so I'm not really into soulmate aus but someone on tumblr asked for one and since it was the first request i've received, ever, i thought why not? so here it goes.
Okay, look. Annabeth's down for the whole 'soulmates' thing. She believes in it. She's seen it. Her parents were very much in love until that life-altering car accident that killed her mom back when she was 7. And, yeah, she's getting rather impatient with waiting for her soulmate. Ever since the initials showed up on her wrist about a month after her 18th birthday – August 18 – she's been anxious to meet whoever this P.J. is.
But the one thing she is not anxious for is the fact that this streak of her hair changes color every other month. Seriously, why is she the one stuck with a soulmate who changes hair color so often? Her friend Piper never had problems like these before she met Jason. (But, then again, Piper was the one changing hair color. Jason had to put up with her.)
Annabeth just doesn't understand why the universe has to do this. She's pretty sure the initials inked on her wrist is enough; the streak of her hair that changes color to match that of her soulmate's is a tad bit too much, in her opinion. In fact, it's useless.
Well, honestly speaking, she isn't really that pissed off about the changing hair color. In fact, she actually enjoys it sometimes. Having always been someone who people look up to, she isn't really the kind who goes, well, 'wild'. Even if wild is equal to dyeing your hair. So, in a way, she owes it to her soulmate for giving her some sort of edge.
It's just – today is an important day for her. She was finally offered an interview for the architecture firm she's had her eyes on for, well, forever, and it's today. And, just when everything seems be going perfectly, her soulmate decided that today was the day he wanted to change his hair to blue. Blue.
And she's blonde, for heaven's sake! So now she has a very visible, very blue highlight.
She swears; if she sees anybody with even a sliver of blue in their hair, she will end them.
"C'mon, Annabeth, it's not that bad," Piper tries for encouraging but her smile is way too amused for Annabeth's liking. "I mean, it's a very pretty shade of blue."
"Very pretty shade of blue my ass." Annabeth laughs humorlessly then goes back to rummaging in her closet for an outfit. "I don't care if it rivals that of the sky on a perfect day, Piper. I have an important interview and he's screwing it up for me!"
"Seriously, you're not going to not get the job because of a streak of blue. Besides, you can always explain yourself if they bring it up." Piper grabs a gray blouse and tosses it to her. "Try that on."
Annabeth does what she's told and quickly puts on the blouse, smoothing the wrinkles. "That's not the point, Pipes. I just want to make a good first impression. You know what they say, first impressions last." She sighs before putting on a black skirt and fixing her hair in an attempt to hide the blue.
"You look great," Piper says after Annabeth tries – and fails – to cover her soulmate's work. "Let's go; you just need some breakfast."
"Waffles with extra whipped cream and a strawberry milkshake, please," Annabeth places her order to the waitress by their booth next to the door. Piper gives her a questioning look and Annabeth glares at her. "Don't judge me, I'm nervous."
Her friend just laughs and shakes her head in response. "Bacon on toast and a glass of orange juice for me. That'll be all, thanks." The waitress walks back to the counter.
They sit in comfortable silence for a while; Annabeth too nervous to talk and Piper too occupied with trying to spell her name out of toothpicks. Both, however, look up when the diner's door opens and a noisy crowd of three walks in.
"I'm telling you, Hazel; your boyfriend's boxers have pictures of goldfish on them." the tallest of the three – a guy – says, laughing afterwards.
"Come on, my grandma gave them to me 3 years ago!" exclaims a buff Asian guy, his cheeks reddening. "And hey, you have a similar pair in your drawer!"
The girl in between them laughs. "You guys are so weird."
Annabeth, however, isn't staring at them because they're weird. Or because she's surprised that they have goldfish-printed boxers. No, she's staring because the guy on the left – the one with the calming green eyes and easy smile – has blue hair. The exact same shade of blue she tried to cover less than an hour ago.
Piper's mind seems to be working faster than Annabeth's because half a second later, she stands and basically charges towards the blue haired boy.
He screams before Piper has him lying on the ground.
"What the fu –"
"Percy!" the girl yells, glaring at the man on the ground. Percy.
"Well, I'm sorry Hazel but I was just attacked!" Percy cries. A waitress rushes forward, scolding both Piper and Percy and telling them to stand up or they'll be kicked out. They oblige, to Piper's dismay. Annabeth leans over to her friend and pokes her side. "Apologize." She hisses.
"I-I'm sorry. For, you know, assaulting you." Percy scoffs at this. Piper rolls her eyes and continues. "I am, okay? It's just. Well, you have blue hair."
Percy's staring at Piper as if she were stupid. "I noticed. But, unlike you, I don't go on and hit myself for it."
"No, but. My friend, Annabeth," she turns to look at their booth where the blonde is in a mix of shock and bewilderment. Piper catches Annabeth's eye and she smiles. "Well, a part of her hair turned blue this morning."
Everyone, even the African American girl and goldfish-boxers-owning guy Percy came in with, turns silent. They're all looking at Annabeth.
Or, well, her hair.
"Oh," is all that Percy says after a minute.
"Hey, Perce, how about me and Hazel go find a booth and order breakfast for you?" the muscular man offers. Percy doesn't even spare a glance, too busy staring at Annabeth. "Sure, Frank. You guys do that."
Piper's eyes light up and she starts walking towards Frank and Hazel. "How about I go with you guys?" she catches up with Percy's friends and Annabeth can hear her introduce herself as they slide in the booth.
The entire time, Annabeth's gray eyes never left Percy's green ones.
"So, um…" Percy starts, unsure what to do.
"Oh, uh, sit." Annabeth says and Percy slips in the booth, opposite from her.
"Can – can I see your wrist?" Percy asks, timid and quiet. Annabeth gently lays her right hand, palm up, on the table, the initials looking lighter than usual on her tan skin. Percy's fingers trace the letters and Annabeth has to suppress a shudder as their skins meet.
"P.J." he whispers, mostly to himself, then pulls his fingers away so abruptly, Annabeth almost jumps. He tugs on the edge of his sweater's sleeve, baring his wrist for Annabeth to see the initials printed on his skin – A.C.
"A.C.," Annabeth mutters, looking back up at Percy's face. She smiles when she sees how nervous he looks: brows scrunched up together, the edge of his lips pulled down into a frown. "I'm Annabeth Chase."
"Percy Jackson." his look of worry fades slightly. The initials on their wrists fade completely. "Nice to finally meet you."
This earns a laugh from Annabeth. Her breakfast arrives and as she eats – offering Percy some but he refused, telling her that it won't really make a good impression on his part and he'll eat Piper's instead (he didn't; he gave them to Piper) – they talk about simple things like hobbies and they share anecdotes from their lives. Percy tells a rather funny one, which makes her laugh, but she stops when she, once again, notices that his hair is blue. She remembers her interview.
"Do you know what you've done?" she scowls, glaring at him, folding her arms across her chest.
"Huh?"
"Why the hell did you dye your hair blue?!" she's trying her best not to raise her voice, but Piper, Frank and Hazel look at their booth with concern. "Of all days, why today?"
"What? What's so wrong about dyeing my hair blue?" Percy now looks scared yet at the same time amused. This only infuriates Annabeth more. "I mean, I expect you'd rather react to the time I dyed it a sickly shade of green although it only lasted for, like, a day."
"Oh yeah, we can get back to that on a different day." Percy's eyebrow shoots up when Annabeth mentioned the prospect of a 'different day'. Annabeth chooses to ignore him. "I have an interview today! An important interview. An interview I've been wanting since forever."
Percy laughs. He laughs. Annabeth doesn't know whether she should hit him or kiss him to shut him up.
(What? He has a very nice laugh.)
"Well, I'm sorry Annabeth. I had no idea this day was going to be big for you." he actually does look sorry, but he's still smiling so Annabeth isn't going to forgive him anytime soon.
"Why do you even dye your hair, anyway?" her intense gaze softens, but she's still pretty much glaring. Percy finally has the gall to look ashamed.
"You're not going to like my answer." he warns. Annabeth only raises her eyebrows as a sign to go on. Percy rubs the back of his neck. "Well, when I found out that changing my hair color would affect my soulmate –" he blushes as he says the word. "– well, I thought of having some fun and well, annoy her. Or, er – you."
"You mean to tell me," her voice is calm and even, but she's seeing red. "that the reason why I have to put up with all these changes is because you wanted to annoy me?"
"Yeah?" he gulps, wringing his hands together in nervousness. Annabeth catches the time from the watch on Percy's left wrist.
She would rage if only her interview isn't starting in 20 minutes. Instead, she stands. This seems to frighten Percy more.
"I'm not going to hurt you, calm down." she fishes some money out of her pocket and throws it on the table, her payment for breakfast. "Tell Piper I'm leaving; I have to catch my interview."
She turns to leave when she feels hands around her wrists.
"Wait, Annabeth." Percy exhales, pausing for a moment. "How about I make it up to you?"
Annabeth only stares in response. Percy lets go of her wrists reluctantly.
"After the interview, how about we celebrate and I buy you lunch as an apology? From what you've told me about yourself, I'm sure you'll get the job. Regardless of weird hair color. You seem pretty amazing like that." Annabeth isn't blushing, nope. She's totally not. "I'll get your number from your friend and I'll text you. How about it?"
Annabeth stays silent for about 30 seconds before she rolls her eyes and agrees. As she walks out of the diner, she checks her phone for her reflection. She realizes that, like the initials, the streak of blue has gone too.