Gwen and Courtney’s World Tour friendship was completely idiotic. People need to stop acting like they were best friends forever, when up until the London episode, the only things they really bonded over was hating Heather and missing Duncan.
"I swear to god that it was just here last night- and I'm sure I didn't move it anywhere- fuck- and I'm tearing the house apart just looking for it!"
"Okay, slow down," Grover says into the iris call, "What are you looking for?"
Percy looks down in shame, eyebrows knitting together and lips tugging downwards into a deep frown. His voice comes out ashamed, dissapointed.
"Annabeth's... uh. Engagement ring."
"Annabeth's enga- Percy, you had one job!"
From outside the car, Percy just seems to be a little distressed- nervous, even. He doesn't look like he's going to propose in less than an hour (hopefully, if everything goes right, which it's definitely not) or that he lost the engagement ring that belongs on the hand of the love of his life- Annabeth's hand.
And it's been a long day. Annabeth seems to think this is a little birthday celebration for him, thinks that they'll spend the rest of the late afternoon watching the sunset and enjoying the cool evening together eating cupcakes. Its far from a regular birthday celebration; because it's (technically) their anniversary too.
"I KNOW!" Percy screams back, close to tears, "I know, I was doing my best to be the most careful I possibly could, but it's not here anymore- it should be in my pocket!"
"Where was the last place you put it?"
"...Where It put it?" He says like he's walking on eggshells, "Look, i've been careful with it all night, 'Kay? It just... dissapeared!"
"I don't think engagement rings can do that," Grover sighs.
"Have you looked all over the car?"
"Mhm!"
"On the floors, in the seats? Under the seats?"
"Yeah!"
"On the dashboard?"
"Yes, I-" Percy reaches forward, deep, running his hands against the large expanse of the—leather dashboard expecting nothing but air until his fingers brush against what feels like a velvet box.
The silence tells all to Grover, a hand coming up to slap himself in the face. "Oh my god."
"I'm an idiot," He falls back into his seat, instantly holding the tiny box against his chest, "Such an idiot."
"No, you're not, just way too nervous." Grover heaves a huge sigh of relief from his side of the call, "Just try to propose with making a fool out of yourself, okay?"
"Thanks, G-man. What would I do with you, huh?"
"Uh-huh. Good luck."
"Thanks. I'll need it."
Less than four seconds later, Percy is out of the car (Engagement ring in tow for once) and on his way sprinting to the canoe lake of camp half blood.
"Wisegirl!" Percy calls out to her figure, legs dangling off the dock. Annabeth's switched out her signature chb shirt for a nice, floral sundress that compliments her golden curls and bright smile. He's so nervous.
Can he really do this?
"Percy!" She beams, "Did you find your extra underwear?"
He cringes at his rushed excuse. "U-uh, totally!" An awkward cough, "Yeah."
"Great." She pats the space next to her. "Sit. The views beautiful."
Sitting down with a little 'oof', Percy smiles. "Yeah," He agrees, but he's not really looking at the lake.
The canoe lake, usually filled with campers, is empty— save for a few ducks enjoying the cool waters. The setting sun strikes the sky with soft, warm colours, golden hour only making Annabeth more beautiful.
"Are you enjoying your birthday?"
"O-of course. Always, when i'm with you."
She playfully nudges him. "So cheesy." Annabeth giggles.
Percy wants to take this slow— wants to be sweet, soft, sincere. He wants to be a gentleman and treat her because she deserves it— god, Annabeth deserves it— but his palms are sweating and his mind is racing and his mouth is opening—
"I love you."
Annabeth looks at him weirdly, chuckling. "And I love you too."
"You know that I love you more than ever?"
"More than ever." She affirms.
"I-I want you to know that, because I always will. And I want this moment to be perfect, because I love you so much, but today has been a very slow, very bad day—" He's reaching into his pocket, that troublesome velvet box in hand, "But as long as you're here, I know all the other days won't be that way."
Annabeth's eyes are with tears shining now, and Percy knows his eyes are too.
"I want to grow old with you. I want to love you as long as I possibly can, and I can't imagine a world without you here, Wisegirl. Annabeth Chase, will you spend every day together, with me, and marry me?"
"G-god- of course I will, yes!" Annabeth pulls him close, hugging him, tears streaming down her face, "Yes, yes, yes!"
Percy's heart is beating a mile per minute as he slides the ring on her finger, wisegirl— his wisegirl— blabbering how much she loves him and how she can't wait to wake up to him every day.
"D-don't cry, please, don't cry," Percy says, but he's crying just as much. "I love you. More than you'll ever know."
It takes a while to calm down the both of them, because they're both busy peppering kisses on the others face. It's astounding on how genuinely happy they are— years of suffering, years of wondering if every day was their last has led up to this moment.
There are few things certain in life for Percy, but he knows two things for sure: He loves Annabeth Chase beyond words, and that he wants to spend every day by her side.
Dracul's claws carefully card through the sleeping man's hair. It would be such a beautiful red once the man wakes and gets a bath. It felt dirty and greasy in his fingers, but Dracul didn't mind. The stranger's whole body needed a good cleaning. It was covered in blood and filth. He would have to have one of the servants clean the bed when the time came. His body was so thin too. Ribs poking out from his chest and the collarbone too visible through his skin, why such a punishment to this beautiful creature?
The sleeping man was breathing so shallowly. It made Dracul's mind burn with curiosity. Where did this man come from? Why was he injured? Who even was he? All thoughts coursing through his jumbled mind. The black marks on the stranger's body seemed to almost... Pulsate. It burned when Dracul's fingers traced along the marks on the stranger's face.
Dracul could sense the dark magic emanating from the man, but the source was unfamiliar. It was definitely demonic in origin. Unmistakenly, the man was human, but had been marked by something dark and demonic. He lifts the sleeping man's lip, looking at the fangs the man bore.
"Fangs when you're human?" Dracul tilts his head and mumbles curiously. His thumb traces along one of the fangs. They felt delicate. Not the strong fangs of a vampire or beast, but the delicacy of a human tooth. This made Dracul even more curious about the stranger. He extracts his hand from his mouth, briefly dipping down to touch that pallor neck, before going back to petting that beautiful red hair.
I figured today I'd post an ITBASM snippet I'd had written because my goal/plan is to be working on NaNoWriMo for all of November, so my mind will be on that instead.
Happy Hallowe’en, even though this very much has nothing to do with Hallowe’en.
“Baba!”
Rami looks up from the sink, confused. “Did you forget something?” Sami and Joe had just left the house to take Sami to school. So he really wasn’t expecting him back so soon.
Sami runs into the kitchen, bouncing up and down. He’s still wearing his jacket and hat and boots, and he has a huge grin on his face.
“Hello,” Rami says, drying his hands. “Did you forget something?” he asks again.
“No!” Sami hops up and down a couple more times. “I’m not going!”
“Not going where?”
“Papa said the car can’t go!” Sami squeals and starts running around.
Rami walks over to the kitchen window, looking outside. Joe’s got a shovel, and is struggling to dig out the drive. He taps on the window, and Joe looks up.
“Can’t get out!” Joe calls. “Snow day!”
Rami sighs, and looks back at Sami. It’s not that he doesn’t like spending time with him, but he also wasn’t planning on entertaining him today. “What are we gonna do with you?” he asks.
“Can I play outside?” Sami asks.
“Let’s get you changed into something a little comfier,” Rami says. He looks over at Rosemary, who’s happily chewing on her bib in her bouncer. “Come along.” He picks her up, and follows Sami up to his room. He gets him out of his school uniform and into some play clothes, and then he bundles him up in some snowpants and his jacket. Rami leads him downstairs and opens the door, and Sami practically throws himself outside.
“Papa!”
Joe sets the shovel down, and wipes his brow. “What’s going on, kiddo?”
Sami stumbles in the snow, and pushes himself up. “Baba says I can play.”
“Be careful,” Joe says.
Rami shields Rosemary from the cool wind, and sticks his head outside the door. “Joe!”
“Rami!”
“Put the shovel down,” Rami says. “We’ll deal with it after the plough.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Joe says, and he tosses the shovel to the side. “Snow day!” He runs over to Sami and flops down in the snow.
“Your jeans are gonna be soaked,” Rami says.
“I don’t care,” Joe says, though he does kind of immediately regret it. He’s dressed for taking Sami to school, not for playing in the snow.
“I’m gonna build a snowman!” Sami says. “Papa, help me.”
“What about you, Baba?” Joe asks.
“It’s a little chilly for Rosie,” Rami says. “But I’ll watch from inside for now.”
“I’ll make it by the window!” Sami says, and he hurries over to the sunroom— as fast as he can go with snow up to his knees, anyway.
“Call my besties!” Joe exclaims, as he follows behind Sami. “This is a great spot, kiddo.”
“I’m sure they’re working,” Rami says, but he goes inside anyway, and finds his mobile. Surprisingly, Gwil is off (Ben is attempting to work from home). Not surprisingly, they’re snowed in for the moment as well, but they’re working on getting out.
Rami tosses Joe a hat and some gloves so he doesn’t freeze, and then he settles into the sunroom with Rosemary. He watches Sami and Joe through the window, smiling and waving whenever Sami looks up. When Rosemary’s older, they’ll be outside with them. Rami can’t wait. Right now, she’s still too little and it’s just a little too cold.
The snow plough comes by, and Joe holds on tight to Sami’s hand so that he doesn’t run closer. “Papa, look!”
“Oh, I see,” Joe says. “Cleaning off the road, helping us out.”
Sami waves eagerly at the snow plough driver, who honks the horn and waves back.
“C’me here,” Joe says, and he swoops down to pick Sami up. “You wanna keep watching or can we go warm up for a minute?”
“I wanna watch,” Sami says.
“Okay,” okay.”
They watch for a couple minutes longer, and then Joe takes Sami inside. Their snowman is a little rough looking, but Joe’s feet are cold, and he wants to see Rami and Rosemary.
“Who wants hot cocoa?” Rami asks.
“I do!” Joe says.
“Me too!” Sami says.
“Let me see Rosie,” Joe says, and he walks over to her crib where she’s napping.
Sami gets out of his snow gear and climbs up onto his chair, watching Rami make their drinks.
“How is it outside?” Rami asks.
“Huh, cold."
“But fun?”
“Yeah, a lot."
“Good.”
“Baba, can I have marshmallows?”
“Oh, I think so,” Rami says. “A snow day treat.”
“Can I go out again?”
“Later, once you’ve warmed up,” Rami says.
They’re all in the living room, drinking their hot cocoa, when there’s a knock at the front door, and then the heavy stomping of feet.
“Brr!” Gwil calls out. “It’s chilly!”
“My bestie!” Joe exclaims, and he smiles happily at Gwil when he joins them in the living room.
“Tell me you didn’t walk here,” Rami says.
Ben pops his head around the doorframe. “I drove.”
“That’s even worse,” Rami says. “Are the roads clear?”
“They’re not bad,” Ben says. “You wouldn’t let us stay if we got snowed in?”
“We don’t have any room,” Joe says.
“Would you like a hot cocoa?” Rami asks.
“Shouldn’t you be working?” Joe asks.
“The office closed today,” Gwil says.
“I am working, sort of,” Ben says. “I’ll look at my research later. But yes, I would love a hot cocoa. I can make it myself.”
“I’d love one too, love,” Gwil says. “Thanks.”
“I’ll help,” Joe says, and he hops up to follow Ben into the kitchen, probably to steal more marshmallows.
“How are the roads, really?” Rami asks.
“We could’ve stayed home,” Gwil says. “Little rough getting off the hill. But the main road is fine.”
“We’ve got to shovel,” Rami says.
“No, I recommend just staying home until it melts,” Gwil says.
“Uncle Gwil?” Sami asks, turning in his seat to look up at him.
“Yes,” Gwil says, leaning down over him.
“I made a snowman, do you want to see?”
“Oh, of course I do,” Gwil says.
“I’ll show you.” Sami carefully climbs off the sofa and leads Gwil into the sunroom.
“Oh wow,” Gwil says, looking out the window. “Lovely, that. Brilliant job.”
“Do you want to play outside with me?” Sami asks hopefully.
“Can I have a hot cocoa first?” Gwil asks, and Sami nods eagerly, so Gwil leans to pick him up. “Let’s go bother Uncle Ben, then.”
“I don’t wanna be mean!”
Gwil chuckles. “You’re right, you’re right. Very bright old chap.”
“Can I have hot cocoa?” Sami asks.
Gwil glances back at the living room, confused. “Weren’t you already drinking one?” he asks.
“Yes, I was,” Sami whispers in Gwil’s ear. “But can I have more marshmallows?”
Gwil grins at him, and presses a playful kiss to his cheek. “It’s a snow day, Sami. I think we can all have extra marshmallows.”
