Perfect Little Blue Boy (Percy Jackson)

Chapter Sixty Three

Percy

You know, life was fine up until I woke up this morning.

I'm not joking, either. I was perfectly fine yesterday. But when I woke up... I don't know. Shit started going to my head. We had our two year anniversary in less than a week now and it just... My mind started doing things to me. Bullshit things. I was...

I wasn't convinced. But I was paranoid that Nico didn't actually love me. He didn't actually want to be with me. And I had reasons.

Because I'm stupid. Because I can't even take care of myself. So he feels bad. We moved in together, so he feels obligated now.

And it was just this in my mind. Endless reasons. On a loop. And I don't know why he came back to our room, but he needed something and I'm there. Having a panic attack of sorts. Anxiety attack. Telling myself that he doesn't love me because I'm not worth that. I don't deserve that.

"Percy, are..." Nico of course worried right away. Something that, again, I don't deserve from him. And he got on the bed, sitting across from me. "Hey, babe, look at me."

He forced me to look at him and I just felt ten times worse for putting him through all of this bullshit.

"Relax." Nico told me, calm. "Just breathe. What's wrong?"

The only thing I could manage was apologizing to him. Insisting that I'm sorry. And of course, he was my amazing boyfriend. The one that's too good for what I deserve.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Percy." The son of Hades promised, cupping my face and wrapping his arms around my neck. "I promise. Are you feeling paranoid again?'

I nodded my head. This has been a thing whenever my depression comes back that I get paranoid about us and then everything is fine and my depression just kicks my ass.

"Come here." And of course, he knew exactly what to do. Nico pulled me into a hug, rubbing my back. "I love you, Percy. And nothing is going to stop that, alright? Not my mom. Not your depression. Not any stupid thing. I'm here to stay. I'm not some cell phone 2 year contract bullshit. I'm a lifetime guarantee. I will always be right here. No matter what. Okay?"

I nodded my head and he pulled away from the hug.

"Good," he insisted and gave me a kiss on my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Now," Nico remarked, changing the subject. "You sort of slept in, what do you want to do?"

Nico

I'm nervous.

It's our two year anniversary. I got the ring and everything from Thalia and she wished me luck. And it was kind of weird.

We've been living here for a year now. We've been together for two. It's been over five years since we met each other now. I just... Time is weird.

But I'm doing it. I'm proposing. And I made sure that it was kept a secret outside of Thalia. She always keeps to her word.

He's gotten a bit better in the last week or so, too. He had that breakdown and he was kind of feeling down a majority of that day. And then the next day he had the energy to do stuff, just not very nicely. And it got better. Yesterday he was laughing so I think that's good progress. He just had a slump. Like he told me, they last a few days and then he's fine. It just has to be worked through.

But I was nervous about this. We were going out to eat tonight and I had it planned out. I wasn't going to propose at the restaurant. But we were staying up in Duluth. Which is beautiful and we had plans for going along Canal Park. Which is the sort of boardwalk up by Lake Superior. I wanted to do it there.  I hired a guy to take a cameo. Take other photos, too. So it didn't seem weird.

My gods, though. Two years. They've flown by and... And I've loved it. Being able to be with him. By his side, supporting him as he slowly gets better and gets help. It's amazing.

"Ready?" Percy asked me, poking his head into our bedroom. He looked so handsome in his button down shirt with his hair still not styled almost at all. And yet mine went into a small man bun.

Making sure I had everything on me, we headed out and drove the three hours it was from here to Duluth. The drive was worth it, though. It was so pretty in Duluth. We almost got lost in West Duluth, though. Trying to find our first activity: the aquarium.

And we did find it. It was a pretty decent size and Percy looked like a little kid in there. They treated the fish well here. He was happy to hear that.

It was the weirdest thing, though. Were walking through the jellyfish area. Alone. And Percy said it out of nowhere.

"Jimmy likes your hair."

I looked at my boyfriend, confused.

"Percy," I remarked. "Who's Jimmy?'

He pointed at Jimmy, who was a jellyfish just floating around. Seemed chill. And then I remembered that he can understand the fish and they understand us.

But the aquarium went by fairly quick and it was a lot of fun. We got to pet a sting ray, that was really cool. We've talked about getting a salt water tank and getting fish before. The Nemo gang.

It was hilarious, though. As we were walking through they had a tank with those fish and this guy ran up, excited. Must've been around our age. With a friend. And he just yelled "DORA" and then stopped and went "oh wait shit, I meant Dory."
(AN: That actually happened the last time I went to an aquarium and I laughed my ass off)

But afterwards, we went to a place called Adventure Zone and got to go  rock climbing. Which was really fun. It wasn't real rock. Pegs and what not. But we still spent a good two hours there, going up all the walls. There was a little girl who was having troubles with it and Percy had to go up right behind him. It was the sweetest thing.

I can't wait to have kids with him. He's going to be such an amazing father.

Eventually, though, we had to go to dinner. A nice place called Grandma's. Not far off of Canal Park. I guess there's a Marathon here every year. There was a poster about it. And honestly, I'm amazed by marathon runners. That's a long way to run.

But we stuffed ourselves with food and it must've been 8:30 by the time we got our of Grandma's and started walking down Canal park. It was beautiful, just before sunset. The lake was glistening, there weren't too many people around, and it wasn't cold out. It was nice and warm.

"Did you have fun today?" Percy asked me as we walked across this little pond thing that had stones.

"I had a blast." I assured him, giving him a small kiss. "Did you?"

"Of course." Percy insisted, taking my hand as we continued to walk around the corner. I knew where I wanted to propose and we it was right around here. In front of all of the rocks and the lake. "It couldn't get any better. Well, aside having to drive home. But it's worth it."

I smiled. Right here.

"Yeah," I agreed as we stopped where we were. "It is. But I have a question for you."

"Hm?"

"Well," I started off, my nerves suddenly just gone. "I know that it's a crazy two years that we've been together and I've loved every minute of it. Living with you and getting to be with you every every day is amazing. Even if you have doubts every once in a relationship while, I have loved every moment of it."

His face turned red from embarrassment.

"Nico..." He remarked, smiling. "That's now a question, babe. Sorry to break it to you."

"I know," I promised him, grabbing the ring from my back pocket. "But I do have a question. In all seriousness. I do have a question for you."

"And what's your question?"

I got down on one knee like the corny bitch that I am, and I held the ring up.

"Would you," I started off. "Perseus Jackson, do me the honor of marrying me?"