Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or HOO.
Shout-out to lovecheer13 for predicting what happens next!
Chapter 11
"But, Annabeth," he whined. "This position is so comfortable."
I froze.
I'd never told Blue my real name.
I remember one day that Chiron had been teaching my cabin what to do in the case of a surprise attack. There are many ways to respond based on what kind of surprise. For example, if it is an ambush, you'd want to find a defendable area and take out as many as possible before either escaping, getting help, or killing all the monsters. If the monsters sneak up behind you, you obviously need to get them in front of you and fight them. If they surprise you enough to take someone hostage, your goal is to ultimately save your ally before the monster can harm them.
If a monster is already close to you, though, your biggest chance of surviving the encounter is surprising the monster back. The best way to do this when deceit is used, I'd determined, is to continue the ruse. Pretend nothing is wrong, then BAM! Stab 'em in the gut.
However, I did not know if there was a monster behind me. My monster-sense was tingling again, and a sense of foreboding was running through me. Forcing myself to be calm, I ran through all the possibilities of how Blue could know my name. Piper could've slipped up. He could have seen a document with my real name. I could have slipped up. But most importantly, I couldn't blindly stab whoever -or whatever- was behind me.
I assessed my situation. It sounded like Blue, but Blue should not know that my name is actually Annabeth. I could only feel hands and the wind was blowing so I couldn't catch a scent. Blue might not actually be at this shoot, and the only insurance I had that it was Blue was the voice.
Voice.
Monster.
Deceit.
Cyclops.
All of this rushed through my head in a second, thanks to Athena's heritage. I tried to fight it, but a panic blew through me. Suddenly I was seven again, in a dark, confusing house. Luke and Thalia were nowhere to be found, and my dad was calling me. Calling me. Thalia and Luke, my protectors, were tied up, defenseless. A Cyclops was standing there. It was going to kill us. All of us.
My mind rushed on, past the resolution of the Cyclops problem, and on to the aftermath. The monsters were closer. Gaining on us. Only because Thalia's scent was so powerful. Was that a crime? Punishable by death? Grover said we were close. But not close enough. Too far. Too steep. Too scared. Thalia decided. Decided to stop. I didn't want her to. Neither did Luke. Or Grover. But she did. We stopped with her. Fought together. More people, in armor, came. They helped. The monsters were killed. Not before I saw one camper die. Many wounded.
I was seven. Traumatized. But I was tough. I made it through. Thalia, Luke, and Grover were okay. But I had witnessed that battle. The Battle of Half-Blood Hill. All because of that Cyclops.
If a Cyclops was behind me, touching my arms, I was going to have a heart attack.
Calm, Annabeth, I told myself. I forced myself back to what the monster had just said.
"This position is comfortable," I responded, forcing a laugh.
"Exactly. We still have ten minutes of break. Why should we waste it?" the voice offered. I almost gagged. A monster was flirting with me. I pushed my vocal chords to giggle.
"Why should we, indeed?" I said flirtatiously. Gaw, I think I'm gonna puke. I damn well deserve an Oscar for this performance.
"Let's go inside," the voice whispered in my ear. It sounded so much like Blue, but now I was sure it wasn't. Blue would never be so blunt about something he was so obviously nervous about last night.
"Or we could stay here," I suggested casually.
"No, inside."
"Outside."
"Inside."
"Outside," I pressed. This wasn't Blue. No way.
"Fine," Blue's voice growled. The hands whirled me around and I saw its face. It towered over me, at least seven feet. One ugly, bloodshot eye glared at me from the middle of a greasy, gross forehead. "We'll play out here then."
I wiggled out of its grasp, cursing my dress and blessing the flat shoes. I, in a very unladylike manner, hiked up my dress and grasped my knife. For a millisecond I wished I had that pen/sword thing I'd seen Chiron with one day. Much easier. Couldn't do anything about that now though. I pulled out my dagger and spun to face the Cyclops. His (I'd decided it was a he) eye darkened and he started advancing on me.
"You'll be so delicious," he crooned disgustingly. "Imported food. They say France has it good, but Americans, yum." He licked his lips and gave me a view of his horrible tongue.
"All the food has made you stupid, if you think you're gonna eat me," I responded. "Oh, wait, you already were stupid." I gave him a glare I reserved for monsters only. He winced a little.
"A shame you won't comply. I guess you aren't the typical American fast food." He still had Blue's voice, and it was so wrong to hear that voice with that body and saying those things. Before I could focus too much on the fact that he was a Cyclops, I lunged in.
My knife was quick, but the monster pulled out a club and caught my dagger on it. I wrenched it free and struck again, then again, only to have him dodge me charged at me, and I stepped to the side, thrusting my blade out, like a bullfighter and his cloth. Unfortunately, the Cyclops stopped before hitting the knife.
Using his attempt to regain his footing as extra time, I sprinted around him and to his other side, darting my knife down. It was going to be a direct hit to the gut, but I heard a voice.
"Please, no!" It was Blue, but it was the Cyclops, but it sounded like Blue. However, the hesitancy that came from the shock of thinking I was about to stab my boyfriend was enough to allow the giant to turn sideways. My knife continued its downward descent, and the good-for-nothing Cyclops helped me down. I rolled away before his club bashed into my head.
I tried to leap up, but my foot caught on my dress and I was down again. The club was on its way towards my head, and all I could do was hold up my hand. However, hold up my hand I did, angling it so that the club hit mostly on my dagger and was deflected to the side. It still hurt though. I continued rolling, the monster's club swings not giving me time to try to rise again. This continued, roll and swing, roll again and swing, us locked in some horrendous game of Whack-a-Mole.
His club scraped my arm and I knew I couldn't last long. I rolled sideways and knocked into his feet, hoping to set him off balance. It worked. I jumped up, careful of the skirt of my dress, and assumed a fighting stance. We circled each other until he lunged in. I avoided him, but he cornered me at the edge of the patio. It occurred to me that I was lucky someone hadn't come out to the patio yet, but then I remembered my situation and decided I wasn't lucky.
"Where are they?" the monster growled. He was using his own voice now, thank the gods.
"Where are who?" I asked, confused, but willing to let him keep talking. As long as it didn't mean attacking me.
"The other one. I can smell more of you, powerful ones, and I want a multi-meal," he explained. He must be talking about Piper! I had to protect her.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied haughtily.
"Oh, I'm sure you do." He sneered at me. "How about you scream a little to get your friends here?" He tried to whack me with his club, but I blocked. I stayed silent, knowing anyone inside would come outside if they heard me. Right into this monster's trap. "Is that how it is? Then maybe I'll just call them for you." I gasped. He was going to use my voice against me! He grinned maliciously.
The Cyclops turned around to call through the doors. He was pretty smart, for a Cyclops, but too dumb to realize that turning your back on an armed demigod was a bad idea. Without a second thought, I leaped onto his shoulders, focused only on stopping this monster before my friends got hurt too. I stopped thinking that he was a Cyclops. I stopped listening. I just jumped, plunging my knife into his exposed neck.
With one surprised 'Oh' from One-Eye over here, his form turned to dust and I fell with it to the ground. I quickly stood up, brushing the golden sand from my clothes. The wind quickly scattered the evidence of the kill, but it was easy to see that I'd been rolling around on the ground. Luckily the skirt was just wrinkled, but the sleeves had some of my blood on it, and no telling what my hair looked like.
Suddenly I heard, "Anna?" I collapsed to the ground. His voice. How could that Cyclops be so evil? He took something I loved, Blue's voice, and turned it into something horrible. "Anna? Are you out there? Break is almost over," Blue called out to the courtyard. If I wasn't so upset, I would've been overjoyed that Blue was doing this shoot today.
He stepped out the doors. "Oh, there you are. I was sure I would find you here…" he trailed off, confusion and concern showing on his face. "Anna, what happened?"
He rushed to me, but I scooted away. He tried to hug me, but all I could feel were that Cyclops' hands. He tried to look me in the eyes, yet I could only see one.
"Anna, talk to me," he insisted.
"No," I gasped. His voice was echoing in my mind. He grabbed my shoulders and I squirmed, but he held tighter.
"What happened?" he demanded, his voice gentle yet completely stubborn. I shook my head. Two could play this game. Besides, the feel of his hands was starting to come through. His scent of the ocean was calming, but I had no idea what to tell him. Oh, yeah, Blue, a Cyclops just attacked me because my mom is Athena, the Greek goddess. Because that would go down well.
He sighed, and I expected him to run his hand over his hair, a habit I'd noticed of his, but he didn't take his hands off my shoulders. He looked at me, and I could imagine what he saw. A weak, vulnerable, hysterical girl in a dirty dress, makeup smeared and hair crazy.
Yet I didn't see any negative emotions in his once again dull eyes. I squinted, trying to see into his thoughts right now. Then he leaned down and kissed me. I was surprised, but it was not unpleasant at all. After a little while I kissed back fervently. His lips and arms offered a security I needed right now, and I was not letting go. I put my hands on either side of his face, assuring my mind that this was Blue, not some hungry monster.
I could feel both our breaths running out, and I raced to come up with a plausible story. It was kind of hard to think rationally when you're lips are on someone else's though. As he pulled away, I forced on a look of how I would look after he kissed me (which wasn't that hard) to hide my racing mind. I scrolled through what Blue knew about me and how to use it. I finally found something with our second meeting.
"What happened?" my boyfriend asked again softly. I shut my eyes. I was lying to him again.
"There was a dog," I started. Realization dawned on him after a moment. He put his arm around my shoulders and held me close. "It came out of nowhere. I was scared, but tried to stay calm. Then it attacked me." Substitute a Cyclops for a dog, and the truth is plain.
"I can see that," he commented. He lightly touched the scratches on my arm. I winced. I would have to get some ambrosia for that. "How did you get it away? And why didn't you call for help?"
"I hit it with a stick." I grinned, feeling a bunch better.
"Another stick! How about that, Sandwich Girl?" he laughed and I joined, remembering our first day together.
"You better believe it, Fish Brain," I countered. He smiled but still looked worried.
"But Anna, why didn't you yell or something?" Oh, because the monster would have eaten you.
"I didn't want any of my friends becoming targets for the dog either," I said instead. He kissed my cheek. I think it caught on fire.
"Thank you," he told me sincerely, looking me in the eyes. "But you don't have to be a hero." Ah, you see, yes I do. "With more people, we could have chased off the dog. If something like that happens again, I want to help you, okay?"
"Okay," I responded, and leaned in to kiss him again. I couldn't get enough of the feel of his lips. He kissed me back tenderly and then stood up. He offered me his hand and I stood up.
"C'mon. Let's get you cleaned up before the pictures, partner."
"Really? We're partners?" I asked, delighted.
"Yep! Milady." He bowed, offering his arm towards the door to inside.
"Thank you, Sir Knight." I curtsied and took the proffered arm, walking inside.
~o0o~
The next day was our last day in Paris. Blue had left that morning, and we would leave tomorrow morning. I'd like to say that I lived my life without him, but the truth is I missed him sorely.
We'd spent the afternoon after the shoot together, walking and talking and kissing. We promised to stay in touch, though I explained that at my summer camp we weren't allowed phones.
"I'll contact you when I can," I'd promised. He didn't live too far away from Camp Half-Blood, and I was hoping we might visit sometime. At the hotel, we'd had one last goodbye kiss, though it wasn't goodbye forever, thank the gods. The touch of his lips lingered on my skin the rest of the night.
Piper noticed my sulking, but she was down in the dumps too since Jason had left. I finally couldn't take it anymore and dragged us both out into the sunshine. I walked, not really sure where I was headed. Eventually we made it to the River Seine. Since it cuts the city in half, we had to make it there sometime.
Piper and I sat on a bench overlooking the shimmering water.
"It sucks to have boyfriends that leave, doesn't it?" I pondered. Piper sighed.
"Yeah."
"Aha!" I yelled, jumping up. "You are going out! I knew it!" Piper looked like she was about to protest but decided against it.
"Yeah, we are, once I finally got the dope to kiss me," Piper recalled joyfully. I sat back down and she told me the whole story of their first kiss. They were so cute.
Eventually the conversation turned to camp. She would be returning with me. I was almost 100% positive that she was a daughter of Aphrodite, and I was excited to have her at camp. One thing bothered me though.
"Piper?" I asked.
"Hm?"
"Would you mind, if, well, if you didn't mention the modeling?" She turned to me.
"I won't, I don't like to tell people I model either. They immediately get all these bad stereotypes stuck in their heads," she shared.
"Exactly! I mean, I guess some of it is true, but I have a reputation at camp, and modeling would tarnish that," I explained, laying my thoughts out.
"Perfectly understandable," she nodded. "You say nothing about my background and I say nothing about this. Deal?" She held out her hand playfully.
"Deal." I firmly shook her hand. Now all that's left to figure out is Percy.
~o0o~
Back at the hotel, I set about straightening my thoughts, as I had planned to do the whole trip. I made a pros and cons list, weighed the options, pondered the whole thing. I small voice said I was over-complicating things, but I shut it up.
My thoughts went something like this: Percy was sweet, kind, and impulsive, but so far that hadn't interfered with anything. He was brave, that's for sure, and undeniably attractive. He was powerful as well, being a son of Poseidon. That was a problem. Poseidon and Athena aren't supposed to mix. He also had a temper, but I could be easily angered too. He was sensitive and loyal, at least to his mother, and messy in an adorable way. But I couldn't think like that, because another factor was now in play. I had a boyfriend. A boyfriend that I knew would be very loyal to me, and I should be the same. So no lovesick thoughts about Percy. No siree.
Yet there was still this pull to him, a pull only comparable to the one I felt for Blue. That didn't matter, though. No matter what sort of feeling I had, Blue's pull on me had been officialized first. There was no turning back on that.
Not that you gave Percy a chance for that, that small voice whispered.
I only knew him for a few days! I excused myself.
But you ran away, the voice reminded me.
"Well, there's nothing I can do about that now, is there?" I yelled out loud. Piper looked at me strangely from where she was sitting, but didn't say anything. Gods bless her.
At the end of my brown study, I only knew one thing for sure: If I was going to become close to Percy in any way, shape, or form, it had to stay friendly.
Last chapter in Paris! :'( Actually, I had planned to end Paris in Chp 10 but that didn't happen.
If anyone feels that Annabeth or Percy are too OOC, I will explain. I'm taking an "If this continues..." approach, so some emotions and experiences are heightened since events in the series never happened to calm them, like Annabeth meeting Tyson and all that to get over her aversion to Cyclops.
I will not respond to reviews in my A/Ns now because it was getting to long for my taste, but I will PM you. If I don't, feel free to yell at me ;) If anyone prefers to have a response in the chapter, let me know. Overall, THANK YOU to all my marvelous reviewers, allthough you are all probably tired of hearing me say thanks. Not that I'll stop (Thank you).
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