It was nearing the end of the summer, and Percy and Annabeth were hanging out in the Poseidon cabin. Grover was off dealing with...satyr things, and they had to leave in a week.

Percy sighs, "I'm bored,"

Annabeth snorts from where she's writing something on his bed, "You're always bored,"

"It's not my fault," he complains, "blame it on my ADHD"

"Yeah, okay, fair, but like I have ADHD and you don't hear me complaining about it,"

"That's 'cause you're always reading. Or writing. Or doing something productive,"

"So, maybe you should give reading a try,"

Percy sits up, staring at her, "You're joking, right?"

"Nope." she says, popping the 'p'

He sighs again, laying back down, "I'm bored," he repeats

"So I've heard,"

He sits up again, suddenly, "We should do something,"

She doesn't look up at him, but raises an eyebrow, "Oh? What?"

He groans, "I don't know. You were supposed to suggest something,"

Her eyes flick to him, "Really? You're the one who came up with the idea,"

"Well...yeah, but like it's usually I throw something out there, usually stupid, and then you go back and correct the whole thing, making it your plan,"

She snorts again, still writing.

"What are you writing anyway?" he asks, craning his neck.

"You really wanna know?"

"...yes?" he says, but it comes out more like a question

"Architecture,"

"Okaynevermind," he says quickly, so she didn't start talking about beams and railings and blueprints until his eyes glazed over. He sighs again.

"Oh! I have an idea," he says after a few minutes

"What?"

"We should ask Chiron if we can go get ice cream,"

She looks up at him, finally, pausing what she was doing, "We have ice cream here,"

"Well, yeah, I know, but like, y'know….ice cream,"

She sighs, sliding her face into her hand. They sit there another moment before she speaks up

"I'm certainly not asking,"

Percy grins, "Okay, okay," he races out of the cabin.

Chiron said yes.

So, there they were after Argus had dropped them off in New York, strolling through the streets.

"Okay, so I know this really good ice cream place that my mom and I used to go to when I was a kid," He's talking fast, and bouncing on the balls of his feet. "And it's the only ice cream place in New York that I've ever been too, and probably ever will go to, so that's why I'm taking you there instead of the one that we passed a few blocks ago, and-"

"Percy." Annabeth interrupts

He looks over at her, "Yeah?"

"You're vibrating,"

He stops, blinking at her.

She sighs, again (she seems to do that a lot around him), "What's the place called," She asks after it's obvious he was just gonna keep blinking at him.

"Oh! Baskin Robbins,"

She stops, "You took me all the way to Upper East Side New York to go to Baskin Robins ?!" she asks, incredulous.

"Yeah, okay, but look, there's this guy who works there, right? His name his...George? And he's best friends with me and my mom?"

"Are you just making this up so that I'm not mad?"

"...No?"

She runs a hand down her face, "Okay, lead me away,"

He grins, grabbing her wrist, "Come on, come on,"

"Percy! Slow down! We're gonna run into someone!"

"Calm down! We're in New York, everybody's always running into other people!"

She can't stop the laugh that escapes her, as he practically drags her three blocks and into an old Baskin Robbins building.

"George!" he calls as he walks in, causing people to look over. She laughs again.

"Seaweed Brain,"

He grins cheekily at her, "Wise girl,"

They walk up to the counter, and the guy eyes them.

Percy winks at her, before turning to him, "Hey, what's going on? Could we get two icecreams?"

He grunts, "You two got an adult with you?"

Percy nods, pointing to a random couple in the corner of the building, "Right over there,"

The server narrows his eyes but takes their order anyway. Annabeth gets cookies and cream and Percy gets mint chocolate chip ("it's the closest thing to blue that they have").

Percy actually steers her to the table that is, apparently, their "parents". He sits down and grins at him. But Annabeth apologizes, and pulls him to the other side of the building, ignoring the server's look that was shot Percy's way.

"Really?"

His grin doesn't leave.

"Gods, you're annoying,"

He takes a mini bow, "Why thank you."

They sit down at a table for four, on Percy's insistence. "Now, why did you want to sit here. Specifically?"

"Because watch,"

He pulls the chair next to him closer and props his feet up. Annabeth rolls her eyes.

"Really?" his grin grows. She has to look away so she doesn't end up smiling.

"Let me try it," Percy says, trying to poke his spoon in his cup.

She pulls away, fixing him with a look that says what's wrong with you?

"You've got your own ice cream,"

"So?"

"So? Eat your own," she says, taking another bite, "mmm. It's delicious,"

He glares at her, "That's not nice," Now it's her turn to grin.

He huffs, sitting back, "I'll let you try mine," he says, taking his spoon and flicking it at her.

She gasps as the icecream hits her hair.

"Why did you do that?" she demands

He shrugs, "Do what?"

She pretends to think, "Hmmm. Maybe this will remind you,"

She takes her spoon, taking a good chunk, and shoots it at his nose. Bullseye.

"That's so cold," he says, and on his way to grab a napkin, he knocks over his bowl, spilling it all over him and Annabeth.

"You idiot!" she sighs, reaching for napkins, too. She hears a throat clear behind her and she looks, seeing the guy behind the counter again.

She smiles sweetly at him, "I'm so sorry,"

"Get out," he says. Annabeth shoots Percy a glare, and he grins sheepishly at her.

"I cannot believe you got us kicked out of Baskin robbins!" she says, when they're outside

"Me?" He asks, indignant

"Yes, you, seaweed brain,"

"Well, maybe if you'd just give me your icecream-"

"It was my icecream! Besides, you didn't have to flick yours at me!" She says

He grins at her.

"You know Argus isn't gonna let us back in the van now that we're all sticky, right,"

His grin drops, "We have to walk all the way back to camp? That's like a hundred minutes!"

"No, it's sixteen hours,"

"What? Are you kidding?"

She shakes her head.

"I can't believe this," he grumbles.

"If you hadn't gotten us kicked out of the stupid ice cream shop," Annabeth mutters

He looks over at her, "You really wanna open that can of worms back up,"

She does the mature thing. She sticks her tongue out at him. He replies back in kind.

He stops abruptly, grinning, "Who do we know that lives in New York?"

She frowns, "Uh...I don't-"

"Me!"

Annabeth snorts, "You're gonna bring the mess to your mom?"

"Oooh, she won't like that very much," he stops walking, staring at the sidewalk.

"...Percy?" she asks, waving a hand in front of his face

He looks up at her, "Oh well! Let's go!"