Rings -- for @nomi9006 -- 463 words -- Percabeth
Percy was certain he'd sweat through his freshly ironed button up already. He'd been waiting at the beach for about an hour, Piper and Hazel swearing on their lives they'd get Annabeth to the location on time.
"Are you sure you want to propose like this?" Leo had asked playfully as he, Nico, Will, and Frank helped set up the candle path. "The whole beach thing seems a bit on the nose."
"And itchy." Nico had complained. "You're getting Annabeth all dressed up just to take her to the living equivalent of Tartarus."
Will had shook his head, laughing from where he spread the blanket in the middle of the candles. "C'mon, Neeks, it's romantic."
"Don't propose to me at a beach."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Percy, now, was alone and pacing back and forth, tracking sand across the blanket he knew. It just all had to be perfect. Annabeth was. No way in Tartarus could he do something half-assed.
"Psst! Idiot, she's coming."
Percy's head snapped up to one of the long shadows, just to vaguely catch Nico's outline fading back into it.
"… Percy?"
He turned and forgot every bit of the speech he'd prepared. She was—Gods, she was stunning. Her hair laid in waves cascading down her back, and she was in a powder blue dress that looked perfectly made for her.
" I'm talking to you, Seaweed Brain."
"I—oh, right." He stood straighter, rushing to her side to lead her down the rest of the way.
"What's all this for?" Annabeth laughed, the sound prettier than any song Percy could recall hearing.
"Annabeth?"
"Mhm?"
"I love you."
Her expression softened as they reached the end of the path, the softly lapping waves nearby doing little to settle Percy's mind. "I love you too, Percy."
"And I—I had a whole speech planned. It was going to be a whole thing, and I rehearsed it so many times, and now I can't remember a word of it."
"Typical." She chuckled, reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes. "A speech for what?"
He took a deep breath, though his hands shook in hers, and he kneeled in front of her. Her hands immediately snapped to her mouth in nothing short of absolute shock.
"Annabeth Chase, will you—"
"Yes."
Percy blinked. "I didn't even—"
"Wait, sorry--sorry, go ahead." She pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes.
"Annabeth," Percy laughed. "Will you make me the happiest man, and m—"
"Yes."
Percy burst out in full laughter. "You didn't let me get it out, Wise Girl."
"I don't care—I really don't." She laughed tearfully, yanking Percy back up to his feet and into a kiss.
Percy chuckled into it. "So… the answer was…?"
"Yes, Seaweed Brain. You idiot."
