A/N: This collection is not abandoned by me, I didn't abandon it, I just simply don't have time to post anything. I do have ideas, tons, and I did make some of them into stories to add to this collection.
Again, like said in the summary area, original characters are all what they originally are (demigods, oracle... etc.) unless I specifically announced before the story.
I will keep my profile page up to date, so if I have any general announcements about my stories and stuff, you will be see it there. So stay tuned. You may also see apologies and shoutouts (happens really rare, only from time to time, but there's a chance that it may happen).
Characters:
[Percy J., Annabeth C.] [Jason G., Piper M.]
Mortal AU., one-shot.
Third Person
"Hello, excuse me sir, could you please spare a few minutes to complete a survey for me please?"
"Madam, do you have a few minutes to spare? Could you tell me on the scale of one to ten, ten being the best, rate your satisfaction of IKEA?"
Annabeth and Piper had been asking similar questions to at least thousands of strangers already. That was how they were going to spend their summer holiday, at least for the first month. They had to walk around in the area assigned to them to read out questionnaires and fill them out as the customers responded for eight hours a day. IKEA, a Swedish furniture sells company that was famous for plain and simple design. It was widely globalized. Next to the house of Piper McLean, an IKEA store had just opened up, and was recruiting part time workers and full time salesmen and saleswomen. Piper and Annabeth had took this opportunity to work for a month in IKEA, their job was to collect surveys of what the consumers like and dislike about their new store. Their boss was harsh and ignorant, he never listened to excuses and was never a easy person to talk to. He set a minimum amount for the two girls, telling them that if they didn't reach the set limit, they wouldn't get their daily wage. He also told them to read out the survey questions instead of asking the customers to read them and fill them out on their own because some customers would be annoyed about filling out a survey.
Annabeth and Piper had only started working there two days ago, but their vocal cords were already damaged, their voice scratchy forcing them to text instead of calling. So far, they had reached their daily set line. They started working on a weekend, and that was when there were the most customers, therefore, they would have more choices and people to ask. As they worked to Monday, the number of people going in and out of the store had decreased significantly. Summer had started for most schools, but that did not mean the parents and adults had vacations. Students were never interested in furnitures anyway.
"What time is it Pipes?" Annabeth asked, her voice no longer smooth, leaning against a column in their section.
"Quarter till five." Piper answered, too tired to clear her throat like Annabeth.
They were very close to losing their voices, but that was not their concerns right now.
"Shit!" Annabeth cussed with her rough voice. "We still haven't reach the minimum amount."
"Fuck!" Piper was also stressed out, none of them had done eighty, it was nowhere near eighty. "How can we finish it today then? No one's here, nobody bothered to stop for just three minutes to finish this stupid damn survey."
"We can fill them out ourselves." Annabeth suggested, but she then dismissed her thought, because they would be so dead if their boss found out.
Piper, at the same time, voice out her worry. "What if he found out?"
"My thoughts exactly Piper, my thoughts too." Annabeth stood on her tip toe, got off the column and peeked around the shelves.
"What are you doing?" Piper eyed her friend's weird demeanor.
"I think I see someone that can help us." Annabeth managed to choke out before setting off to the someone that she was talking about. "Jason!" She called with her scratchy voice. "Jason, do you have time right now?" Attempting to clear her throat so that her voice would be clearer and smoother, but it didn't work, her voice was scratchy nevertheless.
"What happened to your voice?" He asked, concerned.
"Not important right now, do you have time?" She asked, in her scratchy voice that would make everyone cringe.
"What do you need?"
With that coming out from his mouth, Annabeth grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him towards her section, pointing at the stack of surveys placed on the table.
"Can you fill one of those? Or maybe" she looked around cautiously, "more than one?"
"If you're asking him for help, why can't we just do that ourselves?" Piper asked, trying to ignore the awkwardness she was feeling that was radiating off Jason directly absorbed by her.
"Because we don't have time, and we can't finish thirty surveys in ten minutes." Annabeth reasoned, trying to prove that she was right, as always. Piper huffed but obeyed, sneaked a glance at Jason who had started on one already. Soon, all three of them were starting to make up general feedbacks that customers might give and started fill out the surveys, rating everything not too high and not too low.
"Hey man, I was trying to find you everywhere." A foreign voice disturbed the silence, covered the sound of friction caused by pencil moving across the paper. Annabeth looked up at the speaker for a second to see that he was talking to Jason, she knew that had nothing to do with her anymore, so she went back to her survey. However, that one glance was caught by the speaker.
"Percy, can you help them finish the surveys? They only have four left, we can each do one." He gave the new guy, Percy, a piece of paper and a pencil and said no more.
"Done!" Piper shouted in triumph, in the loudest voice she could generate.
"Finally." Annabeth heaved a sigh, whispering the word. She wanted her throat to get better so that she could speak clearer. "Thank you Jason." She hugged the blond guy. "And Percy." She addressed Jason's friend with a simple nod of appreciation.
"So can you leave now or what?" Jason asked, more to Annabeth than to the two girls as a whole.
"We have to give this to the office and get our money and we are free to go." Annabeth answered, holding up the stack and waved at the office's direction vaguely.
"Sure. We'll wait by the main exit, call me if you don't see me. We're off to find this guy's mother dearest." Jason waved them goodbye. Annabeth was wondering why would he ask them to hangout, she knew that Piper didn't really have a good history with Jason because, well it was long and a little complicated, so leave this story for later. But, she was too tired, and her vocal cord didn't allow her to voice her question out loud.
When they walked out of the main exit, Piper quickly spotted Jason standing at the side with two other people with him. Without making a sound, she tugged her towards the trio standing under the extended roof.
"Hey, Annabeth right?" The woman in the crowd stepped forward and hugged Annabeth, taking her off guard, she wasn't familiar with receiving a hug by a strange when first meet. What was even weirder was that the woman knew her name. "And hi Piper." She gave Piper a hug too, but not as warm as the one Annabeth received.
Annabeth cleared her throat, ready to reply, but Percy beat her first. "Mom, they lost their voice due to their jobs pressed by their harsh jobs in here. So ask be easy on them." Annabeth raised an eyebrow, thinking how on earth could this guy that she had barely talked to, and knew nothing about know that much about her.
"Are you stalking me? Or have you hacked into my phone?" Annabeth asked with her raspy voice. Percy didn't answer, he wasn't really sure how to address the question properly without giving out too much personal details. "With all due respect ma'am, how do you know my name?" She then turned to who she assumed would be Percy's mom, the woman that hugged her out of nowhere.
"Oh, Percy had told me about you and mentioned your unique hairstyle, he also told me that you're a close friend of Jason's; he had worked on a project with you before in math. Now come to think of it, I think he had told me quite a lot about you."
Annabeth could only nod. Should she be ashamed? Because, honestly, she didn't even know that much about that guy. She forgot about the insignificant math poster she made with him, she didn't even remember they had such thing. She knew he was in a few of her classes, but she never need to talk to him. She knew he was Jason's best friend, but whenever she went to Jason's place, Jason was always alone or with his older sister that rarely made appearances at home. She never knew he had took notice of her, or perhaps had asked about her. As far as she was concerned, Jason never mentioned Percy much in front of her. Truth to be told, the most frequent serious topic they talked about was Piper.
The second year when Jason got to this school and become Annabeth's best friend through his older sister, who was Annabeth's childhood best friend and neighbor. Piper, who was Annabeth's best friend since the start of school, had had a tiny little crush on Jason. It was really small, too small that the rumor of her having a crush on Jason was spread unnoticed by her. Annabeth knew that Piper like Jason, but she also knew that Jason didn't like her back, and he was the kind of guy that didn't know how to deal with rumors. He started to ignore Piper on purpose, it was not that they talked a lot, they weren't even close, they had only had a few countable exchanges. But still, Jason's attitude had made everything awkward between Piper and him. They had a mutual friend, which was Annabeth, who didn't want to be stuck in the middle. She believed that Jason wasn't a bad guy, but his ignorant had made Piper dislike him, she even claimed that she hated Jason.
Annabeth wasn't completely convinced when Piper told her that she was over Jason, and she despised him, but she went along with it. Since all she could do was to spectate.
Piper was trying to start a communication with Percy, on the attempt to get away from Jason, who had been trying to get her attention subtly. Annabeth knew Jason had slowly started to feel something for Piper, but was too shy to say admit it. She didn't push him, but she enjoyed analyzing his moves.
"Need a ride home?" Annabeth heard Sally asking Jason.
"Oh no, I'm fine. My house's just a few blocks down the street." He dismissed the invitation politely.
"Annabeth, you live close to us right? We can take you home." Sally offered Annabeth, who really wanted to let Piper and Jason talk to each other. Although she really didn't live that close to Percy's house, but she accepted it, only because she was certain Piper would have to go with Jason.
"Jason, can you take Piper home?" Annabeth asked before getting into Percy's car.
"I'm fine, it's more convenient if I took the subway anyway." Piper quickly denied, wanting to prevent spending alone time with Jason.
"Jason, walk her home." Annabeth demanded at last and got into the car. She smirked when she saw Piper's annoyed face as she turned to face Jason to see what he decided. Annabeth knew if she didn't demand it, Jason would offer it, although it might not be in a polite way, but it was certainly out of politeness.
"So Annabeth." Sally looked into the rearing mirror. "How long do you have to work here?"
"One more week and it's over."
"I can send Percy here everyday to help you with the survey, I'm sure lots of girls would love to help a handsome looking boy filling out surveys." She sent a wink in Percy's direction, who rolled his eyes in response.
"No, it's fine. Although I won't argue with the last point." Annabeth declined gently, receiving a meaningful nudge from Percy. Sally smiled at the small interaction between her son and his new found friend.
The next day, Annabeth met up with Piper at the metro station like usual. She noticed that Piper seemed to be a little bit more excited than any other day. Guessing the reasons, she made no comment about Piper's slightly odd behavior. Assuming that Piper had a good time with Jason, they made their way to the back door of the grand furniture store.
"Hey you've never wear leggings?" Jason's voice startled Annabeth, which reminded her that her shift was almost over.
"It was cold inside, the cooler is too effective." Annabeth explained. Her voice got better from yesterday.
"But it's in the middle of summer for fuck's sake." Percy exclaimed, he seemed to be feeling closer to Annabeth since yesterday. Annabeth eyed him, but made no comment. She noticed the look Jason shared with Piper, which furthermore confirmed her assumption.
"Finish this stack and we are free to go." Annabeth said, pushing a stack of surveys in Percy's hands and stuffed him a pencil. "Work. Go." She commanded calmly. Stifling a laugh at Percy's bewildered expression, she turned her back at him and carried on with organizing the already filled out questionnaires.
"Ow shit paper cut." She heard Piper mutter to herself. Annabeth glanced at the injury and gave Piper a funny look for swearing - rare for Piper.
"Need a band-aid?" Annabeth asked. Piper shook her head, but the question had attracted the attention from the two boys who were making up answers for the papers seconds ago. Jason turned around slowly, looking at Annabeth susceptibly, expecting her to elaborate. "Paper cut." Jason pushed himself off the table that he was leaning on and walked towards Piper who had looked down shyly.
"Lemme get a band-aid for you Pipes." Annabeth announced, walking away, leaving Piper standing awkwardly next to Jason who was trying to form words in his mouth and not make the situation even more unbearable.
"I'll go with you." Percy suggested. Under normal circumstances Annabeth would give him an outrageous look, as if he was insane, but getting the meaning behind Percy's abnormal suggestion and eye, she remained silence and waited for him to catch up.
"I don't want to be-"
"I know, I get it." Annabeth quickly cut off his explanation once he had caught up to her. She looked at him, realizing that her respond came a little unexpected, because he wasn't speaking. "Sorry." She murmured an apology, luckily Percy had caught it but didn't surface it.
"So where are we getting the band-aid?" He asked, clearing his throat and the awkward atmosphere that was slowly forming.
"In my boss' office." She answered briefly, ending the conversation that Percy had attempted to start with her.
"Why is this so awkward?" He wondered out loud.
"What is?" She asked, knowing full well what he was referring to. Looking away when Percy stared at her in question.
• • •
Knock knock
"Who?" A male teenager's voice came from some distance behind the door.
"Me." A hoarse voice that still sounded feminine came as a reply on the other side of the door.
"Who is 'me'?" The same voice inside asked, but his voice louder and clearer, indicating that he was close to the door.
The door opened and Annabeth stepped in without getting a formal invite from the host. She narrowed her eyes at the guy who had opened the door, then proceed inside without acknowledging him by name.
"Morning Jace." She greeted the blond that had spread himself on the sofa.
"Hope you don't mind that idiot who just opened the door for you. He slept over yesterday here."
"Nah, don't mind another douche. Similar species." She dismissed, turning around to see the reaction from Percy, aka the other douche.
"Why are you here early in the morning? I though you have to fill out surveys." Jason asked.
"Piper called in sick today, so I decided to called off as well."
"She's sick?" Jason's tone sounded worrying as to his actions, which looked more alert.
"Yeah, and since she'd gone out with you the previous day, I was wondering if something happened between you two that made her afraid to see you. Because I don't believe that she's really sick."
"You have the cheek to come see me though don't you Chase." Percy nudged her shoulder with his as he took a seat next to her, handing her a bottle of coke. Annabeth gave him a disgusted look and made no attempt in replying.
"I- I don't know, I just apologized and explained why am I so estranged to her in the past." Jason thought back.
"Did she ask?" Annabeth paid no attention to Percy who was trying to get her attention by switching their drinks.
"She…" Jason looked at the ceiling, thinking back to his day with Piper. "She mentioned subtly."
"How detailed was your explanation?" She inquired.
"Pretty detailed I think. I told her that I had a crush on her when she was crushing on me, but because we were all young at that time, and so rumors were something we all took seriously. Nobody was open about their feelings for another person at that time, so I chickened out and started to convince myself that I don't like Piper."
"You told her all that?"
"I was hoping that she'd understand."
"You were giving her a hard time you know?" Annabeth said, pausing for a bit, going through what she was about to say in her mind, weighing whether if it was for her to say. "I know I probably shouldn't tell you this, but she still likes you." She pursed her lips right after she spilled the beans to him.
Jason sat up straight, staring at her with an expression that she had never seen in all the years of her being friends with him.
"Really?"
"You have no idea how awkward it is for me to stay in between you two, because she is my friend and you are also my friend, but you two don't get along. Now that you two are finally on speaking terms, I sincerely hope you don't mess it up Jason." Annabeth changed her position, plopping her elbow on the thing next to her, which happened to be Percy's thigh.
"Ouch!" Percy yelped, shoving her elbow off where she had elbowed him in. "I'll get you another drink if that's what you want." He pleaded.
"Oh yes, drinks, what have you do to mine?" Annabeth demanded, thinking that her purpose here was over.
"Nothing, just drank a bit from it." He said innocently. Annabeth picked up her bottle of coke and realized that half of it was gone.
"You call this a bit." She snorted raising the bottle in his face.
"Maybe a lot." He shrugged. "Fine, I will take you out for a drink tomorrow after your shift."
"Did you just ask her out on a date Percy? Right under my roof? In front of me?" Jason asked from where he had witnessed the whole scene.
"Maybe." He shrugged once again.
"Says the guy who's flirting with his ex just seconds ago." Annabeth scoffed at Jason's comment.
"You were reading my text?" Percy pinched her down by her shoulders.
"You're position makes it hard for me not to read." She stated the obvious. "Oh and she just asked you out if you haven't see that." She said, pointing to his phone that was now on the floor.
Letting go of her, he picked up the phone and checked the text that she had sent most recently. Annabeth laughed when she was freed.
"What'd she actually say Perce?" She asked innocently.
"I hope you enjoyed your summer so far." He read out the text.
"Boring. What are you two even talking about anyway?" She snorted.
"Random stuff. She's nice and I'm nice, and she started the conversation, so why not reply it."
"If she's nice and you're nice, why'd you two break up then?"
"Misunderstanding I guess." He shrugged.
"Then get back together with her."
"Why would I, I don't even like her." He said, throwing his phone on the side. Laying down next to her, who was now on her stomach, flipping through her own phone.
"You just have to do this right Jason?" Annabeth stagnated on a post that was up few minutes ago. It was a picture of her been pinned under Percy's arms. A devious smile on his face and an unreadable expression of joy on her face. Chucking a pillow at Jason who was trying to hide his smile.
"Piper liked it and commented it, and that was enough for me." Jason shrugged after dodging the pillow.
"Superficial coward." Annabeth called him, making him look up at her. "Go talk to her, she's obviously just shocked by the fact that you liked her, or perhaps still likes her." Engrossed in scolding Jason, she didn't even feel her phone been taken away from her by Percy.
"Dude, password." He tapped her. She snatched her phone back and unlocked it for him. She was still staring at Jason who was thinking hard on what he should do. "Oh my god, you are so enjoying my attention Chase." Percy laughed out loud.
Annabeth ended her conversation with Jason and turned back to Percy, who was still occupying her phone.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Liking random posts." He double clicked every post that he scrolled on.
"Ahh." She grabbed it back, exiting the app and locking her phone. Then tossed it aside. "By the way, don't forget that you have to pay me a drink." She stood up, heading to the bathroom.
"Tomorrow, I'll pick you up from IKEA. It's a date Beth." He called lazily as he watched her walk down the hall to the bathroom.
"Flirt." She called back before stepping in.
• • •
"So, how're you feeling today? Going to work?" Annabeth asked into the phone the next morning.
"Yeah, I'm feeling better." Piper replied from the other end.
"Good. Meet you there." She hung up the phone and got ready for work.
"I heard that you have a date tonight with Jason." Annabeth asked her friend the second she was within earshot.
"Uh how'd you know?" Piper blushed at the question.
Annabeth smirked at the side. "He's my friend darling." Silently praying that she didn't know anything about her hangout with Percy. "They're probably coming like usual this afternoon." She added, wanting to see the reaction from Piper.
"Okay." Piper said, but she did sounded a little excited and nervous.
After making Percy buying her the most expensive frozen yogurt (expensive enough to them as students) as payback, they went strolling down the street. She felt bad for making him spend that much on her and not getting anything for himself, so she offered to share the small cup of fro-yo.
Circling back to IKEA they saw Piper exiting with Jason. In synchronize, both of them took a detour and went around the bushes, getting out of their way.
"They just came out? I wonder what they had done when we are buying this shit." Annabeth whispered. Percy laughed and shrugged, taking the spoon from her and put a scoop of the yogurt in his mouth, and giving the spoon back to her.
"You can finish the last bit." He said once he took a last bite of the fro-yo, and handing back the food. She finished it in one without a word and throw away the trash. Looking up to see Percy still spying on the pair.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Annabeth asked, eyeing the same couple with a smirk.
"Are you?" He returned the sly smirk.
They looked at each other briefly, locking their eyes for a second and then they took off. Sneaking after Jason and Piper, spying on them and following them.
"Where are they going?" Annabeth wondered.
"Dunno, Jason didn't even drive his car." Percy shrugged. "He didn't even mention about the date. Actually I didn't know that he asked her out on a date until now."
"Why so secretive?"
"Who knows."
"It's in the middle of summer, who the heck will spot them in town. Everybody's doing whatever they can to get the hell outta here."
"I'd say the same."
They kept their distance with the couple in front of them, and made sure not to stare at their backs, because people will feel it when someone was staring. Annabeth could only hope that they were enjoying each other that they wouldn't feel someone behind them. Hoping that they wouldn't turn around all of a sudden. Percy suggested to hide behind corners, but got dejected by Annabeth, claiming that they shouldn't make it look sneaky. 'Act natural' as she'd put it.
"Damn, they just entered a cafe." Annabeth yanked Percy back by the arm suddenly, pointing at the now closing glass door of the cafe few meters ahead of them.
"Well I do hope they come out soon." Percy and Annabeth slowed down their walking pace and started to fiddle with whatever they saw in the store beyond the cafe that Piper and Jason just walked in.
"I wish they would go into a mall, because that place is cooler."
"I hope so too. It's so frigging hot out there."
"No kidding, an oven we're in just now."
"Dude, they're out."
Annabeth looked out the window as Percy shouted, a little loud, because he alerted the shop owner on the way to her.
"Shall we go out?" He then asked once he got to the shelf where Annabeth was standing.
"No, not until they walked past this shop, because my hair is a bit too obvious to not notice. Don't you think?" She said, pulling her hair to the front. It was a rare day that she didn't pull it up in a ponytail, she usually wouldn't let it down on a summer day.
"Buy a hat then." He suggested.
"Thought of doing that, but my hair still shows. The color's too bright." She said, brushing her fingers on the items on the stack. "I'll show you." She rolled her eyes after seeing that Percy had not bought her explanation. Picking out a random hat from the shelf, she folded her hair and stuffed into the hat.
"Looks good." Percy observed from the front, but changed his mind when Annabeth turned around. "Okay, you're right. It's still obvious."
"See?" Annabeth said in triumph, but she was stopped by a pair of hands on her shoulder when she was about turn back to face him. She froze by the contact of Percy's fingers brushing her bare skin of her back. "What are you doing?"
"Examining at your tattoo." He said casually. She let out a relieved sigh, but still, she was not used to the contact.
Life sucks, so suck it up.
"Hey you know what?" Percy spun her around after reading the quote printed on the nape of her neck, where it was usually covered up by her long blonde curls, and her bright blue dip dye. "I like you." She raised an eyebrow at him, not sure what kind of like that would be, because he sounded like he had just decided on something random.
"Okay…" Annabeth find the situation becoming awkward, she broke her eye contact with Percy and stared out the shop window.
"I like that tattoo and I like your hair." He continued, probably not noticing Annabeth was getting uncomfortable. "Why that phrase though?" He asked. Just as she was about to reply, he popped another question in addition. "Why dye your hair blue and not red?"
"Hey, hey, hey, slow down, I need to reply them one by one right?" She held up a hand, suddenly finding the situation less tense. "First, thank you for liking me, my tattoo and my hair." Percy laughed, the respond was goofy, but he liked it nonetheless. "Second question, why that phrase? I simply like it. As a pessimistic person, nothing coming out of me will be encouraging or positive, and this happens to be my motivation to live my life and to force myself into doing something I dislike." Percy expression changed when he heard the word 'pessimistic', but didn't comment on it. He waited for her to continue and she did. "As for the last question, I don't know. Piper suggested bright red when I told her that I'm going to dip-dye my hair, but later I thought about it, and find myself liking the color blue better. I just think blonde suits blue better than red. I told Piper that red is more suitable for a brunette like her after I dyed mine blue." She shrugged. "Did that answer your question?" She asked playfully, tilting her head and placing the hat that she was fiddling when she talked to Percy back on the shelf, where she took it from.
"Aren't you buying that?" He asked, pointing at the hat she just put back. Not addressing to the previous conversation a single bit.
"Why should I?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Convince me with one good reason and I will consider buying it."
"Because I like you in that hat." He answered without thinking. She blinked at him for a second after his reply.
"Then no, I'm not buying that." She started walking away from the shelf, but seeing that Percy didn't follow, she turned back and saw an amusing smile on his face. "And don't you dare buy that for me as present." She pointed an accusing finger at him, narrowing her eyes at him warningly.
"Maybe you'll see that on your birthday party then." He said, catching up to her to the door.
Leaning her whole weight on to the glass door, she pushed it open lazily. The heat struck her once she stepped out of the store. Percy followed, groaning at the warm temperature.
"Holy shit." Annabeth sucked in a breath when she stepped into the crowd of people walking down the street. Quickly tugging Percy aside into the corner of a turn into an small alley, she flattened herself against the wall.
"What?" Percy asked, once he was been pushed against the wall.
"They're walking this way."
Percy stuck his head out of the corner, his eyes roaming around the people trying to locate their victims.
"They crossed the road and went into the mall." He reported as Annabeth's head stuck out beside his. "No, it was a Starbucks."
"But they just got out of a cafe." Annabeth said beside Percy. He was startled by the voice of Annabeth that close to him, he turned and his nose brushed hers, accidentally. She looked away, avoiding eye contact with him and tried to divert his focus.
"Shall we go?" She asked, stepping away from him, nervous from the spark she felt when their nose touched.
"Yeah." He, too, was thinking about what had just happened between them. But just as she took a step, ready to cross, he pulled her back. "Wait. Look." She followed his fingers and saw where and what he was pointing at. Immediately, at the same time, they took out their phone and started taking pictures.
"She didn't tell me that they are going this quickly." Annabeth said with amusement, still snapping photos of her friend kissing the blond.
"He didn't either." Percy replied, zooming in on the two as he took another picture.
"Let's not interrupt them shall we? They finally got along, meaning that I am finally free from the awkwardness that will be radiating of the two when they are both talking to me."
"Good point." He agreed. "So where do you want to go? Obviously not in that mall across the street."
"Is this a hangout or a date?" She asked, pushing him back against the wall they were leaning on minutes ago.
"Same difference." He laid out his palms.
"Hm…" She pretended to think, standing in front of him, leaving a really small gap between the two. "Maybe not."
"Why?" He asked, tilting his head with a finger tapping on his chin, playing along.
Annabeth was about to lie through this question, but the sound of her phone saved her.
"Saved by the text." He looked right through her act, not that she cared. She just pouted and unlocked her phone to check.
First frowning, then the frown turned to a grin.
"What?" Percy asked, watching her expression morphed from one to another.
"Promise me not to look in the direction of Piper and Jason." She said, hugging her phone close so that Percy wouldn't see anything before she show it to him.
"Kay…" He nodded unsurely.
"Promise?" She stuck out her pinky. Giving her a weird look, he linked his pinky with hers. With that done, she showed her screen to him.
"So they saw us from across the street? Thought they were enjoying each other." Percy looked up, still seeing crowds of people flowing down the street continuously. "Wait, he posted that?" He asked, taking a closer look and taking the phone in his hand; he didn't need Annabeth to tell him, because it was right in front of him. Then he double clicked the picture, handing it back to Annabeth with a goofy grin.
She looked at him in disgust, and locked the phone, not bothered to unlike the post.
"Maybe we should get out of their sight." He suggested, pushing himself off the wall. Enveloping her from the back suddenly, making her stumble and step on his foot.
"Not apologizing for that, you scared me." She told him seriously. Percy just hummed but made no comments about it, he didn't really care that much.
Fishing out his phone, he turned it on and placed in front of him and Annabeth, his arms still around her, his head on her shoulder. "Take a selfie, it will last longer." He said, opening Snapchat.
"Long lasting my ass." She grimaced. Making a funny face, she stuck up her middle fingers and glared at the camera. Planting a kiss on her cheek, Percy snapped the picture.
A/N: I originally planned to post this on April Fools Day - my time - but it turned out that I don't have time to do so, so it was postponed till this day. Hope you enjoy, and it's good that I didn't say about posting anything on April Fools earlier, or else I'd be accused of breaking promises.
