𝕨𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝 & 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕟

10. Percy

We ambled into the city with our hoods pulled down so you could see only our mouths and noses.

I scanned the square and my eyes landed on a large group of kids playing soccer on a chalk drawn pitch.

"Hey, were gonna get ice cream," Piper said while stood with the rest of them. Annabeth was standing by my side. "You guys go, we'll be here," I replied.

They a trudged off and Annabeth looked at me weirdly. "I wanted ice cream, Percy." She had on eyebrow cocked to the top of her head and her arms crossed in front of her torso. "So why did you keep me from a chocolate heaven scoop?"

I didn't respond, instead pulling her towards the loud group of kids as she protested.

"PERCY! IF YOU DO NOT PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW I'LL TELL YOUR MOM THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY BLUE FOOD!" She screamed as I threw her over my shoulder in a fireman's lift.

Her voice was drowned out by various musical instruments and chatter from the crowds in the square.

We were now almost right next to the game of soccer that the kids were playing, I set her down "Stay here," I added "I'll be back,"

I knelt down next to the goal keeper. If I remembered right, his name was Nico. "Nico, Nico!" I whisper-shouted.

He turned his head and I lifted my hood. "Percy!" He shouted as he ran and hugged me. "Guys! Percy's here!" The whole game stopped and everyone rushed over.

There was excited shouts of "Percy!" "Will you play soccer with us?" "Percy's here?" "Yay!"

"Hey guys!" I ruffled a few kids hair and hugged a few little ones. Nico clutched my hand tightly.

"Guys, I've got someone for you guys to meet," I turned away to go and grab annabeth but they all collectively grabbed me and/or wrapped arms around me. I struggled to walk along with all the bodies stuck to me and the few that were trailing along around us.

"Annabeth! Come here," I shouted at her, she shook her head and walked over. "Guys, this is Annabeth."

She lifted a girl who had strayed from my shoulders into my head from me and held her. "What's your name sweetie?" She whispered to the girl on her hip.

"Lillian." The girl whispered back, she couldn't have been more than 6.

"I like your hair! Do you want me to braid it?" Annabeth asked, her voice was sweet and soft and not at all like how she talked to me earlier. Lillian nodded silently, a smile spreading its way across her face.

"Who else wants me to braid there hair?" She now directed her question to the people cling to me. A few girls stood up hurriedly and stood next to her. She then placed Lillian down on the floor and got on her knees in front of a little boy.

"Hello, would you like me to do your hair?"

I saw his little head bob up and down as he walked over to her. She grabbed his hand and led them over to a bench at the edge of the pitch and sat them up.

I watched her initiate a game of Rock Paper Scissors between two girls and set about untying the winners plaits until a boy started to pull at my sleeve.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Nico asked. A chorus of yeahs were sent around the group.

"No, she's not. She's my friend," I added "Now who wants to play some soccer?" They all screamed, my 'girlfriend' forgotten.

I was once again caught staring at her. I had let 2 goals in because I was mesmerised by how good she was with the little girls and boy. How she treated each one fairly.

She would braid each one and even put a bow in the boys hair. "Percy! Come on! We're losing!" Nico shouted.

"She's really pretty, your right for staring," I heard a female voice next to me. "Bianca! Hey!" I said. Bianca is Nico's older sister. She's 7 years older than him at 14. "Yeah she is, beautiful." I said back to her earlier question.

"PERCY THINKS ANNABETH IS BEAUTIFUL!" Leroy shouted from behind us, making mocking kissing noises. He started the rest of them to abandon the ball and join in. "Alright guys, that's enough!" I advanced towards them all. "PERCY'S GOT A GIRLFRIEND!" They chanted as they ran away.

They ran away along the streets, still kissing their teeth. "STOP GUYS! She's not my girlfriend! She's just very pretty!"

I hadn't realised they had brought me all the way back to Annabeth braiding hair. Nico ran right up to her and whispered in her ear. Even from here I could here Bianca laughing, she had really trapped me in that one.

She stopped talking to the girls in front of her and stood up. "Oh, so I'm beautiful, am I?" She asked.

I could feel my cheeks go red. "Uh.... I....."

"I'm 'just very pretty'? Am I Perce?" She asked, stepping closer to me. I ran my hand through my hair and watched her walk slowly towards me.

Annabeth stood right in front of me, her nose was level with my chin and she lifted her head to look into my eyes. "Well then," she stood on her tiptoes and she leant in as if to kiss me.

She swiftly moved her line of movement and kissed me on the cheek instead. "Well, thanks for the complement idiot," the kids erupted in fits of giggles.

"Perseus Jackson!" I heard from across the square. I instinctively put my hand on my sword hilt but it wasn't there. I desperately looked around for Jason and Frank.

The whole courtyard fell silent and they turned to look for the Prince. Annabeth has stopped too, "Percy, we were allowed to come down her, right?" She asked cautious and slow.

"Uhhhh, if I said no would you be mad?" I stared straight ahead as i answered.

"Yes!" She shouted

I saw Clarisse walking along the square. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, anyone but Clarisse."

Annabeth was hurriedly saying good bye to all the little girls and boys as I waved to them all.

Clarisse looked as if she was about to grab me and Annabeth by the scruff of the neck and drag us back to the castle.

"You aren't meant to go to the village at all, especially alone!" She shouted at me. "And you brought her?" Annabeth pushes past me "Yeah, and? There are other people here wit-" she slammed her hand over Annabeths mouth and said "We're going back to the castle."

She released Annabeth's mouth and grabbed into her arm instead "Come on." Clarisse took hold of my forearm and we were on our way. I shot an apologetic look towards Annabeth as we were pulled out of site of the small village.

Word count: 1161
Hi! Enjoy this chapter, I guess. I'm still working on my oneshots, and I don't know what all my requests were atm so Im trying to remember them. This chapter was kind of rushed but I hope it's alright! See you next time!
28/7/20