Percabeth Fluff and Other Stuff II

Falling For You (pt. 1)

In celebration of the release of Chalice of the Gods! I finished it yesterday! It brought back so many memories for me.

This is an AU.

Percy breathes in the crisp autumn air as he jogs along the trail. It feels good on his lungs, not sharp, and not exhausting. It smells sickly sweet, like apples, as he nears the edge of the trail, which let out at an apple orchard. Leaves fall down in flurries of red, yellow, and orange.

The day could not be more perfect.

Or at least he thought.

He decides to visit the apple orchard that the trail had stumbled upon. Maybe he would be able to get apples for his mom for a great apple pie. He smiles, mouth watering at the thought of the warm and sweet taste.

He enters the main building and begins to scour the crates for the perfect apples for the pie. He messages his mom, knowing the was a certain type she needed for the pie, then began the hunt for Cortland apples.

Magically, there seems to be the perfect amount left for the pie. He grabs a basket and begins to fill it, when all of the sudden another hand begins to grab at the apples as well.

"I'm sorry, I really need these for pie, there's the perfect amount left."

"And I need them for my pie too."

He looks up and sees the girl he's arguing with. Unfortunately for him, she was really really pretty. And really really scary. He immediately knows he will not be winning.

He tries again. "Please, I was going to surprise my mom with them. These are her favorite to bake with."

She ponders the idea for a moment. Then shakes her head. "That's sweet, but I'm making the pies for my cousin. I haven't seen him in a few years and this was the dessert we settled on. Mainly because this is one of the only things I can properly bake."

It's a dirty move, but he uses his baby seal eyes. Her eyes go wide and then she looks away.

"No," is all she states, then begins filling her basket with more apples.

"If you let me have them, I'll help you make a different dessert. Please." She's quiet for a moment, and stops picking up apples.

"Fine," she sighs. She hands him her basket of apples.

"Wait really?"

"Yes. Now what do you suggest?"

"Hold on I have to think about this. I didn't think it would actually work." She looks at him and laughs.

"Should we discuss it over lunch?" She asks. She gives him a look that he can't quite figure out.

"Yeah, we can... oh!" It dawns on him what she's implying. Was she really asking him on a date? "Lunch would be great."

"Perfect. I know a great place."

He pays for his apples and buy both of them a hot cider with caramel as well as an apple donut. The girl, Annabeth, seems very pleased with this.

"It's not too far of a walk... I mean I jogged here this morning, so I don't have a car to drive there anyways, and no offense, but I'm not prone to jumping into strangers' cars. Unless it's a taxi or an Uber. But even then, I'm unsure."

"Don't blame you. I ran here too, anyways."

"Oh perfect. We can walk together then."

So he carries the basket of apples and she crowds her two hands around her cup of cider to keep warm. She wear gray leggings and a matching sweatshirt, unzipped enough to see her orange shirt underneath. Neither of them had the warmest clothes on, due to just getting done with a run, so they're both shivering as they walk.

They talk about anything and everything, just trying to get to know one another. After a while, they eventually make it to the restaurant.

"This is your favorite restaurant?" He asks, trying to hold back his laugh.

She frowns. "I really like it, yes. Don't you?" She shoots him a glare and he wonders for a moment what would happen if he said no.

He finally lets out a laugh. "My mom owns it. I would hope so."

Her eyes grow wide. "Your mom is Sally?"

"Yes."

"Tell her I am so sorry I tried to take apples from her." She looks so shocked that it's kind of funny. He took it that she typically had things figured out and this was a new feeling for her.

"It's okay. I promise."

"And are you still okay eating here? It won't be awkward?"

His mom steps out the door at that moment. "Percy, come inside sweetie, I don't want you to be freezing out there." She practically drags him in the door. "Oh! Hello, Annabeth!" Then, she waves Annabeth in as well.

"We're already in," he tells Annabeth. "There's no leaving now. I'm perfectly fine with that, though." She smiles.

He hands his mom the basket of apples.

"Thank you, sweetie. I'll pay you back later." She looks between Annabeth and him then. "I think table nine is clean."

He leads Annabeth to the table and they take a seat.

"How come I've never seen you here before?" Annabeth asks.

"I don't work too much between college and all. Life gets busy."

She nods in understanding. "Did you come up with any ideas for dessert?" She asks, taking a sip of her sweet tea as it arrives at the table. A blue lemonade is sat in front of Percy next. We place our orders for food next.

"Okay, so did you want to stick on the pie route or were you okay with anything?"

"Hmm... it's autumn so it has to be pie."

"That... that's actually very fair. Did you want to do pumpkin pie?"

"No. My cousins not a huge fan of that."

"Okay, what about peanut butter pie? That's a really easy one."

"That wouldn't be bad..."

"Blueberry pie? Cherry pie? Pecan pie?"

"Those sound good too." She pulls out her phone to text her cousin.

She puts down her phone and they keep talking more, off the topic of desserts. Their food comes out and they begin to devour it, barely a word in between them.

Finally her phone buzzes and she reads a message. "I think we'll do cherry pie."

"Sounds great. I have a great recipe for it somewhere I'm sure. Let me go ask my mom." He realizes that his only job is over. There will be no more hanging out with Annabeth after this.

"Oh, don't worry her now with it. She's probably busy. Just umm... send it to me later."

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Yes! Absolutely!"

"Okay, I can do that." He starts to get up and make a sad walk back to the house as he becomes more and more increasingly aware of his time with Annabeth running low.

"Percy, you'll need my number to do that."

"Right!" He clicks on the contacts and hands his phone to Annabeth to put in her number. When she's done, she smiles and hands it back to him.

"I had fun. I'll see you again sometime I'm sure. Don't forget to send me that recipe." She sets a tip on the table and then leaves.

He watches her exit, her cute, curly, blonde ponytail a mess. She has a spring in her step.

"Isn't she just a sweet girl?" My mom asks, appearing behind me. "I think she likes you."

"Mom!" He turns redder than the apples, embarrassed.

"What?"

Pt. 1 done. Let me know what you think. Pt. 2 should be out soon.

Have a great day!