PESSIMISTIC PASTS

"Hey, there's no need to feel guilty."

Annabeth knew Percy saw the look on her face. She wasn't upset about him rushing back into Delphi to save her, but grateful. She was so grateful she couldn't help but feel guilty at what she was throwing them into. It wasn't fair to not only Percy but the rest of the crew. She knew it was her duty-and that was sometimes hard to do-but now, it almost felt impossible.

She continued to wallow by the creek, watching as the water lapped at her feet. When Percy sat down right beside her, she flinched. When she said right beside her, she meant right beside her. There was little to no space between them, their arms, shoulders, and legs brushing against each other.

Percy set his feet in the water, lightly kicking at the waves. The water blurred his feet, making them harder to decipher and see. The scene was quiet and peaceful, something Annabeth knew wouldn't last for long. The birds chirped in the sky and trees. Animals such as rabbits or deer rushed through the bushes, rustling them. Warmth flowed through her body as the sun shimmered through the tree branches.

The boy beside her splashed some water on her legs with his feet. Although, she wasn't in the mood. She took her left foot and shoved it at his right, but he didn't get the message. He only continued to splash and create small waves with the water. Annabeth shoved him away each time. Just as she was about to go off on him, she noticed the large grin on his face.

Any of her frustration vanished, his playful attitude radiating off of him and onto her. She chuckled a bit, a small smile biting at her lips. Percy looked at her and raised an eyebrow, but his grin stayed. She elbowed him, chuckling louder.

"Shut up!"

"What?" He called. "I didn't say anything!"

"Your expression said everything," Annabeth said, smiling at him.

Unexpectedly, Percy splashed her again. Instead of attempting to shove his foot away, she did it back. Hers was bigger and better than any of Percy's splashes, and she grinned triumphantly at him.

He playfully glared at her. "Oh, it's on!"

Gracefully, Percy pushed himself off the ground. He slid into the creek, the water going up to his knees. He bent over and scooped some water, throwing it at her the best he could manage. Annabeth squealed like a little girl, holding her hands up to her face. Although, it didn't work as water continued to drown her.

"Percy, stop!" Annabeth laughed, his name coming out of her mouth in a shrill call.

"Never!"

There was no way she was going to be helpless anymore. She jumped into the water, splattering a wall of water against him. He sputtered and gasped, looking at her in shock. She smirked, battering another wave at him while he stared at her. He ran a hand through his soaked raven hair, removing pieces from his eyes. Percy then grinned at her.

Before Annabeth could make another move, he dove at her. The water rose around her, and all she could feel was Percy's arms around her waist. She fell backward into the creek, the force of the older boy throwing her head back and under the water. Her head almost immediately resurfaced from the water, her hair heavier than before.

She gasped for air, watching as Percy's head surfaced near her chest. He grinned at her, droplets of water falling from the curves of his cheeks. His black shirt clung to his shoulders, the sight allowing Annabeth to see his defined muscles.

"That was unfair!" She breathed, using her hands to hold herself up. Her shirt gripped onto her skin as well, her chest that was above water sticking to her sports bra. She laughed quietly at his face, his smile bringing dimples to his cheeks.

"Is it unfair, or did I just outsmart you?"

Annabeth glared at him, lifting her leg and kneeing him in the gut. He fell off of her, releasing her from his clutches, and groaned. She pushed herself up and felt her leggings cling to her legs. She crossed her arms and smiled at the sight of Percy silent in the creek. He glanced up at her before rolling his eyes.

"What was that?" She cupped at hand by her ear. "No one ever outsmarts Bethanny Grey. Understood?"

Percy nodded frantically. "Yes, of course, princess."

Annabeth's heart skipped a beat. Did her contacts fall out? How did Percy know? Before she had a full-on panic attack, she calmed herself. Percy would already be attacking her by now if he knew. He wouldn't be basking in the cool water.

"Good."

The princess splashed more water at his face. He recovered by then flicking a tsunami of water back at her. It was too late for Percy because Annabeth repeated his actions from moments ago. She jumped on top of him and got back under the water. That ended up in a wrestling war, seeing who could keep the other pinned and in the water for the longest.

From noon to the setting of the sun, Annabeth nearly forgot who she was. It was just her and Percy, no one else existing in the world. The mission she was on didn't exist, nor did the thought of ratting out Percy and his friends to Zeus. There was no pressure of keeping her identity a secret, or a need to impress her parents or the other royals. Everything left her mind, even the guilt that had been weighing on her heart since the walk back to camp from Delphi.

Who was Annabeth Chase? There was no Annabeth Chase or Princess of Athens. It was just any ordinary girl with Percy. No more royals and rebels, just Percy and Bethanny. No longer was there looting or drama between her and Jason. There were just the two of them having the time of their lives in the little creek. Teasing and friendships were the only things that lived on.

Whenever Percy smiled or laughed, something stirred in the pit of her stomach. Annabeth thought nothing of it, knowing that she should live in the moment while she could. Whenever he said something sarcastic to her, she responded with just. There was no hurt or below-the-surface hate. It was just the two of them. No pressure to save or end the royals.

By the time dusk arrived, they had long dragged themselves out of the creek and dried off. They lay in the mushy grass on the bank of the creek, drying off in the cresting sun. Percy was beside her, his head resting on his hands. His eyes closed, but a soft smile stayed on his face. With the sun shining on him, his skin almost glowed. White scars lined his tan skin, but Annabeth could care less. His hair rested once again on his forehead now that it was dry. His cheeks were red from a bit of sunburn. Annabeth thought that he looked perfect.

The past afternoon has been one of the best times of her life. Yet, as her head slowly came to what she was doing, she only became upset again. How could she laugh, tease, and play with someone who she was planning on turning in? That was so shitty that the guilt only piled onto her shoulders once more.

Not only did she only have evidence that Percy was loyal and a fabulous leader, but he was a good person. Maybe they truly were trying to do the right thing by stealing from each of the kingdoms? Maybe their actions came from the bottom of their hearts. They didn't want to resort to stealing, but if the royals weren't making any efforts to change things, they had to take matters into their own hands.

Annabeth and the royals had the evidence stacked against them. Well, other than the looting. She couldn't reveal them to Zeus. She knew that once they got captured, they'd be tortured for information. The royals wouldn't kill them before getting information, but if they did get the rebels to talk...

She couldn't fathom what she was doing to them. She was going to destroy their lives. They were happy, brave, strong, smart, and loyal. They were people, just like her, who loathed the system the royals ruled by. They were just abusing their skills and using them the wrong way. They could use their fighting skills to fight against the rebels. Instead, they could use their smarts to get money and become a voice in the system.

Or, that's what Annabeth would do. Wait until the moment comes, and do the best she can in the present to set things right. Too bad she was in the process of making things right for the kingdoms while making things wrong for the group of assassins.

"My dad." The princess's head snapped to the boy on the ground. "That's where my love of the water comes from."

She nodded. "Right."

"What about your dad?" Percy questioned, finally opening his eyes. He stared at her, awaiting an answer.

"Well, he's-, he's…" She stuttered, digging in the back of her mind for a lie. Annabeth winced internally at the thought. First, she bonded with him. Now, she lied to him. "I get his hair, I guess. I only take after my mother. Who's your loyalty from?"

Percy chuckled darkly. "Definitely not my dad. He left when I was little."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My mom always told me he got lost at sea on a fishing trip. I believed that for a while. She was just trying to keep me safe."

"Why did you stop believing that?" Annabeth cocked her head at him.

"I'm not little anymore. The world and the people in it aren't as naive as my mom always looked at it. That's why I do what I do. The royals suck. They don't think about anyone but themselves."

The blonde internally flinched. She knew the words spilling from his mouth were true. The royals, her parents included, never changed. They refused to acknowledge the fact that starving peasants were living right outside their door. It was annoying. Especially, when she was somebody trying to fix the mistakes her parents and the others had made. Why couldn't they open up their eyes and see the flaws in their system? Were they that oblivious? Were they that careless, selfish, blind?

"At least your mom saw the good in the world, you pessimist."

"Haha, very funny."

"Yes, I know. I should be a comedian." She said, smiling tightly. She poked Percy in his ribcage, making him squirm.

"Do you ever get annoyed with the royals? I know you've mentioned your distaste for them, but what really drives you to hate them?"

She shrugged. "I'd say for the same reasons you do."

Percy turned his body. He laid his head on his hand and propped up his elbow. The two of them were still fairly close, but now there was a little more space between them than before. "Bethanny, there's always a force that drives someone to do what you do. It's like some kind of motivation. What's it for you?"

Annabeth thought for a moment. What drove her to give the poor her family's supplies? What determined her to change things when she became queen? Why was she so disgusted with the idea of marriage? What was the only reason she dared to push through the guilt?

"The people."

"The people?"

She nodded. The health, wealth, everything about the peasants is what drove her. She wanted them to feel clean, beautiful, and handsome in their skin. She wanted to be sure that the people felt safe in their kingdom, home, and country. Annabeth strove to make her citizens happy and healthy. She wanted them to live in anticipation of the future and not in fear. She wished to have hope that their dreams could come true. The people needed to get stronger and bigger. They were all skin and bones and starving to death. They worked long and hard, only to get deprived of their funds from taxes.

Taxes only went for the rich. The money that they earned only went for dresses and jewels for the people with money. To the people that could either pay on their own or didn't need it. Most of Annabeth's people watched themselves lose their money, dollar by dollar, just so the rich could be satisfied.

The princess voiced her motivation to Percy. Although, she made sure to say the things from an outside perspective so he didn't get suspicious. "I grew up in the woods. My family was constantly moving from kingdom to kingdom so we could find food. Sometimes we even ventured into towns to get food, trading some of our possessions for food and water. It's hard to live a life watching as others gain money sitting on their lazy asses and doing nothing."

"I agree." Percy sat up and held out his hand. "I'm glad we both see eye to eye."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Sometimes."

Percy laughed, and the contagious sound caused Annabeth to turn her low chuckles into chest-heaving laughs. She didn't know what it was, but certain things about Percy made Annabeth feel radiant. When she shook his hand, warmth filled her soul faster than the sun could. Something curdled in the pit of her stomach; something that was a mix of good and bad.

"Where's your mother?" The question was so spontaneous Annabeth had to finish her thought. "You speak so highly of her. Where is she now?"

Percy took a shuddering breath. "I don't know. The last thing I know of her is that she lived on the streets in Athens."

"How?"

"I got kidnapped by a rogue group of assassins."

Annabeth stared at Percy. He was from Athens; no wonder he was so bitter. He had firsthand lived on the streets. Annabeth's heart went out to him. She had no idea he grew up in her kingdom. She felt every bone in her heartbreak for him. There was nothing she could've done for him, even though she wished she could've.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"It's all good. Without them, I wouldn't be here. I'd probably be back in Athens buying into the system."

Annabeth reached for his hand. She didn't know why she did it. Although, she felt like she wanted comfort, even though he was the one who needed it. She laced her fingers through his, staring at their connected hands. Percy did to his thumb resting over hers. His hand was warm, and Annabeth was glad she had something to hold her to the Earth.

"No, Percy. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"It's okay, Bethanny. There's no way you could've been there for me. You didn't know me, you probably weren't alive."

I could've. She wanted to say. Maybe in some way. If she knew who his mother was, she would praise her for raising such an amazing human being. Annabeth would've filled her with riches, taking all from her safe. Maybe it could've pulled Percy back home, knowing that his mom was healthy, wealthy, and happy. But, Annabeth didn't know who his mom was and wasn't about to ask. That would be too personal.

"I do understand you in some way. Despite living in close quarters with them every minute of every day, my parents and I felt so far apart. It's like we were never family."

In a way, Annabeth didn't feel like she was lying. Despite living with her family her whole life, she's felt like she's been on separate spectrums than them. The castle she called home was larger than life, providing lots of space between her and her parents. It felt like they were only together when it came to political things. For instance, the ball or the meeting deciding what to do with the assassins. Even then, they were just together. They weren't a family.

Annabeth felt at home with the assassins. She hadn't been with them long, but most of them clicked. Percy was a soul that deserved to be acknowledged. Hazel was so bright and cheery that it was impossible to not love her. Reyna was so strong. Annabeth did not doubt that after their rough exteriors, they could be good friends. Dakota, Gwen, and Malcolm kind of did their own thing, but they weren't bad by any means. She and Jason's friendship wasn't going well, but that wasn't the point.

Just this afternoon she had forgotten every problem in her life. It had been just her and Percy teasing each other in the creek, and nothing else was on her mind. She forgot about the flaws in the world, and how she was on a mission to get them captured and tortured. Annabeth had lived in the moment, and now, she realized how easy it had been to get comfortable with Percy. Their friendship-and arguments-came so easily that it was like they had been friends forever.

Percy's hand squeezed hers. "I understand. My family never seemed complete. I love my mom, don't get me wrong, but everybody else had siblings or a dad. I didn't have either. It was always my mom and me. She was the light of my world, and I believed her every word. There was always something missing, and that thing was my dad."

"You seem to be very close with the rest of the team. Do you consider them your family?"

"Of course. Malcolm and I were friends back in Athens before we got kidnapped. Jason had also been taken, but the rest slowly came over to the mainland. Long story short, we've known each other for half of our lives. That's technically longer than I've known my mom and dad combined."

Annabeth wasn't surprised by Percy's answer. Even in the darkest of situations, he had protected and backed up the crew. He even seemed to care about her. He had come back into the city to get her. She may be new to the team, but it didn't seem like Percy considered her any less important than any of the others.

Percy possibly didn't think of her as family, but maybe as a friend. She saw him as such. He made her smile and laugh uncontrollably. He made her forget about the world around her and only focus on him. She felt radiant by him; he made her feel warm inside.

"And, even though we haven't known each other for that long, I consider you my family, Bethanny." He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.

Annabeth couldn't help but smile shyly at the comment. She also couldn't help herself but watch Percy's muscles flex when he lifted his arm. His black shirt was dry again, and his grey sweatpants were wrinkly and itchy looking. She truly didn't know how he was wearing the pants without complaint.

The princess shifted her fingers before resting them on Percy's again. "You're my family too, Percy. You've already shown me that you care. You ran back into the fire for me."

"It was nothing. I wasn't about to leave you like that. Knowing that my dad left my mom and me, opened up my eyes. I couldn't let you feel abandoned as I did."

Her heart beat faster in her chest. She stared at his face, seeing his eyes twirling. They were like the oceans, mixing alluring blues and greens. His eyes fought back and forth like a storm, combining to make a hypnotizing sea-green color. Under his eyes and over the ridge of his nose dotted little freckles, something she didn't notice before. There were a few healed scars on his forehead, chin, and cheeks, but nothing overly drastic. They only stood out because of his Mediterranean skin tone.

The scars on Percy's face didn't make Annabeth think any less of him. She only saw him in a bigger light, knowing that he got those cuts and forged on. She admired the endurance he had and wished she had the strength and bravery as such. That stir in her gut only went in pattern with her heart. She didn't know why, but it was like a buzzer going off in her head.

"Thank you. That means a lot to me." She stared at his eyes, and he did the same back. Annabeth hoped he could see the sincerity in hers because she meant every word she said. Yeah, maybe she had to lie a bit, but all her emotions were true. "Thank you for taking me in. I couldn't imagine where I'd be."

He nodded sharply. "You're welcome. I'm sorry for starting rough. Now that I know more about you, Bethanny, it's been a lot easier to open up to you."

"I feel the same."

"I'm glad we found you. You're an amazing strategist. We needed someone else to come up with the plans. Jason's started to become a bit too risky. There were a lot of close calls."

She laughed. "Thank you. Don't lose hope in him. He's got a brain under that head of hair."

"What about me?"

"Hmm… I don't think you do."

"You hesitated!"

Annabeth finally let go of his hand, and playfully slapped him on the shoulder. "Whatever."

"You played me!" Percy fell dramatically to the ground, holding his shoulder. "I'm going to have a bruise there!"

"Come on, be a big boy." She pursed her lips and pouted at him like she was talking to a baby. She scooted beside him again, laying her head on her hand. Her elbow propped her arm up, giving her the perfect angle to talk with Percy.

He groaned. "But I'm in sweltering pain!"

"Oh! That's a big word."

"Shut up!"

They both burst out laughing. Annabeth folded her arms on the ground and put her head on them. She laughed, and she could feel her figure shaking. Just when she thought she got done cackling, Percy started again, and she couldn't help but join in.

Contagious. Everything about him. He was a role model. He should be everyone's idol. He risked his life for her, barely knowing her. Percy backed up his team, no matter the situation. He was skeptical and watched her closely before they both opened up. He was a leader, and he was an icon. She just wished he wasn't recognized for what he was.

He came up out of the poor, rising out of the ashes. He formed a group of friends that became his family. Percy was an excellent fighter, continuing hard and strong until the battle was over. Although, he could lay back and get loose when it wasn't time for battle. He was a natural-born leader and knew how to dictate them. He was a legend and everything a man should wish they were.

Percy was a survivor. He was someone everyone should model. Everyone in the whole world should either take after him or be jealous of him. He was something so holy that he could've been immortal or another entity that wasn't human altogether. He already glowed golden in the sun, so Annabeth wouldn't be shocked if he was a god.

In the darkness that was between her arms, her breathing slowly steadied. Something about Percy changed her. Being around him made her want to become like him. Hanging with him made her want to drop to her knees and praise him. He was something that even the gods couldn't have created without care.

"Thanks for being my family." She sighed, her eyes closing.

Annabeth heard Percy shift. She felt his warm body beside hers. It took him a minute to respond, but when he did, Annabeth's heart almost skipped a beat. "No, thank you. This afternoon was relaxing, Beth."

She didn't register the nickname. She let it go, just noticing how tired she got from the afternoon. The air was crisp and warm, but Annabeth was still a bit chilly. Mindlessly, she pushed up against the nearest surface. Somewhere, the buzz in the back of her mind became an alarm. She tuned the noise out, ignoring the world around her.

"Yeah, it was nice. I needed it after yesterday."

"Mhm."

It was just Bethanny and Percy. The world around them didn't exist. Nothing did anymore. He was her release from the world, and she was his. She didn't know what she'd do without him at this point. He was there to cheer her up when she was down. They were there to listen to each other. They supported each other with their hard pasts. They were there for each other.

There was no one like them. Nothing could beat this relationship they created with weeks. Annabeth felt like she's known him her whole life. He caused her stomach to churn with an unknown emotion. It was like fire.

Too bad the world wasn't a fantasy. Annabeth wouldn't live happily ever after. Her mission already got set in stone.

It was just Princess Annabeth Chase of Athens Greece, with Percy Jackson and a secret to destroy.

Words: 4,216

AND THE FLUFF HAS ME:D

I freaking love percabeth. I think that's why it was so easy to write this chapter. Using the 2 1/2 hours I spent last night and the 2 hours today, that's only 4 1/2 hours! Probably the fastest I've ever wrote a chapter:)

But be ready this romance won't last much longer;)

Did you guys enjoy the percabeth? Did I write it good? Are you guys excited for more? Tell me!

THANKS FOR READING! BE SURE TO FAVORITE AND FOLLOW IF YOU WANT TO STAY UPDATED!

[ANY RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTRS GO TO RICK RIORDAN]

-Bookworm-2026