Flash Fiction Month 2016

Day 15: 'Could you repeat that?' (PJO)

The sun was setting, the air was crisp, and the waves were a glittering blue-green.
Everything was perfect.
Annabeth's hand wove into mine as we walked the shoreline, ambling, not needing to be anywhere or do anything for once in our lives. It was an odd feeling, but I knew it wouldn't last long. There was always something to do, somewhere to be. Just for this-evening though, we were free to do as we pleased.
Annabeth was looking out at the sea, watching the sun melt into the water on the horizon in a blaze of orange-red.
"Annabeth?" I asked, getting her attention.
Her head swivelled to me, blonde hair cascading back over her shoulder.
"Yeah?"
I used to wonder what it was about her that made my heart flutter, made my stomach do flips, but by now I knew that it was just her - all of her, everything she was. That was why I loved her.
Because she was simply her.
My heart was fluttering now, and my stomach had forgone the flips in favour of an all-out jig. The tiny box in my jacket pocket suddenly seemed to weigh a ton.
"Annabeth, I -"
A roar drowned out my words. We turned in sync to face the sound.
Not much ruins your day quite like a hydra, let me tell you.
This one was sick-green, had three heads and eyes like granite, and clearly wasn't here to cheer me on. It roared again, flicking three forked tongues in our direction. Slimy spittle dripped from its sharp maws.
Annabeth caught my eye. Her smile was knowing and sly as she took her cap from the satchel at her hip. I mirrored the smile, pulling a pen from the pocket of my jeans and uncapping it.
Annabeth vanished as she put the cap on. The pen in my hand extended, becoming the sword Riptide.
I stepped back into the surf and flourished my blade.
"Over here, ugly!" I jeered.
The hydra heaved its bulk across the sand on stubby legs, claws leaving furrows in the fine grit.
A little way away, a piece of hefty driftwood picked itself up from the shoreline.
The draconic monster splashed into the rippling waves, and I charged. Two heads snapped at me as I neared and I swept Riptide out to meet them. One fell into the water at my feet, the other recoiled, tongue running with black blood. The headless neck was flailing, as if searching for its missing head.
The hydra lashed at me with a foot that seemed all talons and no toes, and I sprang back, diving into the waves.
I surfaced behind it. Its tail was short and stunted, so it wasn't too hard to clamber onto the creature's back.
The remaining heads turned to strike at me. I swung Riptide at one, fending it off, but the other rose on my left, jaws open.
A log came down hard on the horned skull. There was a sickening crack, and the whole neck went limp.
I couldn't see her, but Annabeth was obviously grinning.
The last head seemed to decide it'd had enough. The monster roared and shook itself vigourously, throwing us into the water.
By the time I surfaced, the beast was lumbering away along the coastline, dragging one headless neck and one unconcious head in the sand.
Annabeth removed her cap and became visible again, standing a few feet to my right. I recapped Riptide and put the pen back in my jeans pocket.
We waded to shore.
"So, on account of the scaly menace over there, I didn't hear what you said," Annabeth informed me as we reached the shallows. "Could you repeat that?"
"Oh, yeah, um..."
I fumbled with my jacket, extracting the velvet box from my pocket.
Annabeth was staring as I sank to one knee in the water. I opened the box, revealing the ring I had spent weeks choosing.
"Annabeth Chase... Will you marry me?"
Annabeth did a sort of double-take, and then threw herself at me.
I crashed backwards into the water, trying to catch my breath even as Annabeth pressed her lips to mine. I don't know how long we kissed for, but when she eventually pulled away, she was laughing and grinning.
"Seaweed brain, I thought you'd never ask."