Loverboy (PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 14

Annabeth POV

I'd been replaying that Seaweed Brain exchange all afternoon.

I didn't even know why I said it. The words just slipped out, so naturally it was like they'd been waiting for the right moment to escape my mouth. And when Percy blinked at me with that half-amused, half-confused look, asking where it came from, I didn't even hesitate.

"Because you love swimming so much your head's probably full of seaweed," I'd said.

He'd laughed — not that obnoxious, show-off laugh he sometimes had with Jason and Leo, but something softer. More... real. Like I'd said something that belonged only to us.

It stuck with me.

I'd expected things to feel awkward after yesterday at the arcade — him seeing me with Luke, Luke seeing him, the whole silent, wordless stare-off — but Percy didn't act like it mattered. No teasing, no sarcastic commentary about "my date." Just Percy being... Percy.

And maybe that's what threw me.

The next day started like any other. My alarm blared at 6:15, I hit snooze twice, and I still ended up rushing to get out the door on time. The walk to school was brisk; fall was settling in, and the air carried that sharp edge that hinted winter wasn't far behind.

I told myself I wasn't scanning the crowd at the entrance for a familiar mop of messy black hair. Which was true... until I spotted him. Percy was leaning against the wall near the main doors, chatting with Jason about something that made Jason grin and shake his head.

I didn't stop, but my pace slowed just enough for Percy to notice. His eyes flicked up, caught mine, and there was this tiny smirk, like he was silently repeating Seaweed Brain. I rolled my eyes, but my mouth betrayed me with a small smile before I ducked inside.

First period was history, which meant an hour of half-paying attention while my mind wandered. Mr. Garrison's droning voice faded in and out as I sketched in the margins of my notebook. I told myself the lines I was drawing were part of a building design, but halfway through, I realized they were more like waves.

Great.

By the time the bell rang, I'd decided that I was officially overthinking the whole nickname thing. It was just a joke. A one-off. Percy probably wouldn't even remember it tomorrow.

At lunch, Luke was already at our usual table outside. He had two trays — one in front of him, one waiting in the spot across.

"Thought you'd appreciate not having to brave the cafeteria stampede," he said with that easy grin as I sat down.

"You're a hero," I told him, eyeing the fries on my tray.

We ate, and Luke launched into a story about a prank war he'd had with his cousin over the summer. Something about a fake spider in a shoe and a retaliatory glitter bomb. His delivery was perfect — animated enough to pull me in, confident enough that he didn't seem to care if anyone overheard.

I laughed. I actually laughed until my stomach hurt. Luke had that effect; he knew how to make people feel like they were in on the joke, like you were the person he'd chosen to share it with.

But somewhere between his retelling of "The Great Glitter Disaster" and his mock-serious warning never to underestimate his cousin, I found myself remembering Percy's grin from earlier that morning. The one that made his green eyes crinkle just slightly.

Ridiculous.

Luke was here, in front of me, leaning in like I was the most interesting person in the world. Percy was... Percy.