𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 | 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇

percy's pov

i hope you like it

"Do you have any hidden talents?" Annabeth asked me through the phone. "Anything that I wouldn't expect?"

"Well," I said. "I'm a great swimmer."

"I can tell that you aren't being completely honest with me," she said in a tone that made me insanely intimidated by her.

"Fine," I said. "But you have to promise not to judge me."

"Okay, I promise," she agreed.

I took a deep breath. "I did gymnastics for seven years and I was really good at it."

She laughed her laugh (which sounded like a hyena), causing me to smile. Honestly, guys don't usually admit it, but we love ugly laughs (this is something I saw online and that my guy friends agreed to, so if I'm wrong, don't hate). They make us smile.

"Are you serious?" she asked, letting out a few more giggles. "You did gymnastics?"

"Hey, you promised you wouldn't judge," I complained. "I guess one of your hidden talents is lying."

"It actually is," she said, chuckling. "Although it's not that hidden."

"Okay, so what's your actual hidden talent?" I asked.

"This is gonna sound weird, but I'm like a butterfly whisperer," she whispered.

"And you made fun of me and gymnastics?" I asked, laughing.

"Yeah but that's 'cause you're stupid, Seaweed Brain," she said, becoming a hyena once again.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I questioned.

She giggled. "So you admit that you're stupid?"

"Shut up," I answered.

After a minute of silence, she happily sighed into the phone.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You," she said. "You've been my hero ever since your first song and I had such a huge crush on you, but it was all fantasy. Now it's real. I can't believe it's real."

"I can," I replied, thinking about how amazing she was. I was the lucky one.

"Are you sure you want to leave?" she asked. "Can't you just stay with me forever?"

I sadly smiled because I couldn't. I didn't want to leave, but I didn't have a choice. Maybe I could come back soon, but I did have to go back home, no matter how amazing the girl who wanted me to stay was. "I'm sorry, Annie. I really can't."

"But you can, right? You just don't want to," she said.

"No, I do want to, I swear. It's just that my whole life is in New York."

She sighed. "Okay, so when will I see you again?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "But soon. I will come back."

At her silence, I said; "I promise."

She sighed. "You'll call me every night, right?"

"Right."

"Can we meet up one last time before you leave tomorrow?" she asked.

I smiled. "Of course."

;;;

"Hey," I greeted when I spotted Annabeth at the entrance to Simone's. Almost no one was there since it was almost midnight.

"Hey." She was smiling, but the smile was sad. "I can't believe I just found you, and you're leaving already."

"I already told you that I'd be back soon," I said.

"Yeah, but 'soon' means you'll be gone, and I don't want that."

"Who says I'll be gone?" I asked. "I just won't be present."

"You're a wise-ass idiot, you know that?" she asked, giving me a real smile.

I smiled back. "God, you're beautiful."

She was blushing from head to toe. "Stop that," she complained.

"Stop what?"

"Making me turn into a tomato!" she said. "I look so stupid and flustered."

"You're right. Looking stupid and flustered is my job," I answered.

She looked at me directly in my sea-green eyes. Her grey ones were fierce and beautiful.

Before I could take in what was happening, her lips were on mine, desperately wanting me to stay with her. To be her warmth.

I kissed her back, filtering all my emotions into this sweet and passionate embrace we were sharing.

She pulled away, hugging me tightly. "I'm gonna miss you, Seaweed Brain."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Wise Girl.

honestly, i've always imagine annabeth having a hyena laugh