A/N hey guys!

how are you all today are you well i sure hope so

this story is vv special to me because i've been working on it since about February? which just shows how much of a pain in the butt writer's block is because considering it's been around six months this isn't even that long but oh well i do hope you enjoy it because let me tell you when i had inspiration for this story it was excellent fun to write

(also real quick i just want to say a very very very big thank you to the guest reviewer 'allineedisabook' for being possibly the nicest sweetest person alive i love you so much and your wonderful review on long live actually got me off my butt to write this so thank you again xxxx)

for everyone who is awaiting my next multichapter fic i can announce it shall be coming out earliest september so stay tuned woot

title is from why by sabrina carpenter (what a bop honestly) and has nothing to do with the story but the song itself kinda does so that's my excuse to be pretentious

i hope you enjoy and please tell me what you thought!

you like new york city in the daytime

Five minutes into Greek History, Annabeth gets an elbow to the ribs.

It's Lacey Greene, with the braces and pigtails. Annabeth hasn't ever really spoken to Lacey Greene before, aside from the occasional, "can I borrow a pen?" or something along those lines, so she really doesn't know why she's talking to her until she catches sight of the tightly folded paper in her hands. "This is for you," Lacey whispers.

Annabeth eyes it suspiciously. "Who's it from?"

"I don't know."

"Miss Chase, Miss Greene?" Mr Kennedy asks boredly. "Is there a problem?"

Annabeth straightens. "Not at all, sir."

"Good."

He turns back to the board.

Annabeth looks back at Lacey. "Well, who passed it to you?"

"Travis Stoll. He said it's not from him."

"Last chance, girls," Mr Kennedy calls from the front of the room, without turning around. "If I catch you talking again I'll have you both out kicked out of my class."

Annabeth scowls at his back.

Lacey watches her anxiously. "Do you want it?"

Annabeth glances around, just to make sure Mr Kennedy isn't watching, and then nods. "Pass it here."

Lacey quickly reaches out and Annabeth's hand meets her halfway. Just in time, too, because just as her arm sneaks back under her desk it Mr Kennedy turns back around to face the class.

She unfolds it.

MEET ME BEHIND THE BIKE SHED AFTER SCHOOL
I NEED U TO BE MY GIRLFRIEND
ILL EXPLAIN LATER
- PERCY

And. Well.

She's certainly not expecting that.

She lets out a shocked kind of laugh, and looks up, searching him out. He's sat on the other side of the classroom, wearing a blue sweatshirt and a pair of faded blue jeans, and when he notices her staring at him he offers her an awkward smile and the most uncomfortable thumbs-up she's ever seen.

She's never been so confused.

See.

Here's the thing.

Annabeth knows who Percy is. Of course of she does, he's been in her homeroom since the beginning of high school, and also he's been the culprit behind many of the infamous pranks on the head (rumour has it he and the Stoll brothers had been the ones to duct-tape Mr D's car two years back, and while it was never confirmed they've been considered royalty ever since). And sure, she's even spoken to him a couple times (really insightful things, like "Move, scumbag" and "What the hell was a dead fish doing inside my locker, Jackson?").

However.

They are not what you would consider friends. Quite the opposite, actually. They're not enemies, because Annabeth is very above having enemies, but she supposes you could call them friendly rivals. Maybe minus, you know, the friendly.

And it's perfectly justifiable, too, just so you know. They had attended the same middle school and they had been perfectly civil acquaintances back then (in fact, Annabeth had actually gone around to his house once – albeit, for a school project, but it still counts), and then when high school hit and the grand finale of hormones and teenagehood was just beginning to take the stage, something happened. And Annabeth became the butt of all his pranks.

And. Well.

She wasn't having any of it.

They've definitely calmed down, the pranks. Annabeth has made it quite clear that she won't stand for pranks, something Percy had clearly not realised when he decided it would be funny to fill her schoolbag with sawdust and stick pictures of her face pasted on top of a Playboy model's naked body all over the school. She got the last laugh on that, anyway, because sometimes being a nerd is a good thing, and with a little chromatography and the borrowing (borrowing, mind) of one of Percy's felt-tips she could very efficiently prove it was him and he ended up getting excluded for a week.

(He then returned and stuck an entire pack of gum in a line across her hair during Geography, meaning she had to lop half of it off, and, well. Annabeth walked in with her curls above her shoulders and with her head held high. She refused to be humiliated. Besides, she had needed a haircut anyway.)

They've stopped being so bad. After the nude picture scandal when Percy first realised that Annabeth could fight back just as dirty, he doesn't dare doing anything to that scale again, but it doesn't mean they've stopped completely. Just the other day he had lent her a pen filled with ink that dissolves after twelve hours, and Annabeth had been mortified when her teacher had given her an F because when she went to check Annabeth's test it had been completely blank.

Anyway.

Point is, Annabeth has a perfectly legitimate reason why Percy Jackson is not her favourite person on the planet.

And now he's asking if she can be his girlfriend.

You can understand why she's more than a little surprised.

She gives him a look that she hopes conveys exactly how she's feeling, but all he does is mouth back, after school. She slumps back in her seat, defeated, and then looks back at the note.

Well. Guess she has to wait.

Percy is late. To his own meeting. That he organised himself.

Honestly.

Annabeth leans against one of the bike stands, sliding the note out of her pocket. She's been fiddling with it all day – it's just beyond boggling, and she has yet to make sense of it.

Like. Think about it. This is Percy. Who had once willingly gone through her entire backpack and wrapped every single item inside it in tinfoil. And he just– randomly sent her a note in the middle of History asking if she could be his girlfriend. He didn't even say it very politely. It was more of a demand than a question. Annabeth reckons he could have been much more tactful about it. This is her Instagram status he's taking here. The least he could have done was be respectful and courteous about the whole situation.

Sighing, she looks at the note again.

Girlfriend.

They haven't even gone on a date yet. Asking if she wanted to be his girlfriend is like asking a med student to perform a brain surgery. She just simply isn't ready for a relationship at the moment.

Finally, Annabeth hears leaves crunching and then a rather dishevelled-looking Percy appears around the corner. His eyes land on her and his whole face lights up.

"Annabeth!" he breathes, obviously very relieved. "I wasn't sure you'd actually come."

"I can say the same for you," she says. "You're fifteen minutes late."

"I had a detention."

"Right."

He patters towards her, choosing the bike stand right next to the one she's leaning against to perch on. He tucks his foot behind the pole and twists his sleeves in his hands. "So," he says. "I suppose you're slightly curious about– well. The note."

"That's one way to put it, yes."

"First off – are you game?"

"For being your girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going to need to know a little background before I decide anything."

"Ah, right." He nods. "The reason why."

She waits patiently.

He sighs and looks up at the sky. It's still crisp from the winter, so they're both wearing coats and gloves, but the sky is clear and he has to squint to avoid the sun in his eyes. "My cousin has a wedding," he says. "Next week. And she invited my mom and I to go, right? But she says that I'm allowed to bring a date. And obviously, my mom was like, 'oh, Percy, you should bring a date!' And because I'm, you know, not dating at the moment, I was like, 'I'm not dating anyone'. And she was like 'I'm sure that's not true' and I said 'it kind of is' and then she just gave me this– mom look, you know, the one that you can't really argue against, and I knew she was going to keep bugging me about it so I just– blurted out your name."

Annabeth blinks. "So now I have to be your girlfriend."

"That would be ever so excellent, yes."

"But– I don't like you."

"See, I realised that, because I don't like you either. And I considered telling my mom right before the wedding that we had broken up but I knew she wouldn't believe me, would just think I'm trying to get out of it."

"Which you are."

"Which I am. And that brings us here."

"With me as your potential girlfriend even though we don't like each other."

"I'm glad we're on the same page."

Annabeth pushes herself off the bike stand and runs her hands through her hair. It's pulled back in a ponytail but she has a whole chunk that's too short to fit in so it hangs in front of her face like a very awkward fringe. She stares up at the sky.

"This is ridiculous," she says to no one in particular.

Percy watches her tentatively. "Is– that a yes?"

"Oh, I don't know," she says. "This is all just very confusing. Yesterday you put rotten eggs in my book bag and today you're asking if I want to be your girlfriend and honestly I'm feeling extremely conflicted right now."

Percy shoves his hands in his coat pockets and sighs. His breath clouds in the winter air and Annabeth watches as it dissolves into the sky like stardust.

"I'm just desperate," he says.

"You also hate me."

"I don't– hate you."

"You sound horribly unconvinced."

He sighs. "I don't, honest. Just– sometimes you happen to get on my nerves."

Annabeth blinks in disbelief. "I get on your nerves? I'm sorry–"

"Annabeth."

Percy gives her a tired look. It's the first time he hasn't pushed the argument, hasn't pushed Annabeth. Normally he does. He likes to see how far he can string her out until she snaps and retaliates, just as regrettably nasty as him, and then words cut far deeper than any childish pranks ever did and suddenly it's a chase to see who can bring out tears the fastest.

The bait was there and he waved it off.

He's serious about it this time.

Annabeth watches him. "You really need this, don't you?"

"Kind of, yeah."

There's more to it than just wanting to please his mom. But she doesn't push.

Finally, she sighs. "What colour dress do I need?"

Percy's head shoots up. He looks at her with wide anxious eyes. "Is that a yes?"

"It's a yes."

"Oh my God, thank you so much." He springs up from the bike rest and throws open his arms, like he's about to sweep her up in a massive hug, before he tenses and realises what he's doing. He drops his arms, shoving his hands in his pockets, and clears his throat. "I mean, um. Thanks, Chase."

She can't help roll her eyes. "We're dating now, Jackson. You can hug me."

"I mean. I don't want to catch anything."

"Watch it."

He retreats, grinning. "Sorry, sorry."

Annabeth pulls her phone out of her pocket. The wool of her gloves makes it slightly hard to grip so she hands it to Percy. "Here, put your number in."

"My number?"

"Yes, you idiot. I can't dive into this blindfolded. I need to know stuff, like when it is and what I should wear."

"Oh, sorry." He has fingerless gloves so it makes it easier for him to type, and he hurriedly stabs his number in. He then goes onto her messages and sends a text from her number so he gets it.

"Thanks," she says, taking her phone. He's saved his number under ur gorgeous bf and she can't help but snort.

"I thought it was highly appropriate," Percy tells her confidently.

"Yes, well. We're going to have to agree to disagree on that one." Annabeth pockets her phone and nods at him. "Text me the details, all right? I'll see you tomorrow."

As she walks away, Percy yells, "Bye, girlfriend!"

Anyone could have heard. Their feud hasn't exactly been the most private of affairs, so God knows what would happen if people started whispering about how Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase were dating. The entire school would have a field day.

Still. Can't hurt.

Annabeth turns around blows him a kiss. She shouts, "Bye, boyfriend!"

Percy's smile is so wide he could light up New York City.

"Mrs Lloyd is a cow," Thalia spits viciously, throwing herself dramatically into a seat. She grabs a fistful of Annabeth's fries and shoves them in her mouth, seething.

Annabeth doesn't even flinch. She turns the page of her textbook and calmly takes a sip of her milkshake. "What did she do this time?"

"She gave me an F, Annabeth! An F!"

"I'm failing to see how this is out of the ordinary."

Thalia doesn't even react to the insult. "She rigged it! She said that all students who got an F would have to repeat the semester in summer school – summer school, Annabeth – but I worked my butt off for that test, and I know I didn't get an F. I should have gotten a D+ at least. At least. Frankly, I think I actually deserved a C but clearly Mrs Lloyd has other ideas."

"So do you have to go to summer school now?"

"Well, I'm gonna first heckle Mrs Lloyd and get her to change my grade."

Annabeth looks up properly from her book and gives Thalia a look. "Thalia."

"I'm serious! I did not deserve that F and I'm certainly not going to summer school because some old bat with saggy boobs and gums the colour of wet tarmac decided that I should."

Annabeth rolls her eyes and turns back to her book. Sometimes Thalia can be a bit of a drama queen.

"Hey guys!"

Piper materialises out of nowhere. She wearing a pair of old ripped jeans and a Metallica shirt that Annabeth is pretty sure belongs to her dad but she still looks devastatingly attractive and honestly Annabeth is incredibly jealous. If only she could pull off tousled hair and cranberry juice-stained sneakers as well as Piper.

"What's the news?" she asks, peeling the plastic off her straw. "Did I miss anything?"

"Just Thalia being overdramatic."

"Right, so nothing unusual."

"I'm not being overdramatic," Thalia says petulantly. "This is a serious matter and I'm frankly rather wounded that you don't see it that way."

"You're cross because a teacher failed you," Annabeth deadpans. "You get at least three Fs a semester."

"Yeah, but none of them have ever sent me to summer school before!"

"You're going to summer school?" Piper asks, stabbing her straw through the top of her juice box.

"Nothing's been confirmed yet," Thalia says. "I need to double-check."

"No you don't," Annabeth tells her. "Mrs Lloyd is a perfectly respectable old lady who has done nothing wrong. If you go threaten her like you did with Mr Murray she might get such a fright her teeth fall out, because that's what happened with Mr Murray and he hasn't even got false teeth."

Thalia grumbles. "She's done plenty wrong," she mutters murderously. "Like wrongly sending me to summer school."

"Well, I'm glad I missed such a riveting conversation," Piper says. "Sometimes Coach Hedge does work wonders."

"You had Coach Hedge?" Annabeth asks.

"Yeah. Grace and Jackson were messing around with the gym equipment so he held us back ten minutes. That's why I was late to lunch."

Thalia steals another fry from Annabeth's plate. Annabeth narrows her eyes. She's eaten almost half of them now. Annabeth considers charging her. "Imagine being so selfish and arrogant you'd happily hold up a class just to monkey around on some benches," Thalia says thoughtfully.

"Hey, Jason's not half bad," Piper says. "It's only Percy."

Annabeth snorts. "You can say that again," she mumbles.

"Jason's still a douche," Thalia says primly. "I'm embarrassed that he's even my brother."

"He probably thinks the same about you," Piper says.

"Which makes sense," Thalia says. "Even I'm embarrassed of me. But Jason is just– on a whole other level. I'd rather have Martin Sykes from Chem who picks his nose for a brother than that blockhead."

"Well, speak of the devil," Annabeth says, nodding towards the doors. "Here they come."

They all look to see Jason Grace and Percy Jackson stroll casually into the cafeteria like they own the place. Annabeth is pleased to note that thankfully their school isn't so cliché and overrated that upon their arrival everyone stops talking to marvel at the group of boys, because even their school isn't that corny, but it is true that Percy and his friends are considered the kings of the place. Annabeth can pick out Luke the serial dater and Connor and Travis Stoll the pranksters and Lee the athlete, and then of course Jason the golden boy and Percy the bad boy, who isn't quite bad enough to wear a leather jacket or smoke cigarettes but still has enough tongue to land himself in an hour's worth of detentions every single day.

Annabeth sighs. And now she's dating him.

What a plot twist.

They meander to their table at the back. Some split off to say their hellos at other tables and a few head towards the lunch ladies to buy food, but to Annabeth's surprise Percy starts heading towards them.

Or, more specifically, her.

"Oh, look," Thalia mutters, clearly utterly ecstatic. "He's coming over."

"Be careful, Annabeth," Piper warns. "Last time he poured milk down your shirt, remember?"

Oh, how could she not? She had gotten back at him for that one. She had shovelled an open out-of-date can of tuna into his PE locker and then smiled sweetly across the sports hall at him as he came out in his normal clothes to sheepishly explain that he needed to borrow a PE kit because his had mysteriously disappeared the next time they had Phys Ed.

Ah, good times, good times.

However, luckily (or unluckily, however you interpret it) Percy doesn't seem to be popping over for a chat. It turns out he's heading over to the table behind them, something Annabeth feels both a sense of relief and, oddly enough, disappointment at. But, as he passes by, he purposely jostles his hip into Annabeth's shoulder.

She looks up at him, annoyed. "Hey!"

"Oh, sorry, sweetheart," Percy says, with a sickly sweet smile. "I didn't see you there."

Her nostrils flare. "Watch it, Jackson," she hisses.

He just smirks at her.

Oh heavens, what on earth possessed her to agree dating him? She turns back to her textbook, seething. If he's going to be that insufferable throughout the entire wedding she might drown him in the chocolate fountain. Or maybe she'll drown herself. Either option sounds good.

She feels him walk away and rolls her eyes. However, when she looks up, she sees Thalia and Piper staring at her with their mouths wide open.

She frowns. "What?"

"What the hell was that?" Thalia demands.

"What was what?"

"That thing! With Percy!"

"It was– a thing?"

"Do you like him?" Piper asks.

"What? No!"

Piper holds up her hands in defense. "Don't get all snippy! It was just an innocent observation. That stifling sexual tension is not something you can very easily ignore."

"Sexual tension?"

"Oozing off you both like goo," Thalia says. "Repulsive."

Annabeth leans back in her seat. She feels remarkably stunned. "I don't even like Percy."

"Well, there's something there, at least," Piper remarks. "I mean, did you even see the way Percy was looking at you? It was like he wanted to eat you up or something."

Annabeth closes her eyes in mortification. "Oh my God."

"I'm just saying," Piper says, taking a sip of her juice. "It's undeniable."

"It's also very false."

"Maybe so," says Thalia. "But it's entertaining."

"Yeah, Annabeth," Piper tells her jovially. "We were just having a laugh. We're not stupid. We know you'd never go out with Percy Jackson. Your fashion sense may be questionable but you do have standards."

Annabeth forces a laugh. "Haha," she says weakly. "Funny."

If only they knew.

Her throat suddenly feels incredibly dry, so she stands up, trying to subtly wipe her hands down her jeans without Thalia or Piper noticing. "I'm gonna go get some water," she says. "I'll be right back. Don't steal any more of my food."

Thalia has the decency to look guilty. "Sorry," she mumbles.

"Your hand is currently in her fries," Piper says, taking another sip of her juice box. "Your apology means nothing."

Thalia scowls at her. Her hand is still, in fact, in Annabeth's fries, and she hasn't made any move to take it out. At this point Annabeth no longer cares.

"Bring me two dollars tomorrow and you can have all of them," she says.

Thalia is already dragging her basket of fries towards her before Annabeth has even finished her sentence. "Deal."

Annabeth rolls her eyes and starts to head off. The water fountain is on the other side of the canteen, where the food bar is, and as she moves she prays to every god that she won't accidentally bump into one of the boys and get yelled at in front of the entire school. That happens a lot, especially with guys like Luke Castellan, who seems to have zero consideration towards anyone except himself and his consort of the day.

Luckily, Luke is sitting down.

But Percy isn't.

She spots him too late, when he's so tightly pressed up next to her their arms are touching. She feels rather threatened. There is a lot of space. There is no need for them to be as close as they are.

She moves a little to the side.

"Aw, come on, babe," Percy says. "Don't be like that."

Annabeth gives him a look. "I think you've forgotten that we're not actually dating, Jackson."

He laughs and throws an arm around her shoulders. She stares at it, scandalized. "Oh, I know," he says. "It's just fun to mess with you."

"I could still pull out, you know."

"But you can't, because I've already told my mom you've confirmed."

Annabeth takes a cup from the side and presses it to the tap of the water fountain. Percy's arm is still around her shoulder. He admittedly smells quite nice, and his arm is a solid, reassuring warmth against her neck, but she would rather put her head through a paper shredder than admit that. "You can't help it if I suddenly fall sick," she says flippantly. "I always get colds in the winter." She turns and smiles sweetly at him. "If I'm ill on the day of the wedding then you'll really have no other choice than to go stag."

Percy's arm tightens. He knows she's right. She has an out and a very liable one at that, and she's going to milk it for all she's worth if it gets Percy to behave.

"Come on, Annabeth." His voice is borderline desperate.

She huffs out a little laugh. "I'm not actually going to," she says. "Don't sound so scared. I made a deal and I'm not one to easily back out of them. But I just want you to know that I can."

"Is this your idea of a metaphorical whip or something to keep me in line?"

She pats his head. "You do have a brain in there."

"Oh, shut up."

He still looks a little worried. There's something that he's not telling her about this wedding, because even for Percy, the biggest mama's boy on the planet, gripping onto such sharp tenterhooks (in this case, the hope of Annabeth coming as his date) just to please his mom seems a bit much. He looks nervous, like Annabeth coming with him to this wedding is life or death.

She does feel a little sorry for him. She doesn't know the situation and she respects him enough as her classmate not to push, but she does know a bit about overbearing family and trying to meet expectations she simply can't. She wriggles out from under his arm and he lets her go, but she turns and gives his shoulder a reassuring pat before she leaves completely.

"Don't worry," she says. "I'll come."

"You promise?"

He tries to mask his anxiety under a mask of coolness. It doesn't work very well.

She holds out her index finger. Percy looks massively confused.

"Um...?"

"It's a pinkie promise, idiot. Hold out your pinkie, too."

Obediently, Percy holds out his pinkie.

Annabeth links their fingers together. He's got very soft hands. Absently, she wonders if he moisturizes. "I, Annabeth Chase," she announces, "pinkie promise that I will go with you, Percy Jackson, to be your date to your cousin's wedding. I may hate your guts but I am a decent human being and unless between now and the wedding you try to kill me I promise I won't flake on you."

Finally, finally, Percy looks reassured. He squeezes her pinkie and then lets go.

"Do you believe me now?" Annabeth asks.

He nods. "Sorry."

"That doesn't mean you get a free pass, though. No more crabs in my locker."

"But–"

"Do you want this date or not?"

Grumpily, he shuts up. He glares at her.

She smirks and pats his head. "Good boy."

"Shut up, Chase."

She laughs and starts to make her way back to her table.

"You're insecure, don't know what for–"

Annabeth shoves her head into her pillow. Maybe if she ignores it it'll stop.

"–you're turning heads when you walk through the door-or-or–"

The song just keeps going. Annabeth groans, and rolls over, blindly feeling around for her phone. She still doesn't know why she hasn't changed her ringtone yet – it's been three months since Thalia set it – and she honestly refuses to admit that she likes the song. It takes her a few seconds to find her phone because she's disoriented and sleep-deprived, but eventually her hands bumps into it and she presses answer and holds it to her ear without checking the caller ID.

"Whos'is?" she slurs.

"Annabeth, I'm freaking out."

Annabeth blinks and sits up, more awake. "Percy?"

"Yes, hello."

"Wha–...?" Annabeth knuckles her eyes and checks her clock. "Why the hell are you calling me?"

"Because I am absolutely scared out of my wits and you're the only person who knows what's about to go down."

"Percy, it's five am."

"Your point?"

Unbelievable. "Percy, the wedding is today–"

"That's what I'm calling you about!"

"I need to be ready for it, Percy, and by 'ready' I mean I need at least another four hours of sleep."

"But I'm terrified! What if it goes wrong?"

She sighs and leans against the headboard, running a hand through her rumpled curls. Clearly another four hours of sleep is simply too much to ask. "It won't go wrong," she says. "I promise."

"But what if I accidentally tell someone you're not actually my girlfriend?"

Oh, for heaven's sake. "You won't."

"I might."

"Then just think of me as your actual girlfriend," Annabeth says. "That way you aren't strictly pretending because I am actually your girlfriend."

"That doesn't work with me. I can't trick myself into believing stuff like that. Plus, I still don't like you. I can't date someone I don't like!"

"Well, you're going to have to for the next day, so suck it up."

Percy does this huffy little sigh thing that makes Annabeth's toes curl. Sometimes he can be rather cute. Which she finds entirely unfair. "I didn't mean it like that," he says. "Well. Kind of. But in a nice friendly way, you know?"

"Since when has anything you've ever said to me been nice or friendly?"

There's a completive silence. "I mean, touché," Percy says eventually. "However, we are dating now. So I have to be civil towards you."

"Woe is you."

"Shut up. I bet I'll make the perfect boyfriend."

"Mm."

"Excuse you."

"I didn't say anything."

"That was a very judgmental 'mm'."

"You sound wounded, Percy."

"Are you doubting my boyfriend skills?"

"Not at all."

"You are!"

"Your words, not mine."

When Percy next speaks he sounds like a whiny toddler. "Why?"

"Oh, geez, I wonder."

"You're not even giving me a chance here, Annabeth."

"How long have we known each other, Jackson? Almost five years? And how many times in those five years have you done anything that would have me applauding your ability to serenade a girl?"

"I slow-danced with Drew Tanaka once."

"Drew Tanaka has double-Ds and grades to match, any boy would slow-dance with her."

"That still counts."

"Not really. And it's not even really proof in the first place because all it's telling me that if a girl came along with breasts like watermelons all she would have to do is simper a little and you would leave me at the drop of a hat."

"Are you saying I'm likely to cheat on you?"

"I'm just saying that it's more proof that you would potter off with the first pair of decent boobs than proof that you would make a good boyfriend."

Percy lets out an indignant squeak. "We weren't even dating then! We're not even dating now!"

"Say it a little louder, will you, I don't think the man on the moon heard that."

"My mom's asleep, she won't hear us."

Annabeth is suddenly reminded that it's five in the morning. "You know who should also be asleep? Me."

"It was a crisis, I simply had to wake you."

"Well, we've been talking ten minutes and so far all you've done is insult me and tell me that you once slow-danced with Drew Tanaka."

"Says you."

"I've never slow-danced with Drew Tanaka."

"Not about that. You've insulted me plenty this morning."

"You want me to keep going?"

Percy sighs. "You are insufferable."

"I'll add that to the list of pleasant things you've called me."

Annabeth hears his bed squeak and his sheets rustle as he turns over. He's clearly still in bed as well. Maybe that should have been hint enough that five am was an ungodly hour. "You're not going to be this annoying throughout the whole wedding, are you?"

"You should be grateful I even agreed."

Percy snorts. "Please. As if you had anything better to do today."

Annabeth bristles, slightly insulted. "As a matter of fact, I did, actually."

"Oh, like what? Putting your encyclopedias in alphabetical order? Colour-coordinating all of your dictionaries?"

"Believe it or not, I do have a life that isn't just schoolwork."

"Could've fooled me."

"Piper asked me round to her house today. We were going to watch movies and paint our toenails and talk about how gross and revolting you are."

Percy ignores the insult. "Sorry to break it to you, Bethie, but documentaries aren't movies."

"Oh, we weren't going to watch any documentaries today. That would have happened next Saturday. We were actually planning on watching all of her old action movies, but I can see why you'd get confused, seeing as you don't get any."

Percy sounds a little affronted. "I get plenty of action, thank you very much."

"Mm."

"I do!"

"Well, it's not any good."

"And how would you know, Chase?"

"Your consorts are few and sparse. I had to search dreadfully hard to find any. But I did eventually, as I always do, and she was incredibly displeased."

"Are you talking about Rachel Dare?"

"Seeing as she's been your only ever girlfriend, yes."

Percy scoffs, a little sadly. "Rachel had lots of good times with me."

"I'm not saying she didn't."

"You literally just did."

"I hinted at it."

Percy lets out a huffy laugh. "You are bloody impossible, Annabeth Chase."

"I'm also your girlfriend."

"Yeah. You are."

Their conversation takes an almost terrifyingly intimate turn because she's not really sure how to respond to that and so they lie in silence for the next few seconds. Weirdly, it's not– awkward, it's comfortable, just them and the large expanse of sky and telephone wires between the static that ties them together, and if she closes her eyes and thinks hard enough she can almost imagine what it would be like if comfortable became the norm for them, if five am calls and sleep-soft silences became common. It hurts to think about because of how easy it is to think about and Annabeth hates herself when something in her heart gives a little tug of the thought of Percy calling her early in the mornings and them just lying on their beds breathing over the line.

She clears her throat, suddenly overwhelmed by it all. "So," she says, maybe a little too loudly. "You still stressed about the wedding?"

If Percy hears the unevenness in her voice, he doesn't say anything about it. He hums. "Yep," he says. "Only one shot, see. We need to make this convincing."

"It really can't be that hard to pretend to be my boyfriend, Percy."

"Only a little bit. I've just grown so accustomed to hating you that I just– I don't know if I can make this big switch so suddenly."

He's such a drama queen.

"You were the one who told my name to your mom when she asked."

He whines a little. "You were the first girl I thought of!"

"It means a lot to me that I'm always on your mind."

"I'm not sure if you've realised, Annabeth, but I don't talk to a lot of girls. You are like the only girl aside from my mom I talk to on a regular basis."

Annabeth whistles. "No wonder you've only had one girlfriend."

"Like you're any better."

She laughs a little. "I'm worse, actually."

There's silence. "You've never had a boyfriend?"

"Not one."

"Wow."

Annabeth huffs. "At least try and pretend you're surprised, Percy."

"I am, honestly. I would have thought you'd dated someone by now. Not even, like, a boy who had a crush on you for like two minutes in kindergarten that you were convinced you were going to marry?"

"Nope."

"Whoa." Percy sounds genuinely shocked. "You've had your first kiss, though, right?"

Annabeth keeps quiet.

Percy's yelp is so loud Annabeth is surprised he didn't wake up his apartment block. "You've never had your first kiss?"

"Define 'first kiss'."

"Annabeth!"

"I don't know! It just never happened."

"Oh, I feel bad now."

"For what? There's quite a list you could feel bad for."

Percy ignores her. "Well, your first ever relationship isn't even real and it's with a devastatingly attractive young man that for some reason you very much despise."

"Some reason."

"I'm just saying."

Annabeth huffs out a little laugh. "Do you need me to give you a list?"

"That won't be necessary. Unless one of the options is 'I'm harbouring a massive secret crush on Percy so I cover it up with hate to hide the fact that actually I want to bear his children', in which case, yes, please share."

Annabeth squawks, giggling. "No! That's so gross!"

"We'd have pretty attractive children, to be perfectly fair."

"That would only be if they took my genes. Even a cell from you could taint them."

"You don't want adorable green-eyed kids?"

"Not particularly."

"But your eyes are scary, man. My eyes are adorable. And hot. Drew Tanaka told me so."

"That's probably because she was so overpowered by your stench she couldn't see properly."

"You wound me, Annabeth Chase."

"Good to know."

"Well." Percy stretches over the phone. Annabeth can tell because she hears several joints popping over the line and she almost vomits. If there's one thing she hates more than narrow-mindedness and irritating black-haired boys called Percy it's cracking joints. "Good news is I only have to survive standing close to you for today, so unfortunately you won't be able to see the undying cuteness that is my future green-eyed babies."

"I'm heartbroken."

"I know, it is a tragedy." There's a small pause as Percy yawns. "Man, I'm really tired all of a sudden."

Annabeth glares half-heartedly at her alarm clock. "Gee, I wonder why."

"It's not even that early."

"It's five thirty two. On a Saturday."

"Touché." Percy yawns again. "I'll let you go now."

"About time."

"Get some beauty sleep, Chase. You need it."

"Push off."

"Love you too." There's a shuffle. "G'night, Chase."

"It's morning, you idiot."

"Tomaeto, tomahto."

"Oh, for heaven's sake."

The doorbell rings in the middle of breakfast.

Frederick doesn't look up from his newspaper. "Who could that be?"

"Oh." Annabeth shuffles awkwardly in her seat. "That's, um. For me."

There's a pause as Frederick flicks his eyes over the top of his newspaper and does a double take as for the first time he realises his daughter is wearing a dress with her hair and makeup done at nine on a Saturday morning. Annabeth clenches her jaw. They've both been sat at the table for at least half an hour and this is the first time he's looked at her.

It hurts a little and she swallows it down with her coffee. It tastes horrible and it's too hot but she sips at it determinedly until her lips and throat have been burnt and tingle in her mouth.

"Where are you going?" Frederick asks.

Annabeth can't help it. "I have a date."

She knows that would do it. Frederick puts his paper down and stares at her through the lenses of his glasses. Annabeth can see her own eyes reflected in the glass. "A– date?"

"Yes."

"I didn't know you had a date today."

"Well." Annabeth pushes her plate towards the middle of the table and forces a smile. "I do."

She stands up. So does Frederick.

"No, hold on, Annabeth," he says. It's been a while since he called her Annabeth. She thinks this is the first time they've held a proper conversation this week. "I don't think I like the idea of you going on a date with a boy I don't know."

"It's a bit too late to have decided that."

"Annabeth–"

"I'm sorry, Dad." Annabeth grabs her jacket from where it's hanging on the banister. "I have to go."

"Annabeth."

She sighs and turns to face him.

Frederick doesn't say anything for a few seconds. He just looks at her, and Annabeth can see the images shift in his eyes behind his glasses. They're grey, like hers. He once told her that on a summer's day they can look like chips of sea glass. When she looks at him, she doesn't see sea glass. She sees beer can metal, glittery tarmac, the flash of black and white Audrey Hepburn movies. In the garish light of the kitchen, his face looks old and weathered, and his glasses turn blue with the reflection of her dress.

He suddenly feels so, so old.

"You look beautiful, Annabeth," he tells her softly.

They used to watch Audrey Hepburn movies together. Distantly, Annabeth wonders if they still can.

She manages a half smile. "Thank you."

He nods towards the door and then picks up his newspaper. His movements are erratic. He wasn't made to be a father, but it's okay because at least he tried, and in the end that's all that really matters. "Have fun."

"You too, Dad."

She slides her arms into her jacket sleeves and heads out the door.

The wedding is, to put it frankly, absolutely terrifying.

It's being held in a gazebo in the middle of an apple orchard. It is admittedly very, very beautiful and Annabeth can't help but gasp when they head through the gates and she first sees it. They've decked it out so prettily, with fairy lights and flowers and candles and floral benches for pews, and Annabeth can't help but think that if she were to get married she'd want it to be somewhere like this.

Unfortunately, the bride doesn't sound to be as wonderful.

"She's an absolute nightmare," Percy murmurs in Annabeth's ear as they break away from Sally and Paul and head towards their seats. "She's only a year or two older than us – around nineteen, I think – and she is one of the most frustrating people I have simply every met."

"Nineteen?" Annabeth creases her eyebrows. "Isn't that– a little young?"

"Not for Janet," Percy says, scowling. "And it's not as if they were childhood sweethearts or anything, either. I think they met a year ago."

Annabeth has always been very respectable about people's decisions with things when it comes to marriage and having children – while her mom is a piece of crap, one of the few valuable things she did teach Annabeth was to always be polite – but she does have to say she doesn't think this wedding is a very smart move.

"She's your cousin?" Annabeth asks. Percy nods. "Who's side?"

"My dad's."

Annabeth doesn't push for any more information. Parents have always been a bit of an odd topic for– well, everyone, really, and at this point it's safer to not say anything than tentatively breach the subject and accidentally push on a parent who happens to be extraordinarily crappy. Annabeth isn't sure if it's their area or just the toxicity of having a family live in the same house on the same street for generations, but almost everyone at Goode High has had some sort of divide in their family. The area is a little like a grapevine; everyone has always been tightly interlinked, because their parents all grew up together and so did their parents' parents, and no one has ever known any different because you meet your thirty friends in kindergarten and have them until you die. And of course friendships splinter and relationships end but because everyone stays on the battlefield they don't leave the corpses to decompose, they step over them and ignore them until they're all piled on top of each other like sacks of potatoes. It's why the divorce rates are at an all-time high – people are trying to form marriages and stay in them when there's broken glass all over the floor, and your husband is the same boy your best friend dated and then cheated on back in high school, and sometimes people just get so overwhelmed they have to escape the grapevine until they're sewn into the ground.

She knows Percy's dad left. But she didn't realise that he was still in Virginia.

Suddenly things begin to make a lot more sense.

"Oh," she says.

"I know," Percy says. "Fun times. Still. If we dodge her enough we won't have to talk to her, so that's cool. Come on, it's starting soon, we need to sit down."

They get intercepted before they can, however. Two large women in equally horrendous dresses grab Percy's arm just as they start to move and grin down at them with wide lipsticked smiles. Annabeth instinctively reaches for Percy's arm.

"Perseus!" one of them booms.

Percy forces a smile. "Aunt Margaret," he says weakly. "How, um. Lovely to see you again."

The lady fixes him with an unimpressed look. "It's Marigold, Perseus."

The other lady titters away.

Percy coughs uncomfortably. "Right. Sorry."

The lady nods and lets go of his arm, appeased. The other woman bares her teeth at them in what Annabeth thinks is meant to be a smile. She certainly hopes so, anyway. The only other option is that she's going to eat them, which would be unfortunate because Annabeth is only halfway through To Kill A Mockingbird and she does dearly want to finish it.

"So, Percy," Marigold says. Flecks of spit fly out of her mouth. She gestures rather rudely to Annabeth. "Who's this?"

"Um. This. Yes." Percy blinks, like he had forgotten Annabeth was there, and slides an arm around her waist. His hand is damp with sweat. She's probably no better so she doesn't mention it and instead presses close to him. She knows self-defense. She reckons if either lady made a move to gobble her up she could throw Percy as a shield and make a run for it. "This is my girlfriend, Annabeth."

"Girlfriend!" The other lady clasps her hands. "Oh, how wonderful! I remember Sally telling me something about a girlfriend." She smiles wide. She's missing a tooth. "It's nice to meet you, Annabelle."

Annabeth suppresses her cringe. "Um. You too."

Marigold, on the other hand, is examining her with a rather judgmental look in her eyes. Annabeth presses closer to Percy. She doesn't like the way she's looking at her. Her beady eyes are shiny with scrutiny.

"Well, you certainly know how to pick them," she says after a pause.

Percy's hand tightens on Annabeth's waist. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Marigold purses her lips. "Well, in general she's just a little on the pimply, shrimpy side, but if you're asking about specifics, her bodily structure leaves a lot to be desired." She reaches forward and before either of them can flinch backwards she's caught hold of Annabeth's arm. She gives it a rather violent shake, jostling Annabeth out of Percy's hold. "Look at this! No meat on her bones. I'm sure she's as flat as a board."

Hurt, Annabeth self-consciously folds her free arm over her chest.

"Chicken legs, too," Marigold remarks. "And her eyes are too far apart."

Percy tugs Annabeth out of her grasp. Annabeth stares at her arm where Marigold gripped her. She hasn't left a print, because Annabeth doesn't bruise easily, but her skin stings. "Yes, um," he says tightly. "Thanks, but I think we'd best be off, right Annabeth?"

He says it almost fiercely. Annabeth just wants to be away from these two nightmares.

"Yeah," she says. "It was, uh. Cool. Meeting you."

Marigold snorts contemptuously. The other lady, blissfully ignorant, waves at her and smiles. Annabeth decides she kind of likes that one. The missing teeth and questionable fashion sense she reckons she could get behind.

With an almost painful grip on her arm, Percy drags her away to the gazebo. Annabeth isn't really that insulted, because Percy has said things much, much worse to her and she's not one to be brought down by an ugly relative with a hippo nose and a wart, but she is a little shocked. She hasn't even been here ten minutes and she's already been peer-assessed. It's a little overwhelming.

"I'm so sorry," Percy says.

"It's okay."

"She's a crap aunt, anyway," he says. "She's my dad's sister. Go figure, too, everyone on that side of the family is a giant dirtbag. Are you all right?"

Annabeth lets out a shaky laugh. "Are you asking if I'm all right? You? The great Percy Jackson?"

"Well, you are my girlfriend," he says. "I must have some sort of concern towards your welfare."

"Fair enough." Annabeth adjusts the skirt of her dress. "I'm good, though. Thanks for asking."

"They were so rude."

"I don't really care. It's all true, anyway."

"No it's not." Percy pauses and looks at her face. "Well. Actually."

Annabeth gives him a warning look. "Careful."

"You said so yourself!"

"I'm allowed to. You're not."

"I mean." Percy studies her face. "Your eyes are kind of far apart."

"Yeah, well, you've got cow nipples."

"Your boobs are wonky."

"And your penis is disfigured." Annabeth smiles at him and holds out her hand. "Shall we?"

They find their seats relatively quickly. They're sat next to Sally and Paul, who are in avid conversation with another couple Annabeth doesn't recognise. She's got the aisle seat. She'll be able to get a very good view of the bride and she sails down the aisle to meet her fiancée. She looks up and down the aisle, trying to spot anyone she notices, when her eyes land on someone so strikingly familiar she almost does a double take.

However, before she can have a proper look, she feels everyone around her stand up, so she does as well. The organ starts to play and Janet begins her walk down the aisle. She looks absolutely beautiful – she's got long dark hair and the same wide green eyes as Percy, but as she floats past her Annabeth can't help but think that Percy's are just that little bit nicer.

She zones out during the vows. She doesn't mean to, honest, but she's never been much of a romantic and frankly she finds the vows slightly boring. However, she does try and stay polite, and keeps her eyes fixated on the pulpit, kicking a stone into her shoe so the pain will keep her from falling asleep.

Next to her, Percy lets out a yawn.

Finally, the vows are over. The groom kisses the bride and everyone cheers and they hurry down the aisle together. Everyone gets ushered to a tent a couple of metres away from the gazebo, in which the reception happens, and Annabeth ends up using her knife to eat the majority of the meal because her fork is under the table, poised over Percy's knee, ready to stab whenever he looks dangerously close to dozing off. It's altogether quite a boring affair, because when the best man makes his speech he includes hundreds of inside jokes that makes everyone but Annabeth laugh because she doesn't understand any of them. Percy doesn't look like he does, either, but that also might be because he's seconds away from falling asleep.

"Percy," Annabeth hisses. "Look alive."

"I'm trying."

"No you're not."

"Can't I just have a quick nap on your lap?"

"No!"

"I'll be ever so quick, I promise. I'll just put my head down. No one will see me if you drape the tablecloth over me."

"It'll look like you're doing something wildly inappropriate."

"It's a wedding. The love can manifest in all sorts of places."

"Including getting up close and personal with my lady parts?"

"Ten minutes, Beth. Please."

"Oh my God, fine."

(It actually ends up being twenty.)

The after party is kind of lame, too. Annabeth reckons after the fancy champagne runs out and they end up doing tequila shots instead it'll liven up a bit but for now it's rather dull. Mainly it's just a chance for everyone to awkwardly mingle, holding plastic shot glasses filled with expensive alcohol and pretending they know what they're doing.

Or rather, it's a chance for maybe every single member of Percy's extended family to meander up to them and interrogate her.

"That was interesting," Annabeth says after Percy's grandma totters off.

"That was humiliating."

"Well. At least I know what you looked like in the bath when you were two."

"Shut up."

"I'm sure you were cute."

"Screw off, Chase."

Annabeth laughs and pinches his cheek, and Percy is just about to open his mouth to protest when someone beats him to the chase.

"Perseus."

Annabeth looks up. It's the man she had spotted across the aisle. He's very handsome, with black hair, electric green eyes and a dusting of facial hair across his jaw, but he's looking at Percy with an indecipherable look in his eyes and just as Annabeth is about to introduce herself she catches sight of the three of them together in the reflection of her champagne flute and suddenly it all clicks.

She's so stupid.

This is Percy's dad.

She almost drops her glass.

Curtly, Percy nods his head. Suddenly he's frozen all over, like his blood has turned to cement. He's stiff, poised. He's ready to run if need be. "Poseidon."

Annabeth still calls her mother Mom. Percy's hands are clenched too tightly, and underneath his collar he's sweating. In a spur of the moment, she rests her glass on the table and reaches over to take his hand.

He stares at their interlaced fingers, like he's not quite seeing them. She looks pointedly at Poseidon instead.

Poseidon seems to notice her for the first time. "Oh," he says. "Who's this, Perseus?"

"This is my girlfriend," Percy tells him defiantly.

"Girlfriend?"

Annabeth takes that as her cue. She holds out her hand. "Annabeth."

Poseidon shakes it. "It's lovely to meet you, Annabeth."

She doesn't say anything back. She's not sure if Percy wants her to.

Percy tightens his grip on her waist. She thinks it's more for his sake than it is hers. "So," he says, clearing his throat. "Where's your wife?"

There's a sad look in Poseidon's eyes. "Perseus–"

"Right, by the drinks table, I see her," Percy rushes out. He's stalling. "She looks nice."

"You should tell her."

"No thanks."

Annabeth pinches his hip. Play nice.

He doesn't apologise.

Poseidon tries to break the ice. "How's your mother?" he asks.

"Good."

"Send her my best wishes."

"I will."

He won't.

Annabeth knows that there's more that Poseidon wants to say but can't because she's here. She goes up on her tiptoes and presses a soft kiss to Percy's cheek, surprising even herself, and then steps away, gently disentangling herself from his arm. "I'm gonna go talk to your mom," she says.

Percy isn't having any of that, though. He grabs her arm and pulls her back into him before she's even taken a step. He's trembling a little. He's angry, but not at her. She doesn't think he's angry at Poseidon either. "No you aren't," he says desperately. "We, um. Haven't had any cake yet."

She's his weapon out. Instead of moving away again, she wraps an arm around his waist.

Poseidon looks weak. "Perseus–"

"I'll see you later, Poseidon," Percy tells him. "Come on, Beth."

Annabeth lets herself get dragged away. Poseidon is looking after them with a wistful expression on his face. Annabeth has seen that look many, many times on her own dad's face. He's trying. He is. But at this point it's like trying to band-aid the Grand Canyon back together, and he's going to have to try a lot harder if he wants to win Percy over again.

Because Percy has gone almost white and his hands are damp, and fathers are not meant to invoke that kind of reaction.

Annabeth watches as he stands at one of the refreshments tables, curling his hands into fists and shoving them in between his thighs. He's shaking a bit. She doesn't say anything about it.

She watches him silently. "He's the reason why I'm here, isn't he," she says.

Percy grimaces. "Kind of."

"It was never about your mom."

"No."

"Why, Percy?"

Percy sighs. "I don't know?" he offers weakly.

Annabeth waits patiently.

"I wanted to impress him, I guess," Percy says. He lets out a watery laugh. "How pathetic is that, right? I hate his guts but I still want to impress him so I pull off this elaborate hoax with one of my worst enemies to prove to him that I'm fine on my own and that I never needed him in my life. I'm so stupid."

"Just a little bit."

"That was actually your cue to start showering me with compliments, Annabeth."

"Well, you were stupid," Annabeth says. "I'm not going to pretend you weren't."

"Gee, thanks."

"But," she says, and Percy turns to look at her. "You were also desperate and I kind of understand that. You've got to resort to other methods, though."

"Other methods of what?"

"Having a girlfriend isn't going to prove to your dad anything except your ability to have a girlfriend." She watches him. "Have you ever considered maybe, I don't know, talking to him about it?"

"Right, because that's going to get us so far."

"It worked with me and my mom," Annabeth says. "She's still a witch and I still hate her but we're civil because I understand her now. I'm not saying for you to be all buddy-buddy with him, because that's going to take a long, long time, if ever. But it doesn't hurt to talk to him a little."

Percy snorts darkly. "Right."

Annabeth sighs in desperation and softens her voice. "He's trying, Percy," she tells him. "You're not even giving him a chance."

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't want to?" Annabeth opens her mouth but Percy cuts her off with a sigh. "Listen, it doesn't even matter. I didn't bring you here so I could cry to you about my daddy problems."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

Percy starts to speak, and then stops. "That's a very good question," he says eventually.

Annabeth laughs a little, and then catches sight of something over Percy's shoulder. "Well, I think I'm going to start being useful now," she says.

"Why?"

"You've got a group of girls heading over."

Percy groans. "Oh, for heaven's sake."

"You know them?"

"Janet's friends. They like to hit on me a lot."

"Can't imagine why."

Percy swats at her. "You're my girlfriend, excuse you."

Annabeth rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her champagne. Since they're both underage, they're only allowed to have very small doses of champagne, but it really doesn't bother Annabeth in the slightest because she doesn't even like champagne that much. She's been holding this glass for the past half an hour, anyway. It's gone flat and it tastes like sour cola gummies left out in the sun.

She swirls it around and takes another sip.

"I can't imagine anyone hitting on you, either," Percy continues.

Annabeth gives him a look over the rim of her glass. "Do you want me to leave you?"

"Feel free."

"I will." She sets her glass down and pats his shoulder. "Careful they don't start feeling up your nonexistent muscles too much. Acrylic nails are a pain in the arse to get removed."

Percy's eyes widen as he realises that the girls are still tottering towards him. "Wait, Annabeth, wait–"

Annabeth smiles brightly at him. "Have fun," she calls.

Percy grabs her arm just before she can get out of reach and yanks her back, so hard she accidentally crashes into his shoulder. He is, unfortunately, quite well-muscled, as much as she says otherwise, and even though it can be quite enjoyable to watch during swim meets (just because she hates him does not mean she isn't allowed to enjoy the sight of him in a Speedo, okay) sometimes she's irritated he's not a little softer around the edges like she is. Because if he was her nose wouldn't be throbbing.

"Excuse you," she mutters crossly.

"Hey, Percy!"

Percy lets out a terrified squeak and pulls Annabeth into his side, his arm wrapping around her shoulders like an octopus. Irritated, she rubs her nose under the comfort of his arm, and watches as three pairs of heavily mascara-ed eyes fix on their close proximity with a pointed glare.

"H–hey, girls," Percy manages. Oh, bless him, he's properly scared. Annabeth resists the urge to laugh. "How, um– how are you?"

"I'm so good," one of them says, and the other two roll their eyes at her eagerness. "How are you? Enjoying the wedding?"

"I'm so happy for Janet," another gushes.

"I know right!" the third says excitedly. "Didn't she look beautiful?"

Percy nods uncomfortably. His hands are sweating so he wipes one down Annabeth's skirt and she harshly pinches his bottom in retaliation. "Yeah," he says. "A sight to behold."

"I liked her dress," Annabeth pipes.

The three girls zero in on her. None of them looked very pleased to see her. Annabeth silently bristles. She considers slapping Percy's butt to show them, but then considers the fact that in order to do that she would have to physically touch Percy's butt and she's not quite sure she's sterilized her hands enough to do that.

"Who's this, Percy?" one of them asks. Another flares her nostrils.

"This is Annabeth," Percy says.

One of the girls forces a smile. "Oh, is she your cousin?" she asks sweetly.

"Girlfriend, actually," Annabeth cuts in before Percy can. She gives them a big smile and then wraps her arm around Percy's waist, pressing herself even closer. She's not sure why she's feeling so defensive all of a sudden. She smiles up at him. "A couple months now, right, Perce?"

Percy looks just as confused as she feels. "Um," he says. "Yeah?"

The girls don't look happy. One of them almost looks near tears, which. Annabeth creases her eyebrows, confused. Sure, Percy's kind of cute, she guesses, but he's not that good-looking. Certainly nothing to cry over.

"Oh," one of them says. She looks to be the ringleader. She's very pretty, actually. She should consider curling her hair, it would look gorgeous. Annabeth opens her mouth to tell her and then remembers that she's hitting on her boyfriend and she probably should be quite angry at her.

Still. Annabeth wistfully eyes her eyeliner. It's so perfect. She wonders how she got it that straight.

"Yeah," Percy says uncomfortably.

The second girl sticks her nose up at Annabeth and then tosses a sheet of sleek, glossy, black hair over her shoulder. "Well, sorry to bother you," she says, in a tone that says she's really not sorry at all. "Come on, then, girls. We need to say congratulations to Janet."

Percy and Annabeth watch them as they strut away. The ringleader has got a fantastic bottom. Annabeth wonders what the chances are of her sidling up to her later and getting her number. She needs to know what her squat regime is. Annabeth has skating on her school derby team for almost three years now and her rear end still looks like a piece of stretched-out dough. It's probably the same colour, too.

"Well," Percy says unhelpfully.

"You're welcome."

"For what?"

"I scared them away for you."

"Oh. Well. You didn't have to do that."

"Please," Annabeth says, rolling her eyes. "The only thing that deters girls like that is a girlfriend. You could have told them that were gay and I doubt they would have cared. It's other girls that frighten them. You know, like competition."

"Really?"

"Really. Sometimes you get nice girls who take the hint quite easily and they'll leave you be as soon as you tell them that you're not really interested – politely, mind, if you tell them rudely they'll get all catty. But girls like that– it's like they have suckers in their fingers or something. They'll latch onto you until something shinier and more glittery comes along."

Percy looks extremely confused, but also, oddly enough, pacified. "I did not know that."

"Exactly. So thank goodness for me."

"Not really, actually. I would have been perfectly happy scoring one of them."

"I can't believe you just said that. In front of your girlfriend."

"They're all very pretty."

"You'd probably have to make them all play rock paper scissors. Loser gets you."

"Why loser?"

"Think of it as a punishment."

"You're such a mean girlfriend, Annabeth."

"Two seconds ago you just said you were happy with cheating on me, so that's actually extremely hypocritical."

"Well." Percy takes Annabeth's champagne out of her hand and sips at it, and then almost chokes. "Oh, man, that's disgusting."

"That's also mine."

"You can't seriously enjoy drinking that."

"I happen to quite like it, thank you very much."

She doesn't.

"I don't understand why but all right, I suppose." He takes another sip. "So, spot any people you fancy having a conversation with?"

"Well, actually–"

"Me neither." Percy sets the glass down and gives her a wide smile. "Fancy blowing this popsicle stand?"

They catch the bus home.

It's late. Much later than Annabeth had anticipated, anyway – when they stepped out of the tent, she was shocked to find that the sky was already darkening. They're the first guests to leave (Paul and Sally said they were staying a little while longer, hence the public transport) and Annabeth feels like it was a smart choice. The music had stopped playing Ed Sheeran and was now playing Nicki Minaj and Annabeth was pretty sure she saw Janet kiss someone who was definitely not her husband over the chocolate fountain, so they had slipped out while they could before Janet's newly-wed husband could suss out that five minutes in their marriage he had already been cheated on.

Unfortunately, because it was so late, the buses came extremely rarely. After waiting twenty minutes with no avail Percy had ducked inside the nearest corner shop and bought a tub of ice cream and now they were sitting on a bench at eleven at night in the middle of winter, Annabeth in a sleeveless dress and Percy in a thin dress shirt, using plastic spoons from the Starbucks across the road to eat the cheapest tub of chocolate chip ice cream Bert's Food And Wine sold.

It's certainly one of the oddest positions she thought she would ever land herself into (she was sharing an ice cream with her arch enemy) but despite everything, it's quite pleasant.

"So," Percy says. In the garish streetlights his face looks a soft orange. "How did you find that?"

"Not bad, actually."

"You managed to go the day without majorly insulting me. I'm impressed."

"I literally said you had a mutilated penis."

"That's tame for Annabeth standards. I was expecting for you to, like, rip down my pants or trip me into the cake."

"Please." Annabeth passes the tub to Percy and licks her spoon. "I have enough respect to not do it at a wedding. Don't worry, though. On Monday I'll get you back twice as hard for all the missed opportunities today."

"I'll be waiting."

Annabeth laughs a little.

"Also," he adds. "At least now you can tick 'being the superhot Percy Jackson's girlfriend' off your bucket list."

"You mean my 'things that should never happen' list?"

Percy points his spoon at her. "Ah, see, you say that, but look at where we are now."

"I'm not your real girlfriend."

"That's not the point. What the point is, is that for the past day you have been my girlfriend. So technically it happened."

"For a day. On Monday I'll be back to being– uh. Not your girlfriend."

"Pity," Percy says. "I could get around having a girlfriend like you."

Involuntarily, Annabeth's cheeks flame. To hide her blush she snatches the tub out of his lap and crams ice cream in her mouth, willing the coldness of it to soothe the heat of her cheeks.

Percy notices. He cackles so loudly Annabeth is surprised no one woke up. "I knew it!"

"You know nothing."

"You enjoyed being my girlfriend."

"Yeah, right."

"You did."

"You have no proof."

"You're blushing."

Is she? Dammit.

"I could just be overheating."

"It's winter and you're eating ice cream."

Annabeth straightens her spine, trying to look dignified. "Well. That means nothing."

"I'd quite beg to differ." Percy leans back and throws an arm around her shoulders. "I mean, I'd personally be up for it."

"Up for what?"

"Me and you. Dating."

"Dating?"

"Yeah, why not? I think it would be pretty cool."

Annabeth blinks and sits up, his arm slipping off her shoulder. She stares at him. He doesn't even look fazed, stretched out on the bench like a reclining cat.

"You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious in my life."

"You're– asking me on a date?"

"Absolutely."

"But– why?"

"I think we could be pretty good together. Think about it. We work. We've hated each other for the longest time and yeah, that was fun, except we also make a good team, the two of us. It will be exactly like normal, except I get to hold your hand and kiss you and take you on dates and stuff, and so long as you like pizza and are okay with budget dates then I think it should be pretty cool. So." He holds out his arms. "What do you say? You and me, eh?'

There is complete silence.

Percy waits a few seconds. "Um. I kind of, uh, need an answer."

"Okay."

He blinks. "Okay?"

She nods. Suddenly she feels quite confident. "Okay."

"Just– just okay?"

"If you're expecting me to fling myself into your lap and kiss you senseless you're going to be severely disappointed."

"I wasn't–" Percy shakes his head. "No, that's weird."

"You sound hugely unconvinced."

"I mean, it would have been cool."

"Hold the reins, pretty boy, I still need to see how good your wooing skills are."

"Oh, just you wait. It's going to be spectacular. And, uh, by spectacular I mean there's a very good chance it will probably just be burgers but that's– okay, right?"

Annabeth spots the hesitant insecurity in his eyes. She doesn't mention it, but she does ease his conscience a little. "Not McDonalds, though?"

Percy rolls his eyes. He's doing a good job of hiding it but she knows that he was shy about admitting that. "I may be a broke high school student but I have standards, Annabeth."

"Oh, of course."

He passes the tub back to her. She digs her spoon in.

They sit in comfortable silence for a bit.

"This is so weird," Annabeth says aloud.

"Why?"

"I dunno." She hacks a chunk of ice cream out. "Did you– ever think it would come to this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm not sure about you, but if you told me a week ago that I'd be going on a date with you I would have peed myself laughing."

"Well, miracles can happen."

"I'm not sure if I'd call it a miracle."

"Excuse you!"

"Kidding, kidding." Annabeth waves her spoon. "I was won over the minute you bought me ice cream."

"Oh, so I didn't prove myself at all during the wedding?"

"Not really."

"You let me sleep on your lap."

"That was a little weird."

"You enjoyed it."

"What, your nose being inches away from my crotch? Yes, that was thrilling."

Percy laughs a little.

Another bus goes by. It's not theirs.

"Hey, Beth?" Percy asks suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Can I tell you something?"

Intrigued, Annabeth puts down her spoon. "Of course."

He leans close to her. She can feel his breath on her neck and involuntarily goosebumps break out across her shoulders. "My mom didn't actually ask me about a partner," he whispers. "I just wanted you to pose as my girlfriend for a laugh."

Two beats pass.

And then: "Oh my God, you turd."

Percy cracks up laughing.

"No, don't laugh!" Annabeth flaps. She's not really angry, more surprised, but that doesn't stop her surprise in the slightest. "You didn't do this for your mom? You could have just gone stag but instead you decided to torment me and get me as your date?"

He laughs even harder.

"I had thought your story was a phoney!" she continues loudly. Percy's laughing too hard to shush her properly. "No, stop, I had genuinely thought, wow, he's going to an awful lot of effort for his mom, and what do you know I was right!"

"Your – face," Percy wheezes.

"Was that whole stunt with your dad a scam too?"

"No, that was real," Percy says, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Oh man, you crack me up."

"I can't believe you."

"I thought it was funny."

"You liked me from the start?"

"Well, not really. At first it was just to aggravate you, like a prank. I was going to tell you at the wedding and watch you get peeved in front of all the guests, and hopefully you'd do something massively dramatic like throw a drink at me or storm out, but then– I dunno."

"You realised you had a massive crush on you, right."

"I didn't realise, I developed it."

"Right there at the wedding."

"Yes."

"You never felt an inkling of attraction before that."

"Not one bit."

"I call bluff."

"Say what you will, it's still true."

"You never even thought I was pretty?"

"Oh, of course I did," Percy says. "But that's not a crush."

"That's still attraction."

"In that case I can argue you were also attracted to me."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"You're not very subtle, Annabeth. I see you stare at me during swim practice."

Annabeth blinks, trying to ignore the way her cheeks heat up. "That's– entirely different."

"Oh?" Percy looks far too amused. Annabeth crossly shoves ice cream in her mouth. "How?"

"Well, you're an attractive guy. You have a kind-of six pack and you walk around in, like, tight underwear, you can't expect me not to stare. It's kind of, like. Staring at road kill, you know. Because it's interesting. That doesn't mean I'm attracted to road kill."

Percy bursts out laughing. "That's so stupid."

"It's true."

Percy gives her a sparkly side-look that makes her heart flutter, and suddenly Annabeth has never been so pleased to agree to a date.

It's so awkward, yet it's not, because this is happening. Annabeth is being asked out by her worst enemy (or ex-worst enemy, she supposes) and they're going to go on a date together. It might go well. It probably will. And maybe they'll become boyfriend and girlfriend, for real this time, and Annabeth will go as Percy's date to all the weddings and he'll properly meet her dad, and Thalia and Piper will be shocked and tease her until the end of days and maybe early-morning calls will become a thing, and maybe they'll still make fun of each other but they'll also get to do other cool things like hold hands and kiss and they'll go on lots more dates together because that's what boyfriend and girlfriend do.

It's by the far the most unexpected outcome she could have hoped for, but she wouldn't wish for anything else in the world.

Their bus pulls up. Percy and Annabeth clamber on, carrying their tub of ice cream (the driver gives them an extremely judgmental look which Annabeth wisely chooses to ignore) and they sit next to each other. It's empty aside from them and Annabeth feels giddy and drunk off of both night and the boy next to her.

Ten minutes into the ride, Percy reaches for her hand. She lets him, and they both don't let go until they have to get off.

Percy has still got two stops until his house, but he gets off with Annabeth and walks her to her door. It's not a date so they don't kiss (also Annabeth is quite sure her dad is creeping behind the curtains) but Percy squeezes her hand as he steps off the porch. Annabeth takes the now-empty ice cream tub and scrunches it up in her hand, ready to throw it in the bin when she steps inside.

Everything feels static, electric. The moment feels balanced on a wire. Percy has always been the one to walk the tightrope first, always ready to take a risk, to grab the bull by the horns and wrestle it into the ground. Annabeth has always hated that. The impulsiveness and recklessness got on her nerves.

But today, she watches the sky twinkle and takes on tentative step towards him on the line.

"Hey, Percy?" she says.

He turns. "Yeah?"

She leans against the doorframe and smiles a little. "I hate you."

Percy pauses, and for a long time Annabeth is terrified he took it seriously.

But then a smile stretches across his face. "I hate you too, Beth."

She's not in love. Not yet.

But she thinks she will be soon.

She watches him walk down the road until she can't see him any more.

i hope you enjoyed that my friends! please tell me what you thought and i love you my beans xxx