The gown was better than Annabeth expected.

She wasn't normally the kind of girl to care about dressing up, but every once in a while felt nice and Piper had picked something absolutely perfect.

Surveying the mirror, she let her eyes linger on how the floor length velvet dress hugged her curves, admiring the sweetheart neckline and bare arms, the slit that gave just a hint of leg. Impressed, she clasped the coral pendant around her neck, admiring how the color looked next to the green.

Her curls were pulled into an updo, tendrils framing her face which was set off with a deep lipstick and a smokey eye she'd been practicing the past few weeks. She looked…

"Fucking beautiful!" Piper popped out from behind her, clad in a slinky silver dress and strappy sandals, "You clean up well, Chase!"

"Right back at you!" Annabeth grinned, turning. "Are you sure it's okay that I wear this?"

"Totally. It's waaaay too long on me. In fact, keep it."

"No way, I couldn't-!"

Piper cut her off, "Look, Annabeth, either you keep the dress or it's going in the garbage."

"Fine, fine!" The blonde laughed, facing the mirror once more, "Too bad it doesn't have pockets."

"Gods mine doesn't either!" Piper sat back on Annabeth's bed, "Fucking patriarchal society. Pockets are essential!"

The two girls had been growing closer the past couple of weeks preparing for the dinner. Annabeth had texted her and found that they really hit it off, and she got along well with Thalia too, so the three made plans to arrive together to the party.

Speaking of…

"Where is Thalia?"

"She said she's on her way." Piper pulled out her phone, switching it on, "I think the city is sending a car for us too. Jason should be here, I promised Leo he could come, and Luke…"

Annabeth cringed. Piper was quick to notice.

She raised an eyebrow, "Is there a problem with Luke? I thought you guys were friends?"

"No, no, no problem!" Annabeth insisted, tucking some strands of hair back hastily.

"Wait, is he your…?"

"He isn't my boyfriend." She hadn't exactly gone into details with Piper about the nature of her relationship, and she didn't plan on it now. "It's… complicated."

"So… you don't like him?" Piper's voice was threaded with confusion.

"I love Luke. He's one of my best friends, he just…" she trailed off, hugging her arms close.

Piper's eyes widened, "He put the moves on you, didn't he?"

"You can tell?"

Her friend pointed to herself with a roll of her eyes. "Hello? Daughter of Aphrodite?"

"Right."

Piper looked thoughtful. "But what about your boyfriend?"

"He doesn't know I have one," she confessed.

"Does Thalia know? About him hitting on you?"

"Nope. And it's going to stay that way." She picked up her clutch, slipping a small knife, her lipstick, and her wallet inside, as well as her cell phone. She was dying to send Seaweed Brain a picture of her dress, but that would have to wait.

"Um, why?"

Annabeth sighed, "Look, we… We've all been friends since we were kids. I don't want to ruin our friendship just because I'm overreacting-"

"Woah. Pump the brakes." Piper stood, tucking her phone away, "It is not an overreaction if he's making you uncomfortable!"

"But it-"

"Ah ah!" she held up a finger, "I don't care how close you are, he's taking advantage of you! Trust me, guys aren't that stupid. If you don't like it, he can tell. He just doesn't care."

Annabeth felt her face flush with color. "That… it isn't… he's a good guy! Really, he is! He just…"

"Wants more than you're willing to give him?" Piper finished.

The blonde nodded. "I'll handle it, I promise, just… after the election? Please?"

Piper studied her for a moment, "Okay, fine. I trust you to take care of yourself- but if he says one off color thing tonight, I'm kicking his ass myself."

Annabeth laughed, shaking her head. "Fine, fine."

A knock at the door interrupted them. A second later, it swung open to reveal Thalia leaning against the frame, looking cool in a suit. She had the top few buttons of her shirt undone and wore a simple silver tie tied low around her neck, the jacket open. She flashed a wink, a smile, and a finger gun, "Ladies, how we doing tonight?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes, tugging her friend into the room by her tie. "You're late."

"Barely!" Thalia protested, stumbling into the room with a laugh, "The car and the boys are both outside, you guys done with your beauty routines?"

"As if you didn't spend extra time in front of the mirror too!" Piper snorted, shouldering her purse, "Don't think we wouldn't notice your makeup."

It was true. Instead of her usual, messy black eyeliner, Thalia had sharp wings and dark eyeshadow, making her blue eyes even more startling than usual. She shrugged.

"Hey, not every day you get a medal from the city."

"You look good." Annabeth smiled, straightening her dress one last time in the mirror before turning to her friends, "Ready?"

The trip to the car was a cold one, and Annabeth was grateful when she slid into the heated interior- she was even more grateful to find that she was not seated next to Luke.

The limo was spacious, but with six people it was hard not to be pressed against your neighbor. Annabeth found herself squished between Piper and Leo. Thalia took the spot by Luke in the seats that lined the left of the car, and Jason was to the right of Piper."Oof, sorry for the squeeze!" Leo laughed, shifting uncomfortably. Annabeth didn't know him very well, but he seemed nice enough underneath the hyperactive energy.

"So!" Piper clasped her hands together, surveying their group. Her eyes hardened when she got to Luke, who was staring at Annabeth. "I was thinking, we all should have an escort, and this works out perfectly!"

"Escort?" Thalia frowned, and that seemed to shake Luke from his thoughts, much to Annabeth's relief.

"Yeah, you know, someone to walk us up the steps, fetch us drinks, all that jazz." Piper entwined an arm with Jason. "Jason is obviously going to be attending to me."

"Obviously." he chuckled, leaning his head against hers.

"Thalia and Luke, you guys next."

Luke frowned, "Wait a second-"

"Which leaves," Piper pushed through, ignoring him, "Leo, you get to escort Annabeth! Isn't that fun!"

"Woah, the hero of New Athens?" His voice was laced with humor and he grinned at Annabeth, who returned the smile easily, "It'll be a pleasure, m'lady!"

She laughed, allowing him to plant a fake kiss on her hand.

Luke's frown deepened.

The drive wasn't long, but their little group was quickly becoming more raucous. Leo leaned across Annabeth to poke fun at the couple to her right while Luke tried to talk strategy for the night. Meanwhile, Thalia was focused on breaking into the car's mini fridge.

"Champagne!" she cried gleefully, popping the bottle before anyone could protest.

They passed around little glasses that the limo came equipped with, sipping at the bubbly beverage and by the time Annabeth realized Luke was trying to talk to her, her head was already feeling pleasantly fuzzy.

"...anyway I think it's best that I'm there when you talk to the mayor." He finished.

She blinked at him, "I'm sure I can handle it on my own, Luke."

"I'm positive you can, but having back up is always-"

"Oh, she'll have backup." Piper leaned into Annabeth with a tight smile, "We already decided we'd go together!"

"But-"

"Don't worry about it, Luke." Piper's voice took on a different tone, one more commanding, and had Annabeth not spent time with Piper she may not have caught it.

Charmspeak.

Luke looked confused for the briefest of moments, but his expression soon relaxed and he leaned back in his seat, "Alright, alright, I trust you girls."

Jason shot a look at Piper but didn't say anything. Annabeth felt relief surge through her.

The less time she had to spend with Luke tonight the better. After finally talking about her concerns with someone, it hadn't been hard to realize he really was pushing her boundaries. But, she had to give him the benefit of a doubt. He was her friend. Luke probably just needed to be gently let down, and it would be done.

They finally pulled up in front of the venue, Parthenos Hall. It was gorgeous, and Annabeth admired the columns and steps from the window, giddy to see the inside. She'd seen pictures online, of course, but experiencing good architecture in person was a totally different story.

Piper and Jason slipped out first, carefully ascending as photos were taken and reporters scrambled for a "quote." They were ignored, Piper smiling gracefully, and Jason looking awkward but handsome.

Next went Thalia and Luke, Luke patting Annabeth's knee with a smile as he passed. She didn't smile back.

Finally, Leo straightened his jacket, slipping past Annabeth out of the car and offering his hand with a wink, "You ready, m'lady?"

She laughed again at his ridiculous display, accepting the hand and stepping out into the cold evening. He was a couple inches shorter than her, and her smile widened. "Ready."

The first thing that hit Annabeth when they entered the main hall was the warmth. Next was the wonder.

The pillars were filigreed with gold vines that wrapped themselves around every surface, stretching up to frame a ceiling full of paintings showing the Gods' various triumphs. The carpet beneath her sandals felt plush, a deep maroon that complimented their white and gold surroundings. Mirrors decorated the walls- the sort of people who normally partied at venues like this usually enjoyed looking at themselves in all their finery.

A valet gestured to the right, and they entered the main event room.

The center of the room was empty of all furniture, clearly meant to serve as a dance floor, but only a few couples were swaying to the music. Most attendees were laughing and chatting in groups scattered across the periphery of the hall. There were tables with name cards and fancy table settings, wait staff moving from cluster to cluster with trays of hors d'oeuvres and champagne.

Piper bounded over to them, eyes shining, "Isn't this amazing?!"

"Relax, Beauty Queen. You've been to plenty of Hollywood parties, haven't you?" Leo laughed, and Piper stuck her tongue out at him.

"None like this, dorkus! It's a totally different atmosphere!" She took Annabeth's arm, leading her to a table their group was standing around, "It's beautiful, right?"

"Absolutely." Annabeth smiled, accepting a flute of champagne from Thalia, though she didn't drink it. She wanted to be sure her mind was clear for the evening ahead, and more alcohol wouldn't help with that.

"The presentation isn't until eight." Luke checked his watch, "That leaves less than three hours to rub elbows and ensure the Mayor endorses us."

"Which may be harder than we thought." Leo added helpfully.

Piper's brow furrowed, "Why?"

"'Cause Percy Jackson and his friends are over there." He nodded at the opposite side of the room and everyone turned to look.

Sure enough, there he was, laughing and talking with a group of a few familiar faces. There was Frank, Annabeth vaguely recalled the tall boy's name from before, that girl with the dark skin and curly hair again, and…

"Grover." She hadn't meant to say it out loud.

Thalia turned, looking sympathetic, "Have you guys not talked since-?"

"Not since that first day of the campaign, no." Annabeth shook her head.

"He may have been the one sneaking information." Luke sighed, placing his own untouched glass of alcohol on the table, "It's unfortunate, really."

Annabeth frowned, "I thought you said it couldn't have been him?"

"I may have been wrong. Have you heard of any more leaks since then?" Luke shrugged his shoulders.

"Not really…" she watched her old friend from across the room, watched as he laughed and waved, trotting over to a buffet table of snacks specially for the satyrs and nymphs in attendance.

"I'll be right back."

She slipped away, approaching the table with a deep breath. It was almost funny, seeing the finest of tin cans crushed and stacked upon a platter, but she was so nervous the humor was lost on her.

Finally, she was right behind him.

"Hey."

Grover jumped, his suit jacket a nice deep brown that matched his shaggy legs. He turned, eyes filled with surprise and half a can hanging from his mouth.

"Uh… h-hey, Annabeth." He stammered out, eyes flickering between her and the buffet table.

She sucked in another breath. "I... how… how are you…?"

"I'm… fine?" He blinked, a frown coming to his face as he swallowed his can. "What are you-"

"I'm sorry." She blurted out, the words grating against her throat. Or maybe that was the lump that had formed. "I'm… I'm really sorry, Grover."

His eyes widened, "You-?"

"I shouldn't have treated you like that," she rushed to continue, "I-I acted like a jerk, and it… it doesn't matter what the campaign means to me. You should have meant more."

His eyes were watery and he threw his arms around her, wrapping her in a tight hug and burying his face in her shoulder.

"Annabeth!" Grover practically bawled, "I-I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have- I should have told you, about Percy and-"

"Stop, stop, it's OK, it wasn't your fault!" She laughed in relief, pulling back from the sniffling satyr, her own eyes stinging, "I missed you, Grover. I was totally out of line."

"I missed you t-too." He wiped at his face, already a blotchy red, "Are we… cool?"

"Of course." She grinned, taking his hand, "Do you want to say hi to the gang?"

"Yes. I mean, I've talked to them since… b-but yes."

She led him over to their table, allowing him to grab a few more tin treats on the way. Luke and Thalia were both smiling as they walked up.

"Grover, this is Piper, Jason, and Leo- they're new friends who are helping out. Guys, this is Grover. We go way back." Introductions went about as smooth as she imagined.

Leo frowned, "Isn't he working for the other guys though?"

Annabeth shrugged, "We can still hang out."

The former's face lifted into a sunny smile, and he took Grover's hand, shaking it vigorously, "Then great to meet you, pal!"

"...It's Grover…" The satyr looked bemused at the enthusiasm. Annabeth laughed, chancing a sip at her drink. It couldn't hurt to have a little bit.

"So how have ya been, Groves?" Thalia leaned forward, "Not getting into too much trouble?"

"Me? Trouble?" He laughed. "Not at all. What about you guys? I was so worried when I heard about the dragon, and all the monster attacks-!"

Thalia laughed, "He called me blubbering, wanting to make sure you were okay, Annabeth."

Grover blushed.

Annabeth was touched. "Really?"

"Really." Thalia slung an arm over her shoulders, "But there was nothing to worry about. Our Wise Girl had it under control."

Grover froze. His eyes got wide once more, and he practically choked on the words, "W-what did you call her?"

"Wise Girl?" Thalia laughed, "Isn't it cute?"

"Thalia," there was a warning in Annabeth's voice, "Remember what we talked about…"

"Wise Girl huh?" Luke looked pensive. "I like it."

"Okay you really can't call me that." She whirled on him, jabbing a finger at his chest.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"It's… just…" She bit her lip.

Grover was having a conniption. "I… I gotta go, I gotta talk to Percy-"

"Someone say my name?" Percy Jackson had swaggered up to the group when no one was looking, swinging an arm around Grover and grinning ear-to-ear.

Grover jumped out of his skin, "Perce! We… we gotta um… can I talk to you in private? Really quick?" His voice was pleading, almost desperate.

"Hang on man, just a sec! Glad to see you all made up." Percy scanned them, eyes landing on Annabeth. And then he stopped. And he stared.

She felt a self conscious blush come to her cheeks.

"Wh-what?"

"I…" He swallowed, eyes flickering down, then back up to her face. There was something there, in his eyes- recognition?

"Dude, it's rude to stare." Luke came between them and Percy held up his hands defensively.

"Woah, I didn't mean to, I… um… I'll…" Percy cleared his throat and Annabeth found herself wondering what his deal was. She'd never seen the great Percy Jackson like this. Ever.

"I- I'll be right back." He turned on his heel, marching off in the opposite direction, Grover looking exasperatedly between the group and his friend.

"I'm sure he's fine I'll- I'll go check on him!" And with that he rushed off, hooves clopping on the marble floor.

"What was that?" Piper finally spoke up, nudging Annabeth.

"I'm… I'm not sure." She stared after him for a moment, before turning back to her friends. "So… Who wants to dance?"

Percy Jackson felt out of his mind.

He stalked out of the main hall, searching for the bathrooms, or maybe an alcove, somewhere, anywhere that would allow him to catch his breath.

The necklace.

The sparkling, polished coral, positioned just below her collarbones, laughing at him.

Why was Annabeth Chase wearing the necklace he had given Wise Girl?

The answer was obvious. In fact, he felt like an idiot for not seeing it sooner. Those long, tan legs from her picture were here now, peeking out at him from a slit in her gown, taunting him. Her hair- curly, blonde, he had seen that hair in another photo, just a hint of it, and yet-

Gods he was stupid!

Wise Girl! She was the daughter of Athena! Could he have come up with a more fitting nickname in his ignorance?

Wise Girl said she wanted to build. Annabeth was studying to be an architect.

The "A" that hung around his neck even now, tucked into his shirt- it was clear what it stood for now.

The pieces were all coming together, fitting like a perfect puzzle he had been too invested in to see the full picture of.

He knew who Wise Girl was. And she was here. And she hated him.

And she was beautiful.

He glanced back, knowing she wouldn't be there but hoping for a glimpse. He found himself in front of a gorgeous marble staircase, and he slumped onto the steps, head in his hands.

He knew her face.

And her voice- How had he not recognized her voice! That voice that whispered sweet nothings in his ear, that teased him mercilessly, that moaned his nickname-

Shit.

Fuck.

They'd crossed a line together.

His throat felt dry. He had to tell her. He couldn't stay away- she needed to know!

But no… Wise Girl had made it clear. They'd meet when she decided to, and not a moment sooner. And Annabeth had made her feelings clear too.

Would there be room in her heart for Percy Jackson?

Their last few interactions hadn't gone so bad- she seemed to be warming up to him. But was it enough? Would she retreat in disgust when she expected her Seaweed Brain and found him instead? Or would her surprise be full of delight?

He was dying to find out. He was afraid to know the answer.

Would he lose her? Could he keep her?

The puzzle was much too complicated now. It was making his head hurt, his heart ache. What should he do? What could he do?

He stood, determined to tell her, tonight if he could. She deserved to know. It was wrong to keep it to himself, right?

...Right?

He felt his resolve drain, his shoulders slumping forward as the short-lived determination left him.

Percy was fucked.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't tell her- if his identity broke both their hearts, so be it, but it could wait until the day she decided on to meet. He wasn't ready to let go of her, of what they had, just yet.

He needed to see her.

He had to see her.

Percy straightened his back, hopping off the steps and trying to play it cool. He could feel the sweat at the nape of his neck, the way his face had flushed, and he grabbed a water off the tray of a passing waiter, downing it quickly.

He immediately felt refreshed, the water cooling him down and grounding him.

The walk back to the main event felt longer than he remembered.

"Percyyyyyy!" He heard a bleat, and turned to see Grover flying across the hall, panting, "I… That… She is…""I know." Percy interrupted, giving a weak smile.

Grover's face held his confusion, "But, how…?"

"The necklace- the one I told you about? She's… she has it." He shrugged.

Grover bit his lip, "Are you going to tell her?"

"Not… Not yet."

"But Percy-"

"I know. I know I just… I can't." He was almost desperate, "Please, you can't… you can't tell her. Please."

Grover's eyes widened, "Percy, she didn't talk to me for months because I didn't tell her I was helping your campaign! She'll skin me if she finds out about this!"

"She won't find out." He promised, more to reassure himself than his friend. She couldn't find out. He'd be careful.

The satyr didn't look convinced, "You've been talking about this girl for months, and now we find out it's Annabeth? You're practically in love with her, are you sure you can keep this to yourself?"

In love. He was in love with her.

This wasn't a new revelation of course. He had known he was in love with Wise Girl for months. But she wasn't just Wise Girl anymore. She was Annabeth Chase. And finding out he loved Annabeth Chase was new and frightening.

He swallowed. "I'm sure."

"Alright man, let's just… go back I guess. Pretend like nothing is wrong."

They entered the main hall once more, and Percy looked around, scanning the room for her. He should probably avoid Annabeth the rest of the night, just to be safe, but then-

His eyes narrowed.

Annabeth was there. And she was dancing. Dancing with Luke, that guy from her campaign. She didn't look particularly happy about it.

"I'll be right back."

Annabeth regretted saying "yes" when Luke asked her to dance.

Piper and Jason had gone off on their own, and Leo was introducing himself to the couple from Percy's campaign, so with only Thalia there to witness, she felt odd turning him down.

Her arms were stiff in his as he carried them across the floor, and she avoided looking directly at him, focusing instead over his shoulder and on where her feet should move next.

"The campaign is almost over." He spoke suddenly, and she could only nod.

"Mmhmm."

"Annabeth," he pulled her closer and she felt her muscles tighten up reflexively, "I want you to know… I'll be here for you. No matter what."

"That- that's really sweet Luke." She forced a smile, finally meeting his gaze. It was tender, and loving, and all for her. She hated it.

"It's important to me that you understand my intentions."

"Intentions?" She frowned, pulling back slightly. Their faces were close, too close.

"Annabeth, I-"

"May I cut in?" A familiar voice came from behind Luke's shoulder and Annabeth's eyes widened in surprise to see Percy standing there.

Luke frowned, gripping Annabeth tighter, "Actually, we-"

"Yes, you may." She stepped back, pulling away from Luke and his too tight grip and his too close face and his too many words. He stared at her, but Percy grinned, sliding forward.

Luke straightened, clearing his throat, "Later then, Annabeth."

And he was gone.

She sighed in relief, "Thanks for that, really."

"No problem." Percy lifted his arms. Where Luke's hold had been too tight, Percy's was delicate, almost as if he were afraid to touch her, or like she might break. She looked up at him, brow furrowed.

"How could you tell I was in trouble?"

"Maybe I just wanted to dance with you?" She made an incredulous face and he laughed, "Or maybe it was my intuition. Who could say."

He took a step forward, she took a step back.

"I appreciate it all the same." She spun slowly when he raised his arm.

"Is he that bad?" He pulled her back to him, touches still soft but growing firmer, as if he were sure she wasn't going to dissolve into dust now.

"He isn't." Annabeth assured him, "Luke is just… he…"

"Well, you looked uncomfortable." Percy's eyes darkened for a moment, "If he tries anything-"

"I'll take care of it myself." Annabeth finished, and he blinked, expression lifting.

He laughed, twirling her again. "Of course you will."

"What about you?" she teased, finding the rhythm of the music, "What compelled you to ask the dreaded daughter of Athena for a dance?"

"She looked so pretty I couldn't help myself." His voice was still light but Annabeth couldn't help the shocked look on her face.

"That… you… don't mock me!" her face blushed bright red and he chuckled again.

"I'm not! Promise! You just…" Their bodies were flush against each other as they moved to the beat, and she was surprised at just how green his eyes were this close. "You just interest me, is all."

"I interest you?" She raised a brow, the music transitioning from a waltz to more of a tango. He dipped her easily, hand strong against the small of her back, and she felt some curls break loose from her updo as she was tugged upright once more."You do." He confessed, eyes intense on her face.

She felt hot. Something in his voice… just like at the tv station, she was suddenly filled with a strange feeling, like something was off, or wrong. Annabeth let her hand drift down from his shoulder, tugging on his tie so they were almost nose to nose.

"Are you hitting on me, Percy Jackson?"

His breath was warm on her face, his eyes widening, "...Yes." he finally breathed out, voice low.

She smiled sweetly, pushing him and spinning out, before wrapping herself back against his chest, "I'm spoken for. You'll get nowhere with me."

That seemed to delight him for some reason. He laughed, "Got a secret boyfriend?"

"Maybe." She played coy, their arms tangling as she twisted to face him properly once more. "So don't get any funny ideas."

"What if I have funny ideas anyway?" He pulled her close, letting her arms drape over his shoulders.

"Then get ready for disappointment." Their legs moved in sync with each other, one side, then the other, then back, then front.

Percy grinned, "You're that committed to each other, huh?"

"Something I doubt you'd understand," she huffed, letting him dip her once more, lower this time.

He winked, "I might be more loyal than you think I am."

"Do I need to hit you?"

"No, no I'll stop, I'll stop flirting!" he was laughing again. He seemed to be having the time of his life as he brought her back up, and that laugh sent shivers down her spine.

Deja vu.

Shaking the feeling, she got back into the groove, just enjoying herself. It had been a long time since she took dance classes, but it was easy to fall back into.

"The Son of Poseidon flirting with the Daughter of Athena… What would the tabloids say?" she mused out loud.

"They'll have a lot to say about us dancing together already. Look." He nodded to the side, and she caught a glimpse of a camera flash. She sighed.

"Shit."

"Is it really so bad? We work for opposite campaigns, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"Our parents are enemies. Do you really think that would be a good idea?" Annabeth twisted to one side, and then the other.

He followed her easily, flipping them so her back was to his chest. He brushed his lips to her ear, "It sounds like a great idea to me."

Her eyes widened, and she pulled away as the music ended, the shivers going up and down her spine once more. His voice… something about his voice. She stared at him and he shrugged sheepishly.

"Too much?"

"No it's… nevermind." She shook her head.

They stared at each other for a moment, and there was something in his eyes- something soft, and gentle.

Annabeth tore her gaze away, "Thanks for the dance, Percy."

"My pleasure, Wi- Annabeth."

They parted, walking to their respective tables, and Annabeth couldn't ignore the odd feeling welling in her chest.

Thalia was the first one to reach her, eyebrows raised. "Dude, that was-"

"I didn't know you could dance!" Piper came at Annabeth from the side, a wide smile on her face, "That was fucking incredible!"

It was Annabeth's turn to look sheepish, "I took a few classes here and there, it seemed like fun."

"It paid off!" Piper glanced back at where Percy was standing. It looked like Grover was berating him about something, but he looked totally unapologetic. "He wasn't too bad either… Do you guys know each other well?"

"No, they don't." Thalia answered instead, crossing her arms, "But you guys did seem awfully close."

It was odd. Dancing with him, talking- Annabeth had felt like she knew him. At least, knew him better than she thought she did. There was something so easy and familiar in their banter, and the way he looked at her…

"It was just one dance." She waved them both off, reaching for a water, "Where's Luke?"

"I'm not sure." Thalia's voice retained it's skeptical tone but her eyes scanned the hall, "He may have slipped away."

Annabeth sighed, tension leaving her body.

"Oh, the Mayor!" Piper suddenly grabbed her arm, pointing.

The Mayor was a distinguished looking man, middle-aged, with grey streaks on the sides of his head. His weathered skin made him look older than he was. He was laughing and talking with a group of constituents, no doubt rubbing elbows to ensure reelection the following fall. Annabeth downed the rest of her drink.

"Let's do this." Her voice was determined.

"We've got your back." Piper nodded. Thalia rolled up her sleeves, and together the three girls walked over to the Mayor, heads high.

His smile grew when he spotted them. "Ah, if it isn't the heroes of New Athens!"

"Mayor Whittle." Annabeth nodded, accepting his hand to shake, "There are some things we'd like to discuss with y-"

"Discuss with me, yes yes I'm familiar with your campaign Miss Chase." The lines around his eyes crinkled, "And Miss Grace! You look… handsome!"

"Right back at you sir." Thalia shoved her hands in her pockets.

"And I don't believe I've had the pleasure, Miss…" He turned to Piper, holding out a hand.

She smiled sweetly, "Piper., Piper McLean, daughter of Tristan McLean." And Aphrodite, was the unspoken implication. Everyone was familiar with the Hollywood Actor's famous tryst with the Goddess of Love, and Mayor Whittle's eyes widened as he grasped her hand.

"An honor to have you, Miss McLean. Your mother, is she…?"

"She's doing well. She so wishes she could have attended this evening but alas, the duties of a goddess are never finished." Piper lamented, laying it on thick with a dramatic sigh.

So the Mayor really was a fan of Aphrodite. Annabeth watched the exchange, biting back a smile. This might go better than she imagined.

"Mister Mayor, we were really hoping to secure your endorsement of our vote."

"Vote? Oh, yes, the temple." He tore his eyes away from Piper, dropping his hand. "Well, we can certainly discuss it, however after that debacle with Lord Dionysus…"

Annabeth winced.

"... Well I see no reason why I shouldn't hear you ladies out." He spared another glance at Piper who smiled prettily.

"Would you like to sit, Mister Mayor?" Annabeth gestured to the table beside them, and got ready to give the pitch of her life.

The lights were dimmed as the evening wore on, everyone seated at their respective tables now, and Percy rested his chin on his hand, gazing dreamily up at the stage where Thalia and Annabeth were accepting their medals, the Mayor droning on about "courage" and "valor" and "the heart of New Athens" and other buzzwords.

He didn't catch a word of it.

Annabeth.

Annabeth.

He wanted to say her name again, taste it on his tongue, against his lips. He wanted her to hear him say it, and know it was him. Seaweed Brain.

He wanted to hear her say his name, just once more.

He was tempted, oh so sorely tempted to talk to her again, find any excuse he could to sidle up to her, make her smile, see her laugh-

But he couldn't.

Percy knew it was a bad idea. He had already almost slipped up, calling her by the wrong name, and he couldn't let that happen. The more space between them, the better.

Not to mention the campaign.

She had confided in him. Not Seaweed Brain, Percy. Annabeth had told him what was at stake, and his heart hurt thinking about his obligation to his father.

Could he bear to still go up against her, when she was at the precipice of her dreams coming true?

He let his eyes roam over her body as she stood, smiling awkwardly as the Mayor's voice continued.

Gods, she was gorgeous.

In all his wildest dreams, he had never imagined her to be so perfect. And now, knowing Annabeth the way he did, she was even more beautiful than that first day they had met, dusting Empousai in the woods together.

That had been after his first errant text, and oh was he grateful that his thumbs dialed the wrong number that day. Bless Grover getting a new phone back in August. Bless Annabeth for continuing to respond to his silly messages.

Curse this stupid temple and their expectant parents.

He couldn't hold back, no, but he could stop accepting outside help.

The anonymous emails never stopped. They told him to approach Mr. D about appearing on New Athens News the same day as Annabeth. They fed him info that would bolster Poseidon's chances of winning. They told him just how to spin things, not that he needed the help, and he had accepted it. But now?

How could he betray her?

No. From now on they were on equal footing. Whoever won would do so fair and square, and Percy would be damned before he would accept another tidbit of information against her.

Annabeth.

Annabeth.

He loved her. He loved Annabeth Chase. And he hoped the day would come when he could twirl her in his arms again, press his lips to hers, and just hold her. He hoped for a day when she would smile when she found out it was Percy Jackson who typed so many lovely messages, who whispered in her ear at night, who left her gifts and loved her so fiercely.

When the day came, Annabeth Chase would love Percy Jackson as much as she loved Seaweed Brain. He'd make sure of it.