Him or her? (A Pipabeth story)

Chapter Sixteen

Annabeth's POV

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Read the words. Flip the page. Read the words. Flip the page. Again and again. The simple art of reading a book. Luckily, it was something Annabeth was good at. Of course, reading a normal book was difficult with Dyslexia, and the book she was currently reading was written in Greek and had been found on the shelves of old books in the Big House. It was still a good book though, and Annabeth was happily reading in her empty cabin, none of her half-siblings inside.

She had read page 378 of her book and went to turn the page when Piper ran in, looking out of breath. Annabeth immediately put her book down, memorising the page number so she could continue reading it from the same place later, and turned all her attention to Piper. She noticed Piper's dishevelled look and determined look, and instantly got curious.

Piper strode in without shutting the door and stopped in front of Annabeth's bed where Annabeth happened to be sitting.

"Can we talk?" Piper spoke, her voice coming out raspy as she was still breathing fast. Annabeth tilted her head.

"Have you been running?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I have. That's cause I really want to talk about something and I had to run here as fast as I could." Piper looked up and around as if she expected someone or something to suddenly jump out from a hiding spot. Another confusing thing, since her behaviour and expression were opposing each other.

"What did you want to talk about?" Annabeth asked. She shifted back slightly when Piper sat down in front of her on the bed without responding right away. When they were both seated opposite each other, Piper replied.

"First. I wanted to tell you something that just happened with an interesting conversation I just had with someone in the forest. The reason I was so out of breath, by the way, is because I ran the distance from the forest."

Annabeth nodded. "Okay, who did you talk to and what happened?"

Piper took a breath of air, and looked up at seemingly nothing. When, Annabeth assumed, Piper had decided whoever/whatever was bothering her wasn't around, she continued.

"Basically, my mother decided to pay me a visit."

"Really?" Annabeth exclaimed. "What did she say?"

Piper shifted her position, her hands fiddling with the hem of her shirt—a clear sign that she's agitated about something.

"Oh, you know, just the usual. Coming for a little chat. Telling me that we weren't allowed to get together because she wants you to stay with Percy. Pretty much confessing that she has been messing with our feelings to try and keep you with Percy. Oh, don't forget how she threatened me with a dagger and said I had to come here and tell you that I'd rather you be with Percy."

By the end Piper's short description of what had happened, Annabeth was speechless. "So I was right about the feelings one. But that whole thing is outrageous! The—wait, is that last reason what you're here for?" Annabeth asked, her mind instantly preparing for the worse response. Piper looked at her in confusion first, before realisation showed on her face. Piper just chuckled, shaking her head.

"No, of course not," Piper spoke. "Screw what my mother told me to do."

Annabeth smiled, relief flooding through her. "Is that all there was to say?"

Piper shook her head, smiling and keeping eye contact with Annabeth.

"Nope, I've come to say the opposite of what my mom wanted."

Annabeth tilted her head.

"Oh?"

"Mhm." Piper continued. "I've come to tell you that I don't want you and Percy to stay together unless you, not whatever feelings my mom is altering for her own benefit, but you, want to. And, that I think it's crazy that my mom wants me to tell you I don't want to be with you, when that is one hundred percent incorrect."

Annabeth felt Piper's hand rest on her cheek. Her breath hitched in her throat. She looked into Piper's eyes. Admiring how they changed between blue, brown, and green.

"So if that's one hundred percent incorrect, what is one hundred percent correct?" Annabeth whispered.

Piper leant forward, gently pushing Annabeth's shoulders back until Annabeth was lying down with Piper on top of her.

"Well," Piper whispered next to Annabeth's ear, her soft voice causing a small shiver to run through Annabeth's body, "It's one hundred percent correct that I love you and want to be with you, and even if you chose to be with Percy instead, I would always respect your decisions and love you no matter what you decide."

Annabeth smiled, wrapping her arms around Piper's body. Their faces were only inches apart, and Annabeth could smell the sweet vanilla shampoo that Piper always used. She pulled Piper down and kissed her. Not a quick kiss, but a slow, sensual one.

She pulled away and rested her head on the bed, her eyes closed but a smile spread on her face. She let out a deep sigh when Piper kissed her neck and rested her head on Annabeth's chest. After what seemed like an eternity but was only a minute or so, their silence was interrupted by a voice.

"Piper? Annabeth?"

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