Well, this took me longer than expected! It's here now though!
Still don't own the characters, just playing around.

So much for telling her, great job, La Rue. I thought, well, it was more of an internal growl, but that was beside the point. I was going to tell Annabeth how I felt today, but, just the way she looks at me, I can't control myself. And when she asked if we could go slow, it just, I lost it.

I had so many chances to say it, before we started kissing, before we fucked..after we fucked, before I let her walk away, my ears catching her soft goodnight, making my heart hurt in my chest. I should have ran after her and been all romantic, but whatever words I could think of, died before they even reached my lips. So, instead, I pulled my clothes on and headed toward camp.

As I sat down next to one of my brothers, I tried to be in a semi pleasant mood, or as pleasant as an Ares child got. But I knew my siblings could sense something was off, but they were kind enough not to ask what was wrong, I suppose it was because they knew I could kick any of their asses.

My mood only got worse as my ears picked up Jackson, calling out to Annabeth, my Annabeth. I watched as the blonde sat down, her face was blank as she picked at her food, occasionally nodding or adding a comment as needed. It bothered me, knowing there was something wrong with her, knowing I was probably the cause of it.

It didn't surprise me at all, when she looked up and caught my eyes, but when she offered me a smile, I could hear it, my heart beginning to shatter, the remains resting somewhere in my stomach. I couldn't bring myself to smile back, not while she sat next to the boy I wished I could pummel into the ground.

I waited a few minutes, after she had left, before I stood up and went after her. It started off as a casual pace, until I was out of sight from everyone else, I broke into a run then. "Annabeth!" I called out as I reached her cabin. It seemed empty from the outside, but I knew better. Without waiting for an answer or even knocking, I walked around to the back, finding the window that was at the foot of her bed.

She was curled up in her desk chair, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders as she stared at the book in her lap. Gods of Olympus you are so beautiful I thought to myself as I eased the window open, knowing she would be too absorbed in her reading to pay any attention to her surroundings.

I watched her as kicked my shoes off, leaving them on the ground as I hoisted myself up and over the windowsill. My feet touched the floor softly as I came down, making the quietest of sounds, which made me tense up, only to relax when she turned a page.

"Annabeth?" I murmured, trying not to smirk when she jumped, her book dropping to the floor. "Sorry, I just..I wanted to talk to you and I figured, I should do it now instead of later.." I blurted out as she picked up her book, looking up at me with a raised brow.

"Go on then, La Rue" She spoke, a fire in her grey eyes as she watched me sit down on the corner of her bed.

"Ouch..you haven't called me that in a long time, but I suppose I deserve it." I shrugged as I chewed my lip, I wasn't familiar with all these feelings, Ares children aren't supposed to feel anything but rage, but this blonde, that sat in front of me..she changed all of that, bent the rules.

"I shouldn't have acted the way I did at dinner, I just..I couldn't stand seeing you with him, I mean..I know it was just a smile and it was for me, but you were sitting with Jackson and I just, I felt like you were, driving a dull, serrated knife, into my chest and twisting it..I don't want to play this game anymore, I don't want to be that person..I can't be..because..well." I paused to swallow around the lump in my throat, I couldn't even bring myself to look at her at this point.

"Because I broke our rules..I've fallen in love with you and I'll be damned if I'm going to sit around quietly and pretend that it doesn't hurt to see you holding his hand and kissing him and..I just…can't" My voice cracked as I tried to keep a hold of myself.

I didn't look up, but I could hear her move, soon she was next to me, her arm moving around my shoulders as she pulled me close. "Oh, Clarisse.." She murmured in my ear, her fingers carding through my hair. "I love you too, don't you know that?"

I couldn't believe my ears, she loved me? "What?" I blurted out, pulling away from her, too stare at her incredulously.

She chuckled, she actually fucking chuckled as she shook her head at me. "Of course I love you, how could I not, you are so amazing and sweet, even if you only show it when we're alone, but I love him too, not the same way I love you, he's my best friend and I don't want to hurt him." I watched as tears streaked down her face, each one making my heart thud harder in my chest.

"But I don't want to hurt you either, I want to be with you and I just..everything is so fucked, we weren't supposed to fall in love..we weren't..and I just…" That was all I let her say as I pulled her close, pressing my lips to hers, silencing her.

After a few moments, she seemed to calm down, relaxing in my arms, her head against my shoulder as I ran my fingers up and down her back. "I'm sorry, Annabeth..I really am." I whispered, kissing the top of her head.

She shook her head, hugging me tighter. "Don't be, I know how you feel, I really do, I just, I need time to figure out what to do about Percy, okay?" She mumbled against my neck, sniffing lightly.

I nodded slowly and smiled, before pulling away from her, pecking her lips gently. "I should go before your siblings rush in and let the hellhound out of the bag." I said softly. A pout formed on her lips, but she nodded, kissing me softly, before she let me go, watching me stand up. "I'll see you in the morning, alright?" I smiled at her once more, before climbing back out of the window.

I collected my shoes before I made my way toward my cabin, I made it there just before everyone started filing back from dinner. I had tossed my shoes under my bunk, just as my siblings barged in, grunting and cursing, making me a little sick to my stomach as I settled into bed.

Goodnight, Annabeth.