Escaping our Shadow - Percabeth AU

CHAPTER SEVEN

Rubatosis
(n.) the unsettling awareness of your heartbeat.

——— Percy's PoV / 5th November, 2023

It was overwhelming, and I'm not thinking about this assignment, even though it was definitely not as easy as expected. I'm thinking about the way my heart reacted to Annabeth's laughter.

It was weird, but a good weird or maybe not, an I should see a doctor weird. When I first heard her laugh, I could've sworn my heart skipped a beat. And then another, and another.

It made me want to record it and show it to the whole world, so they could feel what I was feeling, and at the same time I wanted to keep it, just for me.

Which was silly, dumb, and weird, pretty much how I felt after I started thinking of different things to do or say, just to make her laugh again. Making Annabeth laugh was a challenge, yeah. But the price made it all worth it.

It was all very new, nothing that I wanted to think about EVER again, another feeling I will push down till it's completely gone, it was just the surprise that made me feel so alive.

"Percy?" She said, and I looked up, I probably zoomed out again. That happens a little too often.

"I really shouldn't have said that... On Saturday, I mean. I know nothing about you and your life, but I can see how much you care for Tyson, it was just wrong of me to assume anything." She apologized, sounding sincere, and I smiled.

"It's water under the bridge." I said as I held out my hand to make some sort of truce, I knew that we would be back to arguing in less than 5 minutes, but it still felt good to get this out of the world.

At first, she didn't react. Beth stared at my hand like I was about to grow 5 extra fingers. It would be pretty embarrassing if she doesn't feel like taking a truce, maybe I should pretend I just wanted her pen?

Yeah, imma do that. Just before I could reach her pen she took my hand in hers, shaking it firmly, sending shivers through my body.

"I still dislike you very much." She said, staring at me, her storming gray eyes made her look intimidating and cute, somehow. Don't tell Annabeth that, tho, pretty sure she would kill me for thinking that.

"It's mutual." I tell her honestly, and she smiles as if the answer was satisfying. I may not dislike her as much now, but she was nowhere near my favourite person to be with.

"We should really get to work now." She says after a short while of silence, I agree, but really I have no idea what to do, some safe space, duh.

"We could make lots of little cabins with TV's and eve-" I start, but she interrupts me, and it hasn't even been five full minutes!!

"No technology." Annabeth said firmly, signaling that she would not change her mind. Great, we're building a camp in 1833.

"When did we decide that?"

"Well, we need a safe space, in a safe space you feel safe and not stressed." I roll my eyes at the stupid explanation. I'm not that stupid.

"Yes, you are." I heard Gabe's voice tell me, but I ignored it, he can get the fuck out of my head.

"Pretty self explaining, don't you think, wise girl?" The nickname slipped out again and instead of fighting I just decided that for the short while we will hang out she will be mine wise girl, after that she gets back to some blonde Einstein that's with me in class, but that's all.

"You really are a seaweed brain, aren't you?" I didn't know how I should feel about that nickname, it was more of an insult, so bad, duh. And even worse, I had no idea for a comeback, I hate this nickname.