A/N: Hey guys! Back again with another chapter!
Annabeth Chase is used to getting attention. Par for the course at this point. and something she'd come to terms with after her first role as Annie had blown up.
She still remembers the first time it hit her that she might actually make it in this industry. Some middle-school girls had come up to her, giggly and nervous, and asked for an autograph or a photo.
She'd done both. Her first fans, or at least the first fans she met who had recognized and approached her.
From then on, she'd met all different types of fans. People who were excited, shy, arrogant, complimentary, she'd seen it all. Or so she thought.
When Jason tells her this coffeeshop he's been going to should be on her list, it piques her interest. Her list comprises of the food places that are chill and low-key with good service that doesn't balk at her celebrity status.
She decides to check it out.
As soon as she walks in, she knows he's recognized her by the way he gapes a little. For some reason, she thinks it's kinda cute.
He tries to get it together and welcome her in but it comes out kind of awkwardly, though it's clear he's trying to push past that. She can't stop an amused smile from making its way to her face.
An awkward fan…it's been a while since she's met one of those.
"Sure thing, I'll get right on that," he says, turning around so quickly she'd think he was trying to avoid her, except for the fact that he'd been staring earlier.
"Um, I haven't paid?" she prompts. He turns back to her, cheeks definitely redder than before and waves her off.
"Oh, it's on the house."
It definitely wasn't. He just forgot and was trying to make up for it. A giggle threatens to make it out of her lips and she quickly stomps it out.
Why was it so endearing?
Was it 'cause he's undeniably attractive? She studies his shoulders as he turns towards the espresso machine.
"Why is my order on the house?" she asks, wanting to talk to him more. Her own behavior is confusing to her.
"Why not?" he responds immediately. And honestly, she can't argue with that. He shoots her a side glance as his hands put together his drink.
That shouldn't be attractive…right?
"Here you go." It's when he hands her the drink that she finally makes proper eye contact with him and woah…she's never seen sea-green eyes like his before. It's a little jarring.
She quickly takes a sip of her coffee, closing her eyes just to process what just happened.
"Good?" he asks her, his voice has the tiniest bit of a rasp that somehow manages to lodge itself in her brain.
She opens her eyes and shoots him a smile. "Great, thank you." She hands him the ten dollar bill she'd pulled out while he was making the coffee and cuts off his protest before it can start.
"Tip."
The surprise on his face is evident and she can feel the gratitude as he takes it from her, murmuring words of thanks and how she didn't have to.
"I wanted to," she responds and it's the truth. She also wants to see just how much taller he is than her because it's kind of hard tell with the counter between them, but she doesn't say that.
"Well, thanks. I hope you have a good day, Annabeth," he says right before she leaves and it's the first time he's said her name and for some reason the simplicity of his sentence or the way he says it, tugs something in her heart.
"You too," she replies as she walks out.
The bright LA sun beats down on her face and she takes a deep breath as she gets into the car Frank has pulled up against the curb.
Yeah…safe to say she's never met a fan like this.
One that made her want to come back for more.
-.-
Right now, all she can think is that he needs to come back to her.
Because somewhere along the way he turned from the barista who's a fan to the guy that's settled himself into her heart and her whole world almost came to a halting stop when she read the text.
omw home, some guy hit me with his truck
She re-reads it for the fifth time in a row as if the words will change. She'd already tried calling him, but his phone went straight to voicemail as if it was off. She couldn't track him, she couldn't talk to him, she couldn't do anything.
She's never felt so helpless.
All she could do is hope to every god in the world that he was on his way home like he'd said in the text.
For some reason the image of Percy standing behind the counter in front of the espresso machine comes back to her. (Much like every other memory of him that seemed to be resurfacing now).
He'd been rambling about her, how pretty she was, how nice she was, how she put up with his awkwardness and how he was an idiot.
"I don't think you're an idiot," she'd said and watched his shoulders stiffen and the groan he'd let out when he realized she was there.
That Percy, the one behind the counter of Cali's Café, was safe. That Percy wouldn't have gotten hit with a truck today if she'd left him there behind that counter.
He'd gone out to get groceries. For her. For the dinner he was going to make her.
And though it's probably irrational, she can't help but blame it on herself. This person that she loves is…
Hurt? God, she doesn't even want to think about it.
She jumps up, as if the movement will physically distance her from the thought and starts to pace, the nervous energy needing a place to go.
Losing Percy has always been a scary thought, but never like this.
He's fine, she tells herself, he texted you that he's on the way home.
Home, as if this place could be home without him. When they'd first started dating, she would spend more time at his place, not because she didn't want him here, but because his apartment was where he was. And she just wanted to be where he was.
Despite some of the characters she's played in the movies, she's never been the type to be completely gone on a person. None of her past relationships were like that.
But Percy…something about him, the way he blushed or made jokes or maybe just they way he made her feel safe, has turned her whole world upside down,
She's fallen so far in love that she doesn't think she could climb out. And she hopes she never has to. Hopes that he walks through that door—
The front door cracks open and she runs to it.
In the doorway Percy stands, with dirt staining his clothes and a few small cuts on his arms, holding out a plastic bag with a pack of Oreos poking out.
"So I didn't get the groceries…" he begins with a small smile. "But will Oreos suffice?"
She could collapse in relief, but she channels that towards tackling him in a hug instead. He puts down the bag and wraps his arms around her and she just stays there trying to calm her racing heart.
"Don't you ever do that again," she mutters into his neck, tears finally pricking her eyes.
"Sorry," he mutters back, holding her just as tightly. "My phone died."
He's back. It's the only thing her mind can process right now. The only important thing. He came back to her.
-.-
"Oh," she says involuntarily when she walks back into Cali's Café a few weeks later. Instead of Percy, there's a girl behind the counter shooting her a smile.
"Hi, welcome to Cali's, how can I help you?" she asks, saying the same greeting she's used to hearing from Percy's mouth.
Her nametag reads: Hazel.
"Hi," Annabeth responds, still taken back. "Um, I'll have a medium caramel macchiato."
"Sure thing," the girl responds. Annabeth hands her card over to pay and glances behind the counter, as if Percy will just appear from the back room.
The barista starts making the coffee and, like always when it comes to Percy, she can't help herself.
"Where's Percy?" she finds herself asking.
Hazel turns to her with an apologetic smile. "He called out sick today."
Sick?
Annabeth thanks Hazel for the drink and walks out with a frown. It's probably fine.
Three days later, it's not fine. Percy still isn't back. And her thoughts keep drifting back to him over and over.
"How's Percy?" she asks as she walks back into Cali's for the third day in a row.
Hazel raises an eyebrow and she knows that maybe this is a level of concern she really doesn't need to have for a fan.
"How about you ask him yourself?" Hazel replies with a smile. "Here's his number."
And when Annabeth is sitting in the car being driven to the shoot, she toys with the piece of paper with Percy's phone number on it.
It's just a text…she can do that, right? It can't hurt…maybe a little extra but…
Are you okay?
Um who is this?
She really shouldn't call him…that's definitely too far…
Unless…unless she admits to herself that he's not just a fan to her anymore.
She dials the number and he picks up after the second ring.
"Are you okay?"
"Annabeth?"
A/N: Shoutout to two anons and wandering-observer25 on tumblr for the combination of prompts that eventually lead to this! I hope you guys liked this insight on Annabeth's pov for the first meeting!
I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a review!
And as always, thanks for reading!