Hi y'all. This is my first fic. Its an AU/AH percabeth story. Enjoy!
"I just can't believe that after everything you would turn around and cheat," I screamed at Percy while frantically running around our room trying to get the last few things together for my trip tomorrow.
"Like you've never done it before," he screamed back. We both froze instantly. He knew he crossed the line. Sure, when I was younger I used to sleep around, regardless of whether I had a boyfriend or not. But that was long before Percy and I ever started dating. It was just a dumb rebellious phase. I would never even think about seeing someone else now that I was with him.
He opened his mouth to try and say something, but I stopped him before he could.
"Don't bother," I said before grabbing my suitcase, purse, and outfit for tomorrow and heading to the couch. I had to leave here at three in the morning anyway, so there was no reason to make Percy give up the bed.
"Annabeth, you look awful," Piper said while handing me some coffee. "Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Not much," I admitted, sipping the caffeine. "Percy and I had a high fight last night and I'm still all shaken up about it. Today's flight isn't going to help any."
"At least you have some time to think." Working as an international flight attendant for Pangea Airlines was my dream job after high school. It was a chance for me to travel the world without having to pay for any of my trips. It was a chance to get away from my parents and all of the mistakes I made as a teenager. It was a chance for me to start over. And I still love my job. Even though I'm with Percy now, every good thing about the job still applies. Working as a graphic designer for his cousin Tyson gives Percy plenty of flexibility to travel with me.
Of course there's also Piper. I met her on my first day working for Pangea. We both worked our first flight together. I messed up really badly, spilling drinks on two different passengers and stepping on at least three feet, while she was a natural. That might have something to do with the fact that she is a direct descendant of both Heinrich Kubis, the first-ever flight attendant, and Ellen Church, the first female flight attendant. She doesn't go around advertising this, but she's proud of her heritage. Piper and I look nothing alike, but other than that we could pass as sisters due to the amount of time we spend together. While I am short and petite, Piper is very tall. She has shoulder length black hair and is the sweetest girl I have ever met.
"It's time to get ready. Passengers board in four minutes," Piper said, effectively breaking my train of thought.
"You have to switch with me. Now," I said walking into the crew area. Today I was working in the first class cabin while Piper was working in business class.
"I thought you liked working first class. Plus there's this one family that's traveling with, like, 15 kids out there they are already complaining and the flight just started and I can tell –"
"I don't care. just switch with me," I pleaded, cutting Piper off. "Percy is out there and I just can't face him right now."
"You didn't tell me he was coming on this trip," Piper said peeking her head into first class looking for Percy.
"I didn't know he was coming," I whined. "He wasn't supposed to. Just please switch with me!"
"But if he's here he clearly wants to talk. I think I'm going to stay where I am," Piper reasoned while preparing her drink cart for her first of many runs.
"Who's side are you on anyway?" I grumbled following Piper's lead. "Fine. Don't switch. See how much I care. But you can't make me talk to him." I grabbed my cart and headed back out. But before I made it out the door, Piper called to me.
"Oh but fix your hair first," she winked at me, giggled, and walked away.
I pushed the cart, stopping at every passenger asking if they wanted their complimentary refreshment. There aren't that many seats in first class, but since their food and drinks are free they all seem to want something. I was slowly making my way down the aisle, dreading reaching Percy's seat.
"Would you like a complimentary refreshment, sir?" I asked the gentleman sitting across from Percy.
"I'll just take a water," he said before quickly returning to whatever he was watching on his iPad. I fished out his water before placing it on his tray and turning to Percy.
"Would you like a complimentary refreshment, sir?" I asked Percy, plastering on my "professional" smile.
"Come on, Beth. Don't be like that," he pleaded.
"Would you like a complimentary refreshment, sir?" I asked again, still being nothing but formal.
"Fine," he huffed. "What do you have, ma'am?" I knew he didn't really care what we had, he only ever drinks seltzer and diet Dr. Pepper, but he wanted me to list everything.
"We have water, various juices, Coke, Pepsi, Fanta, Sprite, and some others. With proof of ID we also have various alcoholic beverages," I said, starting to get a little upset with Percy.
"Hmm. I don't know." He pretended to debate the options for a second. "I was kind of hoping you had seltzer."
"We have it," I said reaching down to grab a bottle.
"That's funny. I don't remember you listing it as an option just now," he challenged me.
"Why are you even here?" I asked, finally having enough.
"Well, I've always wanted to visit India. I hear it's beautiful this time of year," he smirked while reclining his chair.
"How did you even get on this plane?"
"You see I did this funny thing called 'buying a ticket.' I bet you almost everyone else here did the same thing." I was about to respond to his snide remark when the man across the aisle interrupted.
"This water is warm. Do you have any that are colder?" he asked, looking up from his movie for just long enough to flash me a disgusted glare.
"Of course, sir," I said, fishing out a cold bottle of water. While I wasn't all too pleased with his rude glance, I welcomed the break in conversation. After handing him his new water I continued down the aisle.
The next few hours of the flight passed by without any excitement. Percy didn't say anything else to me, besides to ask for something to eat. However, the rude man across the aisle from me called me over quite a few times to complain about a whole list of things. First his chips were crushed so he "absolutely needed" a new bag. Then his lunch was "positively too cold" for him to eat. After I heated it up for him twice he burned his tongue and needed a cold drink immediately. He needed an extra pillow to rest his arm on. But to be honest it was better than fighting with Percy, and it gave me something to do on the obscenely long flight.
By the eleventh hour of the flight I was exhausted. That is the one draw back of my job: the flights are always really long. I had officially been up for 13 hours, and I was ready for a nap. Naturally, this is when Percy decided it's the right time to make a scene.
"Hey Beth, can I get another diet Dr. Pepper?" He asked rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair. He was clearly tired too.
"Sure," I said. When I returned with his drink, the guy across the aisle started his complaining again.
"You know. It's a little cold in here. Do you think you could turn the air up?" He asked me, barely flicking his eyes up.
"I don't have control of the temperature in the cabin. However, I could get you –"
"Hey lay off it," Percy grumbled. "All you've been doing all day is complaining and I think we are all tired of it quite frankly. And did you ever even think about maybe saying thanks to Annabeth. She's been busting her ass this whole flight to make you happy."
"It's alright, Percy," I said, trying to calm him down before it got worse. "I'll just go grab a blanket. It's no big deal really."
"No. It is," he said, clearly getting flustered. "You are working really hard and he doesn't seem to give a rat's ass. He should look up from his precious screen for three seconds to say thank you and then Stop. Freaking. Complaining."
"Hey. Stop yelling at my passengers."
"I'm only trying to defend you. It's not fair for him to take advantage of you like that. And you're too nice to say anything to him."
"But I'm not too nice for you to cheat on me? That's somehow 'fair?'" I yelled at him. This stopped all conversation in the cabin. I could see Piper standing in the doorway watching.
"I told you I didn't cheat in you," Percy responded. Dropping his voice to barely a whisper he added, "Why don't you believe me?"
"Why else would you act so suspicious? You were out almost every night after work this week, and you expected me to believe that you were just hanging out at Tyson's house. When you were home you kept sneaking glances at your phone hoping I wouldn't notice, but, news flash, I did. And I heard you talking to Karen on the phone. When you answered her call you got up and left the room to talk to her privately. And you expect me to believe that you aren't cheating." By this point I was crying. I just couldn't take it anymore.
"Oh god," Percy murmured. All of the color drained out of his face and he looked up at me with pleading eyes. "I didn't realize how bad it seemed. I guess I'm not as good at hiding things as I thought I was." Even though I knew he cheated somehow hearing him say he was hiding something made it a thousand times worse. I turned to walk away, but was stopped when Percy grabbed my wrist.
"No. No!" he said, realizing what he had just said. "When I said I was hiding something I didn't mean I was cheating on you. You know I would never. I have a surprise for you. I was going to have it all ready when you got back from this trip. But I guess now's as good a time as any." He stood and moved his grip from my wrist to my hand.
"What are you talking about? What surprise?" Instead of saying anything, Percy got down on one knee.
"We've been dating for a few years now, and lately I've been thinking about the future. Our future. Deep down I've always known you were the one, but I am only now realizing what that means. It means I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Forever."
"This is the part where I planned to whip out the ring I bought for you, but I wasn't expecting to do this now so it's in my luggage. You're going to have to wait until we land for that one. But what do you say, Annabeth. Will you be my forever? Will you marry me?'
"Yes. Yes. Of course." I was crying again, but for a whole different reason this time. Percy stood up and wrapped his arms around me, placing a big kiss on my lips. Everyone around us cheered. I forgot we had an audience. Piper came running over.
"I'm so happy for both of you!" she exclaimed, giving us a huge hug. "You sit right here and I'll be back with some champagne for both of you. I think you deserve a little break now." And with that Piper scurried off.
"Come here," Percy said, patting the seat next to him. I curled up next to him letting out a content sigh. Nothing could upset me right now.
"Excuse me," the man across the aisle said. "It's still really cold in here."
Fin
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