Summary: Annabeth works at a Sprint store in Orlando. She usually assists the careless, young adults who drop their phones at Disney. Percy is no exception.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Heroes of Olympus series, or any characters I have adopted for this fanfiction.
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Annabeth's worked at the store for two years and counting. She knows all the jargon there is to know; jokes around with her coworkers like there was never a moment she hadn't been there. It's safe to say that she never really thought a Sprint store in Orlando would be her place of employment, but she can't complain. It turns out that more people than you think drop their phones at all of the tourist attractions scattered around their central location, so business is fairly good.
She tends to snag the younger people when they wander into the store, making it her personal goal to fulfil all of their technological needs. Annabeth doesn't have the patience for older people, if she's being honest, and teenagers to young adults tend to be more tech savvy—or, at least, they understand it enough for her to not be forced to dumb it down to the simplest of terms. (Once, she told an elderly man that he had cracked his screen. He frowned at her for a full minute before saying, "What's that mean?")
It's a slow Sunday afternoon when a man walks in—definitely her age group, she recognizes with a smidge of interest—and promptly drops his phone. He curses in a pleasant tone, and the smidge suddenly turns into an all-consuming interest in him.
He dusts the phone off easily, like it didn't just shatter, and looks around until he sees her. "Hi!" he greets happily, ambling over. "I broke my phone."
Annabeth raises an eyebrow, wondering if the man realizes that she witnessed him breaking it. "I noticed."
He laughs brightly. "No, before that. Dropped it at Disney."
Four, she states inwardly, because he's the fourth person to confess that today. "What happened, exactly?" she questions, holding her hand out to take the device.
He high fives her. Honest to God, high-fives her like he's completely unaware of the fact that she'd wanted his cell phone. "I… Dropped it. At Disney."
Annabeth decides to rest her hand against the counter and not embarrass him. "Fascinating."
He smiles. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
Annabeth stares at him for a second before clearing her throat. "You mind if I take a look at it?"
"Sure!" He tosses the phone on the counter carelessly, wincing the second it flies from his palm. It touches down with a sharp sound. "Oops."
She blinks. "No wonder it's broken."
"I can't use it half the time, anyways. International charges are a bitch."
Annabeth smiles a little, examining the black phone—it's the newest Android device, and somehow she feels relieved that he's not an iPhone user. She's never liked iPhones herself. "Like traveling, then?"
"Love it," he says genuinely. "It's just a plus that it's in the job description."
She hums lightly in response, trying to estimate a price in her head. "You have insurance?"
He shrugs. "I honestly can't remember."
"Well let's see about that," Annabeth tells him handing the phone back. She goes through the mundane process of looking up the information she needs. While she waits for the computer to load, she spares the man a glance. "What kind of job, if you don't mind me asking? Flight attendant?"
"I wish. That'd be sick." He seems almost shy before he continues. "I do charity work."
"Charity work." She almost frowns, because honestly, this man is definitely one of the more attractive males she's seen in her lifetime—and he does charity work? How is that even fair? She thinks that there should be a legislature passed that attractive people can't be good-hearted, either.
"I—" He glances down at her chest, and the feminist in Annabeth feels angry and objectified before he says, "Annabeth's a pretty name."
Right, then. He was looking at her name tag. "Thank you." She focuses her attention on the computer screen. "Charity work, though? I'm a bit interested."
He pauses, and Annabeth wonders if he had the gall to lie to her. Instead, she watches as he tosses his hair and averts his eyes. "Just. You know. Stuff. All over. I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but, um, we kind of bring life to them. Not physically, of course, but like. We set up tables with books and sometimes have carnivals and have a huge feast and all. Concerts, if time permits. Hang out with them. Give 'em a friend or two."
Annabeth blinks. "Well, that says a lot about your character."
The man shrugs her off, humbly. "Percy, by the way."
"Annabeth," she tells him, mentally pinching herself because he already knows her name.
He nods and smiles like it's new information. "It's nice to meet you."
"Ditto," Annabeth says, clenching her teeth after. God, she's stupid. He laughs though, and Annabeth thinks that it's probably the best sound in the world. It would probably cure world hunger if he wasn't already working on that himself. "Anyways, I'll get you a price range on this, if your insurance doesn't cover it, and we'll have it all fixed up before you rush off to your charity work."
Percy smiles and nods.
He doesn't come back for two months, and Annabeth doesn't really expect to ever see the man again. However, she can't say that the name Percy Jackson hasn't snuck it's way into her subconscious (she looked at his last name in their records while she rang him up, so sue her).
When he does come back, it's with a sheepish smile and a wish for a decent phone case. Annabeth laughs at the hairline crack covering the expanse of his screen. "They should put you under surveillance."
"You act like I'm a serial killer or something."
"Serial phone killer, maybe," Annabeth teases, leading him over to their rows of reliable cases. "These are my personal favorites." She plucks up a blue case, holding it out to him. "It's not an Otterbox, thank God—those things are hideous if you ask me—but it gives you just as much protection. So long as you actually keep the case on and don't try to bash any skulls—I mean screens."
Percy smiles and shakes his head. "This is perfect. Thanks."
Annabeth gives him a small grin. "It's not a problem."
"Thanks."
"You said that."
"I know," Percy tells her with a shrug, "but if there's one thing I've learned through my job, it's that you can never say thank you too much."
Percy comes back a week later. He's carrying a pair of mangled headphones.
"Headphones," Annabeth states.
"Yeah," he says, like he didn't just bring a pair of headphones into a Sprint store to be repaired. "Need new ones. Toss these for me?"
Annabeth does.
Percy is coincidentally there on most Sundays.
It's also not very coincidental.
"I leave again on Tuesday," is how he greets her. "Also, I... Need. A new phone case. Or an extra. Just in case, you know." He bursts out laughing, crow's feet branching out from the corners of his eyes. Annabeth is inexplicably charmed. "Just in case. Case. Phone case."
If anyone else spoke like he did—in short fragments with little to no significance—she would probably avoid them at all costs so as not to test her patience. Somehow, it just makes her feel fond. "You're going to get me fired," Annabeth says, huffing out a laugh. "I hardly work when you're around."
Percy looks contemplative. They skip right over the obvious question (why do you keep coming around?) and move on to the next. "When's your lunch break? I mean, if you want. We could. Hang out. Outside of here. I'll be gone for three months come Tuesday."
"It's at 1. Three months?" Annabeth whistles, shocked. "That's a long time."
"It is." Percy stares at the newest iPad before meeting her gaze again. "You should indulge me. Consider it a going away present."
"Is that what we are now? Close enough for gifts?"
She means to joke; one eyebrow is quirked up with a wry smile on her lips. Percy's brow furrows. "Hey, we're friends," he says defensively.
"Are we?" She raises both eyebrows now.
Percy shoots her a look as another customer enters. "We are," he tells her firmly. "Lunch break? 1 o'clock?"
"Alright," Annabeth says, and the way her whole body feels hot suggests that it's anything but.
Talking to Percy is probably the easiest thing Annabeth's ever had to do, including that worksheet on linear equations in her college math class.
He laughs a lot—but at himself, more than anything else. He drops his cutlery and chuckles at his own lack of grace. He stumbles over his words as he orders and laughs as he finally manages to utter the final word. He snorts at his own jokes and—well, Annabeth likes him more than originally planned. Not that she planned on liking him at all.
His eyes are stunning; they twinkle like precious emeralds and glint with every emotion he has, as much as she hates cliche analogies about eyes shining. Dark lashes frame them, contrasting with his sun-kissed skin. 5 minutes in, Annabeth decides she's wouldn't mind keeping him around for a while.
He talks about his charity work as if it's nothing; like he's not making the world a better place one step at a time. He's humble and quietly intelligent, preferring to act ignorant rather than show his knowledge. He shows her pictures of the world off of his phone, pointing to frail children with joyous smiles and recalling their names with ease.
10 minutes in, and Annabeth's positive she's met the best person in existence.
He walks her to his car, because of course Percy's all those amazing things and chivalrous.
He rambles about a man he met in France—"France" being a word he drops no less casually than "fries"—as they approach her vehicle. It's only when Annabeth opens her door that Percy stops talking.
"This was nice," Annabeth tells him, her smile genuine.
"I—yeah." He laughs and shakes his head. "Um. There's"—he digs his phone out from his back pocket—"something wrong with my phone."
She raises an eyebrow at the device, nodding. "Bring it over to the shop, I'll get James to—"
"No," Percy says, and his eyes are laughing right along with his quiet snickers. "I mean, there's something wrong with my phone." He smirks at her. "It doesn't have your number in it."
Annabeth cocks her head to the side and lasts a few seconds before she laughs involuntarily. "How long did it take you to come up with that one?" she asks, like her hands aren't shaking.
Percy seems shy. "A few months," he decides. "Been trying to find a way to ask. Since I first met you, actually."
"Oh?" Annabeth's still smiling stupidly. "Well, come on then. I have a job to get to." She holds her hand out and waits. Percy stares at it with a small grin and gives her a high five instead.
"I did that the first time we met," he tells her, as if she hasn't cataloged every subtle touch they shared. "It was a test."
"A test?"
"A test," Percy affirms. "If you called me out on it, then I wouldn't have liked you." He averts his eyes, seeming to reconsider. "Well, I still would've, but it would have been reluctantly."
"Huh." Annabeth pinches her own side to suppress the swell of affection. "4-0-7."
"4-0-7?" Percy looks confused. "Is that, like, on a scale of 1 to 10? If so, I'm—"
She slaps his shoulder, but she's smiling fondly. "You idiot, it's my area code!"
"Area code?" A second after he repeats her words, he clumsily fumbles for his phone. "Oh, sorry! I'm so—4-0-7...?"
Annabeth bites her cheek to keep the fond smile to herself. She repeats the rest of her number, absently reaching up to touch the reddened skin of his cheeks. He looks at her with wide, oddly baby-deer-like eyes and has to ask her to repeat her number again.
She does. She also keeps her hand on his cheek, too, feeling out the contours of his cheekbones likes she's wanted to for weeks. He gets progressively more rosy-cheeked as he saves her number, and Annabeth's hopelessly endeared.
"Right. Well, I'll, um, see you—" He cuts himself off with a chuckle, averting his eyes. "Would you judge me for not sticking to the three-day rule?"
"If you wait three days before texting me, assume I've run off with another handsome man," Annabeth replies, feeling proud when Percy tosses his head back and cackles like it's the funniest thing he's heard all day.
"Well, that leads me to my second question." He folds his arms on top of her car door, which serves as a (slightly irritating) barrier between them. "Would you be opposed to kissing on the first date?"
"Is that what this was? I knew you had ulterior motives!" Percy shrugs and doesn't stop smiling, pursing his lips in an attempt to restrain it. Annabeth probably looks similar as she scans his face.
She reaches her other hand up to cradle his face and doesn't let herself hesitate before she presses her lips against his. He kisses her back gently, making her toes curl up in her shoes and her whole body feel warm and content rather than hot and feverish.
Percy's a phenomenal kisser which is just—great, really. Not to mention it's completely unfair due to the fact that Annabeth has to be back at work in under five minutes, and her location is at least ten minutes away from her job.
He pulls back and moves to kiss her again, and Annabeth shoves a hand out to keep him from doing so. He's sweetly blushing, his hair falling in his eyes. Annabeth stares at her own hand as if it's betrayed her. "I have work."
Percy whines childishly, pushing her hand out of the way and pecking her lips twice. "No," he says simply.
"Yes," she tells him, laughing as he kisses every inch of her face. By the time she gets a hand on his shoulder to push him back, her cheeks are on fire and she's breathlessly giggling like an idiot. "Oh my god, I have to go."
"'S stupid," Percy says informatively.
Annabeth rolls her eyes, and thinks it's stupid how fond I am of you, yeah, but instead says, "Basically, yes."
He sighs forlornly and gives her a lucent smile before leaning forward to smack to her cheek. "I may not even wait ten minutes to text you."
"Ever heard the phrase 'coming on too strong'?" Annabeth teases, adjusting the collar of his shirt so that it's not off center.
"Yeah. But I choose to ignore it." He grins impishly and kisses her swiftly before backing away with a final wave.
Just as she's starting up her car, her phone vibrates twice in quick succession.
From: Percy
I lasted longer than 30 seconds I think I deserve a medal honestly
From: Percy
Also have fun at work where you're not kissing me that must suck
Annabeth doesn't even attempt to quell her smile for the rest of her shift.
Percy texts her pictures of Uganda—of the sweet kids he interacts with and one picture of him holding a dark-skinned baby. Percy smiles in every picture like he's winning a million dollars rather than giving the same amount away, and Annabeth thinks it'll be a challenge to not fall in love with him.
She almost wishes he wouldn't have kissed her before he left, because her lips itch with the way she misses his. She gets tetchy around cute couples and snaps at a coworker once when they jokingly tell her that she needs to get laid. He tells her how much he wants to kiss her nearly twenty times a week, and Annabeth's stomach turns in a pleased manner every time.
He calls her when he can, but international rates are, indeed, a bitch. Percy eventually asks for her Skype information so he can give her a small show of the culture he's being immersed in. Annabeth has to bite back a dreamy sigh when he introduces her to his friend Akiki over video.
"This is Annabeth," Percy says to the small black child who pushes his face curiously into the camera. He says something back in a language Annabeth doesn't know, and Percy looks confused before saying something back. The boy repeats himself. This time, Percy laughs and shrugs. "Hey, Annabeth, wanna be my girlfriend?"
The blonde buries her face in her pillow. "Yes," she answers, slightly muffled.
Percy speaks to the boy again in his native language, pinching his side and making him laugh. Annabeth bites her cheek until she nearly draws blood.
When Percy finally arrives back in the States, he sends her a picture of himself with an iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts. All he writes is "finally a decent coffee" and Annabeth nearly drops her phone in her haste to reply.
To: Percy
Where are you?!
She glances at the time and starts tapping her foot impatiently. It's five minutes until her shift's over.
Percy replies with a picture of a Sprint store and—
Wait. That's her Sprint store.
As soon as the thought registers, she hears the door open. Percy's holding two iced coffees and he's smiling at her like she's the brightly colored carnival and he's the small child who can't wait to explore every minor place there is. "Hi," he calls, still standing in the doorway.
Annabeth's smiles so big she can hardly see through her eyes. "Hi," she answers.
"I got you extra cream and extra sugar? I'm not sure how you take your coffee, but…" He trails off as he reaches her, holding out the coffee. "Here."
Annabeth takes both of them and slides them next to the iPad Minis. "Thanks." And then she kisses him, and the burning desire is reduced to a warm coal in her chest, barely ignited but keeping her from freezing all the same.
"Missed you," he says later, as they're departing from her place of employment. It's matter of fact and simple, as if he knows he didn't really have to say it aloud, but he wanted to anyways. Annabeth thinks that she's probably in love, but she just holds his hand tighter instead.
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FIN