Going Viral

Epilogue

April 3rd, Day 324

Paris in the evening was enchanting, but his focus was entirely on her. As a true gentleman should, Percy had let her have the run of the bathroom to get ready. It had taken him a few moments to have a hasty shower, but he was soon out of her way and getting dressed up. The mirror besides the cabinet had turned out to be pretty beneficial after all (though who in their right mind designed a mirror with gaps in? what was the point?) and he spends his time attempting to drag a comb through his hair before it dries and turns into cotton candy. After a touch of moisturiser, Percy was pretty impressed by his appearance.

And then she came out of the bathroom looking like that and he felt like a speck of light next to the burning supernova that was his girlfriend.

Navy blue really brought out her eyes, making them look like clear water over rock pools, pale and glittering. Her dress was simple enough with it's thick shoulder straps and fitted figure, but the material split at her thigh, revealing an extensive amount of skin. Percy had to swallow hard to stop himself from drooling.

They walk along the left bank of the Seine and watch the water lap against the stone wall as the Eiffel Tower glows before them. He can't help but think that the night is more than perfect. With her hand in his, Percy is pretty sure that despite the sights, nothing else matters.

"What's going on in that seaweed brain of yours?"

The ring box burns in his blazer pocket. He really should've left it back in Manhattan, the temptation to pop the question on a night like tonight is too much for him to completely ignore.

"Just thinking." Annabeth quirked an eyebrow so he elaborated. "About us. About the future."

She pulled his arm around her shoulders and leaned into him. "Oh yeah? What might that entail?"

It was hard to force himself to sound casual, but he must manage because Annabeth doesn't shoot him any funny looks as he talks. "Anything you want. Maybe a house in Long Island, a beach wedding, honeymoon in Athens and a small army of blonde children. Sound good?"

Her laugh was melodic and contagious and Percy couldn't help but press his smile into her hair. "Sounds wonderful, I can't wait."

~~~

May 14th, Day 365

There's nothing special about today, in particular. It's just like any other Friday in any other week. They're not doing anything special, Luna's curled up at his feet as Percy strums on the guitar, Annabeth adding the occasional harmony to his musical musings as she potters around the apartment packing various trinkets into the cardboard boxes that line the hallway, but when he remembers the date, he stops mid-song.

"Annabeth?" He calls, setting his guitar down against the couch.

She sticks her head into the room, her hair splaying from her messy pony tail like a halo around her head. "What's up?"

"Guess what happened this time last year?"

Setting the box in her arms down with care, she twists her hair around her head and ties it with the band on her wrist. "I don't know, Percy, what happened this time last year?"

He grins and takes her hand, leading her to the space beside him as he takes out his phone. For a moment, all he does is scroll furiously through his camera roll until he finds what he was looking for and thrusts his phone in front of her face.

"You saved this?"

It had been quite some time since she'd thought about this video, but of course, that had been the beginning of it all. Digital-Annabeth is sat just out of the camera frame, her curls resting on her shoulders and bouncing as she moves her hands over the keys.