Define Beauty

Sleepover

Somehow both girls ended up in Piper's bed, with Annabeth's head in Piper's lap and Piper sitting up, shifting her hands through Annabeth's hair.

Annabeth remembered leaving the butterfly room and stopping by the kitchen. And then she wound up here.

Every once in a while Piper made a loose braid with a couple strands of hair and just let it sit there. Annabeth thought that within fifteen minutes, either her entire hair would be braided or Piper's finger would've found something else to caress.

The last of which turned out to be the case.

Piper started to run her hand over Annabeth's shoulder's and arms.

"So, what are you doing this week?" Piper asked absentmindedly.

"Not much. I never do much. What about you?"

"I think I'll be hanging out with my dad a bit this week. Which is gonna be super damn cool. Hey, you wanna come?"

Annabeth's eyes popped wide open.

"Buh- wah-" Annabeth spluttered, the words getting stuck in her throat, not a single coherent thought 

"My dad's taking me to one of his shoots on Friday. You know that new movie they're making about Greeks and guys with abs."

But Annabeth could barely comprehend anything that Piper was saying.

"It'll be totally awesome. You can spoil who dies to other people before they even know who they are in the movie." She had a grin on her face like she had done this before and particularly enjoyed it.

Annabeth probably said something along the lines of "Uhhhh nerr eh," which as usual Piper took as a yes.

"Great!" Nothing else was said as Piper continued to play around with Annabeth's hair.

Annabeth could not comprehend how in the world this girl got her tied up so easily. In a couple of seconds she was already destined to follow her on Friday to her dad's shoot. And she was certain that the girl would drag her to multiple other places during the week. So then... why didn't Annabeth feel annoyed? Or angry? Or upset? Or anything! She felt nothing negative towards Piper or anything she said or did. 

Annabeth took a deep breath. She had always prided herself on having complete control over her thoughts and emotions. They obeyed her will as quickly as a trained dog. But Piper came along and with a single smile and with a single flash of her multicolored eyes she was bending them like putty as she pleased.

"You ever think that sometimes, a person you know really well is just... You never knew them at all." It was a bit sudden. Annabeth closed her eyes and forced her mind away from a sandy haired boy with a scar on the side of his face and a smile like he had put hair dye in your shampoo.

"Yeah. Why?"

Piper shook her head. "I don't know why. But he's never been the same since mom left. It don't think he ever will be, no matter how hard he tries."

Annabeth thought about that. She was assuming that Piper knew her mother for the first few years of her life. That she left after Piper's father started his career and that Piper remember what he was like when he had a woman in his life.

Her, on the other hand. She never met her mother. She didn't know how her father was around her. But she knew that he hadn't been so bad at first. Until he married that wretched woman. At first Annabeth thought this was a good change. Her father was happy. But her opinion quickly changed. She would try to make Annabeth's father ignore her. And when they were alone she would glare at Annabeth and say that she wasn't really a part of the family becuase her mother had left. She didn't fit in with everybody else in the family. She was worthless.

It left a bad taste in her mouth. One she did not wish to have in Piper's company.

"At least he's trying. Give him a little credit."

Piper shrugged. "I guess." She mumbled, running her hands through Annabeth's hair some more.

"You know you have really pretty hair." Piper comented.

"Stop doing that." Annabeth whined, her cheeks turning crimson. 

"Doing what?" She pulled her hand away. "You don't like it when I touch your hair?" She asked.

"I don't mind that but stop-" She turned to look at Piper who smiled brightly , soft brown eyes glowing with happiness. "That!" Annabeth said hiding her face. "You smile and you say things and stop that! I'm not pretty."

Piper smiled wider. "Sure you are. You're absolutely, one hundred percent, undeniably-"

"Please stop."

"But you are!" She insisted.

"Just stop."

Piper made a thinking face. "I will stop doing it quite so much-" Annabeth gave a sigh of relief. It made her insides squirm uncomfortably every time Piper complimented her.

"If you sleep over today."

"You are completely insufferable."

"In the best way posible right?"

"You're the one who's gonna deal with convincing my stepmother."

"Like you could ever get her to do anything for you. That woman is the devil I can feel it."

A comfortable silence fell over them. Piper leaned back onto her bed, Annabeth's head still on her lap.

"Do you like being around me?" Piper asked. Annabeth thought it was an odd question. "Of course." She answered. When Piper said nothing she pulled herself up, leaning on her elbow and staring at Piper. "You okay?" Piper nodded absentmindedly.

"You sure?" 

Piper rolled her eyes and pulled Annabeth on top of herself. Annabeth's face lit up like a wildfire. "What are you-" Piper shushed her. She leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss on Annabeth's lips. It was short but it twisted Annabeth's insides in a whole new different way.

Annabeth swore that if Piper kept this up her face would turn red permanently.

Piper's eyes were still closed after pulling away, but she was grinning. When her eyes opened they were glowing green.

Nothing was said for a few seconds.

"Wellp, I should go call the she-demon and tell her you're gonna be spending the night over here."