Chapter 5

Simply The Best

Percy's POV

"Annabeth, mmmp, we should, arghhh, stop." I told her between kisses. She immediately pulled away and looked at me confused.

"What?" She immediately stopped, leaning back and untangling her hands from my neck.

"We can't do this."

She looked at me deadpanned and suddenly I felt very conscious that I wasn't wearing a shirt.

"It's just confusing."

"Well we can work on that." Annabeth mentioned with a grin and kissed me again. For a moment I kissed her back. I wanted this. This was what I wanted right? I wanted to be with Annabeth and now she wanted to be with me. So why was I feeling so bad then?

I tried to ignore it and went with it, though I didn't last long as an extra portion of guilt washed over me.

So I pulled away. Again.

"I'm sorry. I just can't do it. It's all so confusing. The other time you don't want me, then you sing a duet with me and kiss me, then say that it isn't going to work out. Then you're angry and now we're making out. I don't think that I can handle it if you say tomorrow to me that we can't be together because you're not ready and that we're not going to work anyways."

"You're right." She mumbled stepping off of me and sitting down beside me.

"I'm really sorry you know." I said again, feeling really guilty. Inside of my head voices were screaming at me how stupid I was for turning her down.

"You know, Annabeth, I really want to be with you. Really bad. But I can't handle this game that we're playing anymore. It's just too confusing for me."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry too. But it's how I feel."

"Well let's go over it. Like you want to. But now with me." I told her, standing up to grab my shirt, since being half naked kind of made me uncomfortable.

"Okay you start the arguments and I'll say my counter arguments." I sat down again cross legged and facing her.

She looked doubtingly at me, but nodded. Her lips were more red and her hair was wild and had gotten out of it's ponytail.

"Uh, okay. We're complete opposites." She began.

"Opposites attract." I answered shortly.

"If we date and break up we ruin our friendship."

"Simple; don't break up." I answered, shrugging my shoulders, but decided to convince her some more based on her look. "And I think that we can rock dating and being friends at the same time." I smiled a little and pushed her shoulder in a playful manner.

She crossed her legs as well so that we were facing each other directly. "You're famous. It would only make things extra difficult. Paparazzi and put some extra pressure on it. When do you announce that? And if we break up when do you say that? I don't want the whole world to know who I am. And to be the 'girlfriend of'. I know that you don't always realise it Percy, but you are famous. International. And it shouldn't matter that much, but still."

I was silent after that. Thinking of a good answer to that.

"I know that that part isn't going to be that easy. I'm not going to pretend that it isn't going to be. But we can only say it when you want to. I won't post anything on Instagram about you, talk about you in interviews if you don't want to. But I think that I would want to talk about you. I don't want to lie when someone asks if I have a girlfriend. Or I don't want to keep it in secret when we're in public or sneak you into my apartment. With my ex girlfriend it was a problem, but I can take it if you want to and we can take it slow. And you wouldn't be the 'girlfriend of' you're Annabeth Chase and being someone's girlfriend wouldn't change anything." I assured her.

"You're too sweet." Annabeth groaned, rubbing her temples. I chuckled lightly.

"Okay, but the main question; do you like me? Because otherwise it's a moo point."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Stop quoting Friends. And yes Percy, if it wasn't obvious I like you."

"Percy?" She asked after a long silence between us. She looked up at me, tears in her eyes and said something that I never expected Annabeth to say. "I'm scared."

"Why?" I asked softly, grabbing one of her hands and squeezing it softly.

"Things I don't want you to hear."

"Well you kind of have to since we're doing this thing where you say you're doubts and I say my counter arguments."

She let out a chuckle. "I'm afraid that you're going to leave me when you realise that I'm just me."

"What? That's crazy. Why would you ever think that? Annabeth I mean it with everything that I have that I love you. And you don't have to say it back, that's totally okay. You're amazing and that isn't just my love sick mind saying that- well maybe a bit. But why else would I write all these songs about you. And you're my best friend, I would never leave you even if we would break up."

"You're crazy." She muttered, hiccuping a sob. "I'm scared that I'm going to ruin you. Absolutely break you. And you're too nice for that."

"Well for that I got a very simple explanation; you're not. Annabeth it's okay that you're scared and probably for the best. Because of you we don't just dive in and fail. And you're not going to break me or ruin me. I can handle something and to be honest you're not that dark." I tried to assure her, softly stroking her knuckles.

"Come here." I muttered, pulling her in a hug. "I'm scared too, you know?"

"Really? You seem so calm."

"Well of course I'm scared, feel my heartbeat." I placed her hand over my heart, which was beating really loud and she let out a chuckle. "And the reason why I'm acting calm is because one of the two of us needs to act calm." I joked and hugged her closer.

After a little while I let her go.

"Okay, meet me in two hours at the bar okay? I will show you something, I just need to prepare a bit." I told her standing up. "Just think about it. If you want to be together, then come to the bar and if you don't want to then don't come. Think what we talked about over."

She nodded and I walked out, very excited and a bit anxious.

----------------------

"She's still not here." I muttered to myself waiting for her at the bar.

I had prepared this surprise for her; yes it was a song. It's one of the only things I'm good at and I promised Thalia that I would play today anyways.

When she still wasn't there fifteen minutes later, I walked up the little stage since I promised that I would play. Jason and Nico didn't want to play today though so I was alone.

But when she eventually walked in I never felt better. Butterflies erupted in my stomach, a warm feeling filing me until my toes. And jeez I was 23 I wasn't supposed to feel like this.

"Okay, uh, I'm going to play a song." I could feel that I was a bit red. As usual. But continued with my intro anyways. "It's a cover. From one of the most badass women ever. And so the song is dedicated to one of the most badass woman I know in person." I grinned widely and started the song on my guitar, hoping I would pass it off as cool.

I call you when I need you, my heart's on fire

You come to me, come to me wild and wild

When you come to me

Give me everything I need

Give me a lifetime of promises and a world of dreams

Speak a language of love like you know what it means

Umm, it can't be wrong

Take my heart and make it strong, baby

You're simply the best

Better than all the rest

Better than anyone

Anyone I've ever met

I'm stuck on your heart

I hang on every word you say

Tear us apart

Baby, I would rather be dead

In your heart I see the star of every night and every day

In your eyes I get lost, I get washed away

Just as long as I'm here in your arms

I could be in no better place

You're simply the best

Better than all the rest

Better than anyone

Anyone I've ever met

Uuh, I'm stuck on your heart

I hang on every word you say

Don't tear us apart, no no no

Baby, I would rather be dead

Each time you leave me I start losing control

You're walking away with my heart and my soul

I can feel you even when I'm alone

Oh baby, don't let go

Ooh, you're the best

Aow

Better than all the rest

Better than anyone

Anyone I've ever met

Uuh, I'm stuck on your heart

I hang on every word you say

Don't tear us apart, no no

Baby, I would rather be dead

Uuh, you're the best

The only thing that I could process as I finished the song was Annabeth running up to me and kissing me in front of everyone, only making the cheering go louder.

"You're sure about this?" I breathed out, a bit out of breath and rested my forehead on hers.

"Yes. Let's try." Those words were enough for me as I smiled loudly and kissed her again.