A/N: This Olympus is loosely based on Katee Roberts' Dark Olympus Series. But you don't have to have read any of those books to follow along.

He wasn't supposed to be here. Annabeth hadn't planned for the disgraced son of Neptune to crash her party. She planned everything else out absolutely perfectly. But, he represented an unforeseen complication. See, this party had a goal. It was the one chance to have Luke escape this mad world. He was finally going to get away and leave Olympus.

Luke was disillusioned by their society and he wanted to take his chances in the mortal world. As the son of Hermes, he was a pro at getting in and out of almost everywhere. But the last hurdle to jump was crossing Poseidon's domain. When Luke asked Annabeth for help, she put all the elements together.

This wasn't just a chance for Luke to escape; it was also to ensure that no one would chase after him. A faked death would make it easy. The biggest issue was that Luke (famously) couldn't swim.

However, Annabeth had a solid relationship with Poseidon's team and had worked out some of the kinks with the plan. This wasn't the work of a single night. This was months in the making - setting up Luke's identity in the moral world, getting him into college, and finding the trail to locate Thalia (who had been banished years before).

So, the son of Neptune, Poseidon's brother, had all the ability to call bullshit on a faked water death … not a welcome addition to her night.

Maybe she could distract him? The party was well underway, and Annabeth had already completed her part (teaching Luke to swim, setting up the rebreather for Luke and a boat a reasonable distance away).

Her mind made up, Annabeth spun in her yellow, floor-length gown to beeline toward him. Gods, was he handsome? With sea-green eyes, dark hair, and a well-tailored suit, the man was checking all the boxes on her list.

On the fly, Annabeth planned to get caught in a closet with him once the news broke out about Luke. If he was willing to go with her, it would be a fun time and ensure he wasn't around to dive in after Luke. If he wasn't willing, she would knock him out and leave him in the closet and he wouldn't be around to dive in after Luke. Win-win.

Catching his eye as she walked toward him, Annabeth grabbed two flutes of Champagne from a passing server.

"Hello tall, dark, and handsome. Drink?" Annabeth held out a flute for him. She kept her tone flirty.

"I don't, actually." But he smiled at her nonetheless.

Annabeth shrugged. "More for me." She drained one glass and set it down on a nearby table. "What's your name?" No need to give away that she knew who he was.

"Percy, you?" His eyes twinkled.

"I'm wondering why you crashed my party when you don't even know what I look like?" She swapped out the flirty tone for serious.

"Ah, so you're Annabeth." His eyes traveled down her body. If anyone else had done it, it might have felt creepy. But when he did it, she felt sexy. Focus.

"Guilty." She flicked her eyes to the clock in the corner once it started chiming. Perfect, everyone started to move outside. Including Luke.

"Maybe you can help me, I'm looking for a Luke Castellan," Percy said.

"I'm going to need more details. Why are you looking for Luke?" At this point the room had mostly cleared out. Annabeth thanked her luck that this man hadn't already found Luke and thrown off the timetable.

"Shall we?" Percy gestured outside to the large balcony where most of the party had moved and stepped toward the door.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you haven't answered my questions yet. Why are you looking for Luke?" Annabeth playfully shook her head and stepped to stand between him and the balcony.

Percy looked around as though he just noticed the room was empty. He sighed. Even though the room was empty, Percy lowered his head toward her ear and whispered. "I have a message from Jason."

"Let's take this conversation somewhere private." Annabeth had no idea who this Jason was, but it was getting close to showtime. She wanted Percy far away from that balcony. "Follow me."

Grabbing his hand, Annabeth pulled him with her.

"I'd follow you anywhere," he said, sticking close to her.

"Don't make promises you can't keep." She quipped back.

"I never do," He didn't hesitate to reply.

Annabeth pulled him out of the ballroom and down the hall to a more obscure closet. It would give them more time to talk before they were found. Pushing him in ahead of her, she pulled the door to the closet shut behind her. There was plenty of room for them both, but the lighting was dark. She could barely see his face.

"This is cozy," Percy said and stepped closer to her.

"I don't know a Jason. What is his relation to Luke?" Annabeth asked, ignoring his comment.

"You don't know Jason. He's Thalia's cousin. If you don't know who Thalia is, I'm going to have to go now and find Luke."

"Of course, I know Thalia. I was beside her and Luke when she was banished! What is the message for Luke?" She tensed up and clenched her jaw. Annabeth was annoyed that Thalia apparently had a cousin she didn't know about. Also, apparently, this cousin was couriering messages for Thalia. What in the world?

"Luke is in danger. There's a new player, Kronos, looking for him. Luke needs to get out of Olympus ASAP - no later than tonight." Percy said.

"You're in luck then. He's leaving tonight." Annabeth said, relaxing her muscles a smidge.

"As lovely as you are, you don't seem to be taking this seriously enough. Jason called in several favors to have me get this message to Luke tonight." Percy said. "He needs to disappear."

"He'll disappear all right - he's going to die," Annabeth said calmly. Percy jerked back from her - not far, but enough that she could sense it.

"What? Are you insane?" Percy asked angrily.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, though she doubted Percy would see it. "Luke is only going to stay dead on Olympus. He's faking his death tonight. Everything is planned for his fake drowning and safe passage out of Olympus, except for the sudden appearance of a strong swimmer who might 'save' him and ruin the plan. So, I removed you from the equation." Annabeth said.

Percy must have relaxed again now that he knew the full scope of what was going on. "Well, now that you've removed me from the equation, what are you going to do with me?" He stepped into her space and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I've got you right where I want you - out of the way and unlikely to call bullshit on a fake drowning in your uncle's domain," Annabeth said.

"Don't you want me to help and confirm the drowning," Percy said, his face a breath away from hers.

"I'd rather you kiss me," Annabeth purred. Percy didn't need any further prompting. He kissed her. Lightly at first, until she wrapped her arms around his neck, then he stopped hesitating.

He had just started to work his kisses down her neck when the door behind Annabeth was forcefully pulled open. They pulled back, both slightly panting.

"Annabeth, there you are! It's just awful!" Silena Beauregard said. She was crying. Annabeth remembered Silena used to have a crush on Luke - guess she never got over it.

"Silena, I can barely understand you through your crying. What's going on?" Annabeth said, stepping away from Percy and out of the closet. He surged forward and grabbed her hand.

"Luke was drinking a lot tonight, and he fell over the ledge. He never resurfaced!" Silena started bawling and pulling Annabeth outside.

Annabeth tightened her grip on Percy so he came with her as Silena pulled her outside. Taking a quick breath, she knew Luke was fine. But, she couldn't appear fine at her party with her best friend's supposed death. Annabeth had landed on shock as her best option. It wasn't a stretch for her to shut down her emotions anymore - not with a mother like Athena.

Annabeth let herself and Percy be pulled outside. It was chaos. The police had already arrived. Annabeth remained silent. But she realized that she'd need to give Percy some direction. There's no telling what his plan would be if he improvised.

She pulled him into a tight hug. "Your job is to be the smitten love interest. You'll be calm to my shock. Don't leave my side."

He tightened his arms around her in acknowledgment.

Hours later, Annabeth finished talking to the police. It wasn't a stretch to appear overtired and in shock. Percy stayed by her side through it all. It didn't take long for the police to leave after getting her statement. Annabeth confirmed the venue's staff would clean up and pulled Percy to her car.

"So, when you aren't a messenger or pretend boyfriend, what do you do?" Annabeth asked. She pulled out her passenger door and tilted her head, inviting him to get in her car.

His lips quirked, and he got in. Then he reached over to unlock the driver's side door for her.

"A little of this and a little of that. While I'm from New Rome, I've been thinking of moving to Olympus."

"That so? Did tonight convince you to move or make you want to run right back to New Rome?" Annabeth started driving home.

"Oh, I'm definitely convinced to stay here. Is this what all your weekends are like?" He smirked at her.

Annabeth just hummed in response. He'd just have to stay and find out.

"Do you know why I have my reputation?" He asked. His tone of voice made it clear he was leading her down a specific path.

"I'm sure you have your own side to the story."

"I refused to renounce my mother. I helped her out of New Rome once it became dangerous for her to stay. It seems like," He paused. Annabeth turned away from the road briefly to catch his eye. "There might be similar needs in Olympus. Would a new player be welcome here?"

"Why ask me?"

"I'd rather work with you and follow you than have to compete against you. We worked well together tonight, don't you think?"

"You know Olympus is dangerous. Tonight was a walk in the park compared to normal. It wouldn't always be this easy." Annabeth warned. But she had a feeling he could handle his own.

"I like a challenge."

"What are your thoughts on mixing business with pleasure?" Annabeth asked as she pulled up to her home to park.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship." He smirked at her.

"Business or romantic?"

"Why not both?" He asked as he pulled her in to kiss her.

After a pleasurable time in the car, in the front hall, against the door to the bedroom, and finally on the actual bed, Percy and Annabeth cuddled up to sleep. Percy kept his promise to follow Annabeth anywhere.

The End.