Chapter Text
Luke lay dying in front of the hearth on the floor of Mount Olympus. He did it, he’d killed Kronos. He’d regained control before Kronos could take over and decimate Olympus, and to say that he would die with zero regrets would be a lie, but this was better. This was the best way.
His final moments were mostly a blood loss induced haze, but suddenly he noticed something that made him pissed. Percy was looking at Annabeth as if he wanted the two of them to be something more—as if they weren’t together already. So, in his last breath as his vision cleared, he croaked, “Get the f*ck together already.”
He briefly saw them both shoot him equally confused looks, and then they turned to each other, and then the world faded to black as he died with a smile on his face and a final wish.
Annabeth’s brain short-circuited as she processed Luke’s final words, and she looked over at Percy who seemed to be going through the same emotional turmoil, but before she could speak, the Olympians arrived. She watched somberly as they wrapped Luke’s body in a shroud. She stumbled and Percy tried to catch her but he grabbed her bad arm, so he only succeeded in knocking her out, and when she woke up, she couldn’t find it in herself to blame him for it.
Percy… the boy she thought she’d lose like everyone else she’d loved. Like her mother the moment she was born, like her father once the twins were born, like Thalia on both Half-Blood Hill and when she joined the Hunters, like Grover when he left to search for Pan, and like Luke who betrayed her and died redeeming himself. She’d been deathly afraid of the line And lose a love to worse than death ever since the Oracle uttered it, afraid that the prophecy never completed itself, that she would have to hold Percy’s lifeless body, and when she heard the Great Prophecy in full, she shattered inside.
Sure, she’d masked it in order to seem strong in light of the coming battle, but the idea of Percy’s death was looming over her head and torturing her in her dreams, yet when he looked at her while she was being healed in the Plaza as if her survival was the only thing that mattered, she nearly broke right there. It wasn’t fair, having to watch everyone she loved leave her.
(If Percy died, she would never love anyone again.)
Now, they were safe. They’d done it. The war was over, and finally, she felt a spark of hope.
Percy didn’t have fond memories of the throne room.
Granted, the last time he was there they debated the merits of killing him, so he was a little antsy, but he saw Annabeth, fully healed, walking in and he relaxed. She smiled at him, and asked, “Miss much?”
“Nobody’s planning to kill us… yet,” Percy whispered back.
She cracked a smile, “First time today.”
They watched as Poseidon all but forced a thank you from Zeus, who also agreed to Thalia’s wish to help refill the Hunters’ ranks (how he would do that, he had no idea). Hades also agreed to help the fallen Hunters reach Elysium as fast as possible. He cheered as Tyson was appointed as a general for the armies of Olympus and was promised the best stick in the world. He was filled with pride as he saw Grover be appointed to the Council of Cloven Elders and named Lord of the Wild, finally accepted by all nature spirits. He couldn’t help but grin when Annabeth was named the architect of Olympus, knowing that that was one of her dreams—to build a monument to last through the ages.
He expected it when Zeus offered him immortality, but he thought of Luke, bleeding out in front of the hearth and making him promise to never forget why him and the other demigods rose up in the first place. He thought about his last words, Get the f*ck together already , and he looked at Annabeth, pale and afraid that he’d leave her like everyone else. He knew that fear from two years ago, when they had stood in front of the Council and he begged her not to join the Hunt. Well, guess what, Wise Girl, you’re not getting away from me that easily. He looked Zeus dead in the eye, and said, “No.”
The gods fell silent in disbelief, and Percy heard Annabeth gasp from behind him. He turned and saw her with her hand clasped over her mouth and tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. He didn’t turn back towards the Olympians when he heard Zeus’ disbelieving question. In fact, he gave her a small smile, before he turned back to respond, “I’ve got a lot of life to live.”
He could only hope that she understood that that life included her.
Annabeth barely heard Percy’s wish as she stood there in shock. A minute before, she thought he would abandon her for immortality.
She was hit with a memory from two years earlier. They were on Olympus after she and Artemis were rescued, and Artemis mentioned that she was going to recruit a new lieutenant. She remembered Percy panicking, trying to convince to not do something. She’d swept that memory under the rug ever since, but now she had an inkling of what he was afraid of. He thought that Artemis would offer her the position of lieutenant; he didn’t want to lose her, the same way she didn’t want to lose him just a minute ago. Now, he smiled at her as she tried not to cry, and then he turned to the gods, “I’ve got a lot of life to live.”
Her heart swelled at the possible implications of that statement, which was probably why she barely registered the fact that Percy essentially told the gods to pay child support. Luke’s voice rang in her head: had she been that obvious? Was he being obvious? Were they both oblivious to their obviousness?
(Yes.)
Percy started walking down the steps as the Council was adjourned, and Annabeth knew that she had to get him alone. She dragged him by his shirt, ignoring his questioning as to where they were going, and she didn’t stop until they were in a secluded part of the Olympus garden, and then she sat them both down on a bench before poking him in the chest and saying, “Explain.”
Percy arched an eyebrow, before replying, “What is there to explain?”
Annabeth wanted to throw her hands up in the air in exasperation, because seriously, Percy could be such a Seaweed Brain sometimes and sometimes she loved him for it— Whoa, whoa, hold on there. Pushing that thought aside, she explained herself, “Immortality is the greatest gift they can give, why would you decline it?”
Percy took in a deep breath, before answering, “I thought about Luke and Ethan and how my wish could be used better.” Annabeth deflated a little bit, but apparently he had more to say. “I also couldn’t leave someone behind.”
Her breath hitched as she looked up to find Percy already looking at her, his beautiful sea-green eyes burning into her own. She leaned in closer and whispered, “Who might that certain someone be?”
Percy smirked before whispering back, “I don’t know, she’s got these amazing blonde princess curls and the brightest gray eyes, and she’s kind of been my best friend for a while now.”
Annabeth scrunched her eyebrows and replied teasingly, "That doesn't sound like Grover."
“Oh shut up you,” Percy said, and then he leaned in.
They met in the middle.
Annabeth had heard numerous stories on what it was like to kiss someone, but with Percy, it felt like a puzzle finally coming together.
By the time they pulled apart, they were breathless and grinning at each other. They didn’t need to speak it out loud, but they were both thinking: Finally.
Then, Percy remembered his mother. “Oh sh*t, my mom’s probably worried about me.” He got up to leave and then he realized that one, he had no idea where he was going, and two, that he probably shouldn’t just leave Annabeth there after kissing her, so he stuck out his hand and let her lead the way.
Unfortunately, they ran into none other than Lady Athena herself. They jumped apart while Athena glared and Percy, but she just said, “Take good care of my daughter.”
Percy mumbled out a “Yes, my Lady,” as she walked away and Annabeth looked dumbstruck. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Did she... did she just approve of you or threaten you?” Annabeth wheezed out.
Percy, still gasping for air, managed to get out an “I have no idea.”
(His reunion with his mom only consisted of uncomfortable knowing looks and an almost "The Talk" from Paul.)
Annabeth saw Percy sitting alone at dinner, and decided that she would not let that stand. She marched over and plopped down right next to him, ignoring the stares she was getting from the other campers.
Percy stared at her, visibly confused, so she whispered to him, “I couldn’t leave you alone,” and before she could stop herself, she tacked on, “boyfriend.”
Percy’s face split into a grin as he whispered back, “Boyfriend? Is that what I am?”
Annabeth bit back a smile before responding, “Only if you’ll have me as your girlfriend.”
Percy, still grinning, replied, “You are so not making this easy to not kiss you in front of everyone right now.”
Annabeth, knowing exactly how much of a riot that would cause among their fellow campers, leaned in and said, “I am never, ever , going to make this easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it.” Then she kissed him… in front of everyone.
“Well, it’s about time!” They pulled apart to see Clarisse stretching out her arms and back. “The lovebirds need to cool off!”
“The canoe lake!” He heard someone, probably Connor Stoll, exclaim, and before he knew it, he and Annabeth were being carried to the canoe lake.
Holding hands, they were tossed in, and while they floated down, Percy created a bubble.
And it was pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time.
(And in the Underworld, a recently-perished soul crossed the Lethe and into a new life with a content smile on his face.)
