Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

ANNABETH CHASE

Over the next two weeks, almost everyone was being asked to prom. Almost everyone didn't include Annabeth.

After Piper asked Grover, everyone realised they needed to hurry up and get a date. Frank asked Hazel, obviously, just as Reyna asked Rachel. Jason and Leo were still too nervous to ask each other but it was going to happen, even if Jason was scared for everyone to find out.

Annabeth was trying to convince Will to ask Nico, just as friends (even though those two were not just friends) but he kept panicking and backing out. Any day now, he was going to be brave enough. Annabeth kept glancing over to Percy every time someone would say prom, hoping he got the message and just asked her out.

It felt like everyone had a date. Annabeth was terrified of someone asking Percy or him asking someone. Then she'd definitely have no one.
"Come on Annabeth," Hazel said at lunchtime. "You have to go dress shopping with me and the girls!"
"I have to have a date."
"You will! He's just shy."
"Ughhhh."

[CECIL MARKOWITZ]

You have three friends in junior year. You can only invite one. What do you do?
"Travis, hear me out. You don't take Katie and take Alice. Katie takes Connor. I take Julia. Problem sorted, we're all in."
"I'm taking my girlfriend to prom, Cecil."
"Travis!"
"Just invite someone you like. These three will be fine."
"We're right here," Julia raised an eyebrow.

"You know what this calls for?" Alice asked.
"No?"
"Sneaking in. Cecil, invite the girl of your dreams. Me, Julia and Connor will sneak in."
"We'd be caught, Alice," Connor said.
"Sounds like a plan," Julia smiled.
"That's not going to work," Connor looked behind him. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

With that, he got up and walked over to where Malcolm Pace was sitting, just as he did every lunchtime.
"Hm. I don't think I have to worry about Connor going to prom," Cecil laughed.
"What?" Travis asked.
"Well, you know, someone else might ask him. So, Julia, Alice, which of you want to come with me and who wants to sneak in?"

[CONNOR STOLL]

He sat down across from Malcolm. "Hi,"
Malcolm looked up from the book he was reading. "Oh, hi."
"How are you?"
"Alright," Malcolm shrugged. "You?"
"I'm good. Who've you asked to prom?"
"No one. Yet."
"Who are you going to ask?"
"I'm not sure. Anyway, I brought you a book I thought you'd like to read."

"No," Connor shook his head. "Absolutely not. I haven't read in years."
"I can tell," Malcolm joked. "Just give it a try."
"No."
"Please?"
"I'll take it home, but I'm not reading it."
"Whatever."

[ANNABETH CHASE]

It was still another month until prom, which was planned to be on the 17th of February, Hazel's birthday, but most people had been asked out. Annabeth was starting to loose hope. Maybe going to prom alone wasn't so bad.

Her step mom walked into her room. "Someone's here to see you."
"What? Who?"
"I'll give you a guess."
Annabeth smiled. That meant it could only be one person.

She ran out of her room, seeing Percy very awkwardly standing at the door, looking around like he was lost. When he seen her, his face lit up and he smiled that stupid smile that made Annabeth's stomach flutter.
"Hi, Annabeth," he held out the bouquet of flowers in his hand. "Wanna go to prom with me?"
Fredrick just shook his head, though he didn't seem too mad. Annabeth smiled like an idiot and took the flowers.
"I'd love to."

Part of her wanted to kiss him- she hadn't fallen for anyone for a long time. She was scared to fall in love. Scared to be neglected again. But Percy- he was different. He was one of the only people to not leave Annabeth behind. After a life of neglect, Percy being there for her was all she could ask for. But she knew better. Kissing him could mess things up. He could leave her behind, not wanting to be near her anymore. So she hugged him instead. Because they were friends.

Though friends didn't catch each other's eyes in a room full of people. Annabeth's other friends didn't make her feel like that. Percy didn't look at his friends like that. She didn't want to kiss him because they were just friends.

"Sorry for not asking you until now," he whispered, with a smile. "Also, I didn't expect your step mom to open the door. Never let that happen again."
She grinned. "You're an idiot, Seaweed Brain."
"You say that a lot."
"I'm just telling the truth."
"Okay, Wise Girl," Percy smirked, making Annabeth stomach go inside out. "See you at school."
Annabeth muttered something back, which just sounded like gibberish, like Percy's existence took away her ability to speak.

Percy eventually left, leaving Annabeth blushing into her hands.
"Annabeth's got a boyfriend-" Matthew teased.
"No I don't! He's just my friend."
"Liar!" Bobby shouted. "Are you going to kiss him?"
"Shut up! Ugh!" she went into her room, slamming the door in the twins' faces. Then she grabbed her phone and texted Will straight away.

Annabeth: GUESS WHO JUSY ASKED ME TO PROM

Will: Aquaman

Annabeth: close enough

Will: percy finally asked you?

Annabrth: YES!! Now you HAVE to ask Nico out

Will: admit to liking Percy first.

Annabeth: no.

Will: then I'm not asking nico out

Annabeth: OH FINE. I KINDA LIKE PERCY. NOW ASK NICO OUT!!

Will: how long have you liked him for?

Annabeth: shut up.

Will: is he the reason I was rejected in freshman year?

Annabeth laughed so hard she had to set down her phone. There was only one secret Will and Annabeth shared. That was that they liked each other in freshman year. Then Annabeth stopped liking him, the week before he asked her out. It was really funny to look back on, but extremely embarrassing at the time. The reason Annabeth didn't like him near the end of freshman year.. well, let's just say she had a crush on Percy Jackson for a longer time than most people thought.

[CONNOR STOLL]

Connor Stoll had two secrets. Number one, Cecil's party, which was a lot crazier than expected. Number two, the fact he was completely engrossed in the book Malcolm gave him.

It was shorter than most of the books he saw Malcolm read, but Connor had it read in a few hours, which was a shock for someone who hadn't read a book for fun in a long time. He was on the last chapter, in a world of his own, when his eyes flickered to one of the last lines, which had one word highlighted:

Promise?
Connor blinked. Half of the word was highlighted.
[prom]ise[?]

Malcolm Pace would be the only guy in the world to ask someone to prom through a book. Connor burst into Travis' room.
"TRAVIS TRAVIS!" Connor shoved the book in his face.
"Chill- ever since when did you read?"
"I just got asked to prom!"
Travis rolled his eyes. "At least he's not emo."
"Don't remind me. I need to tell Cecil, Alice and Julia! Be right back!"

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Word Count: 1210

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A/N: mostly just,.. everyone being asked to prom. Also, it was my first day back at school today and they need all the windows open because of COVID 😭😭 literally gonna get hypothermia