Percy Jackson tiptoed out onto the chilled, wet lawn of Camp Half-Blood. It was sunset -- his favorite time of day -- and he needed a little time away from all the craziness that was his life. A glowing golden orb lit up the sky in shades of orange and pink, a masterpiece that had to be Apollo's doing.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain."

Annabeth smiled sweetly beside him.

"Hey," Percy said tiredly, sitting down on the wet grass beside the ocean.

She walked towards him. "Mind if I join you?"

He shook his head and motioned to the patch of grass nearby. "'Course not."

She sighed, sat down, and crossed her legs Indian style. The last rays of the dying sun made her hair shine like soft gold as she turned to him. In perfect silence, they stared at the sky ahead.

Even the sea, Percy's territory, seemed calm and serene on such a gorgeous day. In those quiet moments, he could have sworn he saw a slick, gray dolphin's fin emerge from the cool waters.

The whole world could have been coming to an end -- and, as Percy and Annabeth knew, it really was -- but the sea was still ever so peaceful. And beautiful. Beautiful as, Percy thought, as...

Well, he wouldn't think that. Too risky. What if the gods could hear his thoughts?

"Percy?" Annabeth said softly. "What are you thinking?"

"I...I don't know," he lied, eyes averted. "It's just, we're about to put our lives in danger."

"Yes."

"And--" he took a deep breath. "I don't think I could bear it if anything happened to you."

She reached up and turned his face so she could look him in the eye. "Nothing will happen to me," she told him firmly. "Not so long as we stick together."

He half-smiled for a moment, thinking of all the memories, good, bad, and terrible, that they'd shared. Three years of running from monsters and angry gods. Three years of going through the underworld and finding enchanted fleeces and holding up the sky. Three years.

And suddenly, the importance of what he had to say hit him.

"Annabeth, you have to promise me," Percy said seriously. "All right? Promise me that if it ever gets too risky, you'll let me go in and you'll get yourself safe."

She shook her head violently. "I could never--"

"Promise!"

She opened her mouth to protest, but closed it and looked down. "I promise," she murmured.

A brief moment of pure silence washed over them again, but Annabeth soon broke the spell.

"Why?" she asked him sadly. "Why do you have to care about me?"

Percy gulped. "Because," he said, voice wavering. "I..."

Could he finally say it? There was no reason why not now, before all the intensity of the battle would begin.

"I...I love you."

Her eyes widened, and she backed away on the grass for a moment. "You..."

Percy watched her come back, astonished. But after the shock had worn away, she turned to stare at him softly. Slowly, but with both of their hearts racing anyway, they leaned toward each other. Percy watched as Annabeth's eyes closed, and at the last second.

"You're..." she whispered.

"What?" he breathed, eyes closed too.

She seemed to be almost hyperventilating. "You're..."

"What is it?" he asked.

"You're...you're..." she stuttered, backing away a little bit.

"What?!"

"YOU'RE MY SECOND COUSIN! EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!"

Percy could only watch, dumbfounded, as Annabeth Chase sprinted down the grassy hill.

A/N: Suckers.