Firstly, I'd like to apologize for how long this took to be written. I got writers' block and decided to write many Jily AUs to get over it. But you have herecomesthepun to thank for this chapter because I just finished the latest chapter in her Silver Screen fic and wanted to throw my phone out the window. It didn't help that I was listening to Gavin James's Hearts on Fire while reading. But seriously check their fic out, it's so good and made me want to write some Percabeth fluff just to get over the latest chapter. Anyway, enough rambling.

Panda1912

They pulled up to the venue not long later. There was a marquee where they could see the guests mingling with drinks.

"Zeus Almighty," Annabeth said suddenly.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked concerned, indicating for his parents to continue on without them.

"Yeah. It's just so real. We're going to have to convince them that we're actually a couple. I can't do this."

"Of course you can. You're doing wonderfully so far. You managed to convince my best friends. The relatives that I barely know will be cinch."

"You sure?" Annabeth looked up at him, eyes wide.

"Yes. Now come on."

They both turned and headed into the marquee. Immediately, the warmth of the room hit them and Annabeth sighed, almost inaudibly. Percy smiled at her before wrapping an arm around her waist. They made their way deeper into the room to 'mingle'.

The feeling of Percy's arm around her waist was a weird one but Annabeth would be lying if she said it was uncomfortable. She collected her nerves and smiled as she engaged in a conversation with a second cousin of Percy's. He had a large extended family, she noticed, which did nothing to soothe her. She finished up the conversation and moved along with Percy as he joined Sally.

"Katherine," Sally said to the woman she was talking to, "this is Percy's girlfriend Annabeth. Annabeth this Katherine, Percy's aunt-in-law."

"Nice to meet you," Annabeth said politely.

"Sally! You never said Percy had a girlfriend!"

"Would you believe that I had to find out from Jason?"

"Zeus's Jason?"

Sally nodded.

"How come they're not here? Or Thalia?" Katherine asked.

"Well you know how removed Zeus is from the rest of the family. I doubt Silena's ever met the Graces."

Katherine nodded wisely, knowing all about Zeus and his ridiculous backwards ideas of family values.

"Your cousins are over there Percy. Did you say hi?" Sally asked her son, pausing her conversation with Katherine for a second.

"I will now," Percy replied.

Annabeth followed Percy to the corner of the marque to where there were a few teens their own age.

"This will a small bit harder. But you convinced Jason, you'll be fine," Percy murmured to her.

Annabeth just nodded.

"Hey guys," Percy began when he reached his cousins. "This is my girlfriend Annabeth."

There was a mini riot at the word 'girlfriend'.

"Girlfriend? Willingly?" one guy asked.

Annabeth was tempted to say no.

"Ha ha Leo," Percy replied deadpanned but his grip on Annabeth's waist had tightened slightly.

"Are you going to introduce me?" Annabeth asked teasingly.

"Oh right. This is Leo, that's Nico and his sister Hazel," Percy pointed at a younger boy wearing all black and a girl with golden eyes. Annabeth couldn't help but think how little they looked like siblings. Then again, Thalia and Jason didn't look related either.

"That's Hazel's boyfriend Frank," Percy said, pulling Annabeth back to the present. "That's Connor and Travis, they're not twins by the way, and that unfortunate soul," he began dramatically, indicating to the only other girl, "is Travis's girlfriend Katie."

Annabeth smiled, suddenly overwhelmed. These definitely weren't the 'relatives that I barely know' that Percy had mentioned.

"I still can't believe you have a girlfriend man," Leo spoke up again.

"Shut up Valdez. You're just jealous 'cause you don't have one."

"Are we even sure she's real?" Leo squinted at her jokingly.

Annabeth looked around nervously but was reassured when she caught sight of Hazel smilling at her. Hazel seemed to notice her tension as well and called Annabeth over, patting the space on the couch next to her. Annabeth looked at Percy who nodded, silently telling her that she would be fine.

Annabeth left the comfort of Percy's side and joined Hazel on the couch.

"I need details," was what came out of the girl's mouth.

"Hazel!" Frank said in shock but Annabeth just laughed.

"It's fine," she said smiling, but her stomach was still a mess.

Connor had joined them by now, just as eager to hear the details while Percy was talking to Leo, Travis and Katie.

"So how do you know each other?" Hazel asked, more politely.

"We're in the same year at school. Thalia's my best friend."

"I've met Jason, but I've never met Thalia," Hazel said, almost wistfully.

"I have!" Connor jumped in. "She's scary man."

Annabeth could see where he was coming from but it was still weird.

"How long have you been going out?" asked Hazel.

Annabeth shot a rather desperate look towards Percy. She couldn't remember if this had been decided in the cover story.

Whoops, I'm a terrible fanfic writer who left you hanging, my bad. I'll try and get back on track but no promises!