A/N: I know I fudged up the timeline of the Bronze Dragon (Rick doesn't mention if it's just before the end of the summer of BoTL or just before TLO), but I've assumed to be in BoTL for creative purposes .

If anyone asked Percy who his best friend was, he'd say Grover and Annabeth without missing a beat. But he had to admit (and he'd rather die than let anyone know about this) that when he thought of his friendship with Annabeth, it didn't feel quite the same as when he thought of Grover. Percy hadn't had many friends over the course of his short life, and since Annabeth was pretty much the only girl friend he'd ever had, he thought that maybe things went a little differently in boy-girl friendships. Small things that he started noticing gradually but surely about his best friend. Of course, Annabeth being a pretty daughter of Athena didn't help (objectively speaking).

He remembered, with a pinch of embarrassment, when he had been turned into a guinea pig by the sorceress Circe and Annabeth had been forced to rescue him. The first thing he'd thought when Annabeth came into the room after Hylla's treatment was, well, wow. Her blonde hair had been braided and wrapped around the crown of her head, and combined with the ferocious expression on her face and the bronze dagger she wielded, she looked like a warrior princess. Of course, these things didn't really register until they were safe and were floating towards Siren Bay, which was when he lay eyes on her again. Annabeth's hair looked... pretty. It was a really nice shade of blonde and when the sun hit it at just the right angle, she looked downright angelic.

Anyway, Percy wasn't bothered much. It did feel a little weird at first, but it quickly grew on him. It wasn't his fault that her hair was all shiny and curly, forming perfect little ringlets down her back, was it? Not his fault at all. That summer, after they'd returned with the Golden Fleece, a weird thing had happened that Percy still didn't know what to make of. Chiron was back, and they suddenly had a lot more free time than they had before Peleus had been brought in to guard the fleece. He and Annabeth were sitting by the docks ("Do you always need to be around water?" Annabeth had said, rolling her eyes), and she was sketching some designs for a new arts and craft cabin.

"Do you think I can drink seawater?"

"I... don't know, actually. Why would you want to drink it anyway? It tastes bad."

"No, but the question is can I?"

"Maybe ask Tyson."

"Hmm."

"Mmm-hmm." Percy repeated, a little louder.

No reply. Annabeth was scribbling diligently away at her sketchpad and Percy was getting bored. He watched as Annabeth stopped, thought a little about something, and promptly started erasing the top portion of the building. A stray curl dangled from her forehead in front of her eyes but she made no attempt to do anything about it. Percy couldn't go 5 minutes without touching his hair. He couldn't believe Annabeth, being an ADHD demigod too, didn't jump on the first thing that distracted her. Before he could stop himself, his arm shot forward and he tucked it behind her ear. Annabeth tensed suddenly, and Percy quickly realised what he was doing.

"You were working, and I, uh, well, it was distracting you and uh," Percy scrambled about for an explanation while Annabeth looked at him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

"It's nothing," she managed to say and quickly returned to her work, grateful for the distraction. Why had he done that? The both of them weren't exactly touchy-feely - apart from the occasional punch to the shoulder, they hardly ever touched each other. This was another thing Percy had noticed - he wouldn't think twice about slinging an arm around Grover's shoulder when they were walking together, but when it was Annabeth, it somehow felt different.

Percy's face was still burning, and he managed to escape by using Tyson as an excuse, but he couldn't stop thinking about what had caused him to act that way, and why he felt so embarrassed by it.

He was dancing way too close with her for someone who had just been threatened by her terrifying immortal mom. Most of Percy's concentration was on not stepping on Annabeth's toes like last time at Westover Hall, and he didn't want to mess this.. whatever this was up.

"Er, Percy?" Annabeth held out her hand.

Percy stared at her dumbly, and Annabeth stifled a laugh. She took both of his hands and kept them on her waist, and looped her arms around his neck. "This is easier, right?"

"Uh-huh." Percy felt as if his hands were on fire, and his heart was beating wildly. Annabeth was really close and they were swaying gently. Percy realized with disappointment that she was still a little taller than him, so she couldn't put her head on her shoulder comfortably. Not that it'd mean anything, but it'd simply be more comfortable for both of them (slightly more for him). He was getting really anxious looking at her at such a close range and settled for looking past the side of her head to calm his nerves. It also made it easier for him to attempt to keep up a conversation.

"Thanks for coming to save me." Annabeth said quietly.

Percy looked at her. "Of course I'd come."

"No, I mean, Thalia told me that you... weren't exactly invited on the quest." Annabeth looked a little pink. Annabeth wasn't one of those girls that flirted with guys, or even knew how to flirt, or laughed at dumb things guys said and blushed. Personally, Percy thought that Annabeth was actually kind of cute when she blushed. He knew she was honest and it was actually a pretty rare thing for a daughter of Athena to blush.

He blinked. Annabeth was looking at him expectantly. Percy suddenly found a small speck of dirt on his shoes that demanded his attention immediately.

"Um, yeah. I, well- you were in trouble." He said, like that explained everything. As much as he may deny it to others, he knew that the sole reason he'd been on this quest because he was absolutely terrified of something happening to Annabeth. The only person who'd managed to weasel this out of him was, ironically, Gossip Girl herself, Aphrodite.

Annabeth mumbled a soft thanks and snuggled a little closer to him than before. Percy felt another rush of warmth, but didn't say anything, determined to enjoy this moment because he knew things were only going to get more difficult from here. Kronos was getting stronger, and Thalia was safely out of the prophecy's way. But he stuffed those thoughts away. Right now, he thought a little guiltily, he was way too content holding his best friend close.

Okay, Percy's mom had a really good relationship with Annabeth but that didn't mean that she could just barge in on their conversation like that, could she? And who knew if she'd been listening to them before coming in? (Alright, she probably wouldn't do that.) Not that there was anything that he didn't want getting to his mom, but still. It wasn't as if they were talking about something personal, but he kind of wanted it to remain just between him and Annabeth.

And when she'd come in, she'd said hi to Annabeth (of course) and before leaving, she'd announced (looking way too smug doing that), "Sorry to disturb you and your friend." in a way which most definitely did not imply friend. Annabeth had been as embarrassed as he was, but since the tone was implicit and talking about it would only make it worse, they quickly said their goodbyes and hung up.

He hadn't failed to notice that his Mom was really enjoying his... situation. He hadn't failed to notice the sly looks, or the overly innocent smiles she gave him whenever he talked about Annabeth (and it wasn't like he talked about her all the time, okay?). And when Annabeth had called and told him that Chiron's leg was fully patched up and he gave her permission to ride into the city to pick him up, he'd suggested that they do something undemigodly and normal for once. Just two normal best friends who definitely did not go to a monster-fighting camp. And then they'd decided to see this new buddy cop film that came out ("Percy, we are not going to watch Spiderman!" "It doesn't even have spiders!"), which was when his Mom decided to throw another curveball at him.

"Oh, my baby is going on his first date!"

And it wasn't a date, not by any stretch of the imagination. Can't two people of the opposite sex just go to the movies and enjoy the movie (and each other's company) without any pressure of romance? But just thinking about the possibility of it being a date caused Percy's cheeks to color wildly.

"It's not a date, Mom! It's just Annabeth!" he countered to his smirking mother, although Percy couldn't pretend that even if he didn't know that many girls at camp (girls at any school he went to were almost always very weird), given that he had to pick one to go out with, he'd rather pick Annabeth than some Aphrodite chick (only because they're clingy and they'd take him to watch some godsforsaken sappy romance flick). Annabeth was, well.. Annabeth. Brave, smart (he wouldn't say that to her face), annoying, and, yes he'd admit it, kindasorta cute (he definitely wouldn't say that to her face) Annabeth.

But he definitely did not want Annabeth to think that he was taking her on a date. That'd be really weird, not to mention embarrassing as hell, and there was a small part of him that imagined her getting grossed out and never talking to him again (okay, that sounds like a bit too much but tell that to his nervous ADHD teenage brain), and he cringed internally and banished the thought quickly. He wasn't asking her on a date (obviously), and thus there was no point thinking this much about it. But then the small part of his annoying brain would always pop up with a tempting "what if" and he'd find himself repeating the same thoughts over and over again.

Of course, it'd gotten worse from there. He couldn't bring up the topic of Annabeth without getting excited about the prospect of going to the movies with her, and then his Mom would give him a knowing look (what about, he had no idea) and he'd blush and quickly change the topic. Moms.

He should've known that avoiding his demigod life wouldn't be this easy. He'd turned up to his orientation expecting some boring speeches and forced smiles, not an encounter with two cheerleader empousai nor the weird mortal girl who could apparently see through the Mist. He should've known that going through the entire school year without incident was a tad bit too fishy.

Then he'd been forced to escape from the fire and the police sirens, and only when he literally ran into Annabeth did he remember his plans with her for the afternoon. Of course, they'd been forced back to camp (two hours in a car feel like a lot longer when you're with an angry girl), and any hope of this being a normal summer (as if any summer was normal) was finally quashed when they discovered a backdoor Labyrinth entrance smack in the middle of the woods.

It was Annabeth's birthday, and they were supposed to go into the Labyrinth the next day. It gave him an eerie reminder of the prophecy on his birthday, but he decided to shove that thought aside for now. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover were sitting on Annabeth's bunk, and munching on chocolate chip cookies that his Mom had baked for her. There was a shuffling of feet at the door, and they turned around to see Thalia standing at the door. She was back in her punk clothes, only the tiara on her head giving away her status as the lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis.

"Thalia!" Annabeth jumped up from her bed to meet her friend. Thalia hugged Annabeth warmly, then ruffled Percy's hair (he knew that she knew that he hated that), and then hugged Grover who apparently still hadn't gotten used to the fact that she was a Hunter now and looked half-ready to pass out. Satyrs.

"Happy birthday, Annabeth. Sorry I couldn't get you a gift or anything - Lady Artemis barely let me leave with all that's going on."

"That's okay, I'm just glad you're here." Annabeth's eyes were shining, obviously delighted that Thalia was here.

Thalia grinned, and then her eyes fell upon the basket of half-eaten cookies on Annabeth's bed. "Well of course Seaweed Brain wouldn't disappoint in that department," Thalia said and winked at Annabeth, who tried to act irritated but she'd turned a little red. Grover snickered.

These types of incidents had been happening rather often these days. Percy wasn't sure if Thalia's job was to tease Annabeth on account of being her friend or tease him on account of being his cousin because she managed to do both. Percy generally tried to ignore these little jibes but he couldn't help the blood that rose to his face each time. And that was just Thalia. Some other demigods (*cough* Silena *cough*) made him wish that he had powers like Nico so he could just make the ground cave in and swallow him.

And Percy wasn't dumb, or at least not completely blind. He understood what they were implying - that he liked Annabeth, in that way. He had no idea where they got that idea from - okay, he occasionally thought about Annabeth and sometimes she looked really pretty when she was laughing and sometimes his heart would start beating really fast if she was standing a little too close to him and his brain would shut down - but it wasn't like he liked her or anything, or he was going to do anything about it (or even plan to) but his friends just couldn't seem to give him a break. He told himself that it was just because he was a teenage boy and his best friend just happened to be a really good-looking girl - he'd dare someone else to be in his place and not get their insides in a knot when she'd look right at him with those piercing gray eyes and smile that brain-melting smile of hers.

"Grover, what do I wear?!"

Percy was getting really nervous. He was going to the fireworks with Annabeth. She had asked him (well, it was more of a statement than a question) after he and Beckendorf were taken prisoner by Annabeth and Silena, following an escapade with a bronze automaton dragon and a monster ant colony. It wasn't like they had gone to the fireworks before, but this was the first time the both of them were going there, well, alone. Grover was going with Juniper, and Tyson was at the Cyclopes' underwater forges helping out with weapon production for the war against Oceanus.

The fourth of July fireworks was the biggest dating event in Camp, and he was convinced that this was supposed to his big chance. After some events that had taken place this summer, Percy was starting to get the hint that maybe, just maybe, Annabeth thought of him as something more than just her best friend. He was admittedly a little slow in that department, but after she'd kissed him and kinda asked him out, he was starting to come around.

"Grover!"

Grover finished combing his curly hair back and looked at Percy. "What's wrong, Perce? Nervous?"

Percy flushed. He fumbled with his shirt, and mumbled almost inaudibly, "As a matter of fact, I am." Grover chuckled. He studied his friend. Percy looked like he'd made an effort to tame his hair (at least it didn't stick up from the back), and he was wearing a light blue t-shirt that had a white front pocket, along with black jeans and white sneakers. Grover thought he looked rather presentable, though he doubted Annabeth would care too much. He wasn't overdressed like some of the other campers he'd seen going towards the beach, and he'd chosen something other to wear than the regular orange Camp Half-Blood shirt, so it looked like he was treating this differently than just another night hanging out with Annabeth.

Grover thumped his back. "You look fine, dude." If nothing else, Annabeth will appreciate the effort, he thought, but kept that to himself.

Percy walked to the Athena Cabin ("The guy has to pick the girl up, Perrcy!"), his stomach twisting tighter with each step he took. He took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. He wiped his palms on his jeans, waiting for someone to let him in. The door creaked, and Malcolm gave him a smile.

"Annabeth?"

Percy nodded mutely. Malcolm turned around and hollered so the entire Athena Cabin could hear him, "Annabeth! Your date's here!" Percy blushed again, but didn't say anything. Funny, he seemed to be doing that a lot today.

For some reason, it was Silena's voice that echoed back, "Give her a minute!"

Percy shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"Soo.." Malcolm began, "I'm the brother and I know Mom doesn't like you but don't worry, I'm not going to give you the big, uh, younger, brother talk." Percy wished Annabeth would just come out already so he could be spared from this torture.

"Uh, thanks," he managed to say.

Malcolm leaned in a little closer. "Personally, I like you. Just, you know, try to make a move or something tonight." He winked and went back inside. Percy didn't know whether to feel insulted or embarrassed. Annabeth's own brother was telling him to hit on his big sister, and while that was a good sign, it also meant that he thought that Percy was so useless that Malcolm had to practically spell it out for him.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain." Percy didn't even notice Silena, who had a gloating expression on her face, standing beside Annabeth, who looked... she looked... beautiful. She was wearing a flowing dark grey dress, and her blonde curls had been tied back from the front, but only so much that they managed to fall behind her shoulders. A little black eyeliner (or eyeshadow? Percy had no idea) brought out her stunning grey eyes, and Percy couldn't help but notice that her lips looked a little pinker than usual.

Silena coughed and Percy realized he was staring at his best friend.

"Hi," he managed, and attempted to put his hands in his pockets, and missed completely. He could only imagine how stupid that must've looked. Percy saw Silena give Annabeth a small nudge in her back ("I told you so!"), and Annabeth stepped out.

"Fireworks?"

"Fireworks."

So much for fireworks night. It was one of the rare days they hadn't fought. It was almost as if they both had an unsaid truce to not spoil this night. Percy had, jokingly offered his hand to Annabeth while they were walking to the beach but his heart was beating wildly and he hoped Annabeth wouldn't notice his sweaty palms. The date had gone even better than Percy might have anticipated. There was little to no awkwardness - they were laughing and talking, and on one particular moment, when the latest scene in the sky had just ended, Percy had a sudden rush of courage and kept his hand on Annabeth's shoulder, pulling her closer. Annabeth had smiled (and failed to hide her blush, he noticed), and rested her head on his shoulder (yes, he was finally taller than her).

On the way back to their cabins, Percy thought about why it couldn't always be this way - it felt great to not constantly fight about small things, and everything had gone on so smoothly. He swore that if things kept going like this, one of these days he was going to pluck up the courage and kiss her. But for right now, he was content with Annabeth pecking his cheek after he walked her to her cabin.

Anyway, that didn't matter right now. He felt like a complete idiot. A confused, frustrated, anxious, idiot. Why did girls have to be so.. complicated?

He should've known that something was about to go wrong since his luck had help out for so long. Stupid him. Stupid Fates. Stupid Aphrodite. Stupid Luke. He was aware that Annabeth used to have a crush on the former Hermes counselor but that was about 2 years back. He certainly didn't think she'd still have feelings for him after, well, after Luke had basically given up his body to the Lord of Time who wanted to kill them all and raze Olympus to the ground.

But a part of him was sad as well. Sad when he thought about how Annabeth was crying and ran away, unable to face him. He knew that she was hurt, but he didn't know why.

His mom wrapped him up in a tight hug as soon as he got off from Argus' van, and that made him feel a bit better. Although he avoided talking much about camp at home, he was sure his mom noticed how his smile didn't reach his eyes and why he was deflecting any conversation that might lead to the topic of Annabeth. And he was right, because as he was propped up on the sofa at night glaring at the TV screen, his mom showed up with her "I'm a Mom and I know what you're thinking about" look.

She took a seat opposite him, and asked, "Percy, is everything okay?"

Percy looked her in the eyes. Big mistake. He knew that he was never good at lying to his mom, but a part of him was relieved as well that he could finally voice out his thoughts (not all of them, though).

He was thinking about what to say, before suddenly blurting out, "Why are girls so confusing?"

Sally studied Percy carefully. "Is this about a specific girl?"

Percy started scratching the plastic cover off the remote. "Yes," he said finally.

Sally couldn't help but smile a little. This was the first time her son had even come close to acknowledging that he was having "girl troubles" with Annabeth (because really, who else).

"Anything you want to tell me about this specific girl?"

Percy flushed a little at his Mom's knowing tone. "Well, I- she's confused, and now I'm confused, and now she probably doesn't want to talk to me, and - I'm not making any sense, am I?" He smiled weakly.

"S'alright," Sally said as she yawned.

"You've been staying up writing, haven't you?"

Sally smiled sheepishly. "I always get the best ideas at night."

"You should get some sleep, Mom." Sally looked like she was about to protest but Percy had this obstinate look on his face.

"Alright, honey." She got up and started walking towards her room. "But you're going to tell me more about your Annabeth problem tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, I w- Hey! I never said - I didn't- " Percy spluttered, but his Mom was already gone.

A/N: I ran out of ideas at this point lol.