Don't judge a book by its cover.[Percabeth]

Chapter 33

Percy's POV

It was completely obvious what Rachel was doing, though the reasons why were still a little unclear. What wasn't obvious is what happened to Annabeth. One second she was fine, dealing with Rachel's bullshit like a pro, and the next she 'felt ill' and wanted to go home? I didn't buy it. Her strange behaviour didn't stop there either. Usually as we walked places, she'd chatter and point out random architecture she liked or tell me stories about her old friends. Not that day; she was silent and her eyebrows creased a little. By the time we were at the apartment, I was actually pretty worried. Not only hadn't she been speaking, but not one smile even slightly made it's way to her lips. Whether she was ill or not, there was definitely something wrong. She practically ran into the bathroom when we got back. 

I was in the kitchen when a little voice I'd missed made me jump away from the cocoa I was making. 

"I like Annabeth, she's pretty and she's nice too.  Do you like Annabeth, Percy? I think she's about my fourth favourite. Is she your most favourite one? Does she like peanut butter? Is that cocoa?" Despite my worries with Annabeth, my face still split into a huge grin. I'd missed my little bro, irritating questions and all. 

"She is pretty, isn't she? " I scooped him up, making him squeal. I loved it when he was relating. "But don't worry, Tys, you're still my ultimate favourite." 

"Sounds like I have some pretty tough competition then. I'll have to try extra hard to be both your favourites." Annabeth stood in the doorway, her hand on her hip and her expression returned to the classic Annabeth smirk. She came towards us, winked  at Tyson (who shockingly giggled back) and loosely intertwined our fingers. 

"Percy's my best favourite, you could be my second. Play?" He unlocked his arms from around my neck and held them out towards Annabeth, waiting expectantly to be lifted. She stole him off me happily and without hesitation, leaving me, poor cinderella, to make the both of them cocoa. Typical. Though it was nice hearing the two of them laughing as they played.

"Play nice now, Tyson. Annabeth's being very kind." I was snuck up on yet again, my mums voice was the third to make me jump. Her face wore a huge smile, one I hadn't seen in a while, that reminded me of when she first met Paul. She looked happy. "You, young man, have chosen a good one there. She's absolutely lovely! And so pretty too. I swear, Perseus, you best keep hold of her. The only other person that can keep Tys so focused is you! She's amazing."

"I know." I grinned widely. "But be cool, Mom, nothing's official yet. Technically we are still just friends." 

She raised one eyebrow skeptically. "If I weren't ignoring the fact that both of you came out of the bedroom this morning, I'd struggle to believe you were 'just friends'. But luckily for you, I am cool as a cucumber." 

She patted my shoulder and left me to cringe at the horrifying sentence she uttered. Not one part of that exchange was enjoyable. 

"Perrrrcy, where's that cocoa? We're kinda thirsty out here." Annabeth called through between both hers and Tyson's giggles. She sounded happier, I could hear the smile in her voice from the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah, coming right through your majesties." I was trying to sound sarcastic and harsh, but the vibes around the apartment were too good.  My mood only improved when one of the best sights I'd ever seen came into my line of view. Tyson was taking Annabeth's hands and placing them carefully on his toys, which were in elaborate sequences on the coffee table, and helping her take them through his carefully scripted games. She was just as invested as he was, her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth with concentration as she listened intently to every new rule he stated. She must be playing it well, I assumed, he usually had freaked out if he was playing his games with someone else. He was mostly fine if it was a game someone else had come up with, but he took his own games incredibly serious.