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Camp Half-Blood was relatively quiet as most of the campers that were able had already left camp to go home for the holidays, but a number of campers had stayed behind, preferring to spend the holidays at camp for whatever reason. It was an unseasonably warm evening for the middle of December, and the snow blanketing the cabins and trees added an ethereal quality to the camp. Even though it caused a chill, the breeze was comforting as it swept through camp and tousled Annabeth’s hair. She was sitting on the roof of the Poseidon cabin with Percy, the pair of them draped in blankets. Her boyfriend was looking at her as though she had been the one to hang the stars from the night sky above them, and Annabeth knew that she was utterly in love with the boy next to her.
“You, my Wise Girl, are the epitome of all that humanity can be,” he told her. “If there is ever another person half as incredible as you, everyone that knows them will have Tyche smiling upon them.” Dramatic confessions of love were not at all out of character for Percy, and Annabeth had grown used to them. She had also grown used to the fact that her boyfriend meant each and every word. Still, she liked to tease him about it.
Annabeth grinned, putting a hand to his forehead. “Do you have a fever? What’s going on here, Percy?”
He looked at her as if she had said something insane. “Am I not allowed to appreciate my lovely girlfriend?”
She laughed. “Oh don’t get me wrong, it’s very nice.” She scooted closer to him so that they were pressed against each other and leaned her head against his shoulder. “But now I’m ever so suspicious. Did you do something that you’re trying to win me over for?”
Percy’s hand was against his chest as though Annabeth’s words had been shot into him like a bullet. “I cannot believe that you think so little of me. I would never do that. I am a responsible and mature teenager, I would never try to win you over with fancy words.
“The first time we met, I watched you drool in your sleep. You may have saved the world a couple of times now, but I need you to remember that I know every embarrassing thing that you have ever done. You’re lucky I love you anyway.” Percy’s hand had come up to wrap around her shoulder, and she felt him laugh against her. “Just in case you didn’t know, neither ‘responsible’ nor ‘mature’ describe you in the slightest.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Wise Girl.”
“You’d almost definitely have died years ago. Now come on, what did you do?”
Percy sighed, accepting defeat. “You’re too smart for me. But fine, I may or may not have done something, but you have to promise not to get mad. Okay?”
Annabeth raised an incredulous eyebrow. She was a daughter of Athena. There was no way she was going to make a promise without knowing what was about to happen. “Percy…” she warned.
“It’s a surprise, Annie. I promise you’re going to love it.” He wrapped her hand in his, his hands surprisingly warm. Annabeth was basically freezing, so she appreciated it.
“Then why did you ask me not to get mad?”
“Because. Do you want to see it or not?”
Annabeth acted as though she was unsure, pretending to contemplate the offer for a moment. In truth, she had already agreed to it the moment she had realized that he was plotting something, but this was more fun. “If you insist, Seaweed Brain.”
Percy’s grin was entirely worth it. It was bright enough to light up any room, and Annabeth had decided long ago that seeing Percy smile was probably her favourite thing. He clutched a blanket around his shoulders like it was a cape as he leapt up, extending a hand to Annabeth.
She pretended to swoon as she accepted his hand. “My night in fluffy armour.”
“My damsel who could most definitely handle herself if she was ever in distress,” Percy replied, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing the back of it. Annabeth smiled and blushed. She didn’t think she would ever be entirely used to the ease with which Percy loved her. It seemed to be as easy as breathing for him, making her blush with his simple compliments and stealing her breath with every kiss. Annabeth wished that she could display her love in the same way he did. It had never been as easy for her to let down her walls, but she had no doubt that Percy knew she loved him with all of her heart.
The two of them made their way down from the roof and began walking along the beaten trails through the camp. Paths had been shoveled through the snow nearly as soon as it had fallen, making it easy for campers to go through camp without having to pick their way through mounds of snow.
Percy and Annabeth walked along one of these trails, Percy leading her… well, she wasn’t entirely sure where she was being led. She was just trusting that Percy knew where he was going.
The two stopped in front of the shed by the lake, and Annabeth noticed that there was already a canoe on the shore. She looked over at Percy for confirmation and he gestured for her to go towards it. As Annabeth approached the canoe, she noticed that there was a basket on the sand beside it. Again she turned around to look at Percy, and he nodded, gesturing once more for her to keep going.
“Do we have permission to do this?” Annabeth asked, already having grabbed the basket.
“We both know that you’re not all that concerned about permission, Wise Girl. But yeah, I did talk to Chiron. C’mon, get in.”
Annabeth complied and Percy entered after her. They couldn’t exactly go out onto the water, seeing as the lake was frozen, but it seemed that Percy only intended to sit on the shore. Meanwhile, Annabeth opened the basket and pulled out a tin of Sally’s signature blue cookies, a bag of blue caramel popcorn, an assortment of blue jelly beans and gummies, and a Christmas card that Annabeth had no doubt had been decorated by Estelle, if the crayon drawing of three smiling stick figures wearing Santa hats was any indication. Estelle’s name was written rather large in the same crayon under Sally’s neat Christmas wishes for Percy and Annabeth.
“Mom wanted to send us some stuff, since we couldn’t be home for Christmas. I figured I’d make it a date.” Percy smiled sheepishly. “There should be something else in there too.”
He was right- at the bottom of the basket was a small velvet bag the colour of the ocean.
“What… is this?” Annabeth asked, entirely confused.
“Open it,” Percy prompted. He seemed to be holding his breath, and it was making Annabeth nervous.
Inside the bag was a silver ring with a blue gemstone. Annabeth looked up at Percy, eyes wide.
He took a breath, locking eyes with her. “I want to marry you, Annabeth. I know that we’re still young and it obviously can't happen for a long time, but one day, I want to stand at the altar with you and say, ‘I do’. I want to watch you walk towards me in a beautiful white gown- but really, you make anything look beautiful- while our parents sit in the front row and my mom is holding back tears. I want Estelle to scatter flower petals in front of you. I want your brothers to walk up with the rings. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, my Wise Girl. I love you.”
Annabeth felt as though she might cry. She didn’t think she could form a coherent sentence at the moment. She had read the dictionary for fun once, but she couldn’t recall a single word. All she could do was nod as she slipped the ring onto finger. Not the finger she would have a wedding ring on, but her right ring finger.
“Annabeth?”
“I want it too, Percy. I- gods, you’re insane. I love you, Seaweed Brain.”
Percy’s smile was blinding. He could have been a son of Apollo with how bright he was basically glowing. Annabeth was sure that her expression matched his.
“Do you want a cookie?”
Percy grabbed one before she had even finished asking the question.
“Oh, you know me so well.”