You Had Me at Hello
Percabeth
Rated T
Around 17
The Only Law
Fact #1: He always knew that he loved her...
He knocked on the door, in his typical annoying way.
Knock, knock, "Annabeth."
"Idiot", Annabeth muttered under her breath. He had to come just when she had finally got in a comfortable position on her clustered sofa. Slamming the TV remote on the glass table she tried untangling herself from the layers on cloth on her feet.
Knock, knock, "Annabeth."
Keyword: tried. She hopelessly struggled against the bonds and eventually, fell into the lava pit between the sofa and the coffee table.
Knock, knock, "Annabeth."
"Ouch", she whispered softly while making her way towards the door. She had mentally prepared a list of curse words, ready to spout them to him but stopped herself just in time.
She opened the door to reveal a head full of black hair hung down. Putting a hand on his shoulder she looked over him towards the car.
"He's drunk and Sally didn't want him there. Some friends of Paul had come," shouted Jason, winging his head out of the window. Nico, in the driver's seat, merely nodded his head in greeting.
She nodded back and promptly dragged Percy inside her tiny house, closing the door behind them.
Then she was tackled by a big bear of fur. Stumbling, she pushed a hand behind and took support of the drawer.
"Baby?"
Percy shifted his head and nuzzled her neck, putting all his weight on her right shoulder. He snaked his hands and held her neck like a lifeline.
"Rachel dumped me."
"You were dating Rachel? You didn't tell me that."
"I didn't because I wasn't dating her. I wasn't dating her and yet she dumped me. Imagine that. I mean- that's just sad."
"That's terrible," Annabeth found herself agreeing.
"You are laughing at me."
A smile came onto her face. If it had been anyone but Percy, they wouldn't have even guessed that.
"Baby, it doesn't matter-"
"But it does, I really thought that this time she was the one this time."
"Bullshit. You told me the same when you went out with Calypso, and the time before that."
"It's not bull- Annabeth you really shouldn't say bad words."
"F'ck you!" Annabeth proclaimed in an exaggerated manner. Percy covered his ears with his hands.
"Fine, there's no need to pretend that you don't know another long string of swear words." Percy shook his head lightly, the ghost of a smile etched on his pink lips.
"Anyways, baby, forget it. You are Percy Jackson; of course you will get someone better. Forget Rachel. Enjoy... party hard... or better yet, study. We still have two years of college left."
Percy looked down, pushing his lip out. "But Annabeth what if I don't get a girl after this? See Rachel's example. She dumped me even before I had the chance to ask her out, for crying out loud. What if I have lost my charm? For good? My first relationship lasted for six months. My fifth lasted for a month. My eighth lasted for four days. This is not done. I am officially giving up on love."
That hit Annabeth hard. "The greatest sorrow is not to be unloved but to not love," she quoted.
"Annabeth, Annabeth, but Aaanaaaabeth?!"
"No Percy, you will find someone. It's not easy, but you will, I promise."
"What if I don't find someone in the next ten years?"
"Then... then I'll marry you!"
"But what if you are already married in ten years? Then what?"
"Then I'll get a divorce!" Annabeth smiled as Percy's cheeks stretched upwards though his eyes were drowsy. The teen wanted sleep. He promptly hugged her and nuzzled his nose again against her neck. "You are the best, honestly."
"Ok, ok, enough. Get off me. By the way, have you ever asked your ex's why they broke up with you?"
Confession #1: She never expected this...
"They are all really picky. They just don't get that I have a life other than them. All of them complained that I don't spend enough time with them. Like that one time I didn't take her on a date, I told her I was busy at that time, and then she saw me at a shopping mall with you. Honestly, it's always the same thing. I almost feel like they are stalking me. But they just can't tell me too turn –my back on you," he rambled on softly, his eyes droopy.
Annabeth's breath hitched a bit in his rib-cracking hug but soon relaxed. She patted his back, "Maybe you should take them shopping sometimes."
"But they are girls, they make you choose; then take the one they like. And they always bore me."
"I am a girl," Annabeth pointed out. She stopped patting his back when he moved to fix his position, plopping his head on her lap, eyes closed. Then she stoked his face.
"You aren't a girl," Percy reasoned.
Annabeth hit him on the head. He contracted as if he was already expecting it. "C'mon! Half the clothes are my choice. "
"That's only because you refuse to accept my choice and hide that article of clothing.
Percy smiled sheepishly.
Fact #2: She knew that she might be falling for him...
"Fine, sleep on the couch, I am turning in for the night," Annabeth made her what towards her room. And promptly fell asleep. She thought that Percy would be able to find his way around her apartment, ''cause after all, he had been here a million times, literally.
Of course she didn't count the drunkenness in.
''Cause, when the clock stroked two, she felt someone's weight fall in the space next to her, and a low grunt."
She shrieked.
"The couch hurt. Now shift."
Her heart racing, she timidly scooted over a bit, waiting for her heart to stop thumping.
Then Percy put a monstrous hand over her, hugs her tight, and wrapped himself tight around him.
Conclusion #3: Even after coming to her senses, she didn't ask him to let go of her...
"I feel sick!"
Annabeth swiftly, wrapped a towel around her body, "Don't you dare get a single drop on my carpet." Then she unlocked the door.
Percy rushed inside the door and put his face down on the toilet seat. Annabeth peeked over a few times to check if he was okay. Finally,
"Get out now, stop staring at me. And stay out of the room for the next ten minutes," then she shoved him out of the door.
Percy laughed out loud, even though his head hurt and he couldn't make sense of what was happening around him. Then he promptly crashed into the bed and fell asleep.
Annabeth leaned against the restroom door and let herself giggle a bit, for no reason whatsoever.
Then she prepared a bucked of ice-cold water to dose him into.
Fact #3: He was insanely jealous...
"Who was it?"
Percy's eyes darkened, "Some unknown imbecile."
"Name?"
"Puke."
"Percy!," she threatened
"Fine. It was Luke. Go call him," he threw her the phone.
Annabeth shook her head s she caught it in mid-air. "That' my phone, genius." Then she left to call her boyfriend while Percy sulked.
He brought his legs to a standing position, and took out his Biology book from Annabeth's enormous bookshelf, trying to block out Annabeth's laughter and other lovey-dovey words.
He tried to study, but he was distracted. She always paid more attention to her boyfriend. Honestly, Percy thought, he was her best friend of seventeen years, so he should get a bit more out of Annabeth. After all, her boyfriends will be temporary. God only knows how many relationships she had had. Well... not exactly true. Percy always remembered the list of her infatuations. And her crushes. And her time-pass boyfriends. And her maybe-real boyfriends. And her favourite monuments. And her TV shows. And her songs. And her movies. All her favourite food items. And those horrendous debate topics.
He always remembered her debate oblique speech oblique article topics. And all the time she had won in them. Maybe because Annabeth made him listen to her talking for hours on end, going on and on about various issues while he discreetly checked his FB wall, her words, graceful and elegant, washing over him like music.
Annabeth went for intelligent people. No. She went for those who scored top. CGPA 9, 9 and a half, eight. Boys who were either nerds with big heads or jocks with smart heads. And Percy hated that.
Once he had made a mistake of accompanying her and Jake (her then boyfriend); (a jock with an average of CGPA eight) to the nearby club.
Worst night of his life, period.
Jake had obviously wanted to impress Annabeth, but had certainly overdone it. He invited some selected intelligent people. That was a mistake. A terrible, nightmarish mistake... for Percy at least.
So here's the thing, people think that people who are toppers, have a certain lifestyle which includes smart conversation with every person every second of their life.
So there they were, in a club, surrounded by drunk people, and music bursting their eardrums, sitting at a table which was living up on whether by 2020's everything would still be the same.
Percy wholeheartedly supported the notion. If he didn't get out of this problem right now, by 2020 he would be in a mental asylum.
And wtf, Annabeth never lived it down.
Anyways.
He wanted to be that guy for Annabeth. He felt that Annabeth felt a bit empty with him, with no one to give her brain a workout. He had seen her face sparkle as she conversed about her some high-fi topic with someone; and felt sad as the conversations made Annabeth forget about him. Seriously, he felt like he had to tug her hand and whine to get her attention.
And of course, he had perfected his I'll-kill-you-later glare after all the time he had used it to get the guys and gals running off.
He wanted to be smart too. So he began reciting his biology notes aloud, blocking out Annabeth's voice, and Luke's voice wafting over the speakerphone, which he had an annoying feeling had been deliberately switched on.
Conclusion #3: She loved it when he got like this. Especially the nickname part...
Fact # 4: He thought that she was an angel sent to earth, on a blue coloured rainbow...
"I don't have a date for prom!"
"How come? You dumped Caitlyn?"
"I don't have a date. I don't have a date!"
"Why don't you have a date?"
"Caitlyn's best friend asked her out..."
"And?"
"And she said yes."
Then he burst into tears. Well... metamorphic ally.
"Percy, I don't know why you are not getting in a decent relationship. For His sake, you used to have such good relationships earlier. I never saw you complaining once. Now every other day you are coming her with one of your..." Annabeth trailed of looking at Percy's face.
He looked up at her, his sea-green eyes shining, "If you didn't want me here, then I could just go away. You just have to ask, you know."
Annabeth instantly went by his side, putting at arm around his waist.
"No Seaweed Brain, I didn't mean it like that. And don't talk like that; I don't want you going way, ever."
"Hey? Can't you be my date for prom? Please."
"Percy, do you have Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? "
"You know I do but seriously..."
"Luke-"
"Puke doesn't go to our college."
"But Luke is expecting an invitation. These kinds of things aren't exactly incognito."
"Annabeth, pwease?"
She let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine."
"Yay!" he bounced a bit and hugged her tight.
"And Seaweed Brain, colleges don't have proms. It's just a cultural fest.
Conclusion #4: Little did she know not all things he said her cent percent true...
So as he danced the night away with her head resting on his chest, he felt glad that he had her in this way.
So what if he didn't have a real girlfriend; Annabeth was probably better than hundreds of them anyway.
Around 22
"You are cordially invited to the wedding ceremony of
Lord Hermes and Ms. May Castellan's beloved son
Luke
With
Annabeth
Daughter of Dr. Frederick Chase and Lady Athena"
Percy knew he should be happy, elated even, but he just could not bring himself to admire the 5 karat diamond ring adorning Annabeth's ring finger. He felt sick.
"And then sat down on one knee...,"she gushed, apparently not noticing his change in mood, "Percy, are you all right?"
He forced a smile on his face, which came easily to him now, "Not at all. I just can't believe that my little Annabeth is all grown up now and about to be married."
She kicked him under the cafe table.
"So the wedding's in a year."
"Yup, just twelve months away."
"That's so, so far away."
What Percy didn't say was he hoped that in these 12 months, something would change. And he immediately smacked himself, guilty to even think about that.
Around 23
He knocked on the door yet again in that annoying pattern; something she had grown endearingly fond of.
Tears streaming down her face, she put her handkerchief away. She didn't want to look like this in front of Percy, but she didn't have the strength to anything about her rat's nest.
She opened the door and took the two big buckets of ice-cream.
"Go home," as she kicked the door shut.
Percy Jackson stuck out a leg between the door and the wall and welcomed himself in. "I am home."
"No you are not."
"Yes it is. Anyways, I took time out today form office to come 'home'. I deserve more."
"So this is what it has come down to?"
Percy frowned. Annabeth smiled.
"You are the boss at your own company. Stop faking it."
Annabeth leaned against one arm of the sofa and witched the television on, spreading her legs on the other half. Percy came in and sat on her legs, of course keeping them on his lap.
"So what's up?"
"You think?!"
"Forget about that douche bag. He isn't worth it. See, I brought ice-cream. And the chocolate one's mine."
"I caught him cheating on me, how can I forget it? And I need the chocolate one, you take the vanilla and choco chips.
Ring Ring!
.
.
.
"Puke filed for a restraining order against you. Wanna explain?" asked Annabeth, with a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"Not really," admitted Percy.
Annabeth laughed for the first time in what felt like years.
Around 27
Most of their friends got the following video clip.
Annabeth's face filled the screen, "Ok so, yeah! Most of you guys predicted that I would eventually end up with him here. And, guess what," then she reached out a hand and blocked the pillow plummeting towards her.
"Lem'me sleep," someone grunted behind her.
"See what I am dealing with here?" a reminiscent smile adorned her beauty.
"Baby, I am sending out our wedding invites," Annabeth said softly, already covering her hands in anticipation.
"Da f'ck?!"
Annabeth curled her lips, involuntarily.
"Anyways it's on 18 August, and you just have to be there-"
"She means, to add a please there," looking pointedly at her.
"Ha ha haha! The only reason I am doing this is because you couldn't go around to printing the cards."
"She means that of course she wanted to send ya'll a personalised wedding card- hey, we are getting married. Yipee." He added a jump or two for special effects.
"See what I am dealing with her," her spirit none less detached."
Fact #: They wanted a life together...
Conclusion #: They had it...
_FIN_
Random Flashback #1: When she forced him to bow down to her...
"Percy, get down now."
Percy Jackson jutting his lower lip forward, "Maybe I don't want."
"Then forget ever having-"
An alarmed feeling suddenly threatened his health and he immediately shushed her.
"No, no, see, I am getting down."
"I am waiting."
"Fine," so while the moon flew up to embrace night's army and the H2O elements threatened to take over the shore, Percy kneeled down and proposed to an annoyed Annabeth.
"Annabeth, since you basically cannot live without me, and are so painfully making me go through this- seriously Annabeth why are you making me do this? You know I know you are going to say yes."
"Percy, do you want to marry me or not?"
"Annabeth Chase, I didn't actually hate your last name earlier, but now I always feel the urge to cut it out and replace it permanently with Jackson. Will you marry me?"
"Name changing was never part of the deal," Annabeth stated as she tucked a blond curl.
"Do you want to marry me?"
"Yes!"
Then they sat down in front of the last frontier, her head resting on his chest, with his legs around her.
A moment of silence, memorising the moment.
"Do I also have to kiss you?"
"You can even have my kids."
Annabeth smacked the back of his head.
Percy smirked, "Oh! You so want to."
"Why not start now then?"
Needless to say, she left behind a dumbstruck Percy.
Random Flashback #2: How it came about...
"I am 27."
Percy signed a paper before looking up from his papers, "I know it's your birthday today, if that's what you are asking," he said matter-of-factly.
"Remember ten years ago?"
How could Percy forget it, "You want to marry me."
"You want to?"
"Why not, I am single-ready to mingle, you are single ready to-"
"Don't. I wonder why I even asked you, idiot."
Percy left his paperwork, and joined Annabeth on the bed, "Let's get married," draping his arms around her. "See, I am serious."
Random Flashback #3: The foundation...
They didn't know, when they had started to, but once they had, it spread fast.
Percy realised that he took 27 years to achieve his longing, 27 years to tell Annabeth that he loved her more than anything in the world without having to worry about scaring her off.
He always knew he had loved her, as a friend, as an acquaintance, taken her as granted. Then came her many boyfriends, and then came her paying more attention to them. Somewhere along that period, he had came to take her for more than granted. He began noticing her little quirks, habits; things he had once memorised, and forgotten; learning them again. Strange urges to hold her, be sentimental with...share with. But not to share. He didn't want to share her. Then he realised that he wanted things to more than just friends.
Yeah, he was kind of stupid in that way.
Annabeth, well... Annabeth was always a different case, wasn't she?
What was she before Percy came? Honestly, she didn't remember, but she knew that without him, the world wouldn't be seeing this Annabeth.
Trust her, she more than anyone knew how much Percy meant for her. How he had repaired her bit by bit, piece by piece, heart by heart. He had poured all his love into her; without realising it. Perseus Jackson was a man who you meet just once in your life. Your Mr. Right, even when he screams Wrong!
She never took him for granted.
Percy Jackson gave up dating in his high school years, just so he could achieve her standards. He wanted to be someone whim she didn't just throwaway like yesterday's new. He wanted to her everything.
And he was.
Random Flashback #3: Random
"Why do you call me 'baby'?"
"''Cause you are my baby. My sweet innocent (mostly) baby whom I Love more than how he loves his stupid stuffed pet."
Percy looked adoringly at his stuffed dolphin pet. Then he turned over in Annabeth's lap and mumbled, "Definitely more."
/The Only Law
A/N: Oh hello? HI there? So what did you think about this one?
I know that I need to improve, a lot, but hey, this is my first time as a one-shot.
As for the inspiration, I was going through some Percabeth art and one of them quickly escalated into this. So tell me what you thought about this one cause, there are many more to come.
Also, I am sorry to keep you hanging, but my other stories would be updated soon. Sa-1 going on here, so I can't really type.
Anyways, check out A FRIENDLY RIVALRY (I CHAPTER TO GO), KIDNAPPED, BOND.
All Percabeth.
Yours in demigodishness, percabethness, half-bloodedness and all that.
-AliceTonksHPJ thanks you for reading the story.