Percy's hands were shaking, his jaw was clenched, his stomach jittery. He was beyond nervous, but also excited beyond belief.
He was about to propose to Annabeth. They were to meet on the beach, at their special spot to watch the sunset. The sand dune was theirs, they always meet there, weather they wanted to talk, go for a swim or just observe the world around them. It was their spot, their secret special spot, their hidden private place.
He had snuck down into Atlantis to ask Tyson to make the ring for him, he trusted no one else but his brother with this. It made the ring all the more special and unique. Tyson had taken his time, making the ring perfect. Even so, it only ended up taking a couple hours, he was after all trained to make a sword a day.
Percy had to be grateful for Tyson's speed, he'd only just pocketed the ring when his father had discovered him. He'd been kicked out on his behind. Dad wasn't exactly happy with him, he was after all planning to marry the daughter of the woman his dad had a millennia old rivalry with.
It also probably didn't help that another son of Poseidon demigod had turned up. Poseidon was already favoring him, it seemed Percy was old news and too much trouble in the end anyway. The new Kids name was Max and he was 14 years old. Percy couldn't help being slightly jealous of Max. Dad had never meant to have a child with the street slut he had picked up, after having been banned from interfering with Sally's life. Max was the happy mistake that was everything Percy wasn't. Due to the lack of affection on dad's side towards the slut, Max's demigod scent had been weak. He was never chased by monsters, and had never had to live with a mortal monstrous enough to smell worse than a real monster. He had lead a relatively normal life till Grover had stumbled across him in Ohio. Grover had since disappeared somewhere in Alabama.
Max seemed to be more human than demigod in other aspects as well. He wasn't particularly good with any weapon, even as a beginner. He didn't have any real power over the sea other than being able to twist a couple droplets. Most importantly her had no mortal flaw. He didn't have anything like Annabeth's pride or Percy's loyalty.
Maybe the thing Percy liked least about Max was his utterly indifferent attitude towards Percy. The hero worship from the younger campers had died off a couple months before Max had arrived, he would be eternally grateful for that. Percy might of understood the seeming jealousy that Max oozed when he first arrived if he had had to put up with that, but that was just it, he hadn't. Max had been welcomed with open arms, there had been excitement all-round to welcome a new camper. After all after the sudden influx after the Titan war there hadn't been many new people around. Percy had been the most excited of everyone when he heard about Max. He had been craving a familial relationship for a while since his mother had died during the Titan war. While Tyson was great, he also happened to live at the bottom of the ocean.
Max had ended up being a bit of a disappointment. He hadn't been interested in talking to Percy, had really only barely interacted with him within their cabin. He had rejected Percy at every turn, disappearing to who knows where with who knows who whenever possible. Max's indifference had hurt, but it hadn't been the end of the world. Percy still had Annabeth.
Then the campers had started giving Percy side long glance, whispering only to go silent as he walked past. Suddenly Max was gaining friends (followers) at rapid speed, for seemingly no apparent reason. It was at this point that Percy had asked for permission to marry Athena's daughter, from Athena herself.
Athena agreed, so long as he completed a little quest for her, which he had obliged. Athena seemed to think her daughter marrying one of the more powerful demigods was extremely advantageous, even if she had something against the father.
The quest had taken a mere two weeks, and now he was back, ready to ask Annabeth to spend the rest of her life with him.
The proposal ring really was perfect, Percy thought as he snapped the box shut, setting off for the beach. It was a simple platinum band with a dark silver pearl in the middle. Carved on the inside of the band was an owl holding a trident in its talons.
Percy was jittery. His heart was starting to race. He had lost everyone over the last couple of weeks. While he had been away, Max had somehow managed to convinced everyone that Percy was horrible person and a terrible leader, claiming that Percy was the reason so many had died during the Titan and giant wars. Even some his closest friends had withdrawn and adopted Max's indifference. He had gone to New York after the quest to quickly visit Paul and blow off some steam roaming around the city, only to find Paul had died in a car crash weeks earlier.
Percy would not be alone, he would always have Annabeth. They were still in love, they had each other. Their loyalty to each other would never waver.
As Percy approached their dune he heard voices. He quickly ducked behind the larger dune next to their alcove, to listen to the two people, his paranoia from the war kicking in subconsciously. Soon he realized that the two people he was listening to were having a rather intense make out. He could hear the squelching and sucking noises their mouths were making. He was about to quietly slip away thinking Annabeth had done the same, when a very familiar voice squealed in pleasure " Ooooouh, Max your much better at that than Percy. I can't believe he left me alone so long, let's go all the way. No one will care, they all hate Percy anyway. Now put that talented tongue of yours to good use." Max leaned down from his position near her mouth at Annabeth's command. Arching her back as Max kissed her neck, Annabeth's hands began to move downwards. Percy was dumbstruck. He couldn't believe that Annabeth was doing this.
Percy anger bubbled and churned like the ocean during a storm. Annabeth was the only person he had left. He was losing control, the ocean churning behind his back as he watched on, unable to turn his eyes away. He couldn't bottle this anger, sadness, grief like he had all the other times.
A wave was building behind him, malformed and distorted by the churning water of which it was made. The normally calm sea green turning dark in the trickling soft sunset. He was losing control, losing sight, becoming the raging Mediterranean Sea that sunk ships, took live and always had revenge.
The wall of water came crashing done on top of Mark and Annabeth. " How could you. How could YOU! After all this time, after all we've been through. I thought I meant something to you. I thought you were the most wonderful person in the world. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, you lying, cheating, WHORE! " Percy spoke softly before ending in a pained scream, dropping the red velvet box at his feet in the soaked sand. Annabeth was dumbstruck and behind her smirking, if slightly afraid Max stayed.
"Percy, wait, don't leave let me explain" Annabeth begged, crawling on her knees as she tried to get up to race after him. Max was smirking like a pig in the background, not having moved an inch, as Annabeth rushed after Percy who was storming off down the beach.
Percy was trying to control the raging beast in his gut. He could not lose control, people would die in that hurricane, camp half-blood would be flattened, woods and all. It was getting very hard with Annabeth shouting lies at him. "Percy, wait! I'm only going out with Max while your away on your quests because I'm bored. I still love you!" Annabeth cried. "If you loved me you would be able to wait for me, you slut" Percy stormed on. He couldn't handle her anymore.
A humongous water wall rose behind Percy's back and stopping Annabeth her tracks as he continued to storm away. Collapsing to the ground she began to cry her heart out. Max was still smirking, sitting in Annabeth and Percy's old spot, lipstick on his neck face and lower body.
Percy prepared to leave camp that night, he wasn't coming back. Annabeth had been the final crack in the already shattered and shaken pane of glass. Being near the camp brought back to many happy memories that were now shadowed in pain. There was nothing left for him there. No one to be loyal to. No to love or be loved by. He had no one in the entire world. So, he left.