A/N: Hey there. Arrow/Hannah here. Sooo... Here's my second fanfic! *Applauses and dances her happy dance* Ahem. In this one, Percy and Annabeth are 16, 17-ish. This is also an AU fic, and they never really got together. Enough of my rambling, here's the story!
DISCLAIMER: Me no own PJO. PJO rightfully belongs to Rick Riordan.
Just Friends?
It was a Sunday night, and I was sitting on the couch of my apartment, watching a show on the TV. I groaned as someone rang the doorbell. Who'd be here in the middle of the night? I thought. As I lazily got up and went to the door, my face had its 'confused face' on. I opened the door to see…
"Annabeth? What are you doing here? And why are you—"
"Are you going to continue asking questions, or are you gonna let me in there?" she said, cutting off my rambling.
I blinked, and said, "Oh, um, okay. C'mon in."
I opened the door for her and after she had gone inside, I immediately closed the door. I was still confused as to why she's here, and why she had tears on her face.
"Um, do you want something to drink? Water, Coke, juice…?" I asked.
"Just a glass of water, please. Thank you," Annabeth replied.
I nodded and headed towards the kitchen to fetch Annabeth's water. After I got her glass of water, I returned to the living room and gave it to her. She thanked me again; I smiled at her, and then sat beside her on the couch. I took a good look at her and saw that her usually intimidating gray eyes were sad, red, and rimmed with tears. She was wearing a gray hoodie, black jeans, and her trademark gray Converse. Her curly blond hair was put up in a ponytail, and some strands were falling on her face.
"So, what are you doing here? Not that I don't want you to be here, but yeah. I think you get my point," I asked her, breaking the silence that we were engulfed in.
She breathed in, with her eyes closed, and said, "We had a fight."
I sighed. Here it comes again, I thought. Time to act as the "best-friend-who-gives-relationship-advice-when-he-himself-isn't-in-any-relationships." You see, my best friend here has a douchebag as her boyfriend. And we'll just call that douchebag as Luke. I really think he hits on every girl he sees when Annabeth's not around. We (Annabeth's group of friends) tried telling her this, but I guess the girl's already love-struck with him. Everyone's been trying to tell her, especially me, but she seems to not understand what we're saying.
I shook my head, and asked, "What is it about this time?"
"About me hanging out with you," she answered.
I blinked in disbelief. "What's wrong with you hanging out with your best friend?"
"He thinks that I'm cheating on him. Luke guesses that I have feelings for you."
Now, I really think that guy's MESSED UP. Okay, so I have this teeny-tiny crush on my best friend since fifth grade. But, Annabeth's already his. It's not like I have a chance with her anymore.
"Uh, did you try talking to him about it? That we were just hanging out as friends?" I said.
She rolled her eyes. "Of course! He has no right to assume things like that, anyway. I told him that we're just best friends. Nothing more, nothing less."
I felt a pang of disappointment when she said those words. '…we're just best friends. Nothing more, nothing less.' But nonetheless, I answered her, "He still didn't believe it. He still thinks that you, um, like me."
She nodded. "I still can't believe that he thinks that I'd do that. I tried explaining everything to him, but…"
"He argued with you, you explained, which led to the both of you fighting and you coming here in my apartment," I finished for her.
"Yes, Seaweed Brain. Thank you for summing that up," she said sarcastically.
I grinned at my nickname that she gave me. "That's exactly what I'm here for, Wise Girl. But seriously, try telling him that we're just friends. Or, would you like me to tell him that?"
"No need for that, Percy. I guess I can handle this one on my own. I'm a big girl now," she chuckled. Whoa, that's the first laugh I heard in days.
I smiled at her. "Really, now? Oh, my… Little Anniebeth's already growing up," I imitated my mother whenever she tells me the "my-little-boy's-growing-up" talk.
She glared at me but her eyes were twinkling with amusement. "Oh, shut up, Perseus."
I winced at the mention of my real first name. "Don't call me that."
"Alright…Perseus."
"Gods, Annie. You really like my name that much, huh?" I stated while I was looking at her with my eyebrow raised up.
She also looked at me, "Why, yes. Yes, I do. Why do you despise it anyway?"
"I do not 'despise' it. It's just, I don't know, kinda Greek-y and long-ish."
"Good reason there, Seaweed Brain," she sarcastically replied.
I sighed in defeat. "Oh, alright, I give up. But, I have one question."
"What is it?" she curiously asked.
"How did our conversation about you and Luke's fight lead to me 'despising' my first name?" I cocked my head to the side in confusion.
Annabeth thought about this for awhile, then she replied, "I don't really know. Maybe it's because we're just weird that way."
"Okay, then. So, do you still want some advice on your boyfriend problems?" I asked her.
She shook her head, saying no. "Thanks, but no thanks. I think I already had enough advice to solve this one. Thank you for everything, Percy."
"No biggie. That's what friends are for, anyway," I grinned.
Annabeth pulled out her phone from her hoodie's pocket and (I think) checked the time. "Oh, it's already 10:45 P.M. I better go now; there's classes tomorrow morning. Thanks again for everything, Perce," she said.
We both stood up from the couch and started walking towards the door. When we reached the door, I opened it for her (like the gentleman I am). Before she went out of my apartment, Annabeth looked at me for awhile and then hugged me. I hugged her back, not knowing the reason why she did that.
"Thank you, Percy. For everything you said and did for me. Thank you," she said.
I chuckled and told her, "That's enough thanking for today, Annabeth. Don't use it too much. But don't worry; I'll always be here for you."
"That's what I love about you, Percy. Goodnight," she told me with a smile. She kissed my cheek after she said that, then left my apartment. I was still stunned with what she said. 'That's what I love about you, Percy.'
She…loves me? A part of my mind asked.
No, she probably loves you as a friend. A best friend at that, the other part argued.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Oh, never mind. I guess she just loves me as her best friend."
Though, what she said and did before she left still put a smile on my face as I went to sleep that night.
A/N: There you have it! R&R please? Praises - gladly accepted. Constructive criticisms - highly appreciated. Flames - will be used for melting chocolate. Byeee~