A/N: Hey guys! This oneshot was originally in my How We Could Have Met 2 series but it's turned into something way more, hope you like it!
When Percy took this job six months ago, the last thing he had expected were random celebrities walking in and ordering caramel macchiatos.
Luckily, he's a New Yorker through and through (despite living in LA) and has perfected the unperturbed face usually reserved for people on the subway.
(It's a sign that he must really miss home if he's thinking nostalgically about the subway system.)
Either way, when Jason Grace walks in, sunglasses on to cover those bright blue eyes the tabloids like to call "electrifying," he schools his face into something so impassive, he probably looks exactly like the bored employee you'd expect in a small cramped cafe on the edge of LA.
"Hello, welcome to Cali's, what can I get you?" He sounds a bit like a polite midwestern news reporter and he's proud of himself for not verbalizing just how cool it is that THE Jason Grace is standing in front of him.
"Um, a large latte with four shots of espresso."
"Rough night?" he offers sympathetically as he punches in the order.
He will definitely write a memoir of his life just to eternalize the moment where he surprised Jason Grace.
"Um, yeah, kinda." He's just as charming as the magazines make him out to be. (Not that he reads them—he doesn't need to when Jason's on the front page)
"Well, I hope it gets better, man. Your total is $6.25."
It's hard to tell how he's reacting now, because it's not as visible as last time because of the sunglasses, but Percy suspects he's still somewhat taken back.
He swipes the card, hands him the receipt and makes the latte since it's early enough in the morning and he's the only one on staff till Hazel gets here.
He works in silence, and Jason looks at his phone as the speakers play out the smooth jazz playlist the owner had specifically made.
"Here you go," he says, calling the actor's attention and holding out the cup. "By the way, I thought your last movie was really good."
He will write in his memoir that he had succeeded in surprising Jason Grace twice.
"Oh, um, thanks, have a good day."
Percy allows a half smile to grace (ha, get it) his face as he waves. "You too."
It turns out that was just the beginning.
-.-
Jason's equally famous (but for different reasons) sister Thalia shows up a few days later. She, on the other hand, makes no effort to hide her appearance, and her eyes are just as electrifying. But in the way that she may actually electrocute you.
She steps up to the counter with a challenge written on her face and Percy thanks his mom for making him ride the subway to school everyday, because he just needs to recall that one time these kids—actually, not important right now.
Because Thalia is approaching him as though she expects him to falter.
"Hello, welcome to Cali's, what can I get you?" And the polite midwestern newscaster is back. Maybe he should try to work in Minnesota next, that's an accent that just screams politeness.
"I'd like a pumpkin latte with 1 pump maple pecan, 5 pumps pumpkin, with almond milk and a light caramel drizzle with light foam and extra vanilla powder."
"Sure thing, what size?" he asks, not missing a beat as he scribbles it down and proceeds to punch in her order.
Thalia's eyes harden for a moment as her mouth purses, and that's going in Percy's memoir too.
"Large."
"Alright, your total is $8.32."
He swipes her card, hands it back with as much polite boredom as he can manage (which is difficult, but he thinks Thalia is here to challenge him, and he's not sure when he signed up to be facing off to celebrities but he's here now.)
He makes her drink with extra precaution, and luckily it's early enough that no one else is in the shop, so he can take his time.
"Here you go," he says as he hands it over, waiting for her to take a sip. Something tells him that he'll only earn her approval after she tastes it.
Sure enough, she takes a sip, and her time in the New York fashion industry must have taught her too, because she just gives a curt nod.
"Glad you like it, have a nice day," he says with a small smile as the model walks out of the shop.
-.-
Some people might say opening at 5am is a little early for a cafe. Percy would be one of them, but apparently all his famous customers come in at like 5:30 and now he's at least got stories to tell Grover back home so he can't complain too much.
Jason Grace becomes somewhat of a regular. He doesn't come in every day but often enough that. Percy ends up making small talk about the weather and complimenting the trailer for his next movie, until finally Jason admits that he told Thalia about this place.
"Yeah, she came in here." He leaves it at that as he swipes Jason's card.
Jason makes a face. "That bad, huh?"
Percy shakes his head. "Nah, it wasn't the most complicated drink order I've ever had. She was a worthy challenger."
Jason laughs and Percy wonders how long his memoir is going to be now that he's on friendly terms with Jason Grace.
He hands him his drink and Jason takes a sip, smiling contently.
"Thanks, Percy. Next time I promise to send someone less challenging."
"No problem man, have a good day, and—" He pauses, wondering if he should continue talking, but Jason's raising an eyebrow so he pushes through. "I know you don't need to hear this, especially from me, but the media sucks and I don't believe a word of what they're saying. I hope it blows over soon."
He's silent for another moment, staring at Percy in surprise (again) and he wonders if he really did done fucked up this time.
But then Jason breaks out into a huge grin. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it."
Percy decides to keep his mouth shut this time and settles for a smile and wave.
-.-
He can handle Jason Grace, even Thalia, and even that bitch Karen who walked in five minutes before closing with a dumbass complicated order.
But his brain literally spazzes out at the beauty that walks into the shop ten minutes after opening. He's not awake enough and she looks even more stunning that the screen makes her out to be and he's pretty sure he just stares for a good minute before he realizes she's walking over and tries to maintain some sense of composure.
He can not handle Annabeth Chase.
"Hi, welcome to Cali's, how can I help you?" he asks. Polite midwestern newscaster is gone, and it's just plain old awkward Percy.
"Hi, I'll take a medium caramel macchiato." Even her voice is angelic. He doesn't know how he manages to punch in her order.
"Sure thing, I'll get right on that." He quickly turns to start making the coffee, but Annabeth clears her throat and he turns just as quickly back.
"Um, I haven't paid?" she prompts, holding up her credit card.
This is the part where he tells his cheeks to not turn red. He doesn't think it's worked.
"Oh, it's on the house," he tells her. Not only is it a good save, he will definitely pay for Annabeth Chase's drink.
"I can pay..." she starts again and he shakes his head furiously.
"Nah, don't worry about it."
She falls silent and he continues to make her coffee all while berating himself that maybe he's spent too much time in LA and has forgotten to be a New Yorker because he's failing miserably at keeping a straight face.
"Why is my order on the house?" she asks, walking to stand over to where the drinks are picked up.
"Why not?" he responds immediately.
He glances over and sees she's got a small smile on her face. There could be a whole chapter dedicated to that smile in his memoir.
"Here you go," he says, handing over her drink.
He watches her take a sip and close her eyes as though she can feel the coffee move through her. It's completely unfair, and he bites his own tongue from saying something stupid like "god, you're so pretty."
"Good?" he asks her instead and her eyes snap open.
"Great, thank you," she offers another smile that makes him weak in the knees.
She pulls out a ten dollar bill. "And here you go."
"Tip," she adds as his mouth opens to protest.
"Thanks," he mutters, taking the bill from her and pocketing it. "You, um, didn't have to."
"I wanted to," she responds and he thinks his heart might give out because he's talking to The Annabeth Chase even though the conversation could have ended a minute ago.
"Well, thanks, and I hope you have a good day, Annabeth," he says hoping the sincerity in his heart slips through his tone.
"You too," she says and with a wave and a smile his favorite actress walks through the door.
-.-
His head snaps up when the bell rings the next day and a head of blonde hair walks through.
When he sees it's just Jason he relaxes, slumping down again.
"You know, for a moment there you looked like you were expecting someone else," Jason teases.
Percy groans. Freaking Jason Grace is teasing him.
"Not at all, how are you doing Jason?" He walks over to the register as Jason answers, a smile still playing on his face.
"Alright, I'll have my usual."
Percy punches in the order and reads him his total.
"What, my drink isn't on the house?" He grins as he hands over his card.
Percy groans again. No point in hiding anything this time.
"That was horrible."
Jason laughs. "Nah, she didn't hate it."
"You sent her." It comes out a little like an accusation and Jason raises an amused eyebrow.
"Are you mad? Besides, I tell people about this place often, since the service is good."
It reminds him how he had completely failed the service part yesterday. He runs his hands over his face.
Jason is offering a sympathetic smile when he looks up.
"It honestly wasn't as bad as you thought. She didn't say she hated it when she called to tell me about it."
Percy glumly swipes the card and hands it back, turning to work on the order.
"It's just she's my favorite actress and it's honestly unfair how pretty she is," he rambles. "Like looking good is one thing but she was so nice and put up with my awkwardness and god, I'm an idiot."
"I don't think you're an idiot."
The voice causes him to freeze and he stares at the espresso machine praying to every deity in the world that he did not just hear Annabeth Chase's voice.
He can hear Jason cracking up and he wants to melt to the floor. (He almost does)
"Hey Percy, I think the machine is done," Jason calls and Percy groans for the third time that day as he pours the shot into Jason's drink and closes the lid.
"That's it, I quit, I'm going back to New York," he declares, turning around for the first time and damn she's just as beautiful as yesterday.
"Here's your drink," he shoves it towards Jason, who's all too amused at the situation.
"You're from New York?" Annabeth asks.
"I used to be," he says bitterly, avoiding her eyes because he will actually melt if he does. "But my hardened subway poker face is slowly deteriorating in the presence of attractive actresses, so maybe I should move to Minnesota instead."
He's not making sense, he knows that, but everything about this situation doesn't make sense because how is he, Percy, an average community college graduate, in the same room talking to million dollar actors and actresses?
"Minnesota?"
"They have polite accents."
"I swear he's not like this when it's just me," he hears Jason say, taking sips of his drink and watching the disaster play out.
Percy leans on the counter, burying his head in his arms as Annabeth laughs.
"I don't mind," she replies, and his heart is probably beating faster than Jason's who has four shots of espresso in his latte.
"Percy?" she calls out when he doesn't move. Annabeth Chase just said his name. He might die.
"He's unavailable right now, please leave a message at the beep." He pauses. "Beep."
"Well, can you tell him that when he's done being embarrassed when he really has no reason to be, I'd like to order my drink."
Sighing, he raises his head up and looks at the goddess in front of him.
"Only because it's my job," he says tiredly.
She walks over to the register as he does and he's glad she's on the other side of the counter because if they were close she might actually touch his hand and he'd have a heart attack right on spot.
"I'm hurt," she replies playfully. "I thought you liked me."
"Too much," he mutters under his breath as he situated himself. "What can I get you?"
"A medium caramel macchiato," she replies and he punches it in.
"Can I actually pay today?" she asks as she holds out her credit card.
He sighs and takes it over. "I guess."
She smiles. "Isn't it customary for customers to, you know, pay?"
"Yeah, you always make me pay," Jason calls from the corner. Percy makes a face at the millionaire actor.
"You sent your sister after me."
"And then I promised it wouldn't be that much of a challenge next time except apparently..." His eyes flick to Annabeth. "It was."
He finishes making her drink and hands it to her. "Here you go," he says, ignoring Jason's comment.
She smiles warmly and his heart might explode. "Thank you, Percy."
The two walk out with a wave and Percy clutches his heart. He should get on that memoir soon, he's not sure how much longer he can last.
-.-
Piper McLean, the model rumored to be dating Jason Grace, walks in a few days later.
He channels his inner midwestern newscaster easily. "Hi, welcome to Cali's, what can I get you?"
She orders a vanilla bean frap and he takes her card from her manicured nails, She really is stunning. She also hands him a five dollar tip and is, clearly, very nice.
Another customer is waiting in line so he doesn't really have time to chat but he does add that, "I don't know if the rumors are true. It's not my business, really, but seeing as he probably sent you here I want to say Jason's a really lucky guy."
Thankfully, Piper smiles brightly instead of punching him.
"Have a good day," he calls out as she leaves.
"One second," he calls to the person waiting in line and easily hops over the counter to grab a stray napkin left on the table by an earlier patron.
He returns to the register having wiped down the counter along the way and exchanges the tip she handed him for a five one dollar bills.
"Hi, welcome to Cali's, how can I help you?" he asks as he does all this.
"Jason was right, you're not normally like that."
The hood comes down and Annabeth's blonde hair, pulled into a ponytail reveals itself. His jaw drops because how can she look this amazing in leggings and a hoodie?
"Annabeth," he stutters.
"You know, Piper McLean is among the top 10 most attractive celebrities, but you seemed to have handled her fine."
"She's not you," he wants to say, but he holds back.
Until he notices Annabeth's smile and he realizes that he did not, in fact, hold back.
He groans. "Please just let me melt to the ground."
Annabeth giggles. "You can't get out of making my drink that easily."
He frowns as he punches in her order. "It's your fault," he accuses.
"What? How?" she asks as she hands him her card.
"You just got to be all..." He waves the card around in her general direction. "Like that."
"Very informative, I guess I'll just stop being all..." She gestures wildly. "Like that"
Percy can't help the laugh that escapes his mouth as he turns to make her drink.
"Ah, finally I get something other than a groan," she teases as he waits on the espresso machine.
"You know, I usually don't have to work this hard to impress people."
He almost drops the drink he's making for her.
"Impress? Me?"
She smiles. "I don't know, is it working?"
He stumbles over air trying to get her drink to her and she laughs, it's so beautiful.
"Yes, I mean, of course, I mean, it's you, and you're so..." he trails off.
"All that?" she finishes with a raised eyebrow.
He flushes a deep red. "More than," he mutters under his breath.
"See you around, Percy," she says, walking out with another bright smile and oh my god was that a wink?
-.-
Percy blames his sickness on the fact that his heart can't take the fact that Annabeth Chase may or may not have flirted with him.
Either way, he can't go into work. So he lays in bed, hoping the Tylenol he took will work and maybe this headache will finally go away. It's already been three days and he's hoping today's the last day he's going to be out, since rent doesn't really pay itself.
What he's not expecting is his phone to buzz with an unknown number.
Are you okay?
Um, who are you?
The phone starts to ring, the same unknown number calling him. "Are you okay?"
He recognizes the voice immediately. "Annabeth?"
"You've been gone three days," she sounds almost accusatory.
He wonders if Tylenol has psychedelic properties because there is no way Annabeth Chase is calling him right now.
"Annabeth?"
"We're past that part, Percy, now tell me if you're okay."
"I don't know, I might have died and gone to heaven."
"What?"
"A literal goddess is on the phone with me."
"Percy!" But he can hear the smile in her voice.
"I'm okay, well, hopefully, better than before."
"I was worried after the third day."
"You're cute, how did you get my number."
"Hazel, I think she was tired of me asking how you were doing and just gave me your number."
"Remind me to buy her all the drinks in the world."
He hears Annabeth chuckle. "So you're okay?"
"Even better now that I've heard from you."
"Does being sick make you flirty?"
"I have been pretty heavily medicated."
"..."
"Should I not be flirty?"
"No! I didn't say it was a bad thing."
"Good, because this is probably the only chance I'll get to tell you that I think you're amazing, not just cause you're a really attractive actress but because you're nice enough to call and check up on me. And I really wish...well you know."
"Percy..."
"I just had to say that, okay? Thanks for letting me get it out. I gotta go sleep."
And with that he hangs up the phone, turns over and knocks out.
-.-
It's his third day back at work after his sickness and he hasn't heard or seen Annabeth since. Jason stopped by and said he was glad that he was feeling better but other than that, nothing.
He's a little bit of a mess, partly because he's still recovering and partly because he's pretty sure he fucked up with Annabeth. And the more he thinks about it, he had to be kidding himself to think anything was going to happen. She's a super famous actress. Percy's a barista at a small cafe.
He's working till close today since he's trying to make some of the money back, and about three minutes before eight the door chimes open and he tries really hard not to be annoyed.
Running his hand through his hair to push it back (it's as much of a disaster as he is) he turns to the counter ready to ask the customer to politely leave.
What stops him in his tracks are the grey eyes and blonde hair of none other than Annabeth Chase.
"Hey."
"Hey." He stops his hand from going back to fix his hair.
"I'm glad you're back," she says softly.
"Yeah," he shrugs, picking up the rag he had been using to wipe down the two tables.
"Percy," she begins, hesitating a bit. "About what you said— "
"Don't mind me rambling," he cuts her off. "I was just you know, must have taken one too many Tylenol," he jokes in an attempt to lighten the mood.
It doesn't work.
"Percy." She pairs it with a look this time.
He groans, leaning on the counter and burying his head in again. "Yes?"
it comes out muffled and Annabeth chuckles.
"I'd like you to finish that thought. You wish...what?"
He closes his eyes and feels his cheek pressed against the cold counter. Well, he can't fuck this up more can he?
"I wish I could take you out on a date." It's muffled and he's mumbling and he has no clue how she hears him.
"I'd like that."
His head snaps up and Annabeth is smiling at him warmly.
He scraps all previous notes about his memoir. He's going to need a second book just to describe the way it feels when Annabeth reaches to the counter and threads her fingers through his.
-.-
He's messing with the register when the door rings. "Hi, welcome to Cali's, what can I get you?" he says without looking up as he finishes sorting the bills.
"You."
His eyes flick up to meet sparking grey ones and physically holds himself back from jumping the counter right then and there.
"That's gonna take five minutes, can you wait?" he responds instead.
She nods and he turns back towards the machines. "Um, I haven't paid."
This time though he turns around and walks back the register, leaning over it. He's going to collect that payment from his girlfriend. She smiles and meets him in the middle with a short but mind-blowing kiss.
Then again, all of her kisses are mind-blowing.
He chases her lips as she pulls away and the actress laughs.
"What about a tip?" he asks, raising an eyebrow and not waiting for a response as he pulls her in for a second kiss.
And that's how Hazel finds them when she walks in for her shift.
They pull away blushing and Percy thinks he'd need a third memoir just to encompass what it's like to date Annabeth Chase.
(And then he decides to scrap this memoir business cause he really could be kissing her right now.)
A/N: So what did you think? Like I said this oneshot from my How We Could Have Met 2 series really took on a life of it's own and I've been publishing these oneshots on my ao3 for a while now!
But I figured it's turned into a big enough thing that I should also post it on here, so here are all the oneshots for this Actress Annabeth/Barista Percy AU!
My ao3, for anyone interested, is foreverfangirlwrites!
Please Review! I'd love to hear your thoughts!
And as always, thanks for reading!
See ya! :)