Into the Clouds | Percabeth| Mortal AU

Chapter Eighteen

"You know that part in the horror movies where someone does something stupid and everyone hates them for it?" the girl on the movie said. "Well this is it!"

"It's hilarious because she's in a horror movie," Thalia said, scooping ice cream from the container. 

Annabeth chuckled. "For something that is hilarious you aren't laughing very hard," she said. 

Thalia tapped the spoon on her chest. "It's on the inside," she said through a mouth of ice cream. 

Annabeth's phone buzzed and when she went to grab it, Thalia picked it up first. "Sorry, I thought--" Thalia cut herself off when she saw the message. "Cloud Macchiato wants to meet you at the park?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and handing Annabeth her phone back. 

"I'm hanging out with you right now," Annabeth said, about to tell Percy she couldn't. 

Thalia grabbed Annabeth's phone back and typed back a message. 

I'll be there in 10 minutes

"Thalia!" Annabeth complained, reaching to grab her phone back.

"And... sent." Thalia handed Annabeth her phone back. "Go see your Cloud Macchiato."

Annabeth glared. "I'm here with you though." She argued. 

Thalia snorted. "We've seen this movie a million times. Go see this mystery guy." The way Thalia said mystery guy made Annabeth think he wasn't very mysterious. 

"Fine." Annabeth stood up and grabbed her bag. 

"Maybe even kiss him," Thalia encouraged. 

Annabeth snorted. "Why would I do that?"

Thalia scoffed, leaning over the back of the couch so she could see Annabeth at the front door. "Girl, for someone who is so good at school, you are an absolute idiot when it comes to guys."

"Percy said something like that too."

"I can't imagine why," Thalia said, already turning around to finish the movie. 

;;;

Annabeth walked up to the swing-set pulling her jacket closer to her. "Hey," she said. 

"Hey," Percy said. 

He held out a bag and Annabeth gave him a look and looked inside. "French fries?"

Percy shrugged like it was nothing. "I know they're your favourite."

"How?"

"I know some people," he said, gently swinging. 

Annabeth sat down. "Did Thalia tell you?"

Percy chuckled. "Oh, I never reveal my sources." He started swinging a little higher. "Wanna see who can swing higher?"

Annabeth sat her fries down by her bag. "Oh, you're so on."

They started swinging, pumping their legs as hard as they could. Annabeth got way higher than Percy. 

"All right," he said, out of breath, "I forfeit."

Annabeth launched herself off the swing at the same time as Percy but instead of falling neatly to the ground, Annabeth landed tangled up with Percy. 

Her nose was just inches above his. Her long blonde hair hung in waves around his face. They were both breathing heavily. Annabeth's heart was pounding out of her chest and she was positive that Percy could hear it. The grin on his face made her cheeks flush with heat, even though it was cold out. 

"Did I ever tell you that you have really pretty hair?" Percy whispered, running his fingers through her tangled hair. 

"You mentioned it once," Annabeth said simply. 

Percy's came to the back of Annabeth's neck, and he slowly pulled her towards her. Annabeth expected to panic when her lips touched Percy's, but she didn't. 

His lips were soft, and Annabeth could feel the heat radiating from him cheeks confirming her suspicion that he was just as nervous as her. 

They could have stayed like that for a while, but Annabeth heard something from across the playground, and she startled away from Percy, who propped up on his elbows and looking in the direction on the noise. 

"I... I should get home," Annabeth said, standing up. 

Percy stood up. "Can I walk you?"

Annabeth stood for a minute. "Sure," she said without thinking. "I'd like that."

But the back of her mind couldn't move on from the noise that she heard, or the fact that Percy kissed her.