Annabeth's version of the kiss on the cheek in the Sea of Monsters
Disclaimer: I believe I've said it before but just in case...I don't own the brilliant works of Rick Riordan. I don't even own this plot. This is just what I think Annabeth might've been thinking. Enjoy!
"Percy!" I yelled. Gods he was so annoying. "Come on!"
He said something to Tyson I couldn't hear and jumped into the chariot alongside me. He was wearing a watch which was new. I had always been attracted to watches. Also, the way his hair was blowing in the light breeze was kind of, well, breathtaking.
Wait a minute. This was Percy Jackson I was talking about. I have no idea what I was thinking.
All of the sudden, Chiron blew the conch horn out in the distance and we started down the racetrack. I silently thanked the gods that I was already gripping the rails otherwise, I would have fallen.
The chariot moved so smoothly thanks to my designing, of course. We passed Clarisse while she was having a one-on-one with one of the Stoll brothers.
"We've got 'em!" I heard Percy yell.
Thank you, Percy, for jinxing us. I yelled at him in my mind as I yelled aloud, "Incoming!" I picked up one of my javelin, put in grappling hook mode, and threw it, knocking a lead weighted net that would have killed us both.
I could hear Apollo's chariot come up behind us. One of the Apollo warriors threw their javelin at our right wheel before I could even realize what was happening. Oh, no, I thought, we're done for. We wobbled a bit, but somehow we kept going.
Percy flicked the reins and we went a bit faster. We were now right beside Apollo with Hephaestus coming up behind. Clarisse and Connor Stoll were still fighting which was making them loose speed.
Being the designer of the chariot, I knew that if we had just one little hit to our wheel we would fall.
"You're mine!" The driver of Apollo's chariot yelled. A first year? I thought, Seriously?
"Yeah, right!" I decided that I needed to prove him wrong so I picked up the second and last javelin—I know its risky but hey, he was being stupid—and I threw it straight into his chest. He fell backwards onto his teammate and tumbled out of their chariot making the horses head straight for the stands. Campers flooded out of that area like mad, but I didn't have time to watch the whole thing.
Percy managed to hold the chariot together through the next turn and we thundered pass the starting line and into our final lap.
I could hear the moaning of the axle, but I didn't have time to worry about that now. Hephaestus was gaining speed.
Charles Beckendorf was a sweet guy but on the racetrack—let's just say that he liked to win. A lot.
He pushed a button on his nifty little control panel and Steel cables shot out the front of his horses—they were mechanical, of course—and wrapped around the back rail of our chariot. I could tell he was going to pull us back and get in front of us.
I called him a name I'd rather not repeat and drew my knife. I swiped, sawed, and cut at the cables. They were just too thick.
"I can't cut them!" I screamed.
"Switch with me! Take the reins!" Was he crazy? I couldn't steer a chariot! I only have ideas.
"But—"
"Trust me!" He looked straight at my eyes and for a moment, I was fixated on his sea green ones. Then the chariot lurched and brought me back to reality.
I pulled in front of him and took hold of the reins. I couldn't focus on anything Percy was doing with the cables, but before I knew it, Hephaestus pulled up along side us, and I almost died. Thank the gods Percy had been there to save me.
The last turn was coming up and I started to freak. I wasn't paying attention to anything but that dreaded turn.
In the back of my mind, I heard Beckendorf shout, "See ya, Percy! Here's a little parting gift!"
I heard a splat and glanced down. "Greek fire! Get rid of it!" I yelled and went back to focusing on the turn.
Beckendorf hadn't moved from his position right next to us but I didn't really know why.
Suddenly, I saw a bright flash of silver from the corner of my eye. I looked over to see that Percy's watch had actually been a shield. I made myself a mental note to thank Tyson later.
I could feel little sparks on my leg and remembered the Greek fire. "Percy!" I exclaimed.
Percy, then, took his sword and flipped that Greek fire like a pancake. It landed on the very source it came from. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the driver jump out and the chariot exploded in green flames.
I pulled the reins on the last turn and somehow managed to keep the chariot together. We raced through the finish line—first place, mind you—and I got the horses to stop. I thought Percy had something to do with that but I wasn't certain.
My cabin swarmed us chanting our names and I remembered my mental note.
"Hold up!" I tried to yell over the crowd. "Listen! It wasn't just us! We couldn't have done it without somebody else! We couldn't have won this race or gotten the Fleece or saves Grover or anything! We owe our lives to Tyson, Percy's..." I trailed off not sure if Percy was ready to—
"Brother!" I guess he was. "Tyson, my baby brother."
I saw Tyson blush and I gave him an encouraging smile. The crowd roared.
I looked over at Percy and my stomach jumped a little. I don't know why it did. Maybe it was the watch, or the way his hair flowed in the wind, or maybe it was his eyes, his beautiful green eyes...
My thoughts trailed off just thinking about him. Then I realized that after a big race, such as this one, one might... Yes, now that's a good idea.
I kissed his cheek in what everyone else might've thought was congratulatory. It sent chills up and down my spine, being that close to him.
Everyone started screaming louder after that. They lifted me, Percy, and Tyson up on their shoulder and carried us to the winner's platform where we got our laurel wreaths.
I looked over Percy's fine features once more.
Yep, a very good idea indeed.
Thanks to all that reviewed and/or faved! It boosts my spirits more than you know!
I will be your best friend (by the way) if you lemme know what you thought!
Oh! And thanks to Issy910 for reminding me about this one! :)
Love you all!