Archive of Our Own

The girl with blonde hair knew they were moving in. She just didn’t know who they were.

She had seen the moving trucks, heard the feet trudging up and down their hall. Had heard their murmuring voices through the doors. Her mom had even brought them up at dinner the other night. A boy, about her age, and his mom. His single mom, she’d stressed, as if that were something that needed emphasizing. Her dad smiled in that distracted way of his and suggested they stop by and say hello. Looking at Annabeth, he asked if she would like that.

She shrugged.

To be completely honest, she was entirely uninterested.

The next day, her dad dragged her out into the hall. While he knocked on the door she hid behind his legs and he smiled fondly down at her. The door opened and a woman with black hair and laughter in her eyes answered. She smiled tentatively and her dad smiled back. “Hi, I’m Frederick. Frederick Chase, we live just down the hall.”

The woman opened the door wider and her smile opened up. Annabeth was amazed by that smile. It lit up her entire face, making her seem younger, happier, more carefree. It made her an entirely different person. “Sally Jackson,” the woman said as an introduction, holding her hand out to shake.

She was still hiding behind her dad’s legs, when the woman—Sally—said, “And who’s this?”

“Annabeth, come on, say hello.” She steeled her resolve and stepped out from behind her dad.

Annabeth stuck out her hand to shake, just as she had been taught. But instead of being met by laughter like from most adults, she instead got a smile and a firm shake. “Hello,” Sally said, smiling (Annabeth figured she did that a lot), “it’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” she replied in a small voice and quickly dropped her hand and stepped back.

Thankfully, her dad took over after that. “We just thought we’d stop by and say hello; you know, welcome the neighbors and whatnot,” he said, taking off his glasses, polishing them on his shirt, and pushing them back onto his nose. A nervous tick, Annabeth noted.

Sally laughed. “Thanks, you’re the first people to say hello, actually. I don’t know if it’s just the building vibe or if it’s us…” Her dad laughed. “Oh, I should introduce my son, Percy. I don’t know where he is…” she trailed off, looking behind her. Then: “Percy! I can see you, don’t think I can’t—oh, for gods' sake—come here, you rascal—”

A boy wearing all blue (all blue. She wasn’t kidding. All blue.) bounded over and stopped right next to his mom. He kept bouncing on his feet. It was like he couldn’t stop moving. “This is Percy,” she said, resting her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to stop his bouncing. (It didn’t.)

He looked up at his mom and she nodded her head towards them. As if remembering, he gravely stuck his hand out and said, “It’s nice to meet you, sir,” in the most morose voice Annabeth had ever heard.

Her dad shook and looked back up at Sally. “How old is he?” he asked, curious.

“Six,” he replied hotly. Apparently he didn’t like being ignored either.

Her dad barely noticed. “Same age as Annabeth here, then.”

Percy’s eyes met hers and her stomach plummeted to the ground. He smiled. (Tentatively.)

“Oh my goodness, I’m being so rude!” his mom gushed suddenly, as if she had only remembered. “Come in!”

Inside, there were still boxes everywhere. They had a kitchen table though, and two chairs, so Percy’s mom and her dad sat down while they stood in the hall. She eyed him warily. All she could really think about was how much she would rather be at home in her room with her books. Instead she was here with him. Which wasn’t really his fault, but who else was she going to blame?

She eyed him. “Why do you only wear blue?” she asked, not quite hostile, but not quite friendly, either.

He eyed her back. “It’s the best color,” he shrugged.

She shrugged back.

That was about the extent of their conversation.

By the time Annabeth’s dad said they had to leave, Percy was bouncing again. Always bouncing. (She found it kind of annoying.)

She stood up, nodded to Percy, and left.

She thought that was going to be the end of it. Boy, was she wrong.

-x-

The next day he came over to ask Annabeth to play. She said no. She didn’t have time to play.

He came again the day after that. No again. She liked her reading time, thank you very much.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

He kept coming. For three weeks he came asking Annabeth to play. For three weeks she said no because she didn’t have time, because she was busy, because she wanted to be alone. Every day he would come, get shot down, and return home with the same goofy grin on his face. Every day. Without fail.

“Do you wanna play?”

Annabeth had come to anticipate his arrival. She would wait by the door and listen for his footsteps on the ground. It had happened so often she could open the door even before he knocked.

“Do you wanna play?”

She looked at him. His eyes were green—she’d noticed that now. That first day she had been so distracted by all the blue she had barely noticed the green. Now it was hard not to notice them.

“Do you wanna play?” he asked, his eyes ever so hopeful. She narrowed her eyes, thinking. What did she have to lose if she said yes? No, that was the wrong question. The better question was what did she have to gain?

She cocked her head to the side. “Yeah, okay.” She said it nonchalantly, like it was nothing. But it wasn’t nothing, not for Annabeth. She had never been good at making friends. Her nervousness was short lived, though. Because the smile she had seen that first day from his mom was the same smile she was seeing now—like she had just hung the moon.

-x-

They played every day that summer. Annabeth never went anywhere for vacation—her parents could never decide on a spot together. Percy never went anywhere, either. He never said why and she never asked. It didn't matter much, anyway. As long as he was with her.

Pretty soon they’d become inseparable. They discovered they both had rooms at the back by the fire escape so sometimes they would climb out there and sit for hours, away from everyone except each other.

They were always together, without fail. Always Percy and Annabeth or Annabeth and Percy. (They couldn’t decide which name should come first. It had been the source of many arguments between them.)

-x-

As the fighting between Annabeth’s parents became more and more frequent, she started spending more time at Percy’s. Not that Sally minded. She loved having Annabeth over. She thought she was a good influence on Percy. ("Oh, on the contrary, my slightly taller friend!" Percy laughed when he heard this, "I take pride in being a bad influence on you, not the other way around!")

When the yelling got too loud Annabeth would crawl out on the fire escape and knock on Percy’s window. “Hey, are you awake?”

Percy would always answer, even if he really wasn’t. “Yeah,” he’d say. Sometimes he’d be rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Whenever Annabeth had woken him up, she would insist he go back to sleep but he would stubbornly tell her he he hadn’t been sleeping. “Sleeping’s for chumps,” he’d say. “I was awake this whole time, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” They both knew he was lying, but Annabeth let him get away with it. (For once.) She was just grateful he was there.

Sometimes they would listen to music—one earbud for each of them—and turn the volume up so high they were pretty sure it would burst their ear drums. At least then they wouldn’t be able to hear the yelling of angry voices.

-x-

By the time they turned eight her parents finally got divorced and Percy’s place had become her second home.

Though their parents never really let them have sleepovers, per se, sometimes they would crawl into the other’s room at night when they thought everyone was asleep and would stay awake giggling and play card games until the early hours of the morning.

Annabeth got really good at shuffling cards.

Percy pretty much sucked at everything.

-x-

Belongings were packed and stored into neat cardboard boxes, and Annabeth’s mom moved out and started travelling for work. The night after she left, really left, for good, Annabeth knocked on Percy’s window.

“You awake?”

“Yeah.”

Percy came out to the fire escape and they sat there, shoulder to shoulder, feet swinging in empty space, not speaking. After a while, Annabeth let herself rest her head on his shoulder and he, almost instinctively, leaned his head on the top of hers.

Percy felt his t-shirt start to get wet and realized that she was crying—it was the first time he had ever seen her cry.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Shh, it’s okay.” He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned in. “It’s okay,” he kept chanting. “It’s okay…” She shook her head, her tears coming faster.

It was the first and only she’d ever cried about her family life. Percy, having never had to encounter a crying girl before, didn’t know what to do. He hesitated at first, unsure, but eventually leaned in, and she pressed her face to the fabric of his shirt and cried even harder.

The next morning she returned to her room, her eyes puffy and a lump in her throat, but a small smile on her face.

She knew Percy was there for her and would be there for her. He was terrible at comforting, all awkward pats and hushed words, but she was glad he was there anyway.

In fact, she couldn’t think of anyone else she would even remotely want to be there.

-x-

They built forts out of pillows and chairs and ate blue cookies and debated over which was the ultimate Disney film.

Annabeth said Mulan because she adored the idea of a woman warrior, or perhaps Beauty and the Beast—what could she say? She simply aspired to be Belle. Percy couldn’t decide. One day he said Hercules, the next Treasure Island (she suspected he fancied himself a young Jim Hawkins).

All the while her dad was next door building a new family Annabeth didn’t anticipate being made a part of.

-x-

By the time they were twelve they knew each other better than they knew themselves.

Middle school brought changes, but they were still Percy and Annabeth, Annabeth and Percy. They continued to fight like cats and dogs but they could never seem to stay mad at each other. Their screaming matches were legendary at school, and the two of them had ended up in the principal’s office a few more times than she was proud of, but by the time they both managed to cool off they always went back to normal.

-x-

“What do you think kissing is like?” Annabeth asked Percy once. They were thirteen by then and it was the summer before eighth grade.

Percy shrugged. “I dunno. Who cares?” They were lying on the ground next to each other in Percy’s room. He had a tennis ball in his hand: throw and catch, throw and catch. Annabeth had another one of her books.

She laid the book down on her stomach and raised herself on her elbow to look down at him. “You haven’t kissed anyone, have you?”

He laughed at this but looked up to find her eyes piercing his. “No. I haven’t. (Throw and catch.) Then, as if the thought had just occurred to him for the first time, “Why, have you?” It was his turn to look suspicious now.

“No!” She flopped back onto the ground.

“Alright,” he said (throw), “why do you ask?” (Catch.) She shrugged. “Are you… curious?” he wiggled his eyebrows and Annabeth burst into a fit of laughter. Pretty soon she had rolled away from Percy, writhing on the floor clutching her stomach, gasping for air. “Alright,” he started hotly, going up onto his elbow, “alright, you can stop laughing now, my self esteem has taken enough for the day.”

“Sorry,” she gasped out, “it’s just you—you're—” she fell into another hysterical fit of laughter and Percy waited patiently, if somewhat irritatedly, for her to regain her composure.

Her giggles finally came to a halt and she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Oh, gods. That was too much,” she grinned and turned to face him. “Sorry,” she smiled (somewhat) apologetically.

He shrugged and fell back on the ground beside her. (Throw and catch.) “Why all the interest in kissing, anyway?” Percy asked. It’s not that he wasn’t… curious, as he’d put it before. People made such a big deal out of it and he’d seen more chick flicks with Annabeth than he was ever going to be willing to admit, but it wasn’t something they’d ever talked about, and Percy was completely fine with that. (The not-talking-about-it thing, that is.)

“I dunno, it’s just people make such a big deal out of it and everything and I just feel…” she drifted off.

“Inadequate for once in your life?” Percy finished for her, teasing.

She glared at him. (A common occurrence.) “If you wish to put it that way then fine, yes.” He smirked. “What?” she demanded.

he sang.

“Oh, piss off.” She turned away from him.

“Hey,” she felt a tap on her shoulder. She didn’t turn to face him. “Are you really that worried about it?” She shrugged. “‘Cause you shouldn’t be. You know that, right?”

“Christ, Percy,” she sighed, exasperated, “I’ve never even been on a date.”

He laughed. “Annabeth, trust me. You have nothing to worry about.” She finally turned to face him.

“Oh, yeah?” she said, her eyebrows rising. “And how do you know?”

This time he shrugged. “You’re perfectly pretty. You’re just… intimidating sometimes.”

“Intimidating,” she repeated, her eyebrows raised.

“Yeah,” he inwardly cringed.

“Intimidating how?” she demanded.

He sighed, frustrated. “I don’t know! You’re just—okay, look. You’re just kind of… controlling.”

“I am not!” she replied indignantly.

“Do you want my help or not?”

“Fine.”

“And… you kind of give of this vibe,” he said wincing. She narrowed her eyes. “Like if anyone says something out of line you’ll kick him in the balls.” He paused for a moment. Then, “You’re kind of doing it right now.”

She groaned and covered her face with her hands. “I can just give up, can’t I?” she said, her words muffled by her hands. “There’s no rule that says I can’t give up.” She took her hands away from her face and stared at the ceiling. “I give up! I give up on boys.”

“Do you, though?” Percy smirked. (Throw.) “Do you really?” (Catch.)

“Get out while you can, right? Before I get too wrapped up in all that crazy?”

“Ideally. Unfortunately very few have the willpower to quit the game this early on.”

“That’s their problem, not mine. I’m saving myself a lot of pain in my future.”

“By quitting?”

“Exactly.”

They were quiet for a few moments and the only sound was Percy throwing and catching his ball. Over and over again. He glanced over at Annabeth, she had her eyes closed, and looked at her—really looked at her.

He meant what he’d said before. She really was pretty. But she was… well, she was Annabeth.

“Percy.”

“Hmm?”

“Stop staring at me.”

“Hmm.” She opened her eyes and met his. Percy thought back to the first day they’d met. Her eyes was what had first captured his attention. Grey. Calculating. Even when they were six.

“So,” he started.

“So,” she repeated.

“Kissing, huh?”

She groaned and then laughed. “Kissing,” she confirmed. “I just want to get it over with, if I’m being completely honest,” she confessed.

“Ditto.” A thought occurred to him. It was almost too ridiculous to even say out loud— almost too ridiculous to even think, but, “So why don’t we?” He wanted to stop the words even as they were coming out of his mouth.

She shifted her eyes to his, suspicious. “Why don’t we what?”

He shook his head, too appalled that he’d even said anything. “Why don’t we what, Percy?”

He pressed his lips together and shook his head even more vehemently than before.

“Perseus Jackson, you tell me right now what you were going to say!”

“Why don’t we kiss!” he finally blurted out. The look on her face was so astonished he rushed on. “I mean, just to get it over with! To—to see what it’s like!”

Percy was floundering for words and they both knew it. “Never mind! I didn’t say anything! Forget it! This conversation never happened!” He was in full panic mode now, just shouting things to try to erase what he’d said before. “Nothing! What? I don’t know!” He stood and and starting walking circles around his room. “It was just stupid. I don’t know why I thought it. I don’t know why I said it! Why would I say that? Wow! Okay!” he laughed, a bit crazed. “Nothing! Never mind!”

“Percy,” Annabeth called. “Percy!” She stood up too. He was too busy freaking out to take any notice of her.

He was still talking. “It was just stupid. I mean, the topic came up and we were just talking and I mean, it’s not like, you know, and I just I thought it might be a good idea at the time but now it just sounds stupid and just you know so…” he babbled on.

Annabeth quickly walked over to him in two long strides—his room wasn’t very big— and took his face in her hands. And kissed him.

Percy’s mind went into overdrive. Except it was already in overdrive. So it went into over-overdrive.

It was a little awkward at first, but her lips were warm and soft against his and she was solid and real and there and it wasn’t actually a figment of Percy’s imagination and it was… it was pretty much amazing.

And it was Annabeth.

Finally they broke apart. It wasn’t really a long kiss, but it felt like eternity to Percy. They were both breathing hard and their eyes met—grey and green.

“That wasn’t so horrible, was it?” she asked, a small smile tugging at her lips. Percy didn’t think he’d look at her lips the same ever again.

He shook his head mutely.

She nodded. Cleared her throat. “Alright. Well. Now that that’s over with…”

-x-

The days after that were a little awkward. They were still Percy and Annabeth, but… things were different.

He even contemplated asking her out on a date.

Him.

It’s just… it was Annabeth.

How could he like Annabeth?

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about it, it was just he thought it would never happen. Because she’d never feel the same way and their friendship was the best thing that happened to him in his thirteen years and he didn’t want to screw it up over one kiss.

One really, really awesome kiss. (Not that he had anything to base it off of, but… how could it really get better than that?)

He decided to keep quiet.

He really just didn’t want to lose his best friend.

-x-

Annabeth couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss.

And it was pissing her off. She didn’t know what to do—she always knew what to do. She was Annabeth Chase. She always had a plan. But Percy… Percy made her not have a plan.

And she didn’t know what to think about that.

Things had been tense between them. Yes, they were still Annabeth and Percy—they always would be—but the dynamic had shifted. She had caught Percy staring at her sometimes. And he had caught her staring back.

She found herself terrified by the prospect of him asking her out on a date. She found herself wishing he would.

As it turns out, she couldn’t give up on boys after all.

A few weeks passed and he hadn’t asked her out, thank gods. He hadn’t even mentioned it. She was relieved.

(And a bit disappointed.)

-x-

At the beginning of 8th grade Percy started dating a girl in their grade—Nancy Bobofit. She had hair like fire and green eyes to match his. It was like that fire ran through the rest of her too. She and Percy had hated each other’s guts ever since the first grade.

If you asked Annabeth, her best guess was all that hatred turned out to be sexual tension in disguise.

Luckily things had gone back to normal between them. Annabeth didn’t think she would’ve been able to handle losing her best friend over something so trivial as a kiss. Especially a kiss that didn’t mean anything.

(Because that’s all it had been. A kiss. That’s it. No deeper meaning behind it, what’s so ever. Because that would be ridiculous. And that would screw everything up. So. No meaning, she’d decided. And she was sticking to her story, thank you very much.)

And so Annabeth was there three weeks later when Nancy Bobofit dumped him and started dating some macho lacrosse player with bigger muscles and an even bigger ego.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “I just feel stupid, you know? I’m that kid that got dumped by Nancy Bobofit of all people.”

Annabeth smiled. “Well, no one expected it to work out longer than a month anyway. Grover and Frank even betted on it.”

He groaned. “Of course they did.”

“Percy.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

He looked up and their eyes met. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

She nodded. “Good.”

-x-

“What do you mean you’re not going to be able to make it?”

“I’m sorry, honey, it’s just crazy at work and I can’t leave. Not now.”

“Yeah. You can never leave.” Annabeth hung up the phone.

She couldn’t believe she was doing this to her. Again. She had done this over and over and Annabeth was still naïve enough to think that maybe, just maybe next time this wouldn’t happen. That she would actually stand and deliver.

She’d asked her mom to come to Back to School night. The gods knew she wasn’t going to ask her dad. He was too busy with his other family. Always too busy for Annabeth. Her mom had even said she would—no, more than that. She’d promised.

Well, her mom and dad had also promised to always stand by each other. Annabeth supposed promises didn’t mean much in their family anymore.

The next day at school she was distracted. Back to School night was that night and though she was trying really hard, Annabeth couldn’t bring herself to not be bitter about it all. All the teachers were hanging up things in their classrooms, putting up the final touches.

Most kids hated school. They hated classes, they hated learning, they hated teachers. Annabeth loved it. Yeah. She was that kid. School gave her a break from her crazy messed up family. It gave her a place to just be Annabeth Chase.

And she was good at it, too. She got good grades, she made friends, she did extracurriculars.

The only place she liked more than school was Percy’s house.

So, yeah. Back to School night was a big deal for her. And no one would be there with her. For her. Like usual.

Percy noticed. (Of course he did.) She was in a rotten mood and she couldn’t handle his smiles, his jokes. So she steered clear of him. She did that sometimes on the days when he got to be too much.

He caught up to her during one of the passing periods. “Hey,” he said, coming up and walking beside her.

She just nodded.

“Wanna tell me what wrong?”

“Nothing,” her tone was clipped.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Then why are you giving me one-word answers?”

“‘M not. See? That was two words.”

He grinned. “You’re really not going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Nothing to tell.”

The warning bell rang. “I’m going to needle it out of you, Chase. I’m not giving up that easily.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Annabeth answered in a flat voice.

He sat with her at lunch. He never sat with her at lunch. At school he had his friends and she had hers. Not that they weren’t best friends at school, they just liked hanging around different people. Which meant they never really hung out together, not at school at least.

Still, it was common knowledge Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson were best friends.

He’d found her in the lunch line. “What’s wrong?” he asked again.

“Nothing, Percy.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked again stubbornly.

“Nothing,” she answered just as fiercely.

“You’re really going to shut me out? When I didn’t even do anything?”

“I’m not shutting you out, I just don’t want to talk about it.” She had gotten to the front of the and ordered her food (a ham sandwich and an apple).

They walked back to her table in silence and Annabeth sat at the end. (Her friends scooted over so Percy could sit across from her.)

They sat the entire lunch period in silence, just glaring at each other. Annabeth’s friends glanced nervously over at them from time to time but gave them space. No one wanted to get between that. They were pretty sure if someone interrupted their silent argument they would both snap.

At the end of lunch Percy followed her out and stood in front of her locker.

“Percy, move.”

“No.”

“Percy, move, I need to get my books.”

“No.”

“Perseus Jackson, if you do not move I swear to gods I will gut you.”

“Try.”

“You are so infuriating.”

“Yup.” She glared at him for a moment. “Are you ready to tell me what’s wrong?”

Annabeth sighed and rubbed the right side of her forehead, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes. “My mom can’t make it to Back to School night,” she rushed out in one breath.

Percy’s eyes flashed. Annabeth instinctively cringed—she hated it when people pitied her. That was one thing she absolutely could. Not. Stand. But… well, it was Percy. The boy who moved in next door when she was six. The one person who understood her more than anyone else, who she could be herself around, who would actually tolerate her problems. The one person who actually cared enough to look at her like that. She felt her eyes sting. No, she thought, no, I will not get emotional, this is stupid, everything is stupid, this is not happening.

“Hey, c’mere.” She stepped forward and he wrapped his arms around her. “Sorry,” he said against her hair. “I didn’t know.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I refused to tell you.”

He smiled. “Do you want my mom to drive you?” She shook her head and he nodded. “Okay. You okay?” She nodded.

“Good.”

-x-

Eighth grade passed quickly. One minute school was starting and then it was Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then Spring Break, and then… graduation. Middle school: done. Just like that.

Eighth grade graduation felt kind of like a joke to Annabeth. It was eighth grade for gods' sake. What were they even celebrating?

The dance after graduation was kind of great, though. Annabeth bought a flowy light blue dress that fell to the floor and swept over one shoulder. Her friends had all gotten together to get ready and Piper had swept Annabeth’s hair into an elaborate bun that she could never have done herself. Later into the night Annabeth’s friends herded Percy over just as a slow song came on. Annabeth cocked her eyebrow at the sight of him. He shrugged helplessly.

“Ask her to dance!” Piper yelled. Annabeth shot her a look and she just grinned devilishly at her.

Annabeth laughed at the look on Percy’s face—like he was a caged animal looking for an escape.

He looked at her as she laughed and a grin quirked his lips. “A dance, miss?” he asked, holding out his hand.

“Only if you promise not to step on my toes,” she grinned.

“No promises,” he replied gravely. She laughed and took his hand.

He pulled her into him and they stood there, swaying together. Annabeth rested her cheek on his shoulder and his hand rested against her back.

And so, middle school closed the way everything else did for Annabeth—with Percy at her side.

-x-

Freshman year came around and it was no secret that Annabeth was terrified. Percy tried to calm her down saying, “It’s only freshman year, Annabeth, sheesh.”

She was already so stressed out that when he said it one too many times she snapped and yelled, “It’s high school, Percy! It counts! I want to do something with my life, I don’t want to end up like my parents marrying someone I despise doing something I despise!”

He calmed her down but took her words to heart.

On the first day of school he looked down at her, a slow smile creeping across his face.

“What?” she asked nervously, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. He shook his head. “What?” she pressed.

He grinned cheekily. “I’m finally taller than you.”

She laughed breathily. “Took you long enough, too. I thought you were going to be a scrawny little rat forever.” He elbowed her and she elbowed him back and she knew she’d be okay.

-x-

He wrinkled his nose.

“What? Seriously, why not? What do you have to lose from doing this? Or at least trying?’

“I don’t know, it all just seems so…”

“High School Musical?”

“Exactly.”

They were sitting in the courtyard after school. Annabeth had her books spread out before her and Percy was lying flat on his back, music blaring from his phone. “It’s just,” he continued, “the basketball team? I don’t know.”

Annabeth sighed. “Come on, Percy. You’re good. And I’m not just saying that because you’re my friend.” He scoffed. He knew she wasn’t nice enough to do that, anyway. She shot him an annoyed look and plowed on. “You win every time we play.”

He laughed. “Yeah, but you suck.”

“Okay, you beat Grover every time you play,” she amended. “And Frank. And Jason— well, sometimes Jason.” He wrinkled his nose again. “Percy, it’s freshman year. Everyone always says to get into extracurriculars freshman year. To ‘make friends,’” she said sarcastically, using extensive air quotes. “What’s the harm?”

He sighed. “I mean, I guess I could give it a shot, no pun intended,” he grinned at his own joke. About to say something more, he drifted off at Annabeth’s triumphant smile. “What?”

“Your mother owes me ten bucks. We wanted to see who could convince you first.”

He groaned and flung an arm over his eyes. “Of course she does. You and my mother are heathens.”

She shrugged, the sunlight catching her hair. “What can you do, you know?”

Two weeks later he found out he made Junior Varsity. Annabeth’s proud smile almost convinced him to thank her. (Almost.)

-x-

“I need a favor,” she said, cringing. She knew every time she asked a favor from Percy he would hold it over her head until she found a way to repay him.

(She was pretty sure he had a list.)

“Oh?” he grinned deviously. “And what would that be, dear friend of mine?”

“Will you help me recruit people for debate team?” Sophomore year had rolled around and Annabeth had been made captain of the debate team. And she was freaking out. “Before you say no, I have a few points I would like to make: One, I am captain this year. Which means I have to organize stuff. And all the good people were seniors and so they all graduated which means we are low in supply of people. Please. And two, I will pay you. Okay, so I won’t pay you, but I will buy you pizza. And you can pick the toppings. Which means anchovies. And you know I hate anchovies.” She said it all in one breath and by the end she was looking expectantly at Percy.

“So? Can you help me?”

He heaved a huge sigh. “Fine, I suppose I can help.” Annabeth gritted her teeth. He was going to draw this out as long as possible, wasn’t he? “But only because you’re my favorite and I get pizza. Which is, coincidentally, why you’re my favorite.” She shoved him. He flashed her a smile. “Come on, Chase,” he said, flinging an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go nerd hunting.”

-x-

On Annabeth’s sixteenth birthday she and Percy sat out on their fire escape (yes, so, technically it wasn’t theirs, but it might as well have) and shared blue cake. “Do you like anyone?” she asked quietly.

“Like as in like or like like?”

She grinned. “It’s good to know your vocabulary hasn’t extended above the first grade level.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t need to use such childish terms if you specified.” He nudged her. “No, I do not like like anyone. Not at the moment. Why? Do you?”

Percy looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Her blonde hair fell in waves around her shoulders. Their conversation reminded him (uncomfortably) of one they’d had almost three years ago in which they’d ended up kissing. (Percy doubted that would happen again this time.)

She shrugged. He turned his hair to fully face her. “You do!” he accused, laughing. She blushed. “Well, who is it? Spill,” he poked her side.

“You’re worse than Piper and she’s, like, the Queen of Gossip.”

He laughed. “You’re the one who brought it up, Chase. Now spill,” he commanded.

She shot him an exasperated look and faced him. “Fine, it’s that guy Luke.”

“Luke... Luke… Not ringing any bells,” he drifted off, thinking. “Wait, is there even a Luke in our grade?”

She blushed again. “No.”

His eyes lit up in amusement. “Oh, this is too good. Luke? Luke Castellan? As in junior Luke Castellan?” He cracked up. “Wow, Annabeth Chase likes a junior. Who would’ve thought? That’s a little racy, don’t you think?”

She glared at him. “He’s not even that much older, Perce, gods.”

He nudged her knee with his. “You know I’m joking.” He leaned back on his hands. “Luke Castellan, huh? Funny, I never pegged him as one of the ones you’d go for.”

Actually, if Percy was being honest, he was completely shocked. It was just that Luke Castellan was… well, he was kind of a jackass. He expressed these feelings, and Annabeth nodded morosely. “Yes. He is. Unfortunately for the female population, he is an extremely attractive jackass with great hair.”

Percy chuckled. He was still a little uneasy about it but, well, it was Annabeth. He decided to trust her judgement. She was the Wise Girl, after all.

And anyway, wasn’t like she would ever listen to him if he told her not to date him. So he trusted her.

He tried to remember that a few months later as he comforted her through their first break up… and their second… and their third…

-x-

By junior year Luke and Annabeth had been dating on and off for about a year. And to be honest, Percy was getting kind of sick of it. Sick of finding Annabeth crying, sick of seeing Luke in the hallway surrounded by five different girls, sick of them breaking up, sick of Annabeth taking him back every damn time—he was sick of all of it.

And there was nothing he could do. Because it was Annabeth. And not only would she punch him in the throat if he did, in fact, find something to do about it, but it would also probably make things awkward between them. And Percy couldn’t chance that.

So he instead he was there for her as Luke broke her heart over and over and over again.

-x-

Annabeth was walking to class when she saw it.

She was late for Latin with Mr. Brunner and she knew full well he didn’t have an aversion to giving detentions for tardiness. So she ran. She ran and prayed he would be lenient seeing as this had never happened before.

She was dashing up the stairway to the third floor (the elevators were really too slow in this damn school) sprinting down the hall when she saw it. Or rather, she saw him.

A certain him with blue eyes and great hair. Who was currently caging some sophomore who was wearing a shirt that was at least three sizes too small for her against the lockers, somehow shoving his tongue down her throat and smiling lazily at the same time.

And still looking good while doing it.

Annabeth’s books clattered out of her hands without her realizing it and the sophomore opened her eyes and saw Annabeth there gaping at them. She shot her a glare and looked back up at Luke trying to pull his face down for another kiss.

Luke shot an annoyed look over his shoulder and started leaning down again before he processed the sight of her there. He froze, the smile promptly slipping off his face. He tensed, his back went rigid and he stiffly turned around to meet her gaze.

Annabeth knew there were tears glistening in her eyes and she swallowed, refusing to let him see her cry. She’d be damned if she let him see her shed tears because of him. “Annabeth—” he started, stepping towards her. She cut him off.

“Fucking stay away from me,” she said, her voice full of cold fury that surprised even her. She fought to keep her voice steady. “Stay the hell away from me, you bastard,” she spat. With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Despite the fact she was walking in the opposite direction of her Latin class.

-x-

“Ms. Chase?” Mr. Brunner called out. When he was met with silence, he looked up from the attendance sheet. “Ms. Chase?” he repeated. When no one say anything again he frowned. “Has anyone seen Annabeth today?”

Piper spoke up, “I saw her at lunch, Mr. B.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “How peculiar.” He went on with roll call.

Percy glanced at the clock. Annabeth should be here. He’d just seen her last period and she would have texted him if she was leaving.

All throughout the lesson he kept glancing at the door. Halfway through class Mr. Brunner sighed. “Is there something you need, Mr. Jackson?” he asked, irritated.

Percy’s head shot up. “What? No, Mr. B,” he realized he’d been staring fixatedly at the door. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He cleared his throat. “Um, can I go to the nurse, sir?”

He eyed Percy, knowing full well his intentions. Finally, he sighed. “I’ll write you a pass.” Percy nodded his thanks and picked up his books, bolting out of the room.

He ran down the hallway and saw Luke. “Hey, have you seen Annabeth?” he called out to him.

Luke stiffened and turned around. Seeing Percy, he tried to smile but it ended up more of a grimace. He pointed, “I saw her go that way,” he said.

Percy nodded. “Thanks.” He still didn’t like Luke, but he tolerated him for Annabeth’s sake.

Percy proceeded down the hallway. When he didn’t see her he opened the door to the stairwell and found a girl in the corner crying. “Hey, are you okay?” Percy asked, a little concerned. Just not too concerned. Not concerned enough to, let’s say, approach her. (What, crying girls was not his forte.)

“Go away,” she croaked out. “Just leave me the fuck alone.”

Percy was held his hand up and was about to leave when he heard his name. “...Percy?”

He turned around and found Annabeth staring back at him. “Annabeth?” he gaped. “What the hell?”

She gave a watery chuckle. “Fitting that you should find me, isn’t it?” Her tone was bitter.

“What are you talking about? And why aren’t you in class? I thought Brunner was going to go ballistic, there was no one there to answer his questions.” She buried her face in her hands as he slid down the wall and settled beside her. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked more gently.

She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and exhaled slowly out of her nose. “Luke cheated on me.” She felt him stiffen beside her. “I was walking to Latin and I saw him making out with this sophomore against the lockers.”

“Jesus,” he breathed.

“I just…” she trailed off. “I just can’t get it out of my head. The sight of them. It was like he was trying to swallow her face,” she chuckled dryly. “Jesus, I hope that’s not what we looked like, how horrifying would that be.”

She looked over at Percy. His fists were clenched in fists and his jaw was tight. “Hey,” she nudged him.

He turned to her, fury in his eyes. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

“No, Percy,” she caught his wrist. “Don’t.”

He shook his head. “I’m going to do it, I am going to kill him.”

“Percy, it’s not worth it. Okay? It’s fine. I’m fine,” she said rubbing her face tiredly. She groaned. “I have to go to the bathroom. I can’t go into my next class looking like this.” She pushed herself off the wall and offered him her hand. His jaw was still clenched but he took her hand and she hauled him up. When she tried to let go, he held fast and pulled her into a hug.

“You okay?” he whispered into her hair.

She relaxed into him. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

The bell rang and she let go. “I have to go to the bathroom before next period. Shit.” She hurried off. “See you in Pre-calc. Don’t wait up,” she called over her shoulder.

Percy smiled at her for only a moment before he set off on his own mission. Because if there’s one thing he did know, Luke Castellan was not going to get away with this.

-x-

A passing period and some time later Annabeth was in her seat in Pre-calc but she couldn’t find him anywhere. She got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and checked her phone again. Nothing. She groaned and tried to concentrate. They had a test the next week and Annabeth really couldn’t afford to slack off.

About half way through the period her phone buzzed.

Percy: hey.

Annabeth: hey yourself. where the hell are you??

Percy: um…

Annabeth: percy jackson i swear to the gods if you do not tell me

Percy: im… kind of in the principals office?

Annabeth: percy

Percy: yeah

Annabeth: why the fuck are you in the principals office

Percy: …

Percy: i kind of got suspended

Annabeth scrambled to her feet. Everyone turned to her and Ms. Dodds looked at her expectantly. “Yes, Ms. Chase.”

She cleared her throat. “Can I go to the nurse? Please?” She put on her most pitiful face and prayed to the gods that it would work.

“It is last period, Ms. Chase, you really can’t wait until class is over? May I remind you we have a test next week?” Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she ignored it.

Inwardly Annabeth groaned. She really didn’t want to have to play this card. She walked up to Ms. Dodds desk and whispered, “I’m having some… issues.” She winced. “Feminine issues.”

Ms. Dodds’ eyes widened and without another word she wrote her a pass. Annabeth looked at her gratefully. (Probably the first time in her life.) “Thank you,” she muttered over her shoulder and practically ran from the room. She seemed to be missing a lot of class today.

While she was running through the hallway she checked her phone. 10 new messages from Percy Jackson, it read.

Percy: i kind of did something bad

Percy: sorry

Percy: actually no im not sorry

Percy: im not sorry at all

Percy: in fact im quite pleased

Percy: except for the suspension part that kind of sucks

Percy: please don’t be mad

Percy: i just had to do it

Percy: he’s such a fucking dick

Percy: you really can’t blame me i mean he was asking for it

Annabeth: PERSEUS JACKSON WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO??? she typed furiously.

Percy: um

Annabeth: where are you rn

Percy: nurses office

Finally she rounded the corner to the nurse’s office. She wrenched open the door and froze. There was Percy, sitting slouched in one of the the chairs with a wicked black eye and tissues stuffed up his nostrils to stop the flow of blood dripping from his nose.

And though she begged them not to, her eyes slowly moved to see the other person, with an equally black eye, only with an ice pack pressed against it, sitting on the other side of the room.

Luke.

“Jesus,” Annabeth breathed.

Percy smiled weakly. “Hey.”

The nurse walked back into the room with another ice pack in her hands and and saw Annabeth. “What can I help you with, dear?”

Annabeth, still in shock from Percy’s state, didn’t respond immediately. “Um,” she stuttered, “I just, um, stomach cramps.” She mutely handed her the pass from Ms. Dodds.

The nurse smiled and took the pass. “Well, I don’t know what I can do about that, but you can stay here until the end of the day if you like. School’s almost out, anyway.”

Annabeth smiled weakly. “Thanks,” she whispered, and made her way over to the chair next to Percy. The problem with that was Luke was now sitting opposite her. His eyes followed her every move and she looked over at Percy to find him glaring at Luke. She poked him in the shoulder and he tore his gaze away to look at her.

She smiled sweetly at him which, from the started expression on his face, she decided was not what he was expecting. “Percy, is it?” she asked. “What have you been up to to make you look like this?” she gritted out.

He grimaced. “Got in a fight,” he muttered.

“Did you, now?” Annabeth’s voice was loud and overly bright. “Well, doesn’t that sound exciting. What ever did you get in a fight for?”

“Guy was being a dick,” he mumbled.

“Hmm, well that’s alright then, isn’t it? If only there was someone who told you not to do anything before you went off and did it. Wouldn’t that have been helpful? Pity there wasn’t anyone there.” She sighed. “Well, what can you do? Some people just insist on being moronic.”

“Annabeth, I’m—” he started, but she cut him off, hugging him fiercely. It was a little awkward because of the arms of the chairs between them but that didn’t stop Annabeth.

“You’re an idiot,” she whispered.

She felt him smile. “Only around you.”

She released him and punched him in the arm and he yelped. “You don’t think I got beaten up enough?” he groaned.

“Hey, it was your fault, Seaweed Brain,” she said poking him in the chest.

Just then Luke cleared his throat and Annabeth stiffened. She had been able to ignore him, (almost) forget he was even there, but he was making that impossible. Still she wouldn’t look at him.

“Annabeth, we need to talk,” he began but the entrance of someone else cut him off. She was grateful.

“Well, well, well, we have a couple of trouble makers here, now don’t we?” a nasally voice came from the doorway. Annabeth looked up to see the stout form of Mr. D, their principal. Annabeth grimaced. “You,” he barked, “Peter Johnson, isn’t it? Your mother is here. I was so kindly about to go inform her that her son was suspended for week. Unless you would like to join me?” It sounded like a challenge and Annabeth winced. Percy nodded curtly and started to get to his feet but the nurse quickly stopped him.

“I don’t think that will really be necessary, Mr. Dionysus. Percy will stay here with me.” Mr. D narrowed his eyes at her but she held her ground. (Annabeth’s respect for that woman grew three times than it was when she first came in.) He sniffed. “Fine. Like I care. I just thought the woman would want to see her brat before I broke the terrible news,” he said sarcastically before walking out.

The nurse sighed and handed the ice pack to Percy. “Here you are, dear.” Percy took it gingerly before Annabeth plucked it out of his hands.

He groaned. “Annabeth, I know you’re mad at me, but withholding an ice pack is just cruel. And, besides, it’s unconstitutional.” She raised an eyebrow. “Cruel and usual punishment,” he shrugged.

“Relax,” she said, rolling her eyes. She gingerly pressed it against his eye and he looked at her gratefully.

“Thanks,” he breathed. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall and Annabeth looked at him with a combination of exasperation and affection.

She looked through the window in the door and saw Sally Jackson in the adjoining room talking to Mr. D. She saw Annabeth through the glass with a panicked expression.

Annabeth gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile. She suspected it came out more as a grimace.

A couple minutes later the final bell rang and Percy opened his eyes and saw his mom in the next room. He groaned. “Shit.”

He stood and Annabeth grabbed his bag before he could reach for it. They glared at each other for a full thirty seconds before he finally gave up and just let her carry it. Slowly opening the door, he looked at his mother, smiling crookedly. “Hey, mom.”

“Percy,” she breathed at the sight of him and swept him up in the hug. “Come on, let’s go home. I guess you’re not going to be coming back here for a while, huh?” she asked, a tinge of amusement in her voice.

“Guess not,” he shrugged, that same crooked smile spreading across his face.

-x-

“Are you mad?” he asked. They were in the car—Sally driving, Percy shotgun, and Annabeth in the back earbuds stuck in her ears, her music blaring so loud they could hear it in the front. She gazed out the window and Percy was grateful. It was the closest they would get to privacy.

“No, I’m not mad,” she sighed. “Just—gods, Percy.”

“I know,” he said quietly.

She glanced at Annabeth in the rearview mirror. “Is she okay?” she asked quietly even though she probably wouldn’t be able to hear them even if they were screaming at the top of their lungs.

“I think so,” he said just as quietly. “I mean, she’s not okay, per se, but she’s as okay as she can be.” He looked at her for a moment. “I think she’s better than she was the last times. I mean, she knows it’s over now, you know?
She’s not going to be pining after him anymore.”

Sally nodded. “Good,” was all she said.

And that was that.

-x-

“What did we have today?” he asked as Annabeth stumbled into his room lugging his backpack full of books.

“A shitload of homework, that’s what.” She took out her own planner. “Pre-calc, World History, Bio, and Latin. You ready?”

He nodded and she started pulling things out of her own bag smiling slightly. “You’ve turned into a legend, Percy Jackson. The junior who decided to punch the senior in the eye over some girl.” She laughed. “And now people are staring at me, too.”

He quirked his eyebrow. “A legend or a myth?”

“True,” she amended. “What does that make me, then, your damsel in distress?”

“Nah, you’d never be a damsel in distress. Any time a guy would get close to you to try to help you’d punch him in the gut and go on some feminist rant about how you can do it by yourself, gods dammit.”

She cracked a grin. “Again, very true.”

“Hey, Annabeth,” he held her wrist and she looked up. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” she brushed it off.

“No, seriously. Thanks.”

She met his eyes, nodded briefly, and went back to ruffling around in her bag.

-x-

Her phone buzzed again. And again she pressed the ignore button. “Luke again?” Percy asked.

“Luke again,” she confirmed. “He keeps calling, like buddy do you not get the message?”

“Maybe I punched him so hard his brain got all messed up that he can’t fathom why a girl would ever reject the great, the handsome, the magnificent Luke Castellan.”

She snorted. “Don’t you wish.”

“He’s been calling for what, a week now?”

“Yeah.”

He snorted. “Wow. He really is slow. Or just really romantic. Or clingy. Or in love with you.”

Annabeth gave an exasperated sigh. “Well, we both know he’s none of those things, so let’s just drop it, okay?” Annabeth had been declining his calls and ignoring his texts. She steered clear of him in school and if he did catch up to her she would start talking to her one of her friends or slip into the girls bathroom. He even came to her house once and she had ignored him then, too. Hurting her was one thing. She could deal with that. Had he only hurt her, hell, she might have even forgiven him and taken him back. But hurting her best friend?

Out of the fucking question.

-x-

Luke finally stopped calling. After a couple weeks of radio silence, he got bored and left her alone (thank the gods). And Annabeth couldn't even bring herself to be sad. Yeah, she’d liked Luke. For some reason. She’d liked him and she’d gave him a chance (well, more like two or three or four chances) and he came out the other side looking like an even bigger douche than she thought he was at the beginning.

And Annabeth was glad to be done with that drama. She and Luke had been on and off because he kept cheating on her, because they kept getting into fights, because they decided they needed a break, and now she was done. And, to be honest, it felt really fucking good.

And then there was Percy. Gods. Percy. Percy who “defended her honor” and brought her blue birthday cake every year. Percy who had been her best friend for gods knew how long, who had stuck with her through the thick and thin. Percy who she kissed when she was thirteen and it was the best goddamn kiss she’d ever had despite what people say about your first kiss always being the worst. This time it was the opposite.

And Annabeth Chase thought she might actually be in love with her best friend.

She was so fucking screwed.

-x-

Annabeth had never really been good at “feelings.” Not good at expressing them, not good at talking about them, and definitely not good at actually telling people how she felt. Which made it all the harder to tell Percy that she liked him.

As in, like like.

So she waited a couple days. And a couple days turned into a couple weeks. And before she knew it, Percy was gushing about the new transfer student in his pottery class, Rachel. And Annabeth had missed her window of opportunity. She couldn’t help but kick herself.

But it was her own damn fault, so she sucked it up and met this Rachel Elizabeth Dare From Poetry Class and even she had to admit she pretty cool. Apparently her family was wealthy but she wasn’t spoiled or pretentious like Annabeth thought she would be. She was bohemian and artsy and a genuinely nice person.

Annabeth kind of hated her.

When Percy asked, “So, what did you think of her?” Annabeth smiled and nodded and said she was really cool, way cooler than Nancy Bobofit, and Percy laughed and agreed. But that didn’t stop Annabeth’s lungs from deciding they didn’t want to breathe anymore.

They only dated for a couple of weeks but to Annabeth it seemed like an eternity. When they finally did break up Annabeth asked him why and all he said was, It didn’t work out.

Way to be vague.

-x-

A week later, Annabeth was waiting at a cafe near Central Park. Her mom said she’d meet up with her and so there she was, fifteen minutes past the time they'd planned, standing alone outside the coffee shop. She sighed and looked down at her phone.

Sixteen minutes late.

She was about to stick her earbuds in when a head of bright red hair walked briskly past her and Annabeth’s head snapped up. “Hey!” she yelled, stuffing her phone and earbuds back into her bag. “Hey, Rachel!” Rachel stopped and slowly turned around, her eyes narrowed. “Hey,” Annabeth said catching up to her. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Why do you care?” Her voice was hostile and Annabeth was taken aback. While she was never all that keen on her and Percy dating, she’d never been, or at least didn’t remember being, outwardly mean.

“I—I just heard about you and Percy and… and I’m sorry you guys broke up. I just wanted to see if you were doing okay.” Annabeth cringed at how hurt her voice sounded. Fine, if this girl didn’t give a damn about her and her opinions then she wouldn’t give a damn right back.

Rachel’s eyes were still narrowed but she looked more exasperated than angry. She laughed bitterly. “He didn’t tell you what happened?” When Annabeth just stared at her in confusion, she rolled her eyes, a bitter smirk twisting her lips. “That kid is so dense sometimes!”

“What are you talking about?” It was Annabeth’s eyes that were narrowed now.

“You want to know why we broke up? Because we were making out and… getting into some other stuff…” Annabeth really didn’t want to hear this, she wasn’t hearing it, she wasn’t hearing it, wasn’t hearing it, “but you want to know whose name he moaned?”

Annabeth stopped breathing.

“It wasn’t mine.”

She opened her mouth to say something, anything; to deny it, to say she was insane because that wouldn’t happen, that wasn’t possible, it wasn’t even on the table; but nothing came out. For once in her life, Annabeth Chase was completely and utterly speechless.

“I told him that we were done and to tell you how he feels about you,” Rachel continued. “No hard feelings, okay? Honestly. I’m mostly just mad at myself for not realizing sooner.”

Annabeth cleared her throat and was able to croak out a shaky, “Realizing what?”

Rachel smiled knowingly (which annoyed her to no end—she hated when people were patronizing) and said, “I’ll see you around, Chase.”

She left her standing there on the curb gaping after her like a fish out of water.

-x-

Percy was playing basketball with Frank and Grover when she showed up. He heard her before he saw her. She pulled up to the court, her tires screeching, and when she exited her car she slammed the door so hard the entire vehicle shook.

Frank and Grover exchanged smirks before she yelled, “Perseus Jackson come over here right now!”

Frank snickered. “Somebody’s in trouble,” he sang.

The ball hit Percy square in the face. (He was too busy looking like a deer caught in headlights.)

Throwing the ball back to Grover he jogged to where she was standing, hands on hips, hair tied viciously in a tight pony tail, eyes storming, and intimidating as hell. “Hey, um, is everything okay?” he asked (somewhat) timidly.

She glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. She took a deep breath before asking, “Do you like me?”

Percy froze. “I–I–What? What are you talki–”

She cut him off. “Don’t play dumb, Percy. You’re a lot of things but you’re not dumb. Do you like me?”

“I.. uh… what’s…” he blubbered.

“Percy!”

“Yes!”

Silence.

“Yes, okay?! Yes! My name is Percy Jackson and I’m in love with my best friend who I’ve lived next door to since I was six! Sue me!”

Before he could say anything else she took his face in her hands and kissed him. It was long and hard and carried the full weight of their friendship. He was vaguely sure he could hear Grover and Frank whooping in the background but it didn’t matter because nothing really mattered at that moment. Nothing except for Annabeth.

When they finally broke apart she rested her forehead on his and whispered, “Took you long enough.”

“Well, you didn’t exactly make things easy on me,” he retorted.

“I’m never going to make things easy on you, Seaweed Brain.”

-x-

“You’re what?”

“Jesus, mom, it’s just a date.”

Percy Jackson had never thought he’d see the day when his grown mother, his mother for gods' sake, would squeal. Except that’s exactly what she did when he told her he and Annabeth were going on a date that night.

“Come on!” she yelled at him and she sprinted down the hall to his room, “We need to find out what you’re going to wear!”

Percy groaned and slowly entered his room where he found his mother throwing shirts and pants out of his closet. “Finally!”

“Mom, don’t,” he groaned.

“Remind me to collect those $50 from Frederick.”

“Mom.”

And though he groaned and flopped face down on his bed, he couldn’t help the wide grin that couldn’t seem to get off his face.

-x-

That summer was kind of (extremely) awesome. They basically spent the time doing all the same best friend activities. (Just with the added bonus of holding hands and making out.)

-x-

“Did you hear—”

“Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase—”

“I know—”

“I thought it would never happen—”

“Doesn’t someone owe me money...?”

As school started back up for their senior year, Percy and Annabeth got a lot of (unwanted) attention. They were dubbed “the couple that finally happened.”

They watched in amusement as all their old classmates gaped in awe as they walked down the hallways together. Percy laughed it off, always happy to be the center of attention but after a couple days Annabeth got cranky. “I just don’t get it,” she huffed. “We’re the same as last year except, well…” she drifted off.

He grinned at her. “The same except for the kissing and hand holding and other coupley stuff we do now?”

She sighed but smiled at him all the same. “Exactly."

Even Annabeth got a good laugh out of it now and again. Especially when Grover had to pay Frank $100.

“You just couldn’t wait until college, could you?” he yelled, slamming his books down first period. “Gods, you two have known each other since you were six, six years old for fuck's sake, and you couldn't wait one more year? Unbelievable,” he muttered under his breath. (They all knew he wasn’t really pissed.)

-x-

Hidden under a pillow fort they’d built, they worked on college applications. Percy lay on his back, his arm under his head. Annabeth leaned against him, her head resting on his stomach and she couldn’t believe she was planning her future with the boy next door who only wore blue.

As he read her his list of pros and cons of going to Columbia, she couldn’t help but lean over and kiss his lips (stained blue from his blue raspberry ring pop he’d bought earlier (“How old are you?” she had asked when he’d bought it)).

“You were right,” she smiled at him.

“Really?” he asked excitedly before his confusion set in. “Wait, what was I right about?”

“Blue is the best color.”