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If there was one thing Percy was not expecting from Rachel Dare's 16th birthday, it was being pulled away from a game of Grand Theft Auto because Annabeth Chase had gotten drunk off of the vodka cranberry.
"Percy!" He turned at the sound of his voice, leaving him face-to-face with Grover. "What's up, man? Come join me after I kill Connor for the 50th time." Percy felt a shove from said boy. "You wish, Fish Boy."
He kept playing, failing to notice Grover's slight panic. "It's Annabeth." Upon hearing that, Percy turned to Grover with a look that competed with 80-piece orchestras in volume. He was already pausing the game, ignoring Connor's grumble in protest.
"What's happened to her?" He stood up, adjusting his shirt as he got to full height. "I don't know how it happened, but she somehow had like half a bottle of vodka when she left the spin-the-bottle game." Percy's brows furrowed until the picture became slightly in focus.
"Where is she?" He started walking toward the kitchen, but Grover steered him toward the front door. "She's in the yard. Rachel said to give her some fresh air in case she's sick." Percy's eyes bulged out of his head. "You think she's gonna be sick?" Grover shrugged.
"Maybe. I won't be surprised. She did look upset when she left the game." Grover wore a knowing look, as if he were talking to Percy through his eyebrows. "What?" Grover rolled his eyes as he pushed him through the door.
"Honestly, these days I really do think there's kelp up there," was the last thing he said before walking back into the party.
Percy turned back to the yard, letting the kelp comment go over his head. Immediately after, Percy spotted Annabeth swaying on one of the swings that was hanging from a huge tree that was in front of Rachel's house.
"What's going on, Wise Girl?" He approached her softly, a smile on his face as she raised her head to look him in the eyes. Instead of greeting him back, he received an eye roll. "You okay?" He sat on the neighbouring swing.
"Oh, suddenly you care about how I'm feeling." She huffed, crossing her arms with as much grace as a first-time drunk girl could have. Percy's eyebrows furrowed even deeper. Her words were slurred as she avoided eye contact, as if she was avoiding looking at a solar eclipse.
"What have you had to drink, Annabeth? I don't think I've ever seen you drunk before." Percy jumped from the swing and stood in front of hers, bringing it to a slow stop. Annabeth let out a dramatic sigh, looking over his shoulder with her drooped eyelids. "It was just a little bit of vodka. It's barely affecting me!" She whined, nearly tipping herself over.
Percy reached out, holding onto her shoulders to keep her steady. Annabeth regained control of her body and stood in front of the boy. She shivered at the warmth that his hands brought to her bare skin. But then her eyes flashed with an image of the spin-the-bottle game.
"Why don't you check on Lacey, Perseus?" She grumbled before stumbling past him back towards the house. She left Percy alone with the visual of her eyes filled with unshed tears.
The sound of 'Cake By The Ocean' blasted through the speakers as Grover and Annabeth danced as if the world was ending tomorrow. Prom had been 4 hours ago. Annabeth's crown still sat upon her head, not as securely as before, but there nonetheless.
"Do you wanna get a drink?" Grover yelled over the music. Annabeth nodded, catching her breath as the two walked arm in arm towards the kitchen.
Which is where they found Percy.
"Aw! My queen! Where have you two been? You missed me absolutely destroy Connor at beer pong!" His cheeks were flushed, his curls almost reaching the sky, his crown hanging on for dear life. Annabeth smiled, walking towards the boy. She reached her hands up, adjusting the crown so it was more centered.
Percy smiled, his pink cheeks- which Annabeth wasn't sure were from her or the alcohol he'd consumed; she secretly hoped for the former- coupled with hers as she not so subtly ran her fingers through his hair. He preened at the attention; any self-control he had over his feelings was beginning to tip over.
"How does it feel to be my queen, Wise Girl?" He grinned, enjoying the flushed face of his closest friend. "Well, Seaweed Brain, how does it feel to be my king?" Percy sighed, in a way that could be described as dreamy. "It feels fucking fantastic." Annabeth bit her lip, trying to smother the smile that no doubt would drown her face.
"I think you've had enough beer, don't you think?" Percy smirked at her flustered response. "You don't believe me?" He asked, a pout forming on his lips. Annabeth giggled, pulling him towards a rare free sofa in the living room. She saw Grover behind them, pouring a glass of water for the blonde.
"I didn't say that, did I?" Annabeth pushed a curl from his forehead. "Where have you been all night? I wanted you to be my beer pong partner. Ever since Martha's 17th birthday, we've been partners." She laughed, shaking her head as she took a swig of a drink Grover had put in her hand. "I was dancing, Seaweed Brain. This is a party! Didn't you know?" She grinned.
Percy couldn't draw his eyes away from Annabeth as she drank from her rum and coke. It wouldn't have been his drink of choice, but he'd love to taste it from her lips.
"I've been an idiot the past few weeks." He announced, reaching up to touch his crown. Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?" Percy shook his head, so taken by her innocent face. "I don't know why I didn't ask you to prom when I had the chance!" He whined, throwing his head back in frustration with himself.
Annabeth smiled at his face, reaching forward and patting his knee. "It's a shame, Percy. I really wanted you to." He looked down at her hand, then back to her face. "Like when you called me obtuse?" His words were slow; clearly the alcohol was mixing with his blood nicely.
"Exactly. I thought that was loud and clear." He rested his elbows on his knees. "If only I knew what obtuse meant." His smile was too much for Annabeth sometimes. She was a girl with strong willpower. But a simple flash of those pearly whites was enough to make her crumble.
"If only, Kelp Head."
The two stumbled into their shared apartment, a bottle of champagne clutched in Percy's hands, a bouquet that had seen better days in Annabeth's.
"Do we have any clean glasses?" She slurred, pushing her hair out of her face. However, her question went unanswered as Percy was too busy leaving kisses down her neck. She sighed; a soft smile came to her lips as her arms wrapped around his neck. She could feel his grin against her skin. "Perce?"
He hummed against her, his arms around her waist, pulling her as close as humanly possible. "We've been drinking out of the bottle so far; who cares about glasses now?" He finally responded, waddling the two over towards the couch. She landed on his lap, limbs looser thanks to the champagne flowing through their veins.
"It's been a long day, Seaweed Brain." He looked at her, blue and brown mixing in the fresh moonlight casting through the window. "A lot has happened." She added, reaching forward to place a sweet kiss on his lips. He could taste the tang of the alcohol, a taste he wanted on his lips all day, every day.
Percy grasped her hand in his, turning her so they were facing the aquarium where many fish, such as Chiron the goldfish, Nico the rainbow fish, and Tyson the guppy, swim amongst each other as their parents watched on in drunk peacefulness.
"Do you think our parents are going to be mad?" Annabeth questioned, locking their hands together as Percy placed soft kisses on her shoulders. She felt Percy hum.
"Nah," He responded. "We've never done anything 'correctly', so why start now?" He unlocked their hands, running his hands up and down her thighs. The apartment was comfortably quiet. After the crazy day the two had just had, the sound of the bustling streets of New York was all they needed to fill that silence.
Percy pulled Annabeth's left hand up, the moonlight reflecting the ring that rested on her finger. The one that looked remarkably similar to his. Percy smiled.
"Who would have thought that we would wake up, boyfriend and girlfriend, and go to bed as husband and wife." Annabeth loved hearing the words husband and wife in reference to her and Percy.
It just so happened to be their anniversary when Percy proposed the idea that they should just get married that day. Whoever says 23 is too young to get married has clearly never met Annabeth and Percy. Some may have assumed they were already married.
They hadn't once thought about inviting people, their parents, friends, anyone. All they cared about was committing to each other in every sense of the word. And so, with a cheap white dress that was on sale, a rented tux that was a size too big, and rings from a thrift store, the two made their way to the registry.
3 hours later, the two would grab a bottle of champagne from their local liquor store, two huge sandwiches from the closest deli, and walk the streets of New York as officially married. Not that anyone knew, apart from them, the priest, and the woman they pulled from the street to witness the ceremony.
"Who would have thought the boy whose head had been shoved in a toilet bowl and the girl who stood up for him against the big bully would end up married?" She responded. Percy leaned forward, kissing his wife with the same love he had always carried for her.
"Everyone, Wise Girl. Everyone."