Chp 13
Melody's POV

I laughed along with the others as Will had drifted off while holding his coffee mug and had spilt it on himself, jumping with a start and nearly falling backwards off his chair to the drink being so hot.

"Are you okay?" I asked, chuckling. He nodded, pulling his jeans off his leg as best he could, it being a slim fit. He ended up having to go change his pants, but came back quickly to finish his scrambled eggs on toast.

"So the plan is to go pick up the love birds from Annabeth's place and then head to go do a day of having fun and doing whatever we can find to do." Kieran said, running over the daily plan. We all agreed and got ready to leave.

I had come over early to have some alone time with Tony before the others got up. Tony and I laced fingers and we all made our way to Annabeth's apartment. As I was the only one with a key, I went up first and unlocked the door.

I unlocked the door and opened but stopped it halfway due to what was going on. Chill, they weren't making out or anything that would have been embarrassing to catch them doing. It was just the first time I had ever seen them - or any couple really - having a row.

"Why did you bother even asking my opinion then?" He asked, throwing up his hands. "Well you can see it's straight!" She said, gesturing to her drawing on the table between. "I don't take criticism bad!" She said, probably not the first time she had said it today as she said it really annoyed.

She noticed me there and sighed, rubbing here eyes. I signaled that we would just go on and she nodded, looking at me thankfully. I closed the door and felt the awkwardness fall over us. Joy.

~ Percy's POV ~

I woke up to the bed being empty. I saw the door opened and figured she must not have been able to sleep. I pulled on my jeans and a fresh top, then went through to find her working on something.

"Morning." I said, pressing my chest to her back where she was standing and leaning against the table. She didn't respond, so I frowned, but didn't question her. I moved away and went to pour some coffee.

"Can I have your honest opinion on an idea?" She asked. I nodded and she held up a page, coming to me. She started rattling off an idea for innovative architecture lesson project. It sounded familiar to some building we had seen before in San Francisco.

She looked up at me. "What you think?" She asked. I hesitated and decided to say, "Sounds cool." She just stared at me blankly. "You promised you would tell me the truth." She said.

I rubbed the back if my neck. "Come on, you don't think I can handle some criticism?" She asked. I sighed. "Well to be honest, I don't think it is very you. I mean, it's not innovative." I said, looking at the plain drawing.

"What do you mean it's not innovative?" She asked, slightly angered, and I mentally groaned. "It's plain. It's looks like that one building near your parents place in San Francisco." I admitted. She crossed her arms and looked at me. "Percy, it so doesn't." She protested.

"You know, this is why I rather stuck to telling you it is cool." I said, running my eyes. "Why is that?" She asked. "Annabeth, you do not like criticism at all." I said, telling her straight. She narrowed her eyes at me. "That isn't true. I like knowing criticism so I can work on stuff." She defended.

"No, you like saying you like criticism but know I'm always going to tell you it's perfect because it is, so you don't worry."

"But you can clearly see it isn't bad." She said, making me groan.

"Why did you even bother asking my opinion then?" I asked, throwing up my hands.

"But it's straight!" She said, pointing to the drawing. We looked at each other for a moment. "I don't take criticism bad!" She protested again. She looked past my shoulder and I glanced in that direction to see Mel giving a little wave before closing the front door again.

"Annabeth, why won't you just admit you don't like criticism." I said, rubbing my temple. "Well if you prefer to rather keep in what you feel towards me in fear I'll take it the wrong way, how many times have you lied to me?" She asked.

I scoffed. "Annabeth, that is so ridiculous." I said. Her eyes welled. "Is it?" She asked. "I'm serious, I want to know if you ever lied to me just because I don't like taking criticism."

I hated that she was taking this so seriously. "Annabeth, I really don't want to fight about -" I started but she cut in. "Percy, that's not what I asked you to tell me. Did you ever lie to me?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Annabeth, I don't know. I can't remember. But I don't lie to you, everything I tell you is the honest truth." I said. She turned away from me and moved to where the drawing was. She leaned against the table.

"Percy, how is there supposed to be a future for us if you wouldn't even give me your honest opinion." She said. I ran over what she said a million times in my head. "Our future?" I asked, what she had said burning through my mind. She turned to me. "That wasn't the point. The point is you don't -"

"I don't what? Think you can take criticism. I don't think - I know. It's just how you are." I said. She groaned, frustrated. "Why does it even bother you that much?" I asked. "Because I can take criticism." She said.

"Annaneth, please name one thing that you've been criticized in in your whole life that has ever left a mental scar on you." I said, getting tired if this argument. "You've lived in comfort for as long as I can remember." I said.

She looked at me. "I mean, you've always been healthy, you've always been slim, you've always had perfect marks, you've never had to worry about having bad skin and you have and always will be my definition of perfect." I said, leaning against the counter.

She looked down at the ground for a second. "You and I both know I'm not perfect." She said, her voice quiet and flat. I walked to her and lifted her chin with my finger so she would meet my eyes. "But I love your perfect imperfections." I said.

She did something we haven't done since we have started dating. She just put her arms around my neck, buried her head in my neck and let me hold her. We must go through some of the best arguments, as we always resolve it as best we can and don't let it tear us apart.

I pulled away and said, "It's not wrong or terrible to take criticism bad, but it's just someone else's opinion." I said. She nodded. "I know. I'm sorry." She said, sighing. Ten minutes later we were sitting huddled together in the couch to have alone time.

"What I said earlier when I mentioned 'our future', I'm sorry. That made me sound super clingy as if I won't let you ever see anyone ever again if you want to." She said, and I chuckled.

"But I want you there in my future." I said,and she smiled softly down at where our fingers were laced. If only I could tell her where I can see her with me in the future.