Chapter 29: Drowning

Percy

"Ho-Hoo! This is going to be interesting! Please, keep going."

There was nothing but enthusiasm from the girl sporting medium-length black hair and those electrifying blue eyes, it was kinda scary, to be honest. But… Wait a minute, how did Percy get here in the first place?

-Line Break-

It was already half an hour past ten. Thankfully, dinner was finally over.

Just forty minutes ago, Athena was the first one to finish from her plate, and after staring amusingly for longer than neither of us would have liked, she decided to turn in for the night.

However, since she was leaving two hormonal-filled teenagers alone and together by themselves, of course, she wouldn't go without reminding us the danger of staying inside the same room, or as she put it in a roundabout way, having too much fun with each other, wink-wink…

If only she knew what happened with me and Annabeth earlier… No, wait! Why in the world would I want to let her know what we almost did? Stupid!

Neither of us managed a solid reply, but for some reason, she was somehow satisfied by our blushing response; it's more than likely she knew both of us wouldn't try anything improper after studying them with those piercing eyes.

Of course, Athena couldn't resist leaving us with one last no-funny-business smile before she left upstairs for her room. The only thing she took with her was the wine glass filled with only half a glass of red wine.

And now, after having been given the talk, the vibrancy of Percy's face quickly drained to the point where it turned completely pale. He still sat close next to Annabeth; she didn't seem to look any better about her mom's reminder, which might as well put them a thousand feet apart.

Annabeth hadn't even finished her sandwich yet; it was clear that she couldn't possibly eat everything on the table, so she offered him half of her ravioli plate and asked… or rather, insist him to keep her company.

It was more or less a threat, so Percy relented and did what Annabeth wanted, but their alone time barely last for a full minute. He ate- or rather, gobbled up everything without chewing on a single bite.

A warning that did its job perfectly, Percy didn't want to risk trying to talk to Annabeth when all he could think about was that friendly smile Athena gave him, much less scooch his seat over or have their usual banter. Instead, he excused himself back to his room almost as soon as he finished half of the salmon ravioli Annabeth willingly gave him.

It was rather sad because Percy didn't even get to properly savor how delicious it was again.

Biding his crush an abrupt good night along with a half feign, half-real yawn, Percy retreated to his room and ran away from that situation all too eagerly. He didn't even leave enough time for Annabeth to react or protest about him leaving her all alone.

Sorry, wise girl…

Once he ended up back in the guest room—

Being alone didn't help ease his mind that was running on overload.

Neither did sighs of relief when it escaped through his lips.

Percy beeline for the huge king bed and sat down on the edge, staring blankly at the wall in front of him and hoped that would empty his mind.

… But all that did was keep Annabeth on his mind endlessly. It was a useless battle.

With his butt firmly planted on the soft and comfy mattress. It felt as if he was sitting on weightless feathers, flowing on the clouds. But as a matter of fact, he did feel like he was flowing on the clouds, or rather, even farther above them.

"Ahhh!" Percy let out a loud sigh of frustration.

Drowning, the possibility that he could sort out everything that had happened was tiny, if not, an impossible feat in and of itself.

Why? Why? Why? Why?!

That voice repeated again and again like a broken record.

In the end, the strength in his back gave away and Percy collapsed backward on the bed, writhing in a pool of embarrassment, tossing and turning to try and hide his face from the world.

"Wow… I guess something happened between you and the princess, Percy?"

And that's how he was taken completely speechless by the surprise intruder. It was Thalia who discovered him like this. She had somehow sneaked into his room without ever tipping off his awareness, scaring him greatly.

"Thalia! H-How long have you been there?"

A playful smirk crept over her lips. Her nonchalant reply drained all the colors from his face again, "Only a minute, but I could already tell from the looks on your face that something very embarrassing happened with Annabeth, right?"

On some level, it's obvious she knew what was up with him already. That smirking expression on her face made him feel uncomfortable. It's more than likely she wasn't here to reassure him a tiny bit.

Percy tried to hide it with a scoff, "N-Noo… Nothing much happened. Why?"

"Uh-huh…." She didn't believe him.

Dismissing his attempt, Percy was left clearing his throat at that unwavering smirk on Thalia's eager-looking expression, "Anyway, do you need something?"

"Yeah, about that… I guess I wanted to thank you for letting me know about Jason disappearing from your room. My idiot brother is too impulsive for his own good sometimes. He's fine now, so I am here to offer an apology in his place."

Percy wondered what really happened.

"You don't have to worry, Percy. It's nothing too serious."

At the very least, it was good to hear that everything was okay with them so he nodded back. Despite his curiosity, it wasn't his concern, and he didn't want to pry when he didn't know Thalia nor Jason too well. After all, he was only here for one night and probably won't get to know them well enough to become friends.

"You should let Annabeth know what happened though." Percy tried to persuade her, "She seemed real shaken when you ran away from her room like that."

Thalia grinned back when he mentioned wise girl, "You seemed real protective of Annabeth, Percy?"

Again, Percy scoffed and tried to hide his embarrassment, "It's not like that… I just-"

Directly teasing him, Percy founded himself tongue-tied when he tried to convince Thalia otherwise. That abrupt pause gave her all the hints she needed to reach a satisfying conclusion, one which was much too mortifying for him to handle.

Percy stayed silent, hoping their conversation could turn away from Annabeth altogether. He wasn't that lucky.

Thalia's grin morphed into a huge smirk, "So, what's really going on between you and Annabeth?"

Percy fidgeted. His body grew tensed at her inquisitive gaze. Of course, being Annabeth's friend, Percy should have known that Thalia wanted to found out more about them, but to ask him straight about it…

What's going on between me and Annabeth? Ha! Good question, because I don't know what the fuck is going on between us either!

Naturally, Percy didn't want to reveal anything to Thalia. Aside from the fact it would no doubt be embarrassing, everything between him and Annabeth was so personal and complex, telling Thalia about it would take hours on end; there was also a matter of if he should talk about them, just anything at all.

Yet, Percy found himself stammering at how to say it, "It's… complicated."

That earned a chuckled from the girl with blue eyes, "Of course it is. Don't worry, I have time to hear all about it."

For some reason, Percy couldn't help but want to tell Thalia about his developing relationship with the wavy blonde hair girl he met at school, not least to get some weight off his chest. What's more, that reassuring look from Thalia made him feel like it was safe to tell her, and that it would stay a secret between them.

"Alright, but please don't tell anyone, okay?"

Like a knight, Thalia pressed her right fist to her chest and swore on her promise with a serious look, "I'll stay tight-lipped about it."

Then that smirk returned nano-seconds later and grew double in size, "Now…"

Percy sighed unwittingly. It was then he found himself talking about his feelings for Annabeth, telling Thalia the short version of how they met, the things that happened between them during the past week in school, and his growing feelings for the girl that the fate of the universe had brought him to.

Gosh… Is Annabeth going to be mad that I told Thalia everything about us?

Thalia listened intently, only interrupting him with a few occasional exclaims in disbelief. Grinning throughout the process, he found himself spilling more and more about his feelings for Annabeth, rather than focusing on what happened to them in such a short amount of time.

But since they are best friends, wouldn't Annabeth have told Thalia all about us already? Is she just pretending to hear it all for the first time?

Percy couldn't discern whether that was the case or not, but when he finally told her how much Annabeth meant to him- in a purely platonic way of course; he wasn't brave enough to let Thalia know that he was starting to develop romantic feelings for Annabeth too, Thalia was partly speechless and at the same time passing a wild teasing smile his way.

"Wow… I didn't know there are still boys who are that romantic in this day and age."

That quip hurt Percy's pride, but Thalia smiled through his discomfort and finally said something concrete, "So, you like Annabeth?"

Percy blushed, "Yeah. She's smart, funny, a bit on the childish side… but I enjoy being with her, you know? She is someone speci- ahem… Anyway, I am glad I've met her even if she did spill a cup of caramel all over me."

It was the truth.

"Mmmm." Like a curious cat, Thalia purred like a small kitten and took on an interesting smile, "I can see it now. No wonder why Annabeth finds you so… dreamy."

Was it the right choice? Telling Thalia how I felt about Annabeth? How- Wait a minute, what did she…

Percy jolted off the bed through sheer instinct. Thalia sat somewhere on a table with her elbows down, both hands pushed up to support her chin while her captivated gaze travel onward aimlessly. She was definitely staring at him though.

Unfortunately, Percy wasn't sure what Thalia said when his subconscious couldn't stop ruminating on one of Annabeth's cute and pretty smiles, "Wait, what was that?"

A sly smirk…

"Nothing…" She waved him off, "But tell me about the good stuff, Percy. What happened after I left you two in the same room? Something like that, you know?"

Percy bit his lips to seal it shut.

"Hehe… I imagine something good went down while I was gone, right?" That knowing wink damaged large chunks of neurons circuits in his head.

How the heck?! Is everyone around Annabeth a relationship counselor like Piper from school? The way they keep teasing us… Like, is this for real?

Percy debated, but he had a sense that Thalia would wind up finding out about it in some other less-than-savory ways, so if that's the case, he might as well tell her just enough to satisfy her curiosity, but not enough so she could get the full picture. It was the best he could come up with to keep her eagerness at bay.

"Why do you keep thinking that something happened between us, Thalia?" His red cheeks clearly betray his words, but he had to keep going, "Ahem. Anyway, we were talking about the manga stuff because both of us loved it. I helped her clean up your mess- thanks for that by the way. Then we took some time to talk, that's all."

Immediately, Thalia narrowed her eyes at him.

The confidence in his lie faltered like a skyscraper ready to collapse with only one more gust of hurricane wind, "Come on… N-Nothing else happened between me and Annabeth."

It didn't work.

Instead, that burning heated gaze went up to another level of intensity. Percy actually had to flinch back despite being more than fifteen feet apart. He had pretty much also forgotten that Thalia and he were just acquaintances at this point, as he found himself shivering to be inside her overly intriguing gaze, like she was directly shooting electricity through her blue eyes right into his soul.

It was so effective, her unwavering gaze effortlessly forced a shudder through every part of his body and even a reluctant confession through his lips. He gulped, "W…Well, we were on the balcony for a bit. You know,"

Percy ran his right hand through his hair and avoid looking at Thalia, "J-Just staring at the stars and the view. Of course, nothing happened! Absolutely nothing!"

In the end, Thalia passed him a smirk and sat up, "I'll let you in on a secret, Percy. It is something I've learned from my best friend."

Percy supposed that best friend was Annabeth. He nodded for her to continue.

"Usually, when a person said absolutely nothing happened and insist that much on it, something definitely happened and that person just didn't want to say it out loud."

Oops… I got caught.

There were more than a few giggling chuckles at his fail reaction, "Oh don't worry. I have an idea what happened already. Just wanna tease you a bit too."

Percy could barely see her wry smirks because his eyes were directed toward the wooden lattice patterned floorboard, the humiliation was through the roof.

"Well, it's about time to check on my brother, so good night Percy. It's been fun talking and having you stay here even if it's only for tonight."

The standard social interaction would require him to say good night back, but Percy was still reeling in embarrassment that made it difficult to get anything coherent through his lips.

Thalia didn't seem to mind his utter speechlessness.

Quickly as she made her way to the door and pull it open, Thalia step out… only to turn back around and held the door halfway. She gave him a parting smile, "I know this is a strange request, but Annabeth is not as tough as she thinks she is. I- I… don't want her to…"

Percy watched her pause in the middle.

"The thing is: Annabeth doesn't rely on people even if she's in trouble, and she also hides her weaknesses a lot. I don't blame her, it's just—"

Thalia sucked in her lips a bit, "I know it's silly since we don't know each other, Percy, but can I asked you to promise me something anyway?"

Even though Percy wasn't sure what kind of promise it was, he didn't hesitate, "Yeah."

For the first time, Thalia smiled with a semi-solemn and grateful look, "Keep her safe for me, Percy. Let her rely on you in the worst of times. Embrace her weakness and let her know that it's okay not to be tough all the time. I want you to be there for Annabeth."

Percy was brought half-speechless, "I- I…"

Then everything she said clicked in his head, "But how do you know I won't…"

Thalia flashed him a gentle grin and turned on her heels, "I don't know, Percy… I just have a good feeling about you."

"Well, good night." Just like that, the door to his room shut.

Alone, Percy thought to himself. Can I? Can I really promise to keep Annabeth safe? I might not even know what that means, what it really entails, or more importantly… if it's even possible.

But that's not going to stop me from trying my damn best because Annabeth means so much more to me than anyone else right now in my life.

And I promise to take care of her just like my own family.

-Line Break-

Somehow, everything was wrong.

"No, Mom! Run! Run away!"

It took all of my strength to break free from the person behind me. I struggled, punching him square in the jaw and watch as he tumbled backward into another, then sprinted.

"Percy! No! Stay away!"

I couldn't leave her! I couldn't leave her! I needed to catch her right now!

A pool of blood seeped beside me on the carpet. There were three lifeless bodies huddled together. I don't want to see a fourth. I won't let there be a fourth!

"STOP IT ALREADY!"

A wall of soldiers, I will punch my way through if I have to. The first one went down after I tackled him, kicking off from his face before I started running through the line again.

My visions blur, a gun pointing beside her head, his menacing grin as if he was daring me to try something. I'll gladly oblige.

Kicking, punching, throwing, it took all my strength to break through, but then something hard snapped at the back of my head. It was a rifle butt, and I stumbled off balance.

"Nooo! Percy! D-Don't…"

Soon, the men all crowded around me and held me still. I couldn't move anymore.

I almost… almost caught her.

"It was a nice try, prince Perseus." The leader said, "But with your powers staying dormant, you are nothing but just a little teenage boy. You can't possibly overpower us."

I gritted my teeth at the intruders.

"I'd give it to you though. You've got grit, so I will let you say your final goodbye."

He pulled on her hair, forcing her to look at me.

"Don't touch my mother!"

He heeded no mind to my threat even when I struggled with all my strength. The men around me put a stronger hold, but I could still shake through their resistance, if only… if only…

"I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!"

"Percy!"

She called me. I stopped, then finally looked. Indescribable, the pain in my eyes grew twice more painful. My heart wrenched and sank, every limb grew limp. She took a terrible beating, blood oozing from her forehead and nose. I couldn't speak.

"Percy…" She said softly, her bloody eyes barely able to look at me, "I…"

It's not true. I couldn't look back into those soft brown eyes because then it would be true, "No, mom… No, don't… I'll get out of this and-"

She shook her head, "I am sorry, my little sea turtle."

Deep sadness filled her gaze, "I am sorry I didn't get to tell you this…"

I shook my head, "No, w-why are you saying sorry… You have nothing to-"

"Percy."

I paused again.

Don't… Mom, I'll—

It was taking all of her strength. She smiled.

"I love you…"

With every fiber of my being, I had lost, "Mom… I-"

Bang!

Blood shot out from her head. I watched helplessly and felt completely numbed. Nothing else matters anymore.

I didn't need to think. I didn't want to think. It didn't matter when the sea enveloped me, expanding tempestuous and breaking everything around me. Loud, storm-like, rage…

I don't care anymore.

Heart as heavy as lead, Percy's eyes fluttered open. The first thing he noticed was that his cheeks felt a little wet, and there were tears pooled up over his eyelids, creating a watery feeling.

"Huh…"

Percy stared at the wooden ceiling for a bit.

When did I fall asleep?

After Percy wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, he slipped his hand underneath the pillow, doing a bit of fumbling before he found his phone. He checked the time. It was late in the night, passing one o'clock at the beginning of dusk.

So I only slept for about three hours?

Percy sighed and set his phone on top of his heaving chest. It was beating a lot faster than Percy was expecting, and he only noticed when the weight of his phone made the sensation more apparent.

Not really remembering what happened before he went to bed, Percy couldn't help but get the feeling that something serious went on while he was asleep, yet he had no recollection.

The strangest thing? Percy had a sudden urge to call his mom.

Hopefully, she isn't asleep yet.

After unlocking his phone, Percy actually dialed his mother's phone number instead of scrolling through his short contact list. Perhaps it was him trying to prove that Annabeth really was a spoiled girl. He smirked when the call went through.

Ring… Ring... Ring…

It didn't take too long before it connected and a familiar voice spoke. She sounded rather sleepy, and Percy instantly felt bad for waking up his mom in the middle of the night, "Hello? Percy, what's up? It's so late in the night. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah mom. I am fine." Percy paused, "I am sorry. Just wanna hear your voice for a bit, that's all."

It really eased his mind to hear her voice this particular moment, to know that she was still safe. After all, there was some strange fear in his rapidly beating heart. Percy had a feeling it had something to do with his mom, but now that he confirmed she was safe and sound, what she said next eased all of his worries.

"Percy…" Her voice was as soft as an angel which reassured him, "I am fine. Don't worry too much. Paul and your brothers are all here with me. They are already asleep."

He already knew that, but hearing her say it just ease him a whole lot more, "Mmm… To be honest, I don't know why I called you, mom. It's just a feeling."

There was another slight pause.

"Oh Percy…" That gentle motherly voice soothed him, "I love you, my little sea turtle. And I am fine, so thank you for checking up on me, sweetie."

Percy smiled as he was spoiled like a little three-year-old kid. It felt strangely nostalgic.

"Well, how is everything with you? Are you comfortable over there? I heard from Ms. Athena that they live in a mansion?"

Percy chuckled, "Yeah. You should have seen this place. It's huge!"

"Hahah… Well, that's what a mansion is, Percy." Her suppressed laugh made Percy smile wide, "I am just glad Annabeth's mom was so kind and let you stay for the night."

Percy blinked, "Wait, don't you want me to stay with you?"

He could physically see her shaking her head, "No. I'd rather you be safe than risk coming home just to keep me company. It's not like I am leaving this hospital anytime soon. So when you leave tomorrow, you better thanks Athena for letting you stay the night, okay Percy?"

Percy sighed. It wasn't like he didn't feel grateful for Athena, giving him a place to stay and rest up for the night before driving back home tomorrow. He even got a five-star meal out of it, so he really should be more thankful. And if he was being honest with himself, he wouldn't trade his sudden sleepover at Annabeth's mansion for anything else in the world.

A particular blonde girl popped into his mind. Percy noticed an unconscious smile on his lips, then quickly shake it away.

"I will, mom. It's not like I don't appreciate Athena for doing all this. Besides, you know they have dozen of chefs that actually cook for them, and I have never had salmon ravioli dinner like tonight."

She laughed at him, "I swear, your head is only filled with food, Percy."

When Percy was still young, he was known as the little snack monster. Because of his obsessive urge to eat more than he could chew, his parents had to hide every single snack they brought home so he couldn't finish them in one go. Percy chuckled at the memories, but that never stopped him from getting his hands on them anyway.

"Oh come on, you know I have a lot more control now," Percy complained.

"Uh-huh… If that's the case, I wonder where that box of chocolate went? The one we put inside the freezer a few days ago?"

Caught red-handed, Percy tried to explain, "That was all Bobby and Matthew. They wanted it, so I got it for them."

It wasn't a lie, except…

"Yeah, and meanwhile, you took half of the box and left the rest for your brothers, isn't that right, Percy?"

That wasn't a lie either. Damn it! How did she know?

"Okay, fine, I get it… You have a point, but like I've said, I've gotten better…"

His mom sighed hopelessly with a mirth tone in her voice, "Oh Percy… Someday you are going to be the death of me."

Percy smiled at her sarcasm, but an abrupt pang stabbing at his heart made that statement rung surprisingly strong through his head. He felt lightheaded and dizzy for a moment.

"In any case, I do hope you are behaving yourself properly, Percy." Sally reminded him, "You are a guest in someone else's home, after all."

Being accused, no matter how much she tried to sugar coat it about his sometimes unruly habits, made Percy blushed. Of course, he was respectful toward everyone he met since he set foot in Annabeth's manor, but that reminder no doubt cause him to doubt a few things.

That sudden dizziness also faded away.

"While I know you'll be a good boy to everyone there, I am more worry what your behavior with such a well-manner lady like Annabeth." She said dryly.

Percy made a different and difficult sound when he choked, "Guh!"

Giving no mind to his embarrassment, Sally continued, "I mean, Annabeth is such a nice girl. She's pretty, smart, and responsible. And you, on the other hand, are already a handful to deal with. I swear… I don't know how Annabeth is putting up with your shenanigans."

For real? Percy thought.

"Please tell me you are not causing troubles for Annabeth, are you?" His mom dared to ask.

"Wow, that's so not fair!"

Percy could almost hear the faint smile on her lips, "Of course I didn't cause any trouble for Annabeth. In fact, she's the one being a pain in my butt since I met her."

That got a chuckling reaction from his mom.

"And you know I won't try anything..." Percy bit his lips, "It's not like we are-"

"Mmm…" It was her only response, which doesn't offer much of anything concrete. Percy's blushes didn't seem to want to go away after reassuring his mom that he wasn't going to do anything improper with Annabeth. He wouldn't dare it.

But I almost kissed her underneath the starry night sky…

Percy shivered wildly and shook that persistent thought away.

"Don't worry, Percy. I know you won't." It was her genuine response when it came to his fast-growing relationship with Annabeth, "Just be careful, okay? I know you like her a lot. Hehe… I guess it's not hard to see why you've fallen for this girl."

"Mom-" Percy whined.

He hated this, "You know you doing this is the only reason why I decide to drive Annabeth home tonight?"

"Sorry," She chuckled, "But I like her, Percy. So if this turned out to be something more, don't worry, you'll have my full support, okay?"

"Okay, now you are just delusional, mom." Percy bit away his awkward smiles, but he couldn't do anything about the blushes painting his cheeks beet red, "I am going to hang up now. Oh! And get some rest."

It's not hard to see her wry smiles when he was rushing to end the call.

"You are the one who called me, silly." She spoke humorously through the earpiece, "Get some rest too, baby. I love you."

"You too, mom." Percy couldn't hang up without that, "Good night."

"Good night, my little sea turtle."

Percy ended the call all too quickly after that. They had been talking for longer than half an hour, which should have automatically put him back into a sleepy slumber, but that wasn't the case. Percy felt wide awake, and he didn't know if he could fall asleep again.

That's what I get for doing so much in one day. My senses are still wide awake…

Maybe taking a stroll around the house would do some good, or at least that's the thought that passed through Percy's head. Am I going to get in trouble though?

Not knowing what to do, Percy was ready to close his eyes for just a little bit when he saw something impossible, a translucent bird shape creature flowing above him.

But no, it wasn't flowing. It was flying in circles above the bed. It captured his attention right away.

"Owlfred?" Percy asked since the striking similarities were beyond a doubt, but there was no reply.

Flapping rapidly with a pair of wings, the small creature seemed to get its shape by many pale light blue neon strings twirling around each other, creating an intricate pattern with crossed shapes and lattices until it formed what looked to be a small little sparrow.

"Okay, not Owlfred…" Percy said to himself, "Oh gosh, are there more AI stuff Annabeth never told me about? But you don't look like an AI though…"

Percy gave the small bird a look, "Hmm… a magical bird, perhaps?" He quickly shook his head, irritated by his own thoughts, "I must be dreaming or something…"

Chirp!

"Okay, now I am just hallucinating." Percy thought he was hearing things, but he wasn't. It was definitely from the translucent magic-like sparrow. Then the elegantly designed creature perched itself on the thin canopy beam above the bed. It chirped again, and it seemed to be staring right at Percy. Percy narrowed his eyes on the bird when it tilted his head a little bit sideways.

"Me? Are you talking to me?" It was nothing he'd ever seen before, yet on some levels not known to him- probably just his sleepy subconscious, Percy felt like it was trying to tell him something.

Chirp-Chirp!

It flew away toward a small desk, jumping on its tiny claws to face him. It felt strangely… real.

Chirp-Chirp!

"You want me to follow you?" Despite being a hollow blue shell, Percy found himself talking to the bird that might or might not even exist.

It flew away again. This time, the bird was flying toward the doorway. Percy got up quickly and slip on the comfy flippers. When he looked up again, the bird was gone.

"Wait, where did you go?"

Again, Percy could still hear it chirping beyond the door. Did the bird just phase through the door or something? How? And why am I chasing a magical bird in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping?

Percy sighed and pushed away how irrational it all seemed. It was something unexplainable and intrinsic, but he only wanted to follow that bird, wherever it might lead.

Making his way to the entrance, Percy slowly pulled the door open and poke his head through, looking for any sign of the creature at both ends of the hallway.

Surely enough, the same bird was waiting for him, perched on a small flower cabinet by the right side of the hallway. The dimly lit lamps lined along the wall above, glowing softly with a yellow warmth was enough to almost melt the bird's translucent shape from his vision.

"Wait, slow down…"

It flew down the hallway again, and Percy reluctantly chased after it.

Where are you taking me?

Percy couldn't believe himself. He was supposed to get rest up for tomorrow's journey back home, but now, he was chasing some magical bird creature around Annabeth's mansion.

Chirp! Chirp… Chirp…

It seemed to be saying "we are almost there" or something like that, but Percy wouldn't believe it. They have been roaming around the endless and massive hallways for more than fifteen minutes. Either he was really hallucinating, or they were lost.

"…." Percy didn't want to speak, not lest to arouse some unsuspected attention from anyone.

Wandering around a huge mansion like this in the middle of the night almost seemed like a horror movie waiting to happen. Percy was content though, perhaps it's because of the warm glow of the house. There were lamps all over the place, lighting up everything so perfectly.

It felt less of a horror movie and more like a late-night, slice-of-life anime, and currently, Percy was the protagonist being led by some fantasy-like bird creature. It's almost like the beginning of some typical reincarnation or Isekai drama.

Sigh… I am losing my mind…

Descending down a couple flights of stairs, Percy hopelessly followed the bird down to the first floor and suddenly, Percy finally felt like something was happening. An uneasy feeling took hold, the atmosphere around him turned thick like a haze. It clouded his mind and dull his senses.

Something is different…

Alarmed, Percy perked up as he turned left around a corner.

Chirp!

And that was the end of his journey. As soon as Percy turned his eyes around the hallway, he spotted someone hunched over. With her long blonde hair cascading down her slender back, the pert young girl seemed to be sneaking stealthily, her face pressed up against what seemed to be a gap in a huge doorway.

Percy realized who she was right away.

A sigh of exasperation left through his lips, though Percy couldn't help but smile.

Wait, you were leading me to Annabeth? Why?

But of course he wouldn't get any answers. He was hallucinating, after all. Meanwhile, the bird made of neon blue strings was still around. Perched on top of her right shoulder, Percy wondered why she didn't take notice of the creature jumping happily on its little claws.

"A-Aa…" Percy was just about to call out to her when…

The bird passed one final glance at him as if it was bidding him farewell. Unfolding his wings, the little sparrow expanded in size and brightness, then seconds later, Percy watched as the neon blue strings holding its shapes weaved itself out of existence until it separated into many dozens of thin lines, flowing off into the air and fading from his sight.

Well… I hope you brought me to where you need me to go. Percy felt a strange sense of pity for the bird who disappeared into thin air.

In any case, since Percy found himself here, he might as well figure out why the strange bird wanted him to meet Annabeth in the middle of an empty hallway. But if there was one thing he figured out, this section of the first floor was a lot more different than the rest of the mansion. Everything might look just the same, yet, there was a presence that put him off, something that he didn't quite like.

He took a few steps forward. Annabeth didn't notice him yet. Her attention was solely focused on what's on the other side of the double door.

Abruptly, Percy halted.

"In any case, we didn't suffer any casualties. Just some minor injuries."

Percy was pretty sure that voice belonged to Athena.

"You have my thanks, Athena. I suspect we cut it very close this time."

Wait a minute… Mom? Percy would recognize her voice anywhere.

"Yes… the invasion force was formidable, but it wasn't anything that we couldn't handle. I am more thankful that they both got here in time. It seemed the fates hadn't abandoned us yet."

"Mmm, yes. I just never suspect the attack would come so soon."

"It surprised me as well. We were lucky to be well prepared for this. How are your injuries?"

"I am fine. His protection charm negated a lot of the damage. I'll recover soon." She continued, "Plus, both our butterfly and old man Chiron are looking over me. I'll be safe. To be honest, she's a brave girl, standing here right now."

"Yes. It's why I've tasked her to look after Annabeth."

Then she said with a deep solemn tone, "You should know, Athena… that bolt was mean to kill."

"I know. I am aware that he aimed right for the gas tank. I suspect the king will have another heated debated with his brother, but with the twelve laws, there will be consequences. I am sure of it."

There was a long pause from the other woman, "Anyway, how are they doing?"

Percy finally recovered his sense. It didn't take much to figure out that the "they" both women were talking about referred to him and Annabeth, yet that just pose more questions than answers. Why in the world did his mother ask Athena about them? Didn't he just have a talk with her earlier? And what was all that secretive talk about?

"… In any case, I won't be surprised if there will be another storm in the coming weeks, so if it's alright with you, I want Percy to stay with us for the majority of his time in school. Do you agree, Sally?"

"Yes. I do agree with you. It's safer for him to be in your care."

Percy shuddered when his mother agreed so easily to something that he couldn't possibly understand at the moment. The uncertainty was making him feel anxious and nervous.

What is really going on?

His focus went back to the girl eavesdropping on the conversation between Athena and Sally. To some degree, Percy really wanted to listen in with Annabeth too, but he didn't like the idea too much. It was a morally wrong thing to do. Aside from that, Percy had a feeling that hearing anymore wouldn't do either one of them any good.

"Ahem… You know it's not nice to listen in on someone's conversation, Annabeth." Percy leaned over slightly so he could whisper above Annabeth.

He never expected that to startle the living soul out of the girl.

"Aahhh!" Her expression remained super frightened, "Eeeek! Percy! You fucking ass!"

Falling backward on her butt, Percy was brought to shock as well as he flinched backward, "Jeez, did I scare you that badly?"

Her gaze dropped below freezing temperatures as she narrowed her grey eyes at him, "Yes! You came out of nowhere! Gosh! You gave me a heart attack, you dummy!"

Relief wouldn't find its way to Annabeth, not until the door to what seemed to be Athena's study suddenly open, revealing the mature woman in her sleepwear, a large silk sheet was overlaying her nightgown underneath. Besides that, Percy didn't have time to look beyond into the room.

"Oh! What are you two doing here this late, huh? Mmm, Annabeth? Percy?"

Startled but in a different sense, Annabeth was caught red-handed, but of course, Percy had to give her props, leaving it to the smartest girl in school to figure out an excuse right on the spot.

"Oh! Hi, mom! We… we a-are just taking a late-night stroll, right Percy?"

Percy was dumbfounded, as his reaction time was just too slow to catch on, "We are?"

Annabeth promptly got off her butt and stood next to him in the next instant. Circling her arms around his, Percy tensed. It wasn't because he could feel the close proximity of her body against him, but it was because Annabeth's got the heel of her right foot stubbornly stepping on his.

Percy grunted out a reply, "Y-Yes… we are just taking a stroll around the mansion, Mrs. Chase. Nothing to worry about at all… Hahaha…"

That was probably more suspicious than it needed to be.

He was completely right. Shit… that angry glare from Annabeth meant that he was going to get another bout of lecture later. Oh well, Percy figured he would have to apologize and deal with the aftermath of scaring Annabeth anyways.

"Mmm…" Athena was studying them, "Well, don't stay up too late."

Annabeth tugged him along to escape, "Right. We'll go back to our rooms now, right Percy?"

"Um-hmm." Percy nodded and his body got dragged along down the hallway.

Just before they were in the clear, Athena called out and startled them.

"Wait,"

We paused at the same time.

Athena turned her suspicious frown upside down. Then in a manner that suggested she wasn't worried about them eavesdropping, she smiled playfully, "Remember, no funny business in my house, okay? And I am talking to you specifically, Annabeth."

That left Annabeth's mouth wide open. She was shocked.

"You know I am not going to do anything to Percy!" Annabeth screamed in deep protest, "Jeez! You are the absolute worse, mom!"

Yet, the display of her pulling him back to their rooms would have no doubt suggest a very wrong idea to anyone else witnessing this.

-Line Break-

Somehow, it was not their rooms that Annabeth ended up taking him back to.

"Where are you taking me?"

Not a word from the girl with blonde hair. The only thing he heard from her was an irritated huff, a heavy stomp, and the hurried footsteps of her dragging him down to the bottom floor. Percy reluctantly followed, otherwise, there was no telling what would happen to his right arm if he put up any resistance.

Percy sighed in exhaustion and also because he was a little annoyed.

From playing chase with one strange bird creature to another, Percy couldn't have imagined his night to end up like this. How he wished to be in his bed once again, going to sleep without a worry in the world… If only he didn't follow his instinct with that weird bird in his hallucination…

"Hey! Slow down…." Percy was stumbling half the time as he got dragged along.

Annabeth didn't listen. But this time, Percy got a weird angle and noticed half of her left face.

It was swollen with puff cheeks, a shade of crimson red like it was burning or she's got a high fever.

Okay… I guess she's embarrassed.

Soon enough, they were passing by the dining room with that fancy chandelier hanging above.

Next, they went straight through the living room that's at least two stories tall. There was a balcony on the second level that overlook the huge space. Fancy huge couches, shelves large enough to put anything you want in, lamps and small tables everywhere you looked, a massive TV hanging on the wall that might as well be a movie screen, underneath that a real fireplace…

Percy wasn't able to get a great look before, but now there was a literal waterfall on the right side of the living room. A line of water streamed from the ceiling elegantly into a small pool on the bottom. It ran so smoothly that it looked almost like a transparent mirror. The whole thing was slightly diagonal to the massive floor-to-ceiling window facing the garden outside, giving it a much more stand-out view.

From the pool where there wasn't a single splash whatsoever, water flowed through narrow channels that seemingly stretch all over the living room area. It created a pattern of something, one that Percy wasn't able to depict because he was literally being drag across the living room floor in a hurry. Lit up by blue lights in the tunnels and protected by thick glass panels above it, the whole design and structure seemed out of this world.

In awe, Percy wouldn't dare to doubt that creating something like this was expensive… but, he was also dumbfounded by whoever the engineering genius that made this whole thing work.

Wait a minute… where did this even come from?! This wasn't here when I was talking with Annabeth and her mom...

"Percy," Annabeth said his name firmly and made a forceful tug.

Snapped back to reality, Percy wasn't even aware of his own daze at the massive spectacle in front of him, "Wait… This wasn't here when we were talking earlier, right? I mean, this is amazing! Who is smart enough to design and made something so beautiful like this?"

Percy almost didn't notice when Annabeth hid her gaze from him, then she continued bringing him out of the living room, abruptly ending his fascination with the waterfall.

"I did, you dummy."

Percy almost fell off his feet, "Wait? You did?!"

Annabeth threw her face completely away from his and tugged harder, forcing his mind away from the matter. Eventually, they ended up in front of a simple sliding doorway. There was nothing else around them except for a few slippers on the side and a dimly lit hallway. The transparent glass panel revealed a patio outside.

"Hey, just a minute, okay? You never told me where you want me to go, wise girl?"

Percy watched as she bit her bottom lips, her cheeks puffed out and an annoyed pout of her face.

"I am not taking another step until you tell me—"

"Gosh, Percy! You are so fucking dense!" Annabeth blurted out with her eyes shut, her face and even neck were fully heated and red, "I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME TO TALK OUTSIDE, OKAY?! Just us together! No one else but the two of us a-alone…"

Her voice trailed off...

Yep! Percy unavoidably got into trouble with Annabeth again. Talking about being a handful to deal with, Percy could only imagine how much of a pain in the butt she would be when he began to hang out with her more and more, but… he didn't think he would mind it, not as long as it was Annabeth who was a pain in his butt. After all, falling in love made all her quirks even more precious to him.

With his hands up in surrender, Percy watched as Annabeth shrunk back and squirmed in front of him with that adorable, deeply embarrassed display. Her fluster reaction unintentionally pulled him in, her beauty and allure just made his heart skipped wildly.

"I- I mean, is that okay with you?" Her shy demeanor quietly mumbled.

Barely able to catch her eyes, Percy finally sighed.

"You could have just told me from the beginning, wise girl."

Percy reached out and grabbed her left hand. He was a bit shy when he did this, and feeling her flinch made him want to let go right away. Luckily, she didn't recoil from him, "I guess we are really taking a late-night stroll."

Percy smiled and led her blushing figure outside.

It was a breath of fresh air, literally.

"Mmm!" Percy stretched his arms behind his back, "Man, I am beat…"

The garden and large courtyard behind the mansion were just as captivating as the front, but what took his breath away was the marble fountain in the middle. It was grand, and so, so pretty…

"Wow," Percy marveled when they walked down from the patio, over the gravel pavement on their fluffy slippers, "This is something else…"

Annabeth made a soft response that didn't sound like anything. The embarrassment from earlier clearly still had much of an effect on her. She was still following behind him down a random path, but it was her utter silences that were slowly killing him.

You were the one who dragged me out here, wise girl…

Percy sighed.

"So, what were you doing before?"

Her body tensed at his question, then she crossed her arms and huffed, "Humph! Nothing at all…"

That doesn't feel like a nothing at all reaction…

"Uh-huh… Seriously though, why would you peek and eavesdrop on your mom?" Percy asked, but it wasn't like he was that interested. He only wanted to break the ice around them.

It didn't work.

"I say nothing at all, Percy!" Annabeth shouted, her typical tsundere reaction whenever she got angry at him for something, "Don't make me hit you."

Percy sighed again. Maybe a direct approach would work better…

"Fine." Percy held his hands up, "Well, you dragged me out here, so what now?"

Blushes followed soon after, it seemed like Annabeth wasn't expecting him back off so quickly. She was somehow reeling with that simple question.

Instead of crossing her arms in front of her chest, Annabeth held them out front and held her wrists. The way she stammered and squirmed on the spot, her slender shoulders moving back and forth uncertainly, it was a rather cute display.

Nope! Snap out of it… Don't you dare think about Annabeth that way, Percy!

In the end, he had to take the initiative.

"Look, I don't mind taking a walk with you." Percy said honestly, "So I'll really appreciate it if you stop acting like that, okay?"
Annabeth blushed right away, then did that signature eye roll at him, "Idiot…"

Teasing her back, Percy shook his head in mocking despair.

"Fine… Come on, I want to show you something." This time, she took his right hand and led him down a specific path. The night sky above them was as calm as the mellow feelings that's slowly enveloping their hearts, and little did they know, their rhythms were gradually coming together as one.

It's been quite a few minutes of endless quietness, but the long walk around the many flower gardens and courtyards provided a rare peace for them. More or less observing the scenery around, Percy felt ease that he would never be able to get back home.

Then suddenly, the quietness broke.

"Percy, can I asked you something?"

A soft breeze blew over them, her long silky hair flew behind her back. A pair of grey eyes faced forward without any huge contact with his. Meanwhile, small sandy gravel stuck underneath their feet and between their toes as they walk further and further away from the mansion.

Percy smiled, "You already did, wise girl…"

That exasperated head roll made him smirk, "Jesus… I didn't know you could get this annoying, Percy."

They were both walking very slowly. Annabeth was in no mood to rush anymore. Heading down a long path with some stairs extending over the horizon, Percy was thoroughly enjoying this late-night stroll with Annabeth. Somehow, she took away all of his sleepiness.

"Anyway, I want to know…" Annabeth paused, "… about your father. I mean, Paul is your step-dad, isn't he?"

Percy was taken back, but he wasn't too shocked. Annabeth was smart, after all. It wouldn't be that far-fetch for her to figure out when they have different last names.

"Yeah," His smile faded.

She picked up on his expression right away, "But you don't have to tell me anything if you are uncomfortable. It's just… I am curious, that's all."

Percy sighed, "It's fine. I mean, there's not much of a story to tell anyway. My dad, or my biological one, left when I was really young. My mom never told me why, just that he couldn't stay. I guess I do feel a little bit abandon, but it's been so long already. I don't even remember what he looks like or his voice anymore."

Annabeth watched him closely.

"Then my mom met Paul. He was my teacher in elementary and middle school, and the next thing I know, they fell in love. At first, I really didn't like the idea of her remarriage. I was seven, I believed. But it happened anyway. The rest that happened afterward… Well, let's just say I've gotten used to it."

His reveal left Annabeth deep in thought, but that didn't stop them from moving forward, the horizon was only a few yards away and they were coming closer to the gentle soundings waves crashing slowly to shore.

"So, why did you want to know?"

Her response wasn't one he was expecting and threw him off guard.

"My father die when I was very young."

Percy almost halted in his steps.

"I was maybe five years old. He was in the military, the type of soldiers who had to fight on the frontlines and be treated like they were dispensable. Anyway, it was my birthday that day when he was deployed and had to leave early in the middle of the night before we were supposed to celebrate. He never came back."

Percy couldn't speak.

"It's not like I blame him for leaving and all that stuff. I've gotten old enough to know that, but the part of him that's missing since then… I guess that's why I asked you about your father, you know?"

Annabeth bit her lip and look at him, but her gaze was dull and lost its usual shine, "It's silly, and I am sorry for bringing up bad memories all of a sudden, Percy…"

But even when Percy did manage to speak, it ended up with him not knowing what to say.

"Annabeth, I'm…"

"It's okay…" Annabeth reassured him, yet he saw real tears through those eyes, "I am fine. It's been so many years, and not like I could do anything about that, right?"

With something like this, Percy wasn't sure how to respond.

"I guess we both got abandon by our fathers, huh?" Her tone didn't sound very reassuring to Percy, but he was at a loss at what to say.

Just then, they reached their destination. It was the beach front Annabeth was bringing him to. The brief look he'd gotten on her balcony did no justice to how stunning it was in person. The white sandy shore and the reflective surface of the ocean beyond where stars flickered and wavering on the smooth waves. It was as breathtaking as he imagined.

"Well, let's go. I want to sit for a bit."

Before Annabeth could step down the stairs, Percy grabbed her back.

"Wait…"

Annabeth took on a befuddled look, "Percy?"

He gulped as the words came out of his mouth, "I don't think we were abandoned by our fathers. Sure, they left us. But I want to believe that my father loved me in his own way. I am sure your father loved you too, more than you could have ever known."

For a moment, the stars above shone even brighter in Annabeth's grey eye and their gaze locked. Every single thought left his head. His lips parted and a breath of night air escaped him, both of them unwavering with an intensity that grew like fireworks.

"A-Annabeth-"

Then something happened before he knew it.

Mechanically with a bit of awkward fumbling, Annabeth took a small grip on the waist of his shirt, pulling herself closer until she was able to lean up to his face. Her lips planted a very soft, very brief kiss on his left cheek, "Thanks, Percy."

Annabeth quickly turned away from him after that, but she had already fried his brain for good. Left dazed, Percy's mind was in such a blank state that he didn't even register when Annabeth gingerly took his hand and brought him down to the beach with her.

A scenery reminiscent of a fantasy-like world he would never forget, Percy sat on the edge of the soft waves, Annabeth by his side. They talked about everything and nothing. Their past, their present, their dreams and future… No topic was out of reach, and nothing was too embarrassing that they don't want to share anymore.

"So you are pretty much a delinquent and the jokes of your previous school, huh?" Her pretty smile glow like a firefly, she pulled her knees up to her chest and tilted her cute gaze sideways at him.

"What do you mean?" Percy smirked, "I still am."

That earned an affectionate chuckle from Annabeth. Her eyes closed and she laughed so carefree and genuinely it brought Percy to his knees. Of course, his legs were actually stretched out over the sand, soft waves almost soaking his feet. With a light bump on his shoulder from the girl beside him, Percy shared her amusement with chuckles of his own.

"Yeah, you are right." Her laughs ebbed very slowly, that radiating happiness made him tingle.

Percy couldn't pull his eyes away afterward.

Breathtakingly beautiful… That's the only word to describe her.

It was such a cliché line, but Percy honestly couldn't think of a better way to say it. He chuckled, now realizing how right Annabeth was about his way with words.

Smiles on his face grew as he watched her with every bit of his attention.

Dressed in a simple nightgown of navy blue, her fair skin exposed through her arms and a tiny part of her legs melted right into the white sandy beach. The dazzling glow of her long blonde hair swaying in the wind, each wavy strands shimmering with the silver glow of the moon. The way her mesmerizing smile stopped his heart every single time he saw it.

Percy never thought it would happen to him, but if a fantasy-like realm exist, this moment would be one of them.

Sitting on the beach in the middle of the night, sharing stories and making fun of each other, Percy didn't want this romantic evening of theirs to end. He wanted it to continue, and maybe even to pick up from where they left off.

Ever since she kissed him on the cheek with such abruptness, Percy would find himself thinking back to their moment on the balcony. It was driving him mildly mad because hiding underneath his beating heart, his secret desire, Percy really wanted to keep going.

And now, everything was coming together again. Annabeth had taken all of his attention, but he was at a loss for what to do this time around.

"You are so beautiful…"

Words slipped out and Percy only noticed he was staring at Annabeth when he heard those words through his own ears.

Wait, what the hell did I just say?

His confession came out so abruptly, Annabeth was at a loss too. She turned to him with a dumbfounded expression. Accidentally sharing his inner thoughts, Percy blenched in utter terror. I am so screwed…

"I- I mean, of course you are a very beautiful girl. Actually, you are more than just beautiful, you know? I am sure any guy would be lucky to be your b-boyfriend—Ahh! I mean, that wasn't me trying to- I didn't mean it in that way! I wasn't- I wasn't trying to hit on you or anything like that!"

If he was trying to apologize, he was doing a terrible job.

Causing more misunderstanding than he was trying to solve, Percy blurted out hastily, "I mean, if a guy gets to date someone as beautiful as you, he'll probably be very happy, you know? Hypothetically, of course…"

Lame… that was so lame… Percy thought as he brushed his hair nervously.

Surely, it won't take long before that tsundere blushing reaction put him in Annabeth's crosshair. Percy tensed, ready to flinch when she would eventually smack him in anger. After a minute though, Percy found himself strangely in the same place.

In a surprising twist, Annabeth didn't attack him.

"Huh?" Percy opened his eyes to take a glance.

It was then Percy noticed an amusing smile on Annabeth's lips as she stared at him with a lively grin.

"You can compliment me, Percy." Annabeth's voice was full of mirth and sly giggles when she caught his hesitant gaze. She was totally making fun of him for blurting something like that out loud and out of nowhere.

It didn't take long for her giggles to settle in, and in succession, Percy felt so humiliated it wouldn't be out of the question to dig a new hole in the sand and hide inside forever. His face and body were completely red all over.

"You are making fun of me…"

Annabeth bit her grin away, "No, I am not Percy…"

It was a lie. There was no way she would ever let him off the hook for something so embarrassing. But at the very, very least, Annabeth didn't seem to dislike his sudden outburst. If anything, she seemed-

"Oh my God…" Percy couldn't take it anymore and had to cover his entire face with both hands, "I can't believe I just- I actually said that to a girl…"

That brought forth a not-so-subtle snicker from Annabeth.

"Okay, maybe you could have stick that landing a little bit better, Percy…" Annabeth laughed and even did her best to suppress her mirth giggles to protect his feelings, "But it's still nice to hear it,"

Percy didn't want to look at Annabeth anymore.

"Especially coming from you…"

That sparked something in him.

Pulled by an invisible string, he looked up and met her gaze without taking his eyes away.

And like the gravity of the revolving moon pulling on the ocean waves, her lively smirk ignited his very soul on fireworks, "Say, Percy?"

Playful with her gaze, that curious smirk captured and put him under a spell.

"Let's say there is a guy I like a lot… hypothetically speaking of course, but he's too dumb to notice that I like him, what do you think I should do?"

A dumb smile…

Percy was speechless, yet his mouth opened and words flow through perfectly.

"Let me guess, is he as clueless as he seems?"

"Yeah, he's a total idiot."

Percy chuckled, "Sounds rough…"

"Like you wouldn't know… He's rash, impulsive, does things the way he want without any input from me, a total dork and a nerd when it comes to anime and light novels, but when it came to school, he sleeps through it like a breeze. No matter how hard I try to tutor him, his head is still filled with seaweed."

"Ohh?" Percy passed his amusement, "So why do you like him so much, hypothetically speaking?"

Annabeth looked away far into the sea, "To be honest, I didn't at first. I knew right away that he was going to be a pain in my butt and I am going to get thoroughly annoyed with him."

A short smile as she continued, "But in the first week since I met him, I came to realize that he was actually a nice person. He's dependable when I needed him, a bit overprotective and caring when it came to me, all of his stupid jokes started to grow on me, and he's sweet when I am feeling sad or angry, always trying his best to cheer me up."

"That's why I start liking him." She said.

Playing with the sand with her index fingers, Annabeth hugged her knees closer to her chest, "And it's why I am so frustrated that he doesn't seem to notice my feelings."

A wild gulped passed through his throat, "Well, maybe he secretly likes you back, but he's just too afraid to say it."

Annabeth was silent.

"Maybe he's afraid of admitting his feelings because it would change everything…"

"Is that a bad thing?" She asked him.

Being honest, Percy said, "No, I don't think so. I think he's just being stupid and should just take that leap of faith with you."

"Mmm." A faint smile appeared on her lips.

Percy brought his face forward toward the ocean too.

"So, hypothetically speaking… If that boy was here right now, do you think you would mind if he took that leap of faith now?"

Annabeth shrugged, "I don't know… He did leave me hanging once already…"

That playful smirk returned.

Ouch!

"But no, I don't think I would mind if he decided to pick up from where we left off." Her hopeful smile gave him the confidence he didn't have before, "After all, I don't think he will ever take that leap again if I don't give him some huge hint."

That made Percy scooched closer. The sand underneath him moved.

"What if he is ready to take that leap now?"

He pressed closer.

"I think I'll be really happy." Her body automatically shifted toward him, "I mean, it seemed like he has finally noticed my feelings for him."

Face to face, they both boarded a one-way ticket train together.

"I think he noticed too."

Drawing near like magnets, affectionate gazes uninhibited, lips slowly parted, Percy spoke softly, "And I think he's falling in love with you, Annabeth."

Dreamy eyes reflected back to his, "Me too."

His fingers gently brushed on her chin, slowly as he tilted her toward him, "I am falling in love with him too…"

Inches apart…

"Can he kiss you?"

She tilted her head and smiled.

"Yes," Her slow breath tingled his lips as she closed her eyes, "Because I want to kiss that seaweed brain sitting right next to me too."

Percy smiled before he closed his eyes too.

And with their feelings laid out bare, he shared his first kiss with Annabeth underneath a starry night.

It was unbelievable.

It was also his first kiss, and it wasn't something that Percy had ever prepared for. The softness of her lips when she kissed him back made his heart flutter like a butterfly. He kissed her more.

It was rather slow and timid, but the longing desire in his heart was finally satisfied.

Soon, they were drowning. Neither of them knew who draw away first, perhaps both at the same time, but when he was pulling away, Percy felt that longing desire once again.

They kissed for a second time, feelings growing out of control.

And when they were finally able to pull away, her heated gaze was locked with his lip below. Dreamy and dazed, he stared back at her just the same until both their gaze met in one heartbeat. Nothing was being said, but they knew exactly what each other were saying.

"I—" Annabeth began.

WOOF!

Without warning, an abrupt pounce and tackle soon toppled over Annabeth and made her stumbled forward. It was Leo, her golden retriever puppy.

As far as his timing goes, it was absolutely perfect. Percy didn't even mind the interruption, laughs just broke out of him as naturally as the way Leo clung to Annabeth's back with both paws.

"Oww! Leo!" Annabeth was laughing in hysteria, "Aahhh! You are such a bad boy! Get over here!"

A reverse tackle, Annabeth brought her large golden retriever puppy around and pin him down on his back. She began to tickle the living hell out of her puppy while giving him a belly rub at the same time.

"You ruin everything, you goofball."

Amid his laughers, Percy decided to tilt closer to Annabeth before she was aware of his intention, "Well, I wouldn't say he ruined everything."

As expected, Annabeth turned to him, and Percy took that opportunity to kiss her again.

Sharing their third kiss, Annabeth responded in kind after the brief shock he gave her. Both of them were unaware of Leo watching them kiss with a curious gaze. Soon, Percy slowly pulled away from Annabeth and watched as her soft lips formed a lovely smile, melting his heart.

"I am falling so hard for you, Percy…"