I floofed the fluff out of this chapter. Get ready from some serious ship time!
Chapter 18
"They're stating that you're an actress," Piper scowled as she flicked through the contents of her phone. Splayed belly down on Annabeth's bed as her features continued to twist into knots. "And a troublemaker- They've even gone so far as to claim that you're a gold digger in announcing your engagement to Octavian."
Annabeth pursed her lips, her eyes trailing up and down the length of the mirror. A dismal weight in her heart as she turned her gaze to Piper.
"Well they aren't wrong, are they?"
Piper shook her head defiantly. "No siree. You, Annabeth Chase, are the farthest thing from a golddigger. You're crushing on a homeless boy for crying out loud."
"Which, speaking of, I'm still rather pissed that you felt the need to inform him of my current emotions." Annabeth crossed her arms and glared at Piper pointedly through the mirror. Watching her best friends face crumble into a wince before she smiled guiltily.
"Yeaaah," she had the audacity to chuckle. "Sorry bout that. I was just… excited."
"Excited for me to lose my mind I suppose?"
"No, excited that you actually had a crush for the first time in your doggone life you emotionless carrot." Piper chucked a pillow at her whilst grinning. Swinging her legs back and forth over her back like a child as she watched Annabeth dodge the attack. "I over-reacted. Honest to heaven, it just kind of slipped out."
"I know, I know," Annabeth groaned. Pressing another glittery gown to her chest to see how it would look. The stringy fabric was really not to her taste. "You've told me this at least a million times."
"And yet you still don't believe me."
"Oh I believe you. My pride just refuses to acknowledge your villainous behavior as that of a gleeful schoolgirl."
"Oh stop, you dramatize waay too much." Piper waved her off. Her eyes wandering down to her phone again as she scrolled through more and more media about Annabeth Chase. The girl the government was assaulting with bad propaganda and false accusations. The girl that was being defended by her supporters with a fierce loyalty.
"I'm still having trouble getting over the fact your mother held you back from Graduation," Piper grumbled with the blue light illuminating her features. Her tone and mood turning sour in a heartbeat. "And that you let her. Honestly Annabeth, what happened to that courageous effort in 'disregarding anything she says'?"
"I had no say in that," Annabeth sighed heavily as she threw the gown onto the pile by her desk. Not caring if it wrinkled in the slightest. "She informed the teachers without my knowing. They pulled my cap and gown from the rack before I had a chance to protest."
"Bitch," Piper muttered under her breath.
Annabeth yanked the final gown out of the protective plastic casing. A sigh on her lips as she examined it. A mundane purple, how boring. "I don't care much for my mother's other 'doings' in my life at the moment. If I can get the secret of the wings uncovered, and Percy home before the day I am to be married, then I can get away from this all."
"Which is why my idea is absolutely brilliant-"
"It's a terrible idea really. I forbid you with going through with it," Annabeth responded tersely as she held the purple thing to her bosom. That coil of depression spazzing out in her chest at the sight of it.
"It's spectacular!" Piper protested with a 'humph'. Her eyes flickering to the gown with distaste. "Not that sack of rags, my idea is spectacular," she clarified.
She sat up to plead with her eyes at Annabeth through the long glassy mirror. "If Percy were just to make a few sightings, spark a few rumors this boiling pot of suspicion would explode!"
"I'd explode," Annabeth mumbled mirthlessly. "There's no way I'm letting you two risk his life for the sake of a potential outcome."
"You're letting your feelings trump your good judgement." Piper pouted with a whine.
Annabeth's face immediately peaked crimson as she let the dress fall away from her figure. Keeping her eyes downcast as she tossed the gown onto the others, hiding behind a curtain of hair.
"I don't particularly wish for him to be killed. Is that such a sin?"
"No, I suppose not." Piper relented. "However, in order to save him from the world, and you from this marriage; we're going to have to take risks. We must resolve this quickly in order to keep the damage to a minimum."
"I'm not afraid to marry Octavian," she tried, but her voice shook. "If it needed be, I'll marry him. As long as we can get Percy out of this death trap safely."
Piper swung her feet over the side of the bed and joined her beside the mirror. Her eyes full of concern as she looked at her best friend through the glassy surface.
"But Beth… you know what marriage entails. You know what Octavian will expect from you." There was just as much grief in her voice as there was worry.
"I know." Annabeth let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. "But I figure that if I am to marry him, he will be as trapped with me as I with him. He wouldn't dare risk soiling his family name, that is something I may hold over him."
It was such a lovely mirror. Gold trimmed, delicately sculpted with giggling cherubs and full petaled cherry blossoms. The glass itself was extraordinarily clear and seemed to depict Annabeth in the best light.
She hated its perfection.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Piper whispered. Casting an arm around Annabeth before settling her head on her shoulder. "For your own and Percy's sake."
"I don't," Annabeth breathed hopelessly. "I have no idea what I'm doing. I seem to be stumbling through this entire shebang without a solid plan, or an inkling of an idea of what to do."
"But you're smart." Piper defended. "If anyone could topple a government secret, you can."
"I… I don't know that I can."
"Percy believes you can." Piper pointed out with a gentle glance tossed in Annabeth's direction. "Percy seems to believe in you more than you do yourself," she added timidly.
Annabeth scowled and jutted an elbow in Pipers direction for a gentle protest.
But she's right. The inside of her said. So is he.
-{:oOo:}-
Annabeth squinted down at the piece of pink notepad paper Piper had shoddily tossed to her. The pen had smudged, and the directions were loosely given so Annabeth was ninety nine percent sure that she was lost. That, and the forest looked weird this afternoon.
It was a generally overcast day. A thin layer of light grey clouds sheeted the sky in an unpatterned boringly blank way and the sun was only blocked out enough to prohibit the existence of shadows. Plus, she couldn't locate the sun which drove her nuts. It was disorienting and annoying because the sun told her everything she needed to know. The time, the direction she was going, the amount of hours until darkness descended. Why did it have to be so bloody blank today?
Well, I guess I must rely on ye ole faithful. She flicked her gold compass out of her pocket with ease. Looking again to Pipers ill written directions with an exasperated sigh on her lips.
Everything else in the green strip seemed to be normal despite the lack of defining light.
The thick trunks of the trees were hosting deep green mosses nestled in the rustic ruts of their armor. Slender yet elegant saplings were occasionally fighting for space amongst the ancient giants with their delicate lime green leaves angled hopefully up to the sky like begging palms. Jagged rocks sprouted from the ground with a sense of solid defiance, and fallen trees could be seen amongst the underbrush of rusty thorns and dark brustle rotting in silence in their final resting spot.
The birds weren't singing in this part of the forest. It was a relatively quiet day to begin with but without the birds it seemed almost eerie. Once in a while the shush of the breeze was broken by the sporadic chattering of red squirrels bounding between trees and over the tangled knots of the roots, or by the impatient cry of a blue jay but no songbirds.
Annabeth figured they'd prefer to nest near a clearing, or field. Somewhere they could reach the sky with ease (like Percy did). As she trampled a cluster of snapping twigs, and wove around the shy hats of small white mushrooms she figured, again, that she was lost.
"Stupid ink pens." she cursed with a bite in her words. Squinting down at the pink page one more time as if it could help.
'26 pasos to the big shoulder turn best'
Annabeth huffed silently to herself in frustration. What the devil is that supposed to mean?
Originally she figured it was 'twenty six paces to the big boulder then turn west' but she hadn't come across a big boulder since her last direction. It was simply infuriating!
Water?
There was a picture at the bottom of the page. Piper was notoriously awful when it came down to art but these particular squiggle lines seemed to be imitating a stream of some kind. Yes, the lines were also slightly smudged but it was so simple there was no other thing it could be.
Water. She decided with a sense of finality. Closing her eyes and opening her ears as she paused beside a red oak. Her hand pressed against its textured side for balance.
It was distant, but it was there. The lullaby sound of gentle running water scraping against a bank.
I'm on the right track.
It was dead ahead and hemmed with a thick layer of spindly pokey bushes. The waving brown bulbous cattails growing just on the outskirts of the pebbled shoreline didn't reach the center of the stream which indicated it was deep enough to hold decently sized fish. Not to mention the diameter of the stream was roughly a quarter of a football field, so it was no trickle. The dark waters hinted at tugged seaweed, but there wasn't enough sunlight to make it out through the murk.
Annabeth artfully picked a direction and took her chances. Thoroughly through with glancing at that abominably pink paper, as she watched the rippling water silently as it flowed in a soothing manner. The bank left mud clinging to her sneakers, and splotchy green frogs would occasionally leap out of her way desperately but she paid neither any mind.
She had to get to Percy and slap some sense into him. Or at least, make sure he knew how she felt about Pipers plan. Knowing him, he'd be willing to do anything to help and that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Damn Mosquitoes. She swatted infront of her face as the pitching whine of the nasty bloodsuckers met her ear. An army of the little demons was actively following her in a swooping vampire cloud but all she could do was grit her teeth and trek on.
She wasn't actually keeping track of how long she was walking before she heard a splash. Not the quiet plops she'd grown accustomed to from the frogs fleeing her stomping feet, but a full heavy splash. Like someone dove into the water.
She broke from the mental haze she'd somehow fallen into and froze midstep. Her stormy grey eyes jumping and and racing across the surface of the water where she'd heard the disruption. A flash of cold blood had set her hair standing on end and her heart hammered on the brink of a heart attack.
Someone was looking back at her with a devilish expression.
"You know, a simple hello would suffice." Annabeth deadpanned at Percy's grin. "You don't need to scare me half to hell."
"But it's fun."
Annabeth's scowled deepened. "Procure a new hobby."
Percy didn't stop beaming. His hair was soaked and flattened against his head and his eyes were sparkling in a breath stopping green. He was neck deep in the stream and appeared to be swimming. His deep black wings were pressed against his back as he moved.
A twang of curiosity embedded itself in Annabeth's gut as she watched. Slightly tilting her head to the side in an open confusion as her eyebrows dipped down.
"You can swim?"
"Of course I can swim! I was swim Captain back in highschool when-"
"No no," she corrected with a wave of her hand. Maneuvering herself closer to get a better look. "Swimming with the physical size of your wings and added weight that comes from wet feathers should be theoretically impossible." She explained. A million questions bubbling to her mind as she paused to think on it.
"Flying was said to be theoretically impossible but I shattered that." Percy's cockiness was surfacing again.
"Okay, yes." Annabeth gave in with a roll of her eyes and a light scoff. "But swimming is different. You haven't physically altered yourself to complete the impossible. Because of your unsual attribute it should prohibit the act of you swimming."
"Are you using especially big words today just to confuse me?" Percy cocked his head at her. Moving in closer with long graceful strokes.
Annabeth did an inelegant unladylike face palm with an exaggerated groan.
"How can you swim?" she laid out in a simple yet demanding question. She swatting a few mosquitoes away with a few colourful curses before turning her attention back to the boy.
"It was hard at first." Percy shrugged like it was no sweat. "But then I realized I could use my wings to propel myself forward in the water if I angled them right."
"But wet feathers must have an affect-"
"Slows me down but can't stop me." Percy grinned. A confident troublemaker grin that sent chills wheeling down Annabeth's spine.
Stupid emotions. She cursed while she decidedly set her gaze down to the muddy bank peppered in loose clumps of grass. Glaring at nothing in particular and sporadically smacking and swatting little devil bugs.
"Wanna see where I live now?" The question came out of the blue and Annabeth's eyes snapped up in surprise. Nervously she tugged on the side of her t-shirt.
Alone in what is most likely a small space?
She didn't know what to think about that. Half of her was screaming 'hell to the no' while the other side was just a mental blush. The result of this split mental clash was her turning her head in an odd awkward half circle rather then a nod or shake. It just made her even more embarrassed.
Stupid, stupid, STUPID!
Percy, on the other hand, was oblivious to her inner emotions and seemed to interpret it as a yes.
"It's just in the woods! It's so well hidden I'll never be found!" There was a childish tone of glee in his voice that he only showed when his fever had broken. Right before he had kissed her.
"Honestly I can't believe I hadn't found it before. I've passed over the area a million times-"
Percy kept talking about the tree cover, and the protective ring of boulders, and the well placed natural herbs that would throw off a dog's scent.
Annabeth was listening, she swore she was listening. She suddenly had something else to focus on. Or in this case, something else to look away from.
Percy casually just came wandering out of the water shirtless. And yeah, sure, Annabeth had seen Percy shirtless before but this was different. She had acknowledged feelings for this guy and her brain and heart were likely to skitter all over the charts at the drop of a dime.
Not to mention wood life had forced a good diet and exercise onto Percy, so he was far from flab and dough. He was chiseled.
And yeah, she did divert her eyes. Several times in fact, but they somehow just kept rolling back.
"My eyes are up here." He was smirking. She HATED that fricken fracken smirk!
Instantly her mellow barely noticeable blush exploded into a full face of red. Her heart started doing what felt like wheelies and her pulse hammered in shame against her ears.
"It's erm…. Swim… swim trunks."
"Yeah, I know. But my eyes are-"
"No, I mean you have swim trunks." Annabeth found a saving grace as she pretended to be unimpressed. "I didn't purchase those for you and I'm positive they don't grow on trees."
"Oh." Percy looked sheepishly down at his green and blue swimsuit. An apologetic look on his face as he actually fell for her explanation. Nervously he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, Piper brought me these when I moved down by the water."
"Why move by the stream. The population of mosquitoes is triple compared to that in the forest." Annabeth was grasping at conversation as they started to walk side by side back into the thickness of the woods.
Any conversation as long as I don't make a fool of myself.
"Why not the stream?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, it's perfect! It's like a toilet, shower, pool, water bottle and dinner all in one."
Annabeth half laughed half snorted. "You realize that combination of things sounds disgusting, right?"
"Not when its a stream where the water supply is constantly moving. It's a toilet when I need it to be a toilet, and drinkable water when I need it to be drinkable water." By the tone in his voice, Percy was thrilled. It was hard not to be happy with him, he had that contagious smile on. "I don't know why I didn't move down here sooner! Honestly, my treehouse being destroyed was one of the best things to happen to me this year! Y'know… besides you coming into my life…" He smiled at her happily in the end. His eyes soft yet full of this ardent adoration that made her chest feel tight.
Not to mention her stomach was livid with butterflies.
"Ah…" she cleared her throat awkwardly. Patting down the feelings as she focused her gaze ahead. "Where did you say you moved to?"
Percy seemed to deflate a little, and Annabeth felt a sting of guilt. Here he was putting his heart out there and she was ignoring it.
I'm the worst.
"See those two rocks?" Percy nodded in a loose direction. Annabeth had a hard time centering in on what exactly he was talking about. It was a forest, there were literally rocks everywhere. She was about to give him a sarcasm laced question when she noticed the two torso sized oval boulders leaning up against each other in a misshapen triangle. The small marker was atop a little incline that was peppered with bushes. Not unnatural looking persay, it was just slightly odd.
"Yeah?"
"I live there." Percy shrugged anticlimactically. His majestic wings shuddering as he shook off a layer of water without a second thought to it. The ruffling sound of his wings hissed in her ears for a moment as she raked her eyes over the small structure skeptically.
Annabeth felt lied to. She scanned the area one more time as if she could've missed something. Maybe there was a camo tent? Maybe it was up in the trees? Maybe he literally lived under a rock?
"Huh?" she grunted without a care about her ladylike impression.
"Yeah. I live there." Percy grinned at her confusion. The more he grinned the redder she got the more he grinned again. It was a vicious cycle she had to break.
Rolling her eyes she shoved him playfully while scoffing once more. "Show me where you've actually taken up residence you dork."
Percy sighed as if she were a child and waved her forward. "C'mon. I'll prove it."
She was ready to retort something witty when Percy stopped just before the earth slipped upwards. He easily dislodged a clot what she had thought was a tangled bush and tossed it to the side revealing a tall yet narrow opening in the ground. It's pathway diverting to a sharp right so it looked as if it were only an indent in the hill rather than a tunnel.
"You literally live in a hole in the ground…" It was all she could think to say. Between his teasings and flirts, and cockiness and just him, her mind was short circuiting in more places then one.
"Hot, right?" Percy waggled his eyebrows at her and smirked again.
You unholy son of a bastard. I should knock more than a few senses into you. Annabeth simmered.
"Not in the slightest," she huffed.
"You're cute when you're flustered." Percy's grin broadened and Annabeth had to hold her hand in place. Bubbles and butterflies overwhelmed her scorching system as she tried to find something not hurtful to say.
How did I ever come even close to liking this guy?
"Oh yeah! Well…you're… Thank you!" Annabeth was practically blustering with indignation. She could feel the heat radiating off her face and hated every second of it. Her heart was racing so fast it came dangerously close to just stopping altogether. Her wings drummed air into her locks as she stood there mortified.
Seriously?! Thank you?! What's wrong with me!?
Percy looked a bit weirded out as well. He seemed taken aback and seemed to be choking on a reply.
"Well, ladies first I suppose!"
"Annabeth! No! Wait-"
But it was too late. She dipped in head first and scurried into the hole. Only when the ground beneath her started to dip at a frightening incline did she realize her mistake. Gravity jumped into action and soon she was sliding uncontrollably down the pitch black tunnel. Smacking her head against the rough rock sides and scraping her wings with every sudden turn this ride took her. Fear gripping her neck in its cold hands as she struck a few painful bumps.
Suddenly she was catapulted on to a relatively flat but unforgivably cold ground. The wind being knocked out of her as rock met her flailing wings and back. A spasm of pain passing through her in one wave as her cry of surprise echoed back to her in taunting triple voices before it died in a vaporous exhale. Her own breath of relief following only when she realized that she had stopped moving.
Shhhh Thud.
What she assumed (hoped) was Percy came tumbling out of the exit hole and flopping right on top of her. His body was still dripping with stream water, but he was warm and practically crushed her as she wheezed in surprise. She could hear his massive black wings unfurl for balance and twirl up the air. Drawing in a considerable breeze that danced across her face and played with the hairs on her arm.
"Annabeth."
Chills raced down her spine as she felt his breath whisper over her lips. She was as blind as a bat down here, but she knew exactly how they were positioned, right down to how her t-shirt was sitting on her chest.
"Annabeth?"
Percy scrambled to sit up. To support his own weight with his forearms, alleviating the pressure on her chest as she sat their frozen.
"Yeah?"
That's when Percy realized the closeness of their faces, he grew rigid in a second. His breathing turning tight and his voice seemed to die in his throat. If Annabeth didn't know any better, she swore he let out a small gasp.
"Here," she tried starting awkwardly. Melting into puddles on the inside as she tried to sort this out in her fritzed mind. "If you could just move to the-"
Trying to guide him, she wiggled her hands up and pressed them against his chest forgetting that Percy was missing a shirt. When her palms met feverish skin, her heart just about erupted.
Her inner dialogue was reduced to unsayable incoherent noises as she silently freaked out. Still sitting there like a creep with her hands pressed against his chest and as silent as the grave.
Percy seemed equally flipped. For all his big talk and flirty behavior, she could feel how tense he was, and his apparent unwillingness to breath. It was a moment where their minds were everywhere but their bodies stayed motionless.
"So…" Annabeth squeaked. "Does this place have any fire pits, or a source of light or…."
"Yep… Yep yep yep yep." Percy babbled. "Yep. I uh, over…."
Silence. A deep thronging silence that rattle Annabeth as she sat their unable to move.
"So could you get the lights…. Or…. yeah… just…"
"Yep…. yep yep yep.. Got it.. Yep."
And just like that he rolled off her. His presence fleeting, and giving her a quiet dark moment to just sit and freak out in the pitch black of the cave. Desperately trying to soothe her pounding heart into submission as she held a hand over her mouth to stifle the heavy breaths of relief. Listening quietly as Percy's footsteps scuffed against the ground and praying that he never found a source of light so he could never see the unearthly shade she had become.
Apparently no one up there was listening because a light flickered on two seconds later. It was dim and warm coloured, but bright enough to reach each end of this small cave.
Percy was in one corner holding a large camping lantern. His eyes were focused on the floor as he turned his face away, but Annabeth still caught the crimson colour of his cheeks and had to smile to herself.
"My mistake, your face is glowing enough. We don't need the light." Annabeth gleamed.
Payback.
Percy's face doubled in colour and he turned away. Running a hand through his black locks as he seemed to be struggling with his words. The way the dim camp light fell over his bare skin defined his back in grooves and crevices where the muscles met. Annabeth caught herself tracing each line with her eyes and was reduced to more embarrassment and flustered feelings. She had to look away herself. Focusing on the cave as she stifled her blush with another hand over her mouth as if it would help.
The cave itself was a little smaller than the inside of the treehouse. The walls were oddly smooth and a light sandy hue (probably limestone). It took Annabeth two seconds to theorize that this used to be the site of an underground river before an earthquake, or general decay made it collapse in on itself and creat this pocket in the ground. It smelled of earth and salt, and damp mildew. The air was cool but but not cold and was thicker with the moisture that seemed to cling to everything. It was definitely not a place Percy could stay in the winter, but for these upcoming summer months, it would do.
It was a good find, and probably the safest place for Percy to stay. He had made good use of it too.
There was a light blue camping cot shoved against the side wall with a pillow and a brand new sleeping bag neatly placed on top. At the beds base, a rich brown foldable side table had somehow appeared and held a deck of cards, and a few shoddily stacked books of different sizes. Behind her there were two laundry hampers. One for folded clean things and one for the dirty obviously. There was a classic blue cooler in the other corner of the cave and three blue plastic tubs neatly lined up. Adorning the floor was even a splotchy blue and grey ikea rug.
"Where'd you get all of this?" Annabeth wrinkled her nose in surprise as she scrambled to her feet. Running her fingers of the edges of the cot to make sure it was real while wondering how it all got down here.
Still facing the wall, Percy shrugged. "Piper brought it."
"When?" Annabeth meandered over to the three tubs. One holding; toothpaste, razors, toothbrush, soaps, detergents, and shampoos, the next one was filled with; assorted knives, snares, small traps, and fishing supplies, and the last one had a pot, a pan, and dishes including a water bottle with filter attachment.
"Whenever." Percy answered casually while hanging up the light on a jut distending from the wall. "She would show up with something new everyday."
It was absolutely everything he needed to live. Percy would no longer be skimping on things, or scraping to get by. Piper had given him every mean of survival.
It also kind of made Annabeth conscious on how much she hadn't given Percy. She could've made his life so much easier instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off at stresses like Octavian and her mother.
She pursed her lips and scratched her scalp uncertain as to what to say. Piper was obviously the better friend to Percy. If should like anyone romantically then it should be her. She deserved it much more.
"Wow," was all she could say with a decent bob of her head. Showing that she was impressed with Pipers efforts but not expressing the sudden pit of emotions she had. Letting her eyes wander around the cave again as she began to grow familiar with it. Wondering how many late nights would she spend sitting there just talking to Percy. It sure as hell wasn't the tree house but it could become as sentimental, given some time.
"Hey, are you okay?" Percy tone suddenly slipped upward as the question was asked with a considerable amount of buildup. He'd obviously been psyching himself up to say it.
Annabeth timidly looked at him with a cautious feeling stirring in her gut. "What do you mean?"
With a shrug and a pursed look, Percy crossed the cave in a few anxious steps and started shuffling through a hamper. His back to her again as he pulled on a shirt in the most casual way he could considering the circumstances and reached to button the wing straps.
"I mean… y'know the last time we could really talk… you just found out you're engaged to that… to that turd seagull and you were kind of…"
"In pieces." Annabeth finished quietly while sweeping her hair over her shoulder to fiddle with the curls anxiously. Although it did take some effort not to laugh at turd seagull. "If you want the truth then; no…. no I'm really not okay. Octavian is everything I despise wrapped up into one human. I… I really really don't want to marry him."
She could feel those dark feelings start to rise as she stirred up the emotions she buried everyday. Talking about her looming nuptials with Octavian made her throat instantly clench over like a repulse instinct. It was hard to talk about him.
"You won't have to." Percy whispered sincerely with a slight shake of his head. His black eyebrows perched up, his midnight wings half unfurled.
He said the things she wanted to hear, but could she really believe him? Was there time? The Arestos were so eager to get this marriage underway, she doubted everything that told her she could escape it.
"Won't I?" she asked with her concerns painted against the softness of her voice. The panic and unease and anxiety from it all continued to rise. She hated talking about it, she hated saying things about it. "If I don't get married, they'll catch me. They'll crack me and then you'll be in danger."
"We'll fix this before then." Percy murmured. "It'll be okay. Everything will work out."
It won't. Her mind was screaming. Her lower lips trembled so she pushed it into a purse. Tears flooded her eyes and drew her vision into a blurry world. Every rotten possibility and probability for her future and Percy's drowned her mind in something akin to despair. It won't work was written like a death proclamation over and over.
"But what if it doesn't." She whispered brokenly. "What if they get you?"
As soon as Percy made a move towards her, Annabeth fell right into his arms without a hesitation. This was her safe spot, this was her comfort bubble. When she was feeling her worst, this is where she wanted to be. And damn did it feel good to be back in it.
She sniffled in gratitude when she felt his wings cone around them. His strong arms pressed against her back protectively, with the side of his head pressed to hers.
He didn't have to say anything. His hugs were enough. They were always enough.
Croaking a thanks, Annabeth slipped her arms around his back. Sliding them softly up the smooth fabric of his shirt mindlessly as she was encased by the calmness and warmth that took over every time. Maybe it was the way she could feel his heartbeat or how he smelled that made her so calm. Could be the smell. He smelled like the fresh stream, but also like a cheap soap and shaving cream this time. It was different and new but still completely Percy.
The warmth beneath her fingers expanded as she brushed the base of his wings delicately. Percy shivered in response, his heart skipping a heavy beat before returning to normal.
Curiously, Annabeth drew her fingers in another slow circle by base of his wings and felt another shudder tingle through his body as his grip on her momentarily tightened.
Percy lowered his head to her ear gradually, his breath pressed again her skin.
"What are you doing?" he breathed.
Annabeth tentatively traced a circle on the base of each wing for an answer and Percy's breath caught. She could feel his pulse slowly start to pick up strength as she let her hands fall into place around the base of each wing. Somehow, a natural place for her hands to sit and yet it invoked such a powerful reaction out of Percy.
His head dipped lower as another tremble raced up and down his back like sparks of electricity through a wire. So close to her that the tip of his nose drew a line down from her jaw to her neck and left a trail of goosebumps. She was just about to ask him why when she felt his knuckles draw her hair out of the way and his soft lips placed a chaste kiss against her neck.
It was sweet and tender, and made her entire body light up in snapping zaps of butterflies and trembles. With a light gasp she pulled him closer and tightened her grip. His lips finding other places of bare skin on her neck to pepper gently. Moving with a slow hesitancy that made him drag his lips in a feathery way over her soft skin. The tickling sensation made her heart pound and throb as she stood there airless in his grasp. His arms were holding her against his body closer then they had ever been. It made Annabeth flushed and breathless.
"What are we doing?" she hummed almost dreamily as Percy pressed one more gentle kiss closer to her collar bone. It was such a raw affectionate moment Annabeth's head was fuzzy.
He pulled away, but he didn't answer. He just looked at her in an asking way with clear love in his eyes. Softly searching her deep grey ones with his piercing green.
He wanted her to acknowledge her feelings to him. That much was clear. He wanted her to stop skirting around them, and avoiding his obvious cocky flirts. He wanted her to make a move. He wanted her to confirm her emotions.
Annabeth's eyes dipped down to his lips before switching back up. The spots on her neck were still tingling. Everything was muddled yet clear and felt so alive that her esophagus was in knots.
He needs to know. I can't play oblivious.
With her heart in her throat, and her pulse beating drums in her ears, Annabeth inched her face towards him. Her eyes fluttering closed and her gut storming with butterflies as they brushed lips. Tendrils of fire racing through her body from the contact. A heavy breath passing in between them before-
Shhhhh THUMP.
They were at opposite ends of the cave before they even knew what happened. Hearts pounding and senses awash with panic and shock.
"Man, I shall absolutely buy you a throw pillow for that landing. Entering here is like its own stunt performance." Piper pushed herself off the cave floor, none the wiser. Brushing off dust and dirt from her leggings with something dark crammed under one arm and an easy smile on her lips.
Annabeth was blushing so dark she was sure Piper would say something about it but the brunette didn't notice her at first. Annabeth pressed a hand against her neck, and blushed even darker at how her skin scorched. The memory of Percy's touch dancing in her mind as she took a chance to glance at the raven haired boy.
He was somehow relaxed. A blush still peaking his tan cheekbones but looking almost as normal as ever. When their eyes caught, Percy smiled softly at her and sent her heart pattering in all sort of different directions. She looked away again.
"Grade A bullet proof vest! You'll be ten times safer with this baby on." Piper chirped happily. "How about slippin her on and testing it out?"
Annabeth's stomach plummeted. A bad taste emerged in her mouth as she peeled the vest out of Piper's hands. Questions bubbling up to her lips and concerns firing off in her brain like distress flares. Maybe she was overreacting from the adrenaline shot she just received, but Annabeth read all kinds of bad coming from this vest.
"What's this for?!" She demanded while looking over the surprisingly heavy object. Reeling mentally from the order of things that had taken place that day as she turned it over and over in her hands. The rough fabric scraping against her palm in an sandpapery way.
Piper snatched the thing back without a second glance. "It's for the sightings Percy's going to make. People are going to go berserk over this."
"I said no!" Annabeth growled with a quip down of her lips. "No! You absolutely cannot go through with this! It's too dangerous!"
"So is marrying monsieur stuck up butt." Piper pointed out while settling a hand on her hip.
"Not as dangerous as being tracked, shot at and killed!" Annabeth pointed out. Her eyebrows twisting down as she saw where this was going. How Percy could be killed.
"Beth, trust me. It'll go faster this way. We need to stir up rumors or people will never get to that conclusion themselves."
"No."
"Come on Annabeth." Piper scoffed. "Look at this from another angle, can you? This way speculation will go through the roof."
"Or Percy will get shot mid flight and will actually go through a roof." Annabeth pointed out. A hard ball of defiance was stuck in her chest. Everything was telling her no. This was a terrible idea. She couldn't let it happen.
"We're just trying to save you from marrying Octavian." Piper's eyebrows turned down. "We're trying to help."
"Thank you for attempting." Annabeth muttered. "But I'd rather proceed knowing that Percy was as safe as he is now."
"Annabeth, no! We're going through with this. It's a solid plan and will only benefit the end goal."
"Pipes-"
"We're doing it whether you like it or not." Piper declared with fire in her eyes. Her tone stiff and unyielding as she stood defiantly with the vest gripped tightly in her hands. The dramatic dimness from the light made her hardened features look bold and almost scary.
"Percy, tell her you're not partaking in such a dangerous stunt!" Annabeth urged. Her gaze flickering to the boy as he stood off to the side silently. Her heart thudding in her chest at the prospect of Percy flying around town.
"I'm sorry Annabeth, but Piper's right. This will help."
Betrayal swelled in Annabeth's gut. Upset, she stared at Percy in hope that he would change his answer. That he'd suddenly wake up and understand the danger he was throwing himself into but he stayed firm. His eyebrows slightly knit as he stepped up beside Piper.
"This is for the best." He tried to reassure her.
"No it's not!" She growled. "It's ridiculous. You both need to be thoroughly examined by a psychiatrist. This level of stupidity is not normal."
"Annabeth, c'mon, this isn't-"
"I don't need to hear anymore of your thrill seeking excuses." She quipped tartly. "I hope this isn't the last time we see eachother Perseus."
And she left.
Awkwardly, seeing as she had to grunt and shuffle and pull herself up through the hole for the next three minutes but she left.
-{:oOo:}-
The day of the engagement party arrived.
Annabeth woke up sweating with a chunk of her pillow clenched in her mouth and a million anxieties stirring up the nausea in her stomach.
Her mother tried to be cheerful that morning, which royally freaked her out and Malcolm still wasn't talking to her for reasons she didn't understand. It may have to do with the fact that she was marrying someone they had both decided was awful.
Anyways, Annabeth was thrust into a day of preparation. All starting out on the marble lobby of the Aresto's house. Immediately being whisked away by a professional beauty crew as they tore her apart to piece her back together.
She went through scrubs, face masks, waxes, steam baths, lotions, creams, powders, massages, and hair grooming until her skin was baby soft and flawless, her teeth were sparkling white and shining, and her hair was luscious, thick and smooth.
Then came the hot irons, bobby pins, manicures, fake lashes, artful makeups and shimmery eye drops to make her eyes look constantly glassy and doll like.
Percy please be alright.
The hovering faces and cooing beauticians started slipping on diamonds left right and center. Dangling diamond earrings, a victorian diamond choker, diamond bracelet, diamond ring, diamond wings clasps, diamond wing caps, and a vine like glittering diamond hair piece.
Then came the corset. Curse the the corset. White satin with lace frill. The beauticians were brutal. By the time they were content, Annabeth could scarcely breath.
It was a group effort to get her into the off shoulder dark navy mermaid gown. But once she was in it, once she was ready, she had a hard time processing who she was looking at.
She was perfect. Everything, up from her golden hair locked in a braided chignon, to her strikingly perfect makeup, to her stunning silhouette was perfect. The dark navy offset her hair and eyes in a gorgeous way.
And she hated it.
When her mother saw her, she almost started crying. To sum up the exchange between them;
"Oh Annabeth! Oh darling you look absolutely-"
"Quit the chit, lets get this over with."
Percy, don't get caught.
Lets not bore you with the next three hours of Annabeth walking gracefully like a dancing willow through the crowds of people. The sparkling ballroom, illuminated by a million warm lights. The dark star coated sky visible through the dome glass ceiling. The fine wines, and expensive alcohols broken open for the night.
Percy.
The shrill laughter that echoed and intertwined with the strings from the soft violins and notes from the pianos. The sweet hum from the harpist and the smells of fresh grapes, cheeses and the chefs brewing meals. Heels on marble floors, crystal glasses meeting in humble chimes as toasts were made, flashes from the photographer, and a million congratulations from faces going unmemorized.
And Octavian.
Brooding, pride, boasting Octavian. His arm never leaving her waist, his eyes never trailing far from some perverted area. His hands were bolder then they had ever been before.
He thought she was his. With the ring on the finger, he thought he could get away with anything.
It was torture, simple and awful. Every moment beside him was un edge and uncomfortable.
His buddies congratulating him on what a fine catch. Almost as if Annabeth was nothing more but another stuffed trophy.
She couldn't take it.
She had to leave.
So she did.
Not permanently, but just for a break. Taking her leave as quickly as she could walk in these atrociously high heels. Seeking peace in the garden as she lost herself amongst the flowers, and the glaze from the moonlight. Stifling her frustrated tears because she knew there would be now way to save her make up if she started the water works.
Her concern knotted mind flickering back to Percy again. Wondering if a bullet had found his weakness yet. If his body was being hauled away as she sat thought invoked in a garden. The glass gazebo in eyeshot with a memory that felt so long ago.
"Don't be dead." She whispered longingly.
"You're going to have to say please," he was cocky again, with an undeniable smirk in his voice.
Annabeth wheeled around, coming face to face with a grinning Percy. His arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes filled with a playfulness Annabeth didn't exactly feel like returning.
"You-" she gasped as anger boiled in her gut. Shoving him with all her might. Watching hatefully as the guy when stumbling backwards and his wings fluttered powerfully for balance. His midnight locks were twice as ruffled and she could see the outline of his vest through the darkness sparking a kernel of rage to fire up her blood.
Percy looked surprised.
"You imbecile!" Shove. "You numbskull!" Shove. "You." shove. "No good." Shove. "Son of a." shove. "Half wit!" Shove.
Percy fell back for a final time against a tree. Confusion circling his eyes like vultures as he looked at her questioningly. That wolf like intentness back in his gaze as he locked his eyes on her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Annabeth hissed. "If somebody sees you-"
"Lots of people have seen me tonight." he had the audacity to smirk. "You look breathtaking by the way."
"Perseus Jackson, if you don't leave this exact moment then I swear on all things-"
"I didn't come just to annoy you." Percy broke through her command. A serious yet apologetic look in his eyes and resonating through his voice. His shoulders falling softly as the mood turned weighty.
She stopped. Taken by his look and slightly intrigued. Her heart pattering again when he tenderly grabbed her hand and placed something rough and hard in it.
"Here," he said. "A kind of peace offering?"
Annabeth enclosed her fingers around it before peeling them back again. Peering down at an open palm under the moonlight with a curious heart.
It was a crudely carved wing, made of some sort of wood with a cord pulled through a hole at its base. Altogether it looked like something a caveman would create, but not ugly. Annabeth kinda starting melting inside because she found it kind of sweet.
Percy obviously made the little trinket himself.
"Piper said you were a sucker for gifts." He looked down bashfully. "And I kind of didn't have anything to give you so..."
Tingles, he always gave her tingles. It made her shiver, and feel warm all at the same time.
"Thank you…" she wheezed. Not knowing what else to say as she let her fingers close over the precious item again. Her pride telling her she shouldn't be softened by gifts, but she couldn't help it.
"I also wanted to talk…" Percy confessed. Locking eyes again with those intense green pools. "About what happened yesterday. All of it. The fight, us being so damn awkward, that… weird moment we had."
Butterflies nervously starting shifting around her gut. Anxiously, she tugged at the skirt of her gown to rearrange it with her chest feeling tight.
Or maybe it was the corset.
"I'm sorry about scaring you with going out into the open like this." He started seriously. "But I completely believe that this will help… and if it means fixing this before you have to marry that jerk I'm a hundred percent down to trying it."
"I'm just-"
Percy reached a hand out and covered her lips. Stepping closer, as his eyes remained comitted and sincere. His torso close enough to hers that a mutual warmth grew between them.
"I also want to restate how I feel about you. I know you shot me down the first time, but you have to believe me when I say that I like you Annabeth Chase. And nothing is changing that." He uttered gently yet solemnly. His eyes sucking her soul out as she stood there with weak knees. Grasping at breathes that wouldn't come.
Lighty, she reached up and pulled his hand away from her mouth. Holding onto it earnestly as she finally found some words through the pounding blood sending colour to her cheeks.
"I like you too," she whispered almost fearfully. "I should have told you sooner, I shouldn't of told you off like that before. I was just-"
"Shhhhh," he hushed. Their foreheads touched in a burning connection. "If I kiss you now, do you promise not to flip out like before?"
Annabeth couldn't help but chuckle as she let her hands slide up around his neck. "Just find out." she beckoned.
"Annabeth?"
She deflated as soon as she heard her name. A scoffing sigh from Percy told her he was just as miffed to hear the sticky blonde so close. She couldn't held the disappointment that flared in her chest.
"Annabeth?" 'her fiance' called again in a pitchy tone. He was probably drunk.
"I have to go," Annabeth groaned. Looking at the raven haired guy longingly before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "Wish me luck."
Before Percy could protest, Annabeth bunched up her skirt and made her way out from behind the tree. Setting herself back on the garden path as she scanned the glorious surrounding for the guy she could potentially call 'husband' one day.
"Where've you been?" Octavian grinned at her. Suddenly vaporizing by her side in a startling manner.
"Oh! I was, well I was just clearing my head. I had a terrible migraine inside." She lied smoothly. Smiling in a docile way up at the man with the gull shaped wings as her nerves started to settle. Her mask formulating itself on her in a sweet expression, and perfectly straight spine. Her voice was smooth and melodious once more.
"What a wonderful excuse to get me alone." Octavian grinned. His hand finding the curve of her butt before delivering a generous squeeze. Too close, so that she could smell his awful cologne. Too close so that she could feel his humid hungry breath, too close too close too close!
Annabeth retained the shocked gasp. Although, her horror and discomfort went flying loose in her system, giving way to a pursed wince before she could reel in her face control again. Like a cry for comfort she glanced helplessly back at the tree Percy was perched behind and caught the look of his very murderous eyes. His visible shoulder was wound back and ready to spring at any second. If he saw anymore of Octavian's treatment to her, she knew he'd reveal himself.
Despite how she was feeling, she shook her head at him dolefully.
Don't do anything. Please don't.
Octavian yanked Annabeth into him and Percy visibly tightened more. The flirtatious chortle Octavian released at the way she was stiff and unmoving, made her blood boil but she kept it down. Percy however seemed to be ready to make a move.
"The party will be missing us." She informed robotically. "Come. Let's return."
The sap was drunk enough to follow her like a puppy dog. She was thankful for that much. His wandering hands were harder to sway but she did her best.
Don't do anything. How twisted is this situation?
-{:oOo:}-
In the end, Percy did get to quench his anger. Fifteen minutes after returning to the party, the glass roof erupted. Shards sparkling like diamonds came cascading to the ground in a tinkling array of light and beauty. A dark figure hunched high above with a heavy rotting log was seen knocking out each pane with enough force to stop a hurricane. Rage in his movements before he disappeared without a trace.
The party ended early on account of all the glass. Everyone thought it was a great shame.
Except Annabeth.
Annabeth could do nothing but smile.
