I had a different idea for Story 13 but planned this one instead because school was making me way too sad to the point where I couldn't go a day without crying so I needed something happy and fluffy. If anyone is feeling the same, I hope this helps.
I got this idea from some fan-art I saw a long time ago. I forgot to write who it belonged to so if you know, please tell me.
Story #13: "Mrs. Annabeth Jackson" in Golden Fleece Cursive
Mrs. Annabeth Chase-Jackson.
No.
Mrs. Annabeth Jackson-Chase.
Still no.
Mrs. Annabeth Jackson. Mrs. Annabeth Jackson. Mrs. Annabeth Jackson.
Something about Mrs. Annabeth Jackson rings more bells than the others. It's shorter and snappier, catchier. She isn't sure if she heard wedding bells, or if she's ever heard wedding bells before, but that concept as a whole is a pipe dream. It's probably a training drill outside her cabin but she wanted time alone where none of her siblings would be looking over her shoulder. If Annabeth was doodling a new construction project, by all means, they could peek. But seeing her scrawl Mrs. Annabeth Jackson would cause them to sing playground songs until Annabeth could chuck them into the woods.
Annabeth lifts her pen from the page, grateful she isn't using a quill or else her page would fall victim to stray ink droplets. Variations of her name with Percy's attached were scrawled all over her page in golden ballpoint ink. Her cursive wasn't the neatest and some letters started jumbling together but it's still a beautiful text. The names connecting in gold resembled the yarn of the Golden Fleece she and Percy nestled on as they sailed the high seas.
Annabeth didn't want that nap to end because she knew waking up would hurt her more. She even sketched some rough waters at the bottom of the page with their ship. She left out the Sirens because, as she argues to herself, there wasn't enough room on the page. But she can't help but try to imagine the Sirens saying Mrs. Annabeth Jackson in their hypnotizing song. It'd beat her siblings' songs, that's for sure.
Admittedly, the harmonies make her smile. Cheeks heat up as she looks up at the ceiling, seeing it as the night sky from when they were on that quest. It was only a month ago but her body tingles as if the adrenaline was still fresh.
Some quests are supposed to last forever but some are only meant for a few days. That's the way they are. Or was that about relationships? Annabeth isn't sure. She's only confident in saying she misses that Seaweed Brain.
Percy Jackson. Seaweed Brain. Mrs. Seaweed Brain.
No. Ew. Weird. Too weird. Can't happen.
Annabeth can have a deep, intense, fluttering, and consuming crush on such an oblivious boy who might not like her back the same way.
Maybe it's quests that last forever despite not having as long a duration. It's the thrill of seeing new places, encountering gods, fighting monsters. The constant yet repressed thought of are we both making it out alive and back to Camp?
But she can never like Percy as much as she can miss him.
She missed him even before he was gone, knowing there's an empty space beside her meant for him … or a blank page in her notebook for her to write all over. If only she had I's in her name, or in Mrs. Annabeth Jackson, so she could heart them like Aphrodite's girls on almost everything they write. She feels so stupid thinking that but it makes her happy.
"What are you doing?"
Annabeth breaks out of her trance as if she was expelled from the Sirens' hypnosis. She blinks, becoming aware that she's in her own body again as she looks up and sees Grover standing there, eyes on her notebook. Unsurprised eyes on her Mrs. Annabeth Chase page. Annabeth's body goes into flight mode and closes her notebook shut but it's too late. She wasn't sure how long Grover's been standing there, staring and taking note of her doodles.
"You never saw this," Annabeth grits through her teeth, pointing her pen at Grover's neck as if it was her dagger. She knows how to use it like one, that's for sure. Gods, she would've preferred it being one of her siblings.
"Alright, alright," Grover mutters, hands in the air as he backs away. A stupid grin quivering on his lips that agitates her. "Mrs. Annabeth Jackson."
Annabeth's cheeks burn as she shoves her notebook between her mattress and chases Grover for his dear life. It's the first time she's heard Mrs. Annabeth Jackson aloud besides her own whispers but she'll deny how nice that sounded. Gods forbid he tells Percy though because Annabeth won't let him. She'll take that notebook page to Elysium if she must.
SoM is one of my favourite books in the series. Fight me.
Don't ask how or why this became a mini character study because I didn't plan for it. For those of you wondering, I wrote this chapter in a better mood than the start AN.
Meanwhile, Percy has her photo in his notebook. Speaking of, for those who are interested, I wrote a story about Percy and the photo he had of Annabeth in his notebook. It's blatantly called Annabeth's Photo.