Forever and Always [A Percabeth AU]

.XXVI.

♫ ♫ ♫

Percy

♫ ♫ ♫

I saw him, I saw Annabeth's eyes glaze up, but we didn't stop. I felt my face flush, I could feel her warmth. Her scarred fingers brushing over my hand when I felt her pull back. Her eyes were red at the corners as she whispered, "Why?" before running behind Luke.

"It's always been you." I whispered back, but she was gone.

♫ ♫ ♫

♫ ♫ ♫

Annabeth

♫ ♫ ♫

"Luke!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face.

"Luke where are you?" I cried again, desperate to apologise, to explain, or at least to make sure he was okay. The look he'd given me when he saw... us, like glass shattered or knives being thrown. And I was scared. I could deal with what - Percy did, later.

"Luke!" I said softly, after wandering the entire park, my voice hoarse, and the tears now dry, leaving a sticky trail down my cheeks.

Then I saw him, his back turned, just staring at the road outside. For the first time, he seemed imposing; tall even, and when he turned to face me, his eyes were like stone. In the lamps around everywhere they almost looked solid gold. They honestly frightened me. And not a lot of things frightened me.

"Luke let me explain— it wasn't me—," I began, but he raised his hand up, the universal gesture to stop. "I know it was Jackson, you may not realise, but the way he looks at you gives it all. I expected too much from him."

I was taken aback. Luke spoke about Percy with such intense hate, and as much as I was mad at Percy right now, something about the way Luke spoke made me worry about him anyway.

Then suddenly his face relaxed. "Annie, look, I'm sorry I reacted the way I did, you shouldn't have heard what I said about Jackson."

I was honestly surprised. "Luke, I should be apologising. I should never have let it happen. Percy—,"

"There's something I want to show you." He said suddenly, his blue eyes, resting on me, calculating.

I rushed in to hug him, and I felt the muscles contract under his tee. He stroked my hair, and I looked up, to see him smiling down wistfully. "You're beautiful, you know?"

And we stood there, just like that—till he pulled away. "Come," he whispered.

We crossed some shady places, dark streets, corners, but Luke was with me, so I was safe. "Luke where are we going?" I asked, when we were heading towards a particularly narrow and dark winding street. By this time, I was lost. Sure, I'd spent ten years here, but at ten years one couldn't exactly venture out and tour their city. And now, with all that had been going on, it was just the places I remembered that I went to. But Luke, Luke knew, so he wouldn't let anything happen to me.

"It's a surprise." His voice came sharply, but when he turned around he was smiling his usual smile, and even in the dark you could see that smile.

As he called me towards a door, he swung it open. It was dark, and as far as I could tell, was empty too.

"Luke—," I started, but he whispered "shh," as he gently grabbed my hand and pulled me in. And just when everything seemed alright, I heard the click, felt the cold metal on my wrist, as he handcuffed me to the side of the wall.

My eyes widened. "LUKE CASTELLEN!" I yelled.

"Shut the hell up Annabeth, no one is going to find you here, or hear you for that matter." he added, as if knowing I would scream for help.

"You—I trusted you, you." I spat, not believing what was happening, the panic settling in.

"Trusted me enough not to mention that singing career? Or the fact that your dad —,"

"My dad?" I questioned. "What does he have to do with this?"

"This isn't my place to tell. I promise you you won't be hurt. But what Jackson did to you—he won't get off that easy." He mused, his eyes glinting.

Percy. Oh my gods Percy.

He turned around, keeping the dim light, maybe just to pain me, to make this less like a nightmare.

"Oh and Annabeth, I thought you were someone I knew, someone I even dared to like, but Annabeth," he said, shrugging, and I felt something cold sink in me; "I'm really sorry it came this."

I heard the key turn in, and that was it.

♫ ♫ ♫

word count- 753 woohoo!

i finished this yesterday, but kinda wanted to stick to the tuesday/wednesday updates cause this is probably the only timetable i follow aha

so HOW ARE YA'LL? 

thank you so much for reading! STAY SAFE, love you all,

~rajita