the love that came without warning.

hey angels ♥

this is a coffeeshop oneshot of the first time percy and annabeth meet. 

it takes place in nyc. 

enjoy. ♥

percy.

The day wasn't particularly good or bad. It was just an ordinary Sunday morning. The part of the sky I could see peeking out from behind the New York City skyscrapers was a pure, vibrant white that made my eyes water a bit if I started too long. The natural light poured into the room, mixing with the bronze glow of the cafe, pouring gold light over every surface of the warm little building.

Tieing my black apron again, I took a deep breath and inhaled the aromas from within the cafe. I could smell the fresh coffee brewing, the pastries baking, and the chocolate melting into the brown sugar dough of the cookies. It would have been heavenly if I didn't have to work. Sighing, I scraped the day-old coffee grounds from the filter, throwing the remains away; it could have been worse, of course - at least I didn't have to clean the bathrooms anymore...

But yeah, as I said, the day was ordinary. I made drinks and small talk with the customers, asking how they were and constantly keeping a smile on my face. I was thankful for my job, enjoying the soft coffee shop music that drifted through the air softly, the nice view of the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the people in the shop. It was a comforting thought that every single person in front of me lived a life unequivocally different than mine. Different people they loved, different emotions, different perspectives of the world. Sonder. It was a thrilling part of the human experience just to be alive and awake.

The morning melted away into a slightly chilly Autumn evening. Scattered crimson leaves performed pirouettes in the brisk wind before falling to the ground and scattering again. The door opened, exhaling a gust of frigid wind into my little cafe when a girl walked in.

annabeth.

It was cold, and I was tired. Running around the city was no easy task, calling a seemingly endless amount of cabs or just walking. My Doc Martens were making my feet hurt, and my denim dress and long sleeve combination were doing little to protect my skin from the icy wind. I needed coffee, desperately, my eyelids feeling heavy and falling faster than the setting New York sun.

I walked in. I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding, enveloped in the sudden coziness and safety of the cafe - a secret haven I hadn't known existed in this intense and maddening city. Lo-fi music drifted throughout the room, with soft bronze light illuminating the white walls and black floors. It wasn't crowded, just a few people, scattered like sea glass on a quiet beach, keeping to themselves. I ran a hand through my long, wavy blonde hair.

It smelled like coffee and croissants. I smiled a little at the nostalgia the aroma gave me, reminiscing to when I was a small girl, coming to idyllic places such as this with my father. Going up to order, I realized that there was no barista at the register. There was a man making a drink on the other side of the room. I could see his figure facing away from me, tall and lean with a lot of unruly black hair atop his head. Ridiculous as it was, my heart did beat slightly faster than it had before. I had spent many days and many nights waiting for an opportunity for romance in this fantastical city, though many pursuits had not worked out. As unfortunate as it was, I was a hopeless romantic.

third person.

His kaleidoscope green eyes concentrated on finishing the matcha latte he was making. Once it was done, he set it on the counter and called out the customer's name. It was simple, but he had a sort of precision to his job that he liked to concentrate on, making sure he didn't cause trouble as per usual.

The girl wasn't wrong - he certainly had an attractive look about him. Tall, muscular, and a beautiful face, it was no surprise he wasn't greatly admired and sought out by many. But it was strange she didn't think the same way about herself. With long golden locks, a princess-sloped nose, and skin more pristine than the creamiest pearl, she was wrong to think that she could not have had romance if she wanted it. It was just that she hadn't met the right person yet.

The man turned back around to the new customer. His breath hitched a bit in his throat and he found it oddly hard to speak. She looked as if the most radiant star in all the heavens shone down on a princess, basking her in celestial light. No more beautiful were her golden locks and stormy grey eyes than the most breathtaking painting or most vivid sunset - she was art. And he was speechless.

Percy found it odd to be struck in this way. He was never one to believe in love at first sight. He thought it ridiculous and cliche - utterly fantastical fiction, but the woman in front of him already began to alter his perspective on the notion. She had an air of grace surrounding her like a halo, a sort of silvery innocence that he found both alluring and fascinating.

The feelings were well returned, the woman's eyes widening slightly at the depth and color of the man's eyes. To say they were 'just green' seemed to be the cruelest simplification in the history of humankind since they seemed to change and scintillate in the warm cafe light. Surrounded by long dark lashes that matched his hair, she felt power in him, the same feeling of arising emotion many felt when staring at the ocean or a sky full of stars - unadulterated intrigue and adoration.

"Hi," Percy spoke.

"Hi," Annabeth replied.

This was love at first sight. This was the beginning of a love that came without warning.