Fall (Percy Jackson x Reader)

twenty-one

"Okay, so how are we planning on getting to Chesapeake Beach?" Annabeth asks, looking at Percy beside her as they exit the OPS with Tyson following right behind them. It takes a short while before the door jingles, signifying (Y/N)'s leave as she jogs to catch up, tensely looking at the time on her watch every few seconds.

"Lemme see how long it'll take to get there, then we can decide," Percy says, pulling his years-old phone out of his pocket and unlocking it as they walk. He opens his web browser, glancing up from the screen continuously so as to not run into anyone as he types. As search results pop up, he squints his eyes slightly while reading, focus transfixed on the illegible English as he tries to decipher it. He remains oblivious to the rest of the world before Annabeth quickly pulls him to the side to avoid a passerby.

"Sorry," Annabeth apologizes to the stranger, rolling her eyes when they glare at her. She catches sight of (Y/N) in her periphery, again checking her watch, and she turns to look at her properly. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," (Y/N) says, her voice somewhat curt and causing her best friend to flinch.

"Are you sure?" Annabeth asks.

Such concern from a lifelong best friend tends to be welcomed.

But it was because of that simple question that the universe decided to set normalcy aside and let everything go to shit.

"You're acting like this again?" (Y/N) snaps in a sudden burst of exasperation, scoffing. "When the hell are you going to stop butting your nose into everything? I said I'm fine, Annabeth!"

Hurt and offended, Annabeth pauses in her tracks, her mind racing before she snaps out of her daze. "Okay, no," she says, shaking her head. She pulls Percy to a stop, gesturing for Tyson and (Y/N) to move into an empty alleyway so they don't block the sidewalk.

Percy looks up from his screen, confused and slightly annoyed.

"I'm sorry, what part of Grover being kidnapped and us needing to find him as quickly as possible calls for stalling like this?" he asks, and Annabeth raises an eyebrow, making him realize what he just said and the way he said it.

"You wanna try that again?" she asks, and Percy chuckles sheepishly.

"Yeah, um, so why exactly are we stopping?" he corrects, and Annabeth nods.

"Better. We need to calm down"—a pointed glance gets sent in (Y/N)'s direction—"and make a plan. We can't just act on the go without thinking through everything."

(Y/N) crosses her arms, "Well, we had a plan until you just now stopped us from going through with it."

Annabeth raises her eyebrows. "Oh, yeah? I don't recall us discussing anything, so what exactly was this plan?"

Tyson glances worriedly between the two girls as Percy furrows his eyebrows. Neither expected this amount of frustration from them out of the blue, and they slowly back away.

(Y/N), very clearly annoyed, directs a look at her best friend that seems to ask if she's stupid.

"Percy was just looking up the time it takes to get us to Chesapeake Beach. I already checked a map in the store; it's a forty-five minute drive without horrible traffic or any obstructions. We'd take a bus to the pier and then catch up with the Princess Andromeda. So congratulations, Annabeth, now we're wasting time."

Annabeth scoffs at (Y/N)'s attitude, ignoring her snide comment and rolling her eyes. "What, so did you want us to walk on water or something to get to the boat?"

"Maybe!" (Y/N) throws her arms up in annoyance. "In case you haven't noticed, we've got two sons of Poseidon right here!"

"And were they aware of this 'plan' of yours or did you just now come up with it because you can't help being wrong about anything?" Annabeth retorts, taking a step towards (Y/N).