- "That thing is absolutely hideous." "My mom made it for you." "Wow, that thing really is gorgeous, isn't it? I love it."
- Percy & Annabeth
- Platonic

////

"That thing is absolutely hideous." Annabeth stated, distaste clear both in her voice and on her face. "What is it?"

Percy blinked slowly, then moved his head up to stare at one of his oldest friends; his face was, somehow, a mixture of confused and offended.

"What do you mean? My mom made it for you!" He looked down at the lumpy, grey sweater in his hands. "I think it's rather pretty."

"Wait, Sally made this?" Annabeth, at that news, snatched the sweater right from Percy's hands.

"Er, yeah, she did. Just for you."

"Wow," Annabeth spoke as she fought to get the sweater over her head, her voice faux cordial, "I love it."

Percy watched his friend with a large grin, watched her pose in every direction in front of his mirror.

"That thing really is gorgeous, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Mhm... sort of.

(It was rather ugly, Annabeth thought, but Sally had made it, just for her. So, she would put up with it.)

--

"Annabeth!" Sally greeted them at the door, her smile honest and delicate. "It's so nice to have you here with us. It's a shame your brothers couldn't come too."

"Yeah." Annabeth agreed, her voice impassive and her face unbothered.

Percy snickered.

"What a shame they couldn't be here." Percy mumbled as he pushed past the two women in the doorway and into his mother's apartment.

"He says that like he didn't have a crush on one of them for four years."

Annabeth huffed, though it came out fondly (as she had hoped it would).

"You always say this. You do remember I have, like, seven, right? Why do you never just tell me which one? It's been five years already."

Sally only laughed. Then she stuck her tongue out at the younger woman.

--

"Oh, hello, Annabeth. It's nice to see you again." Paul said gently, holding his arms out for a hug.

Annabeth practically ran the distance of the kitchen in order to hug the man.

When the two of them pulled away, Paul smiled at Annabeth.

"I like your sweater, by the way. Is it new?"

Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed, her slight smile dropping until she stood straight-faced.

"No." She said kindly. "Sally made it for me."

"I did?"

Sally blinked, looking bewildered.

Annabeth turned her entire body until she was facing Percy. She eyed him suspiciously.

"Well, Percy said you did, but it doesn't seem like that's the case."

--

"Here's your real gift, Annabeth." Sally said, staring directly at her son as she spoke.