"Annabeth. You feeling okay?"
Percy worriedly watched Annabeth stare into nothingness with a blank look on her face. They were on the dock and Annabeth had been quiet all day, she hadn't even corrected him when he purposely mispronounced her sister's name.
She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder
"Yeah, I'm fine"
Liar.
"I can tell you're lying"
Annabeth looked at Percy, then turned back to looking into space.
"It-It's just. Well. It's stupid really"
Percy wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him
"If you're upset by it then it's not stupid"
Annabeth let out a weak smile at Percy's corniness
"You know Melissa, from the Apollo Cabin"
Percy could vaguely recall a bleach-blonde girl playing guitar, he nodded.
"Well I was doing my archery with the Apollo cabin and I heard my name mentioned in Leia's and Melissa's conversation. So naturally, I kinda-sorta-maybe-eavesdropped on them and heard them talking about us"
Percy was actually interested in what they were saying, even if anything that came out of that pair's mouth was crap.
"They said that they had no idea why you would even go out with me"
They were dead.
"That I'm not even pretty and I'm just annoying"
Mauled.
"That you're probably just confused and soon you'll dump me for someone better soon"
They'll never find the bodies.
Percy was utterly dumbstruck. Why in Tartarus would they say that about Annabeth?
Percy pulled her into a hug and buried his head in her hair
"You know that's insane, right?"
Annabeth didn't answer
"Right Annabeth?"
She just stayed buried in his shirt
"Annabeth, look at me"
He pulled her chin up so he could see her face
"You know that's insane. Right?"
She couldn't look him in the eye
"Yeah. Sure"
"Annabeeeeeth" Percy whined, dragging out the e.
"I can tell you're lying."
She looked at the ground
"It's not insane Percy"
Percy was extremely confused. Did she think she wasn't good enough?
"Yes, It is Annabeth. Look at it logically"
She sighed
"I have and they're right Percy. They have some actual logic behind their argument"
"Where?"
"Well, it is scientifically proven that guys look for 3 main things in a girl. Nice, pretty and girly. I am none of the above"
The first thing that ran through Percy's mind was 'not pretty?' then he thought over what she said. She was insecure for no reason.
"First of all. What scientist studies that? Second of all you are two of the above and third of all who wants a girly-girl when they have you"
"Percy, you think that now but you can't be sure of-"
"I am positive that you are the most gorgeous person, god or mixture of both I know. I am positive you are kind and when you're not I deserve it and I am positive you are way better than a girly-girl who spends more time on their hair then with their boyfriend"
Annabeth smiled, realizing that Percy really is positive about these things.
And she's positive she loves him.
