Disclaimer: I don't own pjo characters

RECAP:

- Percy & Annabeth kissed in the last chapter

- Annabeth is scared of going into a relationship with Percy because Rachel's genie infiltrated her mind when Rachel fell in love with them. Annabeth is scared Percy will be able to infiltrate her mind too

Chapter Seventeen

The course smell of cardboard hung in the air. It tickled Annabeth's nose and kept her sneezing all day. There were boxes littering almost every inch of her floor, and Annabeth had to resort to jumping over them to get from one side of the room to the other. Her jeans proved that to be difficult so she changed into a loose T-shirt that fell mid-thigh with her hair pulled back in a high pony tail. A speaker sitting on her bedside table was blaring song after song as she packed the contents of her room into each separate box. Eventually, she started stacking boxes on top of each other.

It took three hours to get through her closet alone. There were clothes, books, and stationary tossed inside carelessly. As she packed, it suddenly felt so surreal that she was leaving her dad's home and going to Athena's place. Her dad and Helen had been her family for so long that Annabeth couldn't fathom living somewhere else.

Then again, Annabeth was off to university soon anyway.

Someone knocked on the door, and a familiar head full of curls poked in.

"Hey! Did you bring my pizza?"

Leo nodded, lifting a box of pizza. Annabeth's family were out for some school play her brothers were part of. They left her to pack on her own, so Annabeth did the next best thing and called Leo over to keep her company.

"This room is incredibly messy," Leo noted as Annabeth flipped open the pizza box and plopped onto the ground. "It's messier than my room and that's saying a lot."

"I know. The last time I helped you clean your room, we found an entire arsenal of minion boxers underneath your bed. At least I have basic hygiene."

Leo flicked her shoulder. "I don't do that anymore. All my underwear is neatly hung up on hangers inside my closet. Each one has its own special spot."

"Wonderful," Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I have to clean all this tomorrow before Athena comes over to help me move. I can't be messy with Athena else she'll have on a silver platter. Worse than that, I don't think we can even meet as often as we do. No more hanging out at your dad's mechanic store or at the mall. Athena wants me to breed me into who she is."

"An asshole with sexy long legs?"

"…not exactly what I was thinking."

Leo sighed. "But we're still going to the Christmas Ball together, right? It's three weeks away."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

They fall into a silence after that and the only sound bouncing off of Annabeth's bare walls is their teeth sinking into pizza. Eventually, they opened her laptop to watch a movie with the lights turned down. They were swaddled in blankets and pillows; Annabeth was curling into Leo's warm chest and she could hear him breathing down her neck from behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Leo's genie lamp poking out of the bag he brought along.

"Hey, Annabeth?"

"Yeah?"

"I made my second wish."

She faltered.

"It was the day we were at your place and met Jason and Percy. That night, I went back home to Hazel and wished to be fearless. Well, at first I tried bravery but it turns out wishing for bravery specifically has a lot of conditions attached to it. So I thought, why not wish to be fearless?"

Annabeth gasped. "Leo… you don't know what the repercussions of making a wish like that are. It could change your behaviour indefinitely. It's a pretty big wish."

"It's been two weeks and I'm completely fine. Besides, being fearless doesn't make me brave. It doesn't make me irrational. It just gets rid of all that paranoia I had building up. I guess that's why I'm no longer terrified out of my wits that you've been secretly falling for your genie."

Annabeth didn't even bother arguing. Her face burned remembering Percy's lips against hers that night. She spent the entire night tossing in bed, fingers ghosting her mouth where his touch on her felt permanently embossed. It had been an entire week since they kissed, and they barely exchanged a few words since. It was so awkward Annabeth couldn't look Percy in the eye. Wisely, she didn't comment on Percy. "Do you feel anything else?"

He tapped her wooden bedpost. "No. Not really. But the fearlessness does kick in once in a while. I think that's why I genuinely asked someone out for the Christmas Ball the other day."

Annabeth did a double take. "You did what? I thought you had a thing for Thalia?"

"It wasn't because I actually liked them," Leo said, a small smile gracing his features. "My heart belongs solely to Thalia. I was just testing out the whole fearless wish before I tried it on Thalia."

"Did the girl say yes?"

"She was already going with someone else."

"Who was it you asked?"

Leo went pink. "You're going to laugh. I just thought I'd try her because it would be the least awkward if she rejected me."

"Who?"

"…Piper."

Annabeth's jaw dropped open. "Who the hell is Piper going with?"

"Frank, apparently."

"You're fucking with me."

"Nah. I've offered being friends with benefits before, though. Is that you finally agreeing?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and Annabeth punched his shoulder.

"Piper and Frank? There is absolutely no way they're going to last. Oh my god, Frank's genie has a thing for Piper. It's going to be so awkward for poor Jason."

"That's messed up," Leo said in a low whistle. "It's been so long since I helped you steal Frank's genie lamp that I completely forgot about Jason. But do you know if Thalia has a date? I'm planning to ask her out. Not the goofy way, but the serious way. I'm going to do it right this time. No more jokes."

I talked to Thalia, Annabeth wanted to say. She's nothing like the kind girl you think of her as. And now she wants me to do her dirty work that I've been pushing away the entire week.

Annabeth laid back down as Leo's attention turned to the movie. Their empty pizza box was laying on the ground and crumbs littered her wooden flooring; a thick waft of tomato reached her nose. When she moved to Athena's place, pizza was going to become a luxury. Everyday it was going to be eating oatmeal and kale salads to accommodate to Athena's ridiculously healthy diet.

Another terrifying thought struck her. Athena hated genies. That woman never even made a single wish. Athena's poor genie was left in Athena's safe somewhere in her humongous penthouse. Annabeth will be broken if Athena ever took Percy away. And she was going to be here at exactly six in the morning; six hours from midnight right now. Then there was that whole issue of Rachel and her genie that made Annabeth so nervous to talk to Percy.

That's it. Annabeth had to talk to Percy before Athena got here in the morning.

Annabeth stood. "Give me a second, Leo. I need to go talk to Percy real quick."

Leo hummed in response, eyes trained on the screen.

Cold air prickled Annabeth's skin as she stripped the blankets off her legs and made her way to Percy's lamp on her desk. He was probably sleeping, but as soon as her fingers touched the cool metal, she felt something warm against her thumb. Glancing at Leo sprawled on her bed, Annabeth took Percy's lamp to the bathroom.

"Percy?" She pulled the bathroom door closed with her foot. "Hey, can we talk?"

The lamp shivered, and then Percy sprung out. He was shirtless with a loose pair of pyjama pants that left Annabeth blushing slightly. Percy's hair was all over the place, sticking up like static electricity had touched him. He yawned.

"What are you doing awake, princess? It's midnight."

"I wanted to talk to you. About my mom, Athena."

"I get it. She hates genies. There's a chance she'll try to keep us apart."

Annabeth played with the hem of her shirt. "Don't try to get my attention from your lamp tomorrow. I'll be hiding your lamp until I unpack and settle my new room. I hope she doesn't ask about you. Otherwise, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about. We can't do this anymore."

Percy tilted his head. "Do what?"

"This," Annabeth motioned to both of them. "We've been pretending that last week never happened. We haven't had a single conversation since then."

"I'm not pretending. You are. You're the one who came forward and kissed me. I was giving you a chance to say no. Besides, I don't understand what the problem is. No one is going to know about us unless you tell them. Bottom line, we've fallen for each other. It doesn't matter if we're genie and human."

"Percy, the only reason you've fallen for me is because I'm the only person you talk to. If you knew anybody else, you wouldn't say all the things you say to me."

Percy's eyes went dark. Anger sparked off his fingers in red shimmers. Annabeth took a step back, taken back by the sudden wave of frustration he radiated. She shivered. Percy said, "So you're going to completely hide the fact that you've fallen for me too? I'm not going to pretend as if I haven't thought of us together romantically. You've thought about us as well."

"It doesn't matter. We can't be together. We're friends. I made a promise that I'll get you out of my lamp and I'm going to fulfil that promise as a friend."

Percy went silent, watching her intently from underneath his dark lashes. His eyes softened. He pushed himself off the bathroom counter and stood straight in front of her. Annabeth didn't move when he grabbed her waist lightly.

"Is someone threatening you? Luke? He hasn't shown his damned face in a while."

"No," Annabeth replied. Her chest cried at the delicate concern stitched through his wide eyes. She wanted to tear her hair out, her emotions were on a flurry again feeling Percy's hands on her. Annabeth wanted him but hated him but needed him but feared him. Why was it so hard? She wished she had never found out about Rachel's genie infiltrating her mind. "This isn't right. Genies and humans shouldn't mix romantically."

Percy wasn't satisfied. "Are you scared about the authorities or Athena finding out? I know I'm tied to this lamp but I'll do everything in my power to protect you."

"No. Drop it, Percy. I don't want to be with you. It was fun while it lasted but I don't want to anymore."

Something else flashed in his eyes. Insecurity. Annabeth deflated. Great.

"Well," Percy muttered. He tore his hands off of her as if she were lava. "If that's how you feel."

Annabeth pursed her lips, nodding lightly. "Thank you." Her voice was shaky and cracking but otherwise, she was good at hiding the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. It was true; she had never felt this way anyone else before. But of course the one person who made her feel loved and wanted was a forbidden genie.

aoaoaoaoaoaoaoao

"What time is it?"

"Almost five-thirty in the morning," Frederick told Annabeth. He was crouching down next to her bed, brushing away her blonde hair sprawled over her face like a curtain. "I know, it's really early. But Athena will be here soon, at six, and you know how strict she is. We've got to make sure you're all packed and ready to go for the moving truck at eight."

Annabeth turned her head away from Frederick. "Yeah, ship me off like some burden cargo."

"You know it isn't like that. You need to be somewhere you can focus on school and not have to listen to your parents worrying about money all the time. Athena can give you that. Besides, we'll keep meeting each other."

"Whatever."

Frederick nudged her shoulder. "Seriously. Wake up. Have you packed and taped all your boxes?"

Annabeth groaned into her pillow. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat up, swaying ever so slightly. Her father sported a wild mess of dishevelled hair on his head. His dark rimmed glasses were at the tip of his nose and he was rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand every few seconds. He got back really late last night so it was no wonder Frederick was tired.

"Boxes?" Frederick shook an empty box in the air. "I told you they had to be ready for the morning."

"I ran out of tape so I gave up."

"Annabeth!"

"Gods, I'll just go to the twenty-four hour store down the road to get tape. It'll be done before Athena gets here."

Frederick ripped the sheets off Annabeth's legs. The blast of the cold December air hit her ten fold and she went scrambling to cover her bare legs.

"Helen and I will finish packing. Go get tape from the store. And, please, grow up. I know you're angry at me for sending you off to live with Athena but this tantrum isn't going to get you anywhere. You're almost eighteen."

"I have another seven months to go before I turn eighteen."

"Annabeth, leave. It's five-thirty exactly now and if you don't get back before Athena comes, she's going to get angry."

Frederick left the room and the door shut with a soft click. Annabeth grabbed a fistful of sheets, gritting her teeth. She needed to hit something. Slap someone. There was so much pent up anger clogging up her train of thought that Annabeth was afraid she'd instinctively toss something out the window.

"Calm down."

Annabeth whipped around to see Percy leaning on the wall.

He gave her a look of pure boredom. "You're overreacting. You don't know how damn lucky you are with a mother like Athena. Who knows, you'll flourish under her."

"She's physical! She hits me whenever I make the smallest mistake. You saw the bruise. You healed it! How is a mother like that supposed to make me flourish?"

Percy scoffed. "You're going to be living in a penthouse with the fanciest, most luxurious furniture. She'll drag you around parties for networking. Then, she'll make sure you get good grades in school. Next year, you'll be off to some Ivy League and it'll all be because of Athena."

"She wants me to be perfect all the time. I can't do that."

"Boohoo. When you grow up, you'll be inheriting millions of dollars. If you're perfect, won't you be loved more? And, sweetheart, isn't that what your insecure ass is looking for anyway? Perfection?"

Blood rushed to Annabeth's head and her cheeks grew hot. "How dare you—"

"Your future is what I wish I could have," Percy snapped at her. "You could've been living in a wasteland in a small hut made of dirt and straw. You could've watched your own dad murdered in front of your eyes because he was trying to buy his family time to run from the rebels attacking the neighbourhood. You could've grown up to be stuffed in a lamp and leashed on it like a dog. You're damn lucky and I'm sick of how thankless you are."

Annabeth faltered. "You said you didn't remember your dad or what happened to him."

"Well I remember now."

"I'm sorry to hear that but it gives you no excuse to take out your anger on me. I know you're angry because I rejected you last night."

Percy shrugged. "Maybe it's coming out a little harsher than I intended because you lead me on and then rejected me. Maybe it's because I just remembered what happened to my dad. But maybe it's also something I've secretly thought since the day we met."

"You're a fucking asshole."

He shot her an arrogant eye roll. Annabeth's vision tinted red and her lip curled. When she spoke again, crawling out of the bed at the same time, her voice came out shrill as if someone were dragging a nail down a blackboard. She caught Percy's eyes drifting lower than her face to her lower-than-normal-neckline nightgown and it only fuelled her frustration.

Frederick's voice interrupted her from downstairs. "Get dressed and go buy the tape!"

Percy smirked. "Up, up, sweetheart. It's time to move into your dear mommy's home. You better go get that tape."

"Percy, I swear, I don't know what's gotten into you but this is downright unfair."

"So you leading me on isn't unfair?"
"I barely led you on! It was one kiss! Me not talking to this past week should've been enough indication that I regretted that kiss."

"Hardly an innocent kiss the way you were straddling me."

"What the hell, you were the one who hinted it first."

The door slammed open and Annabeth came face to face with a horrified Frederick. The blood in her veins completely froze, and Annabeth whipped around to see Percy. To her surprise, he was gone. In his place was a small pile of ash. She turned back to Frederick with a sheepish smile, forcing the anger storming inside her to remain contained.

"Who were you talking to?"

Annabeth's mouth went dry. "Um… just my genie. He was being annoying about a wish I want to make later."

"Don't lie to me," Frederick snapped. "I heard you talking to some boy about kissing him. That wasn't your genie."

Of course. Frederick thought Annabeth was his angelic daughter who would never break any of the genie book rules. A heavy stone settled in her heart. If Frederick knew what Annabeth had been doing since her Coming, he would be heartbroken.

"It was my phone," Annabeth started slowly. "It was on speaker."

"Who was the boy? It wasn't that Luke kid, was it?"

Annabeth shook her head.

Fredrick's eyes scanned the mess of her room. There were several towers of cardboard boxes all around her, but otherwise, nothing else was outside. Annabeth still had yet to stuff her bedsheets into a box. She had to change into leggings and a shirt but everything else was already packed. Her room was cold without the warmth of all her things scattered around. It didn't feel like home anymore without the clutter of books on her desk, or without the organised make up cups she kept on her dressing table.

"We're talking about that boy later. Go get the tape from the store." With a scornful glance, Fredrick turned on his heel and left Annabeth alone once again.

It didn't take long for Annabeth to change her clothes and toss a few last things into a final box. It was nearing six in the morning which means Athena would arrive to see Annabeth gone. Annabeth didn't care anymore. She grabbed some loose change on her desk, hid Percy's lamp before Athena could see him, and kicked the door open to leave.

The weather outside was pleasant. Rays of sun touched her as a cool breeze blew through her messy hair. The trees that lined the route all the way to the store were drooping, signalling how far they'd come from autumn. Leaves crunched underneath Annabeth's sneakers as the store loomed into view.

Being a local entity, the store wasn't very big. Normally, Annabeth and her family didn't shop there but for emergencies like this tape one, the store served its purpose. A group of friends were lingering near the entrance, who scattered when she strode past them to enter. Annabeth made a beeline to the stationary aisle. She spotted the tape instantly, and reached out to grab it.

Another hand appeared out of nowhere, their fingers skimming hers. Annabeth watched, confused, as the stranger's fingers traced the lines on her palm before encapsulating her hand in theirs completely. She lifted her head to meet their eyes.

aoaoaoaoaoaoao

"Luke."

"Annabeth," Luke said. "I have to say, it's been a while. One of my genies was tracking you for the past while but it's been too long since you and I met personally."

Annabeth glanced down where his fingers intertwined hers. A flare of cold brushed the back of her neck.

"I thought I might come visit you. To remind you that I'm right here. Waiting."

"For what? You can't touch me, Luke. Not if you want Percy to blow up on you. I'm so used to your genie friend following me everywhere that most times, I forget she's even standing there."

Luke's lip curled. "I don't want to hurt Percy, I'll admit it. I want Percy to fight next to me in this rebellion."

"He doesn't."

"Do you?"

"What?"

Luke stepped in so close Annabeth could see specks of brown in his blue eyes. Her breath caught in her throat and suddenly pikes of ice were digging into her back.

"I said," Luke whispered. "Do you want to join me in this rebellion? It's quite an easy fix to your problem. If you join me, then we'll help Percy get out of his lamp. If you don't join me, then we'll kill you and leave Percy in his lamp forever. That way, Percy won't be hurt."

"He will be emotionally."

"He'll cry for a few days then suck it up. After all, with you dead, where else will he go except stay in his lamp?"

Annabeth clenched her fist. "And if I tell you no?"

Luke shrugged. "Then you can go off for now but expect to see me again sometime soon. Like I said, I've got bigger plans for you. Much bigger plans than killing you on the spot. I want you to experience certain things. Those certain things are quite unpredictable."

"I suppose I should leave the house with a knife now."

Luke gave her a slick grin. He slid one hand into his pocket and came out with a blade twice the length of Annabeth's hand from the tip of her longest finger to the bottom of her palm. He offered it to her. "Here, Annabeth. Why don't I get you that knife for you myself? You're going to need this weapon one day."

"Why?"

"Because, Annabeth, I have bigger plans for you. Experiences. Trust me, they're quite enlightening experiences." Luke opened her palm and dropped the roll of tape into it. Annabeth faltered; she didn't realise when Luke initially took it from her. She watched him turn around a corner before her shoulders slumped. Whether Percy or not should know about this completely blew over her head. There was something else bubbling in her. Relief.

There was one lucky thing moving in with Athena. At least Luke won't know where to find Annabeth. And even if he did know her location, he couldn't reach her at the top floor of the building.

Could silverbane-free genies fly?

almost been a month... sorry :( i accidentally told me mom i was posting this story online and she went crazy about getting a copyright 'cause she's a lawyer :( like mums, i'm not even planning on publishing this unless I rewrite/edit the whole thing with significant changes which won't happen for a while. but anyway, she made me wait 'cause the lawyer in her insisted on a copyright for the original storyline (which i still think is kind of over the top lmao but at least she's letting me post online again)

i truly hope you're all safe from the heartbreaking Wuhan virus

see you next time

xx