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Percy Jackson didn’t plan ahead. He was very much a go with the flow type of person, and it had worked out for him so far. He was a son of the sea god, so the currents were typically in his favor. Not really, but a man could dream. But there was one thing that he had planned. The ring.
***
They were laughing. Laughing in between kisses, barely able to process the fact that they were actually kissing. The bubble around their heads allowed for them to stay under long after the rest of the campers grew tired of waiting for the new couple to resurface. It was their fault for throwing the son of Poseidon into the water, and Percy was going to take full advantage of it.
Her lips were soft against his, delicate and slightly exploratory. Perfect against his own, like they belonged there. He personally thought they did. It sent his head spiralling, but Percy wasn’t complaining, especially not when his goddess-like girlfriend (girlfriend!!!) was gracing him with her presence, and especially not when she was kissing him. He’d let his head spiral until he got sea-sick.
Her fingers were in his hair, gently catching on the curls on the back of his neck. His hands gripped her hips (because he was a gentleman, thank you very much), though really he just wanted her as close as possible. He couldn’t imagine her being anywhere but with him.
They were barely kissing anymore; their lips were just pressed together because their smiles were too wide for anything else, but it didn’t matter. They were kissing, so all was right with the world.
When they finally pulled apart — she had to pull away because he would have kissed her until they died of old age — the smile that spread across Annabeth's face was one Percy was going to remember for the rest of his life. It would be the thing he pictured on his deathbed. The light in her eyes was something unmatched, and he couldn’t believe it was directed at him.
She giggled. It sounded like a siren song. He would’ve happily jumped in the water if he got to listen to it as he died.
She swam to the surface, braids fanning out around her body in a gorgeous pattern: a reminder of her gracefulness. He immediately missed her. Despite the fact that she was only fifteen feet away, it felt like a massive loss. The water was colder — darker — without her next to him.
He went to follow, but his eyes snagged on something peeking through the sand. Glancing towards the surface to check on Annabeth once more, he swam to the bottom. There, nestled in between a few rocks buried in the sand, was a gray pearl. It was small, and slightly flat, not the perfect sphere he was expecting, but it was gorgeous. And no, he wasn’t biased just because he was the son of the sea god. It also happened to be the exact color of Annabeth's eyes.
Smiling to himself, he pocketed the pearl, safely tucking it away for the future. One he hoped would come.
***
The end of the summer was approaching, when Percy found himself wandering down to the sea. It was a quiet night, the waves gently lapped at the sand as the sun sunk below the horizon. Tyson stood on the beach, dressed in dirty clothes, a symbol of his work in the forge. “Brother!” the cyclops exclaimed, wrapping the sixteen year old in a hug. “What can Tyson do for Percy?”
Gently, as though handling precious jewels or a bond, Percy pulled out the gray pearl, holding it up to his brother. “Would you make this a ring? Something gold and somewhat delicate, but also something durable, like it could hold up in a fight,” Percy described carefully, his mind drifting to a girl and not the ring. It had to fit her.
“For Annabeth?” Tyson asked excitedly, taking the pearl carefully. “You want a relationship with her?”
“Sort of for her, yeah bud,” Percy chuckled. “Our relationship isn’t at that stage yet. For the future, though. We’re not quite there, but I want to be ready for when we are.”
Tyson nodded in understanding, surveying the pearl in his hand. “Tyson will make a pretty ring for his brother to give Annabeth. I will make it now, so you can have it back before you go home to Sally.”
Percy smiled gratefully at the cyclops, hugging him in thanks. They said goodbye, and Percy watched as Tyson slipped back into the waves, going to help prepare his future.
***
The cyclops ran over to Percy excitedly, footsteps thundering on the ground. “Tyson is finished, brother!” He handed over a shell, delicately protected in a layer of something, resin most likely, to preserve the shell. Carefully, Percy opened the case, staring at the ring in awe.
It screamed Annabeth. The pearl itself lay relatively flat, just slightly shined, but its natural look was preserved. Delicate gold vines weaved around it, securing it safely in its rightful place. The rest of the ring resembled the laurel she wore for special occasions. It was a thinner band, but Percy didn’t underestimate its strength. He knew his brother designed it to last, and he was sure that it would.
He had provided Tyson with Annabeth’s ring size, which he had shamelessly got after stealing one of her rings and having one of the Aphrodite girls tell him what size it was. They tried to question him, but he had come up with a lie about his mother that they seemed to believe. Still, looking at it now, Percy thought it was tiny. It didn’t even fit his pinky, yet he knew that it would fit his girlfriend whenever he decided to give it to her.
A smile spread across his face as he continued to turn the ring between his fingers, staring at the detailed workmanship that had clearly taken Tyson many hours. Then he saw it.
On the inside of the ring, so delicately engraved that he almost missed it, read Always my Wise Girl. He hadn’t even asked Tyson to put it on, hadn’t thought that he could get it engraved, but his brother knew him too well. Knew exactly what to write to make both him and his girlfriend cry (in the future, though she would deny it ever happening). He ran the pad of his fingers over the engraved words, completely in awe of the details, a clear sign of the love and care that his brother had poured into its creation.
“Thank you, Tyson,” Percy finally said, voice slightly breathless. “It’s perfect.”
“I hope Annabeth likes it too.” The cyclops grinned, hands fiddling with a tool inside his belt. “Tell me what she thinks when you give it to her.”
Percy chuckled, patting Tyson’s arm. “I will. It’s gonna be a while though.”
“I will wait.” Tyson nodded in assurance. He watched as Percy carefully tucked the ring back into the shell, closing and clasping the container before tucking it into his pocket. The cyclops embraced his brother, almost squeezing the air from the half-blood as he said goodbye. “She will say yes when you ask,” he stage-whispered seriously.
“That’s the plan,” the hero responded, simply praying that his brother was right. “You’ll hear all about it eventually.” Far in the future, but still, hopefully a future that existed because he couldn’t imagine one without Annabeth.
***
Sighing heavily, Percy entered the Poseidon cabin. His muscles ached, and the cuts littered across his skin stung with every movement. Riptide, though in pen-form, was heavy in his pocket, a sign of the weight each strike had.
It had been months since he had been back in his father’s cabin. It smelled the same: the saltiness of the ocean mixed with the scent of an oncoming storm. But it was darker. Maybe that was due to the setting sun, but it felt intrinsically connected to how Percy felt. Darker.
Too much had happened in the past months, and he couldn’t wrap his head around it all. The only thing that made sense was Annabeth. The everlasting love that he felt for his partner was only highlighted by the events that they had dealt with. She had built a permanent place in his mind, and not even a goddess could take her out. She wasn’t just a part of his mind or heart, she had made a home in his soul. Annabeth Chase would forever be a part of him. He could forget his own name (and did), but she would be remembered no matter what.
And then they had found each other. Well. She found him. He started to imagine their future again, something that had been impossible when he couldn’t remember their past, but he could finally see it. It wasn’t what he had been planning originally, but in New Rome they could be safe. They wouldn’t have to deal with monsters or gods; they could just live their lives together. It seemed like the bare minimum, yet so important all the same. He wanted it desperately.
Even hanging off the cliff, barely holding on to his tiny ledge, he couldn’t picture a life without her. His life didn’t exist without her. So instead he held her, and Arachne, and possibly a car, as he swore that he would never leave her again. He had never meant anything more.
So down they fell into the pit of horrors and death. Together. They survived. Together. Protected each other. Refused to let the other go, and it kept them alive. They made it out. Together. Them and their trauma, but they had each other, and that was enough. They were forever Percy and Annabeth. There was not one without the other.
Neither really knew where to go from there; they didn’t have time to question it before Gaia rose, but everything had finally settled. Gaia was gone. The Athena Parthenon had been returned. They were done. They could finally move on with their lives and create the future Percy had been dreaming about.
Percy made his way over to the dresser, pulling open the bottom drawer. His camp shirts were messily thrown in, overflowing out of the dark wood drawer, but they weren’t what he was looking for. At the very bottom, his hand found the resin coated shell. Grasping the case, he pulled it out of the dark, unclasping it carefully.
Inside sat the ring. The one he hadn’t seen in months. The first memory that truly returned to him on the way back from Alaska. Delicately, he pulled it out of the padding, turning it in his hands. It looked the same as what he remembered, but it was surreal to hold it in his hands. He was glad it was safe, though he did silently wish that he had had it in California as a reminder of what he was fighting for.
Still, he was glad to have it in his hands, pleased that it was just as gorgeous as he remembered, and matched Annabeth so perfectly. A knock echoed through the cabin, and he slid the ring back in the shell, tucking it safely into his drawer before grabbing a fresh shirt.
Opening the door, he was met with the sight of his partner, hair hanging down her back, gray eyes tired but soft. She was in the same clothes she had been wearing all day, but she had a bundle of fabric tucked under her arm. Without a word, he opened his arms and she stepped into them, burying her face in his chest.
His chin rested against the top of her head as they stood in the doorway, just enjoying each other's presence. “Can I sleep here?” the girl whispered, barely understandable.
“Always,” he responded sincerely, pulling back just enough so he could kiss her forehead. “Why don’t you take a shower, and then we can go to bed.” She nodded against him, sighing deeply into his chest. “We’ll be okay. You’ll always have me, Wise Girl.”
“You have me too, Seaweed Brain,” she replied before heading to his bathroom to change. He watched her go, simply content to have her with him again, and as he got their bed ready, he smiled as it reminded him of the future he had planned.
***
He was sitting in his Politics class at New Rome University, leaning back in the uncomfortable chair as the professor droned on about negotiations. Percy had been taking notes on his laptop (which Leo had created to not attract monsters), but the teacher had veered off the topic onto a story of when he didn’t look like he could die at any second.
The twenty-year-old tuned him out, barely able to keep his eyes awake during the lecture. He had chosen Political Science with a minor in Marine Biology because apparently he needed to be nice to the gods if he wanted them to listen, but he started to regret it when the classes were nothing but professors claiming their superiority and power that they may or may not have had in their youth. Percy honestly doubted it.
But he was here, mostly because Annabeth would kill him if he skipped class. If he wasn’t so afraid of his partner, he might have risked it, but she was terrifying and she knew it. That was a deadly combination, on top of the fact that he loved her too much to do anything that might make her unhappy. So he showed up to the class and sat through the horrible stories, praying that eventually they would talk about the actual curriculum.
His hand slipped into his pocket automatically. When he was in high school, his hand would find Riptide as a pen, using it as reassurance that he could protect himself and those around him if necessary.
Now it finds the shell case holding Annabeth’s engagement ring. He didn’t have a proposal planned. They had talked about it briefly but had agreed that they didn’t want to get married during college. He would marry her anytime, anywhere, but he was happy to wait for her.
They were in their third year at NRU, and they were thoroughly enjoying their time away from both monsters and gods. He had let her completely decorate their apartment, only asking for at least some blue, and she had agreed. Their bedroom was a soft gray-blue that looked incredible. He was definitely not biased.
Either way, Percy was enjoying their life. He had Annabeth, and that was all he needed if the ring in his pocket was any representation. Fiddling with the clasp, he quietly fidgeted with the case and the ring inside, using it as a small reminder of everything that he had. A small smile slid onto his lips as he watched his professor pace because instead of thinking about negotiations, he was thinking about his future with Annabeth, now more sure than ever.
***
“Absolutely not,” Athena cried, staring down at Percy in disgust.
The twenty-one-year-old scoffed, a mixture of annoyance and anger clouding his tone. “What do you mean? Why can you not accept that I love your daughter? Why can you not accept that I make her happy?”
Athena looked down at the half-blood, arms crossed in defiance. “She simply doesn’t know what she wants. She will realize that she deserves better eventually.”
Percy rolled his eyes, almost amused by her obvious hatred. “If there’s anyone who knows what they want, it’s Annabeth. She has always known exactly what she wanted, and she has never been afraid to go get it.” He stepped up to the goddesses throne, meeting her eyes with determination. “If she didn’t want me, I’d have been on the curb years ago. Have I not proved that I love her? Am I still not worthy?”
“You will never be worthy of my daughter.” Poseidon laughed heartily beside her. She fixed the god with a glare, but he held his ground.
“How? What more could I do?” Percy asked desperately. He wasn’t beyond begging, especially if it meant he got to call Annabeth his wife with her mother’s permission. “I have loved her since I was twelve years old. I remembered her when I didn’t even know my own name. I fell into Tartarus with her. We have been together for over five years, and lived together for almost four of them. We’re about to graduate university together. I’ve had her engagement ring since I was sixteen. What more could I do?” he cried, brandishing the shell case like it would prove his love.
“You will never earn my blessing,” the goddess replied coldly, trying to hide the look of approval she directed towards the ring. “There’s no point in trying.”
Percy chuckled dryly. “I’m not trying for me,” he told her, tilting his head to the side. “I’m asking her to marry me with or without your permission. I’m asking because your acceptance means so much to Annabeth. I know how happy she would be if you gave me your blessing, but it isn’t needed.” Athena frowned, mind trying to figure out what he was saying. “She’ll say yes either way. We’ve talked about marriage enough that I know that. Regardless of whether I have your blessing or not, I will be marrying your daughter. The only thing that changes is if you get invited to the wedding.”
Poseidon keeled over in his throne, choking on his own laughter. He had given Percy his blessing only seconds after he asked, and he was simply enjoying the show. Athena would cave eventually, that much the sea god knew for certain, but it was fun to watch her try to deny it.
To his side, Athena gasped in shock. “How dare you talk to me like that! I am a goddess.”
“And I’m your daughter’s partner,” Percy argued back. “The person who has actually been there for her for the last ten years. Where have you been? Not with her. She does care about you, just not enough to not marry me.”
“You would dare to defy a god?”
“Athena, I have defied gods before with things a lot bigger than marrying your daughter. I haven’t been killed yet, so I think I should be fine. Largely because I know that you would never so directly interfere with Annabeth’s happiness, which is why I also know that you will give me your blessing and you will be at our wedding,” he replied smoothly, smiling at his future mother-in-law. “You love her in whatever way godhood allows, and you want her to be happy. Unfortunately for you, that means that she’s with me. It’s rather fortunate for me.”
He smiled, carefully closing the shell case in his hands. “So, can I please have your blessing. Let me make your daughter happy for the rest of her life. As long as I am alive, she will always have someone who loves her. I’m hoping that you can see that long enough to set our rivalry aside because we both want the same thing. We both want her to be happy, and I know that she will be happy with me. Please, let me prove it to you.”
The goddess glared at him once more, but it was futile. He wasn’t backing down, and she knew that he was right. “Fine. You have my blessing. If you hurt her, I will have your head.”
“If I hurt her,” he swore, “I’ll offer you my neck.” She nodded once, and he smiled as the pieces began to fall in place for their future.
***
“Mom!” Percy called as he stepped through the doorway, tossing his keys into the bowl in the entryway. “Are you here?”
“Percy?” a voice called back, confusion etched into her tone. “What are you doing here? I didn’t think you were coming until dinner.”
Percy chuckled as Sally wrapped him in a hug. Despite him being significantly taller than her now, she still managed to hug him like he was a toddler. “I know. Sorry for just stopping by, but I wanted to talk to you without Annabeth, and I figured I wouldn’t get that chance tonight. You refuse to leave her alone. I swear, you love her more than me.”
She patted his head in false pity. “You would be correct. I love that girl, and I’m extremely glad you brought her home to me. It makes it much easier for me, and I don’t have to explain to the police why it appears like I’ve kidnapped her.”
He rolled his eyes in amusement, laughing at her antics. “Please, like anyone would accuse you of kidnapping. I remember being accused of kidnapping you when I was twelve years old and people bought it like it would be insane for you to even consider abducting me.”
“Ah, yes,” she replied, staring fondly at her son as though remembering that summer. “So, why did you need to talk to me?”
“Well,” Percy started as they sat on the couch. His hand was already in his pocket, shell gripped firmly in his palm. He pulled it out, showing the ring to his mother. “I think that you’ll be extremely pleased to know that I am planning on proposing to Annabeth.”
There was a moment of silence as she blinked at the ring in her hands, processing the words. Then, a high-pitched sound shot out of her mouth as what can only be described as a shriek. It was loud, loud enough that the neighbors were probably worried, but Sally wasn’t done. She practically bounced from her seat to wrap her son in a tight hug. Laughter mixed with tears of joy as he returned the hug, just happy to see his mother so elated.
“Incredible!” his mother squealed. “Does she know? Oh, how are you going to do it? When? I’ll have to start planning the wedding immediately! I have so many ideas! Percy, this is amazing. It’s taken you long enough. You should have brought the girl into this family years ago. Thank Hestia, it’s taken far too long, but that’s okay. It’s happening now, and that’s all that matters.” She continued to rant about weddings, parties, and different kinds of cakes while both congratulating and reprimanding the boy who just stood there speechless.
“Mom,” he interrupted gently, drawing her attention back to him. “She doesn’t know that I’m planning to propose.” She frowned for a second, but it disappeared as he continued, “We’ve talked about marriage, so I know she wants it, but please don’t spoil it tonight. I really want it to be a surprise. Somehow she always knows what I’m planning, but I think I’ll truly surprise her this time, but you have to keep it a secret.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “That’s even better. Yes, of course. I will be on my best behavior tonight. I won’t even tell Paul because you know that he is a terrible secret-keeper. She will have no idea, I promise.”
“Thank you,” he whispered, wrapping her in a hug again.
She sighed against his shoulder, smiling brightly. “Oh, I’m so glad you two get the future that you deserve.” She pulled back, holding the ring delicately in her fingers. There was a proud look on her face as she glanced between the ring and her boy, pleased with the man that he had become, and so excited to see what his future held in store.
***
His final stop on telling people about the proposal was Grover. They had agreed to meet at a little coffee shop in New York because Grover loved their pastries and utensils. The bell above the door chimed as Percy walked in, spotting his satyr friend already at a table.
“Hey, Perce,” Grover greeted, pulling him into a hug. Percy slapped his back a few times before they both took their seats, and Grover began to stuff his mouth with flakey pastries and metal.
“So,” Percy started, pulling out the shell.
“Oh thank Pan,” Grover interrupted, leaning back in his chair. “I thought you were never going to do it. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this day?”
Percy blinked, dumbfounded. “Huh?”
“I mean, I understood when you didn’t do it immediately,” Grover continued, ignoring Percy’s confusion. “You were sixteen and had barely started dating. But then you went to college and I just kept waiting for the call, and it never came.”
“You knew?” Percy asked when the satyr finally paused to eat a spoon.
“Obviously,” Grover nodded through the crunches of metal. “Empathy link, dude. It doesn’t tell me what you’re thinking, but your mind isn’t that hard to understand. Also, I think the only person who doesn’t know what you’re planning is Annabeth. Honestly, the two of you are so smart, yet so completely oblivious about anything to do with one another. I was ready to lock you in a closet quite a few times before you finally got together. Let’s see the ring, though”
Percy opened and closed his mouth, doing an incredible imitation of the other animals in his father’s domain as he stared at his best friend. “I can’t believe you knew.” The satyr nodded, curls bouncing slightly around his horns. “So, you’re okay with it? Me asking her?” he asked as he pulled out the shell, showing the pearl ring to his best friend.
Grover fixed him with a look that rivaled the ones Annabeth gave him. “Obviously. Am I super pleased about being the indefinite third wheel? Not really. But will I be incredibly happy for the two of you when you finally pop the question? Absolutely. You two are soulmates, Perce, and I’m so happy for you.” He picked up the shell, examining the ring with exaggerated focus, but the smile that graced his lips was a clear sign of the pride he felt. “It’s gorgeous. Absolutely Annabeth. Well done, Perce.”
“Thanks, G-man.” Percy smiled, mind drifting towards the future once more. “You’ll be my best man?” Grover laughed, and Percy joined him as they thought about what the future had in store.
***
“Hey Beth?” Percy called as he carefully positioned himself on one knee. His suit pants made it slightly difficult, but they were what Annabeth had laid out for him, and he wasn’t one to disagree with her.
She looked gorgeous in her silk, dark purple dress that flowed down her legs like waves. The hem hit her feet, but a slit climbed up the side of her right leg, revealing her muscular calf and thigh. The back was open, and thin spaghetti straps hung over her shoulders, holding up the v-neck of the front. She had gold jewelry on her hands and neck, complimenting her dark skin in a way that made her look even closer to godhood. Though she always looked like a goddess in his unbiased opinion. Her hair was out of its braids, instead it was in its natural afro that haloed around her head like an angel. Gods above, he was so in love with her.
She didn’t listen to him right away, too focused on the architecture of the ancient temple. It wasn’t the Parthenon, but he had managed to convince Aphrodite to help him clear it for the evening in order to give them privacy.
He had organized a fancy dinner, totally private for the two of them, lit by candles and the stars. They had talked, laughed, and admired the gorgeous building (that part was mostly her because he was far too busy admiring her). They had wandered around, candles clutched in their hands as they made their way through the temple before they made it to his favorite part.
The ceiling was open, giving them a full view of the clear sky, twinkling with constellations. It was dark enough that the milky way peeked through the darkness, blessing the couple with a gorgeous night. “Beth?” he said again, and she finally turned to him.
Her eyes snagged on him on one knee, shell opened in his hands, and she froze. Her gorgeous gray eyes went wide as she took in the scene in front of her before she finally found his gaze. “Beth,” he started.
“Yes,” she interrupted immediately, walking over to him with determination.
He laughed, slightly pleased and definitely relieved, but he didn’t pull the ring out. “Let me finish.” She nodded, and he continued, “I have loved you since we were twelve years old, and you told me that I drool in my sleep. I didn’t know it at the time. But looking back on it, I know I was. I have known that was in love with you since we were fourteen and you kissed me before I blew up a volcano. I probably was before then, but that was a pretty good trigger.” She breathed shakily, standing in front of him with tears already slipping down her cheeks.
“Now, I’ve never been good at planning things. That was always your area of expertise, but I am proud to say that you’ve rubbed off on me.” She laughed, and it reminded him of the gorgeous sound he heard under the lake when they got together. “I have been planning to marry you since we were sixteen.” The gasp she let out made everything worth it. Her eyes glistened, sparkling with love, excitement, and a tiny bit of mischief. “I had Tyson make this ring for you a week after our underwater kiss. You have been it for me for longer than I probably should admit. No one else comes close to how much you mean to me. I will spend the rest of my life proving how much I love you, as long as you let me. I love you so much. It would mean the world to me if you let me be your husband to stand by you for the rest of our lives.” He took a deep breath, looking up at his life partner, the love of his life, his soulmate. “Will you, Annabeth Chase, make me the happiest person in the world, and marry me?” She was nodding before he got the full question out, tears streaming down her face as her hand clamped over her mouth.
Finally, everything fell into place as she repeated, “yes,” what felt like a million times, and he could hear it a million more. Both of their hands trembled as he pulled the ring out of the shell, the one he had been carrying around for four years, waiting for the right time. Sliding it onto her finger, they both stared at it for what felt like an eternity. A symbol of their future. The one that was finally here, and Percy couldn’t be happier.
They kissed under the stars, laughing and crying as all the emotions bubbled up. He pulled out a blanket, and they laid down, eyes to the sky as they began planning their future together, the pearl ring finally sitting in its rightful place. Annabeth’s ring finger.