Can Be Both (A Percabeth AU)

Chapter 8

Annabeth is dedicated to her studies, determined to get the best scholarships out there and attend a prestigious school, but Percy's never seen her like this. She's immersed in her economics textbook, having no reaction when he says her name.

Cute, Percy thinks, then backpedals with surprising speed. Cute? he asks himself, still staring at the way her eyebrows are knitted in concentration, still watching how she always has her hand ready to turn the next page, and still tracking the way her eyes flit across the page, absorbing the words. She adjusts her reading glasses absently. Cute, his mind affirms.

Okay, Percy decides, even if he's never really associated the word with Annabeth. Cute. He can work with that.

She glances up then, catching his gaze. "Oh, sorry, did you say something?"

"I was just wondering if you were hungry," Percy says, closing his own textbook. "Thirsty?"

She hums, but shakes her head. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?'' Percy says, dragging out the last word and nudging her calf with his near-hypothermic toes. She slaps his feet away. "Because I'm hungry."

Annabeth sighs and takes her glasses off, looking every bit like a peeved parent. "Percy, if you're hungry, you can eat without me."

He frowns at her. She frowns back. "I know you're hungry, too, you just don't know you are because you're in your zone thing."

"My zone thing," Annabeth repeats, but she smiles like she knows exactly what he's talking about.

"Your zone thing," Percy echoes, nodding once before standing and patting her leg twice. "Now, come on. Food."

They have a feast of macaroni and cheese and Zebra Cakes. Even if Annabeth's been around him near constantly for the past three weeks, Percy can't help but feel crestfallen when she announces that it's time she head home. Annabeth leaves with a promise to return sometime soon, rolling her eyes when he complains. "I'll see you tomorrow at school," she reminds him, pushing a blonde curl out of her eyes.

For some reason, it doesn't feel soon enough. She hugs him tightly before she leaves, waving over her shoulder with a grin. Cute, his mind says again. Percy shuts the door and spends a full minute leaning his head on it in an attempt to get himself together.

꧁༺༻꧂

"You seem happy," his mother comments the next week over Saturday morning breakfast. Annabeth's disappeared off to his room, apparently in search of a hoodie to fight off the cold air in their home.

"I missed hanging out with her so much," Percy responds with a shrug. "I never realized how much time Luke consumed, I guess?"

His mom smiles and gives him a glass of orange juice. "Well, I'm happy to see you two are spending so much time together. You both look happier, if you ask me."

Percy wants to linger on that comment, but Annabeth returns clad in his favorite jacket. Usually he would complain, but the sleeves are hanging off her hands a little, and it's… cute. Which is a word he has decidedly made his peace with.

Before he can embarrass himself by getting caught staring, his mother asks him what board game they want to play today. In sync, Percy and Annabeth reply with "Monopoly."

Annabeth says Monopoly because she finds the game interesting and time consuming. Percy says Monopoly because he knows Annabeth enjoys it.