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The basketball balls kept rolling across the squeaky gym floor before Annabeth could grab them and if she wasn’t six assignments deep in scholar debt to her “History of the Modern World and It’s Structures” Professor she would be cursing a blue streak about it. As it is though, she sucks up her annoyance and runs after yet another orange ball hurtling towards the padded wall on the opposite end of the gym. If she doesn't have killer calves after this she’s taking her complaints straight to Human Body HR.
The coach blows the whistle making shoes and shouts scuff against the room. She can hear his gruff voice pointing out people and rumbling about game plans blah blah blah. She blocks it all out, strolling to the last few rolling balls, scooping them up like her arms are fishing nets. The thought makes her laugh out loud and unfortunately it’s at the exact wrong moment because the coach says something deeply serious at that point and the gym is quiet, save for her burst of giggles.
“You got something to say about it Chase?”
She looks up from where she’s gathering the last of five balls, a startled expression painted across her face. “What sir— i mean Coach?”
“You got something to say about us losing the match?”
“Uh no Coach,” She looks at him helplessly, unsure how to tell him she was in her own world. “I was just —”
“Next time Chase,” He glares at her, “Maybe take a moment to read the room before you add to the conversation.”
You’re not allowed to punch the faculty Annabeth, you’re not allowed to punch the faculty Annabeth, you’re not allowed to punch—
She’s calm, she is sunlight warming ancient stones, she is spring breezes and bees buzzing around daffodils. She is not going to lose her shit in this musty ass gym.
“Aw come on Coach,” A voice speaks through the silence, “She probably wasn’t even listening to you.”
“Why are you getting involved Jackson?” Anger burning behind sunken eyes.
“I’m just saying, she probably wasn’t listening to your speech. She looks like she has her own thing going.”
“And besides,” Another angel in the dust, “We’re not gonna lose the game on friday Sir.” Blonde hair, and confident blue eyes.
“Now you too Grace?”
“I’m just saying we should focus on more important things, like what we’re gonna do to celebrate when we win our last game of the season.” Their star pupil, all-rounder, is smirking and it is beautiful. And her heart is racing at these two standing up for her.
“Alright boys break off,” The Coach is done with them, he’s calling it quits. No-one can say no to their charm. It falls off them like glittering dust, gold pounded into fine powder and woven into their DNA. “Remember what i said about our strategies and get good rest boys, we’re gonna kill it this friday!”
There’s a series of hollers, excitement bleeding from sweating pores. And slowly the gym empties out. Annabeth is trying to shove the last of the balls into the crate, and failing miserably as two fall from her fishing net arms and start their long journey back across the floor.
Before they can get very far, fingers have curled around them already lifting lifting lifting… she is eye level with gods and she could stare for an eternity.
“You okay?” The blonde, Grace as the coach referred to him, raises a brow.
“Wishing i’d just done my assignments instead of spending four days in a rabbit hole about ancient cities and their effects on human groupings.”
He tilts his head, processing her words, and then bursts out laughing. “Mhm, sounds infinitely more interesting than any assignment if you ask me.”
She gives a smile, as she takes the ball from him and tosses it with lazy ease into the crate, “But nowhere near as helpful to my degree.”
“Hey Jase,” The friend with the troublemaker smirk and the dark hair and the shimmering brown skin calls from across the court. “Move your ass i’m gonna try get this in.”
“Bet you ten bucks you can’t.” The blonde smirks, winking at her. “He’s definitely gonna get it in but he’s so pretty when someone challenges him I can't resist.”
“I want a bubblegum milkshake from Pop-Eye and Pies.”
The deal is made, the terms have been set, and there is so much Something™ collecting in this room.
It’s her turn to raise a brow, but before she can unpack any of his words there’s a ball soaring towards them. For a brief infinite second she thinks it’s gonna hit her square in the chest. Then it sinks, straight into the crate.
“YES!” Joyous cacophony hurtles straight through the wood floor. Jackson is running towards his friend and then they’re slamming into each other’s arms and their foreheads are pressed together and his legs, powerful and toned from hours upon hours of basketball practice, are wrapping around the blonde’s waist.
“You owe me a milkshake lover boy.”
Grace is smiling so hard Annabeth is sure his cheeks must ache. “I owe you a milkshake.”
They’re lost in each other, lost so deeply she’s sure astronomers don't even know their universe exists, despite it being within this one.
Eventually she clears her throat, because the blonde’s hand is on the crate and she doesn’t want to pull it away lest they collapse to the ground. No blackholes in this gym. That’ll be something to explain to her Professor.
“Oh sorry love,” The black-haired boy laughs, hopping away from his boyfriend. “And don’t worry about Coach. He’s all stressed ‘cause of the game.” The eye roll is dramatic and it makes her giggle.
“Yea really he’s usually pretty okay,” The blonde is nodding, “Anyway can we take you out for a milkshake to say sorry?”
“Why did you- why are you doing this?’ She’s looking at them like she’s seeing colour for the first time. “Why’d you help me?”
“We gotta protect each other.” Curly-hair shrugs. His hand twines around Grace’s, head falling to rest on his shoulder.
She realises she doesn’t actually know their names.
“I’m Annabeth,” She holds out a hand.
“Jason,” The blonde smiles, shakes it.
“Percy.” The last of them says, “Can i hug you?”
“Oh uh yea.”
And then she’s being engulfed and he smells faintly of her childhood trips to Prince Edward Island, and she can’t help but hug him back just as intensely.
When he lets go her heart tries to follow.
“Wow,” She’s wide-eyed and glittering their gold.
“He gives great hugs huh?” Jason is laughing.
“So milkshakes?” Percy smiles, looking between them.
Annabeth nods her head, unable to contain her daffodil joy. “Milkshakes.”