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In all honesty, she hated him.
Really.
He was irritating beyond compare; all green eyes like the sea that seemed to mock her and enchant her at the same time. He was cocky, a bit too cocky for his own good, and no she most definitely did not find that attractive in a guy.
Except, that’s where the first problem started, because it was a lie.
You see, Annabeth herself was quite confident in herself; sure that she could do anything. When you grow up raising yourself practically, you learn to be self-sufficient. She carefully thought out everything, that way when she performed a task, even if it was a minor one, it would be perfected. Every last second of her life was planned out by the second. Annabeth was secure and calm.
Until that asshole Percy Jackson came along five years ago and ruined her life, so to speak.
Percy was the exact opposite. He lived off of spontaneity, and didn’t have it in him to actually think something through. Percy just did. He believed enough in himself, his abilities, and his father to simply go for it, and assume that things would work out in the end. Of course it always did, because Percy was actually very difficult to defeat. Or truly defeat, anyways.
Annabeth had beaten him in sword fights and battle combat many times, but she’d never truly beat Percy. Because in order for that to happen, Percy would have to die. And Annabeth would never, ever wish that on the guy she’d come to consider as her best friend.
And that was where Annabeth drew the line at, you know. Best friend.
She didn’t get butterflies sometimes when she saw him in the morning, all bleary-eyed and messy haired and utterly adorable. She didn’t secretly want to congratulate him when he won a battle and wore a smile of pure pride in himself. She didn’t want to bury her face in his neck and stay there forever when he gave her quick hugs that hardly lasted, but affected her to no end. The smell of the ocean wasn’t home to her. She most definitely didn’t get the shivers when his thick morning voice entered her ears, saying ‘good morning’, sometimes accompanied by a ‘how are you doing this morning, gorgeous’?
Of course, every time he called her gorgeous, or beautiful, or anything of the sort, she rolled her eyes and punched him. Because honestly, if she wouldn’t have had some sort of negative reaction, she probably would have yanked him by his hair and kiss him so forcefully they’d both get bruised lips.
So, maybe Annabeth had a minor crush on the famous Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and the most out of reach guy in the world. Percy was out of her league, with hundreds of girls after him. After all, Percy had a bit of a growth spurt earlier in the year, and he’d definitely gotten some muscles after so much physical activity. Percy was, in theory, a pretty attractive guy.
In other words, Annabeth thought Percy was gorgeous, and would have claimed that he looked like a god, if it wasn’t for the fact that she personally knew he was the son of a god.
And maybe that was part of the problem. Their parents hated each other, or at least they used to. It seemed as though Aphrodite had spoken to them, knowing of Annabeth’s true feelings towards the son of Poseidon, and maybe they pitied her, who knew.
Which, Annabeth supposed, it was a little pathetic how taken she was with Percy Jackson.
+ + +
"Come away with me," a voice Annabeth knew all too well whispered in her ear. She tensed up, surprised, but instantly relaxed when two strong hands found their way to her shoulders, where they rested. She looked around at the now emptying mess hall and nodded, standing up. The gentleman he was, Percy carried her plate to the trash and soon after held out his arm as though he were an escort. Shaking her head at the utterly charming gesture, she latched onto Percy’s arm.
"And we are going where?" Annabeth inquired.
"The dock. Where else?" Percy said with a smile, specially reserved for his Wise Girl. The dock had slowly but surely became their place, their hangout. They always met there late in the night when they couldn’t sleep, and they’d look at the stars. They’d sit there when they reminisced about memories with lost friends and loved ones. They’d figure out the extremities of Percy’s powers there. They’d take off their shoes and roll up their pants and dip their feet into the cool water on hot days. The dock was a place where they simply were and no one ever dared to interrupt them.
Finally approaching the edge of the dock, Percy took back his arm and sat down after toeing off his tennis shoes. Annabeth mimicked his actions, placing her shoes further back so that she could lie down and relax. After a few moments of silence, she felt something on her hand and jumped, only to hear the deep chuckle of Percy. “Oh, Wise Girl, you are easily spooked," Percy said casually, still tracing random patterns on her hand. (If she would have been paying attention, she would have noticed that Percy was spelling out the words, “I love you.")
Annabeth lay back down, now not minding that fact that Percy was fidgeting with her hand. They sat in silence for a while, listening to the waves break and the sounds of the occasional wind.
Percy was never one for silence, and due to his impulsiveness, the first thing he thought of to say was, “What’s your favorite color?" After he asked, he immediately wanted to hit himself, because he already knew the answer. Annabeth liked blue, but lighter, almost gray. It was a boring color in his opinion, but he appreciated the fact that Annabeth wasn’t afraid to like a color that wasn’t so common.
Annabeth laughed, sitting up and not even noticing when Percy picked up her hand, now fidgeting with her fingers lightly. “Well, it’s changed actually. Funny that you ask."
Percy looked up to meet Annabeth’s amused gaze before they both burst out laughing. “I couldn’t stand the silence!" Percy defended.
"Of course, Seaweed Brain. You’re much to ADHD for that, aren’t you?" Annabeth smirked. Noting that the question was redundant, he stayed quiet and waited for her to answer the original question. “For a long time, it was light blue, you know, a little gray-ish?" Percy nodded, his thoughts being confirmed. “However, I’ve been liking green lately."
"What kind of green?" Percy questioned, smiling at her.
Annabeth paused for a second, feeling more outgoing than usual and held Percy’s enchanting gaze. “Sea green. Just like the ocean."
And no, Percy’s breath didn’t catch in his throat when she said it, and he didn’t think,I think I really like gray, as in Annabeth’s eyes, at all. Nope.
+ + +
Many people had assumed that they had been together, and sometimes Annabeth had to wonder, would it really be that bad to just go ahead and start saying yes? After all, she knew that she didn’t want anyone besides Percy.
So, one day, when Silena Beauregard asks, “are you and Percy loving it up yet?" with a wink following short after, Annabeth simply replies, “yep."
And that was probably a really bad idea, because she forgot about the fact that Silena had been trying to get ‘Percabeth’ together for years. So it would only make sense that she paraded around camp and told everyone with working ears that it was official right?
There’s where the third problem occurred. Because Annabeth hadn’t told Percy about the fact that it was more of a spur of the moment thing, and she hadn’t necessarily meant what she said. The second Grover trotted up to her, confusion all over his face and questioning about her and Percy’s ‘relationship’, Annabeth threw her head into her hands and groaned. It definitely wasn’t what Grover was expecting. In fact, the satyr was overjoyed for his two friends, knowing that they’d had feelings for each other for quite a long time.
As soon as Annabeth opened her mouth to explain to Grover that no, she wasn’t dating Percy, someone was hugging her from behind and whispering tauntingly in her ear, “So, I’m your boyfriend now?"
Grover, having known Percy was approaching all along due to seeing him over Annabeth’s shoulder, smirked lightly and trotted off, probably to visit Chiron or Juniper. Annabeth, having completely forgotten that she had been asked a question, nearly jumped when Percy rested his head on her shoulder. “Do I get an answer?"
"Yes," Annabeth shot back, attempting to sound irritated at him impatience, but sounding admittedly happy. Sighing, she turned around to face Percy, not breaking their embrace. “It’s sort of a funny story."
"Really? Humor me then, please, girlfriend," Percy winked, seemingly enjoying this too much. Annabeth prayed to Aphrodite that she wasn’t blushing as bad as she felt like she was.
"Well, you see… You know how everyone just assumes we’re together? Like… dating?" Percy nodded, his eyes twinkling. Annabeth found herself distracted for a moment and lost in his ocean-like eyes before shaking her head and tossing herself back into reality. “Well, I was sort of irritated with having a thousand people ask me, and me always answering ‘no’, only to have them ask again the next day. So I decided that maybe, if I… Well, said ‘yes’, then it would be the answer that they wanted to hear and they would leave me alone."
So, she stretched the story a little bit, and by the end of her explanation, she wasn’t looking Percy in the eyes.
"That’s the only reason you said yes?" Percy asked lowly, in a voice that was much too intimate and disarming for Annabeth. She stepped out of his embrace and nodded firmly.
She didn’t notice how Percy’s arms dropped like deadweight, now unsure of what to do because he didn’t have his arms around his Wise Girl. She didn’t notice the brief flicker of disappointment in his eyes, and the smile that said he had expected as much all along.
+ + +
Going home at the end of the summer is always the saddest part of Annabeth’s year. Of course, she has a few friends in San Francisco, but none of them truly compare to the wonderful friends she acquires at camp. She gets a little teary when she hugs Silena and Clarisse goodbye as they take the same van into town to meet their parents and go back home for school. Many more demigods had been getting in contact with their other parent, that way they didn’t have to stay at camp full time, although some still wanted to. Most wanted to experience what it was like to be a normal kid at a normal school with normal friends and normal teachers and normal food and normal sports and a normal life in general.
In Annabeth’s opinion, it wasn’t all that great. She’d much rather be drawing new plans for an additional building to add to camp or beating everyone at sword practice and battle techniques.
She’d much rather hang out with Percy.
So, when it’s finally the last possible moment for the two kids, who are considered ‘camp leaders’ to leave, they’ve already said goodbye to all of their friends, and Chiron who is practically another father to them. They ask for the same van, that way they don’t have to leave each other’s side for as long as possible.
Percy and Annabeth, as unlikely of a friendship as it was, had been through nearly everything together. They’d comforted each other over losses of friends; they’d saved New York together. They stood up against the gods while standing by each other’s sides. In short, Percy and Annabeth were attached to one another, no matter how bad they maddened each other.
So, when they finally arrive in town, stopping at the airport because that’s where Percy’s mom is meeting him, and Annabeth has a flight to catch, they both want to cry.
But Percy won’t, because it’s not a manly thing to do.
And Annabeth won’t because Annabeth Chase doesn’t cry.
Except, whenever Percy gets her bags out of the van for her and sets them all in a pile before closing the trunk, and tapping it twice to let Argus know that he’s free to go, she can’t help but tear up a little.
This summer had been the first summer that Annabeth had allowed herself to acknowledge her feelings towards Percy Jackson. And now that she had, she wasn’t ready to let him go. After seeing the fact that his Wise Girl was looking a little distressed, he pulled her into a tight hug, guiding her head to his shoulder and wrapping his arms around her, hopefully comfortingly and not awkwardly. By the way that she was trembling lightly, Percy knew that Annabeth was doing her best not to cry. He let one of his hands rest in her hair and she gripped him tightly, unwilling to let go.
After about ten minutes of holding his Wise Girl and listening to the sounds of the city, he pulled back. Annabeth looked a little sheepish, but obviously relieved. “Sorry," she muttered.
"Anytime," Percy said genuinely. Feeling like his help wasn’t really helping, he took off his necklace, which had been given to him by his father himself and tied it carefully around Annabeth’s neck. “Don’t miss me too much, okay?" Percy smiled at her, and she managed one back, examining the necklace. It was a sand dollar, but it wasn’t misshapen like most were. It fact, it was a perfect sand dollar that immediately brought her comfort. “Dad gave it to me; it’s supposed to make you calm during battle or something. Not saying that you’ll be battling – or I hope you won’t anyways – but I thought you might like it in case you miss me or something, not that I’m assuming you will–" He was cut off by another hug from Annabeth, who kissed his shoulder: half because she wasn’t thinking and half because she couldn’t reach his cheek without standing on her tiptoes. However, Percy was a little dazed by the gesture, simply staring fondly at Annabeth who was gathering her bags and had no clue how much the minute display of affection had overwhelmed him.
"Help?" Annabeth asked, letting a bit of teasing annoyance slip into her voice. Percy jumped, instantly picking up several of her bags without blinking. “Alright, Hercules. You big show off," Annabeth muttered.
Percy chuckled and sent her a winning grin, whispering, “But he was a son of Zeus, now wasn’t he?" Annabeth shook her head, fighting a smile and rolling her eyes as they entered the doors and he helped her over to security. Seeing one of the guards give him a nasty look for being in line, but not technically boarding a plane, Percy sighed loudly, honestly wanting to avoid the whole goodbye thing.
"I know, you have to leave," Annabeth said. Percy opened his arms and gave her a really quick hug, as her bags were moving on.
"I’ll miss you. I wish we could actually use cellphones, but…" He gave a helpless shrug. “Just… if you somehow end up in New York, you know where I am." He looked up, seeing that her bags were even further away. “I l–" He blinked at himself, shaking his head. No way was he about to leave her with that confession. “I’ll miss you, so much, but I really have to go, and so do you."
"Bye, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, already feeling her eyes sting. She’d definitely cry after he left. Seaweed Brain had turned her into a sap.
He flashed a lopsided grin at her. “Bye, Wise Girl." And with that, Percy turned away, knowing that his mother had to be waiting outside, but wanting to kick himself for not manning up and telling his girl that he loved her with every fiber of his being.
+ + +
As predicted, Annabeth did cry right after Percy walked through the doors to meet his parents and go home. California was on the other side of the world from Percy’s apartment in Upper Manhattan. Sighing to herself as she relived the sad memory of that day several weeks ago, she tossed her architecture book to the ground.
Annabeth was in what you could call a minor teenage depression. She was, not that she’d ever admit it, watching sappy Lifetime movies and eating chocolate and popcorn. Eventually, a romantic comedy played and she kept laughing at the funny moments, turning and expecting Percy to be seated beside her and chuckling as well. Annabeth stroked his necklace that he’d given to her, which she only took off when she showered and when she went swimming.
She was counting down the days until she was allowed to return to Camp Half-Blood. She was terrifyingly bored in school, knowing the majority of what was taught. She was irritated at the fact that people looked at her oddly when she played so violently during flag football and dodge ball. Half the time, she expected Percy to jog up beside her and initiate their victory handshake, which was just theirs.
Let’s just say that Annabeth missed Percy a little bit.
But, only a little.
Because Annabeth was independent.
+ + +
Percy was a mess.
Well, he wasn’t, not on the outside.
But it stung every time he looked to his left or his right, wanting to share and inside joke with Annabeth, only to find the space empty, or filled with someone who wasn’ther. He would go to the mall with friends, constantly seeing people with curly blonde hair, wishing that Annabeth was in New York, and not on the other side of the world. Every time his mom asked about camp, every memory he mentioned somehow related to Annabeth. Actually, all conversations in the Jackson-Blofis house hold tended to somehow lead back to Annabeth.
His mom was a little peeved at the fact that Percy’s smiles dropped quickly and he moped around like a kicked puppy.
Even Paul had taken notice, trying to make an effort to distract him with the new game on TV, or a supernatural happening that ‘just had to be the gods at work’.
It wasn’t enough.
Percy was just bored. Annabeth was a challenge. Annabeth made sure that things were never boring, constantly pulling something new, or surprising Percy. Annabeth kept Percy on his toes. However, in her absence, Percy was getting tired of actually having a schedule. Typically, he was more of a spur-of-the-moment guy; he did things when the moment struck him. Now, Percy was basically a robot. He’d wake up, go to school, come home, do his homework, and then mope for the remainder of the day.
Every day, he’d cross off another one of the boxes on his calendar. At the end of every day, he was one day closer to seeing all of his best friends at camp. Every day was a day closer to Annabeth.
+ + time lapse + +
Today was the day.
And Annabeth couldn’t be more relieved as she stepped off of her plane, nearly running to the baggage claim in her haste to pick up her bag at lightning speed and sprint to a taxi so she can go home, to camp. After bouncing up and down impatiently for a few minutes, searching with her eyes for her light gray suitcase, she finally spotted it, pushing a few people away to yank it up. She heard a few dignified shouts of, “hey!" but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
She walked through the airport, dodging a bunch of people and praying desperately to her mother that there would be a taxi waiting outside.
Except, there wasn’t a taxi.
There was something even better.
Percy Jackson was standing a bit awkwardly outside the airport watching cars drive by. He didn’t even notice Annabeth, and she took that time to take in Percy’s appearance.
Even from a side view, she could tell that his eyes were still the same charming sea green they’d always been. She could see that he was even taller, and she could have sworn that his arms were even more defined. His hair was messy, as usual, but he was the kind of guy that made the messiness look intentional, while in reality he literally couldn’t run a brush through his hair. Like the sea, and Miley Cyrus, his hair simply couldn’t be tamed.
She felt her heart sigh, sappy as it sounded, and laughed when he – awkward as ever – scratched the back of his neck absently and nearly hit a tall woman walking by.
"Sorry!" Percy said, after he’d nearly knocked her nose off. His face reddened as the woman simply walked away, shaking her head and massaging her injured face. Annabeth snorted in laughter, shaking her head amusedly. She noticed three girls walking by, obviously on their first trip to New York seeing as they were pointing at every little thing and ‘ooh’ing and ‘ahh’ing. You see, that wouldn’t have been a problem… If Percy hadn’t been one of those ‘little things’ they gushed over.
Annabeth saw the especially pretty and well-dressed girl with dark curly hair gesture to him as though she was about to go talk to him.
Hell.
No.
"Seaweed Brain!" she yelled at that moment, causing everyone around me, even the girls, and luckily Percy to turn around.
Percy beamed his face lighting up, much to her amusement. It seemed that Annabeth wasn’t the only one who missed her best friend.
"Wise Girl!" She left her suitcase and ran over to him jumping in his open arms. The girl gave an odd look to them, and Annabeth sent her a pointed look over his shoulder. “Come on now, Wise Girl, don’t be like that," Percy whispered in her ear.
"Like what?" Annabeth said innocently.
Percy put her down, his hands still resting leisurely on her waist as he rolled his eyes. His face, despite the fact that he had gone one year further into his teenage years, was virtually flawless. Seriously, Annabeth couldn’t see a single imperfection. “I couldn’t practically feel you glaring at someone over my shoulder. Who was it?"
"No one," Annabeth replied a bit too defensively and quickly for it to be the truth. “Just some girl."
"Jealous?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling. “I mean, I know I’m irresistible, but damn Annabeth. Your glare is a bit harsh, don’t you think?"
She rolled her eyes and halfheartedly slapped him. “Shut up."
"I would say ‘make me’ but I feel as though that would seem suggestive."
"And?"
"Are you saying you want me to make suggestive comments towards you?"
"Are you saying you want to make suggestive comments towards me?" Annabeth shot back, cocking her head to the side. Percy stuttered for a minute, but Annabeth just chuckled and walked back to her suitcase, grabbing in and returning to Percy’s side, whose cheeks were still blushing a little bit. You’d think that the kid, as cocky and confident as he was, wouldn’t blush. However, it was a common fact that it was insanely easy to make the son of the sea god blush.
"Wait," Percy said, even though Annabeth wasn’t even moving. She raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh.
"Yes?" she asked, drawing out the question.
"Um…" Percy sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He moved to stand in front of her, a little closer than necessary, but Annabeth couldn’t find it in herself to care. “I missed you."
She beamed and nodded. “I missed you, too."
"No, like… It was really bad, Wise Girl. I was all mopey and I kept turning to talk to you and you weren’t there and Mom kept calling me a lovesick puppy which was a little irritating but I’m sure it was more than irritating to see me walking around depressed all day and being antisocial and watching stupid movies that a guy should not be watching at all and–"
"That’s exactly what I did, if it makes you feel better." Percy smiled a little awkwardly. “What was the point of telling me all that?"
Percy smirked. “Oh, right. I did actually have a point."
"And?" she asked, drawing out the question once again.
Percy leaned even closer, his forehead bumping hers and quite literally making her heart stop. His breath hit her lips in a nervous, shaky sigh, and Annabeth was annoyed by the burst of excitement that was pulsing through her veins.
But, no – she didn’t want Percy to kiss her now of all times. She had just gotten off of a very long flight, her hair was up in a messy pony tail, she wasn’t wearing any make-up and her clothes weren’t dressy enough because she was only wearing last year’s camp t-shirt and–
"Don’t freak out, but I kind of–"
And at that moment, Annabeth did something that threw caution to the wind.
Despite the fact that she was tired, her hair was messy, her face was make-up-less and she was wearing clothes Percy had seen a billion times, Annabeth leaned up and finally kissed Percy like she should have years ago.
It was simple, but no less passionate, over way too soon, but somehow seemingly enough.
"–Love you…" Percy breathed out, after Annabeth pulled away. She smiled and kissed him again, her heart pounding from the confession that mirrored hers.
"I love you, too," Annabeth said, kissing him with each and every syllable. Percy grinned down at her, blushing and his eyes shining brightly in excitement. Annabeth had never seen Percy so happy, and it amazed her that she was the cause of his happiness. He leaned down, kissing her again.
"I’m sorry."
"For kissing me?"
"For not doing it earlier."
"Apology accepted."
+ + +
In some ways, Annabeth thinks that she’s always loved Percy, even when she hated him. In some ways, Percy thinks that every time he ever insulted Annabeth, he was complimenting her. In some ways, Annabeth thinks that even when Percy was young and irritating, he was still adorable and charming.
In some ways, Annabeth thinks it was always going to be Percy, no choice, no matter what happened.
In some ways, Percy agrees with her.
+ + +
Years later, when Percy and Annabeth were older, both twenty-three and still sickeningly in love, Percy wants to propose. He does so at the beach, copying that sappy Nicholas Sparks book and hiding the ring in a seashell, since Annabeth loved to collect them.
He asks her, but it goes much more smoothly than the proposal in the book, and she accepts before he even gets the question all the way out.
The ring is gorgeous, a silver band, the name words “wise girl & seaweed brain" engraved because that’s all theirs and it always has been them. The diamond is sea green, teardrop shaped, and a gorgeous, transparent color that shines in the light like no other ring. It almost looks like the ocean in a small, glass, tear-dropped shaped casing. Annabeth personally thinks that Percy got some help from his father, but she doesn’t mention it as he slips it on her finger and she throws her arms around his neck so forcefully that they fall back into the sand.
She kissed him until he’s incoherent, but honestly that doesn’t take that long because every time Annabeth kisses him it’s like his brain cells disappear. All he can think isannabethannabethannabeth and he didn’t want to think anything else. Even though he’s kissed her a million times, it’s just as mind blowing with every kiss they share. His mind wandered back to their first kiss, the one at the airport. Smiling to himself, Percy pulls back from the current kiss.
"Hey, Wise Girl?"
"Hm?"
"I’m sorry."
Annabeth laughed, already understanding where he was going with this. “For proposing to me?"
"For not doing it earlier," he whispers, kissing her again.
And she can barely mumble out an, “apology accepted" before a huge wave crashes over them, and Percy rolls his eyes.
"Dad says congratulations. He was listening in," Percy muttered, a little peeved, but it didn’t last. A smile made its way to his lips. “I love you."
And Annabeth could have answered, but instead she latched onto Percy hand, rolling over to rest her head on his chest as they started stargazing, eventually falling asleep on the beach at Camp Half-Blood, where they still go during the summer as counselors.
Annabeth and Percy are even more of a legendary couple after the news of their recent engagement reaches the gods. If you didn’t support them as a couple before, you definitely did now. They were disgustingly in love, but adorably hating each other on the side. They argued constantly, but it always ended with a fond smile and a whispered, “I love you".
The gods even took it as far as throwing a party for them on Olympus, and all of their old friends congratulated them, many claiming that they ‘so called it’. Silena was nearly in tears, so happy that her main priority of a couple was now engaged. Her mother had petted her hair and nodded in understanding, knowing what it was like to watch love blossom. It was beautiful; an art to them, but it was all but art for Percy and Annabeth.
Their relationship was anything but conventional. They were both demigods, whose godly parents absolutely abhorred each other, they argued constantly, nearly in ten minute intervals, and quite honestly it was a clashing of personalities.
There was Percy, spontaneous, ready for anything the second it happened, doing whatever he wanted when he wanted, and untamable like the sea. He had no schedule, and he didn’t desire to have one. He was careless, a little awkward, but content with himself, which came off as cocky at times, but it was honestly him being comfortable with being him.
Annabeth was different; a major planner, wanting to think things through carefully. She had her days planned down to ever last second. Annabeth was extremely careful, a perfectionist and maybe a bit OCD. She believed in herself, and she was independent as she practically raised herself, which was taken as rude at times. Annabeth didn’t want to do anything unless she had all of the background knowledge and she was carrying around a facts sheet on it.
They were different, but maybe that was the secret to a good relationship, quite literally blessed by the gods. Being the same would be boring.
And it’s simply not acceptable for a demigod’s life to be boring, now is it?