AN: I do not own Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus or any of the Characters.

Percy

He passed her house fairly often, you could say.

Carpooling to work, school, going to the store or mall. Any time Percy had to go into town, he passed her house on the way there.

Usually it was uneventful, but there were some days where she'd be outside for whatever reason, maybe with her brothers. He smiled whenever she was, as he and his friends passed by.

"You're so pathetic" Leo would remark, shaking his head and directing his attention back to the road as they drove by.

Of course, Percy knew that, but he couldn't help it.

He and Annabeth had been great friends when they were younger, shared everything with one another, never kept any secrets. Once they hit high school though, they got split apart. There were just so many people there, and they got caught up in the commotion, making new friends, her with the more academic crowd, Percy with the Athletes and jokesters.

They'd see each other every once and a while at school or in town, and strike up a conversation about old times and what they were up to now.

Those always turned out to be the best part of Percy's day.

As if it wasn't completely obvious to anyone who ever saw Percy when he was around Annabeth, he was totally and, what was the word… hopelessly, in love with his old best friend. His friends knew it, his mom knew it, most of her friends knew it, heck, most of the teachers at their school probably knew it.

He'd never considered the possibility of her liking him back as feasible. She was beautiful and smart and confident, everything you could want in a woman. Percy, was at best a B- average, sort of lanky despite being on a few of the sports teams at their school, and utterly lacking in the area of optimism most of the time. He hid behind a sarcastic, easygoing attitude that made people like having him around.

Of course, it'd be his friends who hung him out to dry.

They were heading into town to get some food together. Leo driving, Percy riding Shotgun, Jason, Frank and Grover in the back seat, pushing one another subtly to try and gain some extra leg room in Leo's cramped old car.

They neared Annabeth's house and Percy, as usual, took a long glance at it, almost wistful.

His reverie was broken by the car slowing down and coming to an abrupt stop outside her house.

Percy turned to Leo with wide eyes, "What are you doing?"

In reply, Leo reached over and opened the passenger door, allowing a cold breeze of December air to flood the car.

"Get out. Go to the door. Talk to her. Kiss her. Do something other than stare as we pass by and pretend you're okay."

Percy tried to object, but Grover had reached up from the back seat and undone Percy's seatbelt, allowing Leo to shove him forcefully out the car door, with help from Jason and Frank. Percy glared in at his so called friends, tugging his hat down over his ears to beat the cold he had been thrown into. "You guys suck." He jeered, crossing his arms.

They all smiled in an almost sympathetic way, Leo just grinned, lowering the window as Percy slammed the door shut, "Just consider this my repayment for your help setting me up with Calypso." Then, in a more serious tone, "Percy, just have fun. She'll love having you here."

He shook his head, "She might not even be home, idiot."

Jason grinned from the back seat, "Trust us, she's there. You'll thank us tomorrow."

They drove off, leaving Percy wondering if this was planned, and not just a split second decision by Leo.

He glanced down the road for a second, before settling his eyes on the house in front of him. "Guess that's it then." He mumbled, walking up the path to her door.

He hadn't actually been to her house in three years, they were in a class together that year, Grade 9 History. He'd gone here a few times for help with homework and studying.

Percy hesitated when he reached the door, thoughts and emotions overwhelming him for a moment. Here he was, a seventeen year old boy at the house of someone he'd known since he was five, and he couldn't even muster the courage to knock.

Steeling himself and trying not to think too hard – that'd always been more Annabeth's thing, anyways, - Percy knocked loudly on the door.

It only took about thirty seconds and the door was opening, revealing Annabeth in a pair of jeans and a patterned red sweater. Her grey eyes widened in surprise upon seeing it was Percy at the door, but returned to normal quickly. "Uh, hey Percy, wasn't expecting anyone here tonight" she said, leaving the obvious question of 'why are you here?' in the air, though it wasn't rude, coming from Annabeth. Always just curious.

"Oh um, my friends are sort of Jerks and kicked me out of the car, but anyways, I thought maybe we could hang out?" he ventured, after a moment adding "Like old times?"

Her expression was neutral as she thought about it, before breaking into a small smile, one that made Percy want to leave already just to go thank his friends for throwing him to the curb.

"Alright" she said quietly, "Come on in."

He kicked at his shoes before stepping in to knock some of the snow off, slipping them off on to the mat once he was in and letting Annabeth close the door behind him.

She laughed when he pulled off his hat and shook his hair out like a wet dog, making him grin widely. Once he'd put his coat on the hook, he looked around the house, realizing for the first time how quiet it was.

"Boys asleep or something?" he asked, bewildered, it was only seven o'clock, and usually Annabeth's step brothers were obnoxiously loud nonstop. At the least he had expected to hear her dad or step mom, but the place was silent.

Annabeth sighed, "No, Dad and Susan took them to visit some of her family for the weekend. They're getting back Monday." She informed him, "It's been so peaceful."

He grinned, falling right back into their routine as best friends. "So let me make sure I've got this straight. You have a big house all to yourself all weekend, and you don't throw a massive party?" he questioned, receiving a dry look from Annabeth. "Sound just like you, Wise Girl. Probably spent the whole time doing homework."

Percy thought, momentarily, that he saw a faint blush when he called her by his old nickname for her, but it disappeared so fast he couldn't be sure it had happened. The smile that resulted, however, didn't disappear.

"Shut up Seaweed Brain." She responded easily, using her nickname for Percy right back, "I'll have you know my weekend has barely had any studying done. I've been watching movies on Netflix."

She lead Percy into the living room, and true to her word, Netflix was loaded on the TV screen. Apparently he'd caught her just before she selected a movie to watch.

"I see" he said, smiling a little and dropping onto the couch lazily. He lounged on one side, one foot off the side of the couch and another across the seats towards Annabeth, who sat at the other end with her legs crossed. They were facing each other on the couch, and though Percy wished they were closer together, he was comfortable how they were for now, to just talk.

"So why did your friends just drop you on the side of the road, exactly?" she asked him, catching Percy off guard.

"Um" he stammered. He couldn't exactly tell Annabeth that they'd dropped him here and told him to come kiss her because he was in love with her. Impulsive as Percy was, he wasn't an idiot, and that explanation wasn't going to fly here.

"Leo thought it would be a good prank to make me walk home. I guess he must have forgotten you lived here or something." He blurted, hoping it sounded convincing enough for Annabeth to leave it alone.

She stared at him, obviously not believing that to be true, but then shook her head, "Alright then."

"So, how's school going, Percy?" she grinned devilishly, making Percy's stomach churn in a good way and a bad way.

He sighed, "The same as always, Annabeth" he used the same emphasis on her name as she had his. "Barely passing English and Math, somehow doing well in Science and History."

Annabeth frowned at him, teasing forgotten, "Do you need a tutor or anything? Cause I can help you out and stuff." She said, scooting a little closer to him on the couch. His toes could stretch far enough to brush her knee now.

"Nah, I'm fine." he told her, waving off the offer. He was kicking himself in his head though, because he always refused her offers to tutor him even though it'd help his grades AND get him time with Annabeth. He wasn't even sure why he always turned it down, really. It was exactly what he wanted.

"Anything I can do for you then? While you're here?" she asked politely, tilting her head slightly as she observed him, which let her curly hair fall out from behind her ear some. Percy had to resist the urge to reach over and tuck it back for her, since she hadn't done it herself.

"I'm starving, I guess, they did throw me out of the car on the way to get food." Annabeth laughed, grinning widely. He knew exactly what she was going to suggest before she could even get her phone out of her pocket, "Pizza?" she grinned at him.

Percy grinned back as a reflex, just like he always had when they'd order pizza together. "Bet you still order olives on it." He teased. She just stuck her tongue out at him and dialed the number for the nearest pizza place, which both of them had memorized long ago.

She then turned her focus to her phone, ordering a medium pepperoni, with olives, of course.

By the time the pizza had arrived, Percy was feeling right at home next to Annabeth again, like always. They'd moved a little closer on the couch and put on a movie to occupy themselves, though it ended up being background noise as the two of them caught up with each other, relishing the rare opportunity to talk to one another again.

"Seriously though, I don't know how you survive a whole day with the Stolls." Annabeth chuckled, taking a bite of her slice. Percy grinned into the bite he had been taking, wiping his mouth hastily with a napkin before saying anything back.

"They aren't that bad, once you befriend them they usually leave you alone for pranks. Besides, I know them well enough by now that I'm pretty much un-prankable by those two."

Annabeth shot him a wry look, "And yet Leo pulled one over on you tonight and left you alone in the cold, huh?"

Percy shrugged, "Leo isn't Travis and Connor. He's never done anything to me before."

She analyzed him evenly, "I think that Leo had different reasons to drop you off here." She accused.

"Interesting train of thought" he said, avoiding the looming question. Percy reached over and grabbed the last slice, which when Annabeth realized this, her eyes widened and she pouted pleadingly at Percy, previous accusation forgotten.

"Pleaaase?" she asked, tugging on his pantleg beside her and eyeing the slice of pizza. The look she was giving Percy was unbearably cute, so he couldn't not give in to it, but he still wanted more pizza, as well.

"Fine" he muttered, "You get the first bite, alright?" he asked, eliciting a happy nod from Annabeth. He held out the pizza in front of him, facing Annabeth, so she could take a bite.

As she leaned forwards though, Percy got an idea for a little joke. Just as she was about to take a bite, he pulled the slice away and up over his shoulder.

Annabeth tried to follow the pizza distractedly, but lost her balance on the couch and fell forwards, stopping herself by placing her hands on Percy's chest.

She'd managed to steady herself just inches from Percy's face, and he stared up at her intently. Her stunning grey eyes staring right back.

It seemed that the Pizza was forgotten, Percy setting down the slice in the box with one arm, without breaking his gaze from Annabeth.

"Leo didn't drop you off here randomly… did he Percy?" Annabeth asked him quietly, eyes focussed intently on him.

He dropped his eyes for a moment, flickering to her lips for a millisecond, though he knew she'd noticed.

"No, he did not." Percy said finally, finding his voice.

"Why did he, then?"

Instead of a reply, Percy leaned forwards ever so slightly and planted a quick, gentle kiss against Annabeth's lips. He felt a flush of warmth go through his body from the contact, but he pulled back as quickly as he'd done it.

"That's why." He mumbled. Annabeth looked extremely surprised, to say the least, but Percy didn't want to stick around for the polite let down, so he carefully moved off the couch, and made his way to the door with his head hung low.

Annabeth didn't come after him immediately, probably still trying to process what had just happened. He faintly heard her say his name as he pulled his hat over his head and opened the door. He definitely heard her call out his name after he got three steps down the pathway from her house, because she was in the doorway.

He chanced a look back over his shoulder, and was surprised by the fact that Annabeth was red faced and looked like she might be close to tears. Percy wondered if it was because of him just getting up and walking away. This just made his head hang lower in guilt. However, he realized that if she was going to cry because he was leaving, and she was calling his name as he left, maybe, she had been okay with the kiss. Possibly more than okay.

He looked down at the ground again, unsure of what to do.

"Percy." Annabeth said again, sounding as unsure of the situation as he was. "Stay, please?" it wasn't a desperate request, just one of a friend who wished they were still close as much as he did. He clenched his fists in frustration, but turned around in place, determinedly. He took the three steps back to Annabeth's door, watching the smile break out on her features, and leaned in close, like they'd been on the couch.

Annabeth was the one who closed the gap this time, pulling him closer to her and dragging Percy back into the house, kicking the door shut behind him. He smiled into their kiss as she let out a small gasp, having accidentally backed herself into a wall. He pulled away a little, resting their foreheads together. "I think my mom is going to be wondering where I am…" he said, not really wanting to say he had to go because it was getting late, since he really didn't want to go, but he loved his mother a lot, and Annabeth knew that.

She apparently wasn't letting him go that easily though, as she gave him a mock glare and poked his chest, "I've spent years hoping for this moment you idiot, call your mom and tell her you're staying here for the night. She won't mind."

And so he did.