"You're going to look great!" Piper yells from her closet. "I have the perfect thing!"

"Okay," she replies, laying sideways on her bed. They're getting ready for Jason's New Year's party, hence the lack of Thalia who is no doubt being forced to help with the setup.

She's scrolling through Pinterest absently when Piper finally pops out of the closet.

"Okay so this dress…" she trails off suggestively waiting for Annabeth's reaction. It's a short, off the shoulder, red dress with long sleeves made from a velvety material. It's gorgeous.

"Piper! I couldn't…" The dress is too stunning.

"You can and you will. It'll look great on you, you'll feel great," Piper starts listing the benefits, "And it'll be jaw dropping to anyone else there." The unsaid implication of 'anyone' is undoubtedly, Percy.

"He'll regret everything so quickly," Piper adds.

A stab of guilt runs through her at her friend's words. She really should just tell everyone, but she just wants to stay in this bubble for a little bit longer. It doesn't stop her from feeling bad though.

At her non-reply, Piper pushes the dress into her hands.

"Well! Go try it on!"

She does as she's told and changes into the dress. Piper is right, had her and Percy actually still been broken up he would have regretted everything. It looks fantastic.

"Oh my god it's even better in person!" Piper squeals.

"Thank you so much for letting me borrow this," she responds, turning to the side to check it out.

"It was made for you today," Piper responds with a smile. "Now help me choose which one I should wear."

She helps Piper choose (a classic little black dress) all while fighting the temptation to snap Percy a picture. (Something tells her the surprise will be better in person).

They pull up fashionably late, as Piper calls it, to the party and as soon as they walk in, Piper immediately starts scanning for her boyfriend.

"He's in the kitchen," a voice next to them says causing them both to jump.

"God Thalia, you gave us a heart attack."

Thalia smiles. "Good."

The three go over to the bar kitchen area, Annabeth all too familiar with this scene, to find Jason grabbing more cups.

Piper doesn't say anything, just stands expectantly until he turns around and sees her. He drops the cups. Luckily they're plastic.

Thalia rolls her eyes and picks up the cups. "You're stupid," she tells him.

Jason ignores her in favor of greeting his girlfriend (with a kiss that Thalia makes a gagging noise at and she can't help but giggle).

"Want a drink?" Thalia offers.

"What kind?"

"Well what kind do you want?"

"Um…"

"Hey Jason, did you find the—" Percy's voice and movement halt in place as their eyes meet.

She wanted to smirk or something in a show of confidence, but all of a sudden, she's drowning in the green and they're just standing there staring at each other.

"Hi," she finally says, breaking the moment.

"Hi." He takes half a step towards her then, as if remembering, steps back. "You look…nice."

The nice is a little strained and she knows it's because he wants to replace it with other words.

"So do you." And he does. He's wearing his usual jeans, but he's got on a black button up untucked with the sleeves rolled up and somehow he's pulling it off.

He just nods and looks away and she realizes that their entire friend group, including Leo who showed up behind Percy, is watching the two interact.

She clears her throat from the weight of Percy's gaze and turns back to Thalia.

"Maybe something with a little bit of alcohol?"

Thalia nods, looking between her and Percy.

"Did you find the cups?" Percy finally finishes his sentence to Jason.

"Yeah, they're here."

She hyper focuses on the punch Thalia has just handed her to avoid looking at Percy. But a second later, Jason and Percy walk out of the kitchen just as Piper walks up to her with a smile.

"Told you!"

She just nods weakly and takes a sip. Her phone buzzes in her purse and she pulls it out to see a text from Percy.

A little warning would have been nice!

Wtf are you testing me or smth

Trying not to let her smile show, she quickly types out a response.

What do you mean?

She knows exactly what he means. She takes another sip and smiles into the cup as his reply shows up seconds later.

You know what I mean, the fucking dress.

I'm going to get you back for that

Well…Piper's plan worked a little too well.

She quickly locks her phone and stuffs it back into the clutch.

And though every part of her wants to go find Percy, she stays by the kitchen with Thalia as Piper runs off.

Thalia spends the time regaling her with the problems of buying more cups last minute when a lot of places are closing early.

She sympathizes with the problem.

A few minutes later though, Piper bounds back in and grabs her arm.

"Annabeth, Thalia, come on! You can't stay holed up here the whole time!"

They're dragged into the living room where the music is louder and a few people are dancing. Her first observation is that she's tipsy.

Piper pulls them closer. "Dance!" she shouts.

"Nope," and Thalia nopes away before Piper can catch her, so she grabs both of Annabeth's hands instead.

She doesn't feel like dancing and part of her really wants to check to see if Percy's there but she goes along with Piper, swaying slightly while attempting to scan the room.

Her vision is blocked pretty quickly by a guy she vaguely recognizes from history last year. Matt? Max? Something like that.

"Hey," he says, glancing at her up and down. "Annabeth, right? You look good."

"Thanks," she replies politely, tuning back towards Piper.

"You want to dance?" he asks.

"No, I'm good," she replies, once again turning towards Piper who's now shooting her a look.

"But—"

"I said no," she replies, a little louder than intended.

And of course, that's when she notices Percy out the corner of her eye. And it seems like he's been here the entire time cause when their eyes meet, he shoots her the smallest of smiles, as if to say thank you.

It's actually really sweet the way he's looking at her, and all she hopes is that he understands that she's irrevocably his now.

And no Matt or Max or whoever would get in the way of that. Piper tugs her to the side.

"What as that?" Piper asks.

"Matt Sloan?" His name comes back to her now. "You can't possibly think that's a good idea."

"No, horrible idea," Piper agrees. "But Percy…" she trails off and once again Annabeth just keeps quiet. Jason and Percy show up only a second later, Percy mid-sip makes eye contact with her. She has no doubt the cup is hiding a smirk.

"Almost midnight, come on Piper!" Jason reaches for her hand and pulls Piper away. Percy moves quickly in the few seconds they have unsupervised, pulling her into the less-populated hall and up the stairs.

The bedroom doors are locked for obvious reasons, but no one is upstairs as the TV turns on to the countdown. She can make out the announcers mentioning only two minutes to go.

Percy pulls her further down the hall so they're out of sight and immediately pulls her close.

"You're killing me," he says whispering into her ear as his hands come around her waist to pull her closer. It sends a shiver down her spine.

"So are you," she replies, quietly.

He nudges her nose with his, and she tilts her head to give him access. "God you're amazing," he breathes.

"Kiss me," she whines, his lips are so close, and she just wants them on hers.

"Magic word?" he teases.

"My dress," she answers, pressing herself up against him.

He groans until suddenly his lips are on hers. They're a bit early, the countdown downstairs is at a minute, but she thinks she can kiss Percy for much longer than a minute.

Ten seconds left they can hear everyone chanting the numbers as they break apart with uneven breaths.

"We…we need to go down…" she says wanting nothing more than to do the opposite of that.

Percy is out of breath and his pained expression tells her that he wants the same.

"One more," he says, pulling her closer.

"Magic word?" she teases, but she's already leaning back in.

"Princess."

-.-

"Are you sure?" Annabeth asks for the hundredth time. Percy shakes his head.

"Yes," he replies, turning into the driveway. "I thought you wanted this?"

"Yeah, but if you don't—"

"I do, I think you're the one who's nervous."

Well, she is nervous. Meeting Percy's mom after hearing the whole story and realizing how close they are is nerve-wracking. Sure, they met once and she seemed really nice but now it's more…official.

What if beyond that fifteen second conversation Sally Jackson hates her?

Sally Jackson does not hate her.

"I'm so glad to properly meet you," she says sitting opposite of her on the table sipping her tea. "I've been pestering Percy about it for months."

Months.

She glances at Percy who ducks his head with a slight blush. She is so going to bring that up later.

"I'm glad to meet you too, Percy talks so highly of you."

Sally smiles. "He's a good son, he messes up sometimes, but he's good." She picks up on the unsaid mention of the fight/breakup/whatever it was.

Annabeth smiles, squeezing his hand. "The best."

Sally puts down her cup with a warm smile on her face. "Well, I have to go to work, you two have fun. Don't eat all the cookies at once Percy," she warns getting up from the table.

Percy reaches for two as soon as her back is turned, and Annabeth rolls her eyes.

"Annabeth dear, stop him after the two he just picked up," Sally calls from down the hall.

Percy pouts and Annabeth can't help but laugh. Percy's mom, as it turns out, is the best.

She tells him that as they're cuddling on the couch later.

"Yeah, I know," he grins before his face turns serious. "What about your mom?"

Annabeth stiffens a little and shrugs. "I don't really see her that often." Percy looks at her and she focuses on the TV in front of them. "My dad re-married quickly, and I've only met her a handful of times since he has custody."

"Oh…" Percy's voice is quiet. "I'm sorry."

She just shrugs. "It is what it is. But anyway, your mom is great." She turns to him. "Thank you for introducing me."

Percy shoots her a small smile. "Well, it's about time, you're…" he hesitates. "You're here to stay."

"Really?"

"God Annabeth of course I want that, do you?"

She smiles. "Of course, I'm in this for the long haul. I thought that was obvious when Matt came up and tried to flirt with me."

Percy frowns. "God I hated that, he almost touched you."

"Nah, that's only for you."

Percy's eyebrows raise into his hairline. "Oh? Then maybe I should make use of that right about—"

He doesn't finish his sentence, just pulls her down and all of sudden he's on top of her and she feels her heartrate pick up. Her body arches up to meet his without even noticing and Percy growls before his lips engulf hers and she's drowning in him.

He starts to make his way down her neck causing shivers down her spine and he gets to her collar bone until she can't take it anymore and pulls him up for another kiss.

But just before her lips are about to touch his, the doorbell rings, making them both freeze.

They quickly scramble up as attempts to run a hand through the hair she's thoroughly messed up and walks to the door.

"Hey!" she hears him greet. She sits up properly on the couch, running a hand through her own hair.

"Sorry um, maybe next time," she hears Percy say.

"Who is it?" she asks.

"Annabeth?"

She freezes at the sound of her name and the door opens a little more and she sees Leo on the other side.

Shit.

Percy speaks up. "Please don't tell anyone."

Well, their cover did not last long. Tomorrow is the first day back at school too.

She gets up to join Percy at the door. Leo is looking at him curiously. "Is this why you've been so happy lately?"

Percy just turns red which is enough of an answer for Leo.

"Alright, I won't tell."

"Thank you," she says gratefully from his side.

Leo smiles at him. "You guys are weird, but you seem happy and if this what you want then okay."

"You're the best man," Percy says with a smile.

Leo grins. "I know."

Then with a wave he's off and Percy shuts the door.

"Damn."

"Sorry, didn't realize it was him," she says.

Percy shakes his head and grabs her hand.

"It worked out. Anyway, where were we?"

A/N: We're getting close now! Apologies this is technically a day late, my updates in general are either Wednesdays or Thursdays now. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this somewhat indulging chapter (it's kind of the trend) as we get close to wrapping this fic up. Next update 3/13 or 3/14!

Please Comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading!