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She walks away with a smirk, trying to resist the urge to look back at him.
She fails.
After only a few feet she can’t stop herself from turning back and sure enough he’s still looking at her, still standing there holding his skateboard.
When he notices she’s turned around, he flashes her a slow and easy grin that definitely doesn’t make her heart race.
Percy Jackson stood out to her the moment she walked into art history, scanned the seats, and found him lounging in the back row of the lecture center while scrolling through his phone and toying with his lip ring.
And that’s when she knew she needed to sit at least two rows away from him.
Strangest of all, despite her wearing every color he doesn’t, despite being neat and studious and the exact opposite of him, she’s managed to get his attention. She’s not sure if he’s trying to be subtle and failing or just openly looking, but she can feel his eyes on her as soon as she walks in.
Annabeth has always been partial to skirts and dresses anyway, but the way he scans her especially when she’s wearing one doesn’t escape her (and definitely doesn’t excuse her for shopping for more).
It’s win-win situation really.
She turns back around and heads towards her next class, the image of Percy skating still playing back in her mind. (She was not aware he could become more attractive and yet…)
A sign of how bad of an influence he is, her notes are more rushed than normal as her mind starts to formulate a plan.
-.-
Annabeth makes a point to always feel a hundred percent confident in her outfits. And it’s not like she’s not confident now…she’s just a little…unsure.
Having purchased a plaid pleated skirt (in a light pink she needs to have some color) and black platform boots, she brings it together with a cropped black t-shirt. It’s not incredibly different (in fact this is the most she could do while staying in her comfort zone) but it’s different enough for her to wonder if it’s the right move.
It’s too late to question it now though, she opens the door to art history and forces herself not to look towards the back even when she feels his eyes on her. Setting down in her handbag by her usual seat, she can’t resist anymore and glances over at him.
He’s wearing his usual black ensemble and a black (of course) snapback with some logo she doesn’t recognize. The snapback hides his face a little but even then, she can tell he’s staring at her.
Shooting him a quick smile, she sits down, facing the professor who’s thankfully just walked in. Art history is even harder to concentrate in, it’s like his eyes are burning into her the entire class.
As soon as it’s over, she heads to the quad, loosing him for a second in the crowd of students changing classes. Sitting on a bench near the one from yesterday, she scrolls through her phone and hopes that he’ll find her (all while surreptitiously looking around for him).
It’s not till the quad clears again that he comes into view, skating directly towards her. She looks down immediately.
“Annabeth.”
Hearing her name from his mouth is a different feeling all together. She looks up at him through her lashes and smiles. “Percy.”
Neatly, she stands up, noting his eyes following the movement.
“This is…new...” He gestures vaguely towards her general outfit, and she has to try to bite back a smirk.
“I thought I’d try something new,” she replies as cheerfully as she can under his gaze, giving him a little spin. (And sure enough, his eyes are darker than before when she meets them again). “What do you think?”
He just stares for second and she uses it to take a half-step closer to him.
“It’s good,” he finally coughs out. Breaking is cool exterior is a personal victory for her.
“I feel like I need a little something…” she muses, and takes a chance, reaching for his snapback (giving him time to pull away) and grabbing it when he doesn’t move.
She plops it on her own head. “Better?”
Percy bites down on his lip ring, an action that completely throws her off her game. Is it him who’s moving closer now? She’s not sure and drowning a little in his sea-green eyes.
“Yeah,” he says barely above a whisper. “Any special reason for the outfit change?”
“I didn’t know you were keeping such close track,” she shoots back with a smirk as if her heart isn’t threating to jump out her chest.
Percy grins, toying with his lip ring again and her eyes can’t help but follow the movement. And just when she thinks he might lean in, he backs up. “Want to try riding?”
He gestures to his skateboard (her mind is already running away with the wording), but she shakes her head.
“Oh I don’t—”
“I got you.”
And then his hand is on her lower back, and she’s supposed to be stepping on the board, but she can’t stop herself from stepping closer to him instead. His eyes dart to her lips for a second before meeting her eyes.
“Like what you see?” she whispers, hoping that he’s just going to kiss her.
“Always,” he responds. “And while today is good, I mean…fucking fantastic, I…”
She feels her heart stop at his words.
“I miss the colors…the…”
“Oh.”
She gets what he’s trying to say and, in a way, knowing he likes her more her normal way feels nice.
“You have no idea what they make me want to do,” he murmurs, leaning closer.
“Oh?”
And then finally, his lips are on hers and she’s floating and drowning all at once.
Once they pull apart, he leans forward and whispers exactly what they make him want to do.
“Oh.”