End Result.

3k words.


The very first time Percy and Annabeth nearly get caught, it's at dinner.

"Isn't this wonderful timing!" Sally beams, picking up her fork. "How coincidental that you're visiting this area, Annabeth."

Coincidental? Not in any way.

"Yeah," She gives a small smile. Percy snickers, and she kicks Percy's shin from where he's sitting beside her. He coughs and goes back to munching on his pasta.

"So, Annabeth," Percy says mockingly. "What brings you here anyways?"

That insufferable brat, She thinks bitterly.

"Yes! It's been a while since I've seen you two together." Sally chides.

What she doesn't know, is that Percy and her know exactly why she visited. What they know is that Annabeth wanted to visit her dear boyfriend of a couple months- but with the expense of keeping it secret.

Putting on a forced smile, she clears her throat.

"Its just nice to visit, you know? I just couldn't miss seeing my best friend." Annabeth drawls out the words best friend like it's trueー which it's not.

As if.

Percy grits his teeth with a fake smile of his own. "Yes, best friend. That's what we are." Best friends who go on dates together, call each other petnames, hold hands. Best friends who kiss, and are more than just friends.

Theres tension in the air as they eat. Thick and heavy; with something Sally can't describe. Percy makes a weird face at Annabeth, a one which she returns. But then they go back to eating.

Odd.

It takes one look under the table to understand what's going on.

Annabeth bumps her hands to Percy's.

"Hm?" he whispers, looking at her. She looks right back. Nudging her hand towards him once more, she intertwines his fingers with hers.

Percy grips her hand gladly.

Holding hands under the table means no one can see you, right? So what's the harm in doing this?

Sally immediately notices that Annabeth isn't using her right hand to eat anymore- it's her left. And Percy's eating with his right, instead of holding a fork in his left.

Again, odd.

It's pure bliss for them as they eat, the warm feeling of the other's hand. they're soft. Familiar. Comforting.

"Whoops!" Sally gasps as her fork falls to the carpeted ground. "I'll just get that," She leans downward, getting a clear view of the scene going on underneath the table.

What she sees isn't exactly a sight you see everyday.

Are those two… Holding hands?

"Are you two-"

Before she can ask, they have already pulled away from the other's grasp and looked away.

Annabeth blushes and beat red, her cheeks glowing. Percy coughs violently as his own face flushes with heat. Both of their hearts are beating out of their chests.

Please tell me she didn't see that. Please tell me she didn't see that. Please tell me she didn't see that. Please tell me she didn't see-

When Sally doesn't say anything else, they both let out a shared sigh of relief.

Did she just see that correctly? She sure did. It was clear as day- their hands were intertwined, and they were smiling. Smiling brightly, too brightly, to just be eating some pasta.

"T-this pasta sure is nice," Annabeth stammers.

Percy takes a sip of his water. "Mm hmm."


The second time Percy and Annabeth get caught, it's at the campfire at camp.

Kids sing and laughs around them as they stuff their faces full with s'mores. the leftovers of marshmallows stain their cheeks as they joke around with friends, the fire glowing a vibrant orange.

All these people– but Percy can only see Annabeth.

She sits all the way across from him at the other side of the camp fire (a much too far distance if you ask him) smiling with her own friends.

Gods, this light just looks so good on her, and her smiling face just looks so kissable.

He tries not to stare. He really does.

But how, when Annabeth's blonde curls bounce as she laughs? How, when her eyes shimmer with joy? How- when Percy is forbidden to stare?

That makes him want to stare even more. But some others must notice it, because that's what someone says to him.

"Dude, why're you staring at Annabeth like that?" Grover asks. A tin can shifts in his mouth as he chews.

"I-Im not staring!" He insists, tearing his gaze away from her. "And like what?"

"Like…" Grover struggles for a good answer. "Like you're under a love potion one of the Aphrodite or hectate kids made. You look all lovey-dovey."

"Oh." Percy grumbles.

he's not under some sort of love potion. Not any concoction whipped up could even compare to the love he harbours for Annabeth. It seemed like a insult that Grover could even say that.

'What? Can't I stare at my beautiful girlfriend?' He wants to say, to shout.

But… He didn't know. Not yet.

So he keeps the retort in his thoughts.

"You're staring again."

"W-whatever!"

Annabeth hears their conversation and laughs to herself.


The third time they nearly get caught, it's after the Titan war.

It's over. It's over, and they won. Victory runs through their viens, but not without the grin reminder of how many lives were lost.

But they still won.

And that's enough for everyone.

"Happy birthday, Seaweed brain," Annabeth and Percy share the blue cupcake between them. Right, it's his birthday. Percy isn't sure whether that's a good or bad thing.

Then she's smiling. Smiling like he's never seen her do- not since months ago.

the two talk about some unmemorable things (Percy can't remember what through his haze), and all he can see are her lips. Pink and soft looking in the late afternoon sun.

And maybe, just maybe, he can kiss her just this once.

Gods, she's missed this.

The war. The monsters. The stress; it all seemed to take a toll on her, but Percy seemed to melt it all away in a single kiss. If Annabeth could freeze time forever, this would be the moment she would.

When they pull away, they're rudely interrupted.

"Hey! Percy! Annabeth!" Clarrisse roars, a grin plastered on her face. A few other campers stand by her side, looking for the pair.

The dock– it's empty.

"Oh." Connor looks around. "They're not here."

"Dang it, I wanted to prank them!" Travis groans, shaking his head.

Grover frowns. "So where are they, even?"

Oh, they are there. just under, sharing a secret kiss. It's rushed and messy, but holy crap, does it feel good. Rushed hands coming to cup his face, to grab on her clothes, to hold them together.

Annabeth pulls away again, a smile forming. "Nice move, Jackson." She's talking about how he pulled her into the water, forming a bubble in a matter of seconds. She laughs below him.

He smirks. "You know, that wasn't the best kiss." Percy says rather cockily.

She raises a eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Are you saying my kisses aren't good?"

Nah," He leans forward. "So why don't we try that again?"

Annabeth scoffs and rolls her eyes, but leans right forward. "You could've just asked, dork."

So they kiss.

Again,

and again,

and again.


The fourth time they nearly get caught, it's when they're in the rec room in the big house.

All the cabins counselors are there- Annabeth, Percy, Drew, Connor- and all the others. A part of their secret relationship included bickering with each other nonstop all for show; a thing that was normal before they started dating.

"Oh my gods," Annabeth grumbles, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Do you ever stop talking, Percy?"

He rolls his eyes. "And do you ever listen to a plan other than yours, Annabeth?" Everyone looks back and forth at the two.

"Guys, stop it." Katie Gardner says. "We cant-"

Annabeth interrupts her. "There you go again! Blabbing your mouth," She scoffs, "You're insufferable."

"And you're annoying."

"Your voice sounds like nails screeching on a chalk board!"

"You sound like a knife scratching on a plate!"

"Jerk!"

"Stuck up!"

"Bastard!"

"Loser!"

"Oh, shut u-"

Will Solace clears his throat. "Okay, okay, why don't you two stop bickering?"

Drew yawns. "Chiron's sure to scold the two of you," She drawls, stretching her manicured nails in front of her. Her eyes roll comically.

Annabeth stands up from her spot, chair clattering behind her. "Im out."

Connor jolts awake from his nap. Cheer whiz stains his cheek, the orange ugly on his skin. "Huh? What?"

Immediately, Percy stands up with her, heading to the door where Annabeth just had exited. "Whatever. Me too."

Her hair flies behind her as she walks furiously. Then she slows, the breath becoming normal, and she finally comes to a stop. Was that believing enough? Was that good? Most of all, did they buy it.

A arm pulls her into a spare room and Annabeth gasps. "Wha-" She starts to scream, but it's muffled by a hand.

Percy pins her against a wall, arms bracketing her cage-like. He smirks. "That was pretty convincing, wise girl."

She grins up at him. "Mm, really?"

"So I'm a jerk, huh?" He pulls her closer. "And a bastard. That's new."

Annabeth rolls her eyes, leaning in. "I didn't mean that." She murmurs, her lips against his now.

"Oh, don't I know," Percy smiles against her lips. The kiss is slow. Warm. Time seems to stop in that very moment, lips against lip, cupping the other's face as they smile into the kiss. It's more reverent as they nearly run out of breath, her strawberry lip gloss marking his own, and then–

SLAM!

"Percy! Annabeth! You two in here?" Connor's voice calls out, the couple freezing like a deer caught in headlights. The blonde is the first to pull away; gasping and panting and stumbling back. Percy quick to react as well when he looks away with a frazed look in his eyes.

"Oh. Why're you two gasping?" Will Solace pops in the room with a few others.

"…I thought you two were leaving," Drew looks back at the two of them. Her eyes are sharp with her gaze. "Not to mention you guys are basically turning red."

"W-We were! I just- uh- needed to get something!" Annabeth says. Her hands fly in all sorts of directions, the gestures showing she's nervous. No, not nervous. Embarassed. Or is it relief?

"Me too!" Percy nearly tells when he answers. "This-" He grabs the nearest thing he can grab, a potted plant. "this plant right here."

Katie tilts her head. "You wanted… A plant?"

He nods furiously as he lies through his teeth. "Yep!"

"So you're interested in gardening!" She squeals, jumping up and down. "Yes! Come take a look at the Demeter cabin, we have-"

Annabeth looks at Percy. You messed up.

He looks back at her remorsefully. I certainly have.

"-This cool tree we found at the back at the forest, that has all these weird branches! It's so cool!"

Maybe that's the most embarrassing story the two have.


The time they finally get caught, it's at camp half blood.

To say the least- they're tired.

People have been flirting with Percy left and right, and he couldn't do anything but brush it off or say he wasn't interested.

You see; Annabeth understood the situation. He was 'single', and people wanted to take advantage of that. yes, they didn't know. And yes, they had every right to do that. But it really grates on one's nerves.

Percy kind of understood the situation. She was 'available', so people could supposedly flirt with her.

Could they, though?

The looks. The unecessary flirting. It made him jealous, as much as he would hate to admit. Pull the other away, make an excuse, ignore. A endless cycle every day.

You know, Annabeth isn't the most patient person. It's only a matter of time before she snaps. Like today.

Usualy, people were respectful when the two said that they were uninterested. They backed off, apologized, or anything else that wasn't rude in the slightest way.

Except for her.

"Oh come on," The girl says, pestering Percy nonstop. What is it- the third time that day? "You can't be really be serious."

Jealousy burns in Annabeth's stomach. It's not a good feeling.

"Actually, I can." Percy says, uninterested in his tone.

"No you can't!" The girl screeches, catching the attention of everyone in the dining hall.

"What do you mean, 'I can't'?" He repeats, turning to look at her.

"You must be lying," The girl insists, eyes desperate. "You must be! Now stop playing hard to get and admit that!" Chiron's not there to intervene, and not is Mr.D.

What a recipe for disaster.

Annabeth sighs. "Im not playing hard to get," Percy calmly says, eyes dark. "And I'm not interested. Sorry."

Most of the time when people did this, they left eventually. Annabeth and Percy used to joke about it a lot after. This wasn't exactly usual.

"Why don't you see what your missing? Then you'll reconsider." The girl's tone turns sickly sweet; a massive change from the hysteria a few seconds prior.

All Annabeth can register in a few rushed movements, Percy's eyes widening in shock, and-

Oh, gods.

They're kissing.

The girl must be a child of Hectate or Aphrodite, because he can't pull away. By the look in his eyes, he wants to pull away. And that's presicely what Percy wants to do. Pull away, move, anything.

Except he's frozen.

Annabeth stands up, fists clenching. Her teeth grinding on each other irritatedly.

What the hell can she even do? Say something? Burst out? Those are things she wants to do, things that she needs to do.

All she can do is watch.

It's painfully slow, even, and she's taking her sweet time doing it, tasting his lips. Smiling against him.

Being upset about someone not returning your feelings is one thing. Completely forcing the other to kiss is a completely other thing!

Even the other campers know that. As they kiss, a few campers say words of discouragement. A few others say to stop, that he doesn't want that, and that it's wrong. It's so, so wrong. Disgust piles in her stomach.

But then she's pulling away, a smug smile tugging on her lips. "So? Are you reconsidering yet?" She says.

Like she's proud.

Percy, face twisted in both shock and disgust, looks straight at Annabeth.

I didn't want this, he wants to say, Please know that. His mouth runs dry, so that nothing coherent can come out of it.

So he surges forward towards her.

The girl watches in confusion as he makes his way towards the daughter of Athena with a scowl, and a look of determination. With the girl the rest of the campers do too.

Annabeth looks at him as he approaches, eyes darting nervously to his face. Oh, no, that's not a good look.

"Why would I ever reconsider?" He says lowly, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her in.

Are we doing this?

The nights left lonely. The jealousy. They had kept the relationship for so long- What would people say if they officially got together? Even after their parents, Godly, hated each other? We're rivals? Enemies?

Annabeth had gotten used to this. Percy too. But, gods, they were so afraid. Afraid what would happen to each other if the news came out. What their parents would say. What fate would have in store; and maybe take the other away.

But if you just take the fear away,

Yes. We are.

the results can be even better than you've ever imagine.

Annabeth cups his face with her heart beat ringing through her ears, and kisses him.

And does it feel good.

The fear melts away as they do so, hands grabbing clothing, deepening, and deepening, and deepening the kiss. Some part of the way Percy smiles. and she smiles right back. It's demanding coming from them; I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you, and I don't want it to keep it a secret anymore.

"Why do we have to, anyways?" Percy had asked when they first started dating. He sighed as she shook her head. "I dont want to keep this a secret."

"No one would ever accept it," Annabeth sadly replied while holding him in his arms, eyes shining. "Not now. Maybe in the future."

It hurt him how true she was.

When Percy pulls away, his face is flushed with heat. But, gods, he loves the feeling. "Why would I ever reconsider," He repeats. "When I already love my girlfriend?"

The girl is rendered speechless. Her arms drop to the sides, mouth agape with shock. What? What just happened?

The dining hall seems to burst alive.

Laughs, shouts, yells- people exchange drachma with friends saying: "I told you so! I knew it!" While they respond with colourful words of surprise. Becuase, holy crap, they're dating! They're dating, and kept it a secret!

over the commotion, Annabeth pulls in Percy one last time.

"We should've done this sooner," She mumbles against his lips.

He smiles. Annabeth can feel his hands running over her back, feeling the curves of her skin. "We definitely should have."

The cheering only gets louder from there.


im backー from campingー and everything hurts so i am going to sleep now g oodight