabeth finished off her lunch as fast as possible to escape the conversation.

“Well, I should get back to grading, congratulations again!”

“Thank you! We'll send you your shower invite soon!“ Silena gave a small wave.

Annabeth caught snippets of their hushed conversation as she finished cleaning up.

“When have we had hate-sex?”

“We have hate-sex all the time!”

“We do?!”

“Yes! Like last week, when you said your mother was going to stay with us all of August?”

“ That was hate-sex?”

“Yes!”

“…Silena, it felt just like it usually— wait you don’t want my mom to come over? She wants to help when the baby gets here!”

Shaking her head, Annabeth made her way back to the office.

It was weird, being of the age where people get married and have kids and start families, most of them having started even younger than she currently was. Did she…want that?

Annabeth had been so focused on her goals for so long, and then that focus switched to merely surviving. She really hadn’t ever spared more than a passing thought to life beyond that.

Would she get married? Would she have kids?

Somehow she couldn’t picture it.

And for some reason, that filled her with a sense of melancholy that she promptly shook off.

When she entered the office, a small wrapped present on her desk took her by surprise. 

It was pink with a red ribbon tied in a bow and little white hearts all over, and she picked it up in her hands with a frown. It was light.

She knew exactly who it was from and it made her heart leap.

And of course, a whistling Percy strolled in at that moment and she whirled on him accusatorially despite how pleased she really was.

“What’s this?” Annabeth held up the present, and the whistling died, Percy freezing mid step.

He blinked, eyes flickering from the present to her. And then he shrugged. “Well I’m no expert, but it looks like a gift of some sort.”

She rolled her eyes, “Right, but what is it doing on my desk? ”

“Probably means it’s meant for you.” He dropped his bag onto his desk, and Annabeth huffed, crossing her arms.

“I told you I don’t want—“ her eyes darted to the door and she lowered her voice, moving closer to him, “that I don’t want us to do stuff like this at school! Someone could have seen it!”

“I don’t see how that’s my problem.”

Annabeth’s brow furrowed. What was with him? His voice was cool, icy, and his eyes were focused on his laptop screen, not even looking at her.

“We—Percy, we agreed —“

“First of all, Princess, you set those rules, and yeah, while I said I’d go with it, you can’t expect me to be happy about it. And second of all,” he finally turned to look at her, far more irritated than she’d ever seen him, “that’s not from me.”

Annabeth stared, feeling her cheeks heat up.

“So, third, I’m kinda pissed that you immediately jumped on me for breaking a rule when I didn’t.”

“I…but then who…?”

“How should I know? Did you check the tag?”

Annabeth fumbled with the gift, finding a small tag and flipping it.

“Luke…”

Percy was silent as Annabeth hurried to rip into the paper, flustered and hoping whatever was inside was completely innocent, an inside joke between friends, a knickknack for her desk, a nice pen—

Even when the deep blue velvet jewelry box was uncovered, she held out hope it was just an interesting container choice.

And then of course, it wasn’t.

She stared down at the necklace, something that certainly wasn’t just a gift between friends, before snapping the box shut and pressing it into her forehead, her eyes squeezed shut as embarrassment and other complicated feelings rose in her.

“Just friends, huh?”

Her head snapped up, and Annabeth stared at Percy, mouth agape.

“What…?”

“Nothing.”

Anger and frustration replaced the other confusing emotions in an instant, “We are just friends.”

He snorted, crossing his arms, “Yeah, because friends buy each other $300 pieces of jewelry.”

“I—you have no way of knowing—“

“The branding is on the box. That store doesn’t carry anything that costs less than that.”

Annabeth took a deep breath, “Like I said, we’re just friends now—“

“Now?”

She cringed at the slip, but soldiered on, “Yes, now .”

“Yeah, okay.” He turned back to his computer.

Annabeth gripped the stupid necklace box tight, her fury growing, “What is your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem.” His voice affected an approximation of his usual nonchalant tone, but it was far too strained for Annabeth to fall for it.

“Yes, you do.”

“You said you were just friends.”

“And like I said, we are. ”

“But you weren’t always.” Once again, green met her gaze as they locked eyes, his gaze on fire in conflict with the coldness of everything else.

“That—that’s none of your business!” She snapped, “And it was a long time ago, we aren’t—“

“Does he know that?”

“Just because you’re jealous doesn’t mean you have to be a dick!” She stomped back to her desk, Percy’s incredulous laugh following her.

“I’m not jealous of Castellan. I just think it was dumb of you to lie to me.”

She whirled again, “I didn’t lie, nor am I dumb! ”

“I didn’t say you were, just that you did a dumb thing.”

They glared at each other, both refusing to back down.

“Why are you so pissy about this?!”

“Because now it makes sense why he’s always stopping by to say ‘hi.’”

“And that makes you…what, mad?”

“I’m not mad.” He leaned back in his chair until the front wheels popped off the floor, putting on a fake smile.

Annabeth felt like her heart was in her throat, “Yeah, you are. And you’re taking it out on me. ”

“I’m not taking anything out on you—“

“Yes, you are, and I should be the one angry, because I put up with women hanging around here all day every day!”

His brow furrowed, guilt creeping across his face for the first time since the conversation started, “Now hang on—“

“Calypso bringing you coffee every Monday—“

“That was just a few times—“

“Becky hanging off of your every word—“

The wheels of his chair slammed down onto the floor with a thump, Percy on his feet, his expression even more furious than before. Annabeth took a step back instinctively, her eyes widening.

“Miss Cunningham is a student , Annabeth!”

With horror, it dawned on her what he thought she had implied, “I—No, I didn’t mean—“

“Do you really think I’d take advantage of my students? Sleep with people barely over 20?!”

“No!”

“Then why even bring her up?! Why would you be bothered by a sophomore if you didn’t—“ He cut himself off, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Do you still think so little of me? Even after everything?”

Annabeth felt like the room was tilting, “Percy, I—“

His hand dropped and the way he looked at her made her voice catch in her throat. “Just— stop.”

Percy stalked out of the room.

Annabeth stood alone in the office, her lungs feeling like they were crumpling in on themselves. What…what just happened?!

She slumped into her chair with a groan, burying her face in her hands. Her head hurt. And he wouldn’t listen to her. He wasn’t himself, and she couldn’t fully figure out why. He was acting… mean. Different. But she had fucked up, bringing up Becky, she could admit that much, even if that wasn’t what she was intending to say at all!

Why wouldn’t he listen? What was his issue with Luke all of a sudden? The velvet box was perched on the desk, and she got the urge to throw it as hard as she could.

She was angry. At Percy. At Luke for the stupid necklace. Mostly at herself. Maybe she hadn’t started this, but she had finished it in possibly the worst way possible.

She didn’t see Percy for the rest of the day, though when she left and took an unplanned detour by the staff parking lot, his car was still there. She had avoided Luke entirely.

The bus seemed to be smellier, dirtier, and more crowded than usual. The walk to her apartment building was colder. And the apartment itself…?

It felt about as empty as Annabeth did.

 

---

 

Notes:

Me: I hate miscommunication plots when it could be solved by just talking it out! 😤
Also me: I hate non-sexy jealousy plots 😤
Also also me: …unless…?
I am sorry I have hurt myself with this one but I promise it serves a purpose! And Percy isn't perfect, despite what the view of him thus far has been haha.

Also Silena and Charlie are getting the life they should have and their conversation was literally partially inspired by a scene in (the greatest show of all time) Scrubs; “Baby you only use my full name when you’re mad or when we have sex... baby, are you mad when we have sex?!” “...Sometimes.”

I also tried out something new- a gif collage instead of the standard photo ones I like to make! You can see it at the end of last chapter (though the one posted on tumblr is much better quality)
I usually make those little collages after posting just because of not having the time before, so if you haven't gone back to previous chapters after reading, might be fun to do so and see what little moodboards I've added here and there!

So anyway. Don't hate me. Things will be fine. Probably. Maybe.

Chapter 17: they're burning all the witches (even if you aren't one)

Notes:

I'm SO sorry. (Mostly.)

The sighs were back.

Annabeth couldn’t bring herself to text Percy. A mixture of shame and stubbornness wouldn’t allow her to. Moreover, she was worried what the answer would be—he might snap back, say it’s officially over. Or perhaps ignore her entirely.

She saw him at school in passing, but he never spent more than a few moments in their office. Moments where they pretty much just ignored each other’s presence.

And throughout the weeks, Annabeth fought down sigh after sigh, because not only was her old life back; it was worse than before.

Even more frustrating, the change in mood did not go unnoticed. Thalia seemed to be checking in more often than usual, bugging Annabeth to come out to bars, concerts, movies— she knew better than to ask outright, so her tactics were always more so about cheering her up until she was comfortable enough to open up on her own.

Piper had asked, but when Annabeth waved her current disposition off as due to “family-stuff,” she followed Thalia’s example, inviting herself over to Annabeth’s apartment for a “Girl’s Night,” featuring nail polish, wine, and bitching about reruns of their favorite trashy reality shows.

Annabeth found that it had helped more than expected.

Silena seemed to realize something was off as well, because she somehow roped Annabeth into assisting with baby shower planning; it had started with choosing colors and themes (together they settled on baby blue elephants) but now Annabeth was helping set up the registry and calling caterers. She didn’t mind this quite so much either. It was a welcome distraction from everything else.

Luke had stopped by a few days after Valentine’s Day as Percy had been leaving.

“Professor Jackson.” He grinned, holding the door open for Percy who responded with a just as cheerful “Good to see you, Castellan.” to Luke.

Annabeth wanted to tear her hair out.

Luke leaned casually against her desk, his sandy hair getting a bit longer than usual, a swoon-worthy grin on his features, “So, you got my gift, right?”

She gave a nod, forcing a small smile, “I did. It was…beautiful.”

“It made me think of you.” Luke tilted his head, “Do you wear it?”

“I…I haven’t yet, I thought it might only be intended for special occasions—“

“Nah, it’s for everyday wear. I’d like to see how it looks on you sometime.” He glanced around the office, “Man this place brings back memories. Looks pretty similar to my office from way back when, except bigger…you remember how tiny that place was, right?”

Annabeth managed a laugh that was genuine, finally turning from her laptop to nod, “It really was abysmally small. Barely enough for two people.”

“But we fit well enough, didn’t we?”

Annabeth bit her lip, conflicting feelings riding in her chest, “I suppose we did.”

Luke stood, stretching, then, “Give me a heads up when you wear the necklace to work. Want to make sure it suits you—but then again, most everything does.” 

It was hard to decide whether Luke should be making her warm and happy or frozen over with dread, so Annabeth settled on a lukewarm response of not encouraging or rejecting him until she figured it out.

The first time they’d gone down that road…it ended amicably enough. But Annabeth had been more distraught than she would have admitted to even herself for months afterwards.

So she continued to float through life as she did before, time spent counting down the hours to the end of the day, and days til the weekend, even if her weekends had less to look forward to now. Her fear of trying to talk to Percy remained, and so her apology was carried around with her as a lump in her throat the whole time.

Classes themselves were a nightmare now.

It took everything in her power to not snap at unruly students—they were in college for crying out loud, yet most of the freshman and half of the sophomores hadn’t yet figured out that there was a different set of expectations than highschool. And her complete frustration did not go unnoticed, because she swore the behavior was getting even worse.

And then things got… weird . 

The day started like any other. Sigh in chest. ‘Sorry’ on the tip of her tongue. Her mood; abysmal.

And then she walked through the halls of campus and realized people were staring at her.

At first she worried her mascara had smudged in a horrible way, or perhaps she’d put on her blouse inside out, but neither of those turned out to be the case.

Whispers and giggles began to accompany the stares, and a terrible feeling started to form in the pit of Annabeth’s stomach. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

She sped towards her office, fighting against flashbacks to 11th grade when a video of her drunk out of her mind at a party circulated through the whole student body.

And when she finally reached the door that meant relative shelter from the stares, the whispers, the laughs, she was met with an explanation taped to it.

The New Athens’ Forum was far from widely read. Most students, if they cared about campus news at all, much preferred the convenience of reading the digital counterpart, “NAU Now”, which was updated daily on the school’s website rather than physically published and distributed weekly as The Forum was. Not to mention the latter was infamous for printing absolutely awful speculative pieces and rumors and personal information—there had been more than one staff meeting about it.

But there it was, black and white, a photo of her faculty photo beside the title; “Profraudster: Uncovering The Stolen Valor of Professor Annabeth Chase”

Nevermind the fact the title was far too long and not particularly clever, Annabeth felt her blood turn ice cold, and she snatched the newspaper off of the door and stumbled inside, slamming it behind her.

To her relief, the office was empty, but her attention quickly turned back to the article in hand, scanning through. Tidbits like “anonymous source” and “no degree in her field” stood out, but towards the bottom the final paragraph winded her in the same way a punch to the gut might have;

“We can only wonder how Professor—or should we say MISS Chase—acquired such a lucrative position at our humble university. Was it as simple as fake accolades and forged diplomas? Or perhaps something more…lascivious? Multiple eyewitnesses have seen how chummy she is with Acting-Dean Luke Castellan; could an exchange of more scandalous favors have taken place? Wouldn’t be the first time a Castellan was caught in a scandal, as many remember our interim Dean took over on behalf of his Grandfather after—“

Annabeth couldn’t bring herself to read on. She felt like she was going to be sick. The room was tilting, her body feeling like it was going to crumple in on itself, and a pressure at her back had her staggering forward.

At least that last bit was a result of Percy pushing in through the door she was leaning against, and she managed to catch her footing, turning to see the furrowed brow on his features melt to surprise, then something more along the lines of concern.

“What—why were you in front of the—Annabeth?!”

He was blurred through tears she hadn’t even felt. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t hear him speak with a voice so filled with worry for her after nearly two weeks of barely acknowledging her existence. Annabeth shook her head, unable to form words.

Percy stepped forward, but seeing him look at her like that was utterly unbearable, and Annabeth pressed the newspaper to his chest as she rushed back into the hall.

Her mind raced as she beelined for the administrative building— luckily first classes of the day had already begun, so there weren’t nearly as many people milling about as before. The last thing she needed was people to be talking about her crying publicly on top of everything else.

Miracle upon miracles, Luke was alone in his office when she staggered in, distraught.

He stood quickly, his own face taking on an expression that reminded her so much of Percy’s just moments ago that she burst into full-fledged sobs.

“Annabeth?! What— no, no, it’s okay, don’t try to speak, just— come here.” He was at her side in an instant, leading her to one of his plush armchairs and pressing a box of tissues into her hands as he knelt beside her, trying to help her calm down, “Hey, hey it’s okay, what’s going on?” Luke’s voice was soft, and she managed out between hiccups;

“They…th-they kn-know.”

His brows knit together, “Who knows what?”

Annabeth shook her head. She couldn’t say it. “N-newsp-p-paper..”

Luke glanced at the door, “I want you to wait right here, can you do that for me?”

She nodded, and he hurried from the room, closing the door behind him.

When he returned, Annabeth had gotten herself somewhat under control, though if she thought about the situation for too long hysterics threatened to explode out from her once more. She’d blown her nose, dabbed beneath her eyes, but she could tell by the warped reflection in a metal pitcher on Luke’s desk that she still looked a bit worse for wear.

He squeezed her shoulder before easing himself into the other armchair, tossing the horrible article on his desk with a huff, “Well. That sure was…a rather repugnant read. Compelling. But repugnant.”

“Luke, w-what are we going to do?! ” Her voice warbled, threatening to crack or lead her into another fit of hyperventilation.

He gave her a small smile, “Well, seeing as it’s untrue, I think we could simply start with denying it.”

“But…but I don’t have—“

“I’m talking about the more troubling allegations.” He tapped the paper.

“…Oh.”

“While we may not be able to entirely disprove it, I have spent years building my reputation on integrity. Regardless of what my Grandfather did, the board trusts and respects me.”

Annabeth dropped her gaze to her lap. “I don’t…I don’t have that sort of protection, Luke—“

“You have me.” He assured her, “I won’t let this ruin your place here as long as you want it. I promise.”

“But… but you can’t guarantee that, if the board—“

“If they won’t accept what I have to say, I’ll make sure you’re okay until we find a new job for you. Maybe one in architecture this time, okay?” He smiled, brushing a strand of hair back that had been sticking to her tear-stained cheek.

“Make sure…?”

“Being Dean—or at least, ‘interim Dean’—has some monetary perks, ‘Beth. If you get let go…that would be my fault. I’ll take responsibility, make sure you land on your feet.”

She blinked at him, sniffling, “You… that’s too… Luke, I c-couldn’t accept that.”

“Too bad. I’m not letting you struggle because of something like this. So don’t worry, I got you.”

Annabeth felt her cheeks warm, and she accepted it when he took her hands in his own, “The board would probably email me about meeting in the next week, but I’m going to get ahead of it, reach out to them first. I’ll tell them the truth, that I hired you knowing full well you did not have the certifications we usually require— that’s not a crime. You never misrepresented yourself to me. Not that you could have— they know we were at school here at the same time. I’ve always known what you Majored in.”

When Annabeth remained quiet, he continued, “I’ll point to the fact that your classes have among the highest scores in the school. That’s not a fluke. You have the knowledge in Latin and Greek, you teach the material well, you’ve had perfect attendance— really, I got this. And everyone will forget about the rest with time.”

She snorted at that, “Maybe for you. I’m a woman, Luke, we don’t get to have our transgressions–imagined or otherwise–forgotten. Especially not sexual ones.”

“I’ll make them forget.”

Annabeth blinked at him, “You…and how do you intend to do that…?”

He shrugged with a mischievous grin, “Give them a reason to talk about something else. Streak through the halls. Release livestock into the school. I’ll figure something out.”

Her laugh must have reassured him she was feeling better, because he stood, “Do you want to stay here for a bit?” 

“I…yes, I…” the thought of returning to classes today, no matter how much time passed, was harrowing.

Luke seemed to catch on, “Look… once you’re ready, get out of here. Take a couple weeks off. Between Professor Jackson and Professor Nielson, we should be able to cover your classes— hell, Chiron might be willing to help out too.”

“But…but I can’t afford to—“

“I said I’d take care of you, didn’t I?”

“Are you sure?” She sniffled, but it was a relief to not worry about it today.

“Of course. Come on, I can drive you home.”

Annabeth’s eyebrow raised, “Do you think that would help staunch the rumors…?”

“Well, one, we’re friends, regardless of what a soulless gossip rag says. Two, I know a secret way to staff parking, so we should be fine.”

“Of course you do.” She gave a watery smile, glancing back to the paper for a moment. Luke followed her eye line.

“Do you know anyone who knew about your circumstances who could have leaked this?” He ventured, and Annabeth shook her head.

“No, no one. I… I don’t think anyone would do something like this. Old yearbooks and rosters and stuff are archived in the library… honestly someone probably just stumbled across the information by chance.” She rubbed her eyes, standing and smoothing out her skirt.

Luke held out his arms for a hug which she gladly accepted, just wanting some comfort in a bleak situation, and after a few moments they pulled away and Luke led Annabeth to the back door of his office, out through the maintenance halls to the parking lot.

 

---

 

Annabeth spent most of that first day curled up on her couch, spacing out and flipping through streaming options on her tv aimlessly. Her misery was interrupted that evening by a pounding at the door, and when she shuffled over to open it. Piper, Thalia, and Silena burst inside, all three talking over each other with varying levels of fury, sympathy, and general concern on her behalf.

“What kind of sick, twisted, fucked up, disgusting, cold-hearted, demonic, sadistic—“

“Too many adjectives, Thal.” Piper called from the kitchen, busy unpacking the comfort food they’d brought with them.

“—GUTLESS person would spread such fucked up lies?! If I find them, I am going to—“

“Remember, you’re a counselor.” Silena reminded Thalia from where she was seated behind Annabeth, brushing her hair out to braid it. Annabeth protested, but Silena insisted that getting one’s hair out of their face was a huge mood booster.

“….I am going to very firmly recommend their expulsion.” Thalia practically growled through gritted teeth, though the way she twisted the throw pillow in her lap suggested that would be the least of her wrath.

Annabeth winced, partly because of how angry Thalia’s voice was, partly because Silena had brushed through a snag in her curls, but mostly because…

“Look, guys, I… this is all really nice but I—“ she hesitated, feeling three sets of eyes watching her expectantly. “It wasn’t… all lies.”

She expected awkward silence. She expected to feel their respect for her drop. She expected anything but the reaction she received.

“Who cares? ” Thalia was still full speed ahead on the righteous indignation train, “Wasn’t their fucking place to publish your personal business.”

“Yeah. Plus, Luke isn’t the kinda guy who would leverage his position like that.” Piper came to sit on the armchair, a bowl of popcorn in one hand, a balanced tray of nachos with all the fixings in the other, “So anyone buying that bullshit is an idiot.” She paused, “…Unless he did , in which case, fuck him, I’ll make Jason help you press charges.”

Annabeth felt like she could cry, but out of gratitude this time, “He didn’t”

“Good.”

Silena patted Annabeth’s back, indicating for her to move from the sofa to the floor to make braiding easier, “Besides, like half the faculty knows about the degree thing between those of us who went to school with you and the others who worked there when we did.”

Annabeth’s brow furrowed. This was considered when she was first hired, but… how would they know what her Masters had been in? It wasn’t like she kept in touch with most people after leaving NAU. Annabeth always figured anyone who remembered her just assumed she had changed course.

But then…

“Then why didn’t this come out sooner? Why…why would it happen now?”

Thalia shrugged, leaning forward to grab a handful of popcorn, “Who knows. Revenge, maybe. Or maybe they want something from you. Or maybe no one ‘leaked’ it, and those stupid kids—“

“Thalia.” Piper warned again, and Thalia threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

“Fine, fine, those dick students—“

“Not an improvement.”

“Those shitty little fuckers found it on their own.” Thalia huffed, “Jesus, you get a degree in psychology and suddenly you can’t be critical of anyone. ”

“You chose to work at a school.” Silena reminded her, “Students are different.”

“Yeah, uh huh, like you guys never complain about people in your classes— Piper was literally lambasting some junior two days ago.”

Piper immediately went on the defense, “Okay, first of all, Thomas Hartwell has had three fucking years to figure out how to sit down and shut up in my classes instead of trying to debate whether or not women should have gotten the right to vote every two minutes.” She blew her bangs from her face to better glare at Thalia, “ second, I don’t call him derogatory names—“

“You said he was a boot-licking little bitch who belonged in the trash.”

Piper opened her mouth to respond, then paused. “...Shit, I did, didn’t I? In that case, continue.”

Suffice to say, by the end of the night Annabeth’s mood had considerably lifted. Thalia offered to spend the night, but was refused–mainly because Percy’s extra toothbrush was still in the bathroom, his razor in the shower, and some of his clothes were piled in a laundry basket she’d been neglecting, and dealing with awkward questions was the last thing she was in the mood for.

Except now she was thinking of Percy, and her heart sank a bit.

He knew about her degree. But what if he believed the rest? He’d already been weird about her relationship with Luke… why shouldn’t he think the worst of her now too?

Something inside her told her that was wrong.

He was good. He was kind. He wouldn’t.

Yet the doubt remained, amplified by the fact they hadn’t spoken in almost two weeks. Lying in bed, Annaeth was suddenly overwhelmed with loneliness. She missed Percy. And the ache in her heart left by his absence was far worse than before when he had gone to New York, because this time? This time he was staying away by choice, even when she desperately needed someone in her corner.

Her friends were great. They helped. They loved her.

But Percy…

She slipped from beneath her sheets, padding to the neglected laundry and digging around for a moment. It wasn’t hard to find what she was looking for, a black t-shirt far too large to have come from her own closet. In moments it was on her body and she was back in bed, squeezing her pillow to her chest and breathing deep the scent that lingered on the shirt.

Annabeth worried that it would make her too sad to sleep, imagining him here. But instead she was flooded with calm. Her body truly relaxed for the first time all day, and she drifted off in almost no time at all.

 

---

 

Notes:

The lengths I went through to get this chapter posted today for you guys lol

I was out of the house today, and after walking 20 blocks and finding all 5 of the coffee/tea shops I knew of downtown were permanently closed (thanks gentrification/pandemic!) I FINALLY found a spot with wifi and a place to sit. Add to that a laptop that runs slower than a sloth that got into a garden of marijuana, it's been... a time, haha

ANYWAY. I hope you... I guess "enjoyed" is the wrong word here?

I hope you felt an emotion while reading. Doesn't matter which one. Any of them will do.

Chapter 18: swords and weapons (that you use against me)

Annabeth returned after the following week.

Luke offered to personally pay her for a full month, but she didn’t want to feel even further indebted to him—besides, it seemed the best course of action was to appear as unbothered as possible by the rumors. She couldn’t hide forever, and students and staff alike would take her absence as confirmation.

It was a relaxing week, at least. Her friends had visited several more times, as did Luke, though he never stayed long. That was probably Annabeth’s fault, because she insisted on shooing him out as soon as she could.

It wasn’t that she minded his company…but it felt wrong to have him in her home for more than 20 minutes after everything that blew up.

That, and she was afraid of what she might do if he tried to rekindle what they had before.

Annabeth wasn’t an idiot. Between the necklace, the financial support, the way he helped by first hiring her at the school and now defending her right to be there…she knew his feelings may have returned.

Or maybe they never left and he lied about that.

And her own feelings…she wasn’t sure.

The way things ended so many years ago left her feeling like an absolute wreck. She put on a brave face. She smiled. It was amicable. Their friendship remained strong even now. But there were so many tears shed in private in the following months; in the shower, her car, her bed.

If he had decided even as late as a year ago to ask for another shot, for real this time, the answer may have even been “yes.”

But it wasn’t a year ago.

And then there was Percy.

His face appeared in her mind’s eye every time she even so much as considered talking to Luke. Annabeth realized they would have to stop whatever it was that they had between them—and while that was seeming more and more like it was over and done with these days anyway, there was still a flicker of hope that maybe things would change.

She didn’t want to squash any remaining chance of having him in her life again.

But they still hadn’t spoken; no texts, no calls, no emails. So when Annabeth slipped into their office that Monday morning, she was relieved to find it empty. And perhaps a little disappointed. But mostly relieved.

There were still whispers, stares, and points, but it was a bit easier to ignore those now. At least if she pretended long enough, it felt that way.

Percy was scarce. She learned he had called out sick from the substitute that smiled at her when she entered the office. For one, heart stopping moment, Annabeth had thought he quit and this was the new teacher.

Her heart stopped again, interrupting her relief, when she realized she would have to face him sooner or later.

 

---

 

Annabeth frowned at the time; her next class was in only a few minutes, but the need to pee was only growing, and she would absolutely not make it back on time if she walked all the way to the staff bathrooms, so she ducked into the closest all genders one without a second thought.

It was only after she had finished her business and reached for the stall door that she heard familiar voices and knew her day was about to be ruined.

“God, did you see Professor Chase today?” Becky’s voice was unmistakable, “She looks like an utter wreck.”

“I don’t know, she kinda just looks the same as normal…?” Her friend sounded far less interested in Annabeth’s appearance, but Becky pushed through anyway.

“Exactly. As if Dean Castellan would sleep with her–or anyone would, for that matter.”

Annabeth felt her stomach drop.

The voice of the second speaker was clearly growing more bored of the topic by the second, “I really don’t know what your problem is with her, Bec, she looks fine.”

“Yeah, for a forty year old–and she’s what? Thirty?” Becky seemed to take the apathetic silence as encouragement, “I bet she threw herself at Castellan, offered to blow him or something real desperate like that, and he just gave her the job out of pity for how pathetic she is.”

“Pretty sure you’re just pissed that she gave you a D on your essay last semester and you can't offer to blow her to get out of it.”

If Annabeth wasn’t so horrified by the rest of the conversation, she would have laughed .

“Ugh, gross! And fucking rude! What is with you?! You used to totally make fun of our teachers all the time like two years ago.”

There was a sigh, the rustle of someone gathering up their things, a clack of makeup, the jingle of jewelry, “Yeah, because two years ago we were barely out of high school, and for some reason you seem to think we’re still there.”

“What the fuck? What is that supposed to mean?!”

“It means people are gonna get sick of your shit if you don’t grow up, Rebecca. Maybe study for the midterms this time and Professor Chase will give you a good grade.” The clack of heels on tile faded, and after a moment the sounds of Becky cursing and hurrying out as well left the restroom in silence.

Annabeth took a deep breath. Then another.

And then another, which sounded far more like a broken sob.

She slumped back against the stall door, sniffling and fighting back panic–Becky was just one person, and yes, she’d been shut down, but her words had been confirmation of Annabeth’s worst fears. People were talking about her. She knew they would be, she just hadn’t expected to actually hear it happen.

A hiccup, and then another sob escaped her even as she desperately tried to pull it together. And then the sound of the door opening and closing once more had her trying to stifle her noises, the casually whistled tune of some hippy song Grover had shown her when they were teens distracting her momentarily.

Annabeth quickly dabbed under her eyes with her sleeve, not wanting to touch her face without washing her hands first, and with determination, forcing herself to not care if a student saw her red-eyed with damp cheeks. She had a class to get to.

She pushed out of the stall and her eyes immediately locked with Grover’s in the mirror. 

He jumped a bit, having been busy placing bars of soap on the counter between sinks, “Annabeth?! Oh God, did I walk into the girl’s bathroom again…?”

“No, Grover, NAU has all-gender bathrooms now.”

“Ah. Right– Woah, hey, were you…?!”

Annabeth shook her head quickly, turning to wash her own hands, “No, not I’m fine, im okay, it’s just…” she feigned a smile, albeit a wet one, “Watched a cute kitten video on my phone. You know how those always get to me.”

Grover didn’t look convinced, “You know you can…talk to me, right?”

She tilted her head, “Luke…Thalia…neither of them like, told you what happened?”

He frowned, handing her some paper towels, “Told me…?”

“The…the article?”

Grover’s eyes widened, “Oh! Perce mentioned that— God, I’m sorry Annabeth, I meant to reach out when I heard but—“

“No, no, I— Percy did…?”

He nodded, “Yeah, uh, he brought up how he… I mean you… I think he was uh… worried, in a way?” Grover cleared his throat, “But, I really should have–”

Annabeth shook her head, “No, it’s okay, I know you’ve been busy trying to get fully settled back in here.”

“Still, I— what a shit friend I’ve been, come here.” He stretched over and gave her a hug, which Annabeth gladly accepted despite herself. Sometimes a nice hug from a childhood best friend was all that was needed to lift spirits.

Or at least, it should have lifted her spirits.

At his touch, all sorts of feelings from the last few weeks rose within her and Annabeth found her face buried in his shoulder as she began to fight tears again. Grover was someone who had probably seen her cry more than anyone else. 

He rubbed her back as she sniffled, giving an extra squeeze before pulling back to give her space, “Rough week, huh?”

Annabeth nodded, wiping her eyes again, “Yeah, just… Ugh, I should be better than this.”

“Better than… crying?”

“Better than… I don’t know.” She groaned, leaning against the counter and burying her face in her hands, “I should be stronger.”

Grover leaned beside her, then spoke up, “Hey… remember the summer after my leg surgery? When I got that skateboard for my 13th birthday?”

Her brow furrowed, but she nodded slowly.

“And remember how you hadn’t ever in your life been on top of a skateboard?”

A smile crossed Annabeth’s lips, already knowing where this was going. “Yup.”

“So you also remember insisting on trying it out by riding  down the steepest hill in our neighborhood, right?” He chuckled, and it coaxed a laugh from her as well.

“God, I forgot about that… remember how that huge scab on my chin was there for like, months?”

Grover snorted at that, “Forget your chin, your legs were gross for way longer– remember all that stuff that started oozing out of them? And your palms too!”

“No, no, my chin was definitely worse.”

“Why would–” And then a smirk crossed Grover’s features as he cut himself off, “Right. Forgot all about Jack Heinman. Weren’t you obsessed with him in Middle School…?”

“Yup.”

“I remember now, you were distraught because you thought he wouldn’t want to ask a ‘scab face’ to the welcome back dance.”

“And I was right!” Annabeth could feel her emotions starting to level out, the conversation being the first time in weeks she wasn’t dwelling on the absolute shit deal the universe had dealt her, “Because he didn’t ask me.”

“Uh, yeah, Annabeth, because you told him not to.”

She blinked. “I… what?”

“Does ‘only losers go to middle school dances’ ring any bells?” Grover shot her a look, and she stared back at him for a moment.

“...That’s different, he wasn’t going to ask me anyway–”

“He was, he told me.”

Annabeth was aghast on behalf of her 13-year-old self, “You– that– why didn’t you tell me that?! ” She laughed incredulously, playfully shoving Grover’s shoulder who teetered.

“I did! You didn’t believe me!”

“...Oh my God, you did, didn’t you?!” She smacked her forehead, “I was pretty ridiculous then, huh?”

“You’re pretty ridiculous now. ” Grover shook his head with a grin, and Annabeth rolled her eyes.

“I like to think I’ve grown a bit more reasonable and less self-sabotaging with age.”

“Yeah right.” At her glare, Grover held his hands up defensively, “Look, I’m just saying you’re still too stubborn to see beyond your own version of the world sometimes.”

Annabeth was miffed, “Gee, thanks, what kind of comforting words are those? Aren’t you supposed to be cheering me up here?”

“Eh, well, I’m just saying there’s some recent examples.”

“Name one.”

“Percy.”

She stiffened, but he continued quickly, “I just don’t get why you guys hate each other— well, why you do, he says you don’t get along but he doesn’t really act like he feels the same and— I don’t know, I don’t get it, you two are just so…”

He trailed off, and she prodded, “Just so…? You said something like that before back at the Gilded Snapdragon—“

“Lily.”

“Whatever. What are we ‘just so…?’”

“Just so perfect for each other.”

Once more, Annabeth felt her blood freeze. Did he know…?

Grover must have realized this was a weird thing to announce, so he pressed on, “Not like, in a romantic way, in a… I mean, I just sort of alway thought the two of you would get along really well.”

Annabeth’s jaw worked up and down, trying to form coherent words before she managed in a strained voice, “What makes you say that?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know, I always got this feeling whenever I was hanging out with him that if you were there too… it would complete something. And same when I’d see you after I met Perce. You guys have the same sort of… wavelength, I guess? But coming from opposite sides. Functioning on the same frequency but not the same tune.”

“Maybe leave the music metaphors to people who actually know why they’re talking about.”

Grover snorted, “You know what I’m trying to say! But, well, I guess it just didn’t cross my mind that those same things that I thought would make you guys get along could have the opposite effect too.”

 Annabeth stared at the stalls across from them. Grover… He was close to both of them. He probably knew her better than she knew herself. And as much as the rumors going around the school sucked, there was something bothering her far more, something she hadn’t been able to get any comfort about, because no one knew it was even happening. 

“So um… there’s… there’s something I want to tell–”

The sound of the door swinging open startled both of them, and the din of a full hallway and several students entering signaled that morning classes were ending.

“Oh, uh, hold that thought–” Grover hurriedly placed a few more bars of soap from his box, “Okay, there we go, let’s get out of here.” Together the two exited quickly, Annabeth following him down the hall to his temporary office, a big shared space for guests and long term substitutes and more part time teachers.

“What’s with the soap?” She nodded at the box as he heaved it onto his mostly-empty desk.

Grover looked proud as he patted the side, “Eco-friendly, hypoallergenic, and proceeds go towards ocean conservation, so I might have… bought them in bulk.” The pride turned to something a bit more sheepish, “But uh, the bulk amount was a bit more than I thought it would be. So I thought I’d share.”

Annabeth laughed, shaking her head, “Well, all for a good cause, right?”

“Exactly.” He grinned, then drummed his fingers on the box, “So. You wanted to tell me something?”

Her own smile faded almost immediately, and she found her gaze suddenly very focused on the floor, “Ah. Yeah, um…” Annabeth cleared her throat, “It’s… it’s nothing, honestly, it was stupid of me to bring it up–”

“It’s stupid of you to think you’re stupid about anything.”

“That’s a paradox.”

“Yes. So tell me.” He kicked out his rolling chair for her, “What’s up? You wouldn’t even bring it up if you didn’t want to say something.”

Annabeth sunk into the chair, suddenly feeling exhausted, “It’s just… I don’t… God, I really don’t know how to say this.”

The concern on Grover’s face was growing by the second, so she struggled on, “It’s not just the um… article. I mean, not just that is making me… making me feel so…” Annabeth took a breath, lowering her voice and making Grover lean down to hear her, “I’ve been… seeing someone.”

His eyes arched up, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “Dating?”

“No, not– We… We aren't dating. We are explicitly not dating, actually.”

He was quiet for a moment, his own voice matching her volume when he finally spoke, but the smile was fully formed now, “Well, that was never really your style, but if you’re enjoying yourself, then more power to–”

“We had a fight.”

“Woof. After the article…?”

“Before.”

“About?”

“It was such a stupid thing, I don’t think it really matters.” Annabeth tugged on her braid nervously, “But that… that’s not really… the only thing,” A deep breath, “It’s more about who it is…”

Grover’s eyes widened, “Oh shit, wait, is it someone I know?”

“...Yes.” She responded meekly.

“Okay, let me think–”

“This wasn’t really intended to be a guessing game.” She huffed her bangs from her eyes.

Grover waved her off, “Shh, I’m thinking. Man we have a lot of mutual friends, but none I could really see you liking that much–”

“Then don’t think about the ones I like.”

His brow furrowed, “...What?”

Annabeth felt a familiar heat rise to her cheeks, but she was in it now, “You… we… he was um, mentioned. Earlier. In this conversation.”

She could see the gears in his head turning. And when the realization finally hit his expression, Annabeth swore she could hear a soft ‘ding!’

“You are not–! ”

“Shhh!”

“But you both–”

“ Shhh! ”

“You’re sleeping together?!”

Annabeth peered around frantically before grabbing Grover by the collar and dragging his head in close like she used to when they were kids and she was roping him into a harebrained scheme that would absolutely land them both in huge trouble.

“You can NOT just announce something like that with the stupid article still making rounds!” She hissed at him, and Grover looked sheepish, though his expression didn’t stay that way for long.

“You do realize, you, my best friend, just confessed to me that she is sleeping with my other best friend, who, by the way, I thought she hated–”

“I do .”

“ Please .” Grover rolled his eyes despite his still apparent shock, “If you hated him you wouldn’t be upset about whatever thing you fought over– Jesus, you two are seriously friends-with-benefits?!”

“No!” She protested. 

His eyebrows shot up.

“So you aren’t dating–”

“Yeah but–”

“And you’re having sex–”

“Yes, but–”

“And you… what?”

“We…” She made another attempt, as weak as her excuse sounded to her own ears, “We’re not… friends.”

“Acquaintances with benefits, enemies with benefits, rivals with benefits, annoying coworkers with benefits, whatever! This is… God, I can’t believe we’re talking about this , you’re like my sister!” A beat, then, “Wait, you’re fighting for real, you– did he make you cry? Do I have to… kick him?!”

Annabeth shook her head, fighting a smile, “No, it’s okay, it was… pretty much my fault.”

He looked skeptical, but she was relieved when he didn’t pry further into the reason for their disagreement, “Okay, but uh… I hope you guys figure it out soon. Not just for your sake— I’d like to have at least 5 minutes where I’m not worried over you two hating each other.”

“Fair.” She sighed, wiping some smudged makeup from under her eyes, “But don’t think this means we’re gonna all hang out and stuff.”

“…well why not?! ” Grover whined.

“Because we don’t want people to know, and that would be just… it would be weird.”

“Come on, we could go to the museum or aquarium or something! Dinner! A movie!”

“Those all sound like dates! Don’t you have a girlfriend?! Go do that stuff with her!”

“But Juniper’s in Nicaragua until the Summer! Let me live vicariously— and be happy my friends are not mortal enemies.” The whining did not abate.

“Don’t count your chickens…” Annabeth muttered. Her brow furrowed. There was something she was forgetting… something important—

She gasped, jerking to check the time on her phone.

“ Shit! ”

“Huh? What’s the matter?”

“I’m half an hour late for class!”

Grover stared at her. “You’re the teacher, just cancel it…?”

“It’s my first day back, I can’t just–”

“Do you really think anyone is still waiting for you to show up?”

Annabeth paused in her desperate attempts to smooth her slacks and straighten her blouse, “Well… probably not, no…”

“So take an impromptu break to tell me about how the whole… everything happened?”

“Um…” She sucked in a breath, “It’s… kind of a weird story.”

Grover snorted, “Annabeth, I literally travel all over the world talking to millions of people for my job. I’ve probably heard weirder.”

“Okay, fine, um… so Jason throws this Halloween party every year…”

Annabeth, of course, left out the more intimate details. Neither she nor Grover wanted to have that conversation– being childhood friends sometimes meant you don’t delve too deep into each other’s sex lives. But the party, the agreement she and Percy had, a vague recollection of their fight (which was essentially just “I don’t know, Valentine’s Day sucks.”) Those were things she relayed.

And Grover, always being the best listener ever, had her whole body feeling lighter by the time she trailed off, mumbling something about the two girls in the bathroom just before Grover had entered.

“Ugh… Sophomores are the worst.” He huffed, running a hand through his curly hair, “But… wow, just… wow. I can’t believe I didn’t notice when we all went out.” A frown was on his lips again, then a gasp, “Wait, when you went outside, and then Percy went to– he wasn’t trying to get a bartender’s number, was he?!”

Annabeth felt sheepish, “Well… no.”

“How did any of us miss that?! Percy isn’t even the kind of guy to– you both really have everyone fooled, huh?”

“Well, it was part of the rules–”

Grover waved a dismissive hand, “Rules are stupid, just date already.”

“We can’t!”

“Why not?”

“I… I can’t.”

He was still eyeing her skeptically, though he seemed to fight back his protest. He knew her well enough to realize when something was a little too touchy to push her on.

So instead Grover gave a reluctant nod, tugging her into a brief hug, “I support you no matter what, ‘kay? Just don’t get yourself hurt because of your own stubbornness.”

“Too late for that…” Annabeth muttered, but when they pulled away a soft smile had made its way to her features. “Thanks for this. I… I really needed to talk about it.”

“Yeah, absolutely. Always.” He paused. “...So can I tell Percy I know–?”

“No.”

“...I’d ask why not, but I have a feeling regardless of the answer you won’t say yes.” He chuckled, “Alright, well, go you should probably go send an email or update a reading list or whatever official teachers do. Unless you want to help me organize these soaps?”

“Oh, darn, look at the time!” Annabeth glanced at an imaginary watch on her wrist as she backed out the door, but the pair shared one more fond smile before she headed to her office, feeling better than she had in weeks.

Notes:

I did NOT plan for Annabeth to tell Grover about this stuff here, but sometimes the unexpected happens and you just gotta roll with it.

Sorry about no update last week! Fights and conflict can be fun to write, but the aftermath, the wallowing... I have the WORST time motivating myself to get through those sorts of scenes and chapters, so I haven't been writing as much as I was the last few months, so I'm actually caught up with my backlog of chapters which is... stressful!

I will TRY to get the next chapter written before next week, but I'll post on tumblr if I don't manage to make it. Everyone tell my muse to stop ignoring me so I can get to the fun stuff again!

Chapter 19: i'm like the water (when your ship rolled in that night)

Notes:

CW: Minor and vague references to sexual misconduct/harassment

 Things calmed down. Well, they sort of calmed down.

Annabeth got used to the whispers and was able to shake them off easier than when the article was fresh. Barely a couple weeks had passed but already students were switching focus to who punched who at the weekend rager and how the astronomy club had a ‘star-gazing party’ with the astrology club (which, from Annabeth could gather, was absolutely not what happened), and so with more interesting topics, she found some peace.

Of course, Percy returned to work.

She sucked in a breath when he walked into their office, freezing like a deer in headlights, but he simply gave her a nod in greeting and slipped behind his desk, getting to work.

This was simultaneously a huge relief and the worst thing ever.

But the nonchalance did make Annabeth relax somewhat. The atmosphere was suddenly bearable enough that an apology bubbled in her throat. She almost managed to get it out too, spinning in her chair and starting with a “Hey–” when the door opened, a perfectly timed interruption to stall Annabeth’s repentance.

Percy stood as Becky entered with a sour look on her face, “Good morning, Miss Cunningham, I’m afraid I don’t have time to chat this morning, I have a–”

“That’s alright, Professor Jackson, I’m… actually here to see Professor Chase.”

Percy hid his surprise well. Annabeth only noticed because of the way his weight shifted from one foot to the other and how a dimple appeared right at his temple as he fought a furrowed brow.

God she missed being around him enough to memorize quirks like that against her will.

“Well, I won’t keep you.” He gathered his papers into a leather binder and slipped from the room, the door shutting making far too loud of a noise behind him in the otherwise silent office.

Becky huffed her bangs, avoiding eye contact as she scrunched her nose, “You wanted to see me?” And then after a moment, as an afterthought, she added a venomous “ Professor? ”

Annabeth nodded, gesturing to the seat Percy vacated, “Yes, actually. There’s a few things I wanted to talk about.”

The girl slumped into the chair with all the composure of a toddler on the verge of a tantrum, “Look, I know I work at the stupid school newspaper, but I’m not the one who–”

“I didn’t think you were.”

There was a pause, then, “Okay, so, about my grades, then–”

“That isn’t why I asked you here either, Rebecca.” Annabeth leaned forward a bit, watching as the Sophomore frowned. The urge to let her stew in discomfort and confusion a while longer was strong, but Annabeth ignored it, “How are you?”

Becky blinked at her, “...What?”

“Are you doing alright? I know you’ve previously done really well in classes according to your transcript, but it seems everything has been slipping recently– so I suppose in a way it’s about your grades, but I don’t think you need a lecture here. I’m more concerned with if something happened? Or is it just a bit overwhelming? I know my sophomore year was a nightmare compared to my freshman–”

“You didn’t even go to college!” The other snapped, and it took the willpower of Sisyphus for Annabeth to keep pushing up this particular hill as planned.

“Actually, I did. And I went to postgraduate school as well. I simply got my degree in something different from what I teach.”

Becky deflated slightly, her bristled demeanor becoming less guarded, “Oh. Right.”

Annabeth gave what she hoped was a soft, reassuring smile rather than a grimace, “You don’t have to open up to me. I know I’m not your favorite teacher, but I would still like to help.” Normally, she would recommend visiting Thalia or one of the other counselors, but if someone had suggested such a thing to Annabeth as a nineteen year old… she could only imagine how defensive she’d feel. “Do you have a professor you’re close to? Or someone here you’d feel comfortable talking with? What are you majoring in?” Annabeth had a roster with that information, but she would be lying if she claimed to have paid much attention to it.

“...Fashion.” Becky finally relented, her arms crossed as she leaned back in Percy’s chair.

“Mmm. And I imagine you needed a level one history class for your general credit studies?” At the girl’s nod, Annabeth prodded, “May I ask why you chose this one? Greek Mythology and Ancient History?”

For a moment, she thought Becky might shut down entirely, but the conversation really did seem to be helping as she sat up straighter, “I don’t know, I’ve like… always really liked how that stuff looked, you know? The columns… Dior made this super pretty dress inspired by those old marble columns, it was like, a hundred years ago–”

“1992.”

Becky’s eyes widened slightly, “You know Dior?”

Annabeth laughed, “No, not really, but my little brother watches anime and one of the dresses in Sailor Moon is based off that one. It’s a great design.” She reminded herself to thank Matthew the next she saw him.

“Yes! That’s where I initially saw it– not that I’m like, a nerd or anything, everyone in third grade watched it, that’s all.” She tossed her hair behind her, speaking more animatedly now, “But like, the clothes in that show, finding out some of them were real, it made me want to design dresses and outfits like that. And togas– I feel like there’s so much you can do with them with modern styles!”

“You should really mention all this to Professor Beauregard. Her final our senior year was a whole collection inspired by Greek gods and goddesses. I'm sure she’d be happy to show you her designs, she asked for my help a bit as far as inspiration.”

You would think Annabeth had casually announced she knew the Mona Lisa personally with how Becky was looking at her, “You went to school with Professor B?! ”

Annabeth gave a nod, pulling out her phone, “We actually went to the same highschool too, we’ve been friends for a while– here, she forced me into her Aphrodite design for Halloween last year.”

Becky took the screen almost reverently, gasping, “Oh my god that’s gorgeous! That’s you?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Damn, Professor C, why don’t you look like that all the time? Who knew you were hiding those legs under all those slacks and skirts and stuff?”

“Hey hey, let’s not comment on teacher’s bodies.” Annabeth chided though she couldn’t keep from smiling at that as she took her phone back, “Really, Silena would love to show off for you. She’s having a baby shower at the end of the semester, I can see if she wouldn’t mind if you were invited, her whole closet is filled with–”

She was interrupted by a squeal, Becky clapping her hands together, “Really?! She’s like, my absolute favorite teacher, I don’t want to be a total creep in her personal life–?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that, she used to take her students on field trips to her storage unit where she keeps most of that stuff. Like I said, she adores showing off.”

Becky was beside herself, “That would be amazing, thank you so much Professor C! I… oh, um, about… midterms, um, do you know anyone who would be willing to tutor? I really want to do better, and I know I need to do my makeup essay too…”

“Jesse.” Annabeth answered without hesitation, “They’re a junior–”

“Tall? Shoulder length curly hair? Looks like the lovechild of Heath Ledger and Angelina Jolie? Oh, and they have those super dark blue eyes, and their arms are–” Becky cut herself off, a blush creeping over her cheeks at Annabeth’s raised eyebrow.

“...Yes, them. They’re an ace at this stuff, they actually have a notice on the corkboard in the hall with their number for tutoring. I know they’re doing a special project with Professor Jackson right now, so their availability might be limited with such short notice, but it’s worth a try. If not, they’ll know someone who can help.”

Becky was already standing, adjusting her large couture leather bag on her shoulder and practically bouncing with excitement, “Thank you, this is… thanks. It…” She hesitated, “It really has been kind of a sucky semester, there’s… a lot going on, but I really need to pass–”

“Well, if you need an extension on anything, or even accommodations, you can reach out to me. I’ll see what I can do. Within reason.” Annabeth stood as well, seeing the girl out.

“I will! Thanks again, Professor C!” Becky gave a small wave, then hesitated before exiting, “I… hey, um, I work for the newspaper, if… if you like, I can try and figure out who gave that info about you. And the college stuff... I don’t actually get what the big deal is, to be real, like who cares if you know more about something else? You know this shit— I mean, stuff– too!”

Annabeth bit back a smile, “Don’t worry about that, just focus on yourself the rest of the year, okay? I’ll be fine.” 

Becky nodded, looked as if she might say something else for a moment, before giving an awkward smile and slipping from the room.

If there was one thing Annabeth was horrid at, it was ‘being the bigger person.’ Burying the hatchet. Forgiving and forgetting. 

But she was a teacher. She couldn’t simply not care, not like she had been doing. So she somehow stuffed down her pride, and  let herself drop the shield and level with someone. Someone who she’d felt nothing but contempt for previously.

Wouldn’t you know it? It worked.

Becky’s own brand of young adult might have been different from what Annabeth had been like, but at least the latter had enough self awareness to remember she herself had been far from perfect at that age.

Or perhaps it was just Thalia’s influence that had her trying out the healthy, mature approach for a change. For all her barely contained righteous fury, the woman was a good therapist.

Feeling mildly better, Annabeth went about her day with a bit more of a positive outlook. Things felt almost normal. For the first time, she wasn’t fretting over her relationship with Percy, or the fact that so many things about her life were up in the air— including her job.

Somehow, her good mood carried into the afternoon meeting her and Luke had with the school board. They sat in their little zoom windows on her computer, seeming so much less intimidating at only a few centimeters tall. It was something she’d been dreading, but now? Face to face with the situation? Annabeth felt nothing but calm.

Luke did most of the talking, with Annabeth answering when questions were asked of her; “Did you misrepresent your credentials?” “No ma’am, and I’m sure Dean Castellan would be happy to provide you with my original resume and transcript which should still be on file.” “Do you believe you deserve this position?” “I’m not sure if I deserve it or not, Sir, but it is an opportunity I have not taken lightly, and I have done my best to be a suitable instructor and valuable asset to the university.”

Luke did provide the transcripts and her resume, which was solid proof of the fact that he hired her with full awareness of her background and qualifications. At least, it would have been, had the fact that Luke and Annabeth knew each other at NAU before her hiring been a secret.

They were satisfied by their answers so far, but it was clear what was on the agenda next and Annabeth sucked in a breath.

“Miss— I mean, Professor Chase, we realize the next several questions may be uncomfortable, so we will have Mrs. Turner be the one to address you.” Made sense. Most of the men on the board had been politicians or planned to run for higher offices someday, and they were petrified of being accused of sexual harassment.

Not that they had anything to worry about, if they were truly innocent. And Annabeth knew for a fact most of them were not, if Piper’s intel on them was to be believed.

The woman on screen cleared her throat as Annabeth maximized her window, choosing to hide Luke’s entirely. Just in case.

“Professor Chase.” Mrs. Turner had a very no-nonsense tone, and Annabeth sat up straighter on instinct, “Did you at any point in time offer sexual favors to Dean Castellan in exchange for employment?”

“No ma’am.”

Mrs. Turner nodded approvingly, which was about as annoying as Helen’s unwanted mock-approval that was offered ever so rarely. “Did Dean Castellan himself offer you the job in exchange for sexual favors?

“No.”

“Have you engaged in a sexual relationship since being hired at this school?”

Luke cut in first, “That is hardly relevant, I think.”

Miss Turner raised a brow, and Annabeth herself hastily added, “No we have not.”

Another nod was given in her direction– at least, Annabeth thought it was. It was difficult to tell with a computer screen between them. “A few more questions then; Professor Chase, has Dean Castellan ever approached you with undesired advances of a sexual or romantic nature since being hired?”

“No.” She nearly hesitated. Luke had certainly made his intentions clear. But were they undesired? The fact that Annabeth didn’t know how to actually answer that made an uneasy feeling begin to crawl through her stomach.

“And have you ever felt uncomfortable in the presence of Dean Castellan?”

Annabeth swallowed, the uneasy feeling growing. She almost asked for clarification, if it was just meant sexually, or in any way but did that change her answer? “No.”

“And finally, are you comfortable with the idea of continuing to work with Dean Castellan for the foreseeable future?”

“I… I only have one more year of my–” at the deadpan stare of the woman through the screen, Annabeth opted to just give her answer, “Yes.”

“Well, I believe that covers it then.” Miss Turner leaned back, “After an internal investigation and the further information obtained through today’s interview, we do not see any signs that power was wielded in an unethical manner, nor was there inappropriate conduct. Based on our review of Professor Chase’s past three and a half years of teaching, her students tend to score at or above average for their level when compared to other schools in the nation, and as such we see no reason to terminate her position at this time.”

She hadn’t been particularly worried at this point, but it still felt like a weight had been lifted from Annabeth’s shoulders.

“Dean Castellan, in the future, when hiring someone without the qualifications we generally expect, please make it known to administration.”

“They handled the paperwork, ma’am.”

“...Then please make it known to us .” Miss Turner sniffed, “The meeting is adjourned. We will send the determination and transcri[t to both of your emails once available, and you are both welcome to contact a board member should you have any questions or further concerns.”

And like that, the Zoom window went dark and Annabeth leaned back in her chair with a sigh. It was late afternoon at this point. Her classes were done. She had some grading to catch up on, as always, but the pile wasn’t nearly as big as it could have been. There was still a hint of that something taking root in the pit of her stomach, but it was easy to ignore with the golden hour sun streaming through the windows to the courtyard. Soon it would be warm enough to eat lunch out there again.

It was always a surprise to realize just how bummed the winter months and lack of vitamin D made her when Spring rolled around.

She settled in to get as much done before going home as possible. An hour passed, then half of another, then the familiar buzz of Annabeth’s phone on the desk grabbed her attention and she picked it up absently before frowning at the contact name.

Her father.

They hadn’t spoken since Christmas. Which meant something had happened for him to even find the courage to call her at all.

It was pressed to her ear in a heartbeat.

“What happened?”

“Annabeth–” 

“Just tell me what happened, Dad.”

She could hear his shaky breath, “I… your mother, she’s… well, the doctor’s–”

“Is it back?”

A pause, then a slow, “Well, no…”

Annabeth waited. No answer. “Then…?”

“Pneumonia.”

Annabeth barely managed to bite back a curse, “She– she wasn’t even–?”

“I know, I know, sometimes… sometimes the regular symptoms don’t appear right away, but with her immune system… after the chemo, that is, it’s… they suspect her initial collapse was simply fatigue, but they say it was a good thing it happened, or else they wouldn’t have been running all the tests that caught it.” Frederick gave a dry laugh, “But you know that just because it isn’t cancer doesn’t mean it can’t still… that it can…”

“I know, dad.” Annabeth rubbed between her eyes, slumping forward onto her desk, “How are the boys?”

“They… they’re alright. Home with me, visiting hours ended shortly after she was admitted. I… Annabeth, I wanted to ask if you could potentially… come over for dinner?”

She felt cold. Slowly, cautiously, Annabeth responded, “...Are you making something, then?”

“I… I was hoping, perhaps you could um…  do that part.”

Of course. As expected. It wasn’t an invitation to simply join her family for a meal during a hard time. It was him needing something. Again.

“Did everything I say on Christmas simply whoosh right over your head, or do you actually not give a shit?”

“Annabeth–” Her father’s voice was pleading, but she had enough.

“No. No you don’t get to do this after I went through all the trouble of telling you exactly what you did to me over the past several years pulling this same garbage. So I want you to tell me exactly why you cannot be bothered to cook for your own damn family? If that’s so hard, order takeout! I am not your on-demand chef! Or maid service! Or nanny!”

“I… I just… Annabeth it’s been years since I cooked for myself, and that was in college, I… I don’t know–”

“Then ask Matty to help you. You know he’s good at it. Or hell, Bobby knows his way around a kitchen too, seeing as he prepares almost all his own meals for weeks before boxing matches.”

“But they’re so… they’re so sad, Annabeth, I can’t–”

She had enough. Matthew and Bobby deserved the world, but Annabeth did too. At least, she deserved as much consideration from her own father. “Order then. Ask their favorites. Be a fucking parent. I shouldn’t have to be the one to explain this to you!”

“But–!”

She didn’t even let him get another word out, didn’t even extend the courtesy or a short, angry goodbye, opting to hang up and toss her phone back on the desk before burying her face in her hands with a groan.

How dare he!

Annabeth stood suddenly and began to pace, her fury and frustration only growing. So now she was sure he didn’t actually listen to anything she said. He probably hadn’t ever done that much for her. Yes, Matthew and Bobby were sad. And they had a right to be. But she was sad too! And maybe her reasons weren’t as good, but her feelings still mattered just as much! He didn’t even… Ugh!

She threw her hands in the air. She shoved her papers, her laptop, anything she would need for a night of grading into her bag. She pulled on her coat. She flicked off the lights and locked the office. And then…

Annabeth’s legs moved almost of their own volition. It wasn’t a conscious thought, practically running to the bus stop for the F line rather than her usual B. The worry was if she thought about it too much, her cowardice would win out, so she refused to think about it at all, for once. She just did.

Even still, it was an agonizing ride. The sky was dark when she finally stepped off the bus, and once more her feet were doing as they pleased, letting her run the two blocks to the familiar apartment complex. She punched in a code, found the elevators inside to be out of order, so to the stairs it was.

When Annabeth finally knocked on the door, her forehead and palms slick with sweat, her body’s exhaustion attempting to permeate through her adrenaline, she decided that maybe she should have let one or two thoughts occur; she now had no clue what she would say.

As it turned out, thoughts weren’t needed.

The door clicked, it swung open, and she sucked in a breath as Percy stood there, tight white t-shirt, gray sweatpants, his expression freezing into one of surprise when he found her standing there.

“...Hi.” Annabeth breathed.

He stared.

She didn’t really give much room for a reply though. “I was thinking, I was… stupid. I shouldn’t have accused you of being jealous, I mean, that was bullshit enough on its own to think that would even– but whether it had or hadn’t, I didn’t mean to insinuate what I did but that’s what happened and you had every right to be angry with me for it because I was acting not really all that maturely myself– not to say you were being immature! I just… I don’t know where I even got that idea, you being jealous, it was just an assumption on my part and I should have just dropped it instead of pushing, and I just came here to say I’m sorry and I tired of barely acknowledging each other and I’m tired of having this key that I can’t use burn a hole in my pocket every day and I miss Blackjack and I’m sick of going home to an empty apartment and I miss you.” It felt like she had gotten it all out in one breath, impressive even if she hadn’t already been panting, and she stared up at him, herself shocked at some of the things she had said.

“...Shit.” Percy hurriedly slammed the door.

Annabeth blinked. She felt a sting behind her eyes, felt humiliation and despair seep throughout her body, making her head dizzy and accentuating the ache of her feet from running here. She backed up from the door with a stagger, before slowly turning to numbly walk back–

A slight crash from within the apartment interrupted her downward shame spiral and she paused. Hurried footsteps and the door swung back open, Percy’s own breath heavy now, his hair a bit more mussed, his eyes intense, “Sorry… I… I hadn’t cleaned and… uh. Just wanted to hide the evidence.”

She stared. “Are…” a strained laugh escaped, “Are you saying you slammed a door in my face after I just did the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done in my life… and it was because you wanted to clean?! Could you not have… I don’t know, told me that?!”

Percy gave a sheepish chuckle himself, “Ah, I guess I did. But in my defense, I wasn’t expecting you and I panicked a bit.” He gestured into the apartment, and Annabeth, face burning a bit, slipped past him.

At this point, she couldn’t really tell what Percy considered ‘messy.’ Sure, there were usual signs of living; dishes in the sink, books and papers on the counter, a blanket on the sofa, an unfinished bowl of cereal on the coffee table. So relatively spotless compared to Annabeth;s own home. And considering how quickly he cleaned, it couldn’t have been that bad.

Annabeth desperately wished to stop contemplating the hypothetical mess, but she was too wired to do much else other than let her mind race. She wrung her hands, glancing around and suddenly feeling awkward. A few weeks ago she would have slipped out of her shoes, coat, and pants, stolen one of his oversized sweats, and made herself comfortable on the couch.

Now, she felt like a stranger. She wasn’t sure of the etiquette.

Luckily, there was no need to ask as Percy automatically helped her out of her coat, slinging her bag near the door and making his way to the kitchen.

“Coffee?” He offered over his shoulder.

“Isn’t it kind of late for that?”

“Tequila?”

“Do you have anything midway between those two options?”

“Margarita?”

“That’s just tequila with extra steps.”

“Fine, since you’re complaining so much, guess we just have to settle on seltzer.”

“The horror.” Annabeth rolled her eyes, fighting a smirk. It was too easy with him. It was as if the fight had never happened. She idled towards the kitchen, leaning on his counter as he slid a cold La Croix to her. 

“So.” Percy cracked open his own can, taking a sip though his eye contact did not waver. Annabeth squirmed.

“So…” She repeated, suddenly unsure.

Once again, he saved her from her own hesitance, “I didn’t do it.”

Annabeth frowned, looking at him questioningly, “...What didn’t you do…?”

“I didn’t tell anyone about your degree thing.”

Somehow, it never even occurred to Annabeth that could have been an option. Because to her, knowing Percy the way she did? It wasn’t one. “I… I didn’t think that.”

“You didn’t?” There was genuine surprise on his features, and he placed the can back down, “Then you’re better than I am, because I definitely would have suspected me. I mean, between us arguing and me knowing it in the first place–”

“Are you trying to convince me it was you? Because you might be succeeding.” She teased and he gave a half-smirk.

“I’m just saying, you rushed out of the office pretty quick that day and then were gone for a week. I just assumed–”

“Then why didn’t you call? Or text? Try to clear the air somehow?”

“Well… I guess I figured the only way to make a bad week worse would be to hear from someone you’re already mad at. If you had thought I’d done it, would you really be super open to listening to me whine on the phone, trying to clear my own name, while you’re already going through shit?”

She did smile this time, looking down at the can, “Guess not.”

“I was… I was going to try to see if you wanted to talk tomorrow. Since things have chilled out and I missed you too.” Before she could respond, a blush coming to her cheeks, Percy continued, “Not as much as you clearly missed Blackjack, seeing as you mentioned him first, but I’ll take it.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Yeah, well, he’s a bit more gentlemanly than you are. And cuter.”

“Can’t argue with that.” He laughed, before asking more seriously, “You’re okay though? I mean, clearly what happened wasn’t okay, but you’re not going to lose your job right?”

“No, no we had a meeting today and they determined nothing inappropriate happened.” She sighed, rubbing her temples, “It doesn’t really matter, I only have a year left here after this one.”

“Really?” He leaned across the counter towards her, interest piqued, “How come?”

Annabeth met his eyes again, “If this is what I wanted to do forever, I’d have gotten a degree in it and wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.”

“Fair enough.” Percy began casually meandering, coming around the counter as he spoke, “The apology… I know that was probably a bit uh… hard for you. Swallowing your pride and all that.”

“You think I’m prideful?”

“And stubborn. You think you’re not?” He stopped beside her and Annabeth turned so they were face to face, his eyes suddenly taking on a more familiar smolder.

“I think I’m incredibly humble and easily swayed, actually.”

Percy snorted, taking a step forward so that they were almost touching, “Regardless, I know how hard it can be, admitting you’re wrong.” He paused, then, “But you actually were right about one thing.”

Annabeth tilted her head up, brow furrowed, though her toes curled and her heart sped up, “And that is…?”

“I was jealous.” 

And then his lips were on hers and not even surprise could delay Annabeth kissing him back.

 

---

 

Notes:

FIRST.... I'm sorry it's been a HOT minute, I had (and still have) an absolutely nightmarish upper respiratory infection that wiped me out for almost over a month now, and on top of a different hyperfixation dragging me back AND the past couple chapters being necessary but not the most fun to write... I got a little bit burnt out.

BUT I'm back, and it looks like my motivation is too, so hopefully updates will be more regular again. I want to build up my backlog of chapters once more, just to be safe, but thank you all for hanging in there and still reading!

There is both a Princess Bride (book) reference in this chapter as well as a Scrubs reference, if you can catch both in the comments, you will... get a free one-shot from me or something idk I think they're pretty hard to find unless you're obsessed like I am. Will only apply to the first person who comments with both references. Have fun if you try!

Chapter 20: a mess of a dreamer (with the nerve to adore you)

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains explicit sexual content

Percy’s hands cupped her face while Annabeth’s own tangled in his hair, their bodies pressed together as the kiss grew more fervent than it had already been from the start.

It was like a breath of fresh air after living in a cellar, or water after traveling through a desert, or some other metaphor or simile that Annabeth’s brain simply couldn’t imagine in the moment as she melted into the familiar rhythm they both knew so well.

He roamed, one arm wrapping around her waist to try and bring her even closer while his free hand grabbed a fistful of hair at the base, tilting her head back while her lips parted to let his tongue swipe across hers. Annabeth grabbed at his shirt, sloppy and desperate but not having the wherewithal to care.

It had been way, way too long without Percy Jackson.

He lifted her onto the counter as easily as one might have expected, but it still took Annabeth by surprise and she gasped, hot breath mingling.

“God I missed hearing you.” He pulled away just enough to murmur before diving right back in. Their touches, their grabs, their everything was screaming for each other.

Annabeth let her head fall back as Percy began to make his way to her jaw, then throat, nipping here and there, “You alright with wearing a turtleneck tomorrow?”

“Yes.” She managed, gulping a breath as he bit and sucked at her neck, eliciting a moan that as expected seemed to spur him on. His hands found the hem of her blouse, sliding beneath it and calloused fingers ghosting across sensitive skin until they found her bra, squeezing and massaging as Annabeth’s voice became harder to control.

“You know the rule.” He gave a harder bite right where her shoulder began.

“N-no holding back.” She responded breathlessly.

“That’s my girl.” 

His lips were on hers again, and it was just as impossibly overwhelming as before. It was as if the 30 seconds they weren’t kissing had been just as long and frustrating as the several weeks previous. Annabeth scratched down his back through his shirt, down, down, down until she could hook her fingers on his sweatpants, tugging ever so slightly before letting the band snap back into place as a tease. 

Percy groaned in response, biting her lip and tugging in a similar way before letting go with a smirk, “Now I can’t say I was expecting you to immediately jump my bones–”

Annabeth interrupted, indignant, “You… you’re the one who kissed me!”

“Hmm, I remember it differently.” He tucked her hair back from her face, then leaned to brush his lips against her ear, “Show me how much you missed me.”

She huffed incredulously in response. Here they were, after nearly a month apart, and he was still trying to tease her and draw this out. His self control was certainly better than Annabeth’s, because she cupped the front of his sweats in response and began to rub slow, meticulous strokes while his breath caught, “You’re talking too much.”

“That’s… very likely.” He managed out, his voice strained, which filled Annabeth with self-satisfaction. “But I think you like it.”

“Maybe. Sometimes. But…” She let her own lips trace the shell of his ear as his had done to hers before, “I need you.”

Percy’s grip on her tightened, one hand still on her breast but the other had found its way to her hip without her noticing. After a moment, as if trying to calm down, he finally chuckled, “Then making you wait is going to be even more fun.”

And then both hands were on her hips, tugging her towards him so that she had to suddenly lay back against the cool stone of the counter, her eyes widening. “You– that– was waiting until now not enough?!”

“Nope.” He responded cheerfully, though that gruff, low growl lingered just beneath the light delivery, “Gotta punish you at least a little bit more for being so stubborn.”

“Y-you said I was right though!”

“Mmhmm. Still, shouldn’t have taken you so long to show up here.” He pressed between her legs, which wrapped around him despite Annabeth’s grumpy facade, and Percy rolled his hips against her with his own low groan, clearly already hard and eager regardless of how slow he said he wanted to do this.

Annabeth pressed back needily, letting her body arch and a whimper escape, “You could have shown up at my place…” 

“Maybe. But then I’d have to punish you more for not coming to me first.” 

“...This seems like a double standard.” She grumbled despite the growing pleasure beneath the fabric of her slacks.

“That’s because it is.”

“You–!”

“Didn’t you just accuse me of talking too much?” He grinned, a hand finding her breast again as he leaned over her, “If you let me play with you a bit, I’ll give you a treat. How’s that sound?”

Annabeth eyed him with suspicion, but that didn’t mean she didn’t shiver at the thought, nor did it mean she could win over her own curiosity. “...Okay, fine, but it better be a fucking incredible treat.”

Percy pressed a kiss to her lips before pulling back, bringing her slacks with him (which she hadn’t even realized he had gotten undone!)

The pants were haphazardly thrown over his shoulder before his fingers found their way back between her legs, rubbing slow, lazy circles through the thin fabric of her underwear. Annabeth’s gasp of surprise turned to a moan very quickly, and her hips raised to press back. Delightfully, Percy didn’t stoke her frustration by pulling away, instead his movements rose in intensity.

“Did you touch yourself like this?” He asked, voice as calm and lackadaisical as if he were asking about the weather.

“W-what?” Annabeth gasped out in response.

“I asked if you touched yourself like this, imagining my fingers while your own pushed you to the brink and you screamed out my name.”

She sucked in a breath, her face heating more than it already was, “I– that…!”

“Answer the question, Princess.”

“Yes!” She wailed softly, “Y-yes, I did, I–”

“And did it compare to the real thing?” Before she could respond, her lips were captivated by his once more for a brief moment, “Be honest now.” He whispered in a low voice when he finally pulled away again.

“I-I… n-no.”

“Mmm. Let’s crank it up a notch then, shall we?”

In a flash, her thong was gone as well, leaving her bare, and before she could dwell too long on the embarrassment of being completely vulnerable– which seemed to show up no matter how many times she had sex– his head ducked down and his lips sealed around her clit.

The noise that sounded from her lips was so unfamiliar it took a moment for Annabeth to realize she had been the one to make it. Her hands flew down to grip handfuls of thick wavy hair, and her body arched off the counter to beg for more. His tongue swirled and flicked in ways that had her mind blanking, while the hands that gripped her thighs began to roam, hiking her legs over his shoulders as his mouth moved to tease her slit for a moment.

“P-Percy…!”

“Mmm?”

“D-don’t stop!”

“Wasn’t planning on it, Princess.” She could barely make out his murmured reply, and before she could point out he had stopped to answer her, he began to suck with renewed vigor that was nearly overwhelming, interrupting any and all thoughts she might have expressed as another cry was torn from her throat.

He followed her body, increasing the pleasure when she seemed to be relaxing into the rhythm, then slowing when it seemed like she might crest too soon, his fingers finding their way to her entrance, one slipping inside once it was slick with her juices, then another.

It reached a point where Annabeth swore she was seeing stars, and this time, when Percy increased the pressure, he didn’t abate. Not when Annabeth’s body began to tremble, not when the grip on his hair tightened, not when her voice announced in a rasp “P-Percy, I’m—!”

She came hard, hips bucking as he eagerly finished her off. Languid licks replaced the frantic pace as she rode it out, her breath escaping in pants and her forehead even sweatier than it had been when she ran the several blocks to get here.

Percy stood with a smirk as he licked his lips, though one of his hands found its way back to stroke her sensitive pussy as he leaned over her to press a kiss to her lips, slow and sweet with the taste of her own essence between them. Annabeth whimpered softly, overstimulated but wanting more simultaneously.

He pulled back after what felt like eons of bliss, knocking his forehead to hers, “What next, Chase?”

“I… I want um… to feel you.”

She was met with a raised brow, “Oh, have you not been feeling me yet then?”

Her eyes widened, “W-wait that’s not—!”

Percy’s fingers dipped inside her, curling and yanking another cry from her lips, “I guess I should make sure you really feel me this time, I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t ensure you experience the utmost pleasure.” His lips grazed hers, “Besides, I’m not done playing yet.”

Annabeth knew she was in trouble.

Percy meticulously took her apart over and over again, thrusting his fingers in ways that had her keening, pressing kisses and bites wherever he could manage, massaging her body; it was like he was trying to memorize every inch, commit it to memory. As if the time apart had reiterated the importance of remembering every touch and moment together.

Annabeth came undone at least twice more before her begging seemed to sway Percy to let her ‘feel’ him in the way they both wanted. Or he was too impatient to resist any longer.

It took a moment of frustrated empty air between them for Percy to fetch a condom, but when he returned, his kisses were slower, sweeter, deeper, a yearning in each that made Annabeth feel like the most sought after woman in the world, the most treasured, the most desired. She felt him line up with her entrance, and at her whimper he pressed inside slowly, inch by inch, filling her in a way she had missed and craved for far too long.

Her nails dug slightly into his shoulders as she sucked in a breath, burying her face into his neck when he pressed his torso to hers.

He hilted, and they were pelvis to pelvis, both breathing heavily, savoring the moment, relishing in how well they fit together.

“Ready, Annabeth?” Percy spoke softly, and the way he said her name made her flood with a different sort of warmth. She nodded.

They moved together, the slower pace and atmosphere not lasting long before the two were bucking desperately, chasing the edge, moaning each other’s names and melding together in a symphony of pleasure that had Annabeth’s ears ringing and muscles trembling with how she tensed. Having already gotten off multiple times, she was far too sensitive to last much longer, and she came with a strained call of Percy’s name. He helped her ride it out, murmuring praise and slowing ever so slightly as he whispered, “Alright if I keep going?”

Annabeth nodded, a bit dazed but wanting to make him feel just as good as she did.

He picked up the pace again, slamming into her; and despite how overstimulated she felt, Annabeth had no desire to protest.

Percy hardened, his thrusts faltered, and when he came, he leaned down to press his mouth to hers once more, muffling the long, low groan that accompanied his climax.

“God… shit… I missed that.” Percy laughed as they parted, standing and letting his hands run down Annabeth’s sides and back up again, “You look… I mean… fuck you look hot like this.”

She blushed, automatically raising her hands to cover her face, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Why? You disagree?” He reached to play with a lock of hair that had begun to frizz and return to its natural curl from the sweat, before trailing up to brush errant strands from her face.

“You’re making this weird.” Annabeth grumbled, before shifting, “I… well, now that we have that out of the way–”

“Out of the way–?! ”

“We should probably talk more, huh?” 

Percy tsked, letting his eyes wander over her body one more time before nodding, pulling out of her only to scoop her into his arms, much to her chagrin, “Clean up first, then talk.”

Annabeth couldn’t find it in her to argue, and a couple quick, hot showers later the two were entwined under Percy’s comforter, which had to be dragged back to his bed as it somehow had ended up on the other side of the bedroom. He didn’t really use it unless Annabeth was over. She wore one of his t-shirts, letting him trace circles on her hip while she studied her phone with a furrowed brow.

“If I move grading to Saturday afternoon, I should have most of it done by– no, wait, I was going to rewrite the study guide then… I suppose I can do both, but that will take so much longer… shit.”

“Let me do it then.”

Annabeth eyed Percy skeptically, “But you don’t know what content we’ve covered.”

“Sure I do. I still have your syllabus.” He pushed right past the surprised expression that Annabeth knew must be gracing her features, “So assuming you haven’t gotten too off schedule or too off book– which knowing you, you probably haven’t– I think I’ll do fine. Plus, I have access to all your powerpoints and notes through the online portal.”

“Ah.” Annabeth considered it, leaning towards a ‘no,’ but at the thought of spending over half the weekend working, she relented, “Alright, fine. But you’ll do it for free, I don’t want you to try and cash in any favors I didn’t agree to owe.”

“Gotcha.” He grinned as Annabeth tossed her phone and rolled on her side to face him. “Hi.”

“Hi.” She studied his face, then, “Why were you jealous?”

“...Ah.” Percy sighed, Annabeth’s reverse as he rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling, “Because I’m an idiot.”

She waited, but he didn’t continue. “...Okay, I literally gave you a speech about how sorry I was when I showed up only for you to say I was right. So maybe you could give me a little bit more to work with…?”

“Fine, fine.” He glanced at her, his smile creeping back, “First of all, I’m sorry. Because while I was mad about you commenting about a student, I know that wasn’t what you meant and… it was my fault we were even talking about that in the first place.” Percy sighed, his gaze shifting to stare at the fairy lights Annabeth had strung up around his room when they dismantled the Christmas decorations forever ago, “I just… I had anger issues as a kid. I told you a bit about that before, at the pool.” 

Annabeth nodded, confirming she remembered. 

“Therapy and support helped me get to a point where I don’t react with immediate rage anymore. Well, most of the time.” She watched his eyes close and his Adam's apple bob. “I just… I got pissed, thinking about how he got to know you before me. How he got to see all the sides of you hidden from the rest of the world. How… how I couldn’t get you a gift for Valentine’s Day, but he could.” Before she could protest, Percy added, “I know that wasn’t necessarily something you agreed to with him, but I… I hated him for that. I mean, what the present represented. A whole life before we met. Which is disgustingly selfish of me, I know we just fuck sometimes and I’m okay with that.”

He gave a bit of a hoarse laugh, “I just… sometimes I wish we met earlier. Grad school. College. Maybe even as kids. Maybe we would have been friends instead of… I don’t know.”

Annabeth felt weird as he spoke. Not the same disconcerting weird as she had while being questioned about her and Luke’s relationship earlier in the day, but… definitely confusing.

“...We can be friends.” Her voice sounded hesitant and tight and foreign to her own ears, but the way Percy perked up made it worth it. He faced her properly once more, his smile returned.

“Best friends?”

She rolled her eyes, “Probably need to fight Grover, Thalia, and Piper for that title.”

“Gladly.” He chuckled, “So. Enemies at work. Best friends in private. Really best friends in bed.”

Annabeth groaned, burying her face in her pillow, “I take it back, you’re the worst.”

“You love it.” Percy pinched her hip with the tease, “Anyway. I was stupid, and jealous, and I should have sucked it up and apologized first because this whole shitty month was my fault, and I swear I’ll make it up to you.”

She couldn’t resist peeking up at him, “Make it up how?”

“I have some ideas.”

“And they are…?”

“A surprise.”

Annabeth scoffed, shifting in bed to snatch her phone back up. They fell quiet, but it was comfortable, Percy resuming his idle exploration of Annabeth’s smooth skin with his fingertips while she scrolled through emails. And then when a message about “Go Green Week!” starting after Spring break popped into her inbox, she remembered.

“...Grover knows.”

Percy didn’t even blink, “Yeah, I kind of figured that out after he not-so-subtly asked if I thought you were pretty.”

Annabeth held back a laugh. Grover was the worst when it came to being discrete. “Well? What was your response…?”

“Asked if he wanted to know if I was competition for your affections.”

“... What?! ” She burst into giggles, “Oh my god , Percy, you can’t just– he must have been so red!”

“Oh yeah, he immediately stammered something out about calling Juniper and ran off.”

“You’re terrible.” 

“So you’ve said.

She dropped her phone again, rubbing her eyes and yawning, “Ugh… I should get home.”

“...Why?”

Annabeth squinted at him, “Because it’s Thursday and we have work tomorrow…?”

“Like that’s ever stopped you.” He shifted so that he was on top of her, hands on either side, a knee between her legs and a mischievous grin on his lips, “Besides, we have a lot of lost time to make up for.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, but grabbed him and dragged him down for a kiss anyway.

 

---

 

Notes:

We made it to 20!
Remember when I said this fic was gonna be 12 chapters/definitely shorter than tgar? Oops.

ANYWAY, thanks for reading, as always! I'm feeling pretty good about getting updates out 2 weeks in a row, and I've been able to write regularly again, so fingers crossed we can carry that momentum through to the end! The next chapter is one I've been planning for a WHILE, so I'm super excited to share it.

Actually, the next several chapters are ones I've really looked forward to writing (one is actually already part way written- I accidentally drafted 10+ pages of dialogue at 3am one night MONTHS ago, so I'm psyched to catch up to that haha)

Also... there's gonna be uh... more smut in very quick succession, so as always I'll put a warning before those chapters!

Thanks again, and as always, comments are super appreciated! <3

Chapter 21: baby, i know places (we can’t be found)

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains explicit sexual content

“Why on earth would I want to spend my one and only spring break with you in a cabin in complete isolation for a whole week?” Annabeth complained as she searched through a file on her desk, looking for a student’s essay draft she somehow misplaced.

Percy was leaning next to her, arms crossed casually, “Because— and you might want to sit down for this Annabeth, it could be a bit of a shock— you like me as a person and actually enjoy my company.” 

She frowned  as she reached the end of the file, before sighing and picking up the next one to search, “Slander.” 

“It’s true.

 “Libel.” 

“It’s only libel if it’s written.” 

“Either way.” Annabeth huffed, flipping through papers as fast as she could manage.

“So you don’t want to come?” Percy picked up the stack she’d just worked through, perusing the pages far more chalantly.

“I didn’t say that.” 

“So you do?” He slid a stapled essay from the file and held it out with a not-well-stifled smirk.

Annabeth stared, first at the essay then back at him, before snatching it away. “I didn’t say that either, I’m thinking!” And after a moment of that thinking, she asked, “You said it’s in Montauk?” 

“Yes.” 

“In the middle of nowhere?” 

“Mostly.” 

“ Mostly?” 

“It’s New York, Annabeth, not Kansas.” He pushed off of the desk, stretching his arms above him, “There’s a supermarket less than forty minutes away and yeah, a car or two will drive by on occasion, but you can’t see any other cabins from ours and almost no one uses them this early in the year anyway.” 

She gnawed on her bottom lip, kicking herself for considering it but unable to resist. “Is there WiFi…?” 

“Yeah. But you will not be doing any work if you come with me. I forbid it. It’s spring break. ” 

Annabeth crossed her arms, shooting a glare at him, “You forbid it?” 

“Yup.”

“How feminist of you.” She rolled her eyes, settling into her chair and beginning to turn away, though she paused a moment to ask, “…how many nights again?” 

“Five.” 

“And you’re inviting me specifically because…?” 

“Why wouldn’t I?” He grabbed the back of her seat, spinning her back towards him, “You think I want to spend five nights in a cabin in the middle of nowhere alone?”

“You could always invite someone else–”

“I don’t want to invite someone else. I want to invite you.”

They stared each other down. But the fight had been lost since the moment he had asked her.

“When do we leave? Who’s watching Blackjack?” Annabeth sighed, giving in, and Percy’s grin only widened.

“Grover. And Monday morning. We need to drive up to my mom’s place in the city first to grab the keys, and I want to get to the cabin in time to unpack before brunch.”

Annabeth was temporarily distracted by the mention of his mom– were they going to meet?!– but then the rest of his words caught up with her. “Brunch?”

“Yeah, there’s a place down there that has these great waffles.”

“Are they blue?” She loved the way his lips quirked and how pleased he looked at the question.

“Not that I’ve seen.”

“Then they can’t be all that good, but I suppose we can go anyway.” A knock at the door had them both turning, Rebecca half bouncing into the room, a paper triumphantly held over her head and Jesse trailing behind her with a sheepish look.

“I did it!” She declared, slapping the several page essay on the desk, “And Jesse guaranteed I’d get at least a B plus!”

“I said I’d be surprised if you didn’t, that’s not a guarantee.” Jesse corrected, though Annabeth recognized the hint of a smile on their face that was absolutely more than a simple, friendly indication of good humor.

Rebecca turned and stuck her tongue out, “Still, I’m pretty sure I nailed it. Thanks for letting me turn it in late, Professor C.”

“Well, I’m glad you got it done, but I emailed you that extension yesterday and said you had until after Spring Break.” Annabeth raised a brow, “Sounds like you had a productive first tutoring session.”

“Oh Jesse is just that good!” The sophomore fluttered back to the far taller junior, who turned ever so slightly pink as her arm looped through theirs, “I already had a lot written, but it was so shitty– I mean, crummy, but Jesse helped me pick out the good ideas and it really didn’t take that long at all! We spent like three hours actually working on it and five hours talking afterwards.”

Annabeth exchanged a knowing look with Percy before she could think better of it, but it seemed to go unnoticed as Jesse cleared their throat in embarrassment.

“I look forward to reading it. I’ll email you your grade and notes this weekend so you can start thinking about your final draft over break.” She half expected Rebecca to grumble, but instead she turned to Jesse excitedly, grabbing them by the arm. 

“That gives us a good excuse to go to that coffee shop you told me about!”

“I– over Spring Break…?” Jesse asked, surprise evident in their voice as if they couldn’t fathom this girl wanting to spend any amount of her week off of school with them, let alone doing homework.

“Why not? I already paid you for five sessions in advance, plus you said it was near the beach, so we can walk around after! I need a new swimsuit for this Summer and they have the cutest shops down there and–” She dragged the bemused Jesse off, chattering away and leaving Percy and Annabeth to fight laughter.

“Man, I remember when she used to hang on my every word.” Percy shook his head, “Didn’t even glance at me this time.”

“Well, not all of us can look like the lovechild of Heath Ledger and Angelina Jolie.”

Percy’s brow furrowed, then he seemed to realize what she was talking about and chuckled, “Shit, that is exactly who Jesse looks like! The kid should be a model, I swear… but no, it’s not just them.” He took a step forward and ruffled Annabeth’s curls, worn natural today after she had showered at Percy’s house that morning, “I think she has a new favorite Professor.” 

Annabeth rolled her eyes, pulling back a bit, “You’re imagining things. Now come on, we only have today and this weekend to get all my grading done before Monday, since I’m forbidden from doing so after we leave.”

“As you wish, Princess.”

She ignored the butterflies in her stomach as they both got to work. And to their credit, they only got distracted once or twice before Percy drove them back to his place for the night.

 

---

 

Annabeth leaned back in the passenger seat early Monday morning, the sun setting the world ablaze and necessitating the sunglasses perched on her nose. Mentally, she was going through her checklist, trying to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything; toiletries, clothes, a book… She glanced at Percy, his focus on the road though he gave her a smile when he noticed her staring.

“You brought condoms, right?” She blurted out.

His smile turned to a furrowed brow, “…Do I look like an idiot?”

“Only on weekends and Tuesdays.” Annabeth paused, “But um, I was thinking…and I mentioned it before, but we both have been tested twice since we started this and came back clean, neither of us are sleeping with other people, and…and I’m on the pill, and I know two kinds of protection are better and safer but I just wanted to ask—“

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, I…” Percy cleared his throat, rolling his shoulders a bit as if fighting off tension, “As long as you’re cool with not using condoms every time, then I am too.”

Annabeth nodded, resuming her mental tally before almost immediately being interrupted, “What made you decide you wanted to?”

“To…?”

“Stop.” Another sideways glance, and Percy gave an exasperated grumble, “Stop using condoms…”

“Oh!” She blushed, having planned to casually breeze through this suggestion with no fuss, but of course they would need to talk about it more, “I… I just um… I like the intimacy of it, sometimes…”

Percy hummed in agreement, “Me too.”

Luckily, the conversation shifted to a ridiculous billboard that was almost certainly hand painted by a conspiracy wackjob on the side of the road, and before Annabeth knew it, New York City was on the horizon.

Percy talked about his mom all the time. And she sounded like the perfect person. The kind of mom Annabeth envied other kids for having when she was growing up.

And so when the city was suddenly surrounding them with all the noises that came with it, the looming buildings, the shouting people, the pigeons– Annabeth was flooded with a sense of doom. What if Mrs. Jackson didn’t like her?

Percy pulled into a miraculously open parking spot, cheering at their good luck, but Annabeth sank a bit lower into the seat, “Maybe I should just wait in the car?” She suggested as Percy unbuckled.

“Absolutely not.” He undid her own seatbelt, leaning over the center console to push her door open, “Out.”

She grumbled but reluctantly slid from the seat and stretched, shivering despite her jacket. It wasn’t as freezing as it could be in March, but it certainly wasn’t warm either… At least until Percy took Annabeth by the wrist and tugged her towards the brick building in front of them, a soft look in his eyes that made her feel like sunlight was suddenly flowing through her veins instead of blood.

“My mom likes everyone. You don’t have to be nervous.”

Annabeth huffed, “I’m not nervous.”

His knowing look annoyed her, but he didn’t contradict her as they were buzzed in and made their way up to the apartment.

Sally Jackson flung open the door before Percy could even get his key in the lock. 

“Annabeth!” The woman exclaimed in the warmest voice Annabeth had ever been treated to, and surprise at the greeting made her accept Mrs. Jackson’s hug without a second thought when she reached for her. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, dear, I’m Sally. Percy has told me so much about you.”

“...Hi to you too Ma.” Percy grumbled, his face reddening ever so slightly as Sally turned to give him a hug as well  in welcome.

“Hello sweetie, did you drive safe?”

“Yeah– how come Annabeth got all that and I just get ‘hello sweetie?!’” He complained as they were ushered through the door into the bright, airy home.

Sally flitted about, taking their coats while Annabeth followed Percy’s lead in slipping out of her shoes, “Because any girlfriend of yours is family to us.”

Annabeth glanced at Percy with a raised eyebrow, and he in return was pointedly not returning her look, stammering in response to his mother, “Mom, I told you, she’s… Annabeth isn’t my girlfriend, she… she’s my… colleague.”

“Oh? I suppose I just assumed, with how much you talk about her and seeing as you’ve never invited any of your past girlfriends to the cabin let alone a ‘colleague–’”

“ Mom. ” Percy was more flustered than Annabeth had ever seen him, red all the way to his ears. Annabeth stifled a laugh.

Sally winked at Annabeth, taking her by the arm and guiding her to the kitchen, “Do you drink coffee? I just put on a pot, but we have an espresso machine I can set up, Paul got it for me for Valentine’s day and it makes simply the best drinks.”

“Oh, no, just coffee is fine Mrs. Jackson.” Annabeth glanced back at Percy who was sullenly trailing behind them, though he gave her an apologetic smile when their eyes met.

“Please, call me Sally, not even my students call me Mrs. Jackson!”

“Sally, then.” Annabeth thought it might be awkward, meeting this woman, but she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt more relaxed around a parent.

A few minutes later she was sitting at the kitchen bar with a mug of coffee, her and Sally chattering away as Percy went to fetch the keys.

“He isn’t too much of a handful, I hope?” Sally asked, nodding in the direction of the hall where the ‘he’ in question had disappeared to.

“Handful…?”

“I know my son, capable, but with quite a mouth on him. Not that I don’t have my own snark, but I swear he got all of that from his father.” She shook her head with a slightly crooked smile, the same smile Percy had, “Of course, his sister is just like him, so perhaps some of it comes from me afterall.”

Annabeth vaguely remembered Percy mentioning a sister at one point, “Um… Estelle, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Is she at school?”

“Oh no, it’s Spring Break. Her father is taking her to Florida for surf camp. She was beside herself when she found out you were going to be here and she wouldn’t be around to meet you.” At Annabeth’s questioning look, Sally elaborated, “Percy talked you up so much over Christmas I’m fairly certain Estelle considers you a celebrity.”

Annabeth couldn’t imagine anyone looking up to her, but the fact that Sally didn’t seem to be saying so just to be nice had her believing it. “So what exactly did he say about me…?”

Sally sipped at her own drink, “He said you are the most interesting person he has met since taking that job at your school. I swear, every topic of conversation last he was here resulted in a ‘Annabeth said this’ or ‘Annabeth would love that–’ you’ve made quite an impression on him. He’s never been so…” she seemed to think over her next words carefully, “He’s never been so enamored with a ‘colleague.’” 

“Ma.” Percy was in the arched entrance to the kitchen, ears still bright red though he seemed to mostly have control of his facial expression now, “The keys. They aren’t in the office.”

Sally patted her pockets, tugging out a keyring with faux surprise, “Oh! Silly me, it seems they were here this whole time.”

Percy rolled his eyes, but as he walked over to retrieve the keys he pressed a kiss to his mother’s head, “If you wanted to get me out of the way so you could embarrass me in front of Miss Chase here, then you succeeded.”

“Nonsense.” Sally waved her hand dismissively though her eyes twinkled, “I simply wanted to trick you into staying longer, you don’t visit enough!”

“Maybe I would visit more often if you hugged me first instead of my guests.” He grumbled, clearly still miffed.

“Ah, knowing you would one day want my affection again is what kept me sane when you were a teenager.” She collected Annabeth’s mug from her as she stood and made her way to the sink, Percy continuing to protest.

“I always wanted to be around you!”

“Tell that to fifteen-year-old you and the giant ‘keep-out!’ sign on your door.”

“It was for the aesthetic, Ma, I told you that!”

“He was quite the punk, always listening to Green Day and skateboarding. His teachers always went from questioning why he was in their accelerated classes to loving him by the end of the first quarter” Sally directed at Annabeth, who nodded along.

“He’s still fairly punkish, I think– did he tell you he snuck into the university pool after hours?”

Sally lightly swatted Percy with the towel in her hands, “I told you to stop doing that! He used to climb the community pool fence all the time in the Summers, I had to pick him up when the cops caught him and his friends on a few occasions.”

“Okay, first of all, that was exactly once. We were way smarter than the cops, they got lucky. Second of all,” he turned on Annabeth, “bold of you to snitch on me about the school pool when you were there too.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know we were going there!”

“But you didn’t leave either!”

They bickered, Sally chiming in here and there with a new embarrassing anecdote about Percy, before finally he insisted that they be on their way.

Sally walked them to the door, pulling Annabeth in for a hug while Percy muttered something about ‘her new favorite–’

“You are welcome any time, dear. Perhaps when Summer Break starts you can join our family for our annual beach trip? You’ll be familiar with the cabin by then, Estelle would love to meet you, and if Percy hasn’t invited you yet then I didn’t raise him well enough–”

“ Ma. ”

Annabeth laughed, “You raised him wonderfully. That sounds like fun, thank you.”

Sally kissed her son goodbye, and soon they were back on the road, heading out of the city though traffic had gotten even worse since arriving. Annabeth stared out the window, admiring the architecture, the windows and pillars and arches and curves, modern next to older in a way far more charming than NAU’s remodeled wings cobbled together beside the original school buildings. 

“Sorry about that.” Percy murmured and Annabeth turned to stare at him.

“...Huh?”

“My mom, uh, she–”

“She’s literally amazing, I see why you talk about her the way you do.” 

His lips quirked, “You think so?”

“Absolutely.” Annabeth got comfortable in her seat as they finally left the city proper and the horrible traffic, pulling out her book and planning to settle in for the drive to Montauk.

“What’s that?” Percy nodded to it.

“Oh, Howl’s Moving Castle .”

“Isn’t that an anime movie?”

Annabeth nodded, flipping through to her bookmark, “Mmhmm. It’s a great film, but a bit different from the book. They’re both great, but the book is one of my favorites, my go-to Halloween costume is from it.”

“...Athena?”

She laughed, “No, Silena made me change this year.”

“Remind me to thank her.” There was a pause as Annabeth smoothed out the well-worn pages and Percy sped out of the city before he spoke up again, “Read to me?”

She glanced at him, “You want me to?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.”

“I’ll have to start over, you won’t understand anything otherwise.” Her voice may have held a complaint, but she was already turning back to the first page.

Annabeth read, and Percy was a good audience… for the most part. He interrupted here and there to comment or ask a question, and in what felt far shorter than a few hours they were rolling up to the cabin, the beach windy and gray with the gathering clouds overhead. The cabin itself was larger than Annabeth expected, and soon they were parked and lugging their bags inside.

“Well, here we are.” Percy flicked on the lights, revealing a wide open space; a kitchen and dining table to the right, a living room with a wood-burning hearth to the left. The ceiling was vaulted high above them to allow for a loft, and towards the back she could see a hall with a few more rooms, the doors closed.

“We’ll be in the loft, that’s where the master bed and bath are.” Percy was already headed for the stairs, “There’s another bathroom downstairs, and a couple other bedrooms– washer, dryer, the works.

Annabeth followed him, admiring how cozy everything seemed, “This is… I mean, wow, it’s really so… how often do you come here?”

“A few times a year. It’s great in the Summer when it’s not too cold to swim.” He laughed, tossing his luggage on the giant bed as Annabeth reached the top step, “It belonged to my grandparents, it was way smaller at the time though. No loft. My dad… apparently he added onto it as a present for my mom when they found out she was pregnant with me.”

“It’s amazing.”

Percy grinned, leaning back against the mattress, “I have a lot of good memories here. S’mores, sand castles, the annual Lucky Ice Dunk; Estelle took her first steps–”

“I’m sorry, the what? ” Annabeth dumped her bags next to his, taking a seat on the bed.

His smirk widened, “The Lucky Ice Dunk. Family tradition; every winter you gotta wade right into the ocean up here and dunk yourself under, it guarantees your year is a good one.”

Annabeth scoffed, “That’s stupid. And sounds miserable.”

“Oh it is.” He agreed, “The good news is we’ve had a cold winter, so it’s not too warm to soak up all that good luck yet.”

“Yippee.” She flopped back onto the bed with a sigh, “You couldn’t pay me to get into water that cold.”

“Not even for good luck?”

“Nope.”

Annabeth managed to keep her face straight as Percy climbed on top of her, his smile dazzling, a dare in his eyes, “I bet I could get you in there.”

“Oh do you?”

He nodded earnestly.

“...Fine.”

Percy pressed a kiss to her nose with a chuckle, “Any limits to this game?”

She shook her head, “Nope. Anything goes.”

“Well I look forward to winning then.” Reluctantly, he rolled off of her and stood, stretching, “Our reservation is in an hour, so we should head out now so we can make it. We can pick up some groceries on our way back– anything you need to do before we go?”

Annabeth shook her head, “I’m good.”

Percy held out a hand for her which she took without thinking as they started down the stairs; “Maybe you can read to me more on our way.”

 

---

 

Brunch was every bit as delicious as Percy claimed, a small locally owned place where the couple who ran it came to greet them personally, recognizing Percy and asking him about his mom, his family, how he was. The wife kept smiling broadly at Annabeth, and they were treated to Bloody Marys on the house.

They grabbed groceries after, piling their cart with snacks, ingredients for various dinners Percy planned on cooking up, and a bottle of wine.

Annabeth read again on the drive back at Percy’s request, and the rest of the day was the most relaxed Annabeth had felt in a long time. No work looming, no family to deal with, no obligations.

They talked about various topics. They did a puzzle. Percy made lunch while Annabeth unpacked upstairs, and after they watched a movie while they ate. She read to him more. They dressed warmly and strolled on the beach, trying to spot any seashells that hadn’t been snatched up; Percy managed to find the best ones.

By dinner, Annabeth was growing jittery. She had a plan. And if she didn’t execute it tonight, she knew she’d chicken out. So after dinner, she claimed she needed to shower and hightailed it upstairs, grabbing something from her bag and holing up in the bathroom.

She held the black lingerie up to her body, pursing her lips and weighing whether or not it was worth it. Was it too… much? Too silly? Too cliche?

After a deep breath to quell her anxieties, then another, she undressed and began to pull on the various articles of lacy clothing. Another glance in the mirror told her she need a bit more oomph, so her braid was undone, freeing her curls, and after ruffling her hair a bit she forced herself back out the door.

Percy wasn’t immediately downstairs, but she could hear water running, so she hurried back down to the couch to get there before he emerged from the other bathroom.

First, she sat with her hands in her lap, but that seemed silly. Annabeth leaned back, crossing her legs, but that felt just as awkward, so finally she settled on draping herself along the length of the sofa, propping her head up with a hand and trying to look nonchalant.

A door in the hall finally opened, Percy whistling a tune as he made his way to the living room once more. But when he spotted Annabeth he stopped in his tracks. The whistle died in his throat and his eyes widened ever so slightly. Annabeth raised her eyebrows.

“Something wrong?”

“Huh…?” He said, intelligently, before clearing his throat, “Nope. Nothing wrong. Not at all. In fact, I think something is very right.” Percy began to swagger over, a smile tugging at his lips.

Annabeth moved to standing, placing a palm on Percy’s chest before the hands that reached for her body could touch her. “No.”

He stopped, tilting his head, “No?”

“No touching yet.” She noted something in his gaze, something excited by her order.

“So… touching eventually?”

“Yes.”

“I can live with that.” He put his arms behind his back, as if to show his commitment to the rule.

“Sit.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Percy did as told, and Annabeth gathered her courage before turning to face him, climbing to straddle his lap and resting her hands on his shoulders as she leaned it to brush her lips to his ear.

“I think it’s time for payback, don’t you?”

He nodded and she could hear his breath hitch, “I would say it’s long overdue.”

Annabeth leaned back, rolling her hips teasingly while Percy’s eyes burned into her cold, steely ones, “So no touching until I say so. No tracing my skin, no tugging at my lace–” To demonstrate, she hooked one of her own fingers in the dip of her bra, pulling down ever so slightly to give the tease of more exposure, “No grabbing. Not groping. No anything until you get permission to.”

Percy swallowed, and Annabeth felt the familiar thrill of pride go up her spine at how he looked at her, the challenge clearly exciting him as she felt him harden beneath her. She hadn’t stopped rolling her hips.

“No anything.” He repeated, settling into the cushions as Annabeth took the opportunity to work him over in a way that he had done to her so many times.

Her hands traced down his chest first, feeling the soft fabric of his t-shirt before working back up to run through his hair, to trace his lips, his jaw… his eyes closed, his head falling back as Annabeth continued to rub against him.

“Fuck…” She heard him whisper, and another thrill went through her. Annabeth leaned in, beginning to kiss and suck at his neck, biting his ear softly between her ministrations. One hand made its way under his shirt, feeling his body, tracing every part of it with delicate, teasing touches that made him arch slightly.

“Did you still want that lap dance?” She asked, remembering their conversation from so long ago.

The question seemed to make his mind short circuit for a moment, but then he managed out a strained, “Yes.”

“How badly?” Her hand dipped for only a moment to squeeze him through his sweats.

“Very.”

Ordinarily she would have asked for more, teased him longer, but she was already growing impatient herself. All the same, she moved her body in a way she hadn’t since college, a dance of sorts to the soft sound of his favorite playlist playing through the speakers in the kitchen.

Annabeth turned her body so she faced away from him, grinding on Percy more sparingly from the new position but treating him to various swishes and body rolls.

She heard him groan, “Can’t I touch you now…?”

“No.” She leaned back so that she was pressed against his chest, letting his chin rest on her shoulder, “But you can watch me do it.”

Her hands trailed up her stomach until she reached her breasts, fondling and squeezing them, putting on a show. Percy’s own hips seemed to move on his own, searching for friction against her ass but Annabeth stopped immediately, “None of that either.”

“Ugh.” He grumbled, burying his face into the crook of her neck for a moment, “This is torture.”

“Would it be payback if it wasn’t?” Annabeth resumed her touches, going so far as to tug one of the lacy cups down enough to free her breast, pinching and massaging it. 

“...I guess not.” She felt the tickle of his breath as he spoke in a hushed, almost reverent tone. She couldn’t see him directly, but she knew she had his full attention.

One of her hands finally began to travel down again, down, down, until she reached between her legs, spreading them to drape over his as she allowed herself a moan, fingers rubbing slow and steady against her mound.

“God… Annabeth, please…”

“Please what?”

Percy’s voice was ragged, his face pressed to her shoulder again, teeth dragging against her skin, oh so eager to bite into it, “Please. I need to touch you.”

“Need?” She rubbed at herself faster, letting another teasing moan escape.

“Desperately so.”

Annabeth considered it, “Mm. Do you think you deserve it? You’re not even watching right now…”

His head jerked up again so that he could see her movements once more.

“If you last a little longer–” She rolled her ass against him, “then maybe I’ll let you.”

She felt his nod, and her hand slipped into her lace so she could touch herself more directly, slicking her fingers and teasing her entrance, then rolling her clit between her pads, letting every sound that arose to drip from her lips. Annabeth could feel the tension in Percy’s body, feel the ache to be the one bringing her such pleasure, and finally, she gave permission.

“Touch me.”

Percy didn’t need to be told twice, his hands on Annabeth in moments, one cupping her breast and squeezing while his other arm wrapped around her middle, holding her in place as he desperately bucked his hips against her.

Annabeth let her head fall back as his mouth attacked her throat, every part of her screaming for him; and with the way he grabbed her, the feeling was mutual.

“God, I need you.” His breath was almost too hot, his voice too gruff from holding back, his desire too palpable in the air around them. Annabeth loved every bit of ‘too much’ he had to give her.

She had continued to pleasure herself through it all, but now she brought her hand back, reaching back and feeling his lips close around her slick fingers, sucking them clean while they continued to heighten their desperation with every movement, “Then have me.”

Annabeth moved and Percy needed no further explanation as he helped her flip around to straddle him properly again, his lips crashing to hers as he undid the ribbons on her hips that barely held her panties on. Every touch was almost aggressive, an act of war and heaven all at once. As soon as the fabric fell away, Annabeth’s hands were on Percy’s shoulders, shoving him back into the cushions again.

“Hands on hips.”

He obliged, biting his lip, eyes fixed on her face.

Annabeth reached between them, pulled his member from his sweats and grabbed his shaft and rubbed it up and down, feeling precum at the tip. She rubbed her folds along him, biting her lip but wanting to make sure before she finally allowed him to enter, “Are you certain you’re okay with… with it bare…?” She whispered.

Percy nodded furiously, so Annabeth, after a few more moments of teasing him with her warmth, lifted her body and guided his head to her entrance, letting herself sink down upon it and arching her back as he began to fill her.

She felt his fingers dig into her flesh, seemingly gripping her to keep himself from falling immediately into a frenzy. Inch by inch, she slid down, letting her eyes meet his when they were finally pelvis to pelvis.

“Want me to move…?”

Another frantic nod.

Annabeth began to ride him, slamming herself down over and over again, Percy letting her do so and enjoying the view, the sensation, watching her breasts bounce as he gripped her and assisted here and there– but she could feel how desperate he was to have his way.

One of her hands cupped his chin, forcing his head up, “What do you want now, baby?” Annabeth surprised herself as the pet name slipped out. Percy seemed utterly overwhelmed by it.

“I want you.”

“You’ve mentioned.” She gasped softly as she pushed down on his cock again and again, “Be specific.”

“I want to fuck you silly until the only thing in that head of yours is my name.”

Annabeth moaned, her lips swollen from their kisses parting in a barely audible, “Yes!”

She had been proud of the strength and speed at which she managed to ride him. However Percy was on another level when he had control. His grip on her hips tightened and suddenly she felt herself being slammed into over and over and over until words became impossible to form, the only sounds emerging screams of ecstasy. Still, she was able to match his thrusts to a point, and he pressed his mouth to hers again, drinking up every moan and whimper.

Feeling him bare inside her certainly was another level of intimacy, and Annabeth became more and more unraveled. But at least she wasn’t the only one this time. Her legs trembled. Her pussy squeezed around him, and she could feel the way her muscles tensed in anticipation for the release.

“P-Percy, I’m going to–!”

He flipped them so she was on her back and he could move even easier, his thumb finding her clit and rubbing in tandem, “M-me too.” Percy shuddered, “W-where do you want it, baby?” He whispered to her.

“On me.”

“S-sure…?”

Her “Yes!” was the cry of climax as she tumbled into bliss, and after a few more thrusts Percy pulled out, pumping his shaft as he came hard, his seed painting her stomach as he groaned her name.

Annabeth reached up to grab a fistful of his shirt and pull him down for another kiss as they collapsed into each other, no doubt smearing the mess between them but neither seemed to care in the moment.

“God… Fuck… Annabeth! ” He said her name like an affectionate admonishment, “You’re going to kill me if you surprise me like this too often...”

“So… so I shouldn’t do it anymore…?” She teased, panting heavily.

He petted her damp curls to smooth the frizz, “Now I didn’t say that. It would be a great way to go.”

They kissed again, slower, sweeter, and Annabeth was acutely aware of the difference compared to previous kisses. It was this cabin, the way it was just the two of them away from the rest of the world… that was what elicited the warmth that now flooded her chest, the way she matched his soft kisses, her arms wrapping around him.

It was the comfort of the trip, the intimacy of being just the two of them.

Nothing more.

 

---

 

Notes:

1. The cabin is 100% based on a cabin I go to with my friends a few times a year it’s incredible and so cute and comfy I love it

2. I HIT 100K WORDS IN MY GOOGLE DOC SO WOO?

3. We have surpassed tgar in hits AND words which is insane to me but also makes sense but tgar was my baby so it’s kind of bittersweet? Anyway if you like this fic and haven’t read it……. Idk it might not be as enjoyable but it does have just as much Percabeth banter so!

4. IDK if this will satiate the people asking when/if Annabeth would take control, whenever I write scenes like this I gotta push myself not to fall back on what I am familiar with lol BUT I hope you all like it!

5. SALLY JACKSON MY BELOVED

Chapter 22: show me the places (where the others gave you scars)

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains mild drug use

Tuesday was spent mostly in bed.

Everytime one of them tried to get up, the other would inevitably do something that had them falling back into the pillows and sheets again.

Eventually, Annabeth insisted they needed to do something else, so reluctantly they shuffled downstairs to make tea and have lunch, only to get distracted once more and end up on the sofa instead.

So lunch was a bit late, the tea got cold, but neither complained.

They drove into town, walking around to windowshop, finding little treasures tucked into corners selling books and thrifted items with whole histories behind them that no one would ever know. Percy found a film camera, miraculously with film still inside, and bought it on the spot.

“You don’t even know if any pictures will turn out!” Annabeth raised her hands as he snapped a photo of her.

“Well that’s the fun of it.” Percy cheerfully responded, “It’ll be a nice surprise when they do.” He slung an arm around her, pointing the camera towards them awkwardly in a ‘selfie.’ 

Annabeth picked out a little owl tchotchke, porcelain, the paint like faded watercolors and a chip on its tiny head, but she wanted some sort of souvenir and it was the only thing that was small and simple and not-tacky enough to display somewhere in her home.

They walked for hours before finally stopping at a pizzeria for dinner, Annabeth horrifying Percy as she asked for pineapple on her slice.

“I don’t know you.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m not with her!” He insisted to the giggling teenage waitress as Annabeth threw her crumpled up straw wrapper at him.

That night, they curled up in bed, Annabeth reading for a bit until she felt Percy’s breathing slow and a small snore escape. It was easy to press against him and follow to dreams.

 

---

 

Wednesday they were a bit more responsible with their time.

At least at first.

Annabeth rolled out of bed to the smell of breakfast, Percy serving up bagels from the bakery in town with smoked salmon, garlic cream cheese, and capers.

She did some laundry, used towels, the sheets they’d been sleeping on, and the already-worn clothes going into the wash. Percy dug out his old GameCube from the closet, but they couldn’t find any games except the disc that was in the console itself; Mario Party 7.

And Annabeth absolutely kicked Percy’s ass both rounds they played.

“You’re cheating.” He complained.

“It’s all skill.” She retorted, his bad roll resulting in her stealing his lone star.

“It’s all luck!”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Tell that to the minigames– and how can I cheat if it’s luck?!”

Percy tossed his controller to the side as Annabeth was declared the winner, “You’re playing Boo. He’s obviously rigged.”

Her eyebrows raised, “Didn’t you pick Luigi because, and I quote, ‘the game is weighted in favor of him?’ doesn’t that mean you tried to cheat and I successfully thwarted you?”

“Irrelevant.” He stood and stretched, glancing at the kitchen, “...Hey…I think I just remembered something…” Percy strode to the cabinets, actually climbing on the counters to peer into the top shelf of one. This was strange, because he was more than tall enough to reach.

But the various pots and such that balanced there were removed, and he reached a hand back into the dark. It emerged a moment later clasping a small mason jar, shut tight, and when Annabeth caught sight of the clumps of plant within her eyes widened.

“That… how long has that been there?!”

“Since last Summer, I think.” Percy grinned as he hopped back off the counter, straining a moment to pop the lid off, “Grover came down to hang with me, brought it with him.”

“I should have known.” Annabeth shook her head.

Percy pulled out a few papers, “Do you mind if I…?”

She shook her head, “Go for it.”

“Well, Chase, I would have pegged you for a square.” He chuckled, beginning to assemble a joint while Annabeth huffed.

“It’s been a while, but I literally grew up with Grover.”

“Touché.”

 In a few minutes, they were out on the wooden deck that overlooked the beach, passing the joint between them. Annabeth couldn’t be bothered to pull on a pair of pants, and they were so isolated it didn’t really matter, so she stood in Percy’s oversized hoodie with her legs bare to the cold. But the chill was almost refreshing.

They were quiet, watching the waves, the gray sky, and Annabeth finally spoke after a moment.

“Why did you want me around?” 

Percy glanced over, clearly puzzled at the question.

She took a breath, “I mean, from the beginning, I was… I was kind of awful to you.”

“You weren’t.” 

She gave him a look. 

He chuckled, leaning on the railing as he took another puff, “Okay, maybe you were. Sometimes. A little bit... But… okay, when I was a kid I was… well, I told you, I wasn’t exactly mean, but I… I was hurting. I was scared. I was angry at the world. And I lashed out. When I look at you… I see a scared, hurt, angry kid there too, just trying to maintain some semblance of control in a world that’s been absolute shit to her.” 

She tilted her head, “You think the world has been shit to me?”

Percy shrugged, “Hasn’t it?”

Annabeth paused, before exhaling, watching the tiniest wisp of fog hang in the air, “Maybe. But that doesn’t make it okay.” 

“Yeah, you’re right, it doesn’t. But I wouldn’t have stuck around if that attitude wasn’t a mask.”

“How did you know?”

“Hmm?”

“That it was a mask.” 

Another shrug, “I told you, didn’t I? I’ve been where you are. I know what it looks like. What it feels like. Maybe I felt more forgiving than I would be because of that. I don’t know…” He shook his head sheepishly, “I could understand the reasons behind your tendency to stab first and ask questions later. I get it.” 

She stared at the waves, before holding her hand out for the joint, “You’re making a lot of assumptions here.”

“Am I wrong?”

Annabeth didn’t answer. 

“You don’t have to talk about it.”

The smoke was hot against her throat, and she gave a cough, “I don’t want you to feel obligated to try and fix me or something.”

Percy gave a wry laugh, “You don’t need fixing, Annabeth.” Annabeth felt his hand gently press against her back as she wheezed, handing the roll back, “And if you did, no one else would be able to do it for you anyway. I don’t think you’d let them. You’d want to do it yourself... Look, I know what we are; just people who fuck sometimes. But we’re also friends.“ He paused, then with a grin Annabeth could hear, “ Best friends.”

Annabeth snorted. 

“You aren’t broken. And you aren’t a bad person. Yeah, you were kind of aggressive when we first met, but I was an asshole anyway. You’re not abusive or toxic or— whatever it is you seem to be thinking about yourself right now. You’re great. And fun to be around. And warm, and smart and just… cut yourself some slack.” 

In the moment, it felt like there was at least one person out there who knew Annabeth far better than she did, and he was standing right next to her. 

Percy sighed, rubbing his eyes, “Fuck, sorry, I didn’t mean to lecture.”  

“It’s alright.”  Annabeth sucked in a breath, then; “My stepmom had cancer.”

“Woof.” Percy whistled, “Is she…?”

Annabeth shook her head, “No… no she’s in remission.”

“That must have been hard for you.”

She scrunched her nose, staring at the clouds that seemed to be growing darker by the minute, “Not in the ways you might think.” Another deep breath, “I… I’ve met my mother twice. My biological one, I mean.”

“Ever?” 

“Ever.” Annabeth paused, then clarified, “Well twice since… since I was about five, I think?” 

“Damn, that’s shitty.” Percy held out the smoke again which Annabeth took gratefully.

“I mean, it’s… I know I’m lucky to have that, you said your dad, he—“ 

He held up a hand, “Hey, don’t do that.” 

“What?” 

“Diminish your own experiences because of mine.” 

Annabeth fought the urge to protest, though she wasn’t getting as upset as she thought she might be if a moment to talk about her life like this ever came up. 

Percy gave her a few seconds, before tentatively asking, “Your mom… is she… is there a reason she isn’t around…?” 

Her laugh was dry, “Her and my dad… they weren’t married, they knew each other from going to the same University for their PhD programs. He went for history… specifically World War II. She had degrees in law and polisci. They were smart. They were capable, they were… careful. And yet, the one thing that could throw a wrench in both of their careers happened anyway.” Percy nodded in understanding, and Annabeth continued “My mom didn’t really… show signs, I guess, as far as I’ve heard. By the time they found out about me, it was too late. Doctorate students with an unplanned baby… god they must have been pissed.” She let him take the roll from her fingers, “They tried to make it work anyway— I mean, their relationship was toast the second I came into the picture, but they tried the co-parenting thing for a few years. I was about four when they stopped trying even that.”

“So… your dad, he won custody…?” 

She snorted, “More like was forced into it. The court battles, the lawyers— it wasn’t to keep me or have more time with me or even to just have the right to see me. It was just the two of them arguing about who HAD to take care of me most of the time. Who was stuck with me. Neither of them wanted—“ Annabeth felt a lump in her throat, blocking her next words, and swallowed hard, brow furrowing as she pressed her palm between her eyes. So much for not getting upset. 

It had been almost two decades since she’d last shed tears over this and there was no way she was going to break that streak today. “Anyway. It was my mother who ‘won’. She only had to deal with me one weekend a month. Still not really sure how she managed it— but she’s a really good lawyer.” 

Percy nodded, “...So what happened to every other weekend?” 

“She got a job in DC. My dad didn’t want to move. Since he was already foisted with primary custody… My mother was released from her parenting duties with the agreement she paid child support. She never missed a payment, at least.” It was a shitty consolation prize, at best. 

“But she didn’t visit?” 

“Nope. I… I wrote her letters. For years… so many fucking letters. As soon as I learned to write, I began sending one a week with my dad’s help— at least he mailed them for me— fuck, I’m not even sure if he did that— “ Annabeth struggled to keep her cool, “Anyway, I rarely got a response. Usually it was a store bought card on my birthday with $20 and not so much as a ‘love mom’ written inside it. She wrote back personally twice a year, if I was lucky. And for my own letters… Once a week became once a month. Once a month became once a year. I became pretty desperate. I… I ran away.” 

Percy didn’t seem particularly shocked, just nodded, as if he knew what that was like, “How old were you?” 

“Twelve. I just… I wanted to see her. So badly. I had my allowance saved up, and an envelope with her address on it so I figured out the route to take, the buses, the cost, the timing—“ 

“I knew you’d always been crazy smart.” 

Annabeth shot him a weak smile, “Anyway, I showed up on her doorstep five days before Christmas, freezing, smelling like a bus stop, and absolutely the last thing she wanted to deal with. She called my dad and demanded he pick me up. He was… mad. So was she.” She worried at a splinter on the wood railing. 

“And the second time…?” 

“I was 19. We were in DC for a summer program on historical architecture across the US.” 

Annabeth could feel him perk up beside her, “Architecture…?” 

“Yeah, it’s… it’s what my Masters degree is in.” 

“ Really?! ” Percy sounded delighted. Annabeth pushed past it, 

“Yes, really. Anyway I— I saw her coming out of the Capitol Building. There were reporters everywhere, supporters, a few protestors… pretty sure she didn’t even see me. I wasn’t even in the crowd, I was just walking past and—“ 

“Wait wait wait,” Percy held up a hand, “Lawyer, DC, reporters, Capitol Building… Annabeth, who is your mom…?!” 

The imperfections in the wood beneath her fingers suddenly seemed far more important to smooth out than they had before, “The um… you know the Foresight Act from a couple years ago…?” 

Percy choked on smoke, coughing and huffing, “ That’s your mom?!” 

Annabeth winced, “Yeah…” 

“I didn’t even know she had a kid— Well I guess from what you just told me, I know why I didn’t know that.” He massaged between his brows, looking more agitated than Annabeth expected him to, “To think she… fuck. Fuck. I donated to her campaign last election season too…” 

Annabeth shrugged, “I mean, she has good ideas. And politics. Doesn’t mean she has good interpersonal skills.” 

“Or is even a good person! Ugh… fuck, Annabeth I’m… that fucking sucks .” Percy kicked a pebble off the deck, glaring at it as if it had personally been the one to abandon Annabeth.

“It’s not that bad…” She heaved a sigh, her head and heart feeling lighter despite the conversation. Maybe it was the weed. “I… I mean she’s still alive, I know who she is, I—“ 

He nudged her, “What did I just say about downplaying your own trauma because someone else may have a different experience?”

“I don’t have trauma.” 

“ Everyone has trauma.” They fell quiet, both seeming lost in their thoughts, before Percy broke the silence again, “Tell me about architecture.” 

Annabeth jerked to stare at him, “What?” 

“Your degree— why’d you get a Masters in Architecture?” 

A small smile played across her lips even as she tried to fight it, “Don’t get me started, you’ll regret it.” 

“Why?” 

“Because if you ask me again, I won’t be able to shut up.”

  “Well in that case it sounds like I’d regret it a lot more if I didn’t ask.” 

She playfully shoved his arm as he had done to her before, “Don’t lie!” 

“I’m not! I want to know what you’re passionate about! Because as much as you know about Greek and Roman shit, you… you like it, but you’re not passionate about it. I want to know what really gets Annabeth Chase fired up.” 

“Really?” 

“Really really.” 

“Well I…” Her brow furrowed, “I… I don’t know where to start!” 

“Okay… uh… what’s your favorite architectural style?” 

Annabeth groaned, “You might as well ask me to choose a favorite kid.” 

“Then what styles are you most drawn to? Which do you like designing?” 

She tapped her chin, accepting the joint Percy passed back her way, taking a deep inhale, “I like to mix and match. But my favorite combinations are always something old with something new— or at least, newer. Classical with neo-futurism, baroque with late-modernism, renaissance and art nouveau… actually I minored in classics in part because I wanted to understand more about the culture behind the pillars, the sculptures, the tile work and… I mean I always liked things like mythology, folklore, that sort of thing, and I wanted to bring a touch of that to what we see today.” 

Percy nodded, “That’s cool. I feel like all the newer buildings look the same these days.” 

“They do! It’s terrible, there’s not a lot of room for freedom in design anymore, unless you’re already a mega rich and famous architect who people want to throw money at just to say you made their… their thing.” 

“Their ‘thing?’” He smirked, and she shoved him again;

“Shut up, I told you haven’t smoked in a while!” 

“Fine fine… so then, what’s your least favorite style of architecture?” 

“Brutalism.” She said it with no hesitation, making a face. “It can be so creative and apply really neat engineering principles, but just… usually it’s just so ugly.” 

“I thought you would have said something like Googie.” 

“Hey, at least Googie has character—” She paused mid-sentence, “...wait, you know Googie?” 

“Of course I know Googie.” 

“What do you mean ‘of course’?! I always figured Googie wasn’t like, common knowledge if you weren’t into buildings and stuff…?” 

Percy sighed, but his smile said he was very much enjoying their conversation, “Look, if you’re a high school boy and you just happen to overhear that there’s something called ‘Googie’, you’re going to look it up immediately.” 

“Why, because you thought Googie was something dirty?”

“No, because Googie is the weirdest you could title something and I needed to know what it was.” 

“So do you like Googie?” 

“I think Googie is fine— fuck we have to stop saying ‘Googie’, I am barely holding it together here.” He leaned forward clearly fighting laughter, and Annabeth found herself giggling uncharacteristically, leaning down to speak directly into his ear, 

“What, Googie? You don’t want to say Googie anymore? Should we ban Googie from the cabin altogether? What’s wrong with Googie? Is Googie—“ 

“If you don’t stop I’m going to Googie you. ” Percy groaned, burying his face in his arms as his shoulders shook from the effort of holding peels of laughter in. 

“That doesn’t mean anything to me. It doesn’t even make sense! ‘Googie me’… go Googie yourself then!” She was laughing too, poking his sides and trying to get him to crack, suddenly feeling incredibly at ease and silly.

“Stop, stop, stop, it doesn’t even sound like a real word anymore!” 

“Percy, it already isn’t a real word!” 

“Then maybe stop speaking it into existence so it can remain that way.” 

“Why, are you afraid the Googie will get too powerful if I continue to Googie it up until it’s so Googie that it—“ His arm shot out and grabbed her around the waist, yanking her against him as he threw her over his shoulder and began marching her down the creaking steps of the cabin porch before she could so much as process where he was headed. 

“Percy! What are you doing! Put me down! Do it or so help me Googie—“ She dissolved into a fit of laughter despite herself, though she was quickly cut off when she realized they were headed straight to the water, “Oh— oh no you don’t, Perseus Jackson don’t you dare, don’t you—!” 

“I’m pretty sure you’ve smoked way too much considering the fact you told me you hadn’t done so at all since college, and seeing as we just had the stupidest conversation I’ve ever heard in my life, I think it’s time we cool off. Maybe clear our heads a bit.” 

“Clear our— Percy it’s March, the water is freezing, you’re going to make us sick if you— Percy stop, Perseus, stop, stop it, stop, no, Mister Jackson—“ 

“It’s Professor Jackson, actually— Doctor if you want to be really technical but you know how I feel about—“ 

“Doctor-Professor-Mister-Perseus-Percy Jackson I am going to call your mother and tell her that—“

“That what? That you dared me to get you to do the Lucky Ice Dunk, then you got too high and I had to wake you up because you wouldn’t stop saying G— that stupid word?” He continued to stride forward, completely unbothered by her squirming, and despite her loud, desperate protests, Annabeth was still fighting fits of laughter, squealing when he hit the waves, cold droplets splashing up onto the bare skin of her legs. He surged forward, before giving her leg where he gripped her a squeeze, 

“Ready?”

“Percy I swear to god—“ 

“What’s the safe word?”

“...If you think that I–!”

“One…” He shifted her into his arms, eyes twinkling.

“Perseus I am going to make your life a living hell if you—“ 

“Two…” 

“Okay I take it back, no more Googie—“ 

“Three!” 

Annabeth sucked in a breath and closed her eyes and Percy dunked them both under the water. 

The shock of it was unlike anything Annabeth had felt before. All at once, it was like her body had shriveled, the blood in her veins froze, and her skin felt like it burned. Yet… it was refreshing. Like a hard reset to the brain. 

Her head popped above the low waves a moment later, Percy beside her, laughing, his teeth chattering as much as her own, and she sucked in a breath— it was so cold that it felt like her lungs simply could not expand enough to take in the oxygen she suddenly very much needed, and she almost shot him a glare before deciding that was very much not the priority right now. Not when her desire for warmth overruled everything else. She gave him a little splash, though, which he deserved, paddling over to wrap her shivering convulsing body around him. It didn’t do much to help, but it meant she didn’t have to walk out into the cold late-winter air out of the cold late-winter water herself. His arms held her strong, her legs squeezing around his waist as he chuckled through his own gasps, 

“See? Th-that wasn’t so b-bad—“ 

“I’m going t-to k-k-k-kill you. I’m g-going to wait until you're asleep and smother you with your own p-p-pillow.”

“Really n-now?”

She nodded furiously, “It’s the p-p-perfect c-crime.” 

“How so? You’re th-the only one at the c-cabin with me. You d-don’t think they wouldn’t suspect you?” He hugged her tighter as he began wading out of the water, the chill now reaching Annabeth’s bones though she had to admit, it had been kind of nice. In a terrible way. The shock to her senses made her feel like she could do anything, be anyone– once she warmed up, at least.

“Th-they wouldn’t suspect m-m-me.” 

“How are y-you so sure?” 

“B-b-because someone d-dumb enough to j-jump into the ocean in M-March in N-New York is also d-d-dumb enough to smother himself with his own p-p-p-pillow!” A beat, and then, “P-plus your m-mother seems like she l-likes me, I-I’m sure if I explained th-the m-m-motive she’d be on my side.” 

Another chuckle came from Percy as they hit the shore and he readjusted his grip on Annabeth’s thighs before marching back to the cabin, his steps obviously a little wobbly. Her sweatshirt was dripping, his clothes too, but he didn’t seem to care, “I may b-be her one and only son, her p-pride and joy, her b-baby boy, but… yeah, I’d believe she’d choose you over m-me.” 

The porch steps creaked again as he made his way up to the landing, and he began to disentangle himself from the barnacle that was Annabeth Chase. In a brief moment of panic, she held on tighter. 

“We gotta get those clothes off of you, Annabeth,” came his gentle voice in her ear, “You’ll warm up faster once we do, I promise.” She buried her face into his shoulder, shaking her head. “Was it that bad?” She hesitated, but then shook her head again. She felt the rumble of his laugh, and it made the cold slightly easier to deal with. “Just let me put you down and peel off that sweatshirt and I promise I’ll build you the best fire you’ve ever felt, okay?” She dug her fingers into his sopping shirt for a moment, before finally nodding, letting him lower her to the ground. 

She shivered, but it was more bearable than she thought it would be, and she quickly wriggled out of the oversized hoodie, leaving her in just her underwear and a thin camisole. Percy stripped down to his boxers faster than she had thought possible, and took the sweatshirt from her with a soft smile, “Go turn on the shower, not too hot, okay? I’ll be there in a second.” 

“And you d-do this every year ?” Annabeth asked with a mix of awe and grumpiness, stumbling to the door with Percy close on her heels, 

“Yup.” His voice was too cheerful, the chattering of teeth nearly gone now even as Annabeth’s jaw continued to quiver uncontrollably. 

“ Why ?!” 

“I told you, it’s good luck.” 

“Says who?!” 

“Says me.” He tugged her back for a kiss on the forehead, before shutting the door tight behind them and walking awkwardly towards the laundry room with his chilly cargo in tow. Annabeth wasted no time heading for the bathroom, mostly because of the cold but also partly so that she didn’t have time to dwell on that kiss on her head. It was so… natural.

The shower in the loft’s Master Bathroom was big, more than large enough for two people. Her and Percy had bathed together a few times, but both of their showers at home had been a tight squeeze. 

Annabeth hurried to turn on the water, not-too-hot as instructed despite dying to crank it to boiling. She was smart enough to know that would hurt more than help.

Percy joined her as the water was finally adjusted to a suitable temperature, and Annabeth glared up at him, now warm enough to act surly at him ‘winning’ their little game so easily.

“I hate you.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“I hate you.”

“Sure you do.”

“You’re the worst.”

“You love it.” His arms wrapped around her, tugging her against him and beneath the water to ensure her bones were properly melted, “Forgive me?”

“...Why would I forgive you if you’re not even sorry!” She complained but she didn’t pull away, squinting up at him as water sprayed their faces, “You played dirty.”

“You said anything goes.”

“...Fine, but just for that I’m going to decimate you in Mario Party again…” She grumbled, giving a light shiver. Percy turned the heat up ever so slightly in response.

Once he was satisfied that she was appropriately warmed, they ended up in front of the hearth, a fire roaring in the small stove-like fireplace. Percy dragged the sofa closer, but they sat on the floor in a pile of blankets and pillows, leaning against it rather than on it. Percy’s arm was slung over Annabeth’s shoulder, and she nursed a mug of tea, shivering here and there despite feeling absolutely no chill now; just to make Percy feel the tiniest bit guilty.

“Is it just you and your dad and step-mom then?” He asked after a lull in their conversation (a debate on which Greek philosophers would suck up to modern day billionaires and which would hate them.)

Annabeth shook her head, leaning into him, “No. I have two half-brothers; Matthew and Robert. Well, we call him Bobby… and sometimes Matthew is ‘Mattie,’ but I’m the only one really allowed to call them that–”

“There’s a photo of you with them on your desk, right?”

“Mmhmm. But it’s been a couple years since that was taken, they’re taller than me now.”

“Do you get along?”

Annabeth smiled, “Yeah, we do. They were born when I was starting middle school, so by the time they were old enough to be annoying, I was also old enough to be a bit more patient. Helen didn’t let me play with them a lot though–”

“Helen?”

“My step-mom.”

“Ah.” Something in Annabeth’s tone must have told Percy this was a tricky topic, and she could tell he was treading carefully, “And… do you and her also get along…?”

She snorted, “Through no fault of my own, no.”

Percy nodded, “I had a shitty step-dad like that. Made my mom think he was this great guy and then…” He shuddered slightly, “We just… I don’t think he could get along with anyone , if I’m being honest. Paul is great though.”

Annabeth smiled, “I haven’t met Paul yet, but your mom seems like a very happy person, so I hope that is at least partly his doing.”

“It is.” She felt his arm slip from her shoulders to her waist, “‘Yet,’ huh?”

She tried to play it off, “Your mom invited me to your Summer trip, remember?”

He squeezed her side, eliciting a hiss as she fought the feeling of being tickled, “Yeah, but that implies you’re actually planning on going.”

“So?”

“Good.”

Annabeth squirmed as his hand slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, tracing light circles on her skin, “It’s not like I have a lot of summer plans anyway.”

Percy tugged her into his lap despite her grumbled protest, “Nothing with you family?”

She shook her head, “I’m not generally invited on family vacations.”

His chin rested on her shoulder as it had done the night they arrived, albeit in an entirely different context this time; “What? Why?”

“Like I said, my step-mom isn’t my biggest fan.”

“…Okay, so why doesn’t your dad stand up for you? Bring you along anyway?”

“Because…” Annabeth sighed, searching for the words, “Because he’s a spineless bastard, that’s why.”

She could feel Percy inhale deeply, as if reigning in some sort of righteous fury, or perhaps mentally counting backwards from ten, “I’m sorry, your step-mom has been around for how long?”

“Since I was six.”

Percy’s face buried into her shoulder, again for completely different reasons than it had on Monday night, “How… how are you so… well-adjusted?!”

Annabeth laughed, “I definitely am not.”

“I thought you said you didn’t have trauma?”

“Shut up.” She blew some curls from her face, leaning back against Percy’s warm chest, “I learned to cope in any way I could, you know? I used to joke to Grover I had two moms and a whole dad, yet no parents at the same time— well, he didn’t find it very funny, but I did.”

Percy snorted at that, “It’s a little funny, in a horrible, horrible way.”

“That’s what I said too!” Annabeth felt vindicated, “But still, they’re my family, I should try and get along with them since they’re going to be in my life no matter what.”

“I mean… just because they’re going to be in your life doesn’t mean they have to be a part of your life.” His words made Annabeth’s brow knit in confusion.

“It’s the same thing, isn’t it?”

She could feel his shrug, “I don’t think so.”

They grew quiet, staring at the fire, and Annabeth’s eyes even began to droop with sleep, before Percy interrupted her serenity, “Why’d you stop doing architecture? Why are you teaching ancient history at an old, tiny university?”

The fire was suddenly incredibly welcoming, and not for its warmth— Annabeth wondered if climbing inside the hearth might help her avoid answering the question.

“Well… I told you, my step-mom got diagnosed with cancer.”

“…So you had to stop working in architecture…?”

Annabeth sighed, not particularly happy to relive it all, “My dad begged me to come help with Mattie and Bobby— I don’t think they were even in highschool yet. And there aren’t exactly any major architectural firms near home, and I needed a job that would work with the boys’ school schedule and… and Luke offered to help, I didn’t have a lot of other options at the time.” She was relieved when Percy didn’t get upset at the mention of Luke, though she noted the way he tensed ever so slightly.

“And… you said she was in remission, right? So why haven’t you—?”

“Gone back?” Annabeth had asked herself that so many times, and it was always the same answer; “I mean, the cancer could… she could relapse, and I signed a five year contract with NAU for my tenure and Mattie and Bobby might need me and… it’s… it’s just not feasible to try and upheave everything right now.”

“Is it ever feasible?” His arms were looped around her middle, tugging her close.

Annabeth’s brow furrowed, “Well I suppose not.”

“Then why not now?”

She twisted to stare at him, eyes narrowing, “You really think you could just… change your entire life all at once? Move away, switch jobs, have to make new friends and integrate with new communities and… and…” Annabeth trailed off, Percy smirking at her with a knowing look, “…I guess you already did that, huh?”

“Yup.” He responded cheerfully.

“And I treated you like a jerk when you did it.”

“Sure did.” Despite that fact, he held onto her tighter, “But I should know better than to gossip on my first day of work. And considering we’ve been sleeping together for almost five months now… I’d say we’re even.”

Annabeth squinted at him, pursing her lips, “Well, considering you just dragged me into the coldest water on earth, the scales are off balance again until I figure out how to get back at you.”

His laugh made her feel all sorts of things, and he pulled her in for a soft kiss, “Whatever you say, Princess.”

 

---

 

Notes:

I have jumped into incredibly cold water myself (basically boys were daring each other to jump in first and being wimps so naturally I just pushed past them and did it) and hoo boy, it sure is something. I then proceeded to jump in 7 more times, like a lunatic lol

ANYWAY I hope you all enjoyed the exposition on Annabeth's whole situation, and......... them getting high, I guess!

I want to take a hot shower now, just editing all of that made me cold

Also I've literally had this chapter written since JANUARY, I'm so glad to finally get to post it, haha! AND I went back and added more moodboards to some previous chapters, so that should be a fun treat for those who plan on rereads. I still need ones for chapters 2 and 18, I'm having the worst time trying to think of photos I could use

Chapter 23: you kept me like a secret (but i kept you like an oath)

Notes:

WARNING: the sexual content is less explicit than usual, but still there

Everything was perfect.

But it was also the worst, because Percy had convinced Annabeth to cook something for him and her nerves were NOT built for this sort of pressure.

She settled on a simple spaghetti with red sauce, but when Percy lit up and mentioned off-handedly that he was Italian on his mom’s side, and Sally made the best pasta from scratch, well… it threw Annabeth off balance.

Suddenly a quick easy meal she had prepared for herself a million times before was daunting, and Annabeth frowned down at the assorted veggies and spices she was trying to chop and dice, working slowly under Percy’s eager gaze.

After a moment of struggling, he chuckled, “Always so slow with a knife?”

“Shut up, I’m trying to focus.”

“Want help?”

A rejection was on her lips, but she always hated ‘mise en place’, so with a sigh of relief she nodded, Percy already half-way around the counter as she moved to step away, “Yes, thank you–”

Instead of letting her go, however, Percy came right up behind her, boxing Annabeth in with his arms coming around to take her hands in his, “Pick up the knife again.”

“...You can’t be serious.”

“I’m very serious.”

Annabeth huffed, but complied, letting his fingers rest over hers, letting him guide them to the proper place on the knife, letting him maneuver her until she was positioned ‘properly, and he explained; “If you hold it this way, you have more control. Less likely to lose fingers, and I very much like your fingers so we want to avoid that if possible.”

“Just for that I’m going to amputate all of them.”

“Good luck grading papers then.”

“I’ll manage.”

He chuckled, “Well hold off until the food is done, at least. I’m pretty hungry and don’t really want red sauce that’s that red.”

Percy showed her how to properly glide the knife through, and once the garlic, basil, and tomatoes were sliced to satisfaction, Annabeth was freed, albeit with her heart threatening to hammer out of her chest and her whole body tingling as if it was the first time they’d touched.

The spaghetti didn’t turn out terrible, though Annabeth kept mumbling apologies, to which Percy kept kicking her under the table to knock it off.

“It’s great!” He promised, “Perfect comfort food!”

She tried not to look too pleased.

 

---

 

They were watching a movie when Percy’s phone buzzed next to Annabeth in the side table, and Percy mumbled “Can you get that?”

He was so enraptured by the film ( Stardust ) that Annabeth didn’t even argue, picking up the cell and glancing at the screen, “Grover.” She pressed to answer and held the phone to her ear without even second-guessing herself, “Hey Grove.”

There was a small, screechy sound of surprise, silence for a moment, before finally their mutual friend responded; “I— Annabeth?!”

“Yes.”

“But… um… but…”

“Grover, you know about the whole… thing, what’s with the shock?”

“Yes, but I didn’t know he was taking you to—!” A deep breath, “Okay, right, um… Is Percy around?”

She glanced at the man currently glued to the screen, holding up a finger to indicate ‘one minute.’ “He… He’s a bit tied up.”

A strange choking sound, “ Annabeth! I don’t want to know things like that!”

Annabeth went red, “Not literally tied up! Get your head out of the gutter!” That seemed to finally draw Percy’s attention, because he paused the movie and leaned over, smirking as he brushed his lips against Annabeth’s free ear, “We both know you’d be the one tied up anyway.” Annabeth batted him away.

“Oh.” Grover didn’t seem to hear that, much to her relief, “Well, um, it’s not super urgent or anything…”

Percy plucked the phone from Annabeth’s hand, “What’s up?”

They chatted for a moment, and Annabeth only caught bits and pieces of conversation as she focused on her phone; “Yeah that sounds good.” “Did you get your passport renewed?” “We should book the flights soon.” “Blackjack okay? Yes, I know he’s a girl.”

When they finally said goodbye, she didn’t even have to ask before Percy explained, “We’re gonna go to Europe this Summer, just to travel around and visit the dig we worked on, go to a few countries we didn’t get to see last time we visited, that sort of thing.”

“Oh! That sounds really fun.”

“It will be.” He cocked his head, “You have a passport?”

Annabeth shook her head, “No, I’ve never been out of the country.”

“Really?” Percy looked surprised, and Annabeth shrugged.

“Just kinda worked out that way.”

The movie grabbed their attention once more as Percy pressed play and they cozied up against each other again.

 

---

 

They decided to go for one final stroll on the beach. Percy had been correct; they’d come just in time for the “Lucky Ice Dunk,” because already it was warm enough for Annabeth to walk barefoot and let the tide lap at her feet. Such a change from just a couple days ago…

Percy reached out, and without even thinking about it, Annabeth took his hand.

This was a new development over the past week.

They’d held hands whilst exploring the town more often than not. It just felt natural. It felt… right.

His warm palm squeezed hers, and he flashed a smile, “Whatcha thinking?”

Annabeth shrugged, “Just… I don’t want to go back yet.” She bent to pick up what looked like a piece of shell, which turned out to be too shattered to even be worth collecting so it was thrown back into the waves, “Going back to real life is gonna suck.”

“Who said this isn’t real life?” Percy teased, tugging her closer and relinquishing her hand to shift his arm over her shoulders, “The nice stuff is a part of life too, not just the boring things like work and school and drama.”

She rolled her eyes in return, “You know what I mean. ”

“Do I?”

“…you’re about to get an ‘Unlucky-Slightly-Frigid-Dunk.”

“Fine, fine!” Percy laughed, “Yes, I know what you mean… but there’s always next year. And this Summer too, to come to the cabin again... and then the Europe trip, if you want to come.”

Annabeth blinked, tilting her head to squint up at him, “I thought that trip was just you and Grover?”

He squeezed her shoulder, “Do you really think he’d be any less than over the moon if you tagged along?”

The offer had Annabeth feeling warm, and she leaned against him as they walked, “Are you paying for my passport, then?”

“Absolutely.”

“How about plane tickets?”

“Hmm.” Percy scratched his chin with his free hand, his stubble having grown in over the past several days, dark with hints of gray already showing despite his age, “If it meant you would join us, then yeah, but I’d be grumpy about it. You’d have to pay me back somehow.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “ Somehow, huh?”

“Yup.”

“And I suppose you’ll suggest I do so ‘with my body?’”

She could hear the feigned surprise in his voice, “I was just going to say by buying us dinner the whole trip, but if you’re offering—“

Annabeth shoved him lightly, laughing despite herself as she stopped to examine another broken shell, “You’re an idiot.”

“That’s Dr. Idiot to you.” He slowed his steps, glancing out at the waves, “I’ve been thinking… about what you said at the pool.”

Annabeth turned her gaze to him, “What did I say…?”

“About being a Doctor.” He heaved a breath, “Do you think it’s too late to suddenly switch to asking everyone to call me ‘Doctor’ instead of ‘Professor…?’ Or would that just be incredibly pretentious.”

“Oh, it’s absolutely pretentious.” She teased as he jerked his head, “But you should definitely do it. I mean, it's not like you’ll be getting a new job any time soon, so it makes no sense to wait until then to make the change. That could be decades.”

Percy chuckled as he meandered closer to the tide, nonchalant, “You could see me at NAU that long?”

“You don’t want to be?”

“Didn’t say that. Just…” He shrugged, “Who knows where life will take— me.”

The way he finished that thought sounded strange, like he switched gears right before reaching the end.

But before she could dwell too long on it, he kicked some water at her with a grin, and Annabeth gasped, jumping back and looking down at the soaked cuff of her jeans, before glaring back up at him, “Oh you’re going to get it!”

“Get what?” Percy asked innocently, but he was already backing up, hands raised defensively as Annabeth stalked towards him with murder and mirth in her eyes.

They chased each other up and down the beach, splashing, occasionally one catching the other, laughter and swears accompanying them from moment to moment. And Annabeth truly couldn’t imagine having to return to work on Monday.

 

---

 

The next night was their last.

Percy and Annabeth made their way into town for breakfast, bought some pastries for the ride back the next day, and took in the scenery one last time.

They spent the day itself cleaning up so that there’d be less to do before leaving Saturday. Laundry, packing, vacuuming and sweeping, dishes— Percy was particularly anal about making sure it was spotless, because in his words “My mom will draw and quarter me if we come back in the summer and it’s a wreck.”

But that didn’t take much time, so they were back to Mario Party, puzzles, and reading.

Annabeth thought she’d be sick of it by now. She wasn’t. Far from it.

That evening they found themselves in the Master bath’s jacuzzi tub, glasses of wine in hand, Annabeth leaning back against Percy’s chest, her eyes drooping, curly hair in a bun atop her head, soft music playing from his phone on the counter.

“Not a bad spring break, right?”

She hummed in agreement with Percy, “Mmm.”

His nose bumped against her temple, “I think we should come back for fall too. And winter. Just every season, hide away like this.”

The implication that they’d be like this for seasons, years, was not lost on Annabeth. But she didn’t point it out, didn’t ask if he really thought they’d still be doing this for that long. She didn’t want to consider what might be at the end of this, for better or worse.

Because any outcome was for the worse. At least in her mind it was.

“I feel like your mom would start to suspect we aren’t just ‘colleagues’ if we did that.”

Percy’s fingers traced her hip bones under the water, “I think that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Okay, but Piper and Thalia might kill me if I ditch them during yet another school break.” She laughed softly, “They were still mad about me not going out with them over winter when I said I’d be out of town for this one.”

“Let them be mad then. I want you all to myself.”

Her heart fluttered, and Annabeth carefully placed her empty wine glass to the side, shifting to face Percy, “You say really dumb things, you know?”

He grinned, as lopsided and charming as ever, “Dumb? How do you figure?”

“Because if I tell them it’s your fault, then you’d be at the other end of their ire. And being on either one’s bad side is a death warrant, so for both…” She shook her head, “Good luck.”

“Like I already said; that’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Percy reached out to drag her back to him, his own glass forgotten, “Besides, I don’t think you’ll tell them.”

Annabeth tilted her head questioningly.

“…because of your rules…?”

She jolted, somehow having entirely forgotten that one; everyone thought her and Percy hated each other, and two; they were supposed to act like that was still true.

She forgot that they were just ‘people who fuck sometimes.’ Even if it was just for a moment, it scared her.

But her fears were shoved to the back of her mind when her gray eyes met his green, when the way he gazed at her set butterflies loose in her stomach, when the softness of his expression made her melt against him.

“Hey.” Came his soft voice, talk of rules and other people forgotten. Other people didn’t matter. Rules didn’t matter. It was just him. And her. The two of them, and nothing else besides their little cabin and the small stretch of beach that separated them from the rest of the world, from responsibilities and restrictions and real life.

But it was as Percy said; this was real life.

Maybe it was the only ‘real’ life that mattered. The two of them. They were the only reality Annabeth cared about at the moment.

They didn’t so much as lean in as allow the earth’s movements beneath them and the universe’s air around them to bring the two where they were meant to be, and Annabeth’s lips pressed to Percy’s and he responded in kind.

It wasn’t frantic. It wasn’t desperate, or horny, or needy— at least, the need was that of the sort of magnetism found in nature. As light inevitably accompanied the sun, as a bubbling brook emitted sound and a raspberry tasted sweet, they met each other.

Percy’s arms held her, the regular strength in them replaced by a hesitance she had yet to sense from him. She pulled back, their lips still grazing each other but the question hung between them— what question? Annabeth wasn’t actually sure— at least she wouldn’t consider the thoughts that swam through her mind— but Percy seemed to know.

“Is this okay…?” His voice was soft when he asked. 

It was silly that he voiced such a question in the first place. They’d been like this so many times. They’d well established that ‘this’ was more than okay. And even if that wasn’t enough, Annabeth hadn’t revoked consent; indeed, her body on his, her lips drinking him in, they all pointed to the fact that she wanted him. She chose him.

But that wasn’t what he was asking.

Even in her denial, Annabeth knew that much.

She nodded, and they melded once more, slow, sweet, dripping with now lukewarm bath water.

Their kiss lasted for so long Annabeth lost track of how long they’d been in the bath. When they finally stepped out, when it was too much to bear, Percy took the fluffiest towel from the hook and carefully, slowly dried every part of Annabeth’s body. And then they were no longer in the bathroom, they were next to the bed, and then on it, and then Annabeth was laying back against the pillows as Percy hovered over her, his eyes containing a look she knew her own held as well.

That was a problem for future Annabeth. Present Annabeth couldn’t be happier.

Every movement was in tandem, every breath and heartbeat in sync. There was no teasing. There was no speaking, really, beyond whispered names and ‘pleases.’

Her skin was set ablaze wherever his hands touched. Her body arched against him, and his was pressed to hers as if terrified she could dissipate in the next millisecond; both reverent and living through every moment as if the last.

So much of it blended together, yet there wasn’t a part of it that Annabeth couldn’t recall perfectly and vividly later. 

And when they finally joined, the taste of his name in her cries was in fact sweeter than any fruit she’d ever tasted— raspberry or otherwise.

Her hands felt every part of him she could reach. But memorization was not necessary; Annabeth knew every part of Percy’s body better than her own, and with the way he returned her traces and touches, it was clear the same was true for him with her.

It may have been eons. Or perhaps only hours. Or maybe somewhere in between.

All that mattered was that when they both slipped from nature to nurture, from making love to giving it in the form of soft touches and softer kisses, when Annabeth curled against Percy and his arms held her as if she were the most precious thing in the world; they had given every last bit of themselves to the other.

And Annabeth knew that if given the chance, she’d choose to stay like this with him forever.

Notes:

lol I wrote like so much of the end of this while drunk at a lesbian karaoke bar the day after my birthday and man I should “write drunk edit sober” more often (but also I didn't get a chance to edit very much so I am sorry for typos)

Surprise early update! (or at least it's a surprise if you don't follow me on tumblr.)

May 9th was the one year anniversary of posting the first chapter of this fic! And May 10th was my birthday! So woooo!

Chapter 24: for you (i would ruin myself)

Seeing as most of the cleaning and packing had been completed the day before, Annabeth was tempted to lay in bed longer, extend the dream for one more hour. That temptation was only more difficult to resist when Percy’s arm wrapped tighter around her middle, as he smiled sleepily in response to her turn, and as his low, morning-filled voice murmured “Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” Annabeth glanced at the windows above their bed, morning sunlight beginning to stream in, “We should get going–”

Percy’s loud, childish groan interrupted her as he buried his face back into the pillows, “I don’t wanna.”

“...Percy, we have to.”

“Five more minutes.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, moving her feet to press against his bare legs. It worked as intended, because Percy yelped and shuffled away from her, “Jesus your feet are freezing!”

“There’s more where that came from if you don’t get up!” She teased and Percy grumbled as he slipped out of bed.

“Fine, fine, I’m up!”

The car ride back to the city was quiet, but comfortable. Annabeth finished reading Howl’s Moving Castle to him within the first hour, so there wasn’t much noise other than casual conversation here and there, and the quiet music playing through the radio.

When Percy shook Annabeth awake, she jumped, not even realizing she’d dozed off, “Hmm?”

“We’re here.”

The familiar apartment building loomed, and Annabeth smiled, willingly unbuckling this time at the prospect of meeting Sally Jackson again.

Like last time, the door opened for them before Percy could do so himself. But unlike before, instead of a mother on the other side, there was a sister.

The girl was clearly a preteen, but a tall preteen, almost as tall as Annabeth herself. She had Sally’s brown hair, green eyes like Percy but a more forest-green shade than his ocean ones, and when she saw Annabeth those eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

“They’re here!” She cried, before grabbing Annabeth’s arm and pulling her inside, leaving a dumbfounded Percy behind in the hall.

The apartment smelled of grilled cheese, which seemed odd given that it was still early in the day, but Annabeth had little time to think on it as the girl chattered, “Here, take off your shoes and put them over there! I can take your jacket– oh it’s so nice! What brand is it?”

Annabeth stifled a giggle, the question posed in the way kids repeat things adults say without really knowing what they mean, “I’m not sure, I think I got it at Target.”

The girl nodded sagely, “I want one just like it. Can I try it on?”

Annabeth handed her jean jacket to her, “If it fits, you can keep it.”

Estelle’s eyes widened, “Really?!”

“Really really.” Truthfully, Annabeth had several, so it didn’t hurt to give one to someone who would appreciate it, and with the way Estelle was scrambling to pull the jacket on and roll the sleeves up ever so slightly to make it ‘fit,’ this was clearly someone who would indeed appreciate it.

“Don’t I get a hello–?!”

“I’m going to go show mom!” Estelle darted towards the kitchen, ignoring Percy entirely.

Annabeth couldn’t help her small smirk as Percy huffed, giving her a mock-glare back, “You show up and it’s like I’m chopped liver.”

“That’s because they have good taste.” She teased, but his eyes softened and he smiled.

“They do.”

Before she could think too hard about how fuzzy she suddenly felt, Sally was walking out from the kitchen, a smile on her face, “Annabeth, hello again!” Another hug, though it was less of a surprise this time.

“... Mom! ” Percy sounded scandalized, and Sally pulled him in for an embrace as well.

“Did you drive safe, dear?”

“Did I– you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?!” Percy accused, pouting as his mother pulled back and reached up to smooth his hair down.

“Doing what?” She shot a wink at Annabeth, before taking them both by the arms and pulling them further into the home with her; “Estelle has just gone to wash her hands– thank you, Annabeth, for gifting her that jacket, she’s over the moon– we’ll be having grilled cheese and tomato soup for breakfast if that’s alright? It’s Estelle’s favorite so it’s a bit of a celebration of her return too.”

Already seated at the dining room table was an older man with salt-and-pepper hair, dressed like he was about to go teach an English class despite it being a Saturday. He stood when they were ushered in, a warm smile on his face as he reached to shake hands with Percy.

“Perce, how’s it going kiddo?”

Percy grinned back, “Great, now that I know that someone in this family still likes me.” He glanced pointedly at his mother who was humming through her laughter as she busied herself around the kitchen.

The man blinked, then chuckled, “Ah, your mom and sister are teasing you again?” He turned his attention to Annabeth and held out a hand, “And you must be Annabeth! Percy spoke very highly of you at Christmas. I’m Paul.”

She accepted the hand with a smile, “Nice to meet you, Paul.”

Soon they were seated, Annabeth ending up between Sally and Estelle as the latter had pushed Percy out of the way and demanded to sit next to Annabeth, the jacket still adorning her small frame.

The soup smelled unlike any tomato soup Annabeth had ever been treated to, and the grilled cheese…

Well, Sally did say it was a special occasion with Estelle coming home. So naturally, the cheese itself was blue. Annabeth had no idea how Sally got it that way.

“Oh and then we rode horses on the beach, and then one day we went to the aquarium, and then on the last day we did the competition– I got third place!” Estelle declared proudly, lifting the bronze medal from where it glinted around her neck.

“She hasn’t taken that thing off since winning it.” Paul laughed, coming around with a tray of coffees for the adults and a glass of orange juice for Estelle.

Most of breakfast consisted of Estelle completely monopolizing Annabeth’s attention, regaling her with tales from surf camp, asking her about her life (Do you have siblings? (two) Are they my age? (they’re in high school.) Are they girls? (no– this was met with disappointment)) and about halfway through she felt Percy’s foot bump hers under the table. When she glanced at him, he was looking at her pretty similarly to how Estelle was, a smile on his lips.

Annabeth smiled back, before Estelle demanded her to answer more questions despite her parents chiding her to let their guest eat.

They stayed far longer than intended; hell, breakfast hadn’t even been part of the plan, which initially was step one; drop off keys, and step two; leave, but Annabeth was far from upset about it.

It was all hugs as they put on their shoes by the door, Percy making Annabeth wear his coat since hers had been so generously donated, and Annabeth felt wistful for the love this family had for each other. A love that, somehow, even after knowing her for barely a handful of hours, seemed to extend to her too.

 

---

 

Percy only agreed to drop Annabeth back at her place when she agreed he could come back in an hour or two to pick her up to go to his for the rest of the weekend.

The apartment felt like a stranger’s.

Other than the fight, Annabeth otherwise rarely stayed here anymore, not with Blackjack being back at Percy’s, and after the past week… it was suddenly so empty. She got to work, showering, laundry again, tidying up. It had gotten a bit messy in the weeks previous to their vacation, which now felt like a lifetime ago. At least she didn’t have to worry about their fight anymore.

Her duffle bag was unpacked, then repacked with fresh clothes, toiletry refills, and several other items she always wished she had when at Percy’s; some of her favorite books, her comfiest throw blanket, the best hoodie she owned– which was actually Percy’s hoodie, so it might as well come with anyway.

When she got the text announcing he had returned, half an hour earlier than she told him to, she smiled, slinging her bag over her shoulder and running downstairs.

 

---

 

Returning to work was terrible, but survivable. It was almost April, so things were ramping up in some ways and winding down in others.

The work was more intense, but there was less of it— big essays and studying for final exams, but often classes were canceled to allow for that extra time to focus on achieving passing grades.

Which was very helpful for Annabeth, who was determined to get a head start on the final quarter this time so that she didn’t end up behind in grading.

Again.

Percy had given her a ride to work, but that didn’t stop Annabeth from grinning like an idiot when he waltzed into their shared office after her, as if they hadn’t seen each other in weeks.

“Morning, Professor Chase.” He slid a piping hot Starbucks cup onto their desk with a wink. 

“Morning, Doctor Jackson.” She mimicked his tone in return.

Percy paused, then shook his head, “That’s gonna take some getting used to.” He strode to his own desk, getting set up to dive into class prep.

Annabeth snuck a look at him, admiring the features that had grabbed her attention that first day that met— marble carved, tanned, perfect.

He looked back and their eyes met, and Annabeth quickly turned to her laptop with a blush at being caught. But she glanced over again and their gazes locked once more and then they were both laughing quietly. Annabeth knew her face must be bright pink.

“Need something, Chase?”

“Not at all, Jackson.”

“I kinda think you do.”

“And what would I need from you?” She cast a sidelong glance at him, fighting her smile down.

He spun lazily in his chair, leaning back with his hands behind his head, “I think you need lots of things from me.”

“What sorts of things?” Annabeth insisted.

“Things like—“

A throat clear in the doorway had them both turning— well, Annabeth jumped and whirled more than turned— and Grover stood there, beet red, his gaze refusing to meet either of them head on.

“Uh… am I…. Interrupting…? Because I can go—“

“Get over here Groves.” Percy beckoned with a grin, and Grover huffed, shuffling over as he reined in his expression to one less obviously flustered.

“You two are going to be insufferable in Europe, I can tell.” He grumbled as Percy pulled out a folder and handed it to him.

Annabeth watched curiously, Percy speaking as Grover flipped open the packet; “I’m thinking this’ll work, but you probably know better than I do.”

Grover’s eyes widened, and they flickered in Annabeth’s direction so quickly and subtly she almost missed it. “Yeah uh… yeah that should definitely do it I think.”

“And how about the schedule? Materials?”

“Oh yeah, that’s all taken care of.”

They chatted back and forth, and Annabeth quickly lost interest, focusing back on her laptop screen and tuning out their voices.

Europe. Europe with her childhood best friend and her—

Fuck buddy?

Except he was her “best friend” now too, by his own declaration.

She hadn’t asked for too many details yet. Annabeth wasn’t even sure if she was really going to go with them. It would be weird, right? But her eyes wandered to the photographs pinned to her cork board, photos of the Coliseum, Notre Dame, the Sistine Chapel and the Louvre… could she resist the opportunity to finally see all those things in person?

Could she resist the opportunity to go on an adventure? To run around the world with Percy?

…And Grover, of course. He was too good of a friend to be an afterthought, and she chided herself. 

A ball of crumpled up paper bounced against her head and she spun, glaring at the two, Grover and Percy quickly pointing to each other, guilty expressions on their faces. A glance to the floor and she could see there were several similar balls littered around her.

So they’d been trying to get her attention for a while.

“Can’t you just say my name like normal people?” Annabeth crossed her arms.

“We did. ” Percy juggled a couple of papers that hadn’t needed to be used as ammunition, while Grover apologetically added;

“You didn’t hear us.”

Annabeth blinked, “Well? What is it?”

“Want to grab sushi on Saturday with us and make a list of countries we wanna hit this summer?” Percy’s grin was so wide, it was as if he couldn’t help himself but smile at her. Annabeth shoved down the warm feeling in her chest.

“Oh, yeah, sure.” She waved a hand, “Just tell me when.”

“I can pick you up at noon.” Percy was gathering his things now, getting ready for his first class.

“Sounds good.”

Percy saluted in farewell as he walked backwards out of the office, and Annabeth was highly aware of the fact that Grover was staring at her knowingly.

“Shut up.” She huffed.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You thought it.”

His eyebrow raised, “What did I think?”

“Something you shouldn’t have.” Annabeth gathered her own things as Percy had, though her own class was half an hour from now; she simply had to get out of this conversation before it could even start.

But Grover was determined, because as she locked up the office he fell into step beside her; “You guys are so gross.“

“Oh as if you and Juniper aren’t all over each other every time you’re in the same room!”

He scoffed, “Yeah, but one, we have a long distance relationship half the year, and two, we’re dating. ”

He had a point, and Annabeth cursed herself mentally. “Well… whatever. We aren’t that bad!”

“You’re acting like middle schoolers in their first relationship, is what you’re doing. And you’re acting this way after… What, you’ve been seeing each other about six months now? Since October?”

Before Annabeth could respond, an arm slung over her shoulder and Thalia’s familiar accent tickled her ear, “She’s been seeing who since when?! ”

Grover paled, eyes darting between the two as Annabeth fixed him with the most terrifying glare she could muster; “Oh… uh… well… that… um… no one?”

“My… therapist.” Annabeth cut in with a weak excuse, forcing a nonchalant smile, “They’re really helping.”

Thalia was clearly not buying it. “Wait, shit, is this why you kept telling Piper and me to stop trying to set you up?!”

“No, I kept telling you that because it was annoying—“

“Oh man, you have to tell us who— ugh, who am I kidding, we won’t get anything out of you you don’t want us to know— Grover!” Thalia caught the man trying to slink away by the back of his collar, “I’ll give you $50 bucks if you tell me.”

Grover gave her an incredulous look, and Thalia upped her ante, “Okay, fine, a hundred.”

He rolled his eyes, and Annabeth felt a surge of relief at the fact that he wouldn't crack. At least not at the moment.

“Leave him alone Thalia, I’m not dating anyone.”

Her friend whirled, linking their arms and falling into step beside her, “So you’re sleeping with someone then?”

Annabeth faltered for half a millisecond. Unfortunately, Thalia was hyper attuned to micro expressions and her grin widened, “You are! ”

“I’m not!” Annabeth insisted, tugging away and fighting her own smile, “I have to get to class. Bye Grover!” She stretched around Thalia to wave to her friend who was already hightailing it back down the hall and Thalia cursed.

“This isn’t over, lover-girl— Grove, wait up!” She sprinted after him, curious glances from students and teachers alike left in her wake as Grover darted around a corner.

It wasn’t everyday you saw a psychologist chase down a substitute in an acclaimed educational institution, but Annabeth managed to always attract the weird ones; incredibly smart, high achievers, but immature weirdos all the same.

 

---

 

When Annabeth finally shuffled back to the office at the end of her last class, soft music was wafting through the door and she smiled.

While Percy’s habit of forgetting his AirPods and playing his Spotify through his speakers had been annoying at first, it was now comforting. Before their fight, she had even asked him once or twice if he’d be willing to forgo his earbuds entirely so she could listen too, a request he happily obliged.

She pushed inside and Percy looked up, a smile spreading across his face, “Hey.”

“Hey.” Annabeth smiled back, feeling her heart flutter, “Classes good?” She asked as the lock clicked behind her.

“Fine.” He waved a hand dismissively, “We’re about to dive into the last quarter, and everyone is still rowdy from break, so I thought I’d start out with something lowkey. Fun.”

Annabeth gave a pointed look, “You let them watch Disney’s Hercules, didn’t you.”

“Guilty.” Percy’s grin widened and he stood, taking Annabeth by the elbow just as she had slung her bag onto her desk and prepared to sit, “C’mere.”

Her eyebrows raised, but after a week together it was impossible to resist his touch, nor her curiosity.

But rather than pull her in for a kiss, or bend to whisper dirty things in her ear, Percy surprised her by lifting his arm to spin her underneath it, and she followed with a somewhat bewildered smile, “What are you doing?”

He tugged her in, taking her other hand and swaying to the music still playing from his computer, “Dancing.”

Annabeth laughed, “And why are we dancing?”

Percy twirled her again, waggling his brows, “Why not?”

She gave in, the both of them all smiles as they spun and swung their arms with clasped hands, pulling out all the moves one might see from the elderly at a wedding reception. It felt silly, and awkward, and only a few months ago Annabeth never in a million years would have done something like this .

She found herself being dipped as the song ended, Percy’s eyes twinkling and taking her breath. As he lifted her back up, a new song began and he didn’t pull away, staring down at her while his hands found her waist and they swayed.

Annabeth lifted her arms to loop them around his neck, following his lead, the music slower than the last.

“Hey.”

Percy had been saying that a lot recently. Not just in greeting, that is. But Annabeth always responded in kind, and she breathlessly did so now; “Hey.”

Her eyes fluttered shut as their foreheads met, and suddenly everything was so… much. She could feel the way his thumbs rubbed up and down through the fabric of her dress, his breath tickling her face, their chests pressed together and she swore she could feel his heartbeat, slow and steady compared to her hummingbird one. Warmth flooded through her, and Annabeth dropped her face to bury it in his shoulder while Percy moved a hand to hers, more of a classic dance position now.

“Hey.” 

His voice was so soft she barely heard it, and Annabeth unsuccessfully fought a nervous giggle, something on the verge of clicking into place as much as she denied it. “You said that already.”

“I know.” His lips pressed to her hair, “You’re not worried about anyone walking in?”

The thought hadn’t even occurred to her, “I’ll just say you needed to practice your dancing and made me help out.”

Percy’s laugh made her heart leap, then sink– why did it sink? What was this horrible feeling that was beginning to well up beneath this perfect warmth in her chest?

“Practice for what, pray tell?”

“I don’t know, thinking of the reason is your job.”

She felt his content sigh, heard the hum on his lips, and she felt like she might burst with the swirl of emotion that suddenly rushed through her, her fingers gripping the back of his shirt tight, her face burying more insistently against him to hide an expression she couldn’t even imagine on her own face.

He didn’t answer her jab, but his own grip on her tightened, and realization crashed around Annabeth in that instant.

Except it wasn’t a realization at all; it was a fact that she could no longer ignore– no longer deny. 

Because this wasn’t something that “people who just fuck sometimes” did. They didn’t dance to sweet music, they didn’t spend days together in a cabin playing video games and shopping and doing puzzles, they didn’t watch romcoms or kiss on New Year’s or get each other Christmas presents. They didn’t get jealous. They weren’t supposed to fall in love.

Pinpointing when it happened was difficult. But Annabeth had known for a while– she wasn’t dumb, just stubborn. And when that stubbornness crumbled, her body trembled in response, even as Percy’s hand reached up to rub her back and try to soothe her.

He didn’t ask what was wrong. 

Annabeth loved him for that, because she wasn’t sure she could keep it together if he did.

And that wasn’t the only thing she loved about him. Far from it.

She loved the way he wasn’t afraid to go toe to toe with her. She loved his sense of humor and how he made her laugh. She loved how he made her feel every time his arms wrapped around her, no matter if the context was sexy or sweet. She loved how he challenged her, how well they seemed to fit, how he seemed to know everything that could get on her last nerve, but also everything that could lift her up. She loved how he looked at her. How he smiled at her. How he–

Annabeth shoved that final thought away. One earth shattering revelation was almost too much to bear, another might break her entirely.

A deep breath. Then two. Her eyes stung, but she refused to let tears fall. Her body shuddered and her heart was in her throat and her stomach somewhere near her knees by now with how far it had dropped, and Percy just held her through it.

She loved him. Annabeth loved Perseus Jackson. Of course she did. How could she not?

But why did it hurt so much?

Notes:

I'm sure I had things to say here, but of course I can no longer think of them, so... enjoy :)

Chapter 25: you gotta leave (before you get left)

Annabeth was no stranger to panic attacks. But while as a child they’d been loud, screaming, hyperventilating ‘tantrums,’ they now morphed into dissociative states of silent panic.

When Percy pulled away from their dance at last, he had asked if she wanted a ride home. Annabeth remembered nodding.

He didn’t ask whose home. They both knew.

He held her hand over the center console on the drive to his apartment. He didn’t push for conversation, didn’t pry into what she was feeling or what was going on. He just made her feel…

Safe.

Percy cooked up some mac and cheese. They watched a Disney movie Annabeth had no recollection of viewing the next day, and when his arm slung around her she leaned into him easily despite her state of utter turmoil..

Over what? What was so terrible?!

They went to bed after that, curling up, tangled together, and despite her thoughts moving a million miles a minute, Annabeth fell asleep quickly.

The next day was a wild vacillation between emotions. Morning felt more normal– Annabeth swallowed her mental breakdown long enough to almost convince herself she was feeling better. This was fine. It didn’t change anything. It didn’t have to change anything.

She made coffee while Percy put together some bagels. They chatted as they got ready, and laughed over some inside joke as they walked to Percy’s car, the weather the warmest it had been since the start of the year.

Lunchtime saw Annabeth overthinking again.

Why was it terrible? Why was there suddenly a black hole collapsing her chest in on itself?

What was she scared of?

Was it about his own affections? No. She didn’t even have to go down that route.

Was it because she was already stuck in this town, the job, this life, and this would be one more thing to hold her back? That seemed closer, but still not the full picture. However it did still make her feel sick to her stomach.

There was one reason that felt correct, but it was so frustrating Annabeth hated the fact that it might just be the answer;

Who in her life hadn’t abandoned her?

The answers were there, of course. Grover. Thalia. Silena. Now Piper too, and the other new friends that came in tow. But behind all of those relationships, there had been one, big, horrible specter hanging above them.

Yet.

And friends were one thing– what about family? What about Annabeth’s last serious relationship, which seemed to have decimated what little faith in people she had left?

Or so she thought.

Yet here she was, having fallen and fallen hard, having refused to learn from her mistakes and dry heaving in the bathroom before her next class.

That evening was back to calm. She could do this. It would be okay. Maybe this time would be different.

The next day the cycle began again.

Then Wednesday evening after classes, Percy asked if she wanted to walk to the little deli near his apartment since the weather was so nice, and she agreed. It was only when they were halfway home that she realized they had held hands the entire trip.

Thursday they went to the park to sit in the setting sun, eat ice cream, and people watch– there were dogs being walked, kids playing tag, lives being lived.

Friday, they both took advantage of no classes to go on a hike of all things!

And throughout it all, Annabeth couldn’t tell if she was in agony or bliss.

Was this good or bad? 

Was this what she wanted?

Yes.

Would she get to keep it?

She was terrified of the answer.

Because no matter what, the answer would be ‘Not forever.’

The realist in her said she didn’t know that for sure. It could be fine. It could work out. And even if it didn’t– wouldn’t it be worth it while it lasted? The pessimist in her said ‘shut up.’

At the very least, Annabeth felt she was hiding her struggle well enough. She knew Percy could tell she was… off, sometimes, for seemingly no reason, but he only made sure she got the fluffiest blanket when they watched movies in the evenings, that her favorite meals were always in her lunch bag, and that her melancholy never felt all encompassing.

Saturday’s sushi lunch with Grover made Annabeth relax– it was hard to be tense around him, and once they began talking about routes to take and countries to go to and landmarks to visit, Annabeth couldn’t resist taking charge;

“Who invited who on this trip?” Percy complained.

“Shut up.” Annabeth kicked him under the table as she jotted a few more buildings to see in her notebook.

“So you’re just gonna hijack this whole thing, huh?”

“Yup.” Annabeth peeked up at him, and the twinkle in Percy’s eyes had her heart soaring and sinking all at once, and she kicked him again before focusing her attention on furiously scribbling in her book once more.

“You guys are disgusting.” Grover groaned, sinking in his booth seat.

After another week, Annabeth began to feel mostly normal again. Other than the fact that she hadn’t slept in her own bed since they got back from break. And that they’d been increasingly more sweet with each other. And that they hadn’t actually had sex since the last night in the cabin, and neither of them seemed particularly upset by this, content to be intimate in other ways.

Other than that stuff, mostly normal.

Thalia and Piper were menaces, which likely helped; Silena had asked to use Thalia’s office for baby shower planning, so the four of them lounged on the sofas– well, except Annabeth, who was trying to do what they had gathered for while the other three speculated about her love life.

“Think it’s someone who works here?” Piper tossed a hackysack she had confiscated from a freshman in the air as she sat draped over the arms of a plush chair.

“It has to be, right?” Thalia took a bite of her apple, before speaking again with a disgustingly full mouth, “Like she talks to anyone else.”

Silena shook her head, crocheting a baby blanket, her stomach beginning to show more prominently. Her announcements had gone out a few weeks ago, so she ditched her loose blouses she’d been wearing to show off the baby bump in her usual style, “I don’t think so, we’d know if it was.”

“Ya think?” Thalia tilted her head, taking another loud crunch of apple despite Annabeth’s wince at the noise.

“Do you really think Annababe here is a good enough actress to hide a whole relationship with someone here? From us? ” Silena quirked a brow, and Thalia nodded.

“Good point.”

Annabeth tossed her pencil onto the coffee table with a groan, “You guys know I can hear you, right?!”

“So then where do you think they met?” Piper was juggling the lone hackysack now, “Bar?”

“Does she even go to bars without any of us?”

“I do!” Annabeth protested Thalia’s assumption (however true it might be,) but quickly wilted under her disbelieving look, “Just… not often.”

“So then where? ” Piper swung her legs to sit properly as she caught the ball, “Come ooonnnnn you have to tell us!”

Annabeth huffed indignantly, “First of all, I don’t have to do anything. Second, there’s nothing to tell!” Her insistence lost credibility every time she used it. At this point, she might as well not say anything with how they ignored her.

“Oh, I bet they met at a coffee shop! Or library! Or maybe in the park…” Silena got a dreamy look in her eyes.

Thalia’s own eyes rolled, “You have got to stop reading those cheesy romance novels. Annabeth probs met someone on a dating app, like the rest of us.”

“...Thalia, none of us met our partners on dating apps.” Piper threw the hackysack at Thalia who threw her half-eaten apple at Piper simultaneously. Miraculously, they both caught their respective objects seamlessly, as if choreographed, though Piper grimaced, tossing the apple into a wastebasket and wiping her hand on her jeans, “I seduced my opponent’s lawyer, Silena was a cheerleader at Beck’s basketball game in college, and you stalked another professor–”

“I did not–! ”

“–until she finally realized you were head over heels for her.” Piper looked pleased with herself, until Thalia pelted the hackysack back at her head. She sputtered, grabbing a throw pillow from her seat and chucking it back at Thalia, who grabbed at her side table for–

“Will you guys act like adults for once!” Annabeth groaned, knocking her forehead against the table while Silena patted her shoulder sympathetically.

“You know they won’t.” Silena leaned in, “Don’t tell them anything you aren’t ready to.”

Annabeth sighed, not even fighting the word choice. As annoying as it was, they were right. At this point, it wasn’t a question of if they would find out; it was when .

 

---

 

Jesse and Percy were bent over scans of the tablet they’d been deciphering all year, speaking quietly as Annabeth typed away on her laptop, barely paying attention to them.

The weather was wonderful, rays of late afternoon sun peeking through the open windows of the office, other professors enjoying the weather and having after class snacks in the private courtyard that Annabeth had barely set foot in since the start of the year.

Things in her head and heart had calmed. At least for now. She was too focused on trying to get through this final quarter to ruminate on things she had no control over– something previously unheard of for a woman who couldn’t bear to relinquish control of anything.

That used to be true. When did it stop?

There was no need for an answer as she cast a sideways glance to the two on the other side of the office, watching his eyes scan the pages with a singular focus that almost only appeared when he worked.

Or when he looked at her.

Annabeth’s heart fluttered when he met her gaze and she couldn’t help but hold his stare before turning back to her screen.

And then Becky whirled into the office.

“Jesse!” She threw her arms around them, planting a kiss on their cheek, and despite Jesse’s blush they sheepishly hugged her back, “I thought we were going to dinner tonight!”

“W-we are!” They glanced at Percy who nodded back with a small smile, “Just give me a second to grab my things, kay Becks?”

She nodded, allowing herself to be disentangled from them as she meandered over to Annabeth’s desk, “Hi Professor C!”

“Hello Rebecca.” 

“Did you have a nice break?”

“I did, thank you.” She smiled, turning her attention away from her screen, “I take it you did as well?”

Becky glanced back at Jesse, who was now speaking rapidly in hushed tones with Percy once more, “Absolutely!”

“Glad to hear it.” Annabeth really would have never guessed that Jesse would go for a girl like Becky, or Becky for a person like Jesse, but it seemed that they had fallen together seamlessly. “How do you feel about your finals?”

“Really good, actually! Jesse promised to model my fashion final for me too– they’re going to look SO good!”

“I’m looking forward to seeing it.” Annabeth smiled at Jesse when they slung their arm around Becky, not without a hint of pink still in their cheeks, “Ready?” 

“Yup!” With a wave, the two strolled out, and Annabeth glanced back at Percy.

“Well that happened very quickly.”

Percy shrugged, “To be fair, it’s pretty normal for most people to start dating soon after meeting, especially if the attraction is there.”

“You mean they don’t spend half a year sleeping together first?” At Percy’s look, Annabeth realized what she had implied, and she stood quickly, clearing her throat, “I’m going to take a break. Want me to grab you anything from the vending machine?”

“Nah.” He waved a hand, sitting back at his desk as if he hadn’t noticed her slip, which Annabeth was grateful for as she hurried from the office into the hall.

The school was quiet. At least, this particular wing at this time of year and this time of day was.

She wandered down the hall, the same one she admired at the start of the year, the same one she had toppled onto Percy in while trying to hang that stupid banner, the same one she had overheard the name ‘Perseus Jackson’ for the first time– now that she thought about it, had that been Becky she admonished all the way back in August for whispering in that secluded corner?

Things felt so different now.

She paused at a window to look out at the quad, wondering how it might be next year– her last year here.

Unless–

“Annabeth!”

–Unless Luke wore her down to stay.

She turned, a soft smile on her lips though it felt forced. Luke stopped in front of her, hands casually tucked into the pockets of his khakis, his hair slightly longer and skin tanned, “Hey there.”

“Hi, Luke.” She responded, a quick glance over her shoulder.

He chuckled, “It’s not a crime for us to be seen together, you know.”

She blinked, “I… I know, just… rumors.” Annabeth gave a shrug.

“Don’t worry about them.” He waved a hand, “You’re above that.”

“Doesn’t mean they don’t affect me.” Annabeth sighed, “Never mind. Did you have a good break?”

“It was alright. Went to see my grandfather in California, gave him an update on the school– they’re talking about making me the permanent Dean rather than interim, since I’ve been doing this for so long already.” Luke laughed, “Only thing they’re concerned about is my age– and gramps’ legacy, the whole scandal thing,” he waved a hand dismissively, “but well… anyway. How about you?”

“It was fine.” She glanced back out the window, suddenly feeling wistful for cold beaches and warm cabins.

“I missed you. Thought about texting but… wasn’t like I was in the state.” Luke leaned a shoulder against the stone pillar framing the arched window, “Want to get dinner this weekend?”

“...Just the two of us?”

“That’s the idea.”

Annabeth suddenly felt exhausted. “What are you doing, Luke?” She asked quietly, not meeting his gaze.

“What do you mean?” He tilted his head to the side.

“You know what I mean.”

Luke heaved a sigh, following her eyes out the window to the students sprawled on the grass, some playing volleyball, others studying, “I made a mistake.”

Annabeth stiffened, “What… what do you mean?”

“Breaking things off.”

She sucked in a breath, “Luke, that was… that was years ago.”

“Yeah, and I regret it.” He reached out for her fingers, but she pulled away, suddenly feeling sick, “I shouldn’t have, just… You were going to get your Masters, and all those things about my Grandfather came to light… it made sense at the time.”

Annabeth didn’t respond, her stomach dropping and her skin prickling with anxiety. Luke continued;

“I should have tried anyway.”

“Should you have?” She finally met his eyes.

“Yes.” He responded firmly. “All I’m asking for is a chance to try again. Properly.”

Annabeth felt lightheaded, and she shook her head, “I–”

“You don’t have to answer now.” His smile was back, though it was a little sad, “Just… think about it? For me?”

She didn’t say yes, but he took her lack of ‘no’ as one, his smile brightening ever so slightly before he made his way past her to continue towards the main building.

Annabeth felt disgusting, and she couldn’t quite pinpoint why– her relationship with Luke had left her broken. She’d only just recovered in the past few years, but now it was as if she was back the night he had ended things. The night hell broke loose for his family. The night she’d been accepted into her dream Master’s program, a memory that should have been happy now forever tainted by the surrounding events and a broken heart.

She sank down onto the ledge of the window, burying her face in her hands as she took several shaky breaths. He was the reason she hadn’t been able to accept anyone else in for so long, the reason that any ‘relationships’ she’d had since attending New Athens herself had been brief flings with no substance, the reason her fear of abandonment that spawned from her parents now extended to other people in her life too.

And now it was all back, as if it was yesterday.

Annabeth wasn’t sure how long she sat there for. The sun set, leaving twilight and an abandoned volleyball net in the quad behind. She finally stood, floating back to her office like a ghost– she just needed to get home. Take a bath. Turn on a trashy reality show and let this pass. She’d feel better tomorrow if she just–

There was a note on their office door; Percy’s handwriting, one word.

Pool.

Her brow furrowed, and after a glance around she snatched the note down and entered to pack her things.

Seeing Percy might help… but it could just make things worse. He’d be able to tell something was wrong, he might even ask her and she just… she couldn’t. But she couldn’t not go either.

Annabeth made her way across the school to the familiar athletics building– the side door was not only unlocked, but propped open for her.

The smell of chlorine and humidity enveloped her as she found her way down the hall, and the pool door itself was open as well.

And there were candles.

She sucked in a breath, the flickering lights set up around the pool and reflecting in the water, the windows, the skylights– as if they were surrounded by stars. Hesitantly, Annabeth made her way further in, her heart suddenly being pulled in two as it tried to both leap and sink at the same time.

“Hello?” She called quietly, the only answer being the soft echo of her own voice back. When Annabeth rounded the bleachers, there were more candles, but no Percy. An envelope was on the bottom row, and she reached for it, a lump in her throat, and the thick paper she extracted made her brows knit together in confusion, then her eyes widened in understanding.

 

“Droplet of sun’s honey, to taste thy upon mine lips

Would be a nectar envied by the divine,

But to them it would never satisfy.

Where you go, I follow. Where I go, you shall be with me.

So should the sky steal you back to the sun,

I will be close behind as the moon.

And should the earth finally swallow me, 

I shall await the roots of your flower to find me again.

You state all of you is mine, as all of me is yours,

And intertwined as our souls are

Parting is a sin of other lovers

That we shall never commit.”

 

A squeak of shoes on the floor had Annabeth turning, her eyes finding and locking with Percy’s immediately.

“You translated it.” She breathed, her heart nearly thumping out of her chest.

He nodded, taking a step forward, “I did.” He seemed like his usual calm, cool, collected self, but Annabeth knew better by now. She could feel the nervous energy radiating off of him.

“It’s… it’s a love poem.”

“A letter, actually. Or both, I guess.” Another step. “Jesse and I finished cracking it just before break– the kid is a genius at noticing patterns in language, referenced a bunch of dialects from surrounding areas as well as those along immigration routes and–” Percy stopped himself with a nervous chuckle, “Anyway, I wanted you to see it first.”

Annabeth felt her throat grow tight. “And why’s that?” She tried to keep her voice even, tried to keep the crack from it, but it still came out as a near whisper.

Percy tilted his head as he stopped in front of her, a hand reaching up to touch her hair before hesitating, “I feel it’s obvious.” When Annabeth didn’t respond, staring up at him, the tension between them making it hard to even breathe, he finished; “It’s how I feel about you.”

Everything seemed to release at once. Air whooshed from Annabeth’s lungs. The question she had been avoiding all this time was suddenly answered, and words were gone. How could she respond to this? How did she want to?

Her feet moved without instruction from her brain, taking a step backward. Percy moved as if to reach for her hand this time, before hesitating again; “Annabeth?”

“I…” her eyes darted to the candles, the paper in her hand, the ripples in the pool, anywhere but him. “That…” Annabeth swallowed, mouth dry, “Rule one.” She finally managed out.

Percy stared at her, before barking a dry laugh, “Really? Is that… is that all you have to say?”

“And… and rule five.” She squeaked out, “We… this… we can’t.”

“Annabeth.” His voice was laced with frustration as he ran a hand through his own hair, “How many times have we broken the rules without us mentioning it? Rule five went out the window long ago. Hell, you spend half the week in my bed, and the other half I’m in yours. We act differently around other people now. We… you told Grover. You break the rules all on your own all the time, yet this is when you want to invoke rule five? To just… stop everything cold? What, did you just… forget?! ”

Annabeth had not forgotten. Not for a second. It was always looming, there, in the back of her mind– “If any of rules one through four are broken, we stop this. Immediately.” The truth was she chose to ignore it, day after day, week after week, because she didn’t want this to end, but now things were far too real. “I… it’s different.”

“Yeah.” He agreed, “It is.”

“The rules–”

“Fuck the rules!” His exclamation had Annabeth feeling indignant, “Those were just a farce anyway!”

Annabeth huffed, “They were not!”

“Of course they were! Friends with benefits never work out, everyone knows that. Someone will eventually catch feelings.”

Annabeth scoffed in response, “It’s not like we were even friends at the beginning, it was different!” She hurried through at the sight of Percy’s completely disbelieving expression, “If everyone knows that, then why did you even agree to this in the first place?”

Percy stared at her. “...I feel like that’s incredibly obvious.” When Annabeth didn’t respond, he threw his hands up, “I didn’t want the rules to work! I actually liked you! I didn’t… I didn’t expect it to go this far, with how I felt, I didn’t know I’d… but I hoped that if we… if we… I knew there was a possibility that… God.” He paced a moment, before turning back to her “I’d just drop it if you said you didn’t feel the same but— fuck Annabeth, you haven’t even said that!”

She turned to stare at the water, arms crossed, “That… doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?!” His frustration was reaching its peak, “Why don’t your feelings matter?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” His question could have been mistaken as a demand, but truly it was more of a plea, “If you don’t love me back, tell me.”

Love. There was that word that had consumed her ever since she realized it was what she was feeling.

Annabeth wanted to tell him she did love him back. Of course she did. She wanted to kiss him and be happy and just say “fuck it” and accept this into her life.

But the conversation with Luke hung over her head like a dark angry cloud determined to snuff out any hope she had for a future relationship. Annabeth knew couldn’t live in fear forever— she’d have to work through it sometime, take a chance, risk heartbreak. 

And Percy was the one she wanted to risk it for.

Yet old wounds were suddenly ripped open, not even an hour ago. Percy truly had the worst timing.

“I can’t…. I can’t say that.”

She felt him take her hand, “Then why… why do you look so…” He took a breath, “Did I do something wrong?”

Annabeth shook her head, “No…”

“Did something happen? You’ve been… distant.” He gently redirected her gaze back to him, “Let me help.”

“It’s… it’s not really something that can be helped.” Annabeth murmured, “I… Percy, this… I’m not— I don’t— please, I… I don’t know how to make you understand.”

“I don’t need to understand what you’re going through.” His fingers traced her face, “I just want to be there for you while you’re going through it.”

“And what happens when you’re not there anymore?” 

His touch frozen at her cheek, “You’re scared.” It wasn’t a question; it was a realization. “Annabeth, if I’ve done something to make you not trust me—“

She shook her head quickly, “It isn’t you.”

Percy sighed, “I… Annabeth, I can’t hide this anymore. I can’t be satisfied with stolen glances and everything we are happening behind closed doors. I want to take you on real dates. I want to go out with our friends and not have to pretend we hate each other. I— selfishly— want to love you openly and let other people know we’re together.” He lifted her hand to press it to his own face, turning his head a moment to press his lips to her palm, closing his eyes and inhaling before meeting her gray once more, “I belong to you. All of me— I’m yours. And I won’t ask for you to give me all of yourself in return, but I’m just… help me. Tell me what to do. I don’t…” his voice broke for a moment, “I don’t know what to do.”

Her heart squeezed, her eyes burning. All she wanted to do was give in. But the future was too uncertain, even apart from Percy and their relationship. Where would she be after next year? What if Helen truly did relapse in a few months? What about her brothers, what if she has to move, what if—

“I… I need… time.”

 Percy’s eyes closed and he exhaled through his nose, his expression pained, and Annabeth hated herself for being the cause.

“Okay.” He finally said, “Okay. I can wait.”

Annabeth leaned forward, and his arms wrapped around her easily, the scent of Percy overpowering that of chlorine.

“I’m sorry.” She mumbled, burying her face against him.

“I’ll admit, this isn’t quite how I imagined this moment.” Percy’s chuckle was strained.

Annabeth sniffled, her eyes pricking with tears as she pulled back, “I… I’m going to go home tonight, I think.”

Percy didn’t look particularly happy about that, but he only nodded. “Okay.”

“…Okay.” Annabeth brushed past him, hugging her arms around herself and unable to look back as she made her way to the bus stop, hating her choices more and more by the second.

Notes:

HI YEAH SORRY

I ended up going on a very impromptu trip to Disneyland and then things got HECTIC, but here we are? Oops.

I am hoping and praying my motivation stays for me to continue to update regularly until the end- I am also reworking and combining some chapters I had planned so there will be less BUT DO NOT PANIC, there will be the same amount of content, just less spread out probably idk we will see.

anywayI'msorrybutnotreallybyyyyyyyeeeeeeee!

PS me and a friend are in the talks to start a PJO podcast, if anyone would be interested in listening to such a thing... let me know!

Chapter 26: who could ever leave me, darling (but who could stay?)

now you mail back my things (and i walk home alone)

Annabeth may have made the decision to show up to work with a duffel of Percy’s things, but she wasn’t necessarily happy about it. 

She told herself it was probably only temporary, not falling asleep next to him, not having his laundry and food and things scattered everywhere; but what if it wasn’t? What if this was the absolute end?

Their wing of the school was mostly empty, and for that Annabeth was thankful as she slipped into their office. Percy looked up and gave her a small half smile, eyes flickering to the bag on her shoulder for only a moment. She had given him a heads up, of course, but he couldn’t hide the shadow of disappointment dampening that smile.

“Is that really everything?”

“Should be.” She plopped the bag on his desk and he unzipped it, poking around, then frowning.

“Where’s my Led Zeppelin shirt?” Percy dug around more persistently.

Annabeth shrugged, “I didn’t see it.” It was, in fact, crumpled on her mattress back at her apartment, and she had no intention of giving it back– at least for now. It was the single softest t-shirt she’d ever had the pleasure of wearing, not to mention it still smelled like Percy, so it had become her designated sleep shirt.

“I could have sworn I left it at your place…” He zipped the bag back up, hefting it under his desk, and despite their situation, despite what had happened at the pool the Friday before, Annabeth didn’t feel awkward around him. A bit melancholy. Somewhat nauseous. But it didn’t feel like before, after Valentine’s Day.

At least they wouldn’t go a month without speaking to each other again. The thought was unbearable.

There were a lot of bad things about Annabeth’s decision in response to Percy’s confession, but one of the worst was definitely having to take the bus everywhere once more. Her head knocked against the window, watching lights and trees whoosh by to and from work. She grocery shopped. She cooked (using new skills Percy taught her.) She took the time to take care of herself.

This was all in spite of her sadness. Her chest ached constantly. She cried a lot. She questioned her decisions over and over again, and then she picked herself up, took a bath, made tea, grade; anything that could give her the energy to keep moving forward.

If she wanted things to be okay, she’d have to make some changes. 

Big changes.

But they were small steps for the next week. There was only so much a girl could handle at a time, and when Luke waved Annabeth down in the hall on Wednesday, she at first tried to pretend she hadn’t heard nor seen him, speed walking towards the lounge. Unfortunately, Luke’s legs were longer and his presence more demanding, and students parted like the seas as he waded through them.

“Annabeth!”

She stopped, closed her eyes, then plastered a soft smile to her lips and turned, “Hey Luke.”

“Mind if I walk with you?”

“I— actually I have a lot of pre-tests to grade.” She gestured weakly.

He raised a brow, then laughed, “And I can’t walk you to where you would grade them?”

Annabeth couldn’t come up with a reasonable protest to his offer, so they began walking together.

“Can I take you to dinner tonight?”

Annabeth shook her head, “Sorry, I… I don’t really have time right now.”

“Finals?”

She nodded.

“I can ask Professor Jackson if he can pick up some of your grading to give you the night off.” Luke smiled, “We can go to that place I used to take you to– what was it called?”

“It was Feli’s Pizza and it burned down three years ago.”

“Ah.” He chuckled, “Well I can pick another place. Let me treat you.”

“I really can’t right now, Luke.” Annabeth sighed heavily, hugging her armful of books and papers closer to her chest, “Maybe after the semester is over.”

“Fine, fine.” He waved a hand dismissively, “But if you need a break, say the word and I’ll get Percy to help out. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to.”

Annabeth gave a noncommittal shrug, then nodded towards the teacher’s lounge, “Well um… I gotta go.”

“See ya, Beth.” He smiled down at her with that charming smile that once made her feel like the most important person in the world, then started back down the hall. She sighed heavily, then settled into one of the lounge’s plush sofas to sift through tests.

She was at it way later than she meant to, so lost in the zone that the next time she looked up, it was early evening. Annabeth stretched, leaning back and deciding she might close her eyes for a second. It was an exhausting week in more ways than one, and sleep hadn’t been coming easy to her.

The sofa shifted beside her, and when her eyes opened she yelped, a hand flying to her heart as Percy nonchalantly looked up from his own paperwork to eye her over reading glasses she forgot he had.

“Wh… when did you even get here?!?” Annabeth gasped out, heart thumping in her chest.

Percy looked at his watch, “About… Twenty minutes? Give or take?”

Annabeth frowned, “You weren’t here a second ago.”

“Well time passes differently in sleep.”

“I wasn’t sleeping.” Annabeth insisted.

Percy laughed, leaning back and turning his attention to the papers in hand, “Sure.”

“I wasn’t!” She huffed dramatically, “I was resting my eyes.”

“I definitely believe you.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes though her cheeks flushed, and she straightened out her skirt, leaning over curiously to take a peek at what Percy was marking so extensively with red ink, “What are you working on?”

He shifted the documents so she could better see them, “Making the results of the tablet translation publishable. It’s gonna be the first academic paper Jesse’s name will be on, so I want to make sure it’s gonna get them all the accolades and opportunities they deserve. Kid could probably get into any Masters or Doctorate program in the world with something like this on their resume.”

She nodded, scanning the pages though now her face reddened for a different reason.

Percy had spent the better part of the year working on this. Hell, he probably had been trying to translate that tablet since before he was hired here, and when he finally did–

Did she ruin the memory of it? Was what should have been an exciting triumph now marred by her decision?

Annabeth was jolted from these thoughts by Percy knocking her shoulder with his own, “You okay?”

Was he a mind reader?

She sighed, rubbing her forehead, “Yeah. Yeah I’m… fine.”

“Uh huh.” He tossed the papers onto the coffee table, turning to face her, arm draped over the back of the sofa, “You don’t have to talk about it. But it’s okay if you’re not. I’m not fine either.”

Annabeth laughed weakly, “Yeah… yeah.” 

“Yeah?” His lips pulled into a small lopsided grin.

“Yeah.” She affirmed.

Percy shook his head with another chuckle, “You’re so stubborn.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you gonna say something other than ‘yeah?’”

Annabeth thought for a moment. Then; “No.”

They were both smiling, Percy’s eyes softening in a way that made Annabeth’s stomach do a flip. She was glad they weren’t avoiding each other, that they weren’t refusing to talk or disappearing entirely… but being like this was a different kind of hurt. Near, but not together.

“I’m sorry.” She finally said, and Percy raised a brow.

“For?”

“I… this.” She gestured vaguely, “I’m… I just need… I–”

“I know.” He assured her, “Take all the time you need. I’ll be here.”

Annabeth’s gaze diverted to the coffee table, “I don’t want to make you wait for me. That’s not fair to you.”

She felt his fingers brush lightly against her own, and their eyes met; “I would wait an eternity for you, Annabeth.”

Her heart skipped a beat, eyes widening. She wanted to accuse him of joking or try to play it off, but his expression was so earnest. Finally she managed to speak; “You shouldn’t have to.”

“I’ll admit, I’d be a little disappointed if it ended up being that long– I’m not super patient.” He laughed, running his hand through his hair sheepishly, flustered by his own admission, “But I would. For you.”

Annabeth forced a deep breath. She couldn’t remember anyone ever saying something like that to her before. She wanted to just kiss him and say yes and go for it– but something told her it still wasn’t right. Why wasn’t it right? When would it be?

She had to keep working towards that version of her who could accept this kind of love into her life.

An alarm on her phone buzzed, and stifling a yawn, Annabeth began to gather her things, “Ugh, sorry. Bus.” 

Percy nodded, helping her pack away the piles of tests, “See you tomorrow?”

Annabeth stood and smiled at him– a small, somewhat sad smile, but a smile nonetheless, “Of course.”

He took her hand, squeezing it before releasing to let her leave, turning back to his own work.

This was getting easier. Things were moving in a new direction, Annabeth wasn’t who she was a week ago, let alone a month ago. It still wasn’t right yet– but it felt like it would be soon.

She collapsed onto the bus, exhaustion in her limbs, when her phone buzzed.

THALIA 7:16PM
drinks friday? old crew?

 

---

 

fell behind all my classmates (and i ended up here)

Instead of their usual haunt at the Gilded Lily (nailed it), the gang of teachers decided that they’d meet up at Retrograde.

Which felt very strange, seeing as the last time Annabeth had been there, she and Percy had gone to his place to hook up for the first time.

She slipped through the door disguised in the fridge next to the ice cream shop counter, letting them check her ID before finding her friends sitting at a corner table, drinks already in hand.

The “Old Crew” was made up of Grover, Beckendorf, Silena, Thalia, and Annabeth herself– those who attended New Athens University together as students. Piper and Jason were visiting England so Piper could be introduced to Jason’s father, Reyna was busy, and who the hell knew where Leo was, so it was just them.

Well, Percy was there too. She knew he would be invited by Beckendorf and Grover to tag along, but it still made her chest warm and tighten simultaneously to see him.

A drink. She needed a drink.

Annabeth diverted her path towards the bar to order a cocktail first, trying to calm her breathing. Suddenly the backless top she wore and the jean shorts felt a lot more revealing than they had in her bedroom.

Once the house special was in hand— some sort of martini with a few extra ingredients— Annabeth slid onto the empty seat between Grover and Thalia, avoiding eye contact with Percy who was lounging at the end of the opposite booth. Silena was across from her, and Beckendorf seemed to be consoling the now very-clearly-pregnant woman over her glass of soda water.

“Hey guys.” She greeted, draping her jacket over the back of the chair.

“Hey Annababe!” Thalia swung her arm over Annabeth’s shoulder, nearly knocking her drink out of her hand, “Goddamn, someone’s ready for her hot girl summer.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Shut up.”

“I want to have a hot girl summer,” Silena sniffled, “but noooo, I had to go and get pregnant!”

Beckendorf awkwardly patted her shoulder, “Well, next time we’ll just plan around the summer months.”

“But my bikinis won’t even fit if I’m breastfeeding! Look how huge they’ve gotten!” Silena– now even more teary eyed– stuck her chest out, gesturing to her newly acquired “assets.” Her husband coughed.

“I think they’ll fit just fine, babe.” He said in a tone that indicated he might even like how they fit now more than before.

Everyone voiced their agreement, which seemed to put Silena in a better mood, because she suddenly bounced into her usual bubbly self; “Anyways, hi!”

They flitted between conversations about the end of the semester, Summer plans, the upcoming baby shower, and more topics than Annabeth found herself tuning in and out of while she sipped her martini. 

Despite Percy’s presence, she didn’t feel as uncomfortable as she had thought she would. He was quiet too, much more than usual, but if anyone else noticed they didn’t say anything. She wondered what Grover was thinking– Annabeth gave Percy permission to let him know what happened the week before. It didn’t make sense not to, seeing as he had helped Percy plan it, and her friend had texted her multiple times to make sure she was okay, but they never dived very deep into that conversation due to Annabeth’s own reluctance.

Shame rose inside her, though it was hard to pinpoint why. Her childhood best friend had done so much for her, and now had tried to help her accept love into her life, and it backfired spectacularly. 

Annabeth wondered what might have happened if Luke’s own confession hadn’t been timed so horribly.

And then his name jerked her out of her thoughts.

“Bummer Luke couldn’t make it.”

“Yeah.” Beckendorf agreed with Thalia, “Having the old crew together again like this without him feels weird.”

“Not like he hung out with us back then.” Silena laughed, “He was waaaaaaay more strict as a teacher than he is as a boss.”

Annabeth froze. She felt Percy sit up straight.

“He taught you?” He asked slowly, voice casual; but Annabeth could hear what was underneath, what no one else would pick up on.

“Yeah but he’s def been cool as both.” Thalia nudged Grover, “Remember when we were reading ‘Meditations’ and he had our class sit out in the quad?” She turned to Percy, “You’re a lot like him, actually?”

“Am I?” His voice was still nonchalant, but the tightness in his words was even clearer to Annabeth now. She couldn’t breathe. Her own throat felt as if it were closing up entirely.

“Oh yeah, absolutely.” Thalia continued, “Teaching-style, that is. It’s funny that Annabeth gets so annoyed with you about that stuff seeing as she adored Luke’s Philosophy classes.” Her friend turned, “You were like his favorite student.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Annabeth’s voice sounded tiny and meek to her own ears.

“You were too, don’t get all humble on me now.” Thalia leaned across the table, “I swear she had a crush on him– I mean, what Freshman didn’t? Except for, like, the non-male attracted ones; the guy was the epitome of ‘hot professor.’ Still is, if you haven’t noticed how the students fawn over him as Dean. But this one was a real teacher’s pet.” Annabeth felt an arm drape over her shoulders once more.

She stood suddenly, accidentally knocking Thalia away as she struggled for words. It was too hot, too cramped the walls closing in, the neon lights too bright in the dim room, the way she could feel Percy’s eyes boring into her–

“Annabeth…?” Grover asked, concern in his voice as he started to stand too.

“I…” Her jaw worked up and down, as if it could make sound come out if it moved enough. Finally, she managed, “I have to go.” 

She fled, rushing from the bar as noises of concern and chairs screeching on the floor sounded in her wake. 

She had to get out, she had to leave, she couldn’t explain what was going on to them, she couldn’t face Percy, she couldn’t stay and listen to them reminisce on years that had been hell in ways they couldn’t understand–

Annabeth burst into fresh air, gasping as her eyes stung and she turned, speed walking to the parking lot besides the bar to try and calm down before making her way to the bus, trying to relax, trying to blank her mind and forget and–

“Annabeth!” She felt a hand grasp her arm, pulling her back into arms and a chest she couldn’t help but collapse into, body shaking. Her head told her to shove him away, to keep running, but her body wouldn’t listen.

“Let me go. Please.” Her small voice whimpered out despite her face burying against his shoulder.

“He was your teacher.”

Annabeth gulped in a breath, fighting a sob, “I– I know, I made a mistake, I was wrong to–” suddenly she felt Percy pull away, his hands gripping her upper arms, his face leveling with hers, and an expression that silenced her. Care. Fury. Sadness.

“ You are not the one who made a mistake!” His voice, so filled with anger yet so worried for her, so desperate to reassure– it made mixed feelings rise to her throat like bile.

She stared at him, unable to look away, “I didn’t… I never wanted anyone to know.”

It was quiet for a moment. Then Percy cursed, yanking her back into a furious hug, his own body shaking in what could only be anger.

Neither spoke for what felt like hours, but it couldn’t have been more than a handful of minutes. Annabeth felt her mind slow, her breathing even out. Percy must have felt her calming, because his arms around her loosened and he pulled back just enough to meet her reddened eyes;

“Tell me how.” Then, thinking better of it, his voice softened, “Please.”

Annabeth gave a dry laugh, “How what?”

“How did it start?”

She wiped her eyes with her palm, looking away, “I just… it was my second semester at NAU, and it was the first day, and I went up to ask him about the reading and… we… we got along really well.”

Percy sucked in a breath, and when Annabeth looked back his eyes were squeezed shut. “And he…?”

Annabeth swallowed, hugging herself, “I don’t know, I… he was really handsome, and charming, and seemed interested in what I had to say… he invited me to coffee sometimes to talk about my classes and discuss the stuff he was teaching… philosophy.” Shame was bubbling in her stomach once more, “No one… no one had ever made me feel like that before. Like I was special. And then… and then…”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Annabeth.” Percy reached out, green eyes now fixed on her face again. His hand began to drop, as if unsure if she wanted to be touched, but Annabeth grabbed it, holding it as tight as she could manage, a lifeline to keep from drowning in memories.

“He asked me to come to his office one night, towards the end of the year– around this time, I guess.” A shaky breath, “Said he needed to talk to me about something important, said it was about finals but– well I knew it wasn’t about finals and I went anyway, like an idiot.” She laughed bitterly, “And I was excited, I was… I was so happy when he… I felt special. He made me feel… special.”

Percy exhaled, and his hand squeezed hers. “It’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” Logically, Annabeth knew as much. But she also had logically known back then that what Luke was doing wasn’t okay. She logically knew that teachers shouldn’t kiss their students, and that had been the least of what they’d done together. She knew all this, and yet she ignored it. So even if she knew all along it was his discretion, didn’t her willing participation circle around to make it her at fault as well?

“It’s not .” His voice was firm. And then it was angry, “God that… fuck. I knew he was older but I didn’t realize how much– that fucking bastard! ” His free hand ran through his hair, grabbing a fistful in frustration, “What a… God if I so much as see that waste of sentience ever again–”

Annabeth’s eyes widened and she gripped his arm, “Percy, no, please, please I… if he… if people know, if he knows you know–”

Percy’s voice was low, a growl behind gritted teeth, “I know. I… I know. I just– fuck, Annabeth, I don’t know if I can look that fucking piece of shit in the face– god, you were a Freshman! ”

Annabeth winced, “I… I was an adult–”

“Can you imagine dating someone younger than Becky? At the age you are now?”

Annabeth’s protest died in her throat. Because no, she couldn’t. In fact, the thought disgusted her.

Percy’s frustrated sigh seemed to be more out of annoyance with himself than anything Annabeth was saying. “I’m sorry, I’m being selfish. You… you deserve better than that. I shouldn’t be…” His hand ran through his hair again, eyes turning towards the starless sky– too far in the city to see anything but a sliver of moon overhead. “Can I ask one more thing?”

“Yes.”

“How did it end?”

Here was the part she thought would be hardest to recount, but somehow it came easier than anything previous; “It was senior year. His grandfather– the scandal with the Dean came out and it was really chaotic–”

“Guess it runs in the family.” Percy muttered.

“–I was applying for grad school, and he just… told me he was done. It was time to move on. That I was leaving to get my Masters and he had to deal with his family crisis, so we should just part ways. And… it ended.” Annabeth forced a deep breath. As awful as she felt with long suppressed memories forced to the surface, something about it was freeing.

Percy was staring at her. “Why would you ever come back here? Why would you accept him as your boss, after all that? Did you–” He cut himself off but Annabeth knew what the next question was; Did she still love him? She ignored it.

“My Step-Mom got cancer, I had to move home, I was working two, sometimes three jobs at once– having something steady and stable that paid okay was– it was really– I needed it.”

“And he just offered it to you? No strings attached?”

“I… it… yes?” Annabeth paused. She thought Luke was being kind, giving her this job when there were absolutely more qualified people he could have hired.

Now she wasn’t sure.

Percy sighed, not pressing further. “What do you need from me right now? What… what can I do?”

Annabeth looked up at him, then slowly held out her arms and Percy automatically stepped in to hug her tight.

They stayed wrapped in each other for a moment, then two. Percy smelled like the whiskey he’d been sipping, the sea salt cologne he used sparingly on special occasions, and fresh laundry. Everything about him was comforting. Everything about him made her feel safe.

Even now, her feelings for him hadn’t so much as wavered.

But she still wasn’t ready.

They finally separated, and Annabeth frowned, suddenly realizing, “No one followed you?”

Percy glanced back, then shrugged, “I kind of shouted something about you forgetting your jacket and booked it. I guess Grover probably convinced them not to run out too. Or they went the wrong way.”

Annabeth laughed, only now noticing her jacket was slung over his shoulder, “Kind of suspicious, you coming after me like that, don’t you think?”

“Probably.” His hand lifted to tuck a curl behind her ear, “It’s funny, us ending up here again.”

It took a second for Annabeth’s brain to catch up with his meaning, but realization hit her like a train when she spotted his car parked in the same spot it had been when they kissed in the rain and he took her home with him for the first time.

“It is.” She murmured.

“Do you…” he hesitated, “Can I… Can I walk you to your bus stop?”

Annabeth fidgeted, “Actually, um, would you be willing to drive–”

“Yes.”

They both laughed softly, and she stepped back, goosebumps on her bare arms. Percy must have noticed, because he pulled her jacket over her shoulders.

“Did you have a tab?” 

Percy shook his head, “Nope. We can just go.”

The drive to her apartment was near silent, but comfortably so. Annabeth felt the post-breakdown rejuvenation relax her limbs, and when they pulled in front of her building, she reached for Percy, pulling him down to kiss his cheek.

“Goodnight, Percy. Thank you.”

He smiled, wrapping her in one more hug across the center console before letting her go, “Have sweet dreams, Annabeth.”

And for the first time in a while, she did.

Notes:

so anyway if you noticed the chapter count has gone from 35 to 30... don't panic!!!!! it will be okay!!!!!!!
basically I looked through my chapter outline and went "Huh. A lot of these are gonna be hard to fill with interesting content and will either be 1. too short to warrant their own chapters or 2. long and boring and just all around a bummer to read, not to mention either option would make me anxious and burnt out SO
you guys are getting the same amount of content as what was planned for 35! I am just combining them, so the good news/bad news (depending on how you look at it) is that we are now 4 chapters from the end rather than 9! Ahhhhhhh!

raise your hand if you remember when this fice said it was gonna be like 12 chapters (because now it's the longest I've written)

You'll also notice mini chapter headers- I decided to separate parts of a couple combined chapters like that so I could at least use the chapter titles I had planned because I didn't want to ditch them! Some have been cut entirely though- maybe I'll post a list of unused lyrics at the end!

 

anyway. uh. thank you guys for continuing to read.

Fun fact, there actually IS a bar where I live that is hidden behind a fridge door in an ice cream shop so that's cool and fun and if you ever visit Denver, Retrograde is worth checking out! You can go in there and sit and imagine Percabeth having drinks together

Also editing was minimal and I am sorry.

Oh also, fuck Luke!

Chapter 27: mystical time, cutting me open (then healing me fine)

you with your words (like knives)

Things were getting better.

But it still wasn’t right

Annabeth wasn’t certain what she was waiting for— likely because she didn’t want to wait at all. She wanted to just do.

But “doing” would have to wait, as they were less than a month out from the end of the semester. Her supposed last year here would be after this summer— and she still wasn’t certain what she was going to tell Luke about the offered extension of her employment.

Telling Percy about Luke was as if something in her flipped.

All this time, she made excuses for him— even if those excuses were only for herself, to justify what had happened between them, what their relationship had been.

But it wasn’t a relationship. It was a man she trusted taking advantage of her naïveté and desperation for affection and acceptance.

Even so, it was hard to think he was all bad. Surely he didn’t pursue her out of malicious intent? Maybe he was just a guy who made bad choices—

“Nope.” Percy bopped her on the head with a rolled up magazine off the teacher’s lounge coffee table, “I told you, you’re not allowed to rationalize it.”

Annabeth frowned at him, rubbing her head. The same arguments she had with herself all these years were being expressed out loud for the first time, and now there was a voice of reason stronger than the small one within her that had been beaten down over an extended period of negative self-talk.

“Not allowed?!” Her indignant huff brought a smile to Percy’s face despite the subject matter.

“Nope.”

“And who made you the boss of me?”

Percy opened his mouth, then clamped it shut with a mischievous grin, “I don’t think you want me to answer that, Professor Chase.”

“If you were about to say that I— !”

“I said you don’t want the answer.” He chuckled, leaning back and stretching in a way that was very distracting.

Annabeth mentally slapped herself, turning away to stop from staring.

“You okay?” Percy asked softly, and she nodded.

“Yes, of course, I… I’m just thinking.”

“About?”

Annabeth wrinkled her nose, trying to figure out how to express her thoughts; “It’s just… hm. I feel like I was in this stagnant state for so long, frozen in time, never moving forward… and now it feels like I’m living life with the fast forward button glued down.”

She heard another laugh escape him, “I kinda get what you mean.”

“Yeah?” Her head tilted to glance at him, green eyes staring back at her, a smile firmly set on his lips.

“Yeah.”

 

---

 

The door in their office that led to the inner courtyard was open to let in the breeze and fresh air. It was a beautiful day, the rustle of leaves and the sound of teachers chatting and enjoying lunch wafting through the door.

Luke was out there. Annabeth only knew it because when Percy swaggered in and glanced outside, he’d made a disgusted face and grumbled about it.

She could hear him laughing, talking with the few professors and teachers also enjoying the weather about the end of the year. It was easy to pick his voice out.

But surprisingly, he was also easy to ignore.

Annabeth hadn’t spoken much with Luke since his request to think about rekindling what they once had, and she’d been outright avoiding him since the night Percy learned everything. She was grateful Luke seemed too busy to seek her out.

Annabeth yawned, reaching for another practice test to grade— it was the last chance to earn extra credit before finals, and it looked like everyone was going to pass with flying colors.

Percy himself seemed groggy, staring at his laptop screen rather than actually typing anything. He’d been working hard to compile everything needed for the write up on the tablet, and it was clearly exhausting.

Annabeth’s hand met wood instead of paper, and she frowned, glancing down; indeed, it seemed her pile was depleted. The penultimate grading was entirely finished.

Relief flooded her instantly, and she pushed out from her chair to stroll over and perch on the edge of Percy’s desk. He turned and smiled at her, brows lifting in question.

“Can I help you?”

Annabeth shook her head, “Nope.”

“Well you came to my side of town,” he nodded at the space between their desks, “So clearly you want something.”

“I don’t want anything.” Annabeth insisted, hoping innocence came across in her voice as her fingertips traced the grains of wood beside his hand. Truthfully, she was growing impatient with her self inflicted denial. Screw the nagging feeling that things still weren’t right. Maybe there wasn’t any such thing as a “right time.” Maybe she just had to grasp any opportunity she could. “But I was thinking…”

“Go on.” Percy was already beaming, as if he knew what she was going to say. It was both annoying and enduring.

“Let me finish!” She gave him a light kick, then continued, “I was thinking maybe tonight, we could—“

“Professor C!” A shrill, panicked voice flew into their space making both of them jump, and Annabeth turned to see Becky, wide eyed and face flushed.

It didn’t even dawn on her to be worried about Becky seeing her casually sitting on Percy’s desk, and she hopped down immediately to greet Becky, her hands hovering about the the girl’s shoulders.

“What is it? Are you hurt? What happened?” Annabeth went into ‘concerned authority figure mode’ easily— in truth it was actually ‘protective big sister mode’ in disguise.

But Becky just shook her head, “I… it’s… it’s not me, I… I told you we um… newspaper.” She finally managed out, “I-I was looking into who sent us information for th-that article forever ago, like I said I would— sorry it took a million years, I got stuck and Jesse had to get one of their friends to help me and—“ she took a deep breath, “There was this burner email that sent a bunch of stuff in to our editor– god he is SUCH a little cockroach!— school records and old yearbook photos and Dean’s list stuff and accusations about you and— the address was just a bunch of letters and numbers, but Jesse’s friend figured out it was encrypted and came from like… a legit email address and he figured it all out and…” she was out of breath, reluctant to say much more.

Annabeth felt her heart stop multiple times as Becky rambled.

So someone had purposefully leaked those things, spread a mix of the truth and lies about her qualifications and how she got the job. Did she even want to know who?

Becky held out a crumpled piece of paper. Annabeth stared at it.

Percy was beside them now, his hand resting on the small of Annabeth’s back, “I can look at it for you, if you’d like?”

She sucked in a breath. If Becky thought the casual touch between them was strange, she didn’t mention it— either too caught up in whatever it was she had discovered, or she simply did not care.

Annabeth nodded, and Percy gingerly took the paper from Becky’s hands, flipping it over.

Annabeth felt him stiffen.

“What…?” His voice was barely concealing his fury.

Annabeth peered over, curiosity too great, and she froze as well.

The paper was a crumpled ball before she could register more than the email address listed, Percy already striding towards the open door to the courtyard. And Annabeth’s brain took too long to catch up to be able to stop what was about to happen.

“Stay here!” She ordered Becky as she hurried after Percy, panic and disgust rising to her throat.

“Percy!” Annabeth was gaining on him already, but his legs were much longer and he had a head start. Her call caught Luke’s attention, and he stood from the bench he’d been lounging at, the smile that started to form when he heard Annabeth faltering when he saw the expression on Percy’s face.

“Hi, Professor Jackson, can I help y—?”

Luke did not get to finish his sentence, as Percy’s closed fist connected with his face.

Annabeth stopped in her tracks, gaping, eyes wide and heart thumping and oh my god Percy just punched the Dean of the school and the Dean is Luke—

Fuck. 

The two teachers that were sitting with Luke seemed just as gobsmacked; staring and making no move to help or check on him. Annabeth realized one of them was Reyna through her own shock.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Jackson?!” Luke’s voice was muffled and nasally as he clutched his gushing nose.

Percy grabbed him by the collar, shoving the Dean against a tree beside the bench; “Why’d you do it?!” He growled, and when Luke only squinted at him in furious confusion, he pushed him hard to the bark again, “Why the fuck did you do it?!”

“Do what?! ”

Annabeth was finally snapped from her stupor, torn between saving Percy from assault charges and getting charged right along with him.

“ Percy! ”

It was as if he couldn’t hear her, “Tell me why, you motherfucking piece of–”

“Tell you what?! ” Luke spat back.

“The article.” Annabeth found her voice again, her heart thumping and her arms crossing to hide the shakiness in her hands. Luke stared at her, eyes widening in a split second of realization. She pressed on, ”Why did you do that to me?”

He swallowed, blood soaking the bottom half of his face, his nose already swelling and dark bruises under his eyes. “You weren’t… you weren’t supposed to ever know about that.”

Percy shoved Luke again, his hands still gripping his collar; “Answer her question.” 

Luke glared at him, then looked back to Annabeth, “You wouldn’t understand, ‘Beth.” 

Percy seemed unable to control his fury, shaking the man, “ Answer! ”

“ Wouldn’t you do the same?! ” Luke finally managed to find his strength, pushing back enough to get some space between him and Percy, though it didn’t last long as Percy’s forearm lifted to press the other back again.

“What the hell does that mean?!”

Luke laughed coldly, “Look at you, Jackson. You’re just like me. You’d do anything to keep her.”

Annabeth sucked in a breath, her jaw working up and down in shock. To keep…?

“You knew?” Words finally lifted off her tongue once more, “You knew about… about me and…?”

Luke didn’t even glance at her, still glaring at Percy, “You two aren’t as sneaky as you think you are. You really thought no one would see how you look at each other?  That I wouldn’t? Not to mention being stupid enough to be…” His glare fixed on Percy intensified, ”…physical at work.”

With every new revelation, it was like the earth was spinning 5x faster than it should have been. When had he seen them? How long ago? It could have been any of the times they had slipped up, made out in their office, stole away to a secluded nook to steal kisses, there was even once in a supply closet–

“I’m nothing like you.” Percy snarled; his ferocity would be terrifying if Annabeth’s own anger wasn’t ever mounting to nearly match his.

Luke chuckled again, a hollow sound, “I care about her. I’ve given her everything she deserves. She needs me– You’re a fling at best. Look at you– violent, reacting on instinct because of your possessiveness. She deserves better than that.”

“She deserves someone who isn’t a manipulative little prick who tries to trap her–”

“You barely even know her!”

“At least I don’t think I’m entitled to.”

“If you think I’ll accept her being with you–”

“ENOUGH!” Annabeth finally bellowed above them both, sick of hearing this back and forth about her. She marched up, grabbing Percy’s arm and yanking him back. He did not fight her, but his furious stare remained on Luke, who was rubbing the sides of his nose. “Stop talking about what I want or deserve or need or what I’m allowed to do or should do or… or… just… shut up!” She snapped, and Luke blinked at her. He seemed legitimately taken aback.

“But–”

“You caused me so much damage, Luke.” She jabbed a finger at him, “You ruined my reputation with half the school. You nearly cost me my job– ”

“I gave you this job!” He huffed, hands dropping to wipe the blood on his shirt, “You don’t need it anyway. You know I would have made sure you were taken care of–”

“Stop it.” 

The look on Annabeth’s face must have been terrifying, as Luke clamped his mouth shut. And then his gaze turned back to Percy, a menacing expression on his face; “You assaulted me. Don’t think you’ll get to stay here– in fact, I’m pressing charges.”

“You tripped.” Percy shrugged, voice more even now with an unbothered tone.

Luke guffawed, “There are witnesses who can attest to your attack. Correct?” He turned to Reyna and the other teacher. Annabeth had completely forgotten they were there, seeing and hearing all of this, and her face burned.

Reyna glanced between Luke, Percy, then Annabeth, before carefully closing the textbook in her lap, “I saw you trip, Dean Castellan.” She turned to the dark haired, dark eyed young man to her left, “Didn’t you see him trip, Professor DiAngelo?”

The man sounded bored as he said, “I did in fact see Dean Castellan trip, Professor Ramírez-Arellano.” He stood, “Shall we?”

Luke gaped as the two strolled off, Reyna flashing Annabeth the most subtle hint of a smile she had ever seen, so quick she questioned if it had been there at all. Luke cleared his throat, straightening.

“I don’t need their corroboration.”

Percy narrowed his gaze, “And when you accuse me, what do you think I should tell the board about first? That you sent sexual rumors about yourself and a professor under you to a newspaper? There’s proof it came from your email. We’ll both be fucked, but at least I’ll come out looking better.” Luke stiffened. Percy clasped his hands behind his back with a wry smile, “Or maybeI should mention that you made sexual advances towards that same teacher– again, someone you are the boss of? Of course that would be dependent on that individual being willing to speak up, which would be her choice–”

“I could tell them a lot more than that.” Annabeth couldn’t help but feel satisfaction in the way Luke’s face went slack-jawed, realizing what she referred to.

“Annabeth?! You… you can’t seriously be considering telling them–”

“Oh, so you do know it was wrong.” She sighed, so utterly done with the whole chain of lies and hurt and control that had spanned the last decade of her life. “You know they’d believe me. I have the advantage of your Grandfather already getting fired for doing the same thing to young female students. So just leave me alone. It’s over.” Annabeth paused, “And it should never have started.”

She turned to go, Percy moving to follow, when Luke’s voice reached for her again, his hand touching her own, “Beth, please, you know this is wrong. I never did anything you weren’t okay with–”

Annabeth didn’t hear the rest as her body whirled, her own fist cracking into Luke’s already tender nose.

He shouted, falling back into the grass as he clutched at it again.

She crouched in front of him, “My name is Annabeth. And I quit.”

They left him out there, cursing and calling after them before giving up to no doubt stalk to the university’s nursing wing. She let out a breath as they reached the office– Becky was gone, and Annabeth wondered how much she had seen.

Percy was staring at her in awe, and she felt a blush come to her cheeks, “What?”

“That was… wow.” He whistled, “Probably the most badass thing I’ve ever seen anyone do.”

“Shut up.” Annabeth rolled her eyes, trying not to look too pleased.

“I mean it, that was–” He stopped, and Annabeth felt a hand rest lightly on her shoulder. “Annabeth? Are… are you…?”

Her body trembled. She was crying, and she wasn’t sure when it started, hot tears stinging her eyes and rolling down her cheeks in fat droplets. She sniffled, turning to him, forcing a smile, “I’m fine, I… I’m–” and then she burst into sobs.

His arms were around her in an instant. “Shit… God, Annabeth, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“I-i-it’s o-o-k-k-kay.” Her voice warbled.

“No, no I… I put you in a situation you weren’t ready for, I shouldn’t have done that, I… I should know better than to act without thinking. I’m sorry. That wasn’t cool of me.”

She looked up at him, “Well it… it w-was a l-little c-cool.”

He laughed, brushing a curl plastered to her wet cheeks back, “I felt kind of cool. I haven’t punched anyone in…” he frowned, “Well, I wish I could say ‘since highschool,’ but I think it was actually only a couple years ago.”

Annabeth’s own laugh was watery. Shaky. But a laugh all the same.

 

---

 

but the monsters turned out (to be just trees)

Administration tried to convince Annabeth to stay for one last week, but when Percy offered to handle finals for her classes there was no reason to, so Monday would be her last day. She’d say goodbye to her classes, let them know Professor Jackson would be the one they’d take their tests with, and then it was simply a matter of cleaning out her desk and leaving.

But Thursday, Friday, and the weekend came first, and there was more she had to do. So much more.

First things first; she pulled up to her childhood home in Percy’s camaro, which he graciously let her borrow while he and Grover went to do laser tag with some other teachers. Annabeth took a breath, then headed inside.

They were expecting her. She told them too.

“Annabeth,” her father smiled awkwardly, clearly happy to see her but not entirely sure how to show it, “I’m glad you–”

She held up a hand, “I need you to listen to me today. I’m not here for a family dinner, or to try and make nice and act like nothing is wrong.

Helen exited the kitchen, tight lipped as ever, but there was at least some color in her cheeks again. She frowned at Annabeth, who said “You too.” with a pointed look.

Miraculously, they both sat on their sofa as directed without fuss.

Annabeth felt more confident than she ever had around her ‘family.’

“We are going to have limited contact from now on.” She stated. 

Her father frowned, looking confused, and her step-mother laughing nervously, “Don’t be ridiculous Annabeth–”

She was cut off by a stern look. Then Annabeth continued; “From now on, you do not text, call, or contact me unless I reach out first. If I do not reach out first, then you are only permitted to contact me via email if– and only if– something has happened to Matthew, Bobby, or both, and neither of them are able to contact me themselves.”

Her dad was staring at her, his confusion only growing. Helen forced a laugh once more, “This is silly, this is… this is cruel, your brothers love you and you are simply going to abandon–”

“Matthew and Bobby are free to contact me any time they wish. In fact, I told them about this idea first, and they both thought it was a good plan.” Annabeth cleared her throat, mouth dry, but she wouldn’t let that or her nerves slow her down, “As such, you are under no circumstances to try and use them to reach out to me. If you break any of these boundaries, then we will go fully no contact. You will not know where I am, what I’m doing, who I’m dating– there will be no wedding invitations if I get married, no meeting grandchildren, nothing. Is that clear?”

They looked floored. Helen was speechless. Annabeth’s father finally managed.to articulate his thoughts;

“What… what is the reason for this? Have we done something to hurt you…?”

Annabeth really didn’t think she had it in her to be amazed at her parents’ obliviousness, yet here they were, proving her wrong every time.

She leaned forward, “I think you should use this time for self-reflection. Consider why one of your children would choose to not have you in her life. I think you’ll be able to figure it out if you remove whatever walls you’ve put up around me in your head to help you sleep at night.”

“But–”

“Annabeth, you’re being foolish, if we have hurt your feelings then you cannot expect us to get better without telling us what we did.” Helen scoffed, interrupting her husband.

Annabeth only shrugged as she slung her bag back over her shoulder, “Then that is something you will need to come to terms with yourself. I am very comfortable with my decision. I will not feel any regret once I walk out of this house. If you think you will… then it is your responsibility to try to make it right. Not mine.” She stood, checking her watch, “If you manage to follow the boundaries I’ve set, we can revisit all of this in a year and reevaluate if a relationship is possible between us.”

“Annabeth–” Her dad pleaded, but she fixed him with another silencing stare.

“Bye dad. Bye Helen– feel better.”

She left their home, Helen’s face sour and Frederick’s an interesting mix of confusion and guilt.

Annabeth drove home feeling better than ever. She drove with the windows of Percy’s camaro down, the late afternoon sun warming her skin and bathing the world in gold.

She made her way into her apartment, Percy’s car parked where Grover would drop him off. They asked if Annabeth would want to grab food with them, but she declined. There was something more important she had to do tonight.

She checked her watch again– five until five. Perfect.

Annabeth set her laptop up, giving herself a once over in the mirror, then making sure the lighting in her home office was bright enough. She logged into Zoom, expecting to feel jittery– instead a calm washed over her, a confidence she hadn’t felt since right after graduating with her Masters.

The computer jingled with a call, and Annabeth smiled as an older woman greeted her.

“Hi! Miss Chase?”

“Annabeth is fine! And you're Ms. Starsberg?”

“Oh you can call me Helen.” Annabeth stifled a laugh at the irony, “Ready to get started?”

Annabeth nodded, pulling out a notepad and pen, “Absolutely.”

The woman on the screen leaned forward, warmth in her features despite the initial no-nonsense attitude she’d had over email, “Perfect. Well then first question; why do you believe you would be a good fit at SPQR Architecture Firm?”

Notes:

sorry not sorry I like men who punch other men who wronged the women they loved, it's a good trope and no one can tell me otherwise (only rivaled by women punching the man who wronged them themselves)

so I asked the universe for more time to write and evidently a trickster genie with a funny sense of humor heard my wish and I lost my job- so now I have SO much time to write lollllllll oops!

1. I went through NINE pages of unanswered comments today, which spanned back over 50 days ago, so sorry if you get a notification that I responded to something you said in May, it was bothering me NOT responding to your kind and encouraging comments! I really appreciate them all.

2. For anyone interested, I've posted some responses to asks on my tumblr (imaginmatrix) about Luke and some insights into his backstory that won't ever be mentioned in the fic itself, so if you want to check those out you can see them under "#aoyaom Luke" on my page. Also I love getting asks with (non spoilery) questions about the fic, backstories, etc, so always feel free to say hi there!

3. I thought I might mention it again; I have a discord server for adult (18+) Percy Jackson fans! It's really chill, and if you're interested in joining you can just click this link. PLEASE do NOT join if you are a minor- this is not because of inappropriate content or nsfw (there is none), it is because I very much do not want to be responsible for minors online nor have a space that could facilitate adults speaking privately with minors. No Lukes will be allowed under my watch. Please respect this rule! (I guess you shouldn't be here if you're a minor anyway, but as someone who was once a minor reading fic on the internet myself... I literally can't control you or know lol but we ARE strict about it for the server) (EDIT: quick note! The server channels are locked down to a specific role when you join— to get the role you HAVE to react to the rules in the rules channel!! A lot of people join and then get confused or never do this step so……. Yeah!)

Anyway! Three chapters left! Wow! Okay! Wow! Thank you all so much for sticking with it and commenting and kudosing and caring so much about my story, it means so much. Will we get to 100k hits before the end? Who knows! Wow! Right! Anyway! Bye!

Chapter 28: i love you (ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?)

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains explicit sexual content

She did it.

Hired on the spot.

The offer letter and new hire paperwork was in her email only an hour after the end of the interview— it all felt so surreal. Annabeth figured her extended hiatus would be her downfall, a roadblock to getting back into architecture, but it turned out not to matter.

Ms. Starsberg said the firm had been impressed with Annabeth’s portfolio. She kept every sketch, plan, and concept she’d ever thought up, and now Annabeth thanked her past-self for doing so. 

They weren’t all from school or her short stint at her initial firm either; Annabeth never stopped designing over the years, and some of them just needed a bit of sprucing up before she started applying.

Her work history did come up.

Fortunately everything else made up for it.

“What you tell your coworkers about what you’ve been doing since graduating is your prerogative, but you’re going to have to work harder than anyone else to prove you’re a good fit for us. If you’re out of practice it will show.” Ms. Starsberg looked over her glasses at Annabeth, “These designs you sent in… these are all your original creations?”

Annabeth nodded.

“No one else assisted?”

“No ma’am.”

Ms. Starsberg leaned forward, her round, aged face conspiratorial; “And you didn’t show these to anyone at your old firm?”

Annabeth smiled, “No.”

The woman’s face broke into a reciprocating grin, “Wonderful.”

It was going to be a while before Annabeth would get to make any of her sketches a reality— if ever. But she had big plans. With hard work and a bit of luck, she planned to be made head of her own project within a year.

“Now there’s the question of location…”

California.

Annabeth never thought she would miss the West coast, nor expected to ever have the opportunity to move back that way.

The company was very accommodating when it came to relocation. Moving expenses mostly covered, ample time to get her affairs in order, and their HR even had specialists to help find a place to live.

Suddenly Annabeth had a lot to look forward to.

Monday came. There were boxes she could grab from the supply closet to clean out her desk with (and perhaps steal a few for her own impending move) but then there was the matter of getting it all home. She absolutely wouldn’t be able to drag everything onto the bus.

Maybe she could ask Grover or Piper or— wait, did anyone other than Percy and administration know she quit?

Thalia was going to kill her.

Mostly because Annabeth hadn’t informed her immediately, but to be fair, other things had been on her mind.

Annabeth threw the flattened boxes into the office before deciding to stroll through the halls one last time. There would be things she missed… friends, some she didn’t even realize she had; the smell of cherry blossoms in the spring and old books all year round; but especially the architecture. The pillars, the windows, even the lovely brass door knobs a few classrooms were lucky enough to still have.

Well, there was maybe one more thing she’d miss more than anything else.

She found herself in the updated wing of the building, the teacher’s lounge that had too few donuts that first day. The first day she met Percy…

Percy.

Could she leave him behind?

Annabeth swallowed thickly as there was a knock on the open door, and she turned, Chiron standing there— an uncommon sight, for him to be using his cane instead of his chair.

“Annabeth,” he greeted warmly, “I hear you’re leaving us early.”

She smiled, tugging on a curl. Of course Chiron would know. “Guess I am.”

“Well, sorry to see you go, but I’m glad you’re finally getting out of this place.” He made his way to the small kitchenette, pulling out various accouterments for tea, “You’ve got some exciting things ahead.”

Annabeth’s brow furrowed— she hadn’t told anyone about the new job, or moving…

Chiron must have seen her expression, for he chuckled, “I know wherever you’re off to next is bound to be good for you. You were always bright. Do keep in touch.”

She nodded, “Of course, Professor.”

“Off you go.” He cheerfully dismissed her, and Annabeth bit back a laugh. All these years, and yet he still treated her like a student sometimes.

The door to the office was open when she managed to meander back. Annabeth took a deep breath, then pushed in.

Percy looked up from unfolding her boxes and didn’t even try to hide his smile, “Hey.”

“Hey.” Annabeth replied. How was she going to tell him? This job changed everything. It would change things between them . The future she had hoped for with Percy was dwindling fast, slipping through her fingers, but there was nothing more she could do other than put on a brave face as she strolled to her desk and began to help form the boxes into more box-like shapes beside him.

“So,” Percy moved to sit on the edge of her desk, “This is it, huh?”

“Mmhmm.” She began with the books, pulling them off the shelves and stacking them in the boxes.

“What’s next? New school to terrorize fellow faculty at? Or maybe a break from all this to eat-pray-love your way cross-country?”

Annabeth snorted, “Not exactly.”

“Well, whatever you do, I…” his voice softened, “Just… keep me in the loop, okay?”

She couldn’t keep it in, turning quickly to meet his eyes, which widened slightly, “Annabeth…?”

“I… Percy this…” she sucked in a breath, “I um. I know how I… how I feel.”

“Feel…?” He asked slowly, but his excitement was clear as day.

“Yes. But I… I can’t tell you how I feel until I tell you something else first.”

Percy’s eyebrows raised, “Something else, huh?”

“I… well…” Annabeth closed her eyes, inhaling deep. Now or never. “I got a job.”

“That’s amazing! Teaching, or…?” The grin in his voice was palpable. She didn’t want to squash it.

“No.”

Percy stood, grin only widening, “Then is it architecture?”

Annabeth nodded, almost reluctantly, and in a second Percy’s arms were around her, picking her up and spinning, “Yes! Fuck yes! You’re too good for these old schools anyway!” His laugh was contagious, and Annabeth let out a giggle before remembering what came next.

As soon as her feet touched solid ground again, she pushed away, turning to hide the fact that her eyes were already red and burning, “That… that isn’t everything.”

“Okay.” There wasn’t a trace of unease in his voice. How was he so calm? Usually he could read her like a book, pick up on her anxieties, but now she felt like she couldn’t be less subtle with how upset she was and he wasn’t even phased.

“I… it’s in California.”

There wasn’t even a beat— no moment of silence, no hesitation before Percy responded with “Great, so when are we moving?”

Annabeth wasn’t sure she heard him correctly, turning fast, “I— what?”

“When do we leave?” He repeated, “Like will it be before or after we go to Europe? Or the cabin trip with my family? Because that would necessitate us rearranging some plans…”

She stared at him, absolutely bewildered, “You… want to come? With me?”

“Well yeah. I mean, assuming the thing you were gonna tell me about your feelings was good news, otherwise I’m about to feel incredibly stupid—“

“Percy, your… your life is here!” Annabeth protested, “Your family—“

“They’re 2 hours away, what’s another 12?”

“Home—“

“Well there are these things called moving trucks—“

“Job—“

He actually guffawed at that, “Annabeth. I literally broke the Dean’s nose. Even if he can’t do anything about that, do you really think I’ll be able to keep working here without him messing with me?” 

She opened her mouth to argue, then clamped it shut. Annabeth shook her head.

“Exactly.” He stretched, “I’ll be fired sooner or later. Besides, warm waters, no winter, palm trees— wait, this job is in Southern California, right? Because if it’s Northern, I may have to rethink this—“

Annabeth rolled her eyes and pushed him, “It’s in L.A.”

“Oh thank god.” Percy reached out to brush the very tips of his fingers against hers, his voice softening, “So… that thing about your feelings you wanted to say?” 

“…Well now you’ve screwed it all up by interrupting!” Annabeth snapped, a pout forming on her lips.

“Pretend I didn’t interrupt.”

“Well I was about to go on this whole— this whole speech I— ugh!” Annabeth huffed, feigning annoyance while her heart picked up, “Just… that poem you translated, it was um…”

“It was…?”

“The part about like… lovers parting and… not— I mean like souls being intertwined, I— you said that you were mine. All of you. And that I didn’t have to give you all of me in return, but that’s not true.”

“Oh?” His fingers linked with hers.

“I mean… it was a bit too late for that.” She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. There was no reason to be uncertain or nervous anymore.

Percy’s green eyes were already crinkled in the corners, “Too late for…?”

Annabeth let their fingers lace together, “I love you. All of me loves you. Every single bit of me. So if you still feel the same–”

Percy’s lips were on hers in seconds, his hands cupping her head, his fingers in her hair, his body surging forward to press her back against the desk. Annabeth didn’t even hesitate to reciprocate, her arms wrapping around him as their lips molded together for the first time in far too long. Her heart soared, her body was on fire, because she loved him and he loved her back.

He began to roam, gripping her body anywhere he could reach. It was like they’d been separated for years– in fact, despite how well they had been getting along, they hadn’t had sex since leaving the cabin.

“I love you.” Percy pulled back just enough to murmur into her ear, “I love you, I love you, I love you so fucking much Annabeth–” She tugged him back into a kiss, drinking up the words still sweet on his tongue.

Annabeth felt Percy lift her onto the now clear surface of her desk, one hand now squeezing her thigh, lifting her leg to hook around his hip, her own hands tugging at the front of his shirt, the buttons, the–

“Slow down Princess.” He chuckled, “We’re still–”

“Hush.” That seemed to be all the pushback needed, because they were kissing again and it felt so good, so real. Maybe the most real thing Annabeth had ever experienced.

She gave a soft whimper when he bit her lip, her fingers at his buttons once more; she couldn’t wait, didn’t want to, didn’t–

An awkward cough had them separating.

Jason was beet red in the doorway, looking pointedly to the side. 

“J-Jason–!”

“What’s up man?”

She and Percy spoke simultaneously, and while Annabeth desperately tried to make herself presentable, Percy seemed unbothered, his hands exactly where they were before the interruption.

“I… uh… I had… Thalia wanted– Piper too, um–” Jason cleared his throat, “This guy at my old law firm, he– they deemed him suitable so they sent me over to– but I… well.” He straightened slightly, more flustered than Annabeth had ever seen him. “I don’t really think there’s a point in giving you his number now.”

“Oh I wouldn’t say that.” Percy turned his mischievous expression back to Annabeth, “You want to see if the dude is up for a date or two?”

She pushed him away and rolled her eyes, “Oh shut up.”

Percy persisted, “I mean it, you might really hit it off–”

“Thanks Jason, but I don’t really need to be set up with anyone.”

“Sure you don’t want to give him a chance?” Percy danced out of the way of a kick to his shin as Jason rubbed the back of his neck.

“Right. Yeah. I’ll just– I assume you guys uh… don’t want me to say anything to the terrible twosome?”

“That would be great Jason.” Annabeth nodded. She wanted to tell Piper and Thalia herself.

“Cool. So. I’m just– right. Later.” The blonde man ducked out of the office and Percy and Annabeth turned to look at each other before they burst out laughing.

“You’re the worst!” Annabeth moved to lightly swat his arm, which Percy ducked out of the way of, “God, just– the absolute worst!”

“You love it.” He grinned at her, grabbing her wrist to stop another playful jab, “Besides, maybe a fancy hotshot lawyer is more your type than a dumb college professor–”

“Will you shut up!” She went to try and push at his shoulder with her free hand, but Percy caught that wrist too, holding them firm as he leaned in to brush his nose against hers, lips hovering close enough for their breath to mingle.

“It’s good you said no though.” 

Annabeth exhaled softly, a tingle spreading through her body, “And why’s that?”

Percy let his forehead fall against hers; “Because I don’t want to share you with anyone else.” He paused. “...And I don’t think anyone else is going to be willing to watch Love Nest with me.”

And then he kissed her again.

 

---

 

As much as Percy tried to talk up how kinky it would be to have sex in the office neither of them would be returning to after the Summer, Annabeth insisted it would be inappropriate to go that far (though for a moment she definitely almost suggested the same thing.)

So they packed up the rest of her things (it took considerably longer than Annabeth planned on, seeing as they kept getting sidetracked with kissing each other) and carried the boxes to Percy’s car together. They held hands over the center console all the way to his apartment, Annabeth’s heart speeding up everytime they rolled up to a stoplight and Percy leaned over to softly press his lips to hers.

And then they were suddenly stumbling into his bedroom. Percy lifted Annabeth and she hopped up easily to wrap her legs around his waist, their mouths refamiliarizing themselves with the easy give and take they’d gotten used to.

Percy pressed Annabeth to the door he’d kicked closed, his hands sliding under her blouse to bunch it up above her chest. Annabeth likewise finally got her fingers back on his buttons, undoing them far more nimbly than her attempt at the school had been.

“God, Annabeth…” Percy moaned as he moved his lips to her throat, sucking and biting and lavishing her in attention, “I missed you.”

“M-me too.” She breathed, letting her head fall back against the door as her own hands explored his chest, his shoulders, “Percy, please–!”

“Please what?” His smirk could be felt against the crook of her neck.

“I need you.”

“Need me to…?”

Annabeth huffed. He never made it easy. But she loved that about him too. “I need you to show me exactly how much you love me.”

Percy chuckled, “Oh I’ve been doing that for months.” His hand that gripped her ass squeezed, “But I can definitely be more obvious about it this time.”

Annabeth shivered and dug her nails into his shirt, “Please.”

He pulled back, eyes practically on fire as he gazed at her, “As you wish.”

And then he kissed her again. Annabeth hadn’t known a kiss could be so frenzied yet so tender simultaneously. She moaned again, louder than in the office now that they were in the comfort and privacy of his home.

Percy responded by intensifying his fervor, making his way from her lips, to jaw, to neck, before ducking to turn his attention to her breasts, giving each equal attention.

Annabeth let her fingers tangle in his hair, her hips rolling just as his did too. Percy shuttered against her;

“Fuck I want to mark you–”

“Do it.” He didn’t squander a single millisecond after being granted permission, sucking hard wherever he could reach; throat, chest, collarbones– Annabeth’s senses were utterly overwhelmed with nothing but Percy. His scent, his taste, the sound of his soft groans and the feel of his body on hers. She rolled her hips again. Percy bit harder. Annabeth rubbed against him, and he gripped her hair, pulling it hard and nipping at her lobe as he leaned to whisper in her ear.

“I love you, Annabeth.”

“Percy!” She cried, overwhelmed already.

“Yes?” He hummed, though it was strained– she could tell he was as desperate as she was.

Her hand found its way between them, cupping Percy through his slacks, “I want to make you feel good.”

He laughed breathlessly, “You always do.”

Annabeth felt the support of the door leave her back, replaced seconds later by Percy’s plush mattress. His body hovered over hers, a smile on his lips. He was unfairly hot.  

“I love you.” She managed, voice soft and strained, and despite them having said it so many times in the last hour or so, his voice caught when he responded, eyes fixed on her.

“I love you too.”

Kissing again; while before it was ferocious yet tender, now it was slow but impossibly desperate. Annabeth managed to undo the last of his buttons, and he made short work of her bra and blouse. Then Annabeth’s skirt. Then Percy’s slacks. Shoes and socks had already been discarded somewhere in the living room…

Annabeth shivered as she felt two fingers press against the front of her thong. Soaked already… but she wasn’t alone, because his member was already rock hard in her hand when she rubbed him through his boxers.

Percy groaned. “Baby, I can’t–”

“Then don’t.”

Percy yanked her panties down in an instant, slicking his fingers before delving inside her. Annabeth sucked in a breath as the digits stretched and curled and made her lightheaded, his thumb circling her clit in an intoxicating way.

She barely managed to give him the same treatment, her hand pumping lightly up and down his still clothed shaft.

“Annabeth–” He groaned, burying his face in her hair, “God I… don’t stop…”

‘Stopping’ was absolutely not a word that was in Annabeth’s plans for today. Or tonight. Or the rest of their lives.

Both their hips began to buck, searching for more, begging for it. And then Annabeth’s body quivered, three fingers spreading her at this point, and Percy whispered in her ear, “I want to.”

“Then do it.”

His boxers were tossed to the side and Percy looked down at Annabeth inquisitively. she nodded– she wanted to feel him, bare, nothing between them.

His hands went to her thighs, pushing them up and back until they pressed to her shoulders, and Percy eased himself down, his tip lined up with her dripping entrance; Annabeth met his eyes.

“I love you.”

She wasn’t sure which of them said it, or if it was spoken out loud at all. But with that, he pressed inside, and her mind blanked.

They moved as one, Annabeth gasping and moaning and urging Percy on as he picked up the pace, went deeper, held her tighter.

It was different than it had been before. Sex, that is. 

Yet, there was no difference at all— rather, Annabeth was finally noticing the care and emotion that Percy gave in every touch, every kiss. It had always been there— well maybe not in that first kiss in the closet on Halloween, or the first time at his place, but for almost the entire time they’d known each other, Percy had been loving her without her even noticing.

And Annabeth, also unbeknownst to her, had been doing the same to him.

They kissed. They called for each other. Annabeth reached for him, and Percy leaned down so she could hug him tight around the neck and he could do the same, looping an arm beneath her back to both angle her better and hold her body flush to his. His other hand was between them again, vigorously massaging her clit.

Stars. There were stars in Annabeth’s vision, fireworks, nebulas and galaxies and whole universes– but no. It was just Percy. And he was a more wonderful sight than anything Annabeth had ever known. 

But the stars were still under her skin, the fireworks threatening to explode out of her core, the universes expanding through her body, and Annabeth’s back arched as Percy’s name left her lips and she came hard around him.

Percy followed with a groan, spurting and shuddering and whimpering her name against her cheek.

They kissed. They held each other tighter. They stayed like that for what felt like eons, yet it still wasn’t long enough when Percy finally pushed himself up enough to smile at her; “Just when I thought we couldn’t get better at this, you surprise me.” His voice was filled with adoration.

Annabeth let her fingers trace down his chest, slick with sweat; “I think we can do even better.”

Percy’s grin widened and he brushed damp curls from her face, “I’ll take that wager. Beats going back to work.”

Annabeth jolted, “Oh my God– don’t tell me you have classes?!” 

“We’re about…” Percy squinted as he tried to work out the time, “50 minutes into my first class?”

“...Are you serious?” Annabeth pinched her nose, “You should have said something!”

“Wouldn’t have changed my decision to skip. This is way better.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek, then lower, “Come on, baby, don’t you want to just stay in bed all day…?”

She huffed and bit her lip, “I… ugh. Okay, yes, but you need to send a cancellation email to your students first!”

Percy groaned, pulling himself off of her and reaching to grab his phone from his discarded pants; “Fine, fine.”

Annabeth watched him, then sat up, “Come here.”

He raised a brow, turning and leaning in.

Annabeth pressed her lips to his, unable to help her smile. 

“I love you.”

Percy sighed contentedly, pulling her into yet another kiss, “I love you too, Annabeth. More than you can ever know.”

And then they were moving to show their love once more, phone and email forgotten.

 

---

 

Notes:

Was in a silly goofy mood. Decided to update early again. Here we are!

They did it! Wow! Here we are!!!!! Good for them!!!!! I thought you guys would appreciate some old fashioned smut seeing as it has been about a million years- I HEAVILY debated having them just go at it in the office buuuuuut it didn't feel right lol
I'm thinking I might do an AU oneshot of them doing just that though. Or maybe non AU, depending on interpretation. If you drop a lyric title suggestion in the comments and I like it, I'll use it!

I swear I had more to say here. But I'm absolutely blanking.

Two chapters left? Yikes!

.......God I'm losing my mind, if I remember what I wanted to say, hopefully I don't forget again by next chapter!
Byyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeee!

MAN I AM SO MAD THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER UGH

EDIT: OH GODDAMMIT I REMEMBERED
It was Annababe's birthday on wednesday! Woo! (no matter what Rick says that girl is 30 she was born in 1993 case closed)
Some of you might not know I'm a cosplayer, but I made a little birthday tribute video on tiktok for her that some of you might enjoy! Yes this is a shameless self promotion! Okay bye!

Chapter 29: and that's the thing (about illicit affairs)

all these people think love's for show (but i would die for you in secret)

There were few situations in which Annabeth Chase was okay with being the center of attention. In school, a few such instances had been decathlons, spelling bees, answering any and all questions posed by a teacher in class— if she could be perceived as the smartest in any given setting, all eyes on her were welcome.

Baby Showers with new boyfriends did not fall on that list.

Annabeth fidgeted as Percy pulled up in front of Silena and Charles’ beautiful home; there were only a few cars already there. Early to help set up, like Annabeth was. At least that made what they were about to do slightly less chaotic– her friends could be eased into it, rather than surprised along with every single one of her ex-coworkers.

“Are you sure?” Percy reached over to squeeze her hands reassuringly; “I can always drive off and come back when the party starts.”

Annabeth shook her head vigorously, “Nope. We’re doing this.”

They waited almost a whole week– a very boring week for Annabeth, who suddenly found herself in between her old job and her new one, filling out paperwork over email and starting the packing process while Percy was off administering finals.

As nervous as she was, waiting any longer might just make her pop.

Percy chuckled, squeezing her hands before pulling away to turn off the engine, “Let’s go then.” He was at her side to help her out before Annabeth could so much as unbuckle, and when she stood, there was a grin on his face, “You look incredible, by the way.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, blushing and resisting the urge to tug at her backless, white summer dress, “You’re not too bad yourself.” She looked over his powder blue button up and gray slacks, then laced their fingers together and pulled him towards the front door.

They walked right in, something Annabeth had been doing at Silena and Charlie’s for years even outside of parties. A few voices could be heard in the kitchen, probably doing last minute preparations; finishing food, setting up games, that sort of thing.

“We’re here!” She called, and Percy’s hand squeezed hers again. No going back.

Annabeth had no doubts in her mind that she only wanted to move forward, anyway.

They walked into the large kitchen together; Silena was directing Grover and her husband on hanging a “Merry Baby-mas” banner evenly.

Annabeth had called Grover on Tuesday to let him know he could stop worrying. It only seemed fair considering how much stress they inflicted on him with their drama. His reaction amounted to “Oh thank God FINALLY!” 

Silena spotted them first and immediately abandoned her husband and friend to waddle over with a smile. The smile faltered for a millisecond, eyes finally recognizing Percy was beside Annabeth, then darting to their hands pressed together, then back to Annabeth’s face. And then her grin widened, “Hey you two!”

“Hi Silena!” Annabeth smiled back, letting go of Percy just long enough to hug her extremely pregnant friend, “I hope you don’t mind that I brought Percy early with me, I figured he’d be more help than I would with setting up some things.”

Silena pulled back, “No problem at all! The more the merrier– Oh, but I don’t think there’s anything we need right now–”

“But you said I still had to fill more balloons!” Grover complained, though he went ignored.

“–so you two can just relax!” Silena winked as Annabeth felt Percy’s arm fall over her shoulders.

“You sure?” He asked, and Silena nodded.

“I insist!”

Percy chuckled, “Got it.” His smile turned to Annabeth, “See? That wasn’t so–”

A screech interrupted him.

“Oh my God! ” Piper had entered the kitchen from the other side, holding a bowl of potato salad and gaping at them, eyes wide, “You…? You! ”

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, “Us?”

“ You’re an ‘ us?!’ ”

“Who’s an ‘us?’” Thalia cheerfully swaggered in behind her with several gift bags hooked on her arms and Jason in tow. And then she stopped too, eyes narrowing, brows knitting in confusion. “...What?”

Annabeth could see their gears turning and opened her mouth to clarify, when Jason sighed in relief, “Oh good, does that mean we can talk about it now? I thought I was going to explode keeping that secret–”

“...You mean this isn’t a joke?!” Thalia whirled on Jason, “And you knew?! ”

“I– only for a week!” Jason protested as Piper also turned to shoot him a glare.

“Oh my God Jason! I can’t believe you didn’t tell us!”

“You know,” Percy called, “If you want to be mad at someone, probably direct all that at Grover– he knew about us for way longer.”

“ ...Dude. ” Grover groaned from atop his step stool, knocking his head against the french doors below the banner, “I keep your relationship quiet all this time, and you sell me out?!”

Thalia threw her hands in the air, making the bags still on her arms swing out dramatically, “Does anyone else want to admit to this complete and utter betrayal?!”

“Oh, did they finally go public with it?” Reyna appeared over Thalia’s shoulder, “You guys are kind of blocking the walkthrough, by the way.”

Thalia gaped at her girlfriend, “You– that– Rey–?! They told you and not me? ”

“To be fair, we didn’t tell her anything.” Annabeth came to her defense, trying hard not to burst into laughter.

Reyna grasped her girlfriend’s shoulders from behind and marched her towards the counter to unload her gift bags, “I figured it out. It was kind of obvious, babe.”

“It was not!” Piper protested as she also finally moved out from the doorway, “Those two they… they didn’t even– when did you guys even stop hating each other?!”

“Good question,” Percy dropped his arm to wrap it around Annabeth’s waist, “Would you say you still hated me by the time we made out at the Christmas party, or did that stop when we made out at the Halloween party?”

“Wait, at my house…?!”

“Halloween?!”

Annabeth ignored Jason, Thalia, and her urge to scold Percy for saying too much– it was far funnier to play along. “Well, let me think… you were still pretty hateable after Halloween. Maybe it was when we made out in the alley of the Gilded Lily when Grover got back?”

“You didn’t tell me that!” Grover hopped to the floor, Beckendorf doing the same with a chuckle.

Thalia seemed to be going through the stages of grief– but in a fun way. She paced, stopping every few steps to allow her body to contort in any shape that seemed to best express her mix of shock, fury, amazement, excitement, and disbelief, “I am going to kill you, Chase! First you don’t tell me you quit, and that you’re moving –”

“I texted you Monday!” Annabeth protested.

“Yeah, a whole weekend after you did it! And now it turns out you and pretty boy Jackson here–”

“Aw, you think I’m pretty?”

“Shut up, Percy, this ain’t about you– I find out you two have been dating this whole time?”

Grover chimed in then, “From my understanding, dating is kind of a strong word for–”

“Grover. Stop talking.” Annabeth could not stop her blush this time.

“...Oh we are absolutely going to be having a chat with you!” Piper complained, then jabbed her finger at Jason, “And don’t think you’re off the hook either!”

“You guys are being way too dramatic about this.” Annabeth huffed.

As everyone bickered playfully, she felt Percy lean down, his voice a whisper against her ear; “I think that went incredibly well.”

“As well as it could.” She murmured back.

He squeezed her gently, then straightened again as Beckendorf strolled over to greet them now that the initial frenzy had abated in the face of a new crisis– something to do with the flower order being late.

“Glad you guys made it.” He grinned, “So it’s official then?”

Percy nodded, “I sure hope so, or else I’ve sorely misunderstood something.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “Yes, it’s official.”

“Silena is probably pretty pleased with herself,” Beckendorf dropped nonchalantly, then before either could respond, he gestured to the electric balloon pump, “She’s absolutely wrong about us not needing more help though. Would you guys mind…?”

Somehow, they got everything ready by the time other attendees began to arrive, the final arrangement of the (very late) flowers being placed just as Clarisse, one of NAU’s athletics directors, sauntered in with the biggest present Annabeth had ever seen.

 It got steadily more and more crowded after that, everyone in floral dresses and khakis and pastel button ups– Silena had a ‘suggested’ dress code on the invitations, but either everyone loved her enough to stick to it, or were too scared of what a very pregnant fashion professor might do if they didn’t.

More familiar faces popped into Annabeth’s vision; she and Percy were to the side, against a wall and sipping mimosas. His hand hadn’t left her waist other than for a minute or two when they got drinks, as if he couldn’t stand to not be physically connected to her in some way, his fingers tracing idle patterns on the bareskin of her backless dress. It felt so comfortable, so natural, and his warm fingertips had Annabeth heating a bit herself. The fact that it seemed an easy shorthand to indicate that they were an item was a plus.

Leo Valdez showed up, spotted Percy over the heads of people and beelined over with a “What’s up my man–!” His eyes landed on the proximity to Annabeth, “Woah, am I seeing this right…?”

“Sure are.” Percy confirmed. 

Leo’s hand lifted in a high five, “Oh yeah, nice pull, up top!”

Annabeth raised a brow, and his sheepish hand dropped, “I– uh, I mean, congrats? That’s more appropriate, right…?”

“It is.” Annabeth confirmed.

“Great, cool, uh, yeah, still unlearning the whole… ‘toxic masculinity misogynistic posturing’ thing… I think that’s what Piper called it?” His brow furrowed, then brightened, “Cool, cool, yeah, uh– so that means next year is gonna be wild, huh? You two dating…?”

Percy chuckled, “Actually, we’re moving to California this Summer, so…”

Annabeth’s heart fluttered and she felt Percy’s arm give her a squeeze. We’re moving. They had future plans. Life plans.

Leo’s eyes widened, “Oh, wow, that’s– that’s awesome! I’ll have to take you out for drinks before you go– my treat and stuff! Though uh… it might be a one drink limit for each of us. Wallet is a little thin right now.”

“Absolutely.” Percy lifted his mimosa, “Just text me when.”

Leo shot two thumbs up, backing up in leave, “For sure man. See you guys for the shower games!” And he was gone.

Then two more familiar faces made their way into their view;

“Professor C!” Becky squealed, dragging Jesse behind her, “Oh my god, so psyched to see you! And looking uber cute, I love the dress! So dumb that they won’t let you dress like that at school– Also, why haven’t you been the one doing finals? I mean, Professor J is cool and all but–” And then she cut herself off, frowning. And then she gasped, her brain seeming to finally catch up with her eyes, and the fact that her teachers were much closer than expected. “Professor Jackson! You’re… and… wow!” Becky giggled nervously, “That’s just… wow! Isn’t it, Jess?”

“You said it.” Jesse chuckled, nodding to Percy, “Think we’re gonna finish the paper on the tablet before you move?”

“ Move?! ” Becky looked aghast.

Annabeth nodded, “That’s part of why I haven’t been wrapping up the year with your class–”

“Together?!” Becky looked delighted, “Oh that’s… that’s great, Professor C! You two look like, super good together! Right babe?”

“Right.”

Becky clasped Annabeth’s hands suddenly, “You were so helpful to me this last semester. Like… really. Professor Jackson says he thinks I’m going to pass with a B!”

Annabeth smiled, “That’s awesome, Becky, I’m really glad it worked out.”

The girl nodded earnestly, then looped her arm with Jesse’s, “We gotta go! If Silena likes my present enough, she might let me take a peek at her craft room!” Becky leaned in conspiratorially, “I got the most adorable little toy sewing machine, it’s soooooo cute!” And then they were off, Percy calling after them;

“I’ll email you next week about the paper, Jess!” He chuckled, “Damn, you really turned her around.”

Annabeth shrugged, but the change in their relationship definitely felt good, “She turned out to be not so bad. Just a little… misunderstood.” She felt Percy’s fingers tickle her side and squirmed.

“Sounds like someone else I know.”

“Hush.”

A few others approached them to chat, though they were far more casual than any of their closer friends had been. Callie, the guidance counselor, rolled her eyes upon seeing them before marching over to Leo, who brightened immediately as she dragged him towards the kitchen. Reyna eventually sidled up next to Annabeth.

“Did you see Dean Castellan?” She asked casually, “Wonder what could have happened to make his face look like that.”

Annabeth glanced across the room, Luke talking and laughing and maintaining the facade of his usual charming self, even with bandage over his nose and the horrifically dark bruises under his eyes. There was no indication he had seen them, but Annabeth knew better; he was a scary good actor, and there was no way that he hadn’t spotted her and Percy from his position.

And surprisingly, happily, she felt nothing but satisfaction at the sight of his face. No anxiety. No dread. He had no effect on her, her heart, or her mind any longer.

“Heard he said he tripped.” Percy offered, “But I don’t buy it.”

“No?” Annabeth sipped her drink. 

Percy grinned, “With bruises like that, he definitely tripped twice .”

Reyna cracked her own smile, “I have to agree.” Her head turned to them, “Good to see things worked out.”

“Thanks, Reyna.” Annabeth tucked a curl behind her ear, “And thanks for um… not saying anything.”

“I’m not in the habit of sharing the personal relationship details that I was not actually supposed to be privy to. And even if I was…” She shrugged, “More interesting to see how things unfold naturally. Besides,” Reyna’s smile was the closest thing to a grin Annabeth had ever seen on her, “The look on Thalia’s face was worth the patience. And speak of the devil–”

“YOU!” Thalia marched up, gripping Annabeth by the elbow and tugging her away from Percy’s arm– and where his fingers had been comfortably gliding up and down her side. She immediately missed the sensation of him being there.

“Thalia, you almost made me spill–”

“Shh! No! Come here!” Her eyes turned to narrow at Percy, “I’m stealing her.”

“Alright, but if you keep her for too long I’m going to have to hunt you down.” He winked at Annabeth, he and Reyna continuing the conversation as Annabeth was dragged off by an irate best friend.

She found herself plopped on a plush sofa between Silena and Piper, Thalia in front of them with her arms crossed.

“...goddammit, you should have told us!”

Annabeth raised her brows, “So you could make a big deal out of it before I knew it was going anywhere like you are now?”

“...Well shit, that’s a good reason not to.” Piper sighed, leaning back.

Silena pulled her attention from enviously staring at their mimosas to chime in, “Well, I’m just glad my Halloween costume worked– albeit better than intended.”

Beckendorf had mentioned something about Silena likely being proud of this development, but that made Annabeth sit up with a start, “You… you planned this?!”

“Planned is a strong word– Charlie just told me that Percy was planning some ancient Greek philosopher costume or whatever and I thought forcing you guys to match would be funny at worst, and make you get along at best. But this–” She gestured, “Sooooo much better than anticipated.”

“Wait, you said you guys made out at the party?” Piper asked, and all three of them stared at Annabeth expectantly.

Her face turned pink, “I… yeah…”

“Where?! When!” Thalia squished next to Piper, their curiosity and anticipation tangible.

Annabeth sighed, “In the upstairs closet.”

Silena squealed, “Oh that’s spicy! And means you guys are about as far along as this baby!”

“Jesus, Chase…” Thalia laughed in disbelief, rubbing her forehead, “So this is forreal? Is he… Is he moving with you?”

Annabeth nodded, not even trying to hide her smile, “Yeah, he is.”

“God we must have been so obnoxious, trying to set you up when you already had someone!” Piper nudged Annabeth’s shoulder with her own, “You’re going to have to give us the dirty, nasty details when we’re not at a baby shower.”

They didn’t let Annabeth slip away until she promised to come out with them for drinks and tacos the next evening. They didn’t have to try very hard, because with the impending move and the way her chest felt light and her head felt clear, Annabeth was more than happy to agree.

She made her way back to Percy– he hadn’t moved, but now instead of Reyna next to him, Octavian was droning on. Time for a rescue.

Annabeth popped up next to them, intertwining her fingers with Percy’s; “Hi! Sorry, I need to borrow Doctor Jackson for a moment. Do you mind…?” And without waiting for Octavian’s response (or even letting the surprise register on his face), she dragged Percy to the kitchen, giggling.

“God, thanks for that– that Professor Nero really is so–”

“You know his name is Professor Nielson, right?” Based on the stunned silence and expression on Percy’s face, Annabeth gathered that he did not.

Percy finally managed a chuckle, “Well, that would explain some things. Like the sour look on his face whenever we’re in the same room.”

“Oh no, he just looks like that.” Annabeth led Percy through the kitchen, the living room, past gaggles of partygoers and tables of appetizers, and at last when they got to the far side of the house, Percy frowned.

“Wait, uh, where are we going…?” His question was cut off by Piper announcing that it was time for games.

Annabeth turned and smiled, leaning against the door behind her, “Maybe I missed you.”

The corners of Percy’s mouth threatened to turn up, “You were gone for five minutes.”

“Mmhmm. But you’ve been so tired this week with finals–”

“Not my fault. This really hot teacher quit right before the end of the year, so I’ve had to pick up her slack.” He was smirking now, his hands finding her waist and tugging her closer.

She rolled her eyes, but bit her lip when their gazes met. The way Percy looked at her was just as exciting as it had been all the way back in August. Except now it came with something else– love. Annabeth loved him. And he loved her back. And it melted her legs and set a fire in her core. “So maybe I wanted to slip away for a second and show you just how much I missed you.”

Her hand found the doorknob behind her, pulling open the closet and relishing in Percy’s mischievous grin.

“Nostalgic for old times, Chase?”

“Shut up and get in here.” Annabeth grabbed the front of his shirt, and the two disappeared into the closet together.

 

---

 

i don't wanna look at anything else (now that I saw you)

The next month was a blur.

Packing was first and foremost– Annabeth wouldn’t begin work until August, so there was no real rush to get to California. But it was still a good idea to get started early– funnily enough, Percy never even finished unboxing from his move to his current apartment, so that at least made things easier.

Then, of course, was Matthew and Bobby’s graduation.

Percy came with her; they sat far from Frederick and Helen, and when the twins walked across the stage, Percy cheered louder than anyone else.

Afterward came the whole situation of actually meeting them.

The boys beelined for them the ceremony. They knew that Annabeth had a new boyfriend, they knew that they were moving to California together, and they knew that he was going to be here.

“I’m so proud of you both!” Annabeth cried, hugging the twins and smooshing the small bouquets she’d bought for each of them.

“Geez, it’s just high school Annabeth…” Mattie muttered, but she could hear how glad he actually was.

“Couldn’t have done it without you.” Bobby hugged her back tight, but then they both pulled away, turning to size Percy up as Annabeth dried her eyes and stifled a laugh at how serious her brothers suddenly looked. 

Bobby spoke first; “So. You’re this ‘Percy?’”

To Percy’s credit, he looked entirely unintimidated. Of course, it helped that he was over ten years older than the boys. “That’s right. And you’re Bobby, correct?”

Bobby looked surprised, and he and Matthew exchanged a glance– as identical as they were, once the physical differences were pointed out it was a lot easier to tell them apart. Annabeth had given Percy the heads up that Bobby had a near imperceptible freckle on the outer corner of his left eye.

“Uh, yeah.”

“And Matthew.” Percy smiled at them both, “Congrats, guys.”

“Thanks?” Matthew cleared his throat, “Uh, well, you better be… good.”

“Yeah.” Bobby chimed in, “That’s our big sister you’re dating, so… you know.”

Percy didn’t waver. In fact, his smile grew, “Of course. I have a sister myself, so I get it.”

“Well as long as we have an understanding.” Bobby tilted his chin up, only an inch or so shorter than Percy, but trying to seem taller, “I’ll be right there to straighten you out if it comes to that.”

“I believe it.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes then, “Yeah yeah, thanks for– what do you mean ‘right there?!’”

Bobby turned to Annabeth, grinning, “I got into UCLA, so looks like I’m coming with you guys.”

“You– What! You didn’t tell me!” She pulled him into another hug, then turned to Matthew, “And you– where are you going?”

He hesitated, “I… well, I applied for UCLA too, they have a wicked video game design program, but… um… I got waitlisted.” Matthew shrugged and Annabeth felt her heart sink for him– he and Bobby had never been apart for more than an occasional couple weeks in the summers for various camps and activities. “So if it doesn’t happen, I might take a year off, or go to a smaller school and try again next–”

“One of my friends works at UCLA in admissions.” Percy was already pulling out his phone, “And I might actually end up working there myself. So if you want to go, say the word and I’ll text her now, see if we can’t get you at the top of that list.”

Both twins turned to stare at him, eyes wide. Annabeth felt a surge of warmth. She could already imagine it– her and Percy treating her brothers to lunch or dinner every once in a while, still getting to see them regularly, but not with the pressure of having to take care of them. A sister, not a mother.

“You… you could?!”

Percy nodded, “There’s quite a few years left until my own sister goes off to college, so might as well practice my nepotism superpowers now.”

Matthew looked to Bobby, then Annabeth, then back to Percy, brightening up

“Hell yeah, that would be… that would be great, man!”

Percy was already tapping at his phone, “Absolutely, can’t let you get left behind if the rest of us are going to be lounging around at the beach– Okay, sent. Look out for an email from a ‘Miss Levesque.’ She'll contact you soonish.”

“Cool!”

A call had them turning– Helen and Frederick waiting to bestow their own congratulations. 

The twins shook Percy’s hand, gave Annabeth one last hug, then scampered off, chattering about what they planned on doing when they got to California. 

“You really are the best, aren’t you?” Annabeth let Percy drape his arm over her shoulders, catching the surprised, curious expression on her dad’s face ever so briefly before they turned to make their way to the parking lot.

Percy laughed, “Saw an opportunity to get off on the right foot and took it.”

“Still, thank you.”

Annabeth felt his lips press to the top of her head, “Anything for you.”

 

---

 

The airport was horrific.

Then again, when was it not?

Annabeth, Grover, and Percy waited patiently as Paul and Sally unloaded their luggage from the back of their car, Estelle bouncing on her toes in excitement.

“–and I want one of those cool masks from Italy, and I want a little mini eiffel tower, and I want to see a photo of the colosseum– oh! Can I get a t-shirt from there too? Like, those ‘I survived the Roman colosseum and all I got was this lousy t-shirt’ sorts of t-shirts! And– do they have seashells on greek beaches too? I want a bunch of greek seashells, and–”

“At this rate they’ll need to buy an extra suitcase just to bring back your souvenirs.” Sally joked as she came up behind her daughter, handing Annabeth her carry-on and beaming.

Estelle turned, whining, “Why can’t I go with them? I want to hang out with Annabeth more!”

“Because it’s a grown-up trip.” Percy ruffled his pouting sister’s hair, “Besides, Annabeth’s coming with us to the cabin when we get back, remember? You have a whole week with her to look forward to!”

Estelle brightened at that, “Oh yeah!” She grabbed Annabeth’s hand, “I’ll show you how to make s’mores!”

“I would love to learn.” It seemed unimportant to point out that she already knew how to make s’mores.

Grover gave a mock grumpy huff; “Now what happened to me being your favorite person, huh? I thought s’mores were our thing.”

Estelle patted his arm sympathetically, “It’s okay Grover, you’re still my second favorite!”

“And what does that make me?” Percy grumbled, and Annabeth laughed, wrapping her arm around him. It had been a few months since things became ‘official.’ A few months since he became hers, and she became his. If her feelings were intense then, they were nothing compared to what was between them now.

Paul finished with the bags, closing the trunk and jogging up with the last two suitcases, “Okay gang, final checks; passports?”

“Check.” Annabeth, Grover, and Percy said in unison.

“Great, all luggage accounted for?”

A pause as they glanced at the assortment of bags, then “Check.”

“Okay, plane tickets? lockable backpacks? RFID blocking wallets? Sunscreen? Water bottles?”

“Check check check check check, dad.” Percy laughed, “Grover and I have been to Europe before. You know we know how to handle ourselves over there.”

“Can’t be too prepared.” Paul shook their hands, “Have a great trip guys.”

Estelle was next, hugging Annabeth tight around the middle first, “We’re going to have sooooo much fun when you get back!”

“We definitely are.”

Estelle almost ran off back to the car, if not for Percy crying out “Hey hey hey! Where’s my hug?” She hurried back to give her brother and Grover quick squeezes, then scampered away again.

Sally hugged Grover and Percy, then gave Annabeth an extra extra tight one; “Make sure to send us lots of photos. You know those two will completely forget to snap so much as a selfie.”

“I will.” Annabeth promised. Sally did not let go.

“... Mom. ”

“Shhh, let me dote on my newest daughter a little longer.”

Percy threw his hands in the air, “We’re going to be late for our flight!”

“No you won’t, because Paul insisted on dropping you off six hours early for this reason.” Sally finally pulled back, smiling wide, “Stay safe, kids.”

“We will Mrs. Jackson.” Grover saluted, and with some final waves, the trio headed into the air conditioned building towards bag check.

“I told you she likes you more than me.” Percy nudged Annabeth as they walked, and she rolled her eyes.

“Does not.”

“Does too– but that’s okay, I like you more than me too.” He ducked to plant a kiss on her cheek.

“And I hate both of you guys.” Grover grumbled from in front of them, “And if you’re going to be like this the whole trip, I’m ditching you in France.”

Annabeth and Percy exchanged a mischievous look, then jogged up to be on either side of Grover.

“Be like what?” Percy asked innocently.

“Like this?” Annabeth blew a kiss to Percy, who ‘caught’ it in his chest, stumbling dramatically against Grover.

“Grover, help me, I’ve been shot by an arrow of Eros–!”

“Get off of me and shut up.” He shrugged Percy away, “I liked you guys better when you hated each other.”

Between dinner and drinks at an airport restaurant, some reading, some napping, they somehow survived the six hour wait until boarding, and Annabeth felt nerves zing through her body as they approached the gate, passport in one hand, Percy’s hand in her other.

The entrance to the flight loomed, their line moving fast, and she took a breath; somehow this felt like more than just the start of a grand European adventure. They’d run around all the places she dreamed of seeing, and when they got back it would be Annabeth’s first trip with the Jackson-Blofis family, then only a few weeks after would be the big move.

A new job. A new home– they’d signed a lease on a two bedroom apartment so that they’d have a home office to work out of. Percy officially got the job at UCLA, so he could keep an eye on her brothers; they’d drag them to the beach for brunch on Sunday mornings, and have their own date nights every Wednesday. 

And there were no more obligations hanging over Annabeth’s head– at least, no obligations other than to herself. No more waking up with deep sighs already in her chest, no more family members who made her feel smaller than she was, no more lonely nights of badly made pasta and trashy dating shows– now they would be nights with Percy , with well-made pasta and… still trashy dating shows.

But now she had someone to watch them with.

Her breath was shaky as she watched Grover duck into the entrance. This was it.

Percy turned back, his hand squeezed hers, and he asked, “Ready?”

Annabeth nodded, a smile coming to her lips as she imagined waking up next to those green eyes and that black hair and that smile every morning for the rest of eternity; “Ready.”

And then, together, they walked through the gate.

 

---

 

Notes:

EDIT: HI IF YOU SAW ME DELETE THIS CHAPTER TO ADD SOMETHING AND THEN REPOST IT LATER- no you didn't-
Sorry there was something in my outline I REALLY wanted to do and then COMPLETELY spaced on, so it's there now and we are okay! Maybe! Anyway!

second to last chapter (last being an epilogue) and I am. crying. oh no.

wowie.

So ANYWAY. What a ride. What an emotional roller coaster-

And I have good news and [????] news!

The good news is I have a surprise for you guys! It's super top secret, and I know you're going to looooove it.
The [????] news is........ it's almost done, but completion is out of my hands, so it MIGHT be ready by next weekend and not delay the final chapter at all, but it ALSO miiiiiiiight be after next weekend. I promise it WILL be worth the wait, but fingers crossed it's ready in time!

As always, I feel like I had more to say, but I have the memory of a goldfish (“Actually, goldfish can remember stuff for up to five months. The whole three seconds thing is a myth.”) so. We will see if I edit this later in a panic!!!!!

Your comments motivate me more than anything else, so...... keep on leaving those if you would like to directly contribute to my sense of self worth!

Chapter 30: all's well that ends well (to end up with you)

Epilogue

 

If you told Perseus Jackson that taking a standard teaching job at a small university would fundamentally alter the direction of his life in every way possible, he’d simply not believe it.

If you told him after that first day of work the beautiful blonde woman with a tongue like a knife and eyes like ice would be the warmest, brightest ray of light he’d ever met, he would be skeptical.

And if you told him that almost four years after meeting Annabeth Chase he’d get to wake up with her in his arms every morning, that he’d be so lucky as to experience a life with her, that he’d love her so desperately and completely… Okay, he might think you were crazy, but he’d also hope you were right.

 

She caught his eye immediately. That first day in the teacher’s lounge had been hectic— Percy never liked starting at a new school as a kid, and there had been so many; even now, they made him nervous.

But there she was, and he couldn’t help but stare when he accidentally swiped the last donut from her, startled by those gray eyes and the golden hair pulled back with soft, loose, smooth curls that framed her face. Full lips. A nose that sloped in the most wonderful curve he’d ever seen. Everything about her was like she was hand formed by a god— and Percy would know. He was the new resident expert on Greek gods. 

And then he had to go and put his foot in his mouth.

Her cool gaze became daggers of ice. Her tone when she spoke was frost bitten, and stung him in ways he didn’t know were possible. 

And yet… and yet…

Something pulled him to her. He couldn’t resist. At first he chalked it up to simple physical attraction— her toned legs, her curves, long hair that would have been so easy to pull and features that seemed to be either sharp or soft depending on the light and her mood… that first day they’d been close enough that he could see a smattering of freckles across her nose. He found himself daydreaming once or twice about being that close again so he could count them.

But she was so damn frustrating. Picking fights over seemingly nothing, arguing over every detail, refusing to cooperate— she could hold a grudge like no one he’d ever met. Yet, he liked that about her too. The frustration that she caused him.

Percy hadn’t met a girl this determined to hate him since middle school, before puberty gave him what his mother said was his “father’s good looks”— mixed that with a growth spurt, Percy found himself bestowed a level of popularity he was previously unfamiliar with. Suddenly the crooked toothed, acne faced, messy haired kid was being sought out by girls and befriended by guys, and oftentimes the reverse as well.

He didn’t mind it. But it was somewhat refreshing to have someone frivolously hate him for silly reasons, because plenty of people with incredibly valid reasons to hate him would shrug it off all too easily.

Still, Percy tried to be appeasing at first. And then he got annoyed. There were moments where he wondered if he might hate her back, but that seemed a bit dramatic.

And then there was the party.

If he thought she was beautiful in her work blazers and long skirts, she was drop dead gorgeous in the extremely historically inaccurate but stupidly sexy toga getup. His eyes wandered the gold sandal straps that were wrapped up her calves and thighs, wondering what it would be like to untie them far too slowly. The fabric meant to go over her shoulder and hold the dress up had slipped down her arm in a way that felt sinful. She didn’t notice. But Percy did.

Her eyes were dark with smoky makeup, her hair curled and piled atop her head, and goddammit he had to stop looking at her before he did something really stupid. 

He shouldn’t even be thinking about her like this. She was his coworker. It was inappropriate. And besides, she hated him, which probably made his stupid levels of attraction all the worse.

Despite all these mental admonishments, Percy did absolutely love the fact that they were matching. He could derive some sort of secret pleasure in that, at least. He felt he earned it for putting up with her pointed verbal lashes.

And then he ended up near her. And Percy just couldn’t resist a tease. He shouldn’t have done it— calling her beautiful, however roundabout as it was. And it was clear he was in big trouble when Annabeth stomped after him, indignant and flushed from her cheeks all the way down to her shoulders. That one sleeve was still not where it was supposed to be. It took effort not to stare at her bare, smooth skin there.

Then she dragged him into a closet. Strange, Percy thought, but okay. He’d long accepted that Annabeth was a little weird; and if she wanted a fight, he would give her one.

And then she kissed him.

And it was like a door inside him was flung open— or perhaps “torn off its hinges” was more apt, because there was no way to close it again.

His lips found hers, his hands exploring so many places he’d annoyingly thought about touching more often than he cared to admit. Her lips were soft, tasted both sweet and strong with alcohol. Thighs— they were wonderful to grip, as wonderful as he thought they might be. Waist— so easy to wrap his arms around, to pull her against him until they might meld. And the noises she was making!

And then he pulled back. She had far more drinks than him, and regardless of Annabeth insisting she was perfectly capable, he was never, nor would ever be the kind of guy who allowed any room for doubts when it came to consent.

And he wanted— needed to know she wanted him too, without the fog of alcohol muddying the waters.

It turned out, she did.

Kissing her in the closet had felt effortless, and doing so outside of the bar, in the rain, was no different. It was a natural give and take, a flow that was as easy as breathing. Percy remembered feeling lightheaded, giddy— he didn’t know if this was simply a one night stand, or something more, but he didn’t care. He just wanted her.

And then came the rules. 

The actual content of those rules were cliché, but the presence of them told Percy several things; one, this delightfully would not be a one night stand. And two, Annabeth did not watch enough romcoms. Or maybe too many— but she certainly didn’t take their lessons to heart.

Seeing her body bare drove him crazy. Hearing her sharp tongue reduced to needy whimpers and cries of his name was another step deeper into insanity, and feeling her?!  Well, that was an entirely different kind of madness, one he hoped never to recover from.

It was exhilarating; the secrets, the sneaking around at the school, pressing their luck, arguments dripping with sexual tension that had really been there the whole time; Percy was addicted. Her enthusiasm for the games he wanted to play had him melting. Most nights, he could barely hold himself together.

And then the evening at the Gilded Lily came.

Seeing Luke with his arm so casually around her, seeing them smiling, seeing how comfortable and open they could be, it made Percy’s whole being catch fire with a frustration he thought he’d left behind in high school. He wasn’t proud of his jealousy. Annabeth didn’t belong to anyone– she was her own person. Yet he ached and burned and found his mind going over ways he could meticulously destroy the guy.

That didn’t seem so crazy later when he found out what a of piece of shit Luke was.

Annabeth slipped out, and Percy followed. Of course he did. Sitting across from her, unable to touch, was suddenly torture. He so desperately wanted to touch her.

She looked gorgeous in the lights of the alley, gazing at the sky with amazement, snowflakes clinging to her hair. Something in his heart tugged. He shoved it back down.

The first time the thought that he had broken Rule One crossed Percy’s mind was at the Christmas party. That one guidance counselor had been stuck to his side most of the evening, and he’d barely caught a glimpse of Annabeth for most of the night. And he was grumpy about it.

Spotting her swift exit was luck, and he wasn’t going to squander it. Disentangled from Callie, he hurried after her, heart thumping as he imagine all the different ways he could get her out of the tight black dress and what he wanted to do to her body that night—

But when Percy stepped into the library, when he saw Annabeth with disheveled hair and nervous laughs in the warm, low lighting, he could only think about how beautiful she was. And when they kissed… it was different. He was different. Something changed, and he knew exactly what as he buried his face against her and tried to settle his breathing.

Did he love her? He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t felt like this even with long term girlfriends before— he thought he had loved them, but it wasn’t like this. This— whatever it was— had happened so fast, in almost no time at all.

No point in bringing it up then, if he wasn’t sure. Why risk a good thing?

Annabeth struck him as being sort of like a wild animal— skittish, suspicious, and a wrong move could spook her off for good. 

So Percy waited. He was gone for Christmas, and all he could think about was her– what was she doing? Was she enjoying the Holiday with her family? Was she thinking about him? His leg bounced the entire short flight back to her. And when Annabeth surprised him at the airport, his chest felt like it would burst. He couldn’t stop himself from kissing her, holding her, getting reacquainted with every part of her he had missed so desperately. 

Spending the rest of their break together only made his feelings more clear.

He loved her.

Desperately. So much it felt like he was dying sometimes. Dramatic? Probably. Accurate? Definitely.

So he snuck into the pool and dragged her along with him. He shared more about his life than he ever had with anyone. He trusted her more than anyone who wasn’t family. Percy couldn’t help but touch her and tease her– he needed Annabeth to be as close to him as she could possibly be, and then pull her even closer than that. 

Then came the fight.

Percy wished he had fixed it sooner, but he was ashamed of how he acted– he knew Annabeth hadn’t meant to imply he’d do anything with a student, and his behavior in regards to the Luke thing was entirely inappropriate. But the thought of her with him, together, felt like a bomb was about to go off. And then it did.

After the article and the rumors, he was determined to make it up to her. But she was gone for a week, and then he was out of town, and things got so awkward–

If Annabeth hadn’t shown up at his door the night she did, Percy would have been at hers the next. And he so, definitely, absolutely loved her.

Spring break.

God did that feel like a slice of heaven on earth.

There wasn’t a moment they weren’t together. She opened her heart, bared her soul, and suddenly so much about her closed off nature made sense. He loved Annabeth even more, and hated what had been done to her– despised the people in her life who should have been there. 

And Annabeth trusted him with that part of her. She trusted him enough to forego condoms so they could feel each other in a new, intimate way.

The sex had been off the wall, but their connection had evolved once more– and once more, it felt different . Good different. And when she met his family, they adored her almost as much as he did.

Percy had to tell her. He couldn’t not. Maybe it would bring everything crumbling down, but… well, that night they danced in their office, he realized his love wasn’t one-way. The way Annabeth looked at him, hugged him close, how she laughed, then shook— she loved him back. And that revelation made him feel like he could fly. Maybe he had a chance. Maybe that would be enough.

It wasn’t quite a rejection, but it hurt all the same. She was there, but they weren’t together. Percy wanted nothing more than to tell her anything she needed, he could provide, anything that was holding her back, they could figure out together. But something told him she needed the time to do this— whatever ‘this’ was—on her own, so he forced himself to be patient.

Because he loved her. And she was worth waiting for.

And then one night at the bar where everything started, several gears clicked into place. The hesitation, the waiting, the anxiety in her eyes since they met… the hurt was deeper than a toxic family dynamic and neglected childhood.

And punching that asshole had been one of the single most satisfying moments of his life— second to Annabeth telling him wholeheartedly she loved him back, and accepting his love in return.

And it wasn’t even a close second. Not by a mile. Not by a million lightyears. Because Annabeth loved him, and nothing else in the world mattered.

 

Percy gazed down at her as she stirred; golden morning sunlight streamed through the window behind their bed, white sheets rustling, and Annabeth’s nose scrunching in the way it did when he was annoying her— and she hadn’t even opened her eyes yet.

“You’re watching me again.” She murmured drowsily shifting as he pressed soft kisses to her face.

“Is that a crime?”

“…Well no…” She grumbled, lashes finally fluttering so she could mock-glare up at him, “But no one looks pretty when they’re sleeping.”

“You do.” Another kiss, “And besides, who says you have to look pretty all the time?”

She yawned and stretched, “The patriarchy or something.” Her brow furrowed as her hand groped around the sheets for her phone, “What time is it?”

“Saturday.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, “That’s the day, not the time.”

“It’s Saturday, hence, time doesn’t matter.” Percy slipped his hand under her pillow, swiping her phone before she could do so herself.

His girlfriend groaned dramatically, a lazy hand trying to steal it back, “Percyyyyyy, we have things to do!”

“What things?” He asked innocently.

She rolled her eyes, “Well, first of all, I have some work to get done so that I can relax when your mom gets here next weekend—”

“Mmhm.” Percy leaned down to start kissing up her shoulders.

“And we have to deep clean the apartment—”

“Mmhm.”

“...Are you even listening?”

Percy nipped at her collarbone, “Nope.”

A weight crept up from lower on the mattress, a (now rather large) black cat meowing incessantly in a demand for breakfast. Cockblocker.

Annabeth smiled, grabbing Blackjack under his front legs and hoisting him into the air above her, much to his chagrin, “And you are gonna be very grumpy in a few weeks.”

Percy laughed, scritching the annoyed cat under the chin, “He sure is. Did you take a look at the options I sent you?”

“How could I have if you steal my phone?”

He handed the device over, and Annabeth set the cat free to scroll through it. She made a face at the time, “Ugh, you let me sleep in until nine? ”

“As far as I recall, I am the morning person and you are the night owl.”

“Only when I don’t have a million things to get done.” Annabeth swiped, then gasped, “Oh my goodness , look at their little faces!”

“Right?!” Percy flopped down so he could look at the screen with her, “Did you see the names?”

Annabeth took a moment to scan through them, then laughed incredulously, “What kind of names are these?! ‘Mr. Puddlesworth,’ ‘Miss Verna Whitman,’ ‘Sir Cornelius Spencer the Second’…”

“This one’s my favorite.” Percy pointed to one particular puppy.

“‘Mrs. O’Leary?’ Oh god, she’s adorable! Look at that face!” Annabeth cooed, seemingly already in love with the little black ball of pure fluff, “I like her too. But we are absolutely changing that name.”

“Why? I kinda like it. Makes her sound distinguished.” Percy wrapped an arm around Annabeth as she rolled her eyes, tapping through to the application.

“She’s a dog, she doesn’t need to be distinguished.” Annabeth paused. “So… should we submit an application for her?”

“Later.” Percy buried his face in her neck again, “I just want to stay like this for a second.”

“Mm.” He felt Annabeth toss her phone to the side and wrap her arms around him, stroking his hair and resting her chin on his head, “Piper texted me yesterday.”

“Did she?” Percy murmured.

Annabeth shifted, “Yeah, apparently she’s visiting her dad with Jason and Leo next weekend… you know, the same one your mom will be arriving?”

“Weird.” Percy fought his smile, trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible.

Nails lightly dragged along the back of his neck, “But I guess that’s just a coincidence… Like Grover also coming down to give that presentation about ocean conservation at your school?”

“Must be.”

“And how Thalia is also going to be in town for a seminar?”

Percy could practically feel the ring box hidden in his dresser humming from across the room; “Call it serendipitous, I guess.”

“Uh huh.” Annabeth stretched again, making the absolute best noise as she did so, “I need to finish the designs for the museum by then. I don’t want to be drafting day after day in my office when all our favorite people are in town, and the math in the latest draft of the Space exploration wing isn’t… mathing.”

Percy laughed, “You’ll figure it out. And it’s not all our favorite people.” Silena and Beckendorf unfortunately couldn’t make it for the surprise; travel was hard with a toddler, not to mention a whole second baby on the way.

Annabeth evidently understood who he was referring to, because she perked up, “Did you see the pictures Sel posted of Marie?!”

“Did I ever.” The way Annabeth fawned over that little girl had images racing through Percy’s mind of what she would be like with their own kids someday. “She looks just like her.”

“I think she’s a perfect mix of them both.” Annabeth tried to sit up, but Percy’s arm held fast around her middle. His girlfriend huffed in annoyance, “Babe, we have to get up. Blackjack’s hungry.”

“I already fed him before you woke, he’s just being a little liar.”

“Okay, but like I said, we still have to clean–”

“I have a better idea,” Percy rolled so he was on top of Annabeth, hands on either side of her, “we stay in bed all day long, eating leftover pizza and watching sitcom reruns.”

Annabeth lifted her chin defiantly, though the corner of her mouth twitched up, “I’ll give you an hour, no pizza, and last night’s episode of the Bachelor.”

Percy narrowed his eyes, “Three hours, your choice in movie, coffee, and maybe some…” he trailed off, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

She scoffed, but he knew he had won, “Fine. Go make us coffee then.”

“Yes ma’am.” Percy slid off of Annabeth and their bed, grabbed his sweats from the laundry basket, and tugged them on as he padded to the kitchen.

Next weekend…

Annabeth was told Sally would be flying in on Sunday, but she’d actually be there Saturday morning, as would everyone else Percy invited to celebrate with them. 

The plan wasn’t anything extravagant; the first step was suggesting to Annabeth that they take a day to relax before the chaos of friends and family ensued. He’d make her brunch— blue waffles, of course. They’d walk around the pier, stop by Annabeth’s favorite book shop, then he’d ensure they just so happen to walk past the site of Annabeth’s new museum project… 

He’d listen to her talk about atriums and domes and stained glass windows, how she wanted it to look like a harmonic combination of an ancient Greek temple and a renaissance cathedral, with the organic stylizations of art nouveau. The object of reverence for this temple-cathedral-museum would be science of course; sculpted vines climbing up the walls and pillars would hide little creatures for a scavenger hunt kids visiting could play, and when the sun hit the windows just right, the center atrium would be bathed in color– different windows and colors for different positions of the sun during different seasons.

Honestly, as much as Percy had learned about architecture since meeting Annabeth, he still wasn’t sure what she was talking about half the time. Which was just as well, because she loved answering his questions, and he loved making her happy.

They would stop by an escape room, have dinner on the pier, and when the sun was setting as they strolled along the beach…

That’s when he’d do it.

And if— no, when she said yes (no matter how many times they talked about marriage and Annabeth stated in no uncertain terms that she did, in fact, want to marry him, Percy still got nervous sometimes), that’s when their friends would materialize. Piper with her camera, charged with capturing the moment with Jason and Leo in tow, Thalia with champagne and a picnic blanket, Grover with snacks, of course Matthew and Bobby would be there too, Hazel and Frank from his work (who ostensibly were his and Annabeth’s closest friends in LA), and finally, his mom, because Sally Jackson would never forgive him if she wasn’t there to immediately congratulate her official daughter-in-law.

Besides, she was the one who supplied the jewel for the ring.

It was a teardrop diamond that came from the ring Percy’s dad had planned to propose with— Sally found it when she went through his things after he died, and kept it all this time.

The ring itself was simple, but elegant, with alexandrite accents and a silver-gold band that looked like vines intertwined. Because that’s what he and Annabeth were; intertwined. Plus she talked about vines all the time, and placed motifs of them in all her building designs to the point they were becoming her signature, so he couldn’t not use them.

Coffee was poured, and Percy dumped the last of the creamer in Annabeth’s mug— there wasn’t enough for them both, he’d have to run to the store later— and then made his way back to their room to hop back into bed, Annabeth already scrolling through the tv for what to watch.

“Here you are, Professor Chase.” He teased with her old title, something no one had called her in years, and Annabeth accepted the mug with a smirk.

“Why thank you, Doctor Jackson.”

“You’re going to be Doctor Chase yourself soon enough.”

Annabeth scrunched her nose, placing her coffee on the nightstand, “I still haven’t decided if I want to pursue that yet.”

“I have a feeling you will. And you’ll get that PhD in record time– especially after you have the museum on your resume.” Percy also put his mug to the side before grabbing Annabeth’s waist and dragging her into his lap so he could start peppering kisses on her neck again.

“And here I thought we were going to watch a movie first.” Annabeth muttered as she tossed the remote to the side.

Percy chuckled, nosing at her jaw, “That was very foolish of you.”

“I really should know better by now.” She turned to face him, arms draping over his shoulders and a coy smile on her lips, “Have anything specific in mind?”

Percy gazed at her. The sunlight made her hair look like a halo, reflected in her gray eyes in a way that made them look magical. She wore his t-shirt to bed the night before, and he admired it on her form now. Her hair was longer than when they first met, her bangs grown out and her hair outrageously curly, falling out of her braid and making her look stunningly disheveled.

He ran his hands up her thighs, but for a moment his thoughts were far into the future.

Engagement. Marriage. Kids. She’d get her Doctorate— maybe they’d make it really confusing and both go by “Doctor Jackson-Chase—” or would they go with “Chase-Jackson?” Or keep their separate last names?

It didn’t really matter– what mattered was she’d make wonderful, beautiful buildings that would be admired for eons to come. They’d travel all over the world together. He could take a sabbatical to be a stay at home dad while doing research. Their kids would have Annabeth’s beautiful hair, and the Jackson talent for cooking. Summers at the cabin in Montauk, Christmas with Sally and Paul and Estelle, almost grown up now. Maybe they’d stay in LA. Maybe they’d move to his home town of New York City. Maybe they’d end up somewhere else entirely, someplace new and exciting and filled with adventure.

There would be laughter and tears and friends and family and a whole life together, and Percy couldn’t wait for it. They’d grow up. They’d grow old. He reached to brush a curly lock from Annabeth’s face, leaning in to kiss her with all the love in the universe, their hands wrapping around each other as they fell back on the bed with breathless laughs.

 

So if you told Percy Jackson four years ago that he’d be so lucky as to experience a life with Annabeth Chase, that he’d love her so desperately and completely… Yeah, he might think you were crazy. 

But he’d also hope you were right.

 

fin

 

---

 

Notes:

The way I planned this final chapter (epilogue) to be from Percy's point of view from the BEGINNING! I would cackle every time someone asked for a glimpse into his head; it was coming the WHOLE TIME!

As was this surprise! I commissioned windbyfire several months ago, and it was done LITERALLY today! Perfect timing! I'm very very in love with it, and I hope you guys are too <3 They also told me they actually redid some of their (currently) unposted Percabeth sketches to reflect the professors AU, and I plan on basing one of my oneshot spinoffs off of one! It's the perfect energy

Thank you all so so much for following along and commenting and kudoing and being pretty much the best, most enthusiastic people in the world. It was extremely motivating and made writing (and now finishing!) this story so, SO joyful and fun. So what next?

I have several WIPs right now; I need to finish 'follow, like, share' at SOME point, but I am currently working on a very different kind of Percabeth AU (like, way way different than anything else I've posted here. Think Hans Christian Andersen, JM Barrie, CS Lewis, etc. Gonna be wild and weird), an absolutely terrible shameful Dragon Age short fic (2 shot maybe?), and I recently finished my piece for the PJO Yearbook Zine! I will also be writing a longer Percabeth fic for an event, with similar but different vibes to this one; 90s/2000s teen romcom style.

For now, there's a lot of places you can keep up with me: tumblr, twitter, instagram, and my website! (which is undergoing a major overhaul that is taking forever ugh.)

I also run a PJO discord server for fans who are 18+; not for nsfw reasons, mostly because I don't want to be responsible for kids on the internet and it's nice to have an adult space sometimes haha. Everyone is welcome! It's pretty chill and friendly!

There were a few lovely people who sent me playlists they made inspired by this fic; this one (on spotify) and this one (on youtube) (there was absolutely a third one someone sent me of all the taylor swift songs used but I absolutely cannot find it anywhere so if that was you PLEASE send again! (and there may have been a fourth but I have an awful memory- just send me things if you have them I love them.))

Anyway.
Thank you all again. I cried like three times writing this epilogue. I hope you all stick around for whatever comes next!