A/N: Finally thought of a Percabeth fanfic! This really did happen in real life, not exactly this way, but you get it. So anyway, read, review, tell me what you think. Was it good? Bad? Or whatever. No flames though...
Diclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson. :-P
Wish upon a shooting star
"I saw a shooting star that night, and thought of you."
Annabeth Chase was on the sandy beach that night. It was 10 pm and the entire camp was fast asleep. Okay, I know what you're thinking, the harpies right? Well, after they got back from the war, she asked Chiron if she could stay up just for tonight. She needed 'space'; Chiron was a little reluctant but agreed to it in the end anyway. So after she and Tyson baked a deformed yet delicious cupcake with blue icing for a special hero with ebony hair and green eyes, she walked to the beach and laid her red and white blanket down. She sighed as she made herself comfortable on the uneven surface, taking in whatever the worn out blanket she had under her had to offer.
It was a beautiful night. A little cold, but nothing a light sweater and jogging pants couldn't fix. She fiddled with her beaded necklace and tapped her sneakers together while humming a tune. The girl watched the stars sparkle like diamonds in the deep purple sky and traced out constellations with her finger tips. Another gentle sigh escaped her lips. At this very moment, everything seemed right with the world. Well, as right as it can get for her.
Percy. His name echoed in her head.
Yes, the hero of Camp Half-blood, hero of the world, and hero of Olympus. Please not now… she begged her mind to think of something other than the demigod, but her brain had other plans. Ever since the kiss in that volcano, she couldn't stop thinking about it. He's never confronted her though; did it mean he just passed it off as nothing? Annabeth frowned at the negative thoughts she was having and tried to concentrate at the sky again.
She spotted and re-spotted the famous stars and constellation till a shooting star shot through the night sky. It trailed off to the other end leaving a shimmery trail. Quick! Make a wish! That's what her subconscious mind screamed. She could've made any wish in the world, but what came out was – 'I wish Percy saw that.'
As soon as the thought settled in she mentally kicked herself for wasting it. She could've wished for something more useful. Like a new pair of sneakers. Or maybe more books. Or perhaps a –
"Hey Wise Girl." A soft voice rang through her ears.
She shot up faster than you can say BUTTERSCOTCH.
"Percy." She groaned a little. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry." The boy chuckled. "So what're you doing out here?"
Annabeth shrugged. "Star gazing. What about you?"
"Couldn't sleep. Oh hey, did you see the shooting star?"
The girl looked at him a little surprised. "You saw a shooting star?" she asked.
"Yeah." Percy grinned.
"So what did you wish for Seaweed Brain?" She made herself comfortable once again on the blanket and patted an empty space beside her. Percy got the unspoken invite and laid down next to her.
He inhaled the salty smell of the ocean. "If I tell you, Wise Girl, it won't come true."
"Oh, come on." She giggled. "You don't actually believe that do you?"
He started laughing along quietly and raised his hands up defensively. "Hey, I don't want to risk it." He winked at her. "Besides, you didn't tell me if you saw it or not."
She shook her head, the smile still plastered on her lips. "I'll tell you if you tell me your wish."
Percy mocked an exaggerated sigh making her giggled some more. "Fine. I wished you saw the shooting star too." He said.
Annabeth became quiet. How odd that both of them had the same wish. It somehow made her feel warm inside. He was thinking about me… But she dismissed it as fast as it came. Expectations lead to heart aches, she learnt that the hard way, and no way was she allowing herself to feel it again. Hopefully.
"Annabeth?" Percy propped himself on his elbows when she didn't give her usual teasing remark. "Hey, is something wrong?"
She turned to look at him. His green eyes sparkled dimly with the stars. Beautiful eyes… she suddenly wished she could muster up the courage to tell him that.
"No, nothing's wrong Seaweed Brain."
Percy pressed his lips in a straight line, not believing her at all, but he let it slide. He went back to his original position and stared up. Both of them were quiet, but it wasn't the awkward or uncomfortable kind. This tranquility between them was peaceful, calming, and soothing.
"Annabeth." Percy called out.
"Mmm?" she answered.
"Thanks." His voice seemed strained somehow.
"What for Seaweed Brain?" it was her turn to prop herself on her elbows.
The boy mimicked her position. "I just… if you didn't block that blow like you did, I would've…"
She smiled. "You're always welcome."
Percy smiled back and poked her at the side making her squeal, surprisingly.
"Percy! What did you do that for?"
"It was getting too serious." He answered as if it was a natural thing to do, and continued his playful act leaving her in a fit of laughter. She poked him back and no sooner than later, they had started a tickling war.
She hoped they couldn't be heard otherwise they would have to answer to a series of some really embarrassing questions. It wasn't like she hadn't known it already. That the camp was trying to push the two together for some time now, but she knew it would never happen.
He had met Calypso, and spent an entire week with her. She didn't know about it till Nico said something about a moonflower in Percy's pot. And let's not forget Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She isn't anything great, but for some reason Percy was drawn to her. Everyday he'd call her, go out with her, drive around with her, she was his escape to… all this. Escape from Camp, from the prophecy, from everything that changed his life. Perhaps even from Annabeth.
"I win." Percy said breathlessly. He was on top of her; her wrists were under his clutches on either side of her head.
"You cheated." Annabeth accused. She couldn't help but blush at their position though. Their faces were mere inches apart, just a little closer and… shut up brain!
"No." Percy gave a cheeky grin. It made her blush even more. "I won fair and square." The tips of his ebony hair tickled her forehead.
She found his sea-green eyes and instantly got lost in it. No, it wasn't fair… she heard her subconscious say.
I saw him first,
Became friends with him first,
Helped him when he needed it first…
The thoughts were swimming around her head. She failed to notice his face inching closer towards her.
I fell in love with him first…
Kissed him first…
Hurt inside knowing he's with someone else… first…
It isn't fair. This is nowhere near fair.
"Annabeth…" Percy's voice broke her trance. The girl blinked a couple of times and realized he was staring at her straight in the eye. His green orbs searched her gray ones. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing." She replied and tried to pull her hands out of his grip.
"It's not nothing." His hold tightened. "Tell me. We're friends, remember?"
Ah, friends… she smiled bitterly at her pathetic situation. The boy she loves only considers her a friend. Could this get any worse? She thought to herself. Unfortunately, it could.
"Is it a girl… kind of problem?" he asked innocently. "'Cause, you can talk to Rachel if you want. She's a really good listener, I should know, I spent most of my time with her."
That did it. Annabeth pushed him fiercely as his guard was down. She tried to hide it. She tried to suppress it, but in the end all she felt was pain. Hot tears were rolling down her perfectly rosy pink cheeks. Percy felt a wave of emotions run through him, he was shocked, then sad, and then concerned. He reached out to touch her but she backed away.
"Don't touch me." She said a little too harshly.
"Annabeth what's wrong?" he was pleading now.
She furiously wiped the tears away from her cheeks, but they wouldn't stop coming out. "N-nothing's wrong."
"I'm not blind Annabeth!" Percy grabbed hold of her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Now tell me what's wrong so I can be the good friend that I am and help you out of this!"
"Stop yelling!" she spat.
"I'm not yelling!" he retorted.
"You are now!" she glared at him through her tear stricken eyes.
"That's because you're being so difficult!" Percy raised his arms in the air for emphasis. "Why can't you just tell me?"
Annabeth sighed, and then sniffed. It got a lot colder now. "Because… I don't think it would help if I tell you."
"Why?" Percy's shoulders sagged down and his features softened. Was he really that useless?
Annabeth took another sharp intake of air. "If I tell you, we probably won't be friends anymore."
Finally, he seemed to get it. She gave him a weak smile before turning around to walk away, only to be stopped again with his hand on hers.
"It's okay." He said. "We'll still be friends. I promise."
She scrunched up her brows at him. "Why are you so persistent?"
"Because I care about you." He said honestly. "I care about you a lot Annabeth. Probably even more than a friend should…"
Annabeth had an amused look on her face. He does care. Percy cares a lot for a lot of people dummy. It's his fatal flaw remember? Once again she tried to push down the growing expectations.
"Back in the River Styx, when Nico told me I had to keep in mind the one thing that keeps me grounded… I thought of someone. A girl, a dear friend of mine…" he continued. "And on Olympus when they offered to make me a god… I couldn't accept because of her."
"Someone I know?" it was getting hard to not expect anything at all.
"Er – yeah…" he looked down nervously.
"Is she pretty?" she asked.
"Gods, the prettiest girl I've seen." He answered without hesitation.
"Is she smart?"
He brushed her knuckles with his thumb, and dared to bring them up to his lips. "Very, being the daughter of Athena. She practically craves for knowledge."
"I see." She said airily. Her head seemed a little light that moment, and she was sure her face was the shade of a tomato.
"Yeah, I wanted to tell her how I felt tonight, but she looked troubled."
"Really now?" yep, really hard not to expect now.
Percy nodded. "And when I tried to help she started crying." He frowned.
"And how do you feel about this girl?" her voice was barely a whisper.
Percy stepped closer, and pressed his forehead on hers. "I love her."
Annabeth almost chocked on her breath.
"Do you… do you think she loves me too?"
"She'll be a fool not to." The girl replied.
It was now or never. He leaned in and captured her lips in his. He heard a squeak or surprise at first and thought she would push him away, but instead she returned the kiss with the same amount of feelings. Relief struck through his body and he pulled her in by the waist. She curled her arm around his shoulders as her other hand tangled itself in his thick ebony locks.
He could kiss her forever, and Annabeth didn't seem to find anything better than what they were engaging in now. But their lungs screamed for air. Reluctantly they parted; breathing heavy and eyes slightly foggy. Percy's cheeks were tainted with the same pink dust that had crawled onto Annabeth's own.
"Wow." He gasped.
"Wow indeed." She agreed.
"We should do that more often." Percy chuckled and winked at her teasingly.
Annabeth couldn't help but giggle in response, but not after punching him playfully on the shoulder.
"So are you going to tell me what all that was about earlier?" he laced his fingers in hers and thought about how perfectly they fit together.
"Fine." She pulled him towards the red and white blanket and sat down. He scooted closer to her so she could lean her head on his shoulder.
The stars shone perfectly on the horizon, twinkling away for the new couple below them.
"I went out to have some fresh air," she started. "I saw a shooting star, and thought of you..."
A/N: And so they just sat there, enjoying each others company and chatting away through the night.