Disclaimer: I'm not Rick
Annabeth was panicking.
She didn't know where the confident smooth Annabeth that had left Percy dumbstruck in Khione's earlier had come from but there was one thing that she was certain of, she wasn't here anymore.
She had spent the last 20 minutes debating between the blue knee-length dress, the blue blouse and genes or just whether to wear a blue hairband. She had to wear something blue but she didn't know how far to go with it because she knew Percy was obsess- and what on earth was she doing!
She had never been a girly girl, even in the time when she had actually been with Percy she had only rarely fret about her appearance, yes she had wanted to impress him sometimes but they where always comfortable enough around each over to not be that bothered. They had moved so easily from best friends in their Junior year, that we never really had any awkward stage of our relationship, though if you asked Thalia she would say that the unresolved sexual tension between the two of the before they had got together was awkward enough. But now she was stressed.
She had never regretted anything more than ending things with him even though she knows it is completely selfish to think like that. He was far too loyal to her to put his education as a priority and the fact he now has a job in the aquarium proves that she was right. It must be the only time she hasn't taken complete and utter pride at being proved right.
She had lied to Percy earlier, there had been over people since him, but the sentiment was the same. No one but him had ever stuck. She had tried to move on and she just hadn't been able to, that made it even more gutting earlier when she thought he had moved on entirely and had already got married and started a family. The jealous monster within her had rapidly risen within her and Piper, one of the most agreeable parents she had ever had, instantly became the mistress of all evil in her brain.
When Jason had turned up and the truth had been unveiled she had been so relieved, not that her sense of pride had allowed Percy to see that though, smooth Annabeth had taken over and had left her with this date with him tonight.
Gods was it even a date. For all she knew it might have been a prank, or Percy just wanted to go back to being friends with her, it would be just the seaweed-brainish type of thing that he would do, putting all that effort into a convoluted plan just to be friends with her once again. How could she be so arrogant to assume that he wanted to try things again? Just because she had failed to move on doesn't mean that he did. She knew that. Gods she thought he had a wife and child 3 hours ago of course she knew.
She took a breath; there was only one thing for it. Bracing herself for the squealing she dialed the number into her phone.
"Annie, I haven't talked to you in ages!" Annabeth winced and moved the phone away from her ear.
"Thalia, what have I told you about calling me Annie?"
She snorted down the phone "you can tell me as many times as you want but I will never stop calling you it." Annabeth rolled her eyes and was about to reply when Thalia continued. "Anyway, you never ring unless you want something so what its it?"
Annabeth frowned "I don't always want something."
"Right so you only phoned up today for a gossip then" Thalia retorted, smirk evident in her voice. Annabeth cringed.
"Well I might need something today."
Thalia laughed, the sound causing a range of static to explode out of Annabeths phone, "Go on then, tell me all about it."
Annabeth closed her eyes knowing exactly what Thalia's reaction to her news would be. "Well I'm going out to dinner toni-"
"YES!" Annabeth wrenched her phone even further away from her ear as Thalia continued to shout out of the phone. "Finally Annabeth! Try not to over compare him to Percy this time otherwise you'll never move on, what does he look like?"
"Well he has black hair, green ey-"
Thalia interrupted again, this time in a much softer voice "Annie, you can't keep going on dates with people who look like Percy, it will never make them him."
Annabeth sighed "That's not what I'm doing Thals because it is Pe-"
"Well its what it sounds like your doing, you have to get over him Annie, you're not going to get back with him."
"But the dinner is Percy!" Annabeth retorted frustrated with her constant interruptions. Thalia didn't respond, the slow sound of her breathing the only thing to show that she hadn't hung up. After a minute or so she replied.
"Tell me everything."
.o.o.
Annabeth walked down the road, the blue lights of the aquarium drawing her closer like a moth to a light. Thalia had assured her earlier that Percy would not have sought her out if he wasn't interested but there was still a part of her that was worried that he wasn't and that he wouldn't turn up. She glanced down at her watch and sped up.
She was late, another one of Thalia's ideas to make herself seem less keen, she went along with it in the hope that it would help but she was seriously regretting it now. Why on earth would she choose to turn up late? It wasn't her she had always been punctual. The only relieving factor was that Percy was nearly always late anyway so she had only missed time she would have been spent waiting anyway.
As she arrived at the restaurant she was shocked to see Percy already waiting outside on his phone talking hurriedly. As she came up behind him she herd brief snippets of his conversation.
"What if she's had an accident?"
"Anything could have happened"
"She was probably joking about meeting up with me, she deserves better"
Hearing this made Annabeths stomach clench with guilt and choosing to put him out of his misery she tapped him on the shoulder. Percy whirled around and upon catching sight of her his eyes widened. Whispering a hurried goodbye to whoever was on the phone he smiled down at her.
"Annabet- Hi, um, Hi, Anna-"
"You really need to get over the stuttering thing you know" Annabeth said conversationally smirking slightly. Percy's cheeks turned pink slightly and he started to scratch the back of his neck. "You look lovely by the way" he responded looking even more awkward than before, gesturing towards the door. Annabeth blushed and followed him inside while looking down at her blue dress.
Definitely the right choice.
.o.o.
Annabeth burst out laughing. How she had ever lived without Percy she didn't know, after barely two hours of talking with him again it is like they had never been apart. Percy, still attempting to show her the faces that the newest type of fish at the aquarium liked to pull, looked up at her and smiled. They where walking through the park, trying to extend their night as long as was humanely possible.
"I really did miss you" Annabeth almost whispered breaking eye contact. She was scared revealing to him how much she had kept her feelings for him, she was so used to keeping everything hidden but if she couldn't reveal her feelings to Percy she couldn't to anyone. She felt a slight pressure on her hand and looked down to see Percy take it in his own.
"Not as much as I missed you" Annabeth looked up quickly, he was far closer to her than he had been a few moments ago. She stared into the eyes she had loved so much as a teenager and realised for certain it would have always been him. She was stupid to even try and move on to anyone else. She leaned in and by the time their lips touched for the first time in five years she long gone.
.o.o.
"You do know you didn't have to come up with some stupid plan to talk to me, you could have just come with Piper and introduced yourself normally" Annabeth stated. The two of them where standing outside her apartment door, hand in hand trying to drag out their evening even further.
"But you know I never had anywhere near as logical a brain as you, and it wouldn't have been as romantic otherwise" he retorted.
"Romantic, you led me on to believe you where married to someone else Perce, that is not a romantic gesture, that is just evil, if I wasn't so in love with you –" Annabeth stopped talking, kicking herself. She was stupid, they had only just got back together and here she was saying that she loved him already, while it may be true she hadn't been ready to tell him how she truly felt not yet.
Percy was gazing at her with wide eyes. "Do you… Do you still love me?"
She took a deep breath before replying in an incredibly soft voice "Of course I do Seaweed Brain, I never stopped."
She looked up at him just in time to see him swoop forwards and catch her lips within his own. She melted into his touch, taking in his presence just to reassure herself that he was here, even after five years. He pulled back slightly, his breath still ghosting over her lips. "I never stopped either, I am so in love with you".
Annabeth sighed as their lips met again.
.o.o.
"So next Friday in the park then" Percy confirmed. They where still stood on her doorstep, considerably more disheveled than they where when they arrived but looking considerably happier.
"Friday" she confirmed grinning "and Percy it will definitely be a date without any reference to the sea" He pouted at her before giving her a quick kiss and turning to leave.
"Don't make anymore stupid plans Percy, if you want to talk just ring me" Percy rolled his eyes before waving goodbye and walking down the street. Annabeth sighed and closed the door, taking a few steps into the apartment before freezing when she remembered her class field trip to the aquarium on Monday.
She laughed slightly, hopefully his obliviousness would prevent him from seeing the real reason why she booked a trip to the place she knew he worked.
A/N
Exams are now over so updates should become more regularly, I might right a 3rd part for this with the aquarium school trip but i'm not sure yet, thanks for reading guys.
UKPJOFan
