Percy Jackson One Shots and Short Stories

#50 - Fake It Till You Make It (AU) (Part I)

Chapter 50 - Fake It Till You Make It (AU) (Part I)
published: Monday, 13 April 2020

Time Frame: Alternate Universe (AU); all characters are mortal

Synopsis: After Percy's girlfriend Rachel dumps him out of the blue, he enlists ex-best-friend Annabeth Chase to pretend to be his girlfriend in order to save his family and friends from disappointment.

Contain(s): fake dating trope; relationships between family and friends; Christmas vibes

—*—

Percy yawned as he sleepily stumbled through baggage claim. It was 2.34am on the 16th of December, and he had just arrived in LaGuardia airport from Massachusetts.

His flight had been delayed, only leaving him to miserably mull over his dilemma.

Rachel had broken up with him today. Two hours before he left for the airport. While she reserved the right to do so, Percy was slightly offended that eight months of dating had ended with a phone call.

Especially since Rachel was supposed to come back with him to Manhattan. His family and friends had been so excited to meet her.

What was he supposed to tell them? Percy dreaded the dismayed look his mother would give him when she found out.

Not to mention that his friends were constantly on their never ending quest to set him up with someone. He figured that if he had a girlfriend, he could stop all that.

Percy wondered mildly if he should be more upset about the breakup. Eight months was a long time.

Percy slumped into the seats once he eased through customs, pulling out his phone to text his friends and tell them he was here.

He was staying at Jason and Piper's place, the house she'd inherited from her late father, then spending Christmas day with his family.

Hopefully he'd figure out a way to let them down slowly about the whole girlfriend thing.

Percy groaned internally. This whole thing was just incredibly inconvenient for him at the moment. Estelle had been excited for weeks, and disappointing a four-year-old was never recommended.

As he pulled out his phone, a conversation near him caught his attention.

"...their flight's been cancelled because of the storm," a woman was arguing. "Please, I've been waiting here for hours, can you just get me to San Francisco?"

The man at the desk shook his head. "I'm sorry, miss, but our flights are completely booked. It's very busy this time of the year."

Percy glanced up momentarily at them. The woman had curly blonde hair that tugged at his memory, and she was wearing a grey coat and jeans.

He debated whether he should help her. Percy's stepfather, Paul, had a best friend who managed the airport. If anyone could get her on the flight, it was him.

Sighing and mentally chiding himself for being a good person, Percy tapped her on the shoulder, "Um, hi?"

When she whirled around, Percy had to blink a couple of times before he could speak. "Annabeth?"