A/N: Hey guys back again with another update, hope you guys like it!
"Why are you telling me all this?" she asks him. They're standing by the table where he's been candidly telling her about the past year, his depression being at an all-time low, and his father who had walked out on him, all while packing up the display of water filters.
It's not that she doesn't want to hear it, it's just surprising coming from someone she met four days ago, when he set up the table near her section of the department store.
He shrugs, grabbing a filter from the stack. She stares at it and wonders if anyone had even bought what he was selling. She's personally never stopped at any of these tables people always set up.
"I'll never see you again, so why not."
His words halt her in her tracks.
He's not wrong.
Today had been his last day, after that he's off, presumably to wherever he's supposed to sell these filters next.
"What if I catch you at the next store?" she jokes half-heartedly, still processing his words.
He shrugs again. "I'm going to quit."
She turns to take in his messy black hair and haggard face. This news is significantly less surprising than anything he's said so far. The water filter business doesn't really suit him.
"What are you gonna do next?" she asks instead, watching him pack up his table, realizing it really is the last time this is ever going to happen.
"Not sure. I was only doing this since my dad is an exec at this company, but after everything, I really don't have a reason to stay."
She nods, somehow way too affected by the fact that all this was ending. Not that she particularly cares, she obviously wishes him well, but they aren't that close. Plus, this kind of thing happens often.
Everyday millions of people meet and talk to people that they will never see again.
And that's something she's never thought about before.
"Well good luck, I hope you find something that really works for you." She genuinely does hope.
He cracks her a small smile as he slings the now full bag on his shoulder.
"Keep on keepin' on Annabeth."
With that he walks away, leaving her standing by the empty table with too many thoughts in her head.
-.-
Maybe it's because he'd told her his life story or maybe it's the fact that she knows she truly will never see him again, Percy pops into her head every so often.
Every now again, when her mind wanders while she's driving or something, she remembers the guy who sold water filters at her old job for a week. She wonders where he is, what he's doing, and if he found what he wanted to do.
And then as quickly as he had entered her mind, he'd slip out again as her attention focused on something else.
Four years, and two jobs later, the likelihood of seeing him in a world with billions of people is practically nonexistent.
She's in California, visiting Piper, when they end up in the aquarium on a rare cloudy day. Piper insists they HAVE to see the dolphins so she's being tugged through the length of the place when a head of messy black hair catches her eyes.
Stopping short, she plows to the area where a crowd has gathered to a speaker standing next to the shark tank.
"Annabeth the dolphins are way better than the sharks," Piper whines. But she follows as Annabeth joins the edge of the small crowd to see what was going on.
A diver in the tank is swimming around as another employee talks about the sharks (George and Martha).
Wearing a teal polo and a wide smile, he's almost unrecognizable from the haggard man she'd seen last. But the green eyes confirm that it really is him.
She doesn't hear a word of what he says, still reeling from the fact that somehow, four years later, across the county, she's found him.
He wraps up as people clap for the diver who waves at the crowd before swimming back up. The little kids are the first to run to the glass as others disperse.
Annabeth stands for a second longer, unsure of whether or not to confront him. Most likely, he doesn't remember her anyway. Piper tugs at her arm and she's about to give in and turn around when she catches his eye.
She knows he's recognized her by the way he freezes. Offering a small smile, she gives an awkward wave.
"Annabeth?" The surprise is evident in his voice as he walks up to her.
"Hey Percy."
They stand for another moment, clearly still processing the situation. All the fleeting thoughts and questions she's had over the years flood into her head and suddenly, she wants to know more.
"I see you've found something that works," she says instead to break the silence.
He smiles, bright and full. "Yeah, what about you, still keeping on?"
And that's when she decides to take a chance.
If it doesn't work out, well, it's not like she'll ever see him again. So why not?
"Yeah, want to hear about it over a cup of coffee sometime?"
A/N: And his smile says everything.
I actually had someone say this to me. Slightly different context, but the person casually told me about their past struggles. I asked, why are you telling me all this? And they just responded, I'll never see you again so why not. They were right, it was my last day at that job and I haven't seen them since, probably never will.
And I don't particularly want to, but it was a reminder of something I've always known. The thousands of people we see, the cashier at the grocery store or the person who holds open the door for us, that we interact with that we will most likely never see again.
So, I wrote this little fic and of course I wanted to have them meet again (because Percabeth) but it's an incredibly rare thing. And Annabeth taking a chance at the end is also pretty rare. But as this chapter says, why not? Why not take a chance, especially since that person will probably not be in your life for a long time. Unless, of course, you want them to be.
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And as always, thanks for reading!
See ya! :)