It's Always Back To You

Afterglow (A Percabeth Oneshot)

We were love drunk, waiting on a miracle.

I try to calm my nerves and anxiously wipe my sweaty palms on my pants leg.

Today's the day. Grover knows it and so do I.

Precisely ten years after Annabeth and my underwater kiss, I'm going to propose. If... if I don't back out at least.

"Come on, man, you can do it!" Grover assures me.

I smile back nervously. Grover's happy energy's infectious, and I'm now feeling better about this.

Tryna find ourselves in the winter snow.

Everyone thought Annabeth and I would get married as soon as we turned 18 since they saw how deeply in love we were. However, they never knew about our talks deep into the night over IM and our stolen moments at Camp talking about our future. Annabeth had decided to pursue her dream goal and had attended classes, universities, and workshops, so we had decided to pull off going too serious until her plans had been reached. And now, at 26, she was nationally known and soon to become the next it millionaire.

So alone in love like the world had disappeared.

Annabeth walks over, beaming, and I'm breathless at how beautiful she looks. Her blond hair bounces as she moves, and her smile is as radiant as the sun. I want to caress her softly, hold her and whisper sweet nothings into her ear.

I start walking over to her myself, and my breath catches at the way her Camp necklace swings back and forth enchantingly.

"Hey, Perce," she calls, then starts jogging over to me.

I try to smooth my Camp shirt and squeak out, "Hey, Annie."

Grover snorts, and I glare at him. I motion my fingers for him to go away, but Grover just shrugs. I look back at Annabeth, and my heart melts at how amused she seems.

Grover looks at me and mouths, "simp," to which I answer by angrily shooing him away. With one final look, he's gone.

Annabeth laughs and asks, "what's your special surprise?"

I blush out of the blue.

Oh, I won't be silent and I won't let go.

I suddenly grab Annabeth's hands and smile at her.

"What's up with you?" Annabeth asks curiously. She goes along with it, thankfully not making me look like a loser in front of her. She raises my hand to her lips and tenderly kisses my fingers one by one.

I grin.

She suddenly perks up and throws her hands around my neck, swaying slightly. I blink, confused until I hear the beginning melodies of a song. I recover fast, understanding, and place my hands around her waist.

I slowly guide my steps towards the lake, and Annabeth happily obliges. Swaying as one, we dance.

"I missed this," Annabeth whispers. Her eyes are closed, and she looks almost angelic (she could never be entirely angelic seeing as she's murdered hundreds一if not thousands一monsters).

"You're being nice to me, Wise-Girl," I tease. My breath quickens as Annabeth opens her eyes, a teasing glint in her eyes. She leans forward, and I can feel myself going red (surprise surprise).

"Seaweed-Brain." Annabeth says this like it's a universally known fact my head is full of seaweed.

I will hold on tighter 'til the afterglow.

We've danced towards the dock, and as the music slowly ends, I offer a hand to Annanebeth, gentleman-likeーwhich she kindly rejects. She sits on the canoe herself like the monster-killing queen she was.

My heart thumps loudly in my chest, and I can't breathe. It's time. I've been waiting for this

moment for years.

"Lookーit's an owl!" I lie through my teeth.

"An owl?!" Annabeth rises quickly and accidentally pushes our canoe into motion.

Oh well.

"What if it's mother?!" She shrieks.

I almost let out a laugh, bemused at how freaked out she'd become, then slowly lower myself down onto one knee and pull out the ring.

And we'll burn so bright 'til the darkness softly clears.

After a few agonizing minutes, Annabeth spins around, ready for a relaxing canoe ride (and glad she hasn't found an owl).

As soon as she sees me, her face falls slack. Her hands cup around her face, and I can tell she's biting her mouth.

"Percy?" Annabeth asks in a hoarse whisper.

My mouth curls slightly as I take in her face. Her usually intelligent-looking eyes are full of shock and happiness.

I clear my throat. "Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, Hero of Olympus, Architect of Olympus," I start counting down some of her titles. I can't wait to see her face for the next one. "The Wise-Girl to my Seaweed-Brain," I smirk at seeing how choked up she looks. I feel a drop of water drip onto my cheek and turn red again, seeing it's my tear. "Lover of mine, will you take the great honour of spending your life with me?"

"Oh Gods," Annabeth's crying softly in the most unnatural position. She's standing carefully, her upper half angled towards me, and her feet in a standing position as so the canoe doesn't flip.

"I love you, Annabeth," I say gingerly. "I've loved you for a long time now, and I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you."

She starts crying harder. I pout at her, lips quivering, and whine (in a tearful voice), "don't leave me hanging."

"Yes!" Annabeth tackles me into a hug and starts crying into my shoulder.

"You aren't going to take the ring?" I whisper into her ear.

"No, I'm not," Annabeth sniffles. "It's distasteful."

My face falls, and Annabeth wrestles the ring from me. I turn my head so I can see her. She's admiring the ring; a plain gold band with a marquise diamond placed in the middle.

"I love you, Percy," Annabeth says benevolently, then wipes her eyes. "I know I'll be able to get through every challenge with you as long as you're by my side."

I gaze towards the water, and Annabeth understands. "Like old times?"

"Like old times."

We jump into the lake, her hand in mine and mine in hers.

The last thing she says before I start whispering sweet nothings into her ear delights me.

"Forever, Seaweed-Brain."

Hey guys! I hoped you enjoyed that! Get plenty of rest and sleep!

Joyce