"To the Gods!" Percy's little group cheered as they clinked drinks together. The Dancing Drake was bursting at the seams, filled with satyrs, nymphs, demigods and mortals on a Saturday night. The launch of their campaign had been a big success, if he did say so himself, despite the run-in with Annabeth and her friends. He was ready for a night of relaxing and just having a good time.
He chugged his drink then slammed it on the counter, perhaps a little too hard (though the bottle didn't break, thank the gods!).
Percy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "Who's up for karaoke?"
"Oh no, Percy, you make me sing every time!" Hazel groaned, hands combing through her curly hair nervously.
"Yeah, cuz you're good at it." he pointed out, "Right, Frank?"
"Uh… huh?" Frank was jogged from his own thoughts, tearing his gaze from Hazel with a confused look.
"Doesn't Hazel have a nice voice?"
Frank began to resemble the shade of a tomato, "Oh, uh, yeah, I mean, I-I like to um. Listen. To her voice, I mean."
Percy grinned. His friends happened to be Roman transfer students- Frank, son of Mars, was a year younger than him, and Hazel, daughter of Pluto, was a freshman, but despite the age difference they all got along well. That, and Percy had never seen a bigger, more obvious crush than the one Frank had on Hazel.
And boy did he like to bring it up.
Grover was nursing his own drink, looking morose, "They hate me… my best friends hate me."
Percy struggled not to point out that he was hanging with his best friends right now, but he knew who he meant- the trio from earlier, the ones Grover had known the longest, longer than Percy even. He felt a pang of jealousy, but tried his best to cheer Grover up anyway.
"Hey, buddy, no they don't!" he tried, ordering another drink for himself as he did. "They're just a little upset, but I'm sure they'll get over it!"
The satyr shook his head, "You don't know Annabeth man… she's gonna kill me." he moaned.
"Look, forget Annabeth, just for tonight. We have drinks, we have friends, we have- Juniper! Hey Juniper!" Percy waved the Nymph over as she entered the bustling pub, "Juniper, can you assure your boyfriend that his friends don't hate him, please?"
"Your friends don't hate you!" she repeated, her green skin standing out in the low lighting of the bar, sidling up to Grover, "They're just… well, mad?"
"Not super helpful when you say it like a question, June, but good try." Percy leaned back against the counter, watching the crowd.
The day had been a long one. He hadn't meant to end up in the same place at the same time as Annabeth and her crew. In fact, he hadn't even realized she would be his opponent until that morning.
On top of that, there were the emails. Totally anonymous, they had been giving him suggestions, flier designs, dates and times to meet. At first he figured it was someone from his father's team helping him out, but now? It was clear someone on the other side was assisting their cause, and while he should have felt grateful, guilt seeped into the corners of his mind.
He couldn't keep his thoughts off the conversation from earlier. Annabeth popped into his head, curls floating in the breeze, grey blazer complimenting her eyes, and an expression on her face he was more than familiar with.
She was lonely.
And boy did he understand loneliness.
Even now, surrounded by people, he could feel it, an ache deep in his body. He was the son of Poseidon. And despite his friendships with other children of the big three, it often felt like no one would ever see him as anything more or anything less than that.
No one except…
The phone in his pocket buzzed, and Percy gleefully pulled it out to read the text, despite Hazel's protests-
"Oh Percy please don't! Not your phone-!" She was old-fashioned when it came to technology; demigods like her often rejected the use of phones all together for the sake of safety.
"It's fine, Haze, if a monster happens to get into the city and just happens to find us, I'll take care of it." he chuckled, eagerly taking in the message;
6:34PM WISE GIRL
Tell me something nice.
He couldn't hide his grin, despite his confusion at her command.
6:34PM SEAWEED BRAIN
bad day wise girl?
6:34PM WISE GIRL
Yes.
I don't want to talk about it.
So tell me. Something. Nice.
Percy was a little taken aback. She must really be pissed off.
6:35PM SEAWEED BRAIN
hmmmmm
no one has prettier texts than u?
6:35PM WISE GIRL
Is that all you can come up with?
6:35PM SEAWEED BRAIN
give me a break u caught me by surprise! im thinking!
"Percy?" Grover was waving a hand in front of his face and he looked up from his phone, "Who are you talking to?"
"No one." He shrugged, "Just… some girl."
Hazel's eyes widened, "You're back to dating again?"
"What do you mean 'again'?" Percy's defenses flared up.
"Well, no offense man, but you were kind of a revolving door of girls." Frank piped up, shrugging his large shoulders, "But these past few weeks well… when you stopped, we thought you were sick or something."
"Come on, it's not like I was some sort of womanizer! Grover, back me up buddy!" Percy turned to his formerly gloomy friend for support.
Grover only shrugged, "I mean…"
The son of Poseidon rolled his eyes, "Whatever, it's just one girl." He crossed his arms.
"But does that mean you're actually sticking with someone this time?" Grover mused, Juniper hugging his arm.
Percy felt his face grow hot. He didn't fluster easily, but with his friends calling out his dating habits in front of him, he suddenly felt embarrassed. He hadn't considered himself a playboy, but maybe that's how the world had seen Percy Jackson.
"So who is she?" Hazel leaned across the bar with an excited smile. Percy felt the need to keep Wise Girl a secret from most people, but he couldn't hide her from his friends.
"I don't know." he admitted, flipping his phone in his hands, "I accidentally texted her one day and we sort of… hit it off."
"Wait, you don't even know what she looks like?" Frank sounded amazed.
Percy shook his head.
"Or her name?! " Hazel chimed in, looking equal parts horrified and impressed.
Another shrug.
Grover was next. "Well what do you call her then?"
"Wise Girl." He answered without thinking. The stares of his friends made him feel like this was an interrogation. "It's… it's an inside joke."
"Still, this girl must be pretty special if you've given up on the ones you can actually see." Grover looked thoughtful.
"Uh, I told you guys, I stopped dating because of that Empousai thing," Percy insisted.
"Yeah, right. Which was, what, three weeks after you ended things with Rachel?" Frank seemed to count on his fingers, brow furrowing as the timeline began to take shape, "When did you say you texted this girl?"
"Oh come on!" Percy protested, glancing around, "We're just friends!"
"Right. What are you texting about now?" Juniper teased, raising an eyebrows as Percy hid his phone screen.
"It's not… it's private."
"Private?" Hazel repeated, sharing a glance with Frank.
"Yes, private. And I should probably uh… answer her, actually."
Percy turned away from his friends, who were now gabbing about who his mystery girl could be, and brought his phone back up to his face. He knew exactly what "nice thing" he wanted to tell Wise Girl now.
6:42PM SEAWEED BRAIN
no one ive met has been half as interesting as u are
i seriously cant stop thinking about u, wise girl
when we arent texting, im wishing we were
and when we are texting, im…
im pretty desperate to find the right words to make u smile
even if i cant see it, i want to know that ur happy
There was a few minutes of radio silence and Percy was suddenly afraid. Girls had never intimidated him, at least not since Poseidon had claimed him as his son, but for some reason he feared he said too much- came on too strong. Would she ghost him now? Find him creepy for saying such things? Laugh at him?
Gods, he wanted to hear her laugh, even if it was at his own expense. He'd say a million stupid things a day if she were the one laughing at him.
The sights and sounds of the bar faded into the background as his phone began to buzz.
6:46PM WISE GIRL
Oh wow
Well I'm certainly smiling now.
I wish I could show you.
6:46PM SEAWEED BRAIN
i wish i could see it
where are u?
6:47PM WISE GIRL
At home.
6:47PM SEAWEED BRAIN
u should go out sometimes
u deserve some fun, it sounds like u have a lot on ur plate
6:47PM WISE GIRL
I don't have the time.
But maybe I'd find the time if I was going out with you.
Percy bit back a grin, glancing up to make sure his friends were distracted. It seemed that the topic of his mystery girl had been dropped for now, Juniper opting instead to try and convince Frank and Hazel to go on a double date. The pair were a blushing mess, stammering how they weren't together, really, it wasn't like that-
"I think you guys should do it," Percy cut in with a smirk. Hazel fanned her face and Frank looked anywhere but at her. "Sounds like a lot of fun!"
"Then it's settled!" Juniper squealed, knocking back a shot. "Let's dance!"
Percy watched as Grover was pulled to the dance floor by Juniper, laughing. The poor guy had two left hooves. He watched as Hazel and Frank muttered something about needing water and took off together. And Percy stayed put, turning down a girl here and there when they asked to get him a drink or if he wanted to dance.
Only one girl had his attention tonight.
6:54PM SEAWEED BRAIN
is that an invitation to ask u out?
6:54PM WISE GIRL
I'm certainly not trying to dissuade you from the idea.
6:54PM SEAWEED BRAIN
u like to tease guys, don't u
6:55PM WISE GIRL
I like to tease you.
Should I stop?
6:55PM SEAWEED BRAIN
gods no
never stop
6:55PM WISE GIRL
Just for you, I'll continue
What about you? How was your day in the city?
He thought about it. The campaigning, meeting new people, getting Annabeth to maybe hate him less…
6:56PM SEAWEED BRAIN
not bad haha
i think i got a girl to like me
6:56PM WISE GIRL
Oh?
6:56PM SEAWEED BRAIN
no not like that kind of like!
6:56PM WISE GIRL
Oh!
6:56PM SEAWEED BRAIN
ha, did i make u jealous?
6:57PM WISE GIRL
In your dreams
6:57PM SEAWEED BRAIN
id like u in all of my dreams please
6:57PM WISE GIRL
Flirt.
6:58PM SEAWEED BRAIN
;D
come over
6:58PM WISE GIRL
You know I won't
6:58PM SEAWEED BRAIN
worth a shot
ur loss
we could be tearing it up at drake's rn
6:59PM WISE GIRL
You're at the Dancing Drake?
6:59PM SEAWEED BRAIN
u know it?
6:59PM WISE GIRL
Of course I know it.
That's so close
6:59PM SEAWEED BRAIN
well damn dont tell me that!
i might start wandering the streets looking for u if i know ur nearby
u live in the dorms then?
7:00PM WISE GIRL
Don't you?
7:00PM SEAWEED BRAIN
nah, my family has an apartment in the city.
Annabeth felt the familiar ache of jealousy. Her own family, father, step-mother, and half brothers lived across the country. They rarely called, never visited, and while her relationship with them was better now, well… it would take more than a few "I love yous" to heal what had been broken.
Being a young Demigod was tough, even in a world that worshipped them.
And it wasn't like her mother was going to be living in an apartment downtown with Annabeth.
7:02PM WISE GIRL
That must be nice.
7:02PM SEAWEED BRAIN
i love it haha
every year for the solstice we make these delicious blue cupcakes
ill bake u one
7:02PM WISE GIRL
I'll hold you to that.
It's coming up fast.
7:02PM SEAWEED BRAIN
we still have a few months
come on wise girl u changed the subject
come hang out with me
It was tempting. Annabeth couldn't lie. But despite how much she wanted to head over to the Dancing Drake and meet him face to face, she couldn't lose what they had now. What if they met and started dating and, like the others, her focus was too much for him? It was easy, this way, with him not knowing her, not really.
7:03PM WISE GIRL
I have to decline.
7:03PM SEAWEED BRAIN
but
dancing
together
could u imagine?
She could. The idea of pressing against him, the faceless stranger that lived in her phone, swaying back and forth slowly as their foreheads touched… it sent tingles down her spine.
7:03PM WISE GIRL
You're making it very difficult to refuse
7:04PM SEAWEED BRAIN
good.
because i want to dance with u
7:04PM WISE GIRL
Maybe someday
7:05PM SEAWEED BRAIN
soon?
7:05PM WISE GIRL
Soon.
She gazed around her room. Folders and papers were scattered across the desk, her laptop opened to emails concerning press conferences and event dates. Her homework had long since been finished (even Marine Monsters) and she was ready to relax. But her phone was nagging her, burning up in her hand. She didn't want to stop talking to him, even though she knew she should hold back.
The few times she had dated hadn't gone well.
Annabeth was ambitious. She was driven. She knew what she wanted and she wasn't willing to let anything stand in her way.
Sometimes the things in her way had been boys. And those boys had been very offended when she inevitably chose her future over them, every time.
So what would happen if she met Seaweed Brain, and he was like all the others?
7:08PM SEAWEED BRAIN
ur really gonna make me work for this, huh?
7:08PM WISE GIRL
Would it be as fun if I didn't?
7:08PM SEAWEED BRAIN
fair point
u seem worth it, at least.
There went her heart again.
7:09PM WISE GIRL
Shouldn't you be dancing or drinking or something?
7:09PM SEAWEED BRAIN
im doing at least one of those things
7:09PM WISE GIRL
Ah.
That explains your boldness tonight
7:10PM SEAWEED BRAIN
maybe im just a bold guy in general
7:10PM WISE GIRL
I can believe that.
She wondered if he was with friends, if he was ignoring them in order to talk to her- who goes to a bar just to be on their phone anyway?
Annabeth supposed she might do the same, if their places were swapped. It was hard to resist talking to him. And the longer this went on, the more she was drawn in by his words, even if they were misspelled nonsense half the time.
Annabeth was in deep trouble.
A/N:
Stop sending mixed signals Annabeth!
Thank you all so much for the reviews, favs, follows, and love so far! Right now I have an update schedule of every Saturday/Sunday (and over 25 chapters written!) so look forward to consistent updates!
As always, feel free to leave a review if you liked the chapter. I think it's also worth noting that this fic is slow burn- it may be a while before they find out who they're texting, but don't worry, I have lots of fun twists and turns up my sleeve so you'll never be bored!