Chapter 25

As the night progressed, Percy was doing his best to put the stuff he had overheard to the back of his head. He didn't want to think about it, this was a time for celebration, not for worrying about things like that. He knew he had to address it, that Annabeth had the right to know, but he didn't want to yet. He wanted to enjoy the night.

Unfortunately, Annabeth had always been good at reading him. Maybe the only person besides his mom that was good at reading him. So a rather peaceful silence was broken by her looking over at him curiously "So- what has been bugging you all night?"

They were laying back in the hay again. They had been there for awhile, having first enjoyed the sweets Percy had slipped out for the celebration. He had also brought a lantern with this time, so as Percy looked over he could see the clear curiosity on her face. Despite that Percy just raised an eyebrow and tried to play it off "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you've been thinking about something all night," Annabeth pushed herself into a sitting position "Don't get me wrong, I've really enjoyed tonight, but there's been something nagging at the back of your mind the whole time."

Percy couldn't help but smile at the fact she'd enjoyed herself, feeling his stomach flip slightly. That's all he had wanted, so the idea of ruining it to talk about what he'd heard didn't sound great. Annabeth was stubborn though, and the determination in her stormy grey eyes told him she wouldn't just let it drop. Sighing, Percy pushed himself up to a sitting position as well.

"I overheard your parents while I was waiting for them to go to bed," Percy replied a little awkwardly as he glanced over at her, trying and failing to figure out how to say it "They were talking about you…"

"So?" Annabeth asked, still clearly confused "I assume they talk about me a lot. Andrea says something I did to annoy her and my father shrugs with disinterest or just goes along with whatever complaints she has."

That just made Percy's stomach twist a bit. He didn't understand how anyone could ignore her, and even less how someone could find her annoying. She was the most amazing person he knew.

That wasn't the point though, and shaking his head, Percy refocused his thoughts before speaking. As he did his voice was serious and soft "Andrea was trying to talk your dad into pushing you to get married."

"Is that all?"

Percy looked up,and to his surprise Annabeth was giving him a half smile, the one she gave when she knew something he didn't. For a moment she just looked at him before continuing "And let me guess, the conversation ended with my dad against it, either because than I wouldn't be able to help him at work anymore, or he's worried that I'll die the same way my mom did?"

Percy looked at her with surprise, seeing amusement in her eyes now as she waited for his response. He could tell she already knew she was right, and was just waiting for him to confirm it "How did you…"

"They have been having that same argument since I turned fourteen," Annabeth said, smiling at him softly "The older the boys get, the less she needs me to watch them, and the more she tries to push me out of the way. But thank you, for trying to warn me."

"Fourteen?" Percy asked with slight disbelief as he looked at her. She appeared as calm as ever, which both impressed and slightly annoyed him. It was remarkable how often she did that. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because we were fourteen, and maybe I thought-" She trailed off, shaking her head a bit "It doesn't matter. I didn't want you to worry about it, especially when so far the most that's come from it is Andrea forcing me to spend time with some boy or another for an afternoon. Usually one she thinks can benefit her in some way."

"Thought what?" Percy asked curiously, tilting his head a bit as she looked at her, still processing all of this. Two years. Why hadn't she told him about it? He told her everything, or at least he thought he did. It hurt more than he wanted to admit.

"It's stupid," Annabeth replied, shrugging and finally looking away from him as she said it, starting to play with the hay a bit.

"Nothing you do is stupid," Percy replied without hesitation. He couldn't help but smile slightly when he noticed a smile flicker onto her lips at the response.

"I guess I wasn't really worried about it when it started because at that point there was still a small part of me that though we were actually going to get out of here and go on one of those adventures we talked about, so there wasn't any point. And when we got older-" Annabeth hesitated for a moment before finishing "Maybe I thought it would be weird to bring up. And maybe part of me just wanted to pretend it wasn't happening."

Percy couldn't help but get the feeling that hadn't been what she was going to say, but he didn't press. Instead he just gave her a small smile and took her hand. He felt terrible. He had just wanted to give her a nice night, to thank her for everything she did for him, considering it seemed like there was very little he could do for her in return. Instead he had brought up something she didn't want to talk or think about. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Annabeth assured, squeezing his hand a bit, before he saw her try to push away the thoughts and smiled at him instead "Like I said, they've been talking about it for years. Nothing's ever come from it."

Percy nodded slightly, just looking at her for a moment. The way her blonde hair looked almost gold while illuminated by the lantern light. The bits of hay that had caught in it, somehow making it seem more natural, more beautiful.

So it was with slight reluctance that he reached over to gently pulled out the pieces of hay. Knowing Annabeth, she wasn't going to be looking in a mirror anytime between now and… well who knew how long. Going down to breakfast the next morning with hay in her hair would kind of give away that she'd snuck out, and he didn't want her to get in trouble. When he was done, he just let his hand linger for a moment, before finally dropping it.

"You're beautiful, you know."

It came out before Percy could really think about it, but he found he didn't regret it. Yeah, it was kind of embarrassing to say, especially to Annabeth, but he also felt like it was the kind of thing she needed to hear. He doubted her parents ever said it, and though he knew it wasn't something Annabeth cared all that much about, it had to be nice to hear sometimes. And it was true. She was beautiful.

"I- thanks-" Annabeth replied, laughing slightly, though Percy didn't miss the soft smile that lingered on her face. It was hard to tell in the dark, but he was also pretty sure she was blushing "You're not so bad yourself, Seaweed Brain."

"I hope it's better than 'not so bad', I've had seven months of people trying to make me charming," Percy teased, laughing a bit as he did so "And now you're telling me it's all been for nothing?"

"No, but you were always charming. Now you just seem awkward and like your uncomfortable," Annabeth replied, shrugging as she looked over at him "Don't worry, you play it off well. I don't think anyone else at the castle can tell."

"I'm not sure you're helping now," Percy shook his head as he thought about it "This is what I get for giving you a compliment."

He was teasing, and he knew that Annabeth knew that. She laughed slightly, before shaking her head as well "That's not what I mean. You are handsome, but you always have been, even before they tried to make you charming or whatever. They didn't make you handsome, just changed it to a different kind of handsome, and you don't seem completely comfortable with the changes."

Percy listened, not really sure how to respond. He had never really thought about how handsome he was or wasn't, and he really hadn't thought that Annabeth would have. It surprised him, but not as much as the realization that he was really happy that Annabeth thought he was handsome. Of course, it was always nice to hear from anyone, but there was something about hearing it from her that made it more than just nice.

Luckily, before he had to respond Annabeth spoke again, shrugging a bit "I guess I just preferred the original- because it seemed more like you."

"It is," Percy replied, smiling. He knew exactly what Annabeth was saying, and honestly he agreed "It's the same way you seem more like you out here, with hay in your hair, than when we're at the castle and your hair is all tied up."

"You prefer it when my hair is everywhere and constantly in my face?" Annabeth teased, though she wasn't grinning. Instead she was smiling softly, and Percy knew that she understood what he was saying.

"Yeah, because it's when you're more you," Percy smiled at her in return, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering as he did so "I'm glad that at least one person still sees me the way I really am."

"Me too." Annabeth smiled at him, her grey eyes meeting his.

For a moment they just looked at each other. His thumb gently rubbed her cheek. It just felt like the two of them. As if there was nothing else to worry about. Percy leaned forward, and to his surprise Annabeth did as well.

The kiss didn't last long. Percy would have liked if it lasted longer, but he wasn't about to complain. When Annabeth pulled away, he was grinning, but to his surprise, she wasn't. Instead she looked away from him, and with the shadows the lantern cast on her face, he couldn't read her expression.

"Percy..." She said softly, sighing a bit. He could tell she wanted to say more, but instead she just trailed off, still not looking at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, tilting his head to try and catch her eye, his own grin falling as he did so. She had been kissing him back- or at least, he was pretty sure she had been, so why was she reacting like this?

"We can't Percy," Annabeth sighed, still not really looking at him and instead playing with the hay around her, trying to distract herself, something she usually did when she wanted to ignore what she was feeling or not let it show. Slowly Percy moved to take her hand, not even realizing he was doing it.

"No," Annabeth moved her hand out of his, finally looking over at him, and despite her efforts and the poor lighting, he could tell she was fighting to keep a straight face. The expression sent a slight pang through him "We can't do this Percy. I know you want to pretend like everything is the same, but it's not."

"Annabeth," Percy sighed. His instinct was to take her hand again, to try and reassure her, but she didn't want that, so reluctantly he let his hand fall to the side "I'm still me. I still care about you."

"I know. But you're also a prince now," Annabeth searched his face for a moment, before looking away again "I used to think... Maybe before all of this something could have happened, but now it can't. You're going to marry Piper, or if not her some other noble woman. It's not fair on either of us to pretend otherwise."

Percy looked down. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew she was right. When he had taken the king's deal he hadn't been thinking about having to get married. Really he hadn't thought it through at all. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry. You made a choice, and it was your's to make, but you have to understand that there are consequences to it. That the choice affected more than just you," Annabeth sighed, reaching up to tuck a bit of hair behind her ear "I know you want to act like nothing has changed, but even if you haven't, everything else has. You can't keep pretending that it hasn't."

Annabeth sounded so calm, but Percy could hear that she was holding back much stronger emotions. The softness in her normally confident voice, the way she still wouldn't look at him. His stomach twisted, and he couldn't bring himself to look at her either. He hadn't even considered how this decision might have affected her. He hadn't thought about how it would affect anyone other than him and his mom. How could he have been so selfish? He had picked being a prince… over her.

There was a long silence. Percy had no idea how to respond, to express how sorry he was, how much at that moment, he wished he could go back. Instead, it was Annabeth who eventually broke it, pushing herself up, voice still soft "I should go. I'll see you on Monday."

For a moment Percy glanced up at her, and he was surprised to she was giving him a small smile. Then she turned, and started down the ladder, leaving Percy alone. Part of him wondered if he should walk her home, but it didn't feel right, and he was sure Annabeth was more than capable of making it home on her own.

Instead, he just laid back in the hay, looking up at the stars. His head was spinning, as guilt and anger at himself swirled inside. How could he have been so incredibly stupid?