It's not like Annabeth and I bonded over some shared experience which led to us becoming fast friends. In fact, I just felt uncomfortable around her for months. She was always so distant and cold and exactly like someone who had lost her boyfriend and couldn't do anything about it.
Annabeth threw herself at the plans for the Argo. It was like she worked twenty-four hours a day and didn't have time for anything else. And since I was going on the maiden voyage, she and I had to interact which included talking, which I was scared of. Despite how standoffish she was, I couldn't help but admire her a little bit.
When I decided that I wanted to learn how to use a knife in combat a little better, everyone told me to talk to Annabeth because "she was the best." So I asked her, and she agreed to teach me. The way she moved was amazing and when I attempted to imitate her, I had to have looked like an idiot. Instead of getting impatient, she corrected my grip, slowed down her movements so I could follow.
After that I tried to make polite conversation with her which mostly consisted of me asking about what she was currently working on for the Argo. She seemed less tense when she talked about her work and her ideas. Once, just after breakfast, I walked into the workshop, bagel in hand, only to have it plucked from my hand as Annabeth kept walking.
I took that to be a good sign and when I talked to her, I tried to say something funny to get her to smile. At first she just gave me these looks that got me to shut up immediately, but after a while she began to smile. She even laughed once, which I interpreted as a victory. People at camp tried to steer clear of her, aside from a select few, and I didn't see any harm in trying to be her friend.
As winter turned into spring, Annabeth began to open up, albeit slowly. It started with her complaining about high school, because for some reason she kept going. And then she started just talking; about her family, about growing up at camp. She still never talked about Percy.
The Argo was nearing completion before Annabeth started talking about him. At first just things he used to do, what his favorite color was, his mom. And then she told me about the quests they had gone on together and the battles they had fought and why his favorite color was blue. She didn't have to say it, but it was painfully obvious she was in love with him and as I got to know her more, I couldn't help but want to find the Roman camp as soon as possible so that Annabeth wouldn't continue running herself into the ground.
I began taking my breakfast to the workshop in the mornings, and Annabeth would usually eat half, which I didn't mind. She actually smiled on a semi-occasional basis. Sometimes she would even crack a joke. And all the while I didn't notice that we had actually become friends. Not until right before we left for the west coast that is.
This morning I had taken my breakfast to the workshop as usual. Annabeth, Leo, Jason, and I were set to leave with Coach Hedge in two days, the Argo all but completed save for what Leo proclaimed were necessary last minute tweaks.
"Okay," Annabeth started after dropping her fork onto my plate. "I'm going to say this once and if you ask why then I'm going to take it back. Thank you, Piper." I knew what she meant. It was impossible not to know.
"You're welcome," I said, unable to hold back a smile. She grimaced, but continued on as if nothing happened, which I was not going to let her get away with. "We're buds," I said, laughing as she made a face. "Pals, even. Friends. Sistahs from otha mistahs."
"Dork," she said, trying and failing to hide a smile. But what mattered to me was that I had done something to help, and that it had been helping Annabeth through missing Percy.
A/N: Piper, ever the caring and compassionate person, would no doubt seek to help Annabeth. And their friendship is so important.