Fandom: Percy Jackson
Story Title: We Were Meant to Be
Summary: Annabeth can't help but notice that her best friend is also the person whom she may or may not want to be more than just her best friend. But that's normal, right? Even when they're the same sex as you?
Character/Relationships: Thalia/Annabeth, mentions of Percy/Annabeth
Rating: K+ for mention of minor sexual theme (AKA Thalia taking her shirt off)
Warnings: Kind of rambly
Wordcount: 1,117
Notes: Okay, so I worried about this one for a long time, but I think it turned out a lot better than I thought it would. Another one written for Savannah's birthday. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.

Annabeth couldn't help but glance over at Thalia, where she stood with her newfound family (AKA the huntresses), one more time before quickly looking back down at her book. Even if she knew she couldn't have her, she couldn't stop starting. Thalia was just so beautiful. Her hair was so black- like a raven's feathers- and her eyes were somehow this electric blue. It had always intrigued her, ever since they first met.

Of course when they had first met Annabeth was too young to figure out which type of love was which. She had thought of Thalia as a sister then, but after Thalia died Annabeth got to thinking about things. Things like how soft Thalia's lips had always looked and how the curves of her body had always been so eye-catching.

After a while Annabeth began to wonder if these thoughts were normal. She was afraid of what others might say, so she kept her thoughts to herself. Still she couldn't ignore her new-found attraction for her best friend- despite the fact that she was dead and always would be dead.

But she never stopped thinking of Thalia. No one ever made her laugh the way Thalia did, no one could comfort her when she was upset about her dad the way that Thalia could. So she just went back to Thalia.

At night, Annabeth would sneak out from her cabin- she never once got caught; she was a master at planning after all- and she would sit down across from Thalia's Pine and tell her everything that was on her mind. It was like when family members talk to people in comas. You just tell them everything and act as if they can hear you, as if they can understand you.

It helped Annabeth and every night before she pulled the covers back over herself, she would think how one day she would talk to Thalia again- really talk to her. In the Underworld, probably.

One night she finally confessed to Malcolm about all of this. "Malcolm," she said cautiously. Everyone was out doing an activity, but she didn't want to take a chance.

He looked up at her. "Yes?"

"Is anyone else in here?" she questioned him.

He shook his head. "No, it's just me."

"Okay, I need to tell you something. You have to swear on the River of Styx that you won't tell anyone," she pleaded. He swore that he wouldn't tell and so she told him everything—even the semi embarrassing things like how Annabeth used to think Thalia looked better when she would change her shirt behind a tree with Annabeth standing by, than when Luke took off his shirt.

He just listened until she was all done saying what needed to say and then she told her, "It's not wrong to love someone. But Thalia's gone now. You can love her and remember her, but you shouldn't get your hopes up over something impossible. It'll just hurt."

Annabeth wasn't completely sure if the talk helped her or not- Malcolm didn't tell her whether her sexuality was messed up or not. But he did say that it wasn't wrong to love someone. Maybe everybody felt like this.

A few months later, Percy showed up. She was wary of him for a while until one day when Annabeth thought that she was falling for him. It was kind of a relief knowing that she was like the other girls- being interested in a guy and all- but sometimes when she looked at Percy, she thought of all the good things about Thalia. There were so many similarities between them. It frustrated her to no end.

Was this love or was it not? How could she know though? She was only twelve. Twelve year olds don't know what love is, right?

Whatever it was, it had to stop. It was too confusing. So it did. That summer Annabeth stopped visiting Thalia's tree.

It didn't really matter though because, not long after, Thalia came back. All Annabeth could do was stare down at Thalia in disbelief. How could this be? How could she just come back? But it was also the miracle that Annabeth had secretly wished for every time she walked by Thalia's Pine tree.

Tears were shed and hugs were exchanged, but Thalia didn't seem to look at Annabeth in the way she would have looked at a picture of Billy Joe Armstrong, or even Luke. But Annabeth kept hope, because after all what was life without hope?

Thalia was doodling in a notebook and tapping her foot on her bed, as Annabeth pretended to do her homework. In truth, she had finished over ten minutes ago, but she wanted an excuse to watch Thalia. The way she bit her lip when she had to think something over; the way she squinted her eyes when something didn't look right to her; the way she turned her head to the side ever so slightly when she got confused.

Suddenly she sat upright, a crazy look in her eye. "Do you think you could do my math homework?"

This was not what Annabeth had been expecting her to freak out over. She raised her eyebrows at her best friend and snapped her own textbook shut. "Maybe. Why?"

"My teacher said she would give me detention if I didn't start turning it in. Besides I have other stuff to do. Please?" Thalia begged. "It'll take forever for me to do."

A smile tugged at Annabeth's lips. Thalia was the opposite of her on so many things. But as they say, opposites attract. "You owe me."

Thalia threw her arms around Annabeth and squeezed her tightly. "I do." Just as Annabeth was going to ask her what "other stuff" she had to do, Thalia glanced at the clock and snatched up her hoodie from off the bed. "I have to go. I'll be back later. If anyone asks just…oh, you'll think of something to tell them, right?" She waved off the worry of thinking of a cover up story.

"Wait, where are you going?" Annabeth asked as Thalia reached for the handle of their bedroom door.

"I met a guy in town and he asked me out. I mean, why the hell not? Being locked up at school all the time isn't good for a person. Well, except maybe for you," she teased.

"Yeah, why the hell not?" Annabeth mumbled. She wasn't even sure Thalia heard her before the door shut behind her and clicked back in place as quietly as possible.

That winter, when Thalia joined the Hunt and left her behind in a whole new way, Annabeth went back to Percy.