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stanning-reyna · 2 years

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A oneshot in which Frederick gaslights, Helen gatekeeps, and Annabeth girlbosses

*Takes place during the January between botl and tlo*

A knock sounded from the door of the Athena cabin. Annabeth was busy unpacking the duffle bag she had taken to see her dad's family for Christmas and ignored the noise.

"It's Percy, can I come in?" the boy hollered from outside.

Annabeth stopped what she was doing and looked towards the door as dread filled her. She didn't have the willpower to face him right now. The past two weeks spent at her dad's had been a nightmare, and she didn't think she'd be able to handle the surely volatile interaction with Percy.

Unfortunately, he didn't listen for an answer before opening the cabin door.

He'd grown since she'd last seen him. His face seemed longer than before and his hair was shaggier, swept back carelessly. His face, however, looked far from careless. Something about it set off her nerves and Annabeth returned her attention to her duffle bag, hoping whatever she sensed was just in her head.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as starkly as possible, eyes glued to the wadded up clothes in front of her.

"I got a call from your dad."

Annabeth stopped in her tracks. Why had her dad called Percy? Her mind raced back to the fierce fight between the two of them over winter break. She had said some harsh things, sure, but it wasn't anything that would warrant her dad calling all the way to New York, right? Annabeth felt worry start to rise in her chest and forced herself to breathe, continuing to unpack.

"Well, what did he say?" She asked, praying her voice hadn't cracked in fear as she spoke.

Percy walked further into the cabin, leaning against one the bunks. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at her. Annabeth could feel her cheeks beginning to burn and focused even harder on pulling the dirty jeans and sweatshirt out of her bag. He waited to speak up, and soon every strident word that had left her mouth at her dad's flooded into her mind like she was her own prosecutor.

She had been trying to be on her best behavior, really. But Annabeth could only handle so much before she snapped. Perhaps her reaction had been too brazen, but her dad and Helen hadn't been the sweetest either. It seemed like every day they had found a new way to remind her she wasn't supposed to be a part of their family, and the worst part was the perfectly manufactured facade that said they weren't to blame for that. They hadn't done anything wrong. They hadn't made Annabeth upset on purpose.

She couldn't take the silence any longer. Annabeth looked up at Percy. What she saw mades her nerves even worse; he was looking down at her from where he stood with a look of exacerbation on his face. What did he know that made him feel that way? Did he believe in the Chase's facade?

"What did he tell you?" she asked again, trying her best to keep her voice from shaking like her innards now were.

"That, because of a disagreement, you threatened to run off with Luke."

Annabeth blinked. She remembered that, vaguely, but it didn't go the way he had described it.

"I didn't threaten. Luke had made an offer for me to come with him about a year ago. He wanted to run from Kronos with my help, but I said no. I mentioned it to my dad, I didn't say I was reconsidering," she explained.

What did Percy think she had meant by it? Obviously she would never go with Luke, to join Kronos or not.

Percy's eyes flashed over to the window and back to her. He looked exasperated, but there was a hint of something else in there too, perhaps worry. Perhaps annoyance.

"Annabeth. You can't says things like that casually. People are going to take you seriously." He said it as if scolding a child. It made Annabeth's skin crawl. She wasn't a child, and he shouldn't be treating her like one.

"Is that why my dad called you, then? Did he think I'd really do it?"

Percy held her eyes in silence. Gods, Annabeth hated how he wouldn't give her a straight answer. If he kept refusing to talk, she'd just get up and leave.

"Frederick called my mom, actually," he spit out. "Because he didn't have Chiron's number and figured she could take a message for him. He thinks just because she lives in New York she has the time and energy to handle all demigod things- but that's aside the point."

Percy sat down on the edge of the nearest bunk. They were now a few feet apart and his face seemed softer than it had before.

"He said to tell Chiron that he doesn't want you ever coming to stay with him again, that you caused too much of a scene and he doesn't want Bobby or Matthew to be around that."

"Oh," she said quietly. She hadn't been expecting that. Maybe she should have, granted how the past two weeks went, but she hadn't dared to think her dad would call it quits for good. And yet he did.

Annabeth hadn't been trying to ruin their Christmas... all she had done was shown up. Where had it all gone so wrong? Was it from the beginning, when Helen was 2 hours late picking her up from the airport? Was it when she wasn't invited to go ice skating with the rest of the family, or when there had been no stocking up on the fireplace for her? Or when-

A hand brushed against her cheek, warm and soft.

"You're crying," Percy whispered as he wiped a tear away with his thumb.

"I'm fine," she mumbled, leaning away from him. "It's... fine."

Her body betrayed her and let out a sob, but she quickly fought to choke it back. It was too late; Percy's was already wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into a hug.

"Your hands have been shaking since I brought him up. What happened between you two?" he asked softly as they sat huddled together on the bunk.

What had happened? She didn't know. She had gotten angry and he had made her feel so bad the entire time she was there. What had he said to her? She didn't remember exactly.

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied, sniffling. Part of her was terribly embarrassed to be crying like this in front of Percy, but the bigger part of her needed this hug so desperately.

"That's ok. We can just stay like this," he whispered.

Annabeth was fine with that.

#I didn't proof read this #frederick is gaslighting annabeth into thinking she did something wrong #helen gatekeeping her family from annabeth #and annabeth girlbossing despite it #annabeth chase #percy jackson #heroes of olympus #pjo #pjo fandom #hoo fandom #pjo series #hoo series #percabeth #percy jackson and the olympians #frederick chase

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