A/N: A cliché, typical Christmas-y themed story of an AU of PercyxAnnabeth. Based on the cliché song covered & sung by Taylor Swift. Why is it typical and cliché? Lemme explain, so here's the answer. Cliché because, this song had probably been written for hundreds of times or at least inspired tons of people already, and typical, because in this story Luke Castellan is the heart breaker, and Annabeth is the weak little girl who got hurt by the man she thought she loved, something happened on a Christmas celebration, and she was heart broken; then moved on, and found someone else by the next Christmas, and this someone special is Percy Jackson, obviously. *eye roll*
I am not the one to write in first person, but for the sake of this story and song, I am going to do it. Personally, I don't like first person, but I sometimes write in first person.
Disclaimer. I do not own the song including the lyrics used, nor do I own any of the characters.
Annabeth Chase
They say the past is the past, but there will always be something that is forever engraved in one's mind. This includes a heartbreak.
Luke and Annabeth's breakup wasn't rough, but it wasn't their mutual agreement either. Before their breakup, they were what people calls 'the Golden Couple', or the 'high school sweetheart', most people believed in true love just because of their relationship. When Luke asked Annabeth out in her sophomore year, his junior year. They were a pair of shy buddies that didn't feel comfortable expressing their feelings for each other in public - they were rarely seen together; they texted and called each other constantly, and showed deep care for each other. A year together, and they haven't even had a proper kiss on the lips. Everyone said that they would last. Forever, perhaps.
As Annabeth proceed to her junior year, Luke to senior year, their bond grew stronger over the summer. Pictures of them hanging out was posted all over their social media, their profiles were boosting all of a sudden. They shared their first proper kiss at an ice skating park, and even took a selfie of their kiss. When the next school year started, they were close as ever. They spent every single minute they had in between classes together, they were literally inseparable. It was common knowledge that they were a thing, a cute couple in fact. Annabeth didn't ditch her girl friends just because she got this cute boyfriend, nor did Luke ditch his guy friends; their friends often tagged along as they hangout together, totally not feeling like third wheeling.
People longed for a boyfriend like Luke, and a healthy relationship he had with Annabeth. Once on Annabeth's birthday, it was a school day, so her birthday party was on the weekend, but he didn't fail to give his present to her on the day. He had two presents prepared, one he gave out on the day, and another distributed on the day of the party. Annabeth brought the hand-made present out from her dorm in the afternoon with her female friends surrounding her, cooing at the present. It was Luke's handiwork - a rubric's cube like paper cube, with each small square wrapped with a cookie and a lid opened to find a full box of M&M. That was the sweetest gift anyone had seen. That was the best birthday gift she had ever received. Later that night, Luke approached her in the cafeteria shyly and asked her if she'd gotten the gift, and whether she liked it or not. Coyly, with a bit of cockiness, she nodded and for the first time in their long time relationship, she stood on her tip toes to plant a kiss on his lips, in front of the attention given from her friends and Luke's buddies. She ducked her face in Luke's chest after the kiss and hid her bashful smile as Luke wrapped his arms protectedly around her with a dreamy smile on his face. When she was released by Luke and went back to her seat, she blushed, biting her bottom to prevent herself from smiling. Her face scarlet as she played with her food trying to get over the overwhelming teasing atmosphere radiating off her friends, whom all had a meaningful expression on their faces.
Annabeth gets jealous fairly easily, although Luke never really talked to any girls apart from Annabeth and a few of her close friends, who fully supported her relationship with Luke. Annabeth would always want to coverup the fact that she was protective and the jealous type. She really really liked him, though she didn't show as much as Luke did to her, still, who knew what happens between the two when they were alone. They were not a fan of public display of affection, not the type to suck up the other's face against lockers in the hallway two days after becoming an item. They had not once been caught kissing behind closed doors.
Their sweet healthy relationship was well-known even to the teachers. Luke often got teased by his basketball coach, he was once asked by his coach what was getting for Annabeth on Valentines' Day. The first time Luke was asked, he blushed, and mumbled something along the lines of 'I don't know'; but the second time he was prepared, he winked, said it was a secret. Annabeth and Luke's friends often joked about them getting married in the future, they laughed it off and joked along with their friends. Some even described them as 'old married couple'.
There was a well-known story passed on from mouth to mouth, ears to ears; joked around by people in front or behind their (Luke and Annabeth) backs, and this always caused Luke to protest as he hid his flushed red face in the crock of Annabeth's neck, in her blonde curls. One time, when Annabeth had became a senior, and Luke was a freshman in his new college a few blocks down from Annabeth's residence. He had asked Annabeth out on a casual movie date, when the movie finished, it was already late in the night, and Luke insisted on taking a detour and drop her off in her apartment when he could actually take a shorter route going back to his dorm. Annabeth accepted since he insisted. On their way home, there was absolutely no cars, let along traffic jams, they were still energetic especially when they started talking about the movie they just watched that night. Blasting the music with beat in the car as they rolled down the window, the words 'speed limits' faded away to the back of their minds. They sped down the street, both got home safe and sound. Yet, they were been reported to the police station the next morning nevertheless. Annabeth accompanied Luke after she got out of class that afternoon, she offered to pay half of the forfeit, but got waved off by Luke. She blamed herself for not reminding him about that, and she thanked whoever would listen in the sky for leaving no cars on the street that night so that they weren't in an accident. Laughing all the way back to Annabeth's home as they stepped out of the police station about last night. Luke enjoyed last night, he had fun, even with the ticket, and the feeling was mutual, both of them called it the craziest night ever in their relationship. Though none of them swore not to let it happen again, the adrenaline rush was not replaceable by any other thing.
Without any breakup, consisting of countless ups and downs, they ended their three years relationship. This shocked everyone that had heard of the breakup. It had left both of them no good, left them hurt. Luke had been asking for a break from their relationship ever since the start of their winter/Christmas break, Annabeth had always tried to save what was left between them: she had begged and begged, done anything that would save their gradually turning fragile relationship. It all ended with an inevitable breakup after all the trying. The split was never announced, it was the last thing they agreed on mutually. However, it was obvious to people that were not blind that they were off. People wondered what happened over the summer, but the truth was, nothing happened over the summer, they were still in their honeymoon period. Something happened over the winter, after Christmas.
The annual Christmas party was held at their school's gym on the last day before winter break. It was the school's tradition, and everyone must attend, no matter you attend with or without a date, you must show up. This was the time where socialites show-off their socializing skills; where individuals socialize and enjoy others' company. Gifts under the tree were from 'secret Santa', it was another tradition where you could get gifts for someone you like anonymously. It eventually turned to a place where students express their feelings to another, although they didn't leave their real names, but they had left obvious implications to hint who they were. Gifts could be given to people whenever you prefer during the party, food and drinks were also provided. Everyone showed up plastered with happiness on their faces, everyone apart from Luke and Annabeth. They only attended for the sake of the school's rule, the one that specifically said that every student must be present at the Christmas party taking place in the gym.
They walked in hand in hand from the gate, greeted by a hell lotta friends, and quickly got surrounded. Not wanting to give them the wrong impression, Luke still gestured like the caring boyfriend that he was. Half time through the party, the couple finally had the chance to be alone by themselves in a corner, out of the big picture. The moment the noisiness was behind them, Annabeth dropped his hand and her charming smile was soon replaced by a tight purse of her lips. When they reached the walls of that small hidden corner in the equipments' storage room, she leaned against a wall behind her, her eyes lowered to gaze at the floor in front of her feet emotionless. She waited for Luke to walk in behind her and settled on the wall next to her, and kept her stare on the ground. Chewing the inside of her cheek, she stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest, taking a nervous glance at Luke's direction.
"Why did you want to breakup?" Annabeth asked quietly, seeing that Luke wasn't going to start talking anytime soon. She didn't lift her eyes up to meet his, nor did he had his face turned towards her. They were both staring at something but each other.
Luke was silent. He shoved his hands in his pocket. Annabeth was not the only one that was nervous in this situation.
"You asked to breakup. Why? I am being straightforward, I love you, and I don't want to breakup, but still, I wanna know why do you want to?" She started to inquire him, with a nearly broken, desperate voice. "Had I done something wrong? Or am I too possessive? Or is it because you don't feel the same as you used to? Please just tell me."
Luke didn't say anything. He still remained silent. Throwing his head back, he stared at the ceiling still with his hands in his pocket. Annabeth looked at him expectantly, prepared for his answer in any kind, but it never came. Annabeth sighed in despair. She took out an envelope from her pocket and handed to Luke.
"Here, this will be the last Christmas gift you get from me." Annabeth handed him the envelope as she murmured, still not able to look up at him in the eyes. He eyed her suspiciously and slowly stretching out a hand to take the letter from her, she flinched when their hands touched. The envelope was made out of a piece of plain white ordinary paper, there was nothing much on it, apart from three words written in black cursive: I Love You. There was no writing at the back. The envelope was sealed with a simple transparent tape with Annabeth's full initials written on it with a sharpie. "I have two requests, if you agreed to them, then I'll say yes to the separation." Annabeth continued before Luke could do anything to the envelope. For the first time, she busted up enough courage and looked up at him, in his eyes to find amusement. She continued after she was satisfied with the reaction she got from him. "First, I want to keep this breakup low key." She paused, looking at him. He nodded grimly in agreement. "Second, can we give us one last shot till the end of the winter holiday?" He contemplated, but nodded in the end.
"Fine." He sighed, running a hand through his hair, caressing his scalp. Agreeing to the terms and actually followed it, they ended their three years romance. But that was not it, at least not to Luke.
For the next few weeks after their breakup, Luke had seemed to regret his decision in breaking up with her. He had tried every approach to get her to talk to him again without making everything awkward, although even he couldn't deny the fact that it was already awkward between the two. Luke had tried to pick her up after school and take her to a warmer place, trying to tell her how he really felt, and how he regretted leaving her. She had accepted the talking offer once, but she rejected his request on getting back together. Her reasons were reasonable. If Luke hand't insisted on breaking up at the start of the winter holiday, and brought it up so many times over texts and phone calls, she would've gotten back together with him, but she couldn't trust him with relationship anymore. The only thing Annabeth could do to shield her heart was to accept having friendship with him. She told him that, "if you dumped me once, who knows if you're going to dump me for the second time."
Percy Jackson
"You're one lucky charm, man Jackson." A fellow traffic police patted Percy on the shoulder as he took a sip from his mug.
Percy glanced down at his foot, then his coffee cup, turned around plopping his elbow on to the front desk, and, looked at the officer with a raised eyebrow. "Mm?" That guy said nothing, he pointed to the entrance using the hand without the mug.
"Look at that chick, what a beauty. It's been a long time since we had couples here, and even longer to have such a princess with her prince." Percy followed his hand as he let his arm fell beside him. Two blondes were talking with the police officer in the front desk, the woman had her long blonde curls tied up in a pony tail, a few strands was let loose. It was obvious that they were a pair. Percy let himself rest his sight on her for a while longer. "When was the last time you had a girl?" The man beside Percy teased as he saw Percy's eyes fixed on the blonde girl. Percy teared his eyes from her momentarily just to eye him in distaste. He shrugged indifferently and trained his eyes back on to the couple.
They look adorable together. He thought, but quickly dismissed the thought, as a young detective, he shouldn't been disturbed that easily by a little display of affection. He could vaguely hear the words coming out of the girl's mouth while she protested to her boyfriend who obviously had a smug on his face.
"Luke!" The girl shoved the guy, Luke, playfully, and continued to protest. "I only borrowed your car once…" Putting up a finger and shaking it in front of his nose. "No ticket…" That was the fragments and pieces that got into Percy's ears, but that was enough to divert yet bewilder him, ignoring the call from the man behind him. He walked closer to the area where the conversation took place, merging into the darkness of the hallway as he leaned against the cold stone wall with his deltoid touching it, sucking all his warmth away from his body; taking sips of his coffee to keep his warmth within. He observed, not checked, the girl and her boyfriend. Taking a closer look, he could tell that they were both around the same age as him; their gestures told him that what they were here for was nothing big. Percy felt genuinely happy for this pair, they were lucky to have found each other. As much as he didn't believe in true love or soul mates, seeing these two made his beliefs waver.
Days passed. Then weeks. Months and over a year later, he thought he would never meet the same person ever again in his life. He didn't believe in miracle either, meeting someone he'd never had a conversation or any interaction with might as well count as a miracle, and that happened to him, the cop, Percy Jackson.
His ever so lazy boss Dionysus was even lazier during huge, important celebrations like Christmas, especially when this could indicate the busiest time for them cops. To Dionysus, he couldn't careless about the cops working under him, as long as they don't complain about him to his boss, then every thing would be placed under the category 'safe and sound'. Percy hated this boss of his for one particular reason, and that would be - because the hatred's mutual. That was also the reason to why Percy was been sent off on a mission the very day of Christmas celebration, dragging him out from his house. It was not even his shift, but Percy knew better to argue with his lazy ass of an ever so bossy boss. Promising to make it up to his family after apologizing about his abrupt assignment, Percy got back into his police car and set off for his duty.
When he arrived, he planned on to just went in and finish off his job in the simple way; but, life is hard dude. Stopping the car outside of the glass door of the grand hall, the sirens turned off, but the lights still twitching, he hopped off the car, preparing for his ID. Soon he realized that everything he'd thought was non-existence: no guards, no front desk. Instead, it was a crowded room filled with foul atmosphere. Weaving through the crowd in his uniform, he noticed that no one had noticed the presence of an official cop, let along frightening anyone. In the room, musics were blasting in full volume; hookers were everywhere; it was no surprise to find shots and drugs filling up the spaces. Smokes coming out from weed pipes and people's mouths. The room was filled with the smell of marijuana. Not a surprise. Percy thought.
He saw a lonely girl sitting on a stool next to the bar leaning on it with a cup of lime green colored cocktail in hand, her head resting on her arm and her arm folded on top of the counter. Strolling past her, he walked in to another crowd, a bunch of girls. They were laughing and shouting in broken English that he had no idea how they could understood one another, all of them were obviously drunk, or clearly high on drugs. Sighing, he reached for his gun, trying to think of a way to stop this chaos. It was what he got assigned for anyway.
Deep in thought, someone swatted away his hand that was on his gun and spun him around. The next thing he knew, someone's lips were on his. Subconsciously, he felt his belt lightened - his gun was off the hook. The attacker pulled away, Percy had actually enjoyed the taste of her lips, but that person didn't gave him time to react. She held the gun in one hand, and place her other one on his strong bicep. Pointing the gun at the ceiling, she loaded the gun as she lip synced with the song playing in the background.
I can make the bad boys good for a weekend.
Boom
Before he could register what was going on, the gun fired, and a bullet hole formed on top of their heads. Everything went quiet for a split second, but only for a split second, because his lips were covered up by that same person's once again. This time, he felt her hands slipping next to his waist and to the back of his belt, he felt her hands fiddling with the gun case and felt the gun been put back. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close. "What do you say?" She whispered into his mouth, barely audible to him, but he caught it. That question had shaken him awake, he remember his duty, but it was too late now.
The next morning, after filing the report about yesterday night first thing after he arrived at the office, he sat down opposite to his co-worker, aka partner, Grover Underwood.
"Dude, why do you look so tired?" He asked, putting down his coffee cup, leaning back against his office chair, taking his eyes of his computer screen and stared across to where Percy was sitting.
"Filing a report." Percy sighed dejectedly. "Got sent out last night on a mission to hunt down this illegal clubbing place, that supposedly was full of underaged drinkers."
"And? How did it go?"
"No biggie." He shrugged, putting down his pen as he signed the last paper on his desk.
"A young lady called this morning." Grover informed.
"Yeah?" Percy said, wondering what would that have anything to do with him.
"Called your phone, but I took it for you since you're not here."
"Kay?" Percy nodded, unsure of where this conversation was going.
"She was asking for you, said she's coming here at around 8 to talk to you."
"Name?" Percy asked, feeling this couldn't get any weirder.
"Dunno."
Both glanced down at their watch and gasped, it was almost time, they looked up wide eyes at each other.
"Well then I guess you're leaving me in here alone again." Grover sighed and went back to his computer, ignoring Percy on his own.
"I have not yet leave this room yet." Percy mumbled, staring at Grover in disbelieve and amusement. "Whatever." He stood up and strolled outside of his office.
"Hey." Someone called just as he stuffed his hands in his pocket and started to stare out the window. He turned to face the origin of the voice source. Taking in the sight, something in his mind told him that he had seen this girl somewhere.
"Hi, how can I help you?" He asked professionally.
"So you don't remember me? I thought that kiss was something to you." She begun, straight to the topic.
"You were kissing her when you're on duty?!" An accusing voice came from behind, strong alcoholic breath indicated the presence of Percy's very boss, Dionysus. Percy didn't even need to turn around to know who that person was, but he had too, since that very person happened to be his boss.
"No, it was after duty."
"You stayed in her house for hours?!" Another accusing statement. Percy turned back, rolling his eyes, sighing. "Whatever." He mumbled before tripping away.
"It was not her house." He muttered under his breath. This phrase was not caught by his boss since he had already stumbled away, but went into the ears of this girl standing in front of him. She laughed. Percy smiled.
"A walk outside?" Percy suggested. She accepted the offer.
"You don't have anything in hand right now do you?" She asked cautiously, not wanting to disturb his work.
"Nope. At least not given by that alcoholic." Percy shook his head. "However, I do have one thing in mind."
"And that is?"
"Your name. What's your name?"
"Annabeth. Annabeth Chase. And I know yours already, written on your name tag, crystal clear." She poked his name tag tagged on his chest pocket.
They walked and talked until they reached the parking lot, they stopped, standing under the warming sun. Percy stuck his hands inside his pocket, while Annabeth had hers folded in front of her chest.
"Oh, so you're that cop who was eavesdropping!" Annabeth shouted, laughing, pointed a finger in his face suddenly.
"Oh! So you saw me that day?" Percy mocked her, trying to cover his surprised look, after regaining his composure.
"Yep, I tend to notice everything, but just don't often remember them." Annabeth shrugged innocently, looking down at her fingers.
"But you remembered me?" Percy questioned, pointing at himself.
"What? Am that high up, that you think you're not high enough to reach?" She chuckled, stretching her hand upwards as she spoke her sentence.
"Oh hell yeah." He quipped with a witty smile. She slapped him across the chest, feigned a glare at him. "And you're a total flirt." He added. "From what I've seen last night." He jested, flicking her nose.
"Oh and don't tell me you're not flirting back." She mimicked with a devious sight and a mischievous glint.
"What happened to that boyfriend of yours? You two seemed perfect together." Percy changed the subject, unfortunately, a sensitive one. Though he didn't know, no one informed him right?
"But I think we fit each other." Annabeth moved her face closer to his, snaking her hands around his waist and smoothing the back of his shirt seductively. "Particularly after that magical kiss we shared yesterday night." She pulled his head down and pushed her lips on to his, dominating the kiss. "People move on Percy." She pulled away slightly, only slightly for her to be able to move her lips properly to talk. Seeing no reaction from Percy, she continued, this time she teased him with her tongue making him chuckle.
A/N: Sorry for the delay readers, I just got home and forgot to upload it.
Started on- 16th of December, 2016.
Finished on- Christmas Eve.
Posting on- Christmas.
All in my time.
Wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
