Chapter 12: You Are My Hope

Annabeth

There was a soft knock.

"Come in,"

The doorknob turned and slowly pushed open to leave a tiny gap.

"Stella, why did you come back? Didn't you say you have to help Percy? Is he okay-yy…?"

But it wasn't Stella. The person at her doorway and asking for permission to come in was a boy with messy onyx hair. He peered behind the gap to her room and found her instantaneously.

"Hey Annabeth,"

"Oh!" Annabeth fidgeted nervously, "Hey Percy,"

Annabeth didn't understand why her first instinct was to pull the blankets and hide her face up until her nose.

She passed him a look, "You are okay?"

"Hmm-hum." Percy nodded, "More importantly, are you okay?"

Annabeth's cheeks went bright red and hot, her words stammered, "I- I am fine… Stella helped me get better. S…She also wrapped a bandage on my shoulder and s-said I shouldn't move around until tomorrow morning, so…"

"Good, I am glad."

Yet, Percy stood by the entrance to her room without giving any intention of coming inside, though his eyes wandered seemingly at every interesting thing.

Annabeth felt self-conscious.

"How are you feeling, Percy?" Her timid voice sounded so bubbly.

Gosh! Why are you acting like this? Stop fretting so much! It's just Percy!

Percy's gaze went back to her and a surreal sense of calmness settled over her body. It was that easy to feel relaxed when they caught each other. It's simply magical, at least to her.

"I am fine. Illy— a girl maid who specialized in healing with nectar helped dress my wounds, and most of it is healed already. See? I am as good as new."

Percy took his first step and gestured at his arms, not a single scar was left from his wounds, much less a scratch.

Relief alleviated her tightly squeeze chest with his reassurance. Annabeth was glad that they were both okay, but why did Percy pause so suddenly?

"Hmm…"

Curiously, Annabeth hummed and narrowed her looks at her seaweed brain. Perhaps he didn't notice her silent question, or maybe he was purposefully avoiding her direction. Either way, Annabeth decided to let it go.

Instead, Annabeth tried to sit up despite her numb and weak state.

"Percy," She wanted him to come closer.

Much to her genius brilliance as the only daughter of the Goddess of wisdom, Percy reacted exactly as she expected. Rushing to her at the speed of light, he looked so worried for her sake that it was just so much like him. It's cute.

"Whoa, hey! Take it easy, wise girl…" Forget about being respectful of a girl's privacy, Percy immediately came over to her aid, doing so while ignoring and passing over an embarrassing pile of clothes on her carpet, and gently pushed her back down on her bed, "Stella told you not to move, didn't she?"

That worked better than I expected! Annabeth smiled to herself.

"Yeah, but laying still made me so stiff. I just want to move around a bit." She lied.

"Yeah, no… Don't kid yourself. I am not going to let you leave this bed tonight."

Annabeth shot her boyfriend a weird look.

"Uhhh…"

Horrified as his own words sank in, firm determination dropped off his face. It took no time before Percy realized what he said. His face now flushed and steaming red, rushed stuttering began to flow out of his mouth with his characteristic nervous rambling.

Annabeth's lips twirled.

"D-Don't get the wrong idea…. I didn't mean it like that, wise girl!"

Annabeth watched silently with a big smile on her face.

Percy turned away embarrassed, "Please don't look at me like that either. I just slip up, plus, we aren't even at that point yet…" He mumbled out that last part, "I mean, I… I don't want to…."

"Hehehe… You are still such a dummy, Percy."

"Great… I am never going to live this down, am I?"

"Nope." Annabeth pretty much giggled, "Don't worry, I won't be too mean."

Percy sighed depressively because he knew it was a lie. Annabeth showed nothing but a shit-eating grin and reached out to touch his hand, "Plus, you like it when I tease you, seaweed brain."

"Naw-ah, absolutely not." Percy shivered, "Well fine, I guess I'll just have to repay the favor then."

"Hey! That's cheating! Only I get to tease you!"

Percy shook his head, "You are so unfair sometimes, you know that? And since when?"

"Since forever…" Annabeth gloated and puffed out her cheeks.

Percy sighed, "Now who's the hopeless and childish one?"

Annabeth pouted back. It was so unfair, but Percy had a point. She was being strangely childish with him right now. Hmm? Why is she doing that? Perhaps—

"Anyway, stop standing over my bed, Percy. It's creepy being looked down like that."

Suddenly blushing for no reason whatsoever, Annabeth moved to cover herself again. She passed a shy glance at him, and as expected, her reaction was a wombo combo too deadly for her seaweed brain. A long-lasting fluster grew visible on his entire face, and just like earlier, he fell victim to her utterly unfair cuteness.

"Sorry! I'll leave you then." He hurriedly looked away and turned back.

What a hopeless idiot…

"Wait," Annabeth reached out to grab his hand and pulled him back, "Gosh, you are so hopeless. Do you really need me to spell it out for you?"

"Well, I don't think I have enough skill points for mind-reading capabilities yet, so preferably, yes?"

"Smart-ass…" she couldn't help but laugh to herself.

When Annabeth was sure he wouldn't run away, she let him go and gently pat the empty space on her bed. It was not as huge as the one back at the mansion, but for two people, it's still plenty enough.

Annabeth turned sharply to hide before mumbling, "Does that answer your question, dummy?"

She heard a heavy gulp behind her, though pretty sure she was just imagining it.

"O-Only for a little bit, I guess."

The right side of her bed sank in from the added weight, but the mattress was firm enough that she wouldn't start rolling over to his side. Annabeth was disappointed, and now she had to come up with some other convoluted method to achieve her ultimate goal.

Sighing internally, it seemed like another awkward and embarrassing ordeal was waiting for her.

"So…" Percy didn't seem eager to sit further in, choosing the edge as his favorite spot instead. Annabeth groaned in exasperation.

"You are going to fall sitting so close to the edge, Percy."

Annabeth didn't dare to look around, but her right hand was sneaking silently toward his. Once she found his warmth, she held him close without looking back.

Finally, her seaweed brain got it. Percy moved to sit closer, but something about him was different. She could almost see a smirk despite looking away.

"I mean, you could just say it, you know?" He teased, "It's not like you haven't forced me to sleep with you before."

"Jerk." Annabeth's heart pounded harder and faster.

Uh-oh… Why? Why am I so flustered? We aren't about to… Right?

It eased her mind when Percy didn't fidget in her grasp, nor at her offer, but the next moment of silence grew increasingly awkward, "Annabeth… Can I see it?"

And just like that, the awkwardness went poof in thin air, replaced by a moment of disbelief that made Annabeth flip over to her right side abruptly. She gave him an icy stare colder than arctic freeze and held his clueless and dumbfounded look in contempt, "H-Huh!?"

As clueless as he was a seaweed brain, Percy stared back confusedly until he realized another slip-up on his part, "Oh my God! No! Of course not! You misunderstand! I wasn't talking about anything besides your shoulder! Ahhh— I didn't mean it like that either… Not that way, not that way at all! I was talking about your wound!"

Annabeth relaxed, but that cold glare never left her eyes, "You are lucky I couldn't smack you."

Somehow and somewhere along the night, Annabeth was perfectly comfortable as she snuggled up to his warmth, the close proximity was so welcoming and peaceful that she never wanted to leave his side for eternity.

"We got very lucky…"

It was after conducting his own exam; Annabeth was never brave enough to show her bare skin to anyone, but with Percy, it had a different effect because he wasn't looking with eyes that hid his true intention. Still, blushes surfaced when she slipped the t-shirt over her left shoulder, revealing her bandaged wound along with a bit of her collarbone. Percy wasn't a doctor by any means, but just seeing her healed was a relief on its own. Even more, he carefully laid her back down to avoid hurting her. That gesture alone melted Annabeth's entire being, he was showing a kind of affection for her he would never show anyone else.

"Yeah," She whispered, "But we survived, all thanks to you."

Tingles rolled across her body, Annabeth sighed as Percy wrapped his right arm around her. It was a small little motion, but it made her feel safe. His heartbeat echoed steadily as she laid her head on his chest, the calming sensation eased her beyond contentment. Every moment they get to spend like this was bliss, Annabeth wouldn't trade it for any treasure in the world.

"Do you remember what happened?"

Annabeth shook her head, "No. It's very hazy. I only remember the last bit when he crashed through the building, but after that…"

Percy echoed her with a soft hum.

"But to be honest, I don't want to know."

"Why?" Percy turned to her and looked puzzled.

Annabeth smiled because the answer was so clear to her.

"Because you saved me, and that's all I really needed to know. You are the strongest and the kindest person in my heart, and you'll always be there to protect me, no matter what."

Even without fate intertwining their lives, everything they have been through was more than enough for Annabeth to believe in Percy. He was her hope, and as long as he was with her, she knew everything would be okay.

Percy didn't have a reply for her.

"I know you'll keep me safe, Percy, so that's why…"

Annabeth lifted her gaze toward a pair of emerald eyes that shone beautifully like a vast deep-sea coral reef. Lost in her own words, he caught her with an irresistible gaze as their growing feelings convey silently as one. It was too late to back away now. Annabeth couldn't control the tantalizing pressure rising in her chest. Her heart pounded, she tilted her head and made a move to lean forward.

"I'll make sure to protect you too." She whispered.

Soft and tender lips met passionately, Annabeth shared a very slow kiss with her loving boyfriend.

That night, she wasn't able to fall asleep until the break of dawn.