"So if you were so close with Annabeth, why haven't you guys ever met in all these five years?" Jason asked, they sat at a table at a restaurant named something like Fenesta or some shit, it took them over an hour to decide which restaurant to go to, and then half an hour to reach.

"It's all Dad's fault" Thalia stated, to which Jason smirked, "Isn't it always," he said, "but how is it his fault?"

"He made me move so abruptly, I didn't have time to wrap my mind around it, and I was fighting with him so much back then, that I guess slowly we lost contact" Thalia explained " I'm sorry about that though " she added turning towards Annabeth.

"It's fine, I had that stuff with my mum too, right after you left, I had to go with my mom, and even we were fighting, so it's partially my fault too, " she said patting Thalia's hand.

"You moved in with your mom, that probably didn't end well," Thalia said making a face, her eyes knowing and full of sympathy.

"It didn't and it did " Annabeth waved her hand, already dismissing the topic, " anyways, how long are you here for? We need to catch up on so much."

''Not long ... I came here to see Jason, " she motioned at him. " To get away from my dad and to see if Percy has gone crazy," she said. "Which reminds me, what happened to you, Annabeth? You used to be so smart. Why'd you have to marry this dofus ?"

"Excuse me, mind you, I have many good qualities." Percy interrupted a hand on his heart.

Annabeth rolled her eyes at that, a smile on her lips. "I didn't marry him for his good qualities." She looked at him. "He needed insurance, and I had it. It's not harming me in any way, but it's benefiting him a lot."

"If it hadn't been Percy, it could have been a serial killer " she snorted, to which Piper agreed "That's what they say"

"No you said Percy could be a serial killer " Annabeth corrected her, Percy glanced at Piper who looked guilty "Well I don't know he was Jason's cousin at the time " she defended

"Also I can defend myself if he is a serial killer, remember I know how to twikando, " Annabeth said shrugging her shoulder, of course, she did, could she get any more perfect?

"Let's stop the discussion about the possibility of me being a serial killer now," Percy said, running a hand through his hair as everyone laughed, and he didn't mind because the most pleasant sound was the one beside him, not Thalia.

A couple of minutes later, their orders were on the table, and everyone dug in. They all had ideal chit-chat for over an hour, going on about their jobs and hectic lives. Percy won the hectic life competition.

By the time, they all managed to leave the restaurant and walk over to their cars, the evening sun had started to descend from its overhead Position, , since it was winter, the sun glowed lightly. They all said their goodbyes, Annabeth pulled Thialia in a hug and they exchanged phone numbers and chatted about hanging out again, Percy clapped Jason on his back as he shook his hand, and then Thalia pulled him into a one-arm hug, it looked awkward yet intimate and Percy looked away, his eyes falling on Annabeth, her blond curls swaying with the wind, the sun casting a golden light on her face, she looked nothing but perfect.

He could have stood all day looking at her and he would have if Thalia hadn't called him, making him tear his eyes from Annabeth and instead at Thalia " Aye Perce let go, I'm still exhausted '', Percy rolled his eyes, walking towards the car, he climbed inside starting it. through the window, he saw Annabeth smiling at him, as he started to pull out, she waved at him, and he smiled politely waving back.

Once they were on the road, Thalia turned towards him. Percy glanced at her, his eyebrows raised. "What?"

"You like her," she said slowly, a smirk plastered on her face.

"What, no I don't," he replied. "Not anymore anyway," he muttered under his breath.

"Wait a minute, what do you mean not anymore " she asked fully invested "So you mean there was a time when you did?!"

Percy winced. "Maybe, …..uh a while ago.….. I told her how I felt and she said that she didn't want a relationship right now "

"Ouff, that hurts," she said, turning to sit back straight.

"It's fine, I'm over her, " Percy said nonchalantly, focusing on the road as he turned on the radio to cover the humiliation.

"Oh no, no, you're not " Thalia said laughing, Percy gave her a puzzled look, to which she rolled her eyes "I saw the way you were around her, the way you even looked at her, you are far from over her, " she said stating the obvious. He scoffed "Yeah sure '' his eyes were on the road, and he peeked at her, waiting for a reaction, but she was busy on her phone.

He silently drove to the hotel, a five-star one, because even though Thalia wasn't rich, her dad - his uncle was super rich. He owned an import and export business, actually, the three brothers owned the business, but when Percy's dad passed away and he was still young, thalias father took over possession of half of the business. When Percy became an adult, Zeus never offered him any position, nor did he help him in any financial way, on the contrary, Percy never asked for his share, he didn't want anything to do with the business, he was a marine biologist after all.

"How's Nico?" Thalia finally asked, glancing up from her phone.

"I talked to him last week, everything is good."

"How is his college going?"

"Oh, he says French is going to be the death of him."

"Yeah he can't pronounce shit even if his life depended on it " she snorted, "I told him he should've taken Italian "

"No! We already explained to you that the college doesn't allow you to choose the language of your heritage." Percy said annoyed at the cousin.

"See this is why you don't give out your personal information "

"It's a college, you need to give out your personal information "

"You can give out fake info, I did that !" she said a smug look on her face, obviously proud of the illicit work.

"I don't know whether to be concerned or proud of you "

"You can be both" she replied grinning cheekily

"Okay, we're here," Percy said as he pulled into the hotel's front gate, killing the power and turning towards Thalia. "That was fast," she muttered.

He mocked, "You know some people say 'thank you' is polite."

she gave him a look, and then her expression softened "Don't get too attached to Annabeth, from what I remember, she has always known what she wants, and if she doesn't want a relationship, there are high chances it's not going to happen " she said in all sincerity, thalia might look like she could kill you and she probably would, but she unknowingly, deeply cared about the people close to her.

"but again considering she married you, maybe she has changed" she added shrugging her shoulder as she climbed out of the car, and stood near the window "Text me when you reach home'' she muttered, Percy gave her an amusing smile, a hand on his heart.

She looked at him and frowned, "Oh fuck off," Percy cracked up, "I love you too." He laughed, pulling away from the gate and onto the highway.

On the way over he could not help but think about Annabeth. He was pretty certain she liked him, at least he hoped so, considering the kiss they had, she liked him. But if what Thalia had said was true, then maybe this would be harder than he thought.