Soulmates? (Percabeth AU)

Annabeth

Annabeth had had bad dreams since she was seven. They were worse now after the last summer and she would have them almost every night. The nightmares were so bad that she was afraid of falling asleep since she wasn't able to wake herself from her sleep the way she was before. She would go days without sleeping just to avoid the nightmares and the endless screaming that woke everyone else.

When she woke up Percy's arms wrapped around her she felt safe. She knew she had had a nightmare as she remembered it clearly. She had dreamed of the day almost every single one of her friends had died. But it was the first time she woke up without screaming. When Annabeth realized it was Percy who made her calm down, she felt angry. She didn't want anyone else to help her, especially some stranger. But Percy's presence was calming and Annabeth didn't want him to leave. So he stayed and Annabeth slept without dreams.

In the morning Annabeth woke up peacefully and turned to her other side only to find herself almost touching Percy's face. She pulled back startled and Percy snapped awake. They both moved a little more away from each other and Percy smiled faintly. 

"Did you sleep?"

Annabeth nodded gratefully and smiled. "Better than in a long time."

Percy sighed and stared at Annabeth for a while. Then he smiled happily and stood up having his back towards Annabeth. He stretched and his shirt lifted up a little bit. Annabeth gasped as she saw Percy's tattoo. Percy froze. Annabeth watched, as a name appeared on Percy's back. It took maybe five seconds for the name to appear completely. It was almost like someone was writing it as it appeared. Annabeth couldn't move as she stared at her own name on Percy's back and next to it an owl.

Percy didn't turn. He didn't move. Annabeth didn't say anything. Percy stood still as Annabeth stood up and walked behind him. She moved slowly and could see Percy tense even more when he sensed  Annabeth right behind him. Annabeth lifted her fingers and touched carefully Percy's back. Percy shivered but didn't move. Annabeth trailed her fingers on the letters and took a deep breath trying to understand what was happening.

Finally, Percy turned around looking into Annabeth's eyes, trying to find something. Apparently, he didn't find what he was looking for and turned his eyes away.

"I um..." he started confused. 

At this point, Annabeth realized that Percy must know what was Annabeth's tattoo as he knew his tattoo would be completed without looking at it. And if his tattoo was reversed and didn't have a name until after meeting his soulmate, he must have known.

"How long have you known?" Annabeth asked her voice almost a whisper. 

Percy swallowed and scratched his head. "About a day, I mean I didn't really think it could be true as we are so different and my tattoo wasn't completed and I didn't want to get my hopes up and didn't want to make things awkward and..." Percy trailed off glancing at Annabeth's eyes. His eyes made Annabeth inhale sharply, so passionate they were.

Annabeth felt confused. She did realize why Percy hadn't said anything and agreed on the part where he said they were different. Then she felt stupid that she hadn't made the connection between Perseus and Percy. Then she felt relieved. Her soulmate was a demigod and he was nice. 

As she stared at Percy's eyes she felt like nothing mattered anymore. It didn't matter that he hadn't said anything before as she understood his motives perfectly. It didn't matter that she had met him only a few days before as she felt like they had known each other forever. 

Percy looked worried as Annabeth hadn't said anything yet. Annabeth smiled comfortingly and moved her hand to her back. She wanted to see her tattoo. Annabeth walked to the mirror and turned so she could see her back. There, next to Percy's name, was a small symbol. Waves and a sword. Surprise. 

Percy stood behind Annabeth and looked at her back as well. He looked content as he saw his name with the symbol. Annabeth didn't know what to say. What were you supposed to do when you find your soulmate? How had she not thought about this part of this whole soulmate thing?

Percy seemed just as confused as she did but he stepped closer and touched her back. Carefully, slowly, as asking for a permission. Where Percy touched Annabeth, it felt like thousand electric shocks. He brushed Annabeth's back with his fingertips and looked confused. Annabeth took a deep breath and turned to face Percy. 

Annabeth tried to concentrate as Percy's sea green eyes examined her and Annabeth's thoughts started to blur. "Do you want breakfast?" She asked breathing a bit too heavily.

Percy grinned and nodded. Annabeth sighed with relief and started towards the kitchen. As Percy set the table, Annabeth tried to concentrate on making the breakfast. She felt dizzy and her thoughts wandered all the time. It felt almost like her ADHD was 10 times worse. 

They ate in silence. It wasn't awkward but it made Annabeth nervous. She could sense Percy was nervous as well. 

When they were finished Annabeth decided to handwash the dishes as it made her calm down and she could avoid the conversation a little longer. She felt Percy's eyes staring at her but she focused on the dishes. When she dried the last one she knew she had nothing else to do but face Percy so she turned around. 

Percy leaned against a counter and looked at her with an unreadable face. Annabeth couldn't look at his eyes as they were intimidating and her thoughts wouldn't stay in order when she looked at him. 

Percy walked to Annabeth.

"Please, tell me, what in Hades are you thinking? Are you mad at me or do you hate me because I can't tell and it's driving me crazy."   

Percy's question took Annabeth off guard and she struggled to find her voice again as Percy's eyes seemed to read Annabeth's soul.

"I um... I don't hate you", Annabeth managed to say as she tried to pull herself together in order to form a complete sentence. "I just don't know what to do."

Percy looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Annabeth felt stupid and angry and those emotions helped her to think clearly. "Gods Percy! I don't know, maybe you don't feel the same and there has been some kind of mistake but I can't focus when you are near me! I can't think straight and I feel so stupid that you have such a huge impact on me when I clearly don't have the same impact on you. I don't know what it should feel like to find your soulmate and I am probably just going to mess this up and I don't know why I feel this way even though we have just met and-"

Percy took Annabeth's hand and held it tight until Annabeth stopped talking. She didn't look into Percy's eyes and stood still as she felt Percy take a deep breath.

"I... I haven't been able to think straight either. I feel like nothing else matters right now. I feel like I could stand here for the rest of my life and I wouldn't even feel tired because you are here. You aren't stupid, and there definitely hasn't been any mistake."

Percy lifted Annabeth's chin with his other hand until she looked into Percy's eyes. "This is new to me as well, we have to figure this out together. Okay?"

Annabeth felt like she was drowning in Percy's eyes and she had to look away just to be able to nod. Percy smiled and brushed Annabeth's hair off of her face which made her shiver. She was angry at herself for acting so weird but couldn't help it as Percy led her to sit on the couch and started to talk about his family.