Story Name: The Iris Network

Author:turquoiserainlilies

Disclaimer: Do not own Percy Jackson or anything related, just the plot (really, not even that original). THANKS RICK!

Summary: He's a gamer. She's the Queen Bee. Percy struggles with unwanted fame from his father. Annabeth can't forgive her best friend for falling in love. Living miles away doesn't stop two people's fate from meeting, after all, the best thing to fall in love with are someone's words. AU!AH.

Chapter: BONUS!

wisegirl6 xi

new york 02/14/15 11:11 utc-5

annabeth chase

New York City was already beginning to show signs of the approaching spring in its temperature. Annabeth Chase didn't need any of the usual winter parka when she head out the doors, only hoodie, t-shirt, and jeans. Her roommate told her she was delusional for wanting to wear more. Annabeth was sure that her boyfriend would appreciate the lack of clothing.

Gods that came out wrong, Annabeth realized. She shook those (admittedly not awful) thoughts out of her mind as she walked into the NYU dorms. Thankfully, in the city of metros and taxis, there was no need for a driver's license any time soon. Besides, the traffic was killer.

Getting in the raggedy elevator, Annabeth pulled out her phone to triple check the information it held on it. It wasn't the regular sort of Valentine's Day present girlfriends usually got boyfriends, but Annabeth was sure that they weren't a normal couple.

Proof of that? She was stepping into his dorm to spend Valentine's Day with him, and not going to a fancy dinner even if they could both pay for it.

"Sorry I'm late. I was getting ready when Silena called with incredible news, and then Thalia was freakin' out bec—" She was interrupted by a kiss. Her brain seemed to melt at his touch at her waist, her side, and her hair. She grinned before pulling apart difficulty. She really had good news.

"Boo." Percy frowned against her lips. "It's Valentine's Day Wise Girl." He said, those swimmer arms encircled her waist, making it really hrd to think.

aGods, why was she resisting again?

Annabeth settled for pecking him on the lip one more time before stepping out from his embrace and pulling off her hoodie. "Like I said, Thalia was freaking out because Luke just arrived at our dorm. I had to stay for five extra minutes for courtesy reasons."

"You know what else you can do for courtesy reasons?" Percy said. "Kiss me."

She rolled her eyes. Annabeth loved to tease her boyfriend, even more so giving him extremely good news. So she dragged it out for a bit more, fluffing up her hair and moving into the kitchen. "It's weird to think that this is their second Valentine's Day. They've been together for more than a year."

"So, we've been together for a year." Percy frowned, clearly upset that he's not getting the affection he rightfully deserved. Annabeth cleared her mind of his puppy face so she can probably delivered the news.

"Actually, a year tomorrow." Annabeth smiled.

"Yeah." Percy said wistfully. "I remember February 15 last year. When you would actually kiss me."

She pulled out a bottle of champagne (a gift from her mother for New Year's, though she probably should've called her out for that) she hid under the sink (he never looks there), and pour two glasses. "Champagne tastes better." She shrugged.

Yeah, Annabeth was also wearing a v-neck shirt that does a thing when she shrug, and she was completely aware of it.

"Wise Girl…" Percy whined.

"Long distance relationships are so tough." Annabeth said wistfully, sipping a drink. "Silena called me just last week to say that Beckendorf might not make it because of work, totally sucks, right?"

Percy moved behind the island so he was standing right next to her. "You know what sucks during a close distance relationship, when your girlfriend won't kiss you."

He nudged her with his arm. Annabeth decided she had enough.

She grabbed a fist full of his shirt and pulled them together, never mind the fact that he probably just had his clothes dry cleaned. Percy's kisses were exhilarating, like flying and falling on a rollercoaster. Her brain exploded with thoughts that were jumbled yet clear at the same time.

She pulled him closer by the hair, as he did with her hips. She somehow got crushed up against the kitchen island, arching over it as he kissed her harder. Wow, when was the last time they did this?

Two days? No, maybe three. Annabeth's architect program didn't leave much room for comfort, and his business teaching were more rigorous. They hadn't made out for three days, Annabeth wasn't sure why she didn't jump him as soon as she walked in.

Well, she sort of did.

Speaking of walking in and what she's about to do, Annabeth pulled away a little, preparing to speak but just giving him a chance to kiss her neck instead. She gasped and pulled at his hair more, trying to focus her words.

"You know." She sighed. "That the Olympus' Finale came out over Christmas." She whimpered as Percy pecked her jaw.

"Don't remind me of that." He whispered, kissing her again. She responded too eagerly. If she was selfish, Annabeth would just let him keep kissing her, but she knew that this news was more important than a make out session.

"The Masons are expanding the series." She told him.

Percy paused. "Are you serious?"

"No. the Missing Champion is going to come out on the Fourth of July." Annabeth's eyes sparkled. "Brand new cast and format, within the same universe. The Imperial Gold series. This time featuring Roman gods and Demigods and a suppose—" He captured her lips with his again. She felt the details flying away from her.

"Is this not the best news you've gotten this year?" Annabeth asked him, pulling away slightly.

"Nah, the best news is 'Hey Percy, Thalia and I are moving to an apartment closer to yours for the second semester."

Annabeth snorted, which must've been so attractive during kissing.

"I'm serious." Said Percy seriously. "Annabeth, you're more important to be than video games, you know that."

When most guys say something like that, the girlfriend usually reply with something along the lines of 'duh'. It wasn't the most typical romantic gesture in the world, but nothing about the two of them are typically romantic. To hear that she meant more to him than his entire Demigod world was as if it was…

"Are you only saying it because it's Valentine's Day?" Annabeth asked suspiciously.

"I'm saying it because I love you." She loved how those three words rolled off his tongue easily. "And because it's our anniversary eve."

"I love you too." Annabeth said. Because shortening it to 'love ya' seemed too informal for something as epic as this. "You think it's kind of weird that our anniversary is the day after Valentine's Day?"

"I guess we're kind of a not-so-typical couple." Percy looked at her. She remembered the first time she saw those gorgeous sea-green eyes in person. In a video game convention. In Los Angeles of all places. She understood why Silena pined over an invisible man, and why Thalia loved Luke despite prejudice. She kept thinking that if Percy lived in San Francisco, and went to her school, that she'd probably never met him. He was a gamer, she was a Queen Bee, they lived in separate worlds.

But that wasn't true. Silena still would've pushed her onto the Iris Network, and wherever Percy was, he was always looking to meet new people and being on it as well. They would meet and find each other, and choose each other in every life.

"You're thinking of something cliché, aren't you." Percy asked her mid-kiss.

"Yeah." She sighed, putting her hand on his chest. "A bit, thanks for stopping me before I get too far."

"Love you like Peter loves Anabel." He whispered to her closely.

"Told you they'd get together in the end." Annabeth laughed. That wasn't the most romantic thing he said to her that evening, but it's the one that'd she remember next year, and the next, until forever.

THIS IS THE END OH GODs I SWEAR!

Thank you so much for getting on this journey with me, which, has the doctor put, had been fantastic, brillant, and cool. You've all been an amazing source of inspiration and motivation to help me finish this.

The formal thank you note will be in two chapters. The next chapter is an au in an au, as in, what I originally planned out for the epilogue to be. It features Percy and Annabeth not knowing what each other's names and appearances. It doesn't add to the story, but I guess it makes a cute little flirting session.

thanks again for reading, I love you all :)