No matter how tall Percy got he always felt short. In school it was because of the bullies that pushed him around. If only they knew. At home, well he knew his mom loved him, but he couldn't help but feel small when he would tell his mom that he would have to move to another school yet again after she worked so hard to get him in.
But then he went to camp. And slowly but surely he started to feel his height. He got Zeus' lightning bolt back, consequently stopping World War III from happening. He made friends that he knew would die for him, which they almost did. At first he was doubtful of them, what with the prophecy and a certain smart-lipped daughter of Athena who deemed him a Seaweed Brain (that really didn't help with the whole height thing). However, he assumed that for most people that wasn't what would normally describe a friendship. But Percy wasn't normal and he was finally starting to become okay with that. So the next year when he grew an inch, he felt an inch taller.
That is until he went back to camp the next summer. Not being able to go on the quest when it was his idea in the first place really pissed him off. But he guessed that turned out okay because he was able to help in the end. That and a certain blonde-haired daughter of Athena kissed him on the cheek. Which to be honest made him feel way taller than he actually was. And he can't say it wasn't fun to sneak out of camp. However, that winter didn't do too much to help his pride either because all of a sudden that same daughter of Athena was taller than him and he didn't know why, but he really didn't like that.
On top of that she got kidnapped. That made him feel so small that he pictured himself as a useless fly just bugging people in the heat. He didn't know was to do. And it certainly wasn't helping when he was laughing and would look around to see if she was laughing too, or when he said something stupid and he could hear the automatic, sarcastic response that she would give followed with Seaweed Brain. It made him so sad that when those words would come out of the lips intimidating daughter of Zeus instead of hers. That was the smallest he has ever felt. Then she came back and everything was okay, everything was right. Even though she was still taller than him.
The next summer was a blur. He could remember that they spent most of the time fighting. He grew an inch shorter every time they walked past each other without a single glance. He wasn't sure what hurt more, him not being able to talk to her because she was kidnapped on the other side of the country, or when he wasn't able to talk to her when she was two inches away. And then the war, well that just happened so fast.
Don't I get a kiss for good luck? It's kind of a tradition right? He went for it already feeling two inches taller. And her response allowed her to grow while at the same time kept him grounded. If she responded the way he wanted her to he thought his head would reach all the way up to the 600th floor.
Then they were dating and he felt amazing and his own height. Although sometimes her remarks about his stupidity knocked him down, but then she would smile and he would see the twinkle in those beautiful grey eyes and he didn't mind feeling small just this once.