The Stories of Our Heroes

Pretty Much the Best Underwater Kiss of All Time

So we all know what happened leading up to "pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time," but what happened during it?

*mature-ish content*

I kept a tight grip on Annabeth's hand as we crashed through the surface of the lake. We sank for a few seconds, the air bubbles escaping Annabeth's mouth with her laughter joining the ones soaring upward around us. An idea sparked in my head.

I started to swim down just as Annabeth kicked up, our interlocked hands pulling us taunt. But I had the advantage in the middle of the lake, so I tugged her against me and headed towards the muddy bottom. I could see Annabeth's eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Trust me," I spoke into the water. I wasn't sure if she knew what I said, but she understood nonetheless. She shrugged and tapped my chest insistently. "Right, right," I muttered, "I was getting there." I formed an air bubble around her head and she instantly made a big show of gasping for hair. I rolled my eyes playfully. "I wasn't going to let you drown, Wise Girl."

"I don't know," her voice slunk through the water to my ears, "it sure did seem like it." She smiled at me playfully and wrapped her arms around my neck.

Gods, I wanted to kiss her again.

With an insane amount of self control, I turned my face away from Annabeth's to search for the perfect spot. My eyes landed on an empty space surrounded by a barrier of tall seaweed. I looked back at Annabeth and jerked my head towards the patch, asking a silent question. She sucked in her bottom lip slightly, surprise written across her features. I instantly relaxed my hold around her waist, afraid I had misread the situation, but Annabeth kept herself pressed against me and nodded her head vigorously. I felt myself blush, either with embarrassment or anticipation or both. It was reassuring, however, that Annabeth also looked a bit pink. She continued to chew on her bottom lip, and it surprised me how badly I wanted to be the one doing that.

Instead of leaning forward to do so, I gripped her hips tightly and swam for the bottom. Upon reaching our new spot, I was pleased to find that it offered the privacy I hoped it would. The seaweed rose around us, high enough to block out the rest of the lake. The surface was so far away that it was impossible to discern anything above us. The quiet peacefulness of the water was soothing. I knew that Annabeth approved as well by the way one hand squeezed my shoulder and the other threaded her fingers into my hair, her thumb running along the back of my neck. I swallowed thickly.

"So," Annabeth said carefully, "how does this air bubble work? Like, if I try to kiss you, will it pop?" I laughed in response. I willed the bubble to expand, large enough that our whole bodies were enveloped. My back slid along the edge of the bubble until I was laying in the bottom of it, Annabeth pulled down on top of me. "Oh, that works, too," she squeaked. I found that rather adorable. I was painfully aware of the pressure of her body on top of mine. She was still practically cradling my head. Her face was right over mine. "It's not going to pop, right?"

"It shouldn't. Unless I get distracted." My heart rate started to increase.

She hummed in disapproval, the vibrations of the noise rattling through my chest. "I can't promise I won't distract you but I really don't want it to pop. And I'd hate to be mad at you right now," Annabeth whispered, all-but into my mouth, her nose brushing mine. I was having a lot of trouble forming coherent thoughts, but I managed to choke out,

"It's a risk I'm willing to take." Annabeth's laughter rang out in the air bubble. Then she was kissing me, and every sensation other than her slipped away.

Her lips were hot and demanding against mine, and I slid my hands all the way up her sides, from her hips, her ribs, her shoulders, her neck, and finally to cradle her face. I gently rubbed the skin under her eyes for a while, then moved one hand to cup the back of her head. I pushed her mouth farther into mine while I tangled my fingers in the base of her hair.