"I just don't see why you ordered blueberry if you don't even like it!"

"It's a matter of principle, of my core values. You of all people should understand that!"

Annabeth pressed a hand to her mouth to hide her smile. "You know, if you really wanted to eat blue frozen yogurt, you could have asked for a sample of blueberry, ordered vanilla, and then mixed the two. At least that way you would mostly like your yogurt."

"I didn't take you for a cheater."

"Here, just-" She plucked the yogurt out of Percy's hands and gave him hers, coconut flavored. Then she took a scoop out of the blueberry and put it in Percy's cup.

"There," she declared. "You're welcome."

Raising his eyebrows, Percy asked, "Do you like blueberry?"

"It's fine."

Annabeth probably hated it more than he did. But if that was the price she had to pay for being out with Percy, she would gladly eat of gallon of blueberry frozen yogurt. The sky was cloudy, and the people at the table nearby were arguing loudly, but Annabeth couldn't be more content. Being away from Harrison was nice. Being out was nice. Being around Percy was - interesting. Her frozen yogurt may as well have been ambrosia.

"So," she said, gesturing with her spoon, "you know all about my political beliefs, but what about you?"

"What?"

"I mean, what do you believe? I promise I won't judge you unless you say you're not in favor of campaign finance reform."

Percy shook his head. "I don't really have that many."

Annabeth gasped in mock horror. "The sheep-like apathy of young people today is exactly what's bringing this country down, you know."

With a smile, Percy answered, "It's not that I don't know about anything that's going on, I just don't know what to make of it. There's just so much nuance, it's hard to make any decision."

He shrugged. "I guess that's why I'm not going to be a politician."

"So what do you want to do?"

"I'm not really sure about that either. Let me think…"

Percy ate a spoonful of yogurt and rested his chin in his hand. He stared off into the distance thoughtfully, turning his unfocused gaze on a pair of children squealing in joy. Annabeth turned her head to look at them as well. Not because she thought he was looking at them in particular, but because watching Percy's contemplative expression - his eyes bright, his head slightly tilted - was almost unbearable.

Without consciously deciding to, Annabeth's glanced at Percy. He looked like a Greek statue. He looked like a Greek god. She quickly turned away again.

"I guess maybe I'd like to do something with the ocean," he said finally. "Marine biologist, oceanographer, that kind of stuff. I wouldn't mind being a surfer, if I learn how to surf someday."

Annabeth snorted. "What are you even studying at college if you don't know what you're going to do?"

"You didn't ask me what I'm going to do, you asked me what I wanted to do," Percy said simply. "I'm studying chemical engineering."

"Oh. I'm sorry that -" Annabeth cleared her throat. "That I didn't phrase the question better."

"It's fine. You're probably going to need to phrase things better if you're going to be a politician, though. It's all about the rhetoric."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Very funny."

She dug her spoon into her yogurt and cautiously tried some. She tried to hide her wince. Gods, it really was so bad.

"What's your thing with blue food, anyway?" She asked. "How do you even eat vegetables?"

"Excuse you, blue is the greatest," Percy replied, jabbing his spoon in the air for emphasis. "The ocean is blue, Cookie Monster is blue, the sky is blue-"

"Well," Annabeth interrupted, pointing to the stormy grey sky, "it's not blue right now."

Percy looked into her eyes, or perhaps at them, thinking deeply.

"I guess grey's cool too," he said finally. "But I dare you to call grey food appetizing."

"Oh, and blue food is?"

"You're eating blue food right now!"

"Yeah, and it-"

Annabeth stopped. On one hand, she hated to say she was wrong, especially when she wasn't. On the other hand, it would start a whole new conversation if she admitted she lied.

"I mean, you don't even like blueberry," she concluded lamely.

Luckily, Percy seemed to accept it. "Fine. That's fair. I just like blue food because my mom always made blue food on special occasions, for some reason. And today's kind of a special occasion. I got to meet you."

"...Percy-"

"Meeting new people is always a special occasion," he added quickly. "It doesn't happen very often, after all."

"And just because this is a special occasion, you have to eat something you hate?"

"And be disloyal to my mother's tradition? Never."

Annabeth laughed. "God, you are the exact opposite of Luke."

As soon as she said it, she froze. She shoved a mouthful of blueberry frozen yogurt in her mouth and looked away. Suddenly, she didn't mind the taste at all.

"Who's Luke?" Percy asked carefully, as if Annabeth was liable to burst into tears at any second like some toddler.

The thing is, she was.

"He's just," Annabeth forced out with as much control as possible. "He was some guy. He was my friend, and he betrayed me."

She didn't elaborate. She had no desire to ever, ever elaborate.

Percy looked like he was trying his best not to look sorry for her. He stretched out a hand, but seemed to think better of it at the last second and placed it on the back of his neck.

"That sounds awful," he said quietly.

Annabeth cringed. She really didn't want to have this conversation.

Taking a shaky breath and swallowing down her emotions, Annabeth managed a wavering smile. "It's really fine."

She tossed her empty cup into the trash and stood up abruptly. "Well, I think Harrison's going to lose his mind if I stay away any longer. Think it's time to go?"

Percy blinked. "I - I guess if you want to. Do you want to leave?"

Annabeth really, really didn't want to. "Definitely."

The walk back to the car was silent. Percy put his hands in his pockets and hummed under his breath. Annabeth realized with a wave of affection that it was the Adventure Time theme song. She crossed her arms and looked at the floor. The sidewalk was paved with grey stones. Annabeth used all her concentration to count each and every brick.

The ride back wasn't as quiet. Annabeth fell back on the headrest and stared straight ahead; Percy popped in a CD and turned the volume knob. Annabeth couldn't recognize the artist, but the melody were surprisingly melancholy. Nostalgic, even. She would have thought Percy only listened to upbeat pop music, or The Little Mermaid soundtrack.

"You know," Percy said, softer than the song wafting through the speakers, "I've would never turn my back in you."

His voice was so low, it seemed like he was talking in his sleep. Annabeth almost questioned whether or not he had said anything at all.

"I know," she said back just as quietly.

And the scary thing was, she did know. Even though they had just met, even though she barely knew anything about Percy, she knew.

When they pulled up to Councilman Harrison's building, Harrison was already standing in the parking, pacing. As soon as he caught sight of Percy's car, he dashed to his side and opened the door for him.

"Sir, I'm so sorry about anything I might have done to offend, I promise you I hold all my employees in the highest regard-"

Percy stopped his rambling with a dismissive wave. "No need, Councilman." He shook the Councilman's hand warmly and stepped out of the car. "Annabeth here has already convinced me that you would be an excellent candidate for a donation from my father. I promise you that I will recommend he seriously consider it."

Councilman Harrison was stunned. "I - I don't know what to say -"

"And I'm sorry I asked Annabeth to turn her phone off, I wanted us to have an uninterrupted conversation about your many achievements. You're a very accomplished man, sir."

Annabeth tried her best not to laugh at the expression on Harrison's face. She put her hand over her mouth just to be sure.

"Sir - I -" Harrison grabbed Percy's hand and began shaking it vigorously. "Thank you, your help will be - sincerely considered - and deeply appreciated."

Percy forced a smile. "It's quite alright, sir, but I really must be going now. I will contact you again if my father decides to take my advice. And Annabeth-" he turned towards her, smile reaching his eyes this time. "I'll see you some other time?"

Annabeth smiled back. "Yeah. See you."

As soon as Percy was gone, Harrison grabbed Annabeth's hands and cheered. "Finally, you're using power as a woman for good. I never thought I'd see the day. God, it's a good thing he was so infatuated with you. We got extremely lucky today, Annie."

Annabeth bit back her comments, but pulled her hands away. "What are you talking about?"

"What? You really expect me to believe you guys talked about business?" He waggled his eyebrows. "Anyone could see he was head over heels for you."

Harrison practically skipped back to his office, leaving Annabeth standing in the parking lot, speechless.

She stood there for what seemed like an eternity, unable to move. Unable to think.

She had her answer, she supposed. She was no longer both alive and dead. She was completely alive. Or completely dead. Annabeth wasn't sure, her thoughts were really muddled.

Love was ridiculous. Love was an illusion Love was a product of hormones and chemicals in her brain.

Annabeth thought about blueberry frozen yogurt and smiled.

She looked in the direction Percy had gone wistfully. She had left Percy leave. She promised herself she would never let someone leave again. But this time, she knew he was coming back, and maybe that was enough for her.