percabeth highschool au to get the juices flowing once again~

✨ part one ✨

"Dude, she hates you."

Percy turned to his best friend, Grover Underwood, and stuck his tongue out. "Ya think?" He sighed, shoving books into his locker. "I didn't even do anything."

Grover shrugged, adjusting his hat. "Well your dad's business does kind of rival her mom's, don't you think that has something to do with it?"

"Oh, come on. That's a silly feud between our snobby parents." Percy frowned at just the thought. "I don't even know my dad. You'd think a 'genius' like her would at least give me a chance to prove I'm nothing like that."

They had begun walking, but as Percy finished speaking Grover faltered in his steps, his eyes widening.

"Whoa, Perce. It kinda sounds like--"

"Don't."

"--Like you like her."

Percy scowled, pausing so his friend could catch up. "Honestly? I just wish she wouldn't shut me out so much. I want her to know the real me before she starts judging."

"I don't know. . .that's pretty drastic for some girl you're always talking about," Grover said.

Percy opened his mouth to retort, but the school bell rang, cutting him off. Not that he had any idea of what he wanted to say in the first place. He couldn't explain to Grover what he was feeling, because no one ever understood--not even his best friend. He just knew there was something up with the curly-haired, grey-eyed, straight-A-student that didn't show on the surface, and he had an overwhelming urge to figure it out. She interested him.

"See you at lunch." Grover split off from him and entered a classroom to their left, just like he did everyday for fourth period.

Percy's longer walk was always taken alone, and by now he could maneuver through the crowd of kids without seeming like a salmon swimming against the current. Which meant he had plenty of time to think. It was amazing what three minutes of being in your head could do.

He recalled what Annabeth Chase had said to him earlier that morning after he'd asked if he could sit next to her.

"No."

A simple, straightforward response. But it was like an iceberg to Percy--just the tip juts out on the surface, but there's a whole dictionary beneath that.

Unfortunately, he'd never been one to memorize fancy words, so he did what he usually did: ignored her and sat down anyways.

Which led to her finishing her breakfast and leaving him there, watching her go with furrowed brows.

The small bickering between the two wasn't exactly a new thing--it had started at the beginning of the school year, and now (three fourths of the way in) it hadn't died down.

Percy couldn't say they were friends, but he couldn't say they were enemies, either. Because both were one-sided. She hated him, he wondered why. He tried to be nice, she turned him down.

Annabeth was a mystery to him. And, for some reason, the mystery had never troubled him more.

As he walked into his algebra class, placing his books on his desk, Percy was forced to forget his Annabeth-centric thoughts and try to suffer through the lecture.

It was going to be a long day.

/

"You guys can leave when I give you the signal, as always. Anyone who needs to use the bathroom before the bell rings, I suggest you do so now."

Percy, along with a couple of other students who'd been sitting through the class with full bladders, raised his hand and waited for Mrs. Taylor to give him her infamous bathroom permission nod. He hopped up and slipped out the door, paying no attention to his surroundings as he saw his goal clear in his mind: to relieve himself.

And so he did. Four minutes before the bell rang, Percy found himself washing his hands and staring at himself in the filthy bathroom mirror, wondering why school was required.

But the image of being late to his next class jolted him from his wishful thoughts, and he glanced at the blow-dryer for a moment before deciding against it and wiping his hands on his jeans as he exited the bathroom. He didn't get farther than the doorway as a combat boot appeared in front of him, though, and he cursed under his breath as he righted himself after almost tripping.

Percy followed the leg adorning the shoe up to a brunette who's expression said, why are you in my way? She was obviously wearing a tank top against dress code, but a worn maroon jacket covered her shoulders. He also noted that she was chewing gum, which was strongly prohibited in the algebra class--from which he knew she also came from.

Percy raised his eyebrow. He looked pointedly down at her foot, then back up at her face. "Um. . .can I help you?"

The girl studied him for a moment more before moving her boot. "Yes, actually."

Percy waited for her to continue. "Okaaaay. . ."

She let out an annoyed breath, as if he was the one holding her up, but her hard expression softened.

"Look, I would've done this somewhere else and at a better time if it wouldn't have been so obvious, but this was the best I had." She brushed her choppy hair from her eyes. "I'm Piper."

Percy took her outstretched hand tentatively and shook it, no less confused. "Percy."

"Oh, I know." Piper shoved her hands into her pockets. "I'll just get straight to the point. You know Annabeth, right? Blonde, snappy, know-it-all?"

Percy's brows furrowed. He nodded slowly, not feeling up to explaining that while he agreed to "knowing" her, he actually meant she despised him.

"Of course you do. I'm her best friend," Piper said. "And I need your help."

"You need my help?"

"Yep."

Percy scratched his head. "Do you always do that? Like, where you say something that very obviously needs explaining but then just leave me hanging?"

"As her best friend, it's my responsibility to make sure she's doing alright," Piper continued, ignoring him. "She has a. . .rough background, I guess. And lately she hasn't been talking to me about stuff, stuff that I think is important." She eyed him carefully, making Percy slightly uncomfortable. "So, I need your help."

"What--why? I don't even actually know her--and she hates me!" Percy was thoroughly lost. This Piper girl was confusing.

Piper sighed, dragging a hand down her face. "Okay, okay. Listen. Carefully." She took a step closer to him, probably trying to look intimidating. Despite his height advantage, Percy decided it was working.

"She doesn't hate you. She's scared of you."

". . .what?"

"Scratch that--she's afraid. Annabeth has trust issues, she has ever since. . .well, she has em, okay? And I think it's like some sort of defense mechanism her brain uses to. . .protect her? I don't really know. My point is, she doesn't open up to people. And you're. . .well you're you, and she's afraid that if she welcomes you into her life, it won't end well.

"But I can't break her walls. I've been trying, but I just can't." Piper looked down, seemingly frustrated with herself for a second. Then she met his eyes again, her gaze pinning him with it's intense call for help and determination. "I need you to do it for me. You can get through to her, I know you can."

Percy stared into her eyes--which didn't seem to be one solid color, only further intriguing him--and took a step away from Piper. "I get that you want to help your friend, but I really don't think--"

"You wouldn't."

Percy tilted his head. "What?"

"You wouldn't," Piper repeated, adding, "turn your back on someone who needs you. I know it, you know it, Jackson. That's just how you are."

Percy pursed his lips, choosing not to respond.

"And she needs you. I. . .I need you. Just help me out, this once." Piper finally backed off, showing a more sincere, raw side to her rough personality. "Please."

Percy sighed, wondering how he could possibly make her understand that he wasn't the guy to come to for help. "I don't think I can do that."

Piper closed her eyes, turning away a little. Then she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can't you tell she's broken?"

And then there were the flashbacks to the time Percy had been forced to live with his abusive step-father, knowing the man was tearing apart his family but being able to do nothing. Knowing his real father was out there somewhere, but not being able to rely on the hope of ever seeing him, ever coming home to a sturdy father figure who could fix things. Being thrown from school to school until eventually, the mischief stopped, the grades improved, and the fake smile was pasted on. He'd been broken, shaken to the core and almost irreversible.

But he'd finally let some people in. He'd succumbed to their love and care and slowly, slowly, things had gotten better.

Did Annabeth have no one? Was she experiencing the same thing?

Piper was right. He would never let someone go like that. No one.

"Okay. Alright. What do you have in mind?"

/

Percy stared at the ceiling. He lay on his bed with his arms folded behind his head, trying to get his brain to function.

But it never did work like that, did it?

After Piper had confronted him ( or maybe it was more of a humble approach, but it sure felt like a confrontation ), he couldn't shake all the memories that he had of Annabeth as they replayed in his mind, over and over.

He was most definitely overthinking. Percy barely knew her on a personal level. But for some reason, he felt like he could recall every little thing about the blonde, and it freaked him out.

"Oof!"

Annabeth grunted as she fell to the hard tile floor, dropping her notebook and watching it slide underneath one of the lockers. She turned to Percy, scowling.

"Thanks. A lot."

Percy stared with wide eyes, his gaze traveling to the girl on her butt and then to the fallen notebook. "Oh, yikes. I'm so sorry."

Annabeth left him at the receiving end of her glare for a moment longer before standing and brushing herself off and moving to get her book. When she finally stood straight, she noticed Percy still standing there, staring at her.

"What?"

Percy held up his hands. "Nothing! Sorry again, for bumping into you."

Annabeth shook her head and pushed past him, leaving the black haired boy standing in the hallway, dumbfounded.

They always had a habit of meeting in stupid, unfortunate ways. And he always seemed to find her in a bad mood.

Occasionally, though, they'd run into each other in more convenient ways, and neither of them could find it in themselves to be petty.

"Whoa," Percy mumbled. Annabeth had been passing on his right, and until now, he hadn't noticed her because of the tower of books in her arms.

And then the Leaning Tower of Literature had started to tip. He stepped over and steadied them in her arms, looking around the stack to give her a look.

"Planning on doing a little reading?"

Annabeth frowned, but nodded. "On my way to the library," was all she said.

So Percy nodded and cut her burden in half, taking five of the books for himself. Annabeth watched him, expressionless, before shrugging and continuing on her way, letting Percy trail behind her.

He hadn't planned on spending any more than ten minutes helping her out, but it turned into a full study period of getting book recommendations and trying to fit things into lockers and backpacks. Percy had learned where Annabeth really came alive. Not in the library, not surrounded by books, but when she could forget reality and dive into a world better than her own.

At least that's what she had told him.

Percy shook his head to clear his mind when he felt a smile appearing on his face. Someone had asked for his help, and he intended to give it to them to the best of his ability.

But he needed help.

a / n

this is trash hahaha, but i have been lacking in these so i figured i'd give you some long ones. part two coming soon !!

yours in demigodishness and all that,

~ grace 💙🍪💙🍪💙🍪💙🍪💙