You Wanna Go To Vegas? (Luke Castellan x Oc)

July 4th 2005

The two of them were laying back, side by side on the bank of the lake. Annabeth had her head in Bri's lap and Luke had an arm around Hope, watching the fireworks explode above their heads. Two older Ares brothers were glaring daggers into the blonde's head, not that he cared. It was a tradition at camp to ask someone to watch the fireworks with you, and when Luke looked at his little makeshift family- he'd take this over anything even if it meant mental daggers in his back.

"What are you thinking about?" his girlfriend asked, looking at the intent focus in his blue eyes. She watched one of the red fireworks burst in the reflection of his eyes, flaring off into sparks and disappearing into the constellations, and then she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not even sure," Luke said, leaning his head on hers.

"Annie's asleep," Bri muttered, stroking the blonde girl's head resting on her thigh.

"Annie's always asleep," the son of Hermes countered, letting his arm drop from Hope as she bounded up to go play with the Stolls and their sparklers. He unfolded a second blanket, laying it across Annabeth's body and turning his attention back to the fireworks.

Blues and purples and oranges and greens erupted across the sky and for a few minutes the couple was silent.

Bri looked up at him, content with staring at him again. It's been five years after all, and a lot can change in five years. He still had that sneaky look to him, and had a growth spurt somewhere in those years, towering at 6'1. Luke still claimed he was in desperate need of a haircut, but Bri had been holding it off for three weeks now by telling him he looked like Luke Skywalker. Not to mention he was in peak physical condition- arms and legs filling out with all the training camp half-blood required.

"You're supposed to watch the fireworks," Luke chided, tilting his head. "You can't get mad at me for staring, it doesn't work like that," he added playfully, fingers snaking up her arm like a spider.

"If you're gonna tickle me, I will sock you," Bri warned, watching his hand crawl up. He wiggled his fingers and she fixed him with a look, but instead of the tingles she was expecting his hand cupped her cheek and he kissed her. Soft and warm, like hot chocolate. It's a wave, and then he pulls away, mischief in his eyes.

"It's almost our anniversary," he whispers, and he watches her expression go soft.

She smiles, looking back down at Annabeth curled into her lap. "August 17th," Bri mumbles, and Luke takes this moment while she's distracted to move a hand into his pocket, curling around a small velvet black box.

It had lived in his pocket for two weeks now.

He turns to her, gold hair lighting up with the current firework show, icy blue eyes full of love, and then he asks the question that will change their lives.

"You wanna go to Vegas?"