thank you riptide2406 for the Everything Has Changed prompt (bro how many times have I tagged you lmao)

Percy buried his head in Grover's shoulder. "I'm a fucking idiot."

"Bullshit, but okay," Grover responded, patting his friend's back while sending a confused glance to Juniper, who shrugged in return.

"I literally don't know what to do?"

Grover's brows creased, and he looked back at Juniper, whose eyes had widened about twice their usual size. "What exactly," Juniper asked, "did you do?"

"I asked out Annabeth."

Juniper raised her arms to the sky with a whispered, "Halle-fucking-lujah." Grover abandoned Percy on his couch and began to play the song on his flute.

Percy just glared in response. "Fuck you guys."

"I'm asexual, Percy," Grover said monotonously.

Percy looked to Juniper for help. She only nodded. "No, because he actually is asexual." At Percy's middle finger, she added, "Oh, come on, you walked into it."

"Okay, okay, this is not my prob--can you put the flute down?"

Grover obliged.

"I do not know how to relationship or date," Percy said, glancing between the couple.

Percy didn't know how the explain the look Juniper and Grover passed.

"Perseus," Grover said. "I hope you are aware of the fact that whatever advice we give you will go out the door as soon as you actually go on that date."

"What?" Percy exclaimed, throwing his hands up in instinctual defense. "No, it won't."

"Yeah, it will," Juniper said as she began to comb through her hair.

It was safe to say the couple was not exactly helpful with Percy's dilemma.

It also didn't help that he couldn't explain his feelings.

At least not without abstract metaphors that sound like they came from a Taylor Swift song.

God, ironically, the only way could possibly put his feelings into words was through a Taylor Swift song.

He really wanted to watch as his walls, painted blue, began to crumble down as he opened up the door to her. His stomach was like butterflies, the beautiful kind.

It was a perfect, terrifying, fluttering, and strong feeling.

He supposed a more normal way to describe it would be love.

-

All Annabeth knew when she woke was that she knew something now that she didn't before.

All she'd seen since 18 hours ago was green eyes and freckles and his lop-sided smile in the back of her mind.

And that was all she continued to see until it wasn't in her mind anymore.

Annabeth saw Percy again in Hoffman's class.

Unfortunately, they couldn't talk as Hoffman passed out the tests.

Annabeth loved her brain because as soon as the paper hit her desk, her brain forgot all about Perseus Jackson and zoned in on the tiny print of the test.

Annabeth spent all of the previous night studying the hell out of her flashcards, textbook, notes (written twice), and study guide. She even did a few Kahoots.

Thankfully, unlike the study guide, this test was multiple choice. 90% of Annabeth's stress is gone, along with the worth of 90% of her studying.

Another good thing is that this unit focused on formulas and calculating the force or acceleration. Both of these were reasonably simple equations once memorized.

And Annabeth, ever the perfectionist and procrastinator, did memorize it about 10 minutes before the test.

It took around 40 minutes of the 45-minute class to finish the test.

Except for one question, that was not multiple choice.

Of course, it was the last one and worth the most points. Teachers really loved to torture students like this.

After reading the problem for 3 minutes, Annabeth wrote a random number and prayed for the best.

She didn't need that extra time that her disability gifted her. No, her goal was to always finish by the time her class period ended. Even if it meant getting a lower grade.

If she'd had it her way, Annabeth probably wouldn't have even re-done all of her tests with extra time. But, she needed to get a better grade, and Helen promised to get a Frank Lloyd Wright model for Annabeth to build.

She would not pass up such an opportunity to build Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple.

Now that she'd gotten her grades up, the model was on the way.

But now that Annabeth had gotten what she wanted, it's time to go back to her original goal and allow her pride to swell once again.

-

Annabeth didn't see Percy again after 2nd period. In English, she had to finish an essay on the power people had over each other, and in mythology, Percy had to complete the project.

She figured she'd just see Percy over the weekend sometime, but he texted her.

Percy: Come back and tell me why

I'm feeling like I've missed you all this time

And meet me there tonight

And let me know that it's not all in my mind

Percy: by here, I mean this cafe

Wise girl: when?

wise girl: also, love the reference, and when did my name change

Percy: idk, around 5ish if you are free?

Percy: and I changed it last night

wise girl: I don't have a nickname for you, and yeah, I'm free

Percy: idk, just make up a nickname

wise girl: h o w

Percy: just do it

wise girl: Nike is gonna sue you

Percy: but I'm broke

Wise girl: it is not my fault your brain is made of seaweed, and you just quoted them

wise girl: wait, the nickname has been acquired.

wise girl: perfect

seaweed brain: wow

seaweed brain: frankly, I am oFfEnDeD you would use such a term.

-

"Helen!" Annabeth screamed. "Emergency! I need your help! Uh--what was the--oh, Eros really struck!"

Helen burst through the door with her makeup kit in hand at the last phrase. "I have been summoned."

-

"Fu-frick, what do I do now?" Percy asked, with a glance to his mother, trying to see if she caught the near disaster.

"Percy, you have two hours," she said, continuing to brown the chicken. "Actually, can you pick up Estelle today, since you have time?"

She overlooked the near disaster and did not seem to care that much about Percy's panic.

"Mom, what do I wear to a date?"

"The same thing you always wear, Perce," Sally explained. "It's a coffee date, so it's casual."

Percy sighed as he grabbed the keys to the car.

"Oh, I'm sure Estelle will be able to help you."

And boy, was his mother right.

In her prime as a sassy five-year-old, Estelle listened to Percy read his texts. "Coffee sounds boring."

"It's not, I promise."

Estelle shrugged. "A prince wouldn't do that. He'd take her to a real restaurant."

"Well, I, Estelle am not a prince."

"Cleh-ly."

"Clearly," Percy politely corrected.

"Oh," Estelle said. "Are you at least paying?"

Wow, five-year-olds really do love those gender roles. "Maybe, it depends on what the, uh... princess wants."

"Wait, is she ach-uh-lee a princess?"

Percy didn't correct the mispronounced word. "No, not really."

Estelle's face fell. "That sucks." Her face brightened again. "Oh, did I tell you about that one time at recess when I was playing tag with my friendes and then the uh, um, then the, uh... Oh then the person who was it tried to geh me. But then I ran."

Estelle had told him that story twice. "No, what happened?"

Estelle's smile widened. "So I ran realwy fass and then I hid in the tunnel thingy and he could'n find me. But then the person he gah, she found me and made me it. Then I got my best friend. Her name's Soumia."

After the epic story (no, that was not sarcasm on Percy's part. Every time Estelle told that story, more was added to it, and Percy was determined to get to the end of the tag game), Estelle chose an outfit for Percy.

It was horrifying. He loved it.

-

Annabeth got to Inge's Coffeehouse and went straight to the bathroom.

Her hair was down, and her curls were in semi-neat ringlets. She adjusted her ivory cardigan, making it off-the-shoulder rather than evenly distributed between both shoulders, and pulled up her high-waisted, lightly bleached jeans.

She looked...straight. But, it was a cute straight. Annabeth's bisexuality could easily get behind the look.

She touched up her lip-gloss and once again marveled at the eyeliner Helen was able to do. It was a work of art, those wings.

She placed the lip-gloss back in her bags and took a deep breath, and left the comfort of the coffeehouse bathroom to meet her date.

She only had to wait a few seconds to find him.

Then all she knew was they said hello, and she met his eyes; they were like her new home.

"You look pretty," he said. "I look like a traffic cone, thanks to my sister."

It was kind of true. A bright orange sweater with black jeans and neon green sneakers.

"Your sister has an amazing sense of style," Annabeth said.

"Thanks, I'll make sure I tell her." Percy paused. "Did you already..."

"Oh, no. Not yet."

The two got a mocha and a galao and sat at a small table.

Annabeth sighed after taking a sip of the mocha. "Okay, I realized we don't really know a lot about each other. And, I would like to know you better."

Percy's brows creased when he drank his coffee. "This is so sweet."

"It's like, 80% whipped cream," Annabeth said with a laugh.

Percy shrugged. "Alright, I can power through. Um, where should I start?"

"Family?" Annabeth suggested.

"Okay, so my mom. She's probably the best person in the world. She's an author and is currently teaching creative writing as a TA. Paul is my step-dad and, I mean, you've met him. He's really fucking cool. He taught me how to use a sword."

Annabeth raised a brow at the last one. "Really?"

"Yeah, he fences."

"Holy shit."

"Yeah. Estelle...she is an angel until she's mad. Which, she's five. That's to be expected. She really wanted to help me. Actually, she basically called me a dumbass in a smarter way when I asked her for advice on tonight."

"You asked a five-year-old for advice on a date?" Annabeth asked with a smile.

"She is a romance expert. And then we have my dad. He lives in Greece and is a marine biologist. He comes to visit on my birthday and Estelle's birthday, holidays, and stuff. I usually go over to Greece for two weeks in the summer to see him." Percy smiled. "Now you."

"Okay, my dad is a professor. He teaches American and military history. My mom, Athena, she's an architect. She lives in Athens, actually. I have a brother that lives with her, his name's Malcolm. Over here, I've got Bobby and Matthew. They're both eight, and I can't decide if I love them or hate them."

Percy snorted. "Why are younger siblings like that?"

"I don't know. Is it just a rule or something? Anyway, I'm probably closest to my step-mom, Helen. She's my go-to for literally anything. She's a hair stylist."

"Do you get good gossip?"

"Oh, all the time. Like, yesterday this girl came in to dye her hair and she's fucking wrecked about this guy..."

They talked for an hour, though it felt like much more. And all she knew was he held the door as she walked out.

After a moment of walking, all the couple knew was the pouring rain. All they knew was the other's face. All they knew were their highest hopes as Percy asked to kiss her.

Then all they knew was since yesterday, was everything had changed. 

hi, and welcome back to episode 35 of tangents with Gabby

Let's start with the chapter, shall we?

So, 1- Estelle and Soumia=friends to lovers. You don't know who Soumia is, but I sure as hell do. I'm writing something with my cousin who wants to get into writing (she's 8 so it's not good at all, but I fucking love Soumia so much y'all don't understand)

2- Getting that five-year-old accent was probably the hardest part of this chapter. Like, it's so fucking cute how they all mispronounce the same words

3- Estelles convo is based on a conversation with my other cousin, who is 4, who wanted to know why I didn't have a bf. 

I was not about to explain homosexuality to a 4 year old, so I just said no one is interested in me

and he said they're stupid and that i was a princess and i have never felt so much pride and my 8-year-old cousin was just like... are you not going to tell him?

so it was really fucking cute

4- I was reading riptide2406 and Bookfunreader123 fic and they called me eXpLoDiNg CaThEdRaLs

and i was like... yes

so i want you to come up with the most fucking insane names that I can call you guys

because i live for the chaotic energy

5- y'all i was so tired to taylor swift songs i'm sorry, i love her, but it's not really my style (:

so i listen to some faouzia and then I go back to find a song prompt and everything has changed just sat there with its main character energy

like, why is it so good? and how is it literally the epitome of percabeth? I swear this song was made for them

umm idk what else to put in here

oh, special thanks to pinterest for helping me fins an outfit because i had no idea what to make annabeth wear

ok now i have nothing else to say

love y'all