Hello, y'all! So, this is a little one-shot dedicated to The Goddess of Myths because she wanted to read a happy Frank/Hazel story! If you all want me to continue this, I might be able to, but I'm making this a one-shot for now! So, The Goddess of Myths, please enjoy and let me know your feelings!
Frank Zhang had fought every monster imaginable, traveled to Alaska, survived a quest to the Ancient Lands and closed the Doors of Death, all in the span of the last few months. But doing what he was about to do for his girlfriend, well, that was more terrifying than anything he'd ever had to face.
"Hey, Frankie," Percy greeted him, walking past the Fifth Cohort's barracks. Frank practically jumped out of his skin, almost dropping the ring box he held in his hand.
"What are you doing here?" Frank asked. "And don't call me "Frankie"!" He added as an afterthought. Percy smirked.
"Annie and I are visiting her parents in 'Frisco and I thought I'd stop by." Percy explained. "Dude, you okay? You look tense." Frank shrugged.
"Just nervous." Percy raised his eyebrows.
"Does this have anything to do with the ring box you almost dropped?" Percy asked. "Dude, you're not gonna-"
"Gah!" Frank cringed. "I am not proposing! Sheesh, she's fourteen!" Percy raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay, just checking! So, what's the ring for?" Frank blushed and then pulled the box out of his pocket.
"It's a promise ring. You know, to show Hazel that someday I want to marry her. And I really hope she doesn't hate me after this."
"Why would she?" Percy asked, furrowing his brow.
"Maybe she doesn't love me." Frank muttered. Percy patted him on the back.
"You'll be fine. She loves you, man. Now go get 'em!"
"Hey, Hazel," Frank greeted his girlfriend as they exited the pavilion after dinner. She swung her head around to face him, her eyes lighting up as she smiled at him.
Gods, she's beautiful, Frank thought, taking Hazel's hand.
"You want to go up to the tunnel?" Hazel asked. Frank nodded. They crossed the Little Tiber and climbed the stairs to the top of the tunnel, where the guards usually kept watch. Hazel looked out at the road, the cool night air ruffling her curls. Frank's hand closed around the box in his pocket before he pulled it out.
"Hazel," he began, taking her hands in his and turning her to face him. Her luminous eyes gazed into his trustingly and he felt his hands start to shake. "We've been going out for a while- well, not that long actually, but everything- okay, can I start over?" He stammered, the nerves getting to him. Hazel rose to her tiptoes and brushed Frank's lips with hers.
"Frank, what are you trying to say?" she asked with a slight laugh in her voice. Frank swallowed and opened the ring box.
"I love you, Hazel. You're my best friend, my confidant and my girlfriend that I love more than anything. I want to have a future with you. I want to watch our kids grow up in New Rome. I want to grow old with you. But first," he said, withdrawing the ring for the box and slipping it onto her slender ring finger, "I want to marry you." Hazel's eyes filled with tears as she tenderly touched the small sliver band.
"This is a promise ring," Frank explained. "Someday, this ring will be replaced with an engagement ring, but until then, this ring shows that I will marry you someday, Hazel Levesque." Hazel sniffled, looking down at the ring.
"No thesaurum comparat ad vos." She read the tiny inscription. "No treasure compares to you. Frank-" she started, then burst into tears, flinging her arms around her boyfriend.
"Hazel?" Frank asked, his stomach knotting. "Are you mad?" She pulled back.
"No! No, Frank! I just can't believe you would-" Frank kissed her on the lips, stopping her explanation.
"Hazel, I want to marry you. I love you. I don't care about your curse, or how scarred you are. I don't care about what you've done or what you might do. You are my greatest treasure, Hazel." Hazel sniffled, then smiled.
"This is the best night of my life!" she exclaimed, laughing. Frank sighed with relief, watching his girlfriend's eyes light up.
"Gosh, you're beautiful." Frank whispered. Hazel flushed bright red as she studied the road below her.
"You know," she started. "If we hadn't been here when Percy arrived, we might not have ever fallen for each other. We wouldn't have spent so much time with one another." Frank took her hand, running his thumb over the new ring.
"Well, then thank Venus for Percy." There was a rustling noise.
"Thank you!" came a voice. Hazel leaned over the railing while Frank grabbed on to her waist so she wouldn't fall.
"How long have you been standing there?" Frank called. Percy smirked.
"Eh, a few minutes. I had to make sure you did it right!" Frank face-palmed, while Hazel began to laugh. Percy grinned.
"I guess I'll just go now!" he sing-songed. Hazel rolled her eyes, turning her face up to the sky.
"You're gonna look beautiful in a wedding dress." Frank whispered as the first stars appeared in the dark sky. Hazel leaned her head on Frank's chest.
"We should get back to camp," Hazel murmured. Frank heaved a sigh.
"Come on, mademoiselle," he said, applying a fake French accent. Hazel laughed.
"We definitely need to work on your French." Frank rolled his eyes. Hazel spun to face him.
"Thank you for the best night ever."
"You're so welcome, Hazel."
Well, there you have it! I tried to keep it to one-shot length, but I'm not sure how good I did…Please let me know what you thought! Thanks for reading!
~Mandi/WithPaperAndPen