Disclaimer: I do not own PJO characters, that right goes to Rick Riordan. The lyrics are from the song All Of Me by John Legend, not mine.
AN: In relation to Oh Bloody Hell, I am so sorry I haven't updated lately. Writers block is a bitch. I'm sorry, but I hope to update soon. It might now be until after finals though because finals suck. I will be better during the summer though! Pinky Swear!
Of course it was all his fault, seriously. Because he really chose to be across camp, miles, as it felt, away when it happened. He chose to only hear about it after the rest of the camp knew. Because it had to be his fault in their eyes, like he was the one that dragged her down unwillingly.
Annabeth's screams reached his ears as he practically flew through the camp, finally reaching the cabins. He knew it had to be a prank, but at that moment he didn't care. Campers were struggling to get rid of the giant spider that most of the Athena campers looking ready to faint. But it was Annabeth who was rocking back and forth on the porch of her cabin, her hands gripping her hair tightly as she screamed for the gods to just leave her be. For them to forgive her for dragging him down too.
Percy growled as he showed his way through the other campers, knowing his temper was getting out of control. He ignored everyone as he mercilessly pushed through them. Moving faster than they could react till he was pulling Annabeth into his arms and curling himself around her protectively. He just stroked her hair, keeping her from spazzing as well as blocking her view of what was happening with the spider. "Annabeth..." He sighed, kissing her hair as she finally stopped screaming. "Hey Wise Girl, I know something you don't. But I can't show you if you can't calm down. I know it's hard, but please try. I'll wait for you to be ready."
And so he did. After five antagonizing minutes, Annabeth's panic attack subsided, leaving her to find half the camp starting at them. She pushed away from him, half bolting into her cabin. Knowing her, she was going to cry or beat herself up over showing weakness in front of everyone, how one simple thing pushed her over the edge.
Percy knew he had to do something to fix this, so he did the only thing he knew. "Annabeth, just listen for a second. I want to show you something." He watched her nod slowly as his smile broke free. "Come on!" He basically dragged her to the Big House, through room after room until he reached the one he wanted. A grand piano sat in it's lonesome, freshly tuned as he had been playing a lot lately.
Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "What are we doing here?" She was clearly interested, as this was something he had never shared with anyone. She didn't even jump as he picked her up to she could sit on the piano like in a movie. "Seaweed Brain."
"Just...listen" Percy sat down with his hands resting lightly on the keys, remembering the first time he played.
"I don't know what to do with you anymore! Just wait in here while I get your mother." The teacher basically threw him into the room like a fisherman releasing a catch that wasn't big enough. And to Percy, it felt exactly like that. He was only seven, but he knew when people didn't like him...Or want him.
And then he heard it. There was a small girl sitting by the piano, her fingers dancing across the keys like they were doing ballet. The sound filled him with something he wasn't used to. Hope. "Can you teach me how to do that?" It came out of his mouth before he could even stop himself. "I know we've been learning in music but you sound better than the teacher..."
The little girl blushed before moving so he could sit next to her. She clearly had experience, but for some reason he caught on fast. So she taught him to play one of his favorite songs, one his mom danced to on the radio. "Can you sing? I wanna hear how it sounds with lyrics."
Percy nodded enthusiastically, before she moved away. Leaving him alone at the piano. Before he could protest, he heard his mom in the hallway. Crying. So he started to play. Knowing the song always cheered her up. The lyrics came out softly, like the waves on a sunny afternoon. So when he looked up after he finished to see his mom smiling with so much pride he decided right then and there he was going to learn how to actually play, since his came out a bit on the clunky side.
And like then, he knew playing would cheer up one of the only people that mattered in his life. His fingers began their dance, bringing the illusion of a crib being rocked back and forth to calm a child. When he finally opened his mouth to sing, he was lost in memories.
What would I do without your smart mouth?
It was funny how even the first line made him want to cry. He pictured all those times Annabeth made smart ass comebacks, beat him with her brain. He pictured all of those times she kissed him when he was being stupid, just to taste what it felt like not to know everything in the world.
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out
You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down
At least in a fight, Percy thought making himself chuckle. He quickly stopped, remembering he had only words coming up.
What's going on in that beautiful mind
I'm on your magical mystery ride
And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright
My head's under water
But I'm breathing fine
With that, memories of all those underwater kisses flashed behind his closed eyelids. The days where the world didn't matter because he had Annabeth in his arms and that meant more to him than winning the war. That simple fact of seeing her sleeping peacefully next to him made him want to cry and laugh at the same time. Because, by gods, they deserved it. And they would never lose those moments if Percy had anything to do with it.
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind
'Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
"Percy, do I look okay? I mean I know it's nothing big but I don't want them to hate me..." Annabeth played with the hem of her shirt nervously, her eyes darting everywhere and nowhere at the same time. She was biting her lip subconsciously, one of her many nervous habits.
Percy laughed, trying to imagine a time Annabeth didn't look beautiful. "You look amazing, you always do. I like that color on you..." He wrapped his arms around her grey covered waist, slipping his hands into her back jean pockets. He kissed her hair.
Annabeth buried her face into his neck, her breathing slowly evening out as she calmed down. "It's just..." She moved away and stuck out her arms for me to see. There were scars scattering her skin, standing out white against her tan. She then moved to show me the visible bump of a line on her shoulder from the knife she took for me. "Won't they think it's weird that I have this many scars?"
Percy smirked as he moved to kiss that exact spot she was pointing to. "You're just accident prone. Why do you think you fell for me?" He kissed her quickly so she didn't try to over analyze his sentence. "Lots of kids have scars. I have more than you, I'll let you know. No one questions it because they have ones of their own. You are beautiful the way you are and no one is going to look at a scar and suddenly be repulsed by you."
Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I'm winning
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh oh
How many times do I have to tell you
Even when you're crying you're beautiful too
If there was one thing Percy hated, it was when Annabeth cried. It always started with silent tears, then heart stopping sobs that shook her entire body. If anyone but a close friend tried to comfort her, she'd thrash out and scream at them to leave her alone. Her voice would be broken, catching on the last word. But if she wanted you to hug her, she grabbed the first thing she could reach and pulled herself impossibly close. She'd mutter apologies or incomprehensible words about whatever she finally snapped over, until she had nothing left to say. Finally the sobs would lesson, leaving tear and snot stains on your shirt but you wouldn't care because she would just collapse in your arms and confess what happened. She would it it out through words, before finally relaxing enough to sleep.
The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood
You're my downfall,
It was almost too easy to picture every moment he fell for her more, until he thought he couldn't love her anymore. And then she would do something and it made him fall in love all over again, solidifying the one time he actually fell for her, right into hell. Because no matter what she always proved him wrong, he could love her more.
you're my muse
My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues
I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you
My head's under water
But I'm breathing fine
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind
'Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I'm winning
As if a projector turned on his his head, he suddenly remembered all those stupid fight they had. The ones that ended in five minutes of not talking until the other one did something stupid that made them laugh. Even when he lost those fights, those witty retaliations...he still had her. And that made up the difference.
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh oh
Give me all of you
Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts
It was almost like the world was laughing at him. Percy never lost a game of cards, his mind remembering every move Gabe ever moved, every single damn cheat he played. He knew how to find a person's bluff in one round, he knew when they thought they had a chance but the cards were risky. So when Annabeth asked him to play a round, he didn't even try. He beat her every time, much to her astonishment. The only game she ever won was when they were playing go fish with the same deck, only to find he had the queen of hearts and she had the king of hearts on their last draws. It was enough to break the tension, sending them into fits of giggles.
Risking it all, though it's hard
'Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I'm winning
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you
I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh oh
Finally, Percy stopped his playing to tentatively look at his girlfriend only to find her crying silently. He suddenly felt his stomach drop as he stood to stand in front of her. "I'm sorry, it's just my mom used to love this one song that I knew the lyrics too, my friend taught me a bit of the piano so when she loved it I started learning and I thought it might cheer you up too..." He felt his blood turning to ice, his breath faltering. The one thing he knew how to do, and he failed.
Suddenly his arms were full of Annabeth, her laugh seeping in through his skin and wrapping around his heart to give it a slightly painful squeeze, making it beat in time again. "What are you apologizing for? That was amazing!" She kissed him and suddenly he forgot about why he was worried, about how good it felt to play for someone again. He forgot everything except her because she was the most important thing on his mind in that split second.
"You really liked it?" Percy had to stop himself from shifting nervously since she was still in his arms. And that's when he came to a decision. No matter what it was, he would play that song for her...to make her feel better. To bring out that smile that made him suddenly conscious of heat coursing through his body, the fact that his heart was beating in time with his in perfect sync. And the fact that until they stopped, they would forever be.
Before Annabeth could reply, the door suddenly burst open with a slightly crazed Piper staring at them. "Since when can Percy sing? And could you possibly do it again?" That got the couple laughing again, whatever made him want to play for her in the first place long forgotten.