Percy's POV

It was exactly one month after that whole fiasco. Cleo, Emma, Rikki, and Bella had gone back to Australia with their new powers. I had promised to visit them soon. Life was finally starting to settle down again but life comes with new adventures. And I was about to go on a really big one with the love of my life. That is, if she says yes.

Yes. I finally decided to propose to her. I know, we were a bit young, only seventeen, about to turn eighteen but a love like ours would last forever. I'm sure Piper and Aphrodite would agree with me. Anyway, we didn't have to get married immediately. Maybe wait a year or so, whatever Annie wanted. I was planning to propose to Annabeth on February 14th, Valentine's Day which was three days from now. I continued to walk towards Hephaestus' Temple on Olympus. Since Annabeth had designed Olympus, it was absolutely perfect in my eyes. Hephaestus' Temple was made of dark coppery metal and rose a good 24 feet. The steel columns glowed with fire from inside. I knelt at the altar.

I thought to Hephaestus, "Hey, uh, hi. Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Percy?" Hephaestus' gruff voice sounded mildly surprised. "What can I do for you?"

"Well... I was thinking of proposing to Annabeth. Can you make our ring?"

"Sure. Send me the image of what you want it to look like."

I concentrated hard. I had thought of this ring for a really long time. It was a thin celestial bronze band with a miniature horse and owl on the top. The horse was to be carved from a light sea green pearl given to me by Poseidon and the owl from a piece of stormy gray rock I had found at the bottom of the Moon Pool. Engraved inside the ring I was imagining were the words, "Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl, forever." I sent my thoughts to Hephaestus along with the pearl and the gray rock.

"I'll get the ring to you by tonight." Hephaestus promised me. After thanking him, I walked out of his temple. I could only hope that Annabeth liked the ring.

***

I stood outside the penthouse door. My palms were sweating and I wiped them hastily on my shorts. "No point in standing here doing nothing," I thought and knocked on the gray paint. A few moments later, the door opened.

Athena stood in the doorway, her onyx black hair in a messy side braid. "Oh. Sea Spawn, it's just you."

"Can I go in?" I asked hesitantly. She sighed and gestured for me to go ahead, so I did.

"What did you want?" She asked grumpily crossing her arms in front of her gray sweater. We stood in the living room of a neat, orderly house. Though the design seemed modern, there were some ancient architectural aspects too. (Like it? Annabeth taught me the word 'architectural.' I feel so accomplished!) I shook my head to rid it of the ADHD thoughts.

"I'm here to ask for your blessing, I want to marry Annabeth. Now, we're still going to get married, whatever you say but I know that this is important to Annabeth, so it's important to me." I said getting straight to the point.

Athena studied me intently for a few moments. Brows furrowed in thought. Finally, she spoke.
"You're not what I thought you are. Most children of the Big Three, especially Zeus and Poseidon are proud and pompous. You however, are different. Yes, you are unpredictable, reckless, and immensely powerful. However, you are also kind, loving, brave, and your loyalty matches your power in strength. You protected my daughter in Tartarus. Almost gave up your life several times for her and your friends." She paused. "You truly are an honorable hero, Perseus Jackson." I flinched as she said my full name, if she noticed, she gave no sign of it. "You have my blessing." I sighed in relief.

"But- but if you hurt her, in any way... I won't hesitate to kill you Jackson." She leaned forward until she was right in my face, gray eyes, so much like Annabeth's flashing formidably. "I will kill you." I nodded earnestly.

"Got it." I left Athena's house hurriedly, looking back now and then to make sure she wasn't folowing.

***

I took a taxi towards my apartment. Mom and Paul had gotten back late last night from Australia. Even though they had wanted to come back to me immediately, I had insisted they stay a few more weeks in Australia to enjoy their vacation. And I had a pretty strong feeling that I would get a new sibling soon.

I knocked on the door. My mother opened it and shot forward to hug me.

"Oooff!" I grunted.

"Percy!" My mom cried into my green sweater and hugged me tightly. I caressed the graying strands of her brown hair.

"Hi Mom. Hi Paul." I greeted my step father who came up behind my Mom and pulled her away. I followed them into the apartment and sat with them at the kitchen table. A whole plate of blue cookies were in the middle of the table. I grabbed a few and chewed on them as Mom watched me.

After an awkward moment of silence in which I chewed on my mouthful of cookies, I swallowed and cleared my throat. I flicked my fingers casually and water floated from the pitcher of water on the table. I opened my mouth and the ball of water dissappeared inside.

I broke the silence. "I'm proposing to Annabeth." My mom squealed happily.

"Ooooh! My baby's getting married!!"

"Mom, Annabeth hasn't even said yes yet!"

"Oh, she will. Don't worry honey." Mom reassured me.

"She's right Percy. Anyone who sees you together can see you're both crazy for each other."

I scowled jokingly at Paul. "When did you become a love expert?"

"Since I met your mother." Paul answered taking her hand. Mom blushed.

"Oh Paul." She gripped his hand.

I coughed awkwardly then said, "Athena's already given her blessing. Now I just have to get Annabeth's dad's." Mom looked impressed.

"You got Athena's blessing?! Wow!"

"Yeah I know. I'm just gonna go IM Mr. Chase and Poseidon." I left Mom and Paul together and headed for the bathroom.

I set up the mist and took a glass pyramid and drachma out of my pocket. After the sunlight made the rainbow I called, "Frederick Chase, San Francisco." The mist shimmered and congealed to form an image of Annabeth's dad sitting alone drinking coffee at a table.

"Percy! Why are you calling? Is something wrong?"

"No, sir. I'm here to um... Ask for your blessing." Mr. Chase raised an eyebrow.

"...To marry Annabeth." He sighed and rubbed his face tiredly then looked up.

"Aren't you a litle bit young to get married?"

I wanted to amswer, "Why yes, yes I am," but I didn't.

"Sir, we don't have to ge married right away, whenever Annabeth wants. I'm just going to ask her hand in marriage," I explained.

"Fine. But if you hurt her....." He left the thought hanging ominously in the air

I smiled. At least he said yes. "Don't worry, Mr. Chase. I would fall back into Tartarus a thousand times to save her."

After ending the call, I contacted Poseidon. "Hi Dad!" I called waving. Poseidon turned to look from his throne in Atlantis.

"Percy!" He beamed at me. "What is it?"

"I was going to propose to Annabeth and I wanted to let you know."

"So soon?" He leaned back surprised. He stroked his neatly trimmed black beard. He turned to look slyly at me. "You know, I don't really want grandchildren yet."

I groaned embarrassed. "Daaaaad....."

"Kidding!" He laughed. "Of course you can marry her. Now we just have to make plans to get Athena away for a while so that when she comes back it'll be too late because you'll already be married. Now I'll just have to ask Hera if she can bind your marriage-"

"Dad," I interrupted his rambling, "Athena's already said yes."

He looked over at me surprised. "Really!? Hmm... I never would have thought Owl Head would have agreed. But you and Annabeth do deserve a happy ending, it will be great having her as a daughter in-law."

"Thanks Dad." I whispered, touched.

"You're welcome, son. Oh and that reminds me!" He snapped his fingers and an unnatural feeling spresd through my legs. It was like water was caressing it but nothing was there. "Now you can control when you want your legs to transform into your tail."

After saying goodbye to Poseidon, I walked back to the living room. I spent a few more minutes with Mom and Paul before deciding to head back to Camp. I hugged my Mom and waved to Paul. I whistled to Blackjack and soon he came swooping out of the sky.

"Hey Boss! How's it going!?"

"Fine, Blackjack. Can you take me back to Camp?"

"Right away Boss!"

Soon we landed the near the lake. I quickly spotted Annabeth climbing the rock wall again. I waited at its base as Annabeth finished the climb.

"Hey Percy!" She greeted me smiling warmly. "Where were you?"

"Visiting mom and Paul, they came back today," I answered. It wasn't the complete truth but it also wasn't a lie.

I pulled her in for a quick kiss. After breaking apart I said, "You are cornially invented for a date with me by the beach at 5:00 P.M. on Valentine's Day."

Annabeth laughed. "Seaweed Brain. It's cordially not cornially."

"Oops. So... Is that a yes?"

"Of course its a yes."

"Great! I'll pick you up then. Bring a bathing suit by the way!" I called after her as she walked away.

Annabeth glanced back at me grinning. "It's a date!"

A bit boring but Percabeth nonetheless. The next chapter will be their date.