Percy was absolutely positive that Annabeth was a nerd.
He didn't see anything wrong with that of course, but it was unexpected nonetheless. It was actually endearing. She had the looks, the brains, the sense of humor, the empathic tendencies, the self motivation, the quick wit and sharp tongue, the calm disposition, the makings of a true leader… well he made his point. Annabeth was damn near perfect, so it was nice to see proof that she was still only human.
Leaving the mall, it became startlingly clear once she became comfortable enough with him. Now that she felt she could talk freely, she talked endlessly. And smartily… smartly? Either way, half of everything she said went completely over his head.
But he reveled in the gleam she would get in her eyes when she talked about something she was passionate about. Namely architecture.
He had never seen anyone so passionate about anything.
It was refreshing.
It was... intimidating.
So intimidating in fact, that he found himself actually learning things. Like, for example, how very essential the buttress is to the support of a cathedral.
He took the opportunity to sneak in a joke about other essentials involving buttresses.
With his ass sticking out towards her, he looked over his shoulder and caught her eyes as she laughed.
The sound was loud and abrupt, which told him she was completely caught off guard.
Passers-by whipped their heads towards the noise and Annabeth glared at Percy.
Well, as well as she could glare while forcing down a smile.
A bonus came in the form of the warmth in her eyes as she shook her head.
And in the slight tremor in her shoulders as she held more laughter in, refusing to give him the satisfaction of making her laugh any longer than she already had.
His new life goal then on became the pursuit of making Annabeth Chase laugh. And say what you want about his work ethic, but so far, he's completed all of his goals. And whether it was becoming a national champion in swimming, or coercing laugh out of a pretty girl, Percy Jackson gets shit done.
From there, as they say, it all went downhill.
"Architecture? More like archi-torture!"
"Am I right?"
"_"
"Hey Annabeth, what do you call two victorian era doorways that hate each other?"
"_"
"... arch enemies…"
"_"
"Hey Annabeth!"
"_"
"Am I archi-testing-ur-patience?"
"_"
"Hey Annabeth"
"Annabeth…?"
"What!"
"I love your archi-texture", he said as he softly ran his hand across the arm of her winter coat.
By then she couldn't hold it in anymore and finally laughed.
Against her will, she gave him the one laugh.
It was music to his ears, and fuel to his ego.
Percy threw his fist in the air in triumph, with such dramatic flair that people turned their heads towards them once again.
She quickly shoveled up some snow and threw it at him.
"Calm down, you dork…", she told him, with much more affection than she intended.
"I knew I could get you to laugh again", he stated smugly, wiping the snow off from his sweater.
The second she looks away from him, a perfect snowball hits her right in the stomach. Her facial expression sets him off on a peel of laughter. Without missing a beat, she has more snow in her hands as she lunges towards him, more as a threat than a preparation. His eyes widen as he throws his hands up in surrender. He only drops his hands once she has dropped the snow at his feet.
"Just take me home, you idiot", she said, looping her arm through his to take the sting off her words.
Against his better judgement, his body still tensed at hearing the name.
'Idiot'
It was one of many he had been been taught to associate himself with.
Though a fairly innocent insult, to him, it meant pain.
The same went for the simple gesture of putting her arm through his.
It was one of the words that signalled him to brace for an incoming attack.
It triggered every feeling he had during those student teacher conferences, where he was told he wasn't good enough.
"Percy?', Annabeth asks worriedly, slowly taking her arm back away.
He snaps his head sharply towards her voice, and he gasps as if he'd just broached the surface after being under water.
"Hmmm?", he replies casually, forcing a small smile.
"Nothing. You just kind of… zoned out for a second", she says mildly, trying to convince him that she didn't notice anything unusual.
He just shrugs his shoulders, and takes her arm like she did to him. It effectively stops the conversation, and he is grateful for that. He hopes she'll just forget about what she just saw.
"Off we go", Percy half-sings as he begins to lead them forward again.
"Percy?"
"Yes?", he asks, trying not to sound as scared of her question as he is.
He didn't know how he would respond to a question about his little episode. It was bad enough that he stayed up most nights plagued by nightmares and clutching at wounds that had long since healed. He didn't need to add panic attacks anytime someone says certain words or uses a certain tone of voice. He was really enjoying being with Annabeth too. This was the most fun he'd had with someone, other than his mom, in a long time. But he knew he would never be capable of fully explain it to her. Why he is broken, or even explain why he can't tell her. They always push for the answers. He knows they just want to understand, so they can help him. But it doesn't work that way. And they quickly, so amazingly swiftly, stop pushing him. Stop questioning him. Stop talking to him. Just like that.
"My house is that way", she informs him, pointing to the right.
"Right. I knew that", he says while stopping. He is such an idiot.
"I'd rather you didn't actually. That would be creepy", she quips.
He lets out a quick jarring laugh, more out of relief than offense.
If she is startled by the outburst, she doesn't show it.
She takes the lead again, as is becoming the norm between them.
He could get used to this.