A/N: Hi guys! So sorry I haven't updated in a while, I meant to update earlier this afternoon, but I was too busy crying over pictures of PJO and waiting for HOH to come out.
I'd just like to say how amazed I am with the views I've gotten! Over 200 views in a day! I'm up to almost 700 now! Wow! If you're still with me, or just joining and reading anon, if it's not too much to ask, make a account and follow my story because I'd love to see some more support! :3 And this fanfic won't be going on for much longer because I only really wanted to capture their meeting, and if I write much more, I'll be going off the original plot and I don't want to do that (: It'll probably be only a chapter or more and I'll write more one-shots and stuff (: so, onwards!
Shaneen.x
P.S. I put a reference in here to another one of Rick Riordans' books, if you can find and quote it, I'll write a fanfiction including you and pm you the link :3
Chapter Three: Adventures in New Rome (Percy's P.O.V)
I stared at Annabeth staring at the city. She just didn't realise how beautiful she looked, the way that one strand of hair fell over her nose, how her grey eyes sparkled with intelligence far beyond mine, and most of all, the ever vigilant, yet also relaxed way she always held herself, similar to the way Reyna usually was.
I still couldn't believe that she was here, it felt like a dream come true. For eight months, all I wanted to do was to find her, hold her, hear her call me stupid, make her laugh, and more than anything, I just wanted to be with her. To tell her everything. To share my doubts about everything, I wanted her with me every step of the way, and now that she's here, I can't get the words out of my was hard enough telling her about what happened at the Styx! I feel as though now that she's seen all of my experiences, and my deepest, darkest secrets. I don't know how to explain it, but it feels like I've been anonymous all my life, and she's the only one who knows my name.
I laugh at the way she's looking at everything in New Rome. I can tell that she's looking with a sort of grudging admiration, like she wanted to hate New Rome. I can understand that. But since Annabeth is an architect in the making, I bet she's looking at everything from a professional point of view, instead of a Greek's.
"What are you gawking at, Annabeth?" I teased.
"Everything" she breathed, not noticing my sarcasm. "The terraces gardens, the fountains and temples, the winding cobblestone streets, gleaming white villas, everything! I got my dream job after the Titan War, redesigning Olympus itself! But now I keep thinking that I should've made a dome like that, or I should've had those columns lead into that courtyard! Whoever designed New Rome had very clearly poured a lot of time and love into the project!"
"You said you fatal flaw was hubris, right?" I asked her.
She turned to face me, eyes wide. "I'm surprised you remembered the word for it, Seaweed Brain," she teased.
"Well, apparently when my memories came back, I remembered the pointless stuff as well," I retorted.
She laughed and said, "Yes, Percy, my fatal flaw is hubris. Deadly pride."
I thought before I spoke, which is something Annabeth tells me I don't do often. I was trying to make her feel better about her architecture of Olympus, because she obviously thought she failed at something. Don't get me wrong, the way Annabeth designed Olympus was amazing, perfect, I thought. Although, I thought everything about her was perfect, and I'm also not an architect. But what I did know was that the way Annabeth rebuilt Olympus was just so... Greek. There is really no other way to explain it. Annabeth was completely Greek, through and through, so why shouldn't her dream city reflect that?
Oh gods, why can't I be this articulate when I speak?
"Annabeth," I said, grabbing her hand. "The way you designed Olympus was amazing. You should never, ever doubt that. And I think your deadly pride might be affecting your thoughts of New Rome," I finished, winking at her.
She squeezed my hand and intertwined her fingers with mine. "Percy, you always know what to say," she said, smiling up at me.
I gave her a quick kiss, and then pulled her along, which caught her off guard and she fell over backwards.
"Percy!" she yelled. "What in Hades are you doing?"
I looked back at her infuriated face, red with embarrassment and covered in settling dirt, and launched into fits of laughter. Annabeth took advantage of this, and pulled me down with her.
The two of us sat laughing in the dirt, despite the looks we were getting from passing Romans. I remembered how much fun being with Annabeth was, when she wasn't all serious and working.
Once I recovered, I stood up, brushed off my jeans and offered Annabeth my hand. Standing her up, I told her where I was taking her.
