a/n one: so this is a one shot i whipped up for you guys while i work on always and forever, because i lost the latest chapter. i'm going to try and update over the break, so look forward to that! please enjoy!

dedicated to my great-uncle, because we'll miss you, even though you're in a better place.

april 21st, 2005

The first time Percy meets Annabeth, they are in first grade, and all Percy wants is the tan crayon so he can finish up the drawing of his mother. And he is undeniably, irrevocably upset that she is hogging the tan colored crayon, scribbling away at the thin computer paper. He could use one of the other tan crayons in the classroom, but the deal is, the tan crayon that this blonde-haired girl is using is the only one in the class that hasn't been mixed with other crayon colors by Piper, or snapped in half, and melted down with something by Leo. And all Percy knows is that he wants that tan crayon, and at the moment, he needs that stupid crayon, like a fish needs water. So he marches up to Annabeth, small fists clamped at his sides, and next to her, Piper stares at him, her weird eyes confused and slightly scared.

Percy doesn't know whether to feel guilty for making Piper scared, or extremely satisfied, but all his 7 year old mind knows is that he wants that crayon, and Piper's friend with the pretty blonde hair is not about to keep him from it. "Give me the crayon," his voice resonates, squeaky and unsure, because Percy isn't really a bully by nature, and it takes a lot for him to confront Piper's pretty friend.

Her grey eyes swivel from her drawing, and up to Percy's where they meet his own green ones, hers blazing and confident. "No. Why should I give this crayon to you? I got it first." Her voice is dangerous, sharp, and Percy doesn't like it, yet he wants to hear her talk more. "Besides, do you even need this crayon?"

That snaps Percy from his reverie, and he looks down at her drawing, and at the wooden ruler laying not too far away from her picture, which is all strict lines, and a temple-like building, messily colored in. And Percy gets a sort of competitive rise from that-her picture might look professional, but at least he can color within the lines. "You-you've had it for forever! I want the crayon too!" His plea is childish and so very much kindergarten, but Percy is beyond frustrated at this girl with her curls, and her denim capris, stained with dirt from the playground. And gods, he just wants this stupid crayon so that he can get his mother's card done!

She shrugs, a cold and indifferent motion, something that is mature beyond her seven and three quarter years. "So use a different crayon, stupid," she deadpans, and Percy's eyes widen, because she just said a bad word, and he can't even begin to comprehend why she would call him stupid. And he still wants that perfect crayon!

Piper is shocked too, and she scoots away from her friend a little, keeping her head down as she colors her bird in. "You just said a bad word!" Percy shrieks, pointing a stubby finger at her, and grey eyes blaze brighter. Annabeth sets down the crayon, her fury deadly cold for a first grader, and she proceeds to throw her ruler at Percy, screaming at him as well.

The teacher, Miss Astraea, gasps, tearing herself away from Leo and Jason, as she shoots over to the bickering and crying children, the ruler having knocked out one of Percy's front teeth. He is crying, blood trickling slowly from his mouth and Annabeth is yelling at him for being stupid, and screeching, why didn't he dodge the ruler, and was he so idiotic that he couldn't even process the fact that he had to duck, and oh, oh, he was going to get them both into so much trouble!

Percy, however, was crying from shock and pain, screaming at Annabeth that she was a big fat meanie, and look, he was missing a tooth, and why didn't she just let him borrow the crayon, it wasn't as if he wouldn't give it back, but she had it for way too long, but why did she throw her ruler at him?

Miss Astraea cast an imposing shadow over the two children, as she lowly told them to explain right now what they had done, and what had gotten into Annabeth, she honestly thought that she had known better than to throw her ruler at people, and she was very, very disappointed in the both of them. And when she finds out that they were fighting over something as frivolous as a tan crayon, the young teacher wants to curl up onto her couch, and watch reruns of Project Runway for the rest of the week. Of course, she couldn't because that would be a sure-fire way to get herself fired. So the teacher crouches on her heels, and speaks to the two agitated students softly, telling them that Annabeth should have let Percy use the crayon, because it wasn't her crayon to begin with, but at the same time, Percy shouldn't have yelled. And neither of them, she adds, her eyes serious, should have resorted to violence. So Miss Astraea sends Percy to Nurse Hygeia and walks Annabeth to Principle Dike, but not before asking Mrs. Isis to watch over the kids, many of them who have begun to gather around the spots of blood left over from where Percy had sat with his tooth knocked out. Oh, she really had to call a janitor soon. While she rushed out with Annabeth following grumpily, Mrs. Isis shoots her a sympathetic look, to which the young teacher replys with a soft, drawn smile. She can deal with these kids, if Principle Dike will help her.

(and in the end, percy had to go to the dentist to get his gums and teeth fixed, annabeth was grounded for two whole months, and both children never really did get to finish their drawings-but they're still hanging in the back of classroom 5A, side by side, incomplete, but perfect within all their first grade glory)

april 21st 2009

They meet face-to-face again in sixth grade, and Annabeth thinks that Percy still looks like that kid in first grade that had the sheer gall to try and take that dumb tan crayon from her. But at the same time, he really doesn't. Four years past, and that tooth she knocked out with her wooden ruler (which is sitting in one of her pencil cups on her desk, and annabeth swears that some of his blood is still on it-gross) is just beginning to grow in beneath the metal wires of his braces. Annabeth has to fight back a laugh because he looks rather stupid, like a fourth grader that never quite grew up. Piper is next to her, choppy chestnut hair braided haphazardly, and thrown carelessly over her shoulder. And Annabeth feels grown up in that moment, with her grey backpack slung over one shoulder, and her gridline sketchbook tight against her pale yellow shirt. But when she looks at Percy, his hair still a mess like in first grade, a ratty messenger bag slung over his shoulder, and his worn jeans torn with holes, she thinks that maybe he looks a little grown up. But when he opens his mouth to speak, Annabeth can see that missing tooth again, and the illusion disappears. From his old bag-Annabeth thinks that she can remember him having it in fourth grade-he brings out a ratty sketchbook, and sets it onto the paint splattered art table, trying to come up with an idea for their group project. Nico Di Angelo, a longtime friend of Percy's is next to the scruffy tween, as they both peruse through sketches that Annabeth is sure are dumb looking and juvenile, because she swears, she's the only person in their grade that can actually draw. She's wrong of course, but Annabeth doesn't quite know that yet.

"I think we should do our project based off of the Grecian art period," she announces, finally sitting down in one of the stools, and opening up her lined book, dark with graphite and architectural drawings.

Percy looks up from his own messy drawing pad, takes one look at her perfectly neat one, and frowns.

Annabeth cannot believe him. She stares back down at her drawings, looking for any errors that might cause him to frown at them, but she can find none. The lines are immaculate, the buildings beautifully timeless. The girl cannot fathom why he is frowning at her perfect work.

"Why the Grecian era? Isn't that boring, with all its straight lines, and dumb sculptures?" Percy interjects, his dark brows melding together on his acne-peppered forehead. "Not to say that the Greeks weren't good artists," he barrels on, waving his tanned hands in the air, "but I think we do enough of things like that in the geometry unit in Math."

"So? I bet that I'll probably be the only person doing any work anyways! You can't draw, so you don't get to make the decisions!" She's furious, horrified that he would challenge her like this, and tell her that she doesn't know what to do. Because she does know what to do, and doing a Greek-inspired piece will get them the most points, and the highest grade, if he would just listen to her!

But he slams his hands onto the table, and it's almost a miracle that Mrs. Dare doesn't look over towards their bickering group. "So? Art is about taking a risk, blondie, not always going the safe way and trying to rack up the most points, or get the highest grade! Enjoy yourself, why don't you!" He's obviously miffed as well, his sea colored eyes fiery and furious as they bore into her own.

Annabeth wants to throw a ruler at him again, she wants to throw something at him, so that he'll just shut the fuck up, and let her take control, because he knows nothing, nothing at all about their project. If he'd just let her wear the pants, they'd be able to turn in something wonderful, like a modernized Grecian temple, and the grade they'd get would most definitely be an A. "Just…shut up!" She screeches. There's just something, something about this stupid, stupid boy that always gets on her nerves, constantly grating on her, pushing her temper to the max. "I'll bet my entire third quarter History average that if we did what you want to do, our project would look like a second-rate picture that a kindergartener drew!" She pulls back, letting out a satisfied breath as Percy leans back as well, his brow crinkling.

"No, it wouldn't. Have you ever seen me draw before?" He sounds tired and angry, and Annabeth feels satisfied because it means he is giving up. This victory is hers to take. But she'll indulge him a little longer, and let him make a fool out of himself. Beside her, Piper seems to be slightly disappointed in her, but Annabeth can't bring herself to care, because Jesus, she just wants to put this stupid delinquent in his place, and lord it over him when their rag-tag group of four gets the highest score in the class, under her direction.

"Actually, I have not. If you can draw something that I think is good, you can lead the group, alright?" Her tone is dripping with condescendence, and apparently, Percy has noticed it. His eyes narrow just a smidge, and he nods his acceptance, opening his ratty sketchbook to a new page, taking up his lead pencil. Light grey lines encompass the page, as Percy connects them with an easy grace, his eyes darting back and forth, foggy with concentration. Annabeth props up her chin with the palm of her hand, and watches Percy lazily, staring off into space.

Ten to twelve minutes later, Percy announces that he is finished, and Annabeth looks up, then looks down at his drawing. She swears that he wasn't this good in first grade, but his picture is one of Nico, who is still staring out the large window in the back of the classroom, some of his dark locks scattering themselves upon the Italian's olive skin, as he rests his head in the crook of his elbow. The person itself is slightly cartoonized, and the style is like the television show Yu-Gi-Oh, which Annabeth can often catch her stepbrothers watching Sunday afternoon. But the background in itself is realistic, and the shadows are shaded almost perfectly. Annabeth wants to scream, and pull her hair out, because it isn't fair, he shouldn't be able to dethrone her every single time they are thrust together. But a deal is a deal, and Annabeth sulks while Percy takes charge of the project. She wants to be the one in charge, to be the one Piper and Nico are paying attention to. But it's Percy, always Percy, and Annabeth feels that it is so unfair. But while the duo are off fetching colored pencils and markers, Percy tentatively approaches Annabeth, as if trying to approach a hostile lioness.

"What do you want?" She hisses out, glaring at him as hard as she can possibly muster.

Tentatively, he lays the large sheet of paper in front of her. "I was wondering if you wanted to help me come up with the building?" It's a peace offering, and when Annabeth looks into his eyes, she knows that he is sincere.

Begrudgingly, she nods, and picks up her ruler to draw a horizon line.

Maybe Percy Jackson wouldn't be so bad to work with after all.

They end up hanging out a lot after that project, especially during lunch. Percy isn't very good at math, and Annabeth is in Honors, so sometimes when they hang out after school, she'll tutor him. She tries her best, but Percy has the attention span of a gnat, and his ADHD does not help matters either.

But that's alright. They both have ADHD and dyslexia, and Percy thinks it makes them cool. Annabeth doesn't know what to think of that. She loves to read, and often can muddle her way through books, so she lends a lot of them to Percy, and sometimes, she can catch Percy sitting in study hall, squinting at the letters on the pages of a book like Catcher in the Rye, or Harry Potter.

Annabeth thinks he looks like Harry, with the messy black mop that he calls hair, and his mischevious green eyes. She tells him this, and Percy laughs, his eyes crinkling.

And during the summer, Percy takes her with him to visit his father's home in San Francisco, and he tries to teach her how to surf. She learns that his father and mother were never married, but Percy was conceived via sperm donation from Poseidon (what odd names the father and son have, annabeth thinks) a close friend of Sally's.

Percy has an older half-brother named Triton, and he helps Percy try to teach her surf one day, before Amphitrite, Poseidon's wife, calls them in for lunch. Annabeth thinks that he and Percy look alike, and Percy laughs.

january 4th, 2013

Percy sits in the back wings of the auditorium, reading over his script. He wonders how Annabeth managed to convince him to audition, and then remembers that he needs this extra credit so he can pass his math class. Math has never been Percy's strongest suit, and not even Annabeth tutoring him has done anything. Annabeth calls him a lost case, and he agrees.

But Percy knows that he can't sing, but there is something exciting about getting up on this stage with Annabeth. They are sixteen now, and this isn't just some stupid, half-rate first grade show, like the Thanksgiving Pagent they were forced to participate it. Percy knows that he will never live down the humiliation of being Indian Number 4. But the school productions are always beautiful, Annabeth had told him beforehand, her grey eyes lighting up like the Rockafeller Center Christmas Tree. Percy has seen Piper in one of these shows before, and he agrees with her.

Piper is radiant onstage, and she shines within the spotlight. And while Jason drools, Percy and Leo laugh.

But being onstage, and getting ready to perform is something that can't compare to watching the show itself. Percy is no theater geek, but the rush that comes with acting in Les Miserables is astounding, and addicting, in a different way than skateboarding or surfing is. He decides he likes it, and Annabeth is happy.

But Percy becomes smitten himself when Annabeth goes onstage to practice her songs as Cosette, and he is still amazed that he is her Marius. His cheeks go slightly pink whenever they sing A Heart Full of Love, and the director thinks that he is fantastic at acting, but it isn't an act.

Of course, Annabeth is dating someone else, and Percy would rather see her happy with another person than miserable because of him. But during rehearsals, it's alright to let go, because as Marius, he is also supposed to be madly in love with Cosette-who-is-Annabeth, so no one can tell aside from Piper, who is all knowing and seeing.

But Annabeth punches him on the shoulder as he tells a corny joke in that back wing, and Percy decides that this is the only thing he wants. His love for Annabeth can be pushed aside, because she is too important to him to lose.

Opening night goes well, and Annabeth's voice does not crack on her highest note. She is proud, and Percy takes her to the local diner to have milkshakes, and the fresh-cut sea salt fries that only Mrs. Welling manages to make so well. They sit across from each other in the cracked red leather booth, and Annabeth tells him about the new dog her father recently brought home.

"His name is Cerberus. I think he's the same breed as Mrs. O'Leary," she smiles. Mrs. O'Leary is Percy's extremely large, black Great Pyrenees, and Percy is her non-dog pup. Percy laughs at the name choice, because it is just so Annabeth, and Annabeth loves Greek Mythology more than she loves architecture. Sometimes.

"Maybe you can bring him over this Saturday? They've finished remodeling the old dog park, so maybe we could walk them there," he suggests, hope swelling within his chest like a balloon.

Annabeth shoots him down apologetically, tucking a strand of strawberry blonde that escaped her ponytail behind her ear. "Sorry. Luke and I are going out of town on Saturday. Maybe another day?" She looks so sorry, Percy can't find it within himself to be mad at her, so he nods, and dips a french fry into his chocolate milkshake.

Suddenly, it doesn't taste as sweet anymore.

Annabeth knocks on his bedroom window on Sunday, and Percy realizes what must have happened on Saturday. Her hair is in a messy bun, and her eyes are bloodshot and puffy from crying. Percy opens up the window, and Annabeth climbs off of the sturdy oak tree branch, and into his room.

"I'm sorry," is the first thing he says, sitting cross-legged on his duvet, computer whirring softly as he pauses his movie.

She sniffs, wiping her dry eyes furiously, and sits on his duvet. "I feel stupid," she sighs, her breath catching. "I'm not supposed to be this upset over a boy. Fuck," she swears, "why do I always end up with the assholes?"

And Percy agrees. Ethan Nakamura was an asshole, cheating on her with Alabaster Torrington, and Nate Herricks was just rude. And Luke, Percy had never liked Luke. But still, he shakes a finger playfully at her, and retorts, "Hey missy, you ended up here on your own. But I do accept your compliment." She smiles, and punches him in the shoulder, laughing lightly.

"Can we watch Howl's Moving Castle?" She asks, falling backwards into his mound of pillows. It was their favorite movie back in sixth grade, when everything was a lot simpler, and Percy was still missing that front tooth Annabeth had knocked out.

But Percy wishes that everything was simple again, so he agrees, and searches up the MP3 website they've used so many times before. Plus, he's never passed up a good Studio Ghibli film, and Percy decides that he isn't going to stop now. He pulls his full bowl of salted popcorn between them, and settles back to watch the movie.

The popcorn doesn't taste like ash in his mouth, and Percy decides he likes the smell of Annabeth's strawberry shampoo mixed with his own laundry-detergent smell.

He wonders why he smells like laundry detergent.

april 20th, 2015

Annabeth hates Senior Prom. She really does. Piper doesn't stop gushing besides her about how romantic Jason had been as he asked her to go to Prom, and Annabeth feels guilty for wanting her to shut up. She's a bitter old maid, she decides, because she probably won't have a date, and Thalia is in college, so they can't go stag together anymore. Piper ditches her to get to French, and Annabeth ambles over to study hall, finding an open seat next to Percy.

Dimly, she notices that it is April 20th, and tomorrow will mark exactly ten years since she met him face-to-face in first grade, and threw her ruler at him. Or six years since sixth grade, when they really became best friends. April 21st is special, Annabeth realizes. She realizes a lot of things on April 21st, such as a long-standing crush on her best friend. (that was last year, god, it's been so long) She still has his varsity swim jacket from freshmen year, and it is too small for her to wear now.

But then she looks over at Percy, who is 17, going on to 18, and Annabeth wonders how she hasn't noticed him change. His acne is gone, along with his braces, leaving behind a nice set of teeth, that are peeking out from underneath his thin lips as he smiles at her. His hair is still an untamable mop, but Annabeth likes it that way, just like she loves his sparkling eyes, and forever tan skin.

She wishes he would ask her to Prom, but Annabeth does not work that way. She isn't a wishy-washy girl, from a trashy romance novel. Annabeth Chase is headstrong, and beautiful because she is completely confident in herself.

She resolves to ask him out on Saturday, and thanks god that it is Friday.

april 21st 2015

Annabeth is nervous. Everything is just so normal today, and she's wound up so tight, waiting for something to go wrong, because it probably will. But everything is ok now, and she is sitting next to Percy at the dog park with Cerberus and Mrs. O'Leary, her hair up in a ponytail, and his new varsity swim team captain sweatshirt tied around his waist.

She punches him as he tells a pun, and he smells like the sea.

But now is the time, she realizes, now is the time. So she takes a deep breath, and clears her throat. "Percy…?"

He turns to face her, head cocked like a puppy. "Yeah? What's up?"

Her face is on fire, oh God, it's on fire. "C-can I ask you something?" Did she just stutter?

He looks so confused, but he nods slowly. "Uh, yeah…sure."

"Doyouwanttogotopromwithme?" It comes out in a rush, and Annabeth wonders where her confidence has gone. Percy's brow is furrowed, and Annabeth decides that luck can go screw itself, and she kisses him.

It lasts a second, but feels like forever.

His eyes widen, and his cheeks flush. She pulls away, and smiles devilishly. "Do you want to go to Prom with me, Seaweed Brain?"

He pouts a little, and replies, "I was gonna ask you…"

She smiles. "Too slow then, Seaweed Brain," and he laughs. It's a nice sound, but not nearly as nice as when he pulls her closer, buries his face in her hair, and whispers yes.

Annabeth decides that while April 21st holds some of her best memories, for this moment, this April 21st holds the best of them all.

a/n two: and that's that! i've been practicing writing more, so hopefully it shows through! until next time guys, please review!

i think the newest chapter of Always and Forever will be up on Wednesday at the latest, so i'll see you guys then!

adios, ren