You Always Have What Other's Don't ~a Percy Jackson AU~

XVI Percy

Percy couldn't imagine a better way to spend the day. Whenever the helm was in his hand, he felt free. He felt like he was fly. He loved the way the ropes seemed to fight back whenever you tugged at them, and eventually, they give in and let you take full control. He loved feeling the salt that caked his hands by the end of the day, they were rough and callous. But in a way, it was like his moisturizer. He felt in control. Sailing was like writing with his dominant hand, it just felt natural. Annabeth, on the other hand, clung to the boat like a drowning cat, a tacky orange life jacket perched on her shoulders
"You know, you don't have to wear that."
"It's your funeral," Annabeth huffed, clutching it tighter.
Percy steered the boat lazily, one hand on the wheel, the other with a Coke in hand. The two of them had silently agreed that the topic of her visit to the hospital was solemnly off limits.  "Watch out for lobster pots, okay?"
Annabeth nodded, looking out on the horizon.
Further up the deck, Frank and Hazel sat opposite each other, laughing and smiling like no tomorrow. He was going to admit, they were cute together. Frank seemed completely head over heels for her, and Percy completely supported that. Although, he couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous. He yearned to have a relationship like that. Maybe if he was just able to open up a bit, he could. Maybe what he wanted was right in front of him, or maybe he was just acting childish and stupid. He was probably just being stupid.
"Tack!" Percy called. Hazel and Frank hit the deck as the sail swooped over their heads, tilting the boat to the other side. Nonetheless, they were laughing. Percy wished he could still laugh like that.
"Do you really believe that stuff about yourself? That you can't enjoy anything because you have a negative outlook on life?" Annabeth piped up.
"Yeah. I guess," Percy replied causally, eyes glued on the sea.
"Hazel's an artist, right?" She asked. "Do you think she thinks like that?"
The question caught Percy off guard. "Honestly.. I don't know."
Annabeth stared at her feet, and Percy could practically see the gears shifting around in her head. If you took a look inside her brain, you would probably find the most complex piece of furniture Ikea had to offer, along with an instruction manual that made no sense "I have a theory," Annabeth said with finality.
"Another one?"
"Just listen, okay?" She said, rolling her eyes. "My theory is, nobody can enjoy life without seeing it through a particular lens. No matter how fair someone claims to be, they are always bias towards something or someone, because of the way they grew up. Because of that, deep down, everyone wishes they could see things the way other people see them, because they think their outlook is either too negative, or too ignorant, or even too blissful. Therefore, you could have the perspective on life that someone else wants,  even if you don't want it yourself. You always have what others don't." Percy was silent for awhile. "Well?"
"Hush, I'm processing it." Percy took a sip of his coke, pensively. He exhaled has he gulped it, then set it off to the side. "Well, do you think if people try hard enough, they can change that perspective?"
"To some degree, yes," Annabeth said, eyes darting to the ocean.
"Then I think it's a great theory."
"Big red thing!" Annabeth called suddenly, getting to her feet.
"What?" Low and behold, a huge red buoy bobbed fifteen feet ahead of them. Percy's eyes went wide, and he veered the wheel to right. From the front of the deck, Hazel squealed. Frank looked like his life was flashing before his eyes as he held the railing as tight as possible. Annabeth grunted as the side of the boat skimmed the buoy, streaking it bright red.
"Damn it!" Percy swore. "I'm going to have to fix that."
Annabeth laughed, sitting back down, she pulled something out of her pocket. "Wanna cookie?"
Percy stared at the chocolate chips, which were now melting in the summer heat. "You're either trying to poison me or use me as a lab rat."
"What? Wh-"
"Because I said I didn't like cookies earlier, right?" Percy asked
Annabeth huffed. "You psychoanalyze everything."
"But am I wrong?"
Annabeth shifted her gaze. "I mean, no. But- do you wanna it or not?" Percy swiped it from her, grinning. He didn't realize the caliber of what he was doing until he was about to put the cookie in his mouth. He stopped. In all honesty, he feared what it would taste like. Nostalgia? What if it brought back repressed memories? Fuck it. He shoveled the whole thing in his mouth. "You don't have to swallow it whole, idiot," Annabeth said.
Percy chewed it for a second. It tasted exactly how rational people would think it would. Flour and chocolate. Unfortunately, those were the only things these cookies tasted like. He made a face. "Where did you get these?"
"Whole Foods, why?"
"They taste like chalk," he spit it over the side. "If you're going feed me cookies, get the ones that at least melt in your mouth."
Annabeth once again rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress a grin. "I hate you."
"Mhm."
Annabeth opened a can of ginger ale, drinking it thoughtfully. Once again, Percy could see that she was losing herself in her own mind. Watching Annabeth think was kind of a breathtaking sight, if he was being honest. Regardless of he considered it creepy, Annabeth never noticed him staring. She'd slowly twirl her fingers around a single blonde strand of her hair. In the sunlight, it reflected in all of the right ways. Looking at her hair alone made him feel tingly, nobody else had hair like Annabeth. She let her glasses slowly fall down the bridge of her nose, as if she didn't even realize they were falling. When Annabeth started thinking, all of her awareness when out the window.
"Percy," she said quietly. "I'm sorry about your mom. I didn't know,"
Percy felt the emotion drain out of her face. "It's okay. No one really did."
"If I knew Gabe was treating you like that.. I would've done something."
"Annabeth-"
"Really, I would have. Why didn't you tell anyone?"
Percy grimaced. He didn't even know why. He guessed that he never really identified as someone who was being abused. Which was strange, because out of all the health classes he had to endure, he should've at least picked up on something. "I'm not sure. Maybe I was afraid I had something to lose."
"You wouldn't lose me."
Percy gave her a sad smile. "I did, though. Last week-"
"Well from now on, you always have me, okay? Always."
Percy flinched. "Really?"
"Really."
"No bullshit?"
"No bullshit."