The Trouble That Came with the Tide

Annabeth -

"Percy!" I yelled. I had been watching his slim figure walk down the beach. His feet splashing in the waves, eyes on the horizon. His stupid long legs made it near impossible to catch up and I had been calling his name for awhile, but the wind drowned out my voice. He heard me this time, however, and spun around to greet me. He smiled and met me halfway.

"Hi," he said. He had a goofy little grin on his face.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"You said that already," I told him.

"I know."

"Why did you walk out of breakfast?" I asked.

"People aren't exactly treating me the same as before," he admitted. "No one really sees me as the same. I dunno, it's stupid."

"It's not stupid and neither are you, despite your Seaweed-Brainedness," I teased. He smiled at me. "It is a lot to get used to. When you said yes to the gods I was so scared. I was terrified."

"Why?"

"I thought I was losing you. I thought that you wouldn't be you anymore," I admitted.

"I'm still here. I'm still me and that isn't changing. I'm immortal after all," he said. His eyes softened as they gazed at the horizon.

"I know, which is why we need to talk," I said. I was nervous. There was no way around it. This was the boy I was in love with for the last four years and things were complicated to say the least. Yet when were they not?

"I was thinking the same thing," Percy said. "Come with me." He held his hand out to me which I took. He pulled me into the Sound and we ran, soaking our clothes. Soon enough the water got too deep for me and Percy pulled me under.

"Hold your breath," he had said. Just like last night, he gathered air bubbles and surrounded us in it. It amazed me. Our little bubble of sanctuary was crowded by sea creatures coming to investigate the newest sea deity. Percy floated us out further and further, quicker than I had ever seen him do, but kept us within swimming distance of the surface.

"Let's talk," he said.

"I-" My voice caught as I saw how beautiful our surroundings were. Glistening blue water was surrounding me. Above, below, and on every side. Dark gray dolphins swam beside the bubble and fish were below us. It was incredible. But I came to my senses when I saw him awaiting my words. I decided to just come out and say it.

"We shouldn't date. I don't want to hold you back."

"What?" he said. "How could you hold me back? I don't want to hold you back." Now it was my turn to look confused. He was a God. An immortal. All powerful and flawless in every way that counts.

"You're a God, Perce, and I'm not. You're going to live on after me. After I die. If I date you than I'll fall in love with you. I'm already in love with you. I just don't want to submit myself or you to that kind of heartbreak," I said. I was going to be as truthful as possible. Honesty was the best policy.

"Hold on," he said. "You- you love me?"

"Yes," I said. Nervous didn't even cover it at this point. Percy, he was like an extension of myself at this point. The one person who hasn't failed. The one who hasn't left me, but now he would have no choice but to do so.

"I love you too," he replied. His face broke out in a smile. A smile which I didn't return, although my heart was celebrating and jumping for joy. "What's wrong? That fixes everything!"

"Percy you're a God. Gods don't have relationships. Gods don't settle down and fall in love," I said. I watched his smile falter and break. His face fall.

"Maybe they don't, Annabeth, but I'm not them. I love you! I woke up this morning scared, because I didn't think you were looking for the same things as me but you are. If I weren't a God would we be having this conversation?"

"No," I said, "but I can't handle 'what ifs'. You are a God and I can't do that to myself. I can't fall deeper in love only for you to turn around and leave me like everyone else in my life has. If you weren't a God then this, you and I, it could've been that permanent thing I've always wanted to build. I need stability and you aren't that."

"I'm not going to leave you," he said firmly, but his eyes looked heartbroken. "I never have and I never will. I can count on one hand the number of people I love, and you fall on that list. I don't abandon the people I love." His eyes flared and the currents around us began to pick up. His eyes didn't leave mine and he was silently daring me to say something.

"Other people have said that before," I told him. My voice was quiet now. I knew I was going to cave. How could I resist him? He meant everything to me. And despite how much I wanted to save myself from heartbreak, my heart felt differently.

"I'm not Luke." I flinched. "I'm not your father. I'm not Athena. I'm not Thalia. I'm not anyone besides myself. I won't leave you. I won't break your heart. I don't break my promises to you. God or not."

"But we're 16. How can you know I'm what you want? How can you promise me that? It isn't fair to you," I said. He grabbed my hands.

"Four years ago I woke up to the prettiest girl with the prettiest hair and the prettiest eyes. When I woke up I immediately thought you looked like a princess, I'm not lying. And then, the princess told me I drooled when I slept and ran out the door," Percy said chuckling. I cracked a smile as the lump in my throat disappeared. "And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not always the best at understanding girls, but you were always confusing me. Yet that day... that day I knew you were important. I didn't fall in love with you then. I didn't look at you and see my future best friend. The one who would've died for me. I didn't realize you were the girl that my heart would belong to. But I realize now that my heart couldn't possibly belong with anyone else."

Silence. One beat. Then two. The currents calmed down with one soft swish, but his eyes never left mine.

"This is crazy," I said.

"Nothing is crazier than falling in love, but give me your trust and I won't let you down. Give me you heart and I won't drop it, because my heart is in your hands too. And the thing is that my heart will live on for the rest of time, but no matter what, no matter when it will always belong to you." I didn't know what to say. His words resonated. He radiated love and something more. I had no words that hadn't already been spoken. I no more fears to be soothed. There was only one thing left to do.

I kissed him.

Again.

And again.

AN: Please review!