Percy Jackson Pirate AU

Hospitality from Half-Bloods

It annoyed Annabeth just how long everything took to get in order. Being fair, the ship had been out of use for months but surely everyone scrambling around shouting was not the best way to do it. She was itching to give them some sort of format, or at least assign them jobs, but it was not her ship. She had just had to sit on the deck and wait.

Once the ship was all checked it felt like it had been so long that Annabeth thought that Thalia's tree would already be so dead it that could be used for firewood by the time she got back. The thought made her feel sick, though it could be blamed on the rocking of the boat upon the water. The ship started moving without anyone standing before the helm. Annabeth assumed it must have some sort of magic, but of what sort she wasn't sure. She didn't like it.  It was as though the waves were purposely pushing the ship along, guiding it away from the harbour.

It wasn't long until the island of Circe was on the horizon behind them, like it was already disappearing into a memory.

None of the six pirates she had freed had come back up to talk to her yet and she was beginning to think they had forgotten about her. That was when Percy startled her from her right, where she was not looking.

"Hey. So, um, thanks for that." His voice sounded awkward, but it was clear to Annabeth that he was meaning to be polite. Genuine gratitude glittered in his beautiful eyes.

This sort of behavior was not at all what Annabeth would have expected from a pirate. They were ruthless fighters, who stole from and ruined other pirates and harnessed ships. The idea of this uncoordinated group of teenagers, like any other back at Camp, doing anything like that made her want to laugh, and tell herself not to be ridiculous.

"Not like I had a choice," she said, looking away from his face. "The tiny fishing boat Camp Half-blood lent me would get obliterated as soon as I went anywhere near the Sea Of Monsters." She put an irritated, disinterested edge onto her voice, not wanting these pirates to see her as easy prey. She knew what they did to girls like her.

Annabeth couldn't help but notice Percy's face darken at the mention of Camp. His green eyes turned serious. It made him look older than he was. Annabeth tried to disagree with the part of her mind telling her how intimidating he looked now.

"I guess." When h spoke, he sounded forcefully monotone. Annabeth resisted the urge to narrow her eyes at him.

"Where can I change?" She asked, only now remembering she was still dressed up in Circe's outfit. Out of context of the beautiful salon, she felt ridiculous. Though it still wasn't as ridiculous as Percy's costume. She grimaced and could feel the thin layer of makeup covering her face. It was sticky and uncomfortable.

Percy almost seemed relieved when she asked him that, likely because it avoided any further conversation about camp. What did a random teenage pirate have to do with Camp Half-blood?

He looked away again, fixing his eyes on the sea and the water. The tides seemed calm, almost too calm for the wind which danced around in the air. It whipped her hair across her face.

Annabeth couldn't make up her mind about Percy.

He led her down into the hull of the ship, which was bigger than she had expected. She followed him down a wooden corridor lined with identical rickety doors, until he stopped to open one. Percy signaled his hand for her to go in, with a swift wave.

Suspicious, Annabeth looked at him uncertainly before glancing down at the brass doorknob. It didn't have a lock on it, nor did the edge of the door seem to have any mechanisms that would lock her in. Additionally, the door was only wood. That would be easy enough to burst out of if it came to that.