“You like him, don’t you?”
Annabeth looked up from her architectural doodles to see Silena perch beside her. She was momentarily surprised; while she and the daughter of Aphrodite got along, they’d never been what Annabeth might consider close. Still, Silena was sweet and friendly, and Annabeth found herself opening up to her.
“Well, I mean, Percy’s all right,” she said thoughtfully, “and he’s got a lot going for him, you know? But we’re just friends,” she added quickly. “It’s not—like that.”
Silena raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. “Well, that’s good to know,” she said, “but I wasn’t talking about Percy.” Annabeth must have looked quizzical, because Silena added gently, “I was talking about Luke. You have feelings for him, don’t you?”
Annabeth froze, her mind automatically running through the last seven or so years of her life.

Luke pulls back the sheet of tin seven-year-old Annabeth hides behind. She almost manages to hit him with her hammer, but he stops her and holds her and speaks to her soothingly until she calms down. He offers her first his knife and then a promise: that they’ll be a family, and he’ll never let anyone hurt her.

Luke teaches Annabeth how to use her knife. He’s patient and doesn’t lose his temper, not even when she almost skewers him a few times.

Luke holds her after Thalia’s death and transformation into a pine tree, wiping away her tears. “She’s happier now, Annabeth,” he tells her. “She’s finally at peace. That’s what she wanted.” It wasn’t until much, much later that Annabeth realized he’d been holding back tears, too.

Luke instructs Annabeth in her first sword lesson at camp. She’s never used a sword before, but she remembers some basic tips Luke taught her from when she learned to fight with a knife and picks it up quickly. She carries the warm memory of the look of pride on his face with her for weeks afterward.

Annabeth watches Luke duel a quick succession of other campers and admires his swordsmanship. He’s never had professional training, she knows, and yet he’s still the best fighter at camp. She feels a little glow of pride every time someone compliments him, like she personally had something to do with it.

The camp gathers on the beach for the fireworks display. Annabeth sits close to Luke but not close enough to look like she’s trying too hard. When she thinks no one’s looking, she sneaks glances at his face. She’s seen the fireworks display multiple times before, and she finds watching Luke a lot more interesting.

Annabeth draws architectural sketches on the pier, tongue between her teeth as she concentrates. Luke watches over her shoulder. “That’s really good,” he says. “I wish I had your talent.” Annabeth is grateful that her hair covers her blush.

Annabeth lies awake at night, her arm thrown over her eyes. Much as she doesn’t want them to, her thoughts keep circling back to Luke. She’s so embarrassed about it that she can’t meet Luke’s eyes the next day.

Annabeth came back to the present to find a puzzled Silena staring at her.
“No,” she forced herself to say. “I think you’re mistaken, Silena. I don’t have any feelings for Luke at all.”