Loverboy (PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 8

Annabeth POV

By the time I finished my homework, it was nearly six. I closed my notebook, stretched, and rolled my shoulders. Jason had texted earlier saying everyone was meeting at his place tonight. Not a party, not anything formal — just hanging out.

I decided I had enough time to change. I pulled on a soft grey sweater, dark jeans, and my favorite ankle boots. My hair went into a low ponytail, a few loose curls framing my face. Minimal effort, still presentable.

The air outside was crisp, the late afternoon light spilling gold over the brownstone buildings as I made my way toward Jason's neighborhood. His parents were... well, rich. I didn't know the exact number, but judging by the fact their house looked like it belonged in a magazine spread and they were barely home, I could guess it was a lot. Jason didn't brag about it, though. If anything, he seemed a little embarrassed by it.

When I rang the bell, I half-expected Piper to answer, and sure enough, the door swung open to her smiling face.
"Annabeth!" she said, pulling me into a hug. "Come in. Jason's in the kitchen. Thalia's here too."

"Perfect," I said, stepping inside. The first thing that hit me was how massive the entryway was. High ceilings, marble tile, a staircase that curved like something out of a historical estate. The place was beautiful in a cold, polished way.

Piper led me through the hall toward the living room. A massive sectional sofa wrapped around the space, and the floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over the city.

Jason was leaning against the kitchen counter with Percy beside him, a bag of chips in one hand. They were talking about something that seemed to involve a lot of eye-rolling on Jason's part. Leo was sprawled out in an armchair, flipping a coin like he was trying to summon chaos with it.

Percy glanced up as I walked in. That familiar crooked grin appeared instantly. "Hey, Chase."

"Jackson," I replied, matching his tone.

"Finally," Leo announced, throwing his coin in the air and nearly dropping it. "Now we can start."

"What exactly are we starting?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Movie night," Piper said from behind me. "Snacks, bad movies, maybe a board game if Leo doesn't cheat."

"Excuse you," Leo said, feigning offense. "I don't cheat, I... creatively adjust the rules."

"Sure," Thalia's voice came from the other side of the room. She was sitting cross-legged on the far end of the couch, her dark hair in a messy braid, a band tee and ripped jeans making her look like she'd just walked out of a concert. "And I creatively adjust your face when you get annoying."

I grinned. Thalia and I had gotten close over the past few months — she wasn't exactly a people person, but once you earned her trust, she was fiercely loyal. We'd bonded over our mutual ability to call out Leo's nonsense without hesitation.

"Come sit," Thalia said, patting the space beside her. "Before Leo tries to rope you into one of his schemes."

I dropped my bag on the floor and sat. From here, I could see Percy moving around the kitchen, pouring sodas into glasses. He didn't seem to notice I was watching, but there was something oddly... relaxed about the way he moved here, surrounded by friends. It was a different side to the sarcastic, sometimes infuriating guy from school.

Jason came in carrying a giant bowl of popcorn and set it on the coffee table. "Okay, so, movie choice. Everyone gets a vote."

"Action," Percy said immediately.

"Comedy," Piper countered.

"Horror," Thalia smirked.

"I'm with Thalia," Leo chimed in. "Scary movies bring people together. The fear bonds you."

Jason sighed. "Annabeth?"

"Something smart," I said. "With an actual plot."

Leo groaned. "Ugh, that narrows it down to, like, two movies ever."

While the debate raged on, Percy came over and set a glass of soda in front of me without saying anything. I blinked, caught off guard. "Thanks," I said.

"No problem," he said, and there was that grin again before he turned back to Jason.

Eventually, we settled on an old action-comedy everyone could agree on. The lights dimmed, and we all spread out — Jason and Piper taking one end of the couch, Leo on the floor with the popcorn like a dragon guarding treasure, Thalia on my left, and Percy... well, somehow he ended up sitting on the other side of me.

Halfway through the movie, Leo cracked a joke about one of the characters, and Percy nearly choked on his drink from laughing. I shook my head, but I felt my mouth tug upward too.

During a slower scene, I leaned back a little, scanning the room. Piper was laughing at something Jason whispered. Thalia had her boots propped on the coffee table, completely focused on the screen. And Percy... he was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, completely engrossed in the plot like he hadn't just spent the last hour cracking jokes.

It was... nice.

After the credits rolled, the group devolved into a loud discussion about whether or not the stunts had been realistic. Leo insisted he could do half of them "no problem." Thalia told him she'd buy his hospital flowers in advance.

Jason disappeared into the kitchen to grab more snacks, and Piper followed to "make sure he didn't burn water." Thalia started scrolling through her phone. That left me and Percy on the couch.

He leaned back, stretching. "So... you enjoying yourself?"

I tilted my head. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He shrugged, a little smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Some people think hanging out with this crowd is... a lot."

I studied him for a moment. "It is a lot," I said, "but not in a bad way."

He nodded slowly, like he was trying to decide how to take that.

Jason's voice called from the kitchen that the pizza had arrived, and within seconds, everyone migrated toward the dining table.

Dinner was loud — the kind of loud where conversations overlapped, jokes flew across the table, and no one cared that Leo was juggling breadsticks. By the time we were done, I couldn't remember the last time I'd laughed that much.

When it was finally time to leave, Jason walked us to the door. Percy offered me a ride without hesitation, and before I could argue, he was already jingling his keys.

The night air was colder now, and I pulled my sweater tighter as we walked to his blue Prius. The drive back was quiet, not in an awkward way, but in that comfortable silence where neither of us felt the need to fill it.

When we pulled up in front of my house, he put the car in park and glanced over. "See you tomorrow, Chase."

I gave him a small smile. "Night, Jackson."

As I walked up my driveway, I heard him pull away, the taillights fading down the street.