Interlude III [Percy's perspective]
You could just say we really like each other.
When that thought went through his head, he tried not to look annoyed yet his nose and eyebrows contorted to express his discomfort. He made a face despite trying desperately not to move a muscle.
Crap.
Unconsciously, he had been awake fifteen minutes ago.
Like a complete idiot, he decided to listen to their conversation instead of getting up. It was a stupid move, one that brought him in an awkward position. He couldn't pretend to stay asleep anymore, but at the same time, the two girls would realize he had been awake this whole time if he moved so much as an inch.
What's worse, he had been holding back an urge down his lower half for the last ten minutes. The agony was getting almost too much that he might burst.
Because of it, his left leg twitched on instinct. The sensation was surprisingly painful and he prayed with all his heart they didn't notice. Of course, he also wanted them to leave so he'd be spare of any retaliation.
Gods knew how unpleasant it was to be on Annabeth's bad side, and that's not to mention Thalia who looked the type to do a lot worse.
"Hey, do you think…"
Since his eyes had to be close, that cut-off made him a little nervous. It wasn't a good sign, and his fear combined with the urge building up like a valve about to burst grew increasingly deadly.
I don't think I can…
"Did you see that?"
"Huh?"
Their voices stopped then and the figures besides his bed stay half-frozen. He didn't feel them move which made it very difficult to contain his own movements.
"N-Nooo way." The soft angel-like voice of the elegant princess stuttered in horror, "You were awake this whole time, Percy?"
Caught red-handed, Percy resigned to his fate and open his eyes gingerly. The first person to meet his gaze was a pair of grey ones. It was mixed with dozens of confused and hostile emotions.
"Ahaha… H-Heyyy wise girl." Percy smiled awkwardly at Annabeth's reaction. He nudged himself up and shifted back just in case, "Don't be mad, but I didn't mean to listen, so please..."
Sitting on a powder keg and waiting helplessly for her fuse to lit, there was no chance he could escape now. Running away to the bathroom would be an option, but there was no way to predict what she might do then. Plus, he wasn't ready to wet himself in front of two girls.
Mumbling like a broken record, her voice grew dangerously silent like a praetor stalking its prey. When she finally spoke, her words were accompanied by stark menace. Annabeth became a completely different character altogether, "G-Get out…"
Percy shivered and thought he'd been spared, but then Annabeth lunged for him and grabbed the pillow behind his back. He fell over back on the bed, then waited for the inevitable.
"Ow! Oww! Hey! What's the big deal?!"
"Get out! Get out! Get OUT!"
Percy was surprised. Instead of him, Thalia was laughing like a maniac as the pillow smacked into her repeatedly, accompanied by muffled sounds and screams. The girl threw her hands up to defend the oncoming assault.
"Okay! Okay! I can take a hint." She gave in and stood up from Annabeth's attack range, a wry smile decorated her face as she took her leave, "Enjoy smooching with your boyfriend without me here."
The pillow flew across his room. Thalia ducked easily while giggling at the same time, then she slipped out before another one flew with precision and met the door with a soft puff.
"Don't get too heated, you two." Her reminder dripped with sarcasm.
When all it's said and done, Percy settled back on the bed with Annabeth looking rather sulk and deeply flushed. She was in a bad mood, but something else was hidden beneath her display.
"Wise girl…?"
Afraid he would step on a spontaneous landmine, Percy timidly reached out and got tackled instead. His body flew backward and he landed with his arms behind to prop himself up.
The unexpectedness of it was drowned out by the sudden weeping of a vulnerable girl buried in his chest. It didn't just take Percy by surprise, his breath was completely taken from him. The pressure on his chest tightened to an uncomfortable degree.
"Annabeth…" Percy called out.
The girl shook her head against his chest and threw her arm around his body in a tight hug. When she was able to speak, her words were overlapped with sadness. She called his name, again, again, and again for what seemed like an eternity, like an angle in despair clinging onto her last hope.
The sight eased Percy, but it also pained him. He reached around and hug her back, brushing his hands up and down her back to calm his princess.
"Perccyyy…." She croaked and cried harder.
Hearing his name had never brought more joy and heartache. He made soothing sounds above her as if cradling a fragile baby.
Soon, the crying ebbed.
….
….
….
From the depths of his bathroom, a thoroughly relieved Percy walked out and came face to face with a pouting Annabeth. She had been waiting right in front of the door.
"Eeekk… W-What are you doing wise girl?"
She pouted, "You were gone when I open my eyes, Percy. Don't scare me like that again."
"But I was only in the bathroom…"
Despite his protest, Annabeth tugged him closer by the hem of his shirt and brought her head against his chest. They stood in place for a moment. Her warmth made him tingle.
"Anyway, just don't leave me again without saying anything, okay?" She mumbled into his shirt. Her quivering voice was seeking something out of reach. Percy knew what she wanted though.
He slowly put his hands on her waist and held her close, "Okay. I promise."
Just half an hour ago, Annabeth cried until her inevitable exhaustion, and given vague details during her sobs, Percy realized he's been out for five days now. He must have worried so many people, especially his mom; what Sally wouldn't do to him if she ever found out how he came to be hurt and knocked unconscious. There was a lot of explaining to do.
There was also a lot of apologizing he'd have to do too, but of course, he was going to settle his princess first before anyone else. That's his first priority.
"But still, you could have just waited for me if you know I was in the bathroom, wise girl." He ran his right hand through his messy hair. Trying to reassure his princess didn't lessen the awkwardness which made his words come across as a stupid joke. He felt an annoyed pout on her face as Annabeth pressed herself closer against his chest.
Maybe she wanted to shake her head in protest, but it seemed like what she did make her feel awkward too. Not saying a word, she pulled away and abruptly grab his hand.
In next to no time at all, a flustered Annabeth took him to his bed and gestured timidly for him to lay down. He fell his legs turned to jelly at her bashful demeanor.
Doing as he was told, Percy stretched out and relaxed. Despite waking up after five long days, he was still as tired as a hibernating bear. If anything, another long rest would do him some good.
"... Percyy?" Annabeth called out sheepishly, "Can you look away for a moment?"
"Huh? Uhh okay?"
When he looked away from Annabeth's direction, a sigh of composure and also nervousness escapes her lips. Percy swallowed hard. His imagination ran wild, then he felt another weight on his bed.
Even though he promised to look away, Percy couldn't help but tilted back and took a peek.
In an adorable and almost too innocent way, Annabeth climbed in with him too. She snuggled against him from behind his back, the blood in her veins particularly running on overflow and made her body heating up quite red as a result.
Percy gulped, and this time, he wasn't able to look away.
"Don't stare!" Annabeth hid into his shirt, "Don't you know that's rude…"
That gulp wasn't able to get past his throat, "…. ahem, sorry."
Hurriedly pulling his reluctant eyes away, he drifted toward the canopy above them. There wasn't much he could do except to be Annabeth's snuggling teddy bear. Finally, he heard her whisper as soft as a kitten's purr.
"Okay. You can turn around now."
Excited wouldn't be the least of his problem. In all honesty, Percy didn't know if he could control himself if he turned around and faced Annabeth right now. The warmth of her body, the sweet fragrance of her hair, the smoothness of her creamy skin… Percy felt reality was slipping away all too easily.
When he turned around, he found Annabeth waiting for him with a barely composed expression. It was so cute that his own heart couldn't stop racing.
Lying in bed with his princess, they were the only two in his room yet it felt like the heat was turned on at maximum. An intense and enveloping intimacy grew like a firework show during a festival. It consumed Percy to a point where he wanted to do something forbidden.
Annabeth cuddled further into his body, either out of embarrassment or perhaps something that was consuming her as well. Percy couldn't react, not lest to pretend himself from doing anything rash.
When it felt like everything might boil over, Annabeth spoke up apprehensively and what she said defused the burning desire in his heart. Ultimately, he was glad but felt disappointed all the same.
"Tell me what happened."
Her whispers brought his compulsion back under control. It was then Percy revealed what had happened, how he got hurt in the first place and everything he remembered since then. Annabeth listened intently, her expression unchanging as he told her about the mysterious figure walking around school wearing the same style cloak as Clarisse did that night.
During that time, Percy thought it wouldn't be too dangerous to follow him, and despite leading him to a secluded corner of the school, Percy decided to follow further into a small abandoned hallway which was a dead end. When he investigated where the mysterious cloak person disappeared off to, that's when projectiles flew from his left and right side.
He caught the first two in some innate flash in his muscles, using those blades to successfully deflect the second dagger on his right side, but his left hand couldn't catch up to deflect the one on his left in time, and that's how he ended up with the dagger stuck in his left abdomen.
After his explanation, Percy was befuddled to find Annabeth's fingers underneath his shirt. She was tracing the area where the dagger was stuck inside him. Percy hadn't seen it himself, but as she touched him, her fingers wandering absentmindedly, brilliant sparks set his nerves on fire.
For a moment, that's all they were doing.
Basking in their helplessness, Annabeth eventually filled him in as well. Everything he missed, she told him every little detail without holding back.
When he was all caught up, a feeling he couldn't describe surfaced from his chest and something warm rose from his throat. He didn't know how to say it, but because of his carelessness, he put people he cared about in danger. Most of all, he put Annabeth in harm's way, and that alone was already too grave of a mistake to repeat again.
Frankly, Percy didn't know what he would do if she had gotten hurt. As if reading his thoughts, Annabeth whispered, "Starting next week, I am going to Camp Half-Blood to get properly trained on self-defense. I think what happened at school spooked my mother quite a bit."
Percy smiled, "It's about time… I was going to ask her if she wasn't going to say anything. I have to get stronger if I want to protect you instead of relying on Thalia and Jason all the time."
Annabeth flashed the same smile back, "Me too. I promise I'll protect you too, remember?"
Percy nodded as Annabeth caught his gaze. Holding her grey eyes as breathtaking as a blanket of gentle white snowfall, Percy felt a sudden urge to kiss her. Annabeth looked at him longingly, as if daring him to take the first step.
Finally, he couldn't handle his desire anymore. Annabeth looked at him still, her soft pink lips parted slightly, those eyes turned to him with her own hidden desire. It took a lot to contain his excitement from bubbling over the lid as he leaned down and captured her lips. It happened slowly, but his bashfulness made him rush a bit.
Their lips met passionately.
In the next moment, Percy felt her small hand run down from his chest to his abdomen. It ignited him on fire as Annabeth kissed him back lovingly. A short moment of intimacy turned into an urgency that neither of them could stop.
It didn't take long before he was out of breath, and many seconds later, he had to pull away. When he looked at Annabeth again, he was pretty sure heaven found a place on earth.
"You are so beautiful." Percy heard himself whisper.
Her petite figure squirmed at his confession, which just added to her adorableness. Blushing red, Percy didn't push his luck and just enjoyed her company after their little make-out session.
Minutes passed, their cuddles were getting more and more comfortable.
"So, what was that thing I heard earlier?"
Percy chuckled when her puffy cherubic face dropped at his question. A mischievous smirk moved across his face; yes, he didn't forget about what the daughter of Zeus said when she was here.
Hmm… A real date huh?
"Something about- Guhh!"
Annabeth smacked him in his chest hard, then she held him tight until she was basically invisible- in order words, she was so embarrassed that she buried her entire nimble figure into his body and refused to let go.
The sight brought so much joy to Percy that laughs just automatically came through.
"Don't laugh!" Annabeth cried out with beet red cheeks.
Throwing her head up to glare, her protest just made it so much more endearing. Percy grinned, his lips were upturned with a lopsided smile.
"Well, I guess we'll be pretty busy in the next few days, so a rain check?"
Annabeth pouted and laid down beside him once more.
"I guess so."
Feeling her disappointment, Percy reached behind and pull her close. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead and saw her brighten up immediately.
"Don't worry. Your seaweed brain will say yes to anything you've planned, wise girl."
Her mood had gotten so much better from just that brief kiss. Percy smiled, now thinking of ways to steal more kisses from his princess when she's least expecting it.
She looked at him with a happy smile, "You better, I work really hard on it."
Percy brought her closer in response and helped bring the sheet over them. Not bothering to ask if it was alright, Annabeth didn't complain so he wasn't going to ruin it.
"Are you tired?"
Before long, they've spent the last hour talking and cuddling. It was nighttime when he woke up, and now the moon was high above the skies. It was clear after midnight.
"A little…" The heaviness of her eyelids gave her lie away. She was exhausted and sleepy, and who could blame her when she had such a full day.
Percy put his arms around her, "You should get some sleep, wise girl."
"Mmm…"
Percy watched as she closed her eyes and relaxed into his arms. The peacefulness of her features when she eased her mind made his heart scream and lull him to sleep at the same time. He watched as her breathing evened out, the dreamy smile on her lips plastered wide.
"Do you remember that night when you kiss me for the first time?"
Percy was halfway asleep himself, but her quiet voice brought that memory back to the surface. It was the day he had fallen heads over heels for the girl he meet under the most unlikely circumstances.
"Yeah… I remember."
"Can you still see the stars dancing above us?"
Her warm and steady breath tickled him in the best way possible. It put him quickly to sleep than he already was.
"Yeah. I see them…"
Annabeth's lips curled into a small smile against his chest.
"Me too."
