How You Changed Me (Demigods In High School AU)

Chapter 50 || Facing The Mortal World

ANNABETH CHASE

Annabeth got off the Argo II, walking around, enjoying the lovely mortal world she never thought she'd miss. She had a big boot on for her stupid ankle, but she didn't care. She didn't care if she looked like she had just gotten out of some crime scene. All she cared was that she was away from that pit.

"Come on, Seaweed Brain!" she called into the ship, and Percy came crutching out, his broken leg in a cast.

His lips sprang upward in a goofy grin as he stared at the sunlight above.

"Move it, Kelp Head," Thalia's voice sounded and Percy crutched out of the way as Thalia dragged the remaining gallons of water out, Percy grabbing another and chugging it down.

"Coming through," Nico grunted, the bags of blue cookies in his hands--well, one bag since Percy finished the rest.

"More stuff," Frank said, carrying the bag of Nemo plushies on his back.

Percy smirked in satisfaction and Annabeth couldn't help but laugh. That's when the paparazzi got them.

"Percy Jackson!"

"F**k," Percy cursed as the microphones soared for him.

"You're doing this on your own," Annabeth laughed, walking away so the paparazzi wouldn't see her.

"You're still alive! What happened in Venice?" one asked Percy and Percy ignored it, continuing his crutching.

"How did you attain those injuries?" another asked, peering at Percy's body.

"This is creepy," Percy muttered.

"Creepy? HE SAYS IT'S CREEPY!"

"No shit, Sherlock," Annabeth muttered, still smiling.

"Bye!" Percy yelled as he got in the car after Leo, shutting the door as the cameras flashed.

So I ran in with all our friends, piling in the car.

"Drive!" I yelled to Leo, who followed my lead, driving as commanded.

"F**k," Leo groaned, "Now they're gonna be posting that video all over the news."

They all sat in silence in the car, thinking separate thoughts. Finally, Percy said something that only a seaweed brain like him would say.

"Can we get tacos?"

Annabeth facepalmed then and there before yelping in pain as she realized that she had used her injured shoulder. Percy whirled around, alarm flashing in his eyes. Shaking her head, she waved it off with her good arm. Again, the car ride was wordless as Percy paused, staring intently into Annabeth's gray eyes as if to make sure she was telling the truth before slowly turning around in the passenger seat as Leo controlled the steering wheel.

"Put on your shades and look away from the window," Leo said as they pulled up in front of the taco shop for some To-Go food.

Gray sunglasses were handed to Annabeth as she put them on, watching as Percy took out blue ones, Piper getting pink ones, Jason getting regular white ones, Frank getting red, Leo getting orange, and Hazel getting purple. To be honest, Annabeth thought they were very cleverly chosen by color.

"Thank you, sir, that'll be $10.49," the woman said kindly as Leo handed her the money, grumbling something about how they always wanted to give you a penny.

Leo handed the taco bag off to Percy, who gladly took it, inhaling the lovely scent of tacos. That breath turned into a slight cough from the punctured lung, but it wore off in a few seconds as Percy grinned goofily. Annabeth rolled her eyes. That stupid seaweed brain really put up an act, didn't he? The moment the LeChanel Plaza came into view, everyone let out a sigh of relief. As the car came to a stop, everyone rushed out.

Again, shades on, the nine demigods got into the elevator wordlessly. The moment the sliding doors closed, everyone began to chatter.

"...And you didn't even warn us you were gonna jump in?!"

"...Stop leaning on your injured foot!"

"...You really are an ass."

"...Are you crazy?!"

"...But going into the pit of hell is next level!"

"...I'm just glad they're okay."

"You know what?!" Annabeth started, silencing everyone.

Before she was about to speak, the elevator popped open and they all froze, realizing where they were. Annabeth fought off the flashbacks, feeling the blood fall from her face. She turned to see Percy had stiffened, his eyes wide with fight.

"Uhm..." the man said, staring at the nine of them, "I'll just... take the next one."

He ran off as the elevator doors closed, taking them to the next floor. Percy and Annabeth both let out breaths they didn't know they were holding, their faces white with fearful memories.

"You okay?" Jason asked, though his facial expressions showed that he already knew the answer.

"No, we're absolutely fine--DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE FINE?!" Percy suddenly burst before his red face calmed down, "Sorry."

Jason cleared his throat, feeling like the silence was awkward and that it had to be broken.

"It's okay, bro."

"You f**king suck," Annabeth said subconsciously.

But once it was said, it was said. Percy smirked, turning to her.

"I f**king suck?" he said, his seal puppy eyes shining through.

"I'm... I'm invincible," Annabeth said confidently.

"Invincible, my ass," Percy retorted sarcastically. "Why do we suck? Because we are invincible?"

"Shut up," Annabeth laughed, pushing his face back, "You know I only say those things when I'm..."

"Scared?" Percy asked, his smile gone.

"Yeah," Annabeth replied, uncomfortable.

As if to make things better, Jokester Leo had to make a remark.

"Awkward..." he sang.

Crickets should've chirped, it was so quiet. The elevator doors opened and every demigod ran into Percy's penthouse, relieved to see something that was finally familiar.

"Can we crash--" Annabeth started but Percy had already cut her off.

"If you don't crash here I'm gonna knock you all out so you crash to the floor," he said, not even turning around to look at her.

Annabeth couldn't help but laugh. She sat down on the couch, propping her ankle up as Percy sat down next to her, wincing when he turned around to grab the remote.

"No," she said, grabbing Percy's arm firmly, "I'm gonna get it. You're not gonna go twisting on the dance floor anytime soon while you've got some bloody hole in your twisty torso."

"That's a lot of twisting," Percy said before looking like a five-year-old after learning a word, "Twisty... Twisty tongue twisters. Cinnamon Twists. Pretzel twists. Donut twists. Braids are twists--"

"Shut up," Annabeth clamped a hand over his mouth.

Percy grinned sheepishly before turning the TV on, selecting a comedy movie to watch.