A/N: Konnichiwa minna-san! And I have already prepared the story line and I think there's like 13 more chapters to come. But I'm not sure since I usually don't follow that.

Anyways, special thanks to these people who reviewed last chapter. You don't know how these simple reviews make me happy.

(ainegelic, June Green and Daughter of Olympus 2)

And special mention to Daughter of Olympus 2: Ah. Thank you very much for spending a bit of your time to leave a comment last chapter. Yes, as a form of martial arts, Judo specializes in throwing, though it still involves striking attacks. I guess I just edged more on the offensive side which were the defining characteristic of Karate. Thanks for noticing that. I'll try to correct my mistake on the upcoming chapters that needed fight scenes. YEAH!

"So, tell me about the sparring match 'whatsoever' drama?" Thalia asked for the fifth time around since she entered Annabeth's quite lonesome apartment.

The girl in question was sprawled lazily on the couch, her limbs dangling loosely on the side. Pain reliever patches decorated her body like some sort of a tattoo, but was so old fashioned it wouldn't even pass as one. Before Thalia came, she was actually trying to sleep on her bed, hoping that the torture of pain would soon fade away. But, you see, unfortunately, those never happened. As soon as the punk set her foot on the perimeter of Annabeth's sanctuary, Thalia dragged the girl's sorry butt towards the couch. And though Annabeth protested, she really couldn't do anything against Thalia's cold stare and a mighty bunch of bananas.

"Ouch. . ." Annabeth moaned. She extended her arm to reach for a banana but Thalia swatted her hand away like she's doing something illegal.

"You don't get a piece unless you talk, Annie," Thalia said tauntingly. She waved a banana in the air, earning an exasperated growl from Annabeth. She kind of resembled a feisty tigress that was, without a doubt, hungry.

"Thals! My body speaks for it, can't you see?" Annabeth muttered.

"Well, I want real words." Thalia crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Annabeth like she just earned a point in the argument. "Perhaps, a picture speaks of a thousand words. How could I know which were true?"

The blonde scowled at the punk. She hadn't thought of that. "Alright. But, I've got a condition."

Thalia looked at her as if she had just grown two heads. "Seriously? I'm the one leading the deal, aren't I?"

"But, I want my condition in. If you won't accept it, then I won't tell you," Annabeth argued.

"Then, how about these bananas?" Thalia asked smugly. She was so sure her bestfriend forgot about it, and then Annabeth wouldn't be able to resist her offer. She loved bananas next to lemons.

"So?" Annabeth ignored the bunch. "I've had enough potassium for the day and those didn't seem to pose a problem to me, Thalia."

Thalia raised her arms in defeat. "Sometimes I forget that I have one hell of a smart ass bestfriend."

Annabeth smiled at her. Compliments surely make her day despite being covered in pain patches and all.

"Then tell me what you wsnt, Annie?"

"Make me a cup of coffee."

Thalia grimaced. She wasn't a great fan of caffeine but it's not her who's going to drink it anyway. That'd a fine deal than never hearing the story at all. "Sure."

"Two teaspoons of coffee, a tablespoon of creamer and a teaspoon of sugar, please," Annabeth supplied, not wanting to drink another version aside from her own.

Thalia disappeared into the kitchen. Everything was still the same: almost all the appliances were untouched except for the odd tupperware of blue cookies sitting on top of the counter. "Annabeth," she called.

"Yeah?" came a groggily reply.

She picked up the tupperware; there were still three pieces left, and walked to the couch. "Care to explain about this?"

Annabeth looked at her like she was stupid for not knowing the answer. "I'm afraid those are cookies, Thals."

"Yes. And they're colored blue."

The blonde nodded slowly, not particularly sure where this conversation was going. "They are definitely blue."

"These are Percy's cookies, am I wrong?"

"You're right. He gave them to me and-Oh." Annabeth took a deep breath. "You weren't thinking I was cheating, were you?"

"No." Thalia shook her head, chuckling. "I wasn't thinking of that, for sanity's sake, Annabeth. I was just wondering how you got these cookies since I was sure you were keen on biting each other's head last time I checked. And he rarely gives these cookies."

Annabeth leaned back deeper in the couch, thankful that Thalia didn't suspect her of doing that. It just didn't seem right. "Ah. I guess you were late on my life's current events. We had a sort of a truce about our rivalry and as you asked, I'm trying my best to be nice to him."

"Oh." Thalia had a smirk dangling on her face. "You followed my advice. That's quite rare, don't you think?"

Annabeth chucked a stuff toy at her bestfriend. It was the fat gray owl her dad gave her when she was seven. "Shut up, Thalia."

"But how?"

Annabeth pulled herself up to sitting position, not wanting to prolong the story any longer. "Okay. So, there's this Asian girl Drew, who mistaken my obi for hers. We had a little argument and when I won, she threatened me. Moments after Chiron announced the sparring match, Drew challenged me. And I couldn't back down so I accepted her offer. Then, then. . ."

"Then what?"

She buried her face on the pillow she was holding. "Ardwyh dwhoozsh."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Pardon, Annie?"

"Ardwyh dwhoozsh."

"Annabeth, for goodness' sake! I can't understand any word you say with that darn pillow covering your mouth. Say it once more," Thalia demanded, tearing the pillow from her bestfriend's grasp.

"I lost," Annabeth muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She really didn't want to think of it, let alone say it. She still hadn't fully recovered from the depression she suffered for that loss.

"Oh."

"Yeah." She continued, "Percy helped me from there on and he gave me the cookies."

Thalia nodded, not really sure what to say after that. Instead, she got back to the task of making Annabeth's coffee and providing her bestfriend company till she's sure they're okay.

"Hi."

Percy stood awkwardly on Annabeth's doorway. He's wearing a blue button down with sleeves folded neatly up to his elbows. The jeans he's wearing fit quite perfectly on his legs, making him look taller. Even his usually tousled hair appeared to have suffered a war against a comb. Compared to Annabeth's loose white shirt, pink-striped pajamas and messy bun, he was surely overdressed.

In a state of shock, Annabeth muttered the first thing that came into her mind. "You're wearing a button-down."

"I, um-," he looked down on his outfit. "Well, yeah."

Annabeth pointed out the next thing she noticed. "You're here."

"You didn't expect me, did you?" Percy asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He scanned Annabeth's clothing. "Based on your clothes and all, I take it you forgot about the visit thing."

"Oh." Annabeth felt thoroughly ashamed. After all the things Percy did to help her, that simple request slipped out of her memory. She have to do something.

She gestured him in. "Ah, please come in. I'm sorry you have to see me in this state and all. But, please do make yourself comfortable."

Percy waved her off. "Oh no, no. It appears that I'm disturbing you from something."

"Percy, I insist."

Percy entered her apartment. It wasn't like anything he had imagined. It was simple in a way that made you comfortable and welcomed. The style wasn't anywhere extravagant and it could be classified as unassuming or plain, but was never boring. It's just there's something beautiful on how the whole place radiated of home.

"You're an architect, aren't you?" Percy asked, once he got over staring at her place. He sat at the couch.

Annabeth nodded. She placed a glass of orange juice in front of him. "Sorry. It wasn't blue."

He smiled. 'She remembered.' "It's fine. Uh, if you don't mind me asking, why aren't you building your own house? Why live in an apartment?"

She thought about it. Why hadn't she actually? Wasn't she rich and famous enough to build her own home?

"You see, I design these buildings and houses for people. I build and design their dreams to make those permanent. But constructing my own is a different story. I want to make sure that when I finally have to do it, it's perfect, it's flawless, it's marvelous. Because above all, I don't want to build my own mistake."

"I see." Percy nodded. Annabeth had a point. "But when would that happen? What if you just realize it's too late, that you've wasted your time waiting for that perfect design?"

She shook her head. That wasn't a possibility. She could find it in no time. "No. Perfection was never too late. Especially for me."

"Okay. But you need to remember to hold onto the things and people you have now. Maybe then when they're gone you'd realize that you just had the permanent mistake of your life, Annabeth," Percy said.

She didn't say anything more. Instead, she focused on cleaning the mess Thalia left an hour ago. Annabeth didn't really want to spark another argument about her beliefs in life. That would just question the whole truth she was led to believe.

"You're a natural," he stated after sometime of staring at her.

"Natural?"

"Yes," Percy affirmed, his gaze never leaving her face. "You have a natural beauty. And you never use so much make up to pretty yourself."

"Oh." She ducked her head under the table and pretended to pick something, just to obscure the blush on her cheeks. "Thanks. I guess." Should she compliment him as well? And here she thought he was definitely attractive. "You don't look bad yourself."

He merely gave a shift of his head and a chuckle. "You don't have to praise me just because I happen to notice your prettiness."

"No," she argued, as if she was thinking of it along time ago (which was actually true) and was certain of it. "I didn't say it because of that. It's true that you're attractive."

"Well, if you do say that I'm attractive. . ." Percy beamed at her, with something curious in his expression. "Does that follow the notion that you're attracted to me as well?"

"What?"

He laughed at the almost dumbfounded look on Annabeth's face. "Forget about it. Go and get dressed. I assume you don't want to bake cookies-" he gestured to her clothes, "with that outfit."

"Then, you better get a change of clothes too, Mr. Jackson. We can't afford to ruin your 'date outfit' with your mom," Annabeth said before she went to her room.

"It's not a 'date outfit'," he claimed. "And perhaps, mom likes this do."

"Whatever."

"Percy!"

"Mom," Percy greeted, embracing and kissing his mother on the cheek like a good boy. Annabeth found the scene quite adorable, it was so nice to see that Percy was proud of his mom, which was strange nowadays. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, ashamed that she was kind of ruining a special moment.

"So, I believe you're Annabeth? The one in Percy's judo class?" Sally asked her, once she removed herself from her son's arms.

"Yes, Mrs. Jackson. It's Annabeth. Annabeth-"

"Chase, yes. Like 'cat chasing a mouse' chase? Percy told me about it. But then, Percy tells me everything there is about you," Sally explained, looking over to Percy who had the 'Mom please shut up' look. Unfortunately, embarassing her son was Sally's main source of pleasure. "It seemed that he's your fan or something."

"Mom!"

"Really, Mrs. Jackson?"

"Oh, just Sally dear. Call me Sally."

"Alright, Sally." Annabeth had never felt comfortable with her mom, Athena, due to her being strict and cold. But with Sally, it was as if she found a new maternal love from someone who wasn't even related to her. It felt good.

"So, shall we go and bake some cookies, honey? Percy sure told me you did love them," Sally said.

"Oh sure. I would love to," Annabeth replied. Then she looped her arm around Sally's and chatted like they have been talking for years.

Percy, meanwhile, was left outside the door, too shocked to do anything. He just couldn't comprehend what was currently happening before her eyes; his mom and Annabeth just bonded like she was her long-lost daughter. It's strange but cool. It'll just mean there's more Annabeth visits to come.

"Oh Annabeth dear. Have I told you about Percy's-?"

"MOM!"

Happiness. Please leave a review.